Lucy strode through the forest with no intention of leaving it without a certain dark haired King. The problem in this however, was that Caspian was no where to be found. It was most inconvenient.

The young queen was, in truth, entirely finished with the ridiculous facade she and the object of her ongoing and infuriating affection had put up. She was done. All she wanted was to tell him that she was in love with him, because she was, entirely, in love with him. And she wanted him to kiss her. That too. And wasn't that what you did? When you loved someone? Didn't you tell them so?

Lucy wouldn't know of course, never having been in love before. Susan, she would have the answers. She was, however, not present. Or so Lucy thought. It was then that she heard exclamations from somewhere not so far away. Not knowing why, or caring to think much about it, Lucy quieted her breaths and took care in her footfalls, looking through the leaves to take note of the exclaimers.

Caspian's arms were around a remarkable girl, even more so remarkably familiar. One with ivory skin and hair made of obsidian silk.

Susan.

Lucy looked at her sister and her King and wanted desperately not to notice what a fair couple they made. All slender figures and darkened hair. But she did notice, and the sight made her more miserable than jealous. Caspian did not linger, however, but soon stepped back and began to explain away the confusion in Susan's eyes.

"Susan, thank Aslan I found you. You must be very disoriented, I know you think that-"

"Caspian wait, I don't understand," Susan interrupted, "I thought there was an accident. A train crash… I thought…"

"You're in Narnia, and so are you brothers and sister. They're not so far away actually, they'll be ecstatic to see you. You're the last one to be found, Lucy was first and she had dreams from Aslan as to where to seek out your brothers. We were waiting on a dream about you, but I suppose it turns out we don't need one."

It was then that Lucy stepped from the trees.

"Susan." And that was all she could say, for she found it very hard to forget the last words she had said to her sister, the last thoughts she had thought. Words like steel and blades, minds clamped shut.

Susan opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly the trio were flung backwards, away from each other and the words they wanted to say. Invisible bonds tied their hands behind them and ensnared them in a triangle of sorts, each royal a point. Caspian, alarmed, tried to struggle free, but it was of no use. Susan struggled to scream, but her tongue wouldn't work. Lucy did not struggle at all; she just watched, waiting calmly for the attacker that had trapped them all.

And then they all noticed the mirror, that sat in the center of the triangle as though it had been there all along, though it hadn't. Then the bonds loosened and tongues unfastened, but they were all still caught up in the triangular shape, it's walls unseen but decidedly there.

"What is it?" Susan questioned worriedly, even she, the least of the believers, recognizing the mirror to be something more than what it appeared.

"It's a test, of sorts," Lucy explained. "Ed and Peter had to face it when they woke up. I never had to. Until now."

"Well, what happened to Peter and Edmund? What did they have to do?"

"They had to fight something. For Edmund it was the White Witch, for Peter it was himself," said Caspian. Susan looked fairly alarmed.

"They had to overcome." Lucy corrected simply, never once looking away from the mirror.

"Lu," Caspian spoke cautiously, still dripping wet from the waves that had thrown them together moments before. But Lucy showed no signs of comprehension; she only walked toward the mirror as though it held her in shackles that tugged at her hands and she had no choice in her obeying.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" Susan was now the one concerned. She moved toward her sister, and then broke into a run once realization freed up her feet.

"Lucy no!" she shrieked, snatching up the mirror before her sisters outstretched hand could touch it.

And then it was Susan that was entranced. She stared at the mirror unwavering, and slowly rose it so as to gaze upon her reflection.

She saw her face. It was beautiful she thought. But then she saw that she thought she was beautiful, merely because that was what she had always been told. She then found a reflection that showed her what she told herself she looked like. And that was boredom and self- obsession and pretty dresses that covered up her unseemly soul that could so frustratingly not be made alluring with money or make up. She then looked up and saw Lucy, not having to better an ugly heart with lace or lipsticks. And she saw Caspian, a product of this world that she had worked so diligently to forget. He was the proof that all of this was real, that Narnia was back, or rather that she was back in it, and that she had been thrust into this existence once again.

And then walls began to build themselves around Susan, obscuring her fears from her and herself from her fears. Lucy and Caspian hardly knew that they were the object of Susan's distress. They had stood in horror as they watched the gentle Queen's face contort with each image the mirror showed her, but now dashed to her in an attempt to pull her from stone barriers erecting themselves all about her.

They could do naught.

The stones fell out of nothing until they sat feet above Susan's head, and then they closed themselves off into a roof.

And then there was quiet. Susan sank to the ground and was surrounded by her gasps and sobs, but they slowly quieted too, until nothing was left but silence. And Susan. Sitting alone in the grass, thinking about how peaceful and lonely it was inside a place void of discomforts.

Lucy and Caspian stood in shock for a moment, before endeavoring to tear away the stones. It was to no avail, and they slid down the sides of the structure made tired in their efforts.

"Do you think she's alright?" Lucy asked between breaths.

"She has to take it down herself, I think." Caspian replied, not meeting his companion's eyes.

Caspian was right, and though Susan had not heard him she knew that what he said was true. She had to take the walls down herself. And this would not be so difficult, if she were sure she wanted them dismantled at all. The difficulty came in that she was not so sure, that she wanted the walls gone, for once they were she would have to face the world she wished into nonexistence and the people she yearned to be like. And that would mean she had to be stronger that she believed herself to be.

Susan was scared.

A/N: I know it's been ages, but i'm finishing this story no matter what. I hope you like it :)