Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters and plots. The original universe and everything in it belong to C. S. Lewis. All photos used of film characters belong to Walt Disney Pictures. The content I have written is fanfiction and its only purpose is to inspire creativity and to further immerse oneself in the universe C. S. Lewis has created.

Author's note: Just about a week after publishing chapter six in June, I got a job offer I couldn't refuse. Since then, I've been super busy working and moving into a new flat with my boyfriend, and I basically haven't written a single word of fiction in four months. Now, I'm finally back with a new chapter, and I hope to be able to keep writing and publishing more frequently. Fingers crossed though!

"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different…"

- C.S. Lewis, "Prince Caspian" (1951)

Chapter 7 – Birthday Blues – July 2315 – Narnia

Seclusion was not part of Susan's problem. It had been easy to let Edmund assume her responsibilities in the King's privy council under the pretence that his expertise would further help Caspian and the council in their endeavours, which strictly speaking was the truth as Susan recognized that Edmund had taught her everything she knew about diplomacy and political affairs anyway.

Trumpkin saw to Edmund's previous duties with the wounded and the imprisoned, and Susan spent her days with Lucy, getting to know the locals, whether they were Narnian or Telmarine, though she supposed that they were one and the same now that Caspian was king. The people and creatures she met were very kind to her, and every day she learned more about the Telmarine way of living.

It had been far too easy to feign headaches and exhaustion to dodge feasts, gatherings or attending court. The only people she had socially interacted with this past month, apart from the local public, had been Lucy and occasionally Trufflehunter, and what frightened Susan a little was how comfortable she was with the arrangement. To hide and avoid the thoughts and person that troubled her was far more painless than to confront the possible heartache that lay ahead.

It had been her way for so long, she hardly knew of any other way to cope. Susan enjoyed being left alone and deal with her own company. Surely, it would lead to a lonely life Lucy had commented, but Susan did not fear loneliness. It had been her constant companion for years. She knew she was good at dealing with her troubles alone, as she preferred at any rate, and she did not expect this time to be any different. Yet it was.

She had expected her evasive rejection would wound Caspian. He had, with the use of very few words, made his growing affection for her known on the night of his coronation. But he was young and handsome, and now also a king, and he would have no trouble receiving affection from other ladies and princesses of other kingdoms. And above all, Susan had reasoned, his youth combined with his busy schedule would soon make him forget all about his fondness for her.

But Caspian had been insistent. He had tried to apologize in a million different ways and with a million different words, but Susan had been unrelenting. She always avoided being alone with him, and in most situations escaped the room before he could even enter it. Susan saw the longing glances he sent her though. The darkness in his eyes expressed a forlornness she had never witnessed in another's gaze before. It was as if the thought of not having her company, or perhaps having had the pleasure of it and then being deprived of it, caused his heart to bleed like an open wound.

Perhaps all this would have been fine too, had it not been for her own reaction to his obvious unhappiness. Susan had considered herself an expert on pushing away her own feelings and, as her father would say, getting on with it, but this time proved different. No matter how much work she distracted herself with, or how much she avoided his presence, thoughts of Caspian stole into her mind at every turn and each glance shared was a dagger to her heart.

"It's because you like him, silly." Lucy had explained it so simply, when Susan had finally given in and told her little sister of what was bothering her so.

"I've felt infatuation before Lucy, this is different."

"Then seeing as every attempt at love has been disastrous," Lucy silenced her as Susan was about to protest. "Not counting the spineless, evil monster of course." She added as she waved her hand. "Perhaps different is a good thing after all." Lucy finished with a coy wink.

Susan swallowed hard. Different was never good. She longed for England and normality most days now, even as the Narnian sun set above them and the smells in the air made her feel wonderfully alive.

"Besides, you shall have plenty of time to spend in his company tomorrow. Maybe, if you muster up a little courage and have a meaningful conversation with him, you'll figure out what's different this time." Lucy skipped ahead as she plucked wildflowers from the dry soil.

"What's tomorrow?" Susan asked in confusion. As she kept herself occupied, she had lost count of the days and upcoming events. "And why would I not be able to avoid his company? I've done a fine job of it for a month now." She supplemented cheerlessly.

"It's Caspian's birthday tomorrow." Lucy told her. "And Queen of Old or not, I don't think it would be wise to fake illness on such a celebratory evening."

Susan swatted at her sister's arm. "I would never knowingly cause such offence. We are, after all, guests at his palace."

"Sure." Lucy smirked. "Might I add that it was you that let it slip the lengths you've gone to avoid the company of the King."

"Oh, shush you. It was a joke." Susan defended weakly. Lucy smirked again.

"Whatever you say, sister dear." She laughed as they ventured further into the forest together.

Indeed, the King's nineteenth birthday would be celebrated in high fashion, with a feast nearly as grandiose as the one that had been held on the evening following his coronation. This time the party had been moved from the castle to a vast clearing in the woods.

It was far too hot under the scorching sun to spend any time outdoors during the day, but when the sun had finally weakened, the sweltering heat indoors caused every resident to flee to the shade of the trees in the forest. Thousands of fireflies lit up the woods as the night went on, and the nymphs of the forest and water and the wild maenads of the groves danced and played music in merry celebration of King Caspian.

Aslan was present and in the company of Bacchus and Silenus, who'd travelled a good way to be present at Caspian's celebration. The three of them drew generous crowds towards them, making it easy to slip between the masses of people to achieve some privacy further into the woods.

Susan knew it was undignified for a monarch to run and hide in the woods, but she had been carefully tip-toeing around the guests for hours now, and she desperately needed to catch her breath. She knew it probably looked ridiculous as she tried to hike through the denser parts of the forest in her formal dress and heels, but she reasoned with herself that this was the best way to avoid attracting company.

Susan ripped the bottom of her teal-coloured gown as she tried to cross a particularly rebellious bramble. She swore like a sailor as she pricked her finger on the thorns, it did not bleed much, but the harmless poison pricked viciously in the small wound. As Susan finally wrestled free from the shrubbery, she stuck her finger in her mouth, both to soothe the sting and to stop the flow of vulgar words escaping her lips.

A familiar laugh sounded from behind her. Susan rolled her eyes and turned around to face Caspian.

"What's so funny?" She asked him, both irritated and panicked at his presence. She'd been too busy fighting the wild plant to notice him, and it annoyed her to no end that he always managed to sneak up on her. Especially now that she'd gone to such lengths to avoid him.

"Nothing." Caspian spoke quickly, trying to disguise his laughter as a cough. The last thing he wanted was to anger her when he'd finally been able to find her without a crowd of people surrounding her.

Susan crossed her arms, a look of annoyance and insecurity swirling in her blue eyes.

Caspian quickly cleared his throat. "Forgive me, my queen, but I did not think a gentle soul such as yours could know those kinds of words."

"Perhaps it's because you don't know me at all then." Susan bit back.

"Perhaps it's because you won't let me." Caspian added stubbornly.

Susan scoffed at his answer. How dare he, she thought, not quite ready to admit the truth in his words. She arched an eyebrow and changed the subject. "Are you following me?"

"Yes." Caspian answered simply.

Baffled by his unwillingness to elaborate further, Susan craned her neck to look at him, and then spoke with as much cold indifference as she could muster. "Why? Surely, you must've noticed by my quarrel with this bush that I really wish to avoid company at the moment."

Caspian smirked as his mind conjured images of Queen Susan with a sword in hand, trying to save Narnia from invading shrubbery. As he realized she probably felt quite embarrassed, he focused on why he had sought her out in the first place.

"I only wished to speak with you."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you." Susan rebuffed him.

"Yes, I've noticed." Caspian could not help the wounded look that crossed his face as he thought of the many times he'd tried to get her to speak with him.

They stared at each other silently and confounded. Susan's angry expression softened, and her arms dropped to her sides. Caspian moved to stand closer to her, but his movement seemed to shake Susan from her trance. Before Caspian could blink, she'd abruptly turned on her heel and started to leave.

"Wait!" He followed, but did not try to reach for her.

"Please leave me be, my king, as I said, I don't want company."

It bothered Caspian that Susan paused as if to add "not your company", but surely, she was too polite to utter such offence.

His temper flared slightly as he continued walking behind her, finding it a little harder to keep his distance. "Well, too bad. These are my forests now and I wish to explore them."

Susan rolled her eyes again at his childish reply. Becoming increasingly exasperated, she turned to face him. "Why are you being so persistent?"

"Because I need to apologize for my actions. I seemed to have misread the situation, and I want to mend my mistake." He pressed, his eyes growing darker with frustration.

"I don't want your apology. I just want to be left alone." Susan spoke vaguely.

"Why will you not let me explain why-" His voice raised in volume far beyond social etiquette.

Susan interrupted him. "My king, I really must insist that you leave my presence."

Caspian was tired of how she switched between addressing him as if they were friends, and then suddenly speaking in a manner that was almost comically aristocratic. Daring to let her given name roll of his tongue, he pleaded with her; "Please, Susan if I could only explain-"

"I'm sorry, I really must be going." Susan halted his speech. "I think I hear Lucy calling for me."

It was an excuse he'd heard her use at least ten times since his coronation. The fire in his temperament went from boiling hot to ice cold. "Fine. Then leave."

He ignored the way her eyes burned with sudden fire as he turned away from her. He did not manage to get very far before he heard her sigh.

"I thought you were persistent?"

Caspian took a deep breath before he turned to face the woman that was frustrating him so with her everchanging mood.

"Your majesty," He began. "I-"

As Caspian began to speak, the pair of them were caught by surprise as two male fauns – the phrase "drunk as a skunk" comes to mind here, as the smell that emanated from them was quite horrendous – stumbled into their view. They laughed, hollered and sang together in horrible cacophony, and they were seemingly oblivious to the couple standing in their vicinity.

The smallest of the fauns wore a fine silk dress in a burgundy shade of colour that clashed awfully with his dark skin. He wobbled as his hooves stomped on the long skirts. The other faun sported a bizarre creation on his head; it looked to be a makeshift crown made out of fruit cake and berries, and the yellow custard from the pastry dripped onto the red curls on his head.

They spoke in a language Caspian did not recognize – and perhaps if you'd been there yourself you would have thought it was a made-up one – but it sounded as if they were perfectly content strolling through the woods in someone else's clothes and with food in their hair. The two fauns continued to laugh and jest as they disappeared into the forest and the night quieted around Susan and Caspian once more.

An odd sound escaped Susan's lips. Caspian glanced at her with an amused expression and realized she was trying to stifle her laughter just in case the fauns were still nearby. They shared another look, and suddenly they both doubled over in giggles over what they had just witnessed. Their laughter was freeing, and all the previous animosity was forthwith banished from their minds.

"Oh, goodness, I've never." Susan's belly ached from all the laughter.

"What on earth were they doing?" Caspian grinned.

"I'm not sure I want to know." Susan smiled. "It's not so terribly rude to laugh at them, is it?" She asked, a little concerned.

"I shouldn't think so, my queen, they seemed to enjoy themselves well enough." Caspian assured her.

"It reminds me a bit of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'." Susan sighed and stared at the twinkling fireflies nestled comfortably on the leaves. "The atmosphere I mean, not so much the plot." She quickly added.

"I'm afraid you've lost me, my queen. I don't understand." Caspian wondered at the meaning behind Susan's words.

"Oh." Susan said as if she'd suddenly remembered that they were from two very different worlds indeed. "Sorry, no of course you don't. It's a very famous play from my world, we were reading it in my literary class just before summer started. It's a marvellous story."

"What's it about?" Caspian asked, intrigued about this new piece of knowledge she was willing to share with him of her home.

Susan grinned. "It's quite funny actually. It's about a wedding party in the forests outside of Athens and the realm of the fairies, and then what happens is-"

Caspian did not understand half of what she said when she spoke passionately about the love Hermia had for Lysander, and how the miscommunication between them nearly caused them to lose their happiness together. He did not remember how the myriad of other characters fit into the plot and he nearly missed the humour of it all, but he could not care less as he watched, enraptured, as she finished telling him the story.

Her eyes were twinkling, her voice smooth as silk as she eagerly spoke more words to him than she ever had before. Nearly breathless, she paused whilst a blush spread across the bridge of her nose and cheekbones.

"Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten my manners. It's rude of me to ramble on in such a fashion."

"There's no need to apologize, my queen." Caspian hesitated before speaking his next words, uncertain of how she would react. "All I've wanted this past month is to have a conversation with you."

Susan's eyes narrowed as she studied him. "I hardly think it can be called a conversation if you don't get a word in edgewise." She responded wryly.

Caspian said nothing for a moment, then turned abruptly and looked around the wood. He found a log that looked comfortable enough to sit on and quite unceremoniously plopped down on the dry and decaying trunk, and crossed his long legs. He patted the empty space next to him. "Let's have a conversation then."

The challenging look in his eyes caught Susan off guard. "I actually should be getting back." She hesitated.

Not wanting her to leave so soon, Caspian blurted out the first thing he could think of; "Tangerine."

Susan's eyes went wide. "I'm sorry?"

"Tangerine is my favourite fruit." Caspian clarified.

Susan merely stared at him. "What?"

"We're having a conversation." Caspian feigned confusion as he teased her. "Tangerine is my favourite fruit."

"I don't think this-" Susan began, one part of her wanting to leave and the other part wanting to stay and have conversation with the puzzling man in front of her.

Caspian interrupted her and patted the log once more. "Humour me."

Susan sat down on a moss-covered rock instead, keeping a small distance between them. "Alright then. Why?"

Caspian sighed and stared up at the starry night sky. "Because my father picked them from my mother's garden every autumn. We ate tangerines for breakfast every morning. It was the only meal we shared together. I don't have many memories of him, but that's one of them."

"That's lovely Caspian." Susan expressed sincerely.

Caspian remained thoughtful for a moment before giving her a shy smile. "Your turn."

"For what?" Susan replied confused.

"What's your favourite fruit?" He grinned wider this time.

"I don't know … apples maybe?" Susan couldn't help but giggle at the absurd turn of conversation.

"You're not sure what your favourite fruit is?" Caspian raised an eyebrow at the giggling queen.

"Pears then?" Susan asked in return, poking fun at his line of questioning.

"Ah, I see. You do know, you just don't want to tell me." Caspian sounded almost wounded.

As he evaded her gaze, Susan found she wanted to remedy his feeling of hurt. "Strawberries." She finally said.

Caspian's dark eyes immediately found hers in the obscured light.

"My favourite fruit is strawberry." Susan repeated softly. "Lucy and I received baskets full of them, plucked from the blooming fields surrounding Anvard. We used to spend all summer in Archenland until I turned twenty-five. I've not tasted such sweetness since then."

"Why not?" Caspian asked quietly.

Susan looked away. "It just reminds me of things I'd rather left forgotten." She said evasively.

They both fell silent as Susan retreated into her memories and Caspian pondered the meaning of her words.

"Well," He began after some time. "I suppose apples and pears will have to do for an answer, seeing as strawberry technically isn't classified as type of fruit." He said cheekily, lighting up as Susan scoffed at him in mock offence. "What's your favourite smell?"

"Caspian!" Susan exclaimed in surprise. "What kind of question is that?"

"I'm trying to have a conversation. It doesn't hurt if the outcome is that we know each other a little bit better, does it?" He knew it was improper, but he enjoyed riling her up and watching her blush.

Susan scoffed again. "You might as well ask me what my favourite colour is. You'll learn just as much from it." She said sarcastically.

A sudden need to speak from the heart came over him. "Don't worry, I will. I want to know everything about you. No matter how big or small. Important or not."

Susan shifted under his watchful gaze. "I think," She stumbled as her breath hitched. Be brave, she reminded herself. "I think want to know everything about you too." She paused. "Hmm, favourite smell…" A dainty finger tapped rhythmically against her chin as she pondered. "It must be freshly washed linens. What's your favourite book?"

"Ah, erm I don't have a particular favourite book." Caspian replied, sounding slightly embarrassed. "My uncle always valued physical strength over intellectual diligence."

"So, you never read? Never snuck a book beneath your blanket with only a small candle to light up the pages?" Susan probed, surprised that a well-educated blueblood like him would not enjoy reading.

"No, no I did." Caspian reassured her. "The books were mostly maps of far-away lands or the vast seas that surround us though. Not quite what you expected maybe."

Susan shook her head, not at all disappointed in his preference of literature. "I love geography too. I used to spend hours studying the ridges of the Himalayas across the Asian continent."

Caspian hummed in appreciation, even though he knew nothing of the meaning behind her foreign phrases.

"My nurse used to read to me. Stories and fairy-tales of Old Narnia mostly." Caspian recalled, thinking of the old woman with the kind eyes and soft voice. "I was very fond of her."

"What happened to her?" Susan murmured, not missing the look of melancholy that abruptly clouded his dark eyes.

"She was sent away when I was still young. To where I do not know, but I do know why she was banished." A sudden bitterness came over him. "I told my uncle of all the wonderous things she had spoken to me of – of the Old Narnians, of you and of Aslan. I believe he was frightened I would grow up and believe in the nonsense I now know was whispered about far too often for it to simply be fairy-tales."

Susan sat very still on her rock and concentrated on the deepening crease on Caspian's forehead as he spoke with agitation.

"It was foolish to trust my uncle would let her live after filling the heir to the throne with such drivel."

Susan's hand twitched as she wanted to place it on his shoulder to comfort him. She managed to control the impulsive movement. "You mustn't believe it was your fault. You were only young, and you confided in your uncle because you thought he was as pure of heart as yourself."

"He was more of a father to me than the one who gave me life." Caspian breathed the words into the darkening night. "And despite his rigid ways and his sternness, he brought me up as his heir, knowing that his influence on me would shape Narnia's future. That was his way of showing affection."

"What of your mother then? What do you remember of her?" Susan questioned curiously.

"She died when I was only a couple of years old. I only remember her from paintings and the few possessions she left behind when she passed." He stated it with no obvious emotion, but Susan could tell that it seemed like a sore spot.

Nevertheless, she wanted to know more. "And you had no siblings? I remember you said there were few other children to play with growing up."

Caspian said nothing for a while, deep in thought. "I had a sister." He spoke softly. "She only lived long enough to draw her first breath before she, along with my mother, ventured into the beyond."

Susan fingers closed around his shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine the grief."

Caspian shrugged as he studied the look of sympathy on Susan's face. At least she wasn't shielding her emotions from him anymore.

"I cannot really recall the feeling of sorrow, but I do know what it feels like to be lonely."

Susan felt a wave of guilt wash over her as she imagined how lonely Caspian had been over the years, and how her treatment of him this month must have reminded him of that feeling.

"My father moved on quickly – for that is the Telmarine way." Caspian continued. "For centuries we plundered the seas as pirates, and over time our people hardened. If you want to survive such a life you have to be tough, follow the rules and do your part or else the ship might sink or worse. When my ancestors finally decided to populate the island of Telmar, their society was doomed from the start. The richest of them took everything for themselves, leaving the hungry and poor to live a life of less worth than the rodents roaming the lower deck of their vessels."

Not quite noticing when it had happened, Susan had moved to sit beside Caspian on the log.

"Survival of the fittest. The theory on how species adapt to environments in order to survive." She commented once he'd finished his speech.

Caspian's nostrils flared slightly as he considered her words. "I don't know if it can be called survival if the way you choose to do it is by supressing those who have nothing, all the while taking everything for your own keeping. It's the most dishonourable form of piracy."

"So, you're saying stealing can in fact be honourable?" Susan teased, and bumped his knee with her own.

"If you steal from those who refuse to share their wealth, and give it to the people that have nothing, yes." Caspian smirked back, happy to hear her jokes and see her smile.

Susan laughed. "That reminds me of another story from my home – Robin Hood."

"A tale of a hooded bird? Sounds fascinating." Caspian grinned.

Susan shook her head as another laugh escaped her lips. "That's not really who-, oh, never mind." She suddenly grew thoughtful as she watched him.

"What is it?" Caspian asked hesitantly, suddenly unsure of whether he'd shared too much of his background, and if she now viewed him in a different light, and indeed, whether different was good, or bad or-

"It's odd how Narnian you already are, especially growing up with Miraz as your only counsellor." She finally said, interrupting his frantic train of thought.

"Oh, I- Thanks?" Caspian stuttered.

"I really do mean it as a compliment." She clarified with a smile. "Narnia is in good hands with you at the helm."

Caspian chuckled at her words. "While I appreciate the naval wordplay, you cannot possibly be sure of that, seeing as you know me so little."

"It's a good thing I know you a little bit better than before then." Susan murmured.

Caspian sighed, and raked a hand through his lengthy tresses. "I worry that I'm not Narnian enough. Or Telmarine enough for that matter. How shall I guide these people when I walk the line between them? Never fully a part of either crowd."

"You will grow into your regency. As I did." Susan reassured him with another squeeze to his shoulder. "And I believe it's a good thing that you are Telmarine as well as Narnian."

"How can you say that when you've only heard the first part of the horrible tale of how my people conquered Telmar? The Telmarine leaders have been terrible in the past." Caspian said miserably.

"You'll only take the best parts of them going forward then." Susan concluded firmly.

"How?" Caspian nearly scoffed at how confident she sounded.

"I don't know." Susan shrugged. "But you will figure it out." Her hand dropped from his shoulder and folded into her lap.

Neither of them said anything for a while. Susan sat with her eyes closed as she listened to the faint music coming from the feast, while Caspian pondered his next words carefully.

He cleared his throat and swallowed. It had to be said now, as he was unsure of whether she would ever speak so openly with him again.

"I wish to say something. Please." He wasn't quite meeting her gaze.

"Alright." Susan responded. Dread filled her stomach as she waited for him to speak. Please don't muck it up now, we were having such a good time! She silently pleaded.

"I did not know you when I first met you. I thought I did, because as a child I read about you and your siblings every day. I imagined you down to the very last detail." He began, hesitating at first.

"That's a bit strange you know." Susan interrupted, mostly because she was so nervous.

Caspian choked out a laugh. "Please allow me to finish Susan."

"Sorry." Her heart skipped a beat as he uttered her name so softly.

"And then when I eventually met you, I didn't really like you because you were so different to the image I had conjured in my mind. I underestimated you, and in my darkest moments I wished I had not called upon you at all." He confessed, his accent growing stronger as he spoke more passionately.

"You know all has been forgiven Caspian." Susan said with another small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"And I thank you for that." Caspian paused, and the word "but" lingered heavily in the air. "But then slowly my feelings changed. They changed when you conquered me in our archery contest and when you forgave me for my weakness with the White Witch."

Susan listened to his admission with blood rushing through her ears. Her heart thrummed uncomfortably in her chest and she felt the sudden need to escape before he could proceed further.

"They certainly changed as we battled together on the field of Beruna, and when I saw how you overcame your grief at the loss of your sister. They changed as you bewitched the old foolish lords in the council and the more we talked, the more I wanted to get to know you." Caspian took her hand.

Susan watched her hand in his, uncertainty spreading in her brain like wildfire in the summer fields.

"I realize that I may not have a chance at winning your heart, but I need you to know that when we kissed you won mine." He bared it all before her in a simple confession.

Susan stood abruptly to put some distance between them. It was just too much to process. "I don't know what to say." She uttered with sorrow. She did not know what he wanted to hear.

Caspian stood as well, but kept his distance. "Say what you feel. All I want is your honesty. And perhaps, with time, your heart."

Susan shook her head and smiled sadly. "Trust me, Caspian, you don't want my heart."

"Yes, I do." Caspian spoke with the full conviction of a young man in love.

Susan swallowed thickly. Still shaking her head, she stepped closer. "You see, there's a reason why I act the way I do. Why I'm guarded, and why I've avoided you this past month."

Caspian watched as her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I prefer to be left alone, and I've become very comfortable with my own company. My heart does not know how to accept the love of another, nor how to love in return." Susan sighed. "I think it would be a lot easier if we simply pretended that our kiss never happened."

"You're right."

Susan's startled eyes met his as he spoke. She was?

"You're right." Caspian repeated. "That would be easier."

Susan nodded meekly. The usual satisfaction of being right did not make her feel better. She also could not keep the feeling of disappointment from slowly creeping into her heart.

"But easy is not what I want." Caspian countered. "And I don't think it's what you want either. I can tell you have scars, and maybe I'm rushing into this, but please, give us a chance to explore our feelings. I think we might regret it if we do not."

"I'm scared." The sentence escaped her mouth at last. She regarded him with wide eyes.

"So am I." He confessed, willing to lay it all bare before her feet if she would just accept him.

"I think I'm too scared." Susan broke her own heart saying it, but it would hurt him far less in the end if she ended it now, instead of entertaining the possibility that they could ever become something more than friends.

Caspian nodded and stepped back. "At least you've heard what I had to say. I shall leave you alone now, my queen." And then he left.

Susan was left standing in the dark, feeling more alone than ever. Loneliness had been her constant companion for years, but for a moment, as they had sat together and just talked, she had felt what it might be like to not be lonesome forever. Susan could not deny that it had been a good feeling.

Oh, sod it all!

"Wait!" She called out loudly.

Susan's heart clenched as she picked up her torn skirt and ran after Caspian. He had not gotten far, and he watched her stumble over a rock to reach him. He reached for her waist to steady her at the exact moment she grabbed his hand. It was much larger and rougher than her own. She tugged him back to her and held his neck to bring him closer. She leaned upwards and pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

Caspian only took a moment to respond to her kiss, his free hand reaching up and twisting in her mahogany-coloured hair. The fervent press of his lips, the divine feeling of his fingertips at her scalp, and the squeeze of his arm around her waist – as if he could not bring her close enough – made her head dizzy and her knees went completely weak.

They pulled away for air, but only for a moment, as Susan brushed her nose against his and moved in to kiss him again. Her hand moved to cup his cheek as she sighed softly. Her fingertips trailed across the tan skin of his cheek, neck, shoulder and then back up his jaw.

"We should be getting back. Someone might come looking for us if we stay away for much longer." Susan breathed the words against his lips.

Caspian nodded, and gave her another sweet, but chaste kiss as his arm unwound from her waist and his fingers left her hair. "You are right."

The incandescent light from the fireflies and the stars twinkled above them in the night sky as they still stood close together, not embracing, but their bodies faintly touching.

Susan let out a sudden laugh as she stared at Caspian's wonderous expression.

"What?" He smiled down at her.

Susan shook her head as the sound of laughter spilled from her thoroughly kissed lips. "Oh, it's nothing really."

Caspian arched an eyebrow questioningly, silently asking her to continue her train of thought.

"I was just thinking of something Lucy said about how sharing a meaningful conversation with you might change my opinion about us."

Caspian grinned as their hands clasped together tightly. "She's really smart."

"Oh, I know." Susan concurred wholeheartedly. "But she's also a bit nosy."

"Will you tell me someday?" Caspian asked suddenly.

Susan swallowed thickly. "Tell you what?"

Caspian's thumb stroked the back of her hand. "Everything."

Susan smiled up at the new king of Narnia. "Someday."

When he grinned once more at her promise, Susan pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Happy birthday, Caspian."

TO BE CONTINUED.

Songs for this chapter:

Crusaders – Adriel Fair

Tavern Music – Inon Zur

Cry of The Celts – Ronan Hardiman

Fields of Fortune – Rolf Loveland, Secret Garden

Naru, Embracing the Light – Gareth Coker, Rachel Mellis

Peter Pevensie – Born 19th of January 1924 (17 years old)

Susan Pevensie – Born 2nd of June 1925 (16 years old)

Edmund Pevensie – Born 6th of March 1927 (14 years old)

Lucy Pevensie – Born 25th of December 1929 (11 years old, turning 12)

King Caspian X – Born 14th of July 2296 (19 years old)