Chapter Nineteen: Darkness Creeps

Whispers flittered around Anvard. News of what happened with Peter. How he had gone to see how restoration of Cair Paravel, of his home, was progressing and how he'd been found. How his body, lifeless and limp as he transported back to Archenland to be with the rest of the royals.

The whispers traveled through the walls of the castle, through the courtyard, out into the countryside of Archenland and beyond. The news traveled as quickly as it had when the Pevensies had first disappeared after chasing after the White Stag. Narnia was helpless, didn't have anything but a small army to defend it. High King Peter had been hurt, maybe on the throes of a death bed. Nevertheless, word still traveled. All eyes were on Narnia and had been since the end of the Golden Age and of the news of the Pevensies' return.

The news spread far and wide, gaining traction and strength the further it went.

Casting darkness along the lands like a dark shadow permanently staining an inkwell.

And while the whispers of the Pevensies continued to spread, unbeknownst to them how far and wide, they were talking about what to do next with Peter. The moment he returned from Cair Paravel Susan worried. Not just that her brother was injured but knowing what it meant for things moving forward. They may had thought they were never going to return to Narnia, when they'd transformed back into children, but it hadn't meant she'd forgotten everything about Narnia.

Her time as Queen Susan the Gentle had affected her more than she initially thought. She looked at the world, at the people around her differently than she had before. Almost as if she has a new way of analyzing people, and she had. She was able to tell when anyone around her was lying, her friends especially. Knew when they were lying to her about being busy when they didn't want her around. She'd changed too much, apparently. Was too regal, always had her hand held high, seemed to think she knew better than everyone else.

But it was hard to live a life to completely in one place then come back to where you were younger and start all over. Even as she tried her hardest to acclimate back to being around her friends and the war…it just didn't stick. She was different, she would always be different.

And it was that difference that made it so that she knew immediately what had to be done once Caspian called herself, Edmund, and Lucy all together. But she waited to speak until the others spoke their minds, curious to know what they were thinking. That was the other part of her that seemed to drive everyone away, her sensibility. It was sensible to hear what everyone else said so that decisions could be made, not steamroll over everything and become a dictator.

As it is, Caspian needed that time to truly know what it was to be a King, Susan thought. He was going to rule Telmar beneath himself, they were going to figure out that rule along with Narnia. They were going to figure things out together, but when it all came down to it. Caspian didn't have any siblings or family members to aid him along the way. Other than Doctor Cornelius, Caspian was alone and needed to have the practice of making decisions for his people. Not that we won't be there for him, Susan reminded herself, then quickly lowered her chin, clenching her hand into a fist at her side.

"We should go back to Telmar," Caspian said firmly once he and the Pevensies were together, in a room far away from prying eyes and servants. "I don't feel that this place is the best to be for us. Especially as we wait for what King Nain and Queen Aria decide of our offer."

"Wouldn't it be rather suspicious if we were to leave now?" Edmund asked, unconvinced. He shook his head, drumming his fingers on arm of the chair he sat perched upon. Susan glanced at her brother, watching as his dark eyes shone with something she couldn't place. Was it worry or determination? Edmund had always been the one who they sent to conversate with the other factions, the one who Peter heavily relied on to command armies and make decisions that would affect their and other surrounding kingdoms. He was the first person she always went to when speaking her mind about moving forward with treaties and councils that'd affect their people. "Especially after Peter has been hurt."

"I believe it is precisely because Peter is hurt that we should leave," Caspian continued. He turned away from the crackling fire and ran a hand through his hair. The expression of anxiety flickered across his dark features, either form the shadows of the flame or from his trying to be strong, Susan couldn't tell. Lucy looked at Caspian, a light gasp escaping her lips. "We're vulnerable here. The bond we've had with Archenland before was shaky once the Golden Age ended, we can't pretend that things are the same here."

"We know they're not the same," Susan reminded him, her tone of voice cool. Almost detached. She was speaking as a queen, not simply speaking about her brother who continued to lay up in the medical wing of Anvard. "There's more we have to think about here than just Peter. We've already seen the way…" she trailed off, unsure of how to refer to their hosts. "We've seen the way Nain and Aria had decided to react to us being in their company."

"—And to you trying to project your power over they way they decide to handle criminals," Lucy broke in. "You can't forget that." Susan turned a glare Lucy's way. Lucy was young, but she'd been a queen as well. She knew the responsibility to her people and to others that deserved to be treated innocent until proven guilty. There were better ways to handle crimes that'd been committed than what she saw of the man being stuck up between two horses.

Though Aria hadn't seemed to think so.

"It's not like we're sitting here thinking this is a vacation," Lucy added. "We've been gone for years," she reminded them. "Thousands of years. Caspian didn't think we still existed, let alone knew what happened to us. He thought we were just…stores of old." She waved her hand toward the younger king, who nodded in response. "It's going to take time for people to understand we're truly back, that Aslan brought us back for something. We thought it was for Caspian, but… there's something else keeping us here." She shook her head. "She tried to warn us, and you're all not listening."

"Listening to what, Lu?" Edmund asked, a note of exasperation in his tone.

"To what Dulcea has been trying to tell us," Lucy insisted. Susan looked to Edmund and did her best not to roll her eyes, but found herself doing so when she saw that Edmund had done the same. Not that again. "Something is going to happen, something big. Something's coming." She wrung her hands together. "I know it sounds crazy—"

"—Crazy was when you told us there was a magical world through a bloody wardrobe," Edmund reminded her with a wry smile. "Fortune tellers and psychics are just plain mental." He waved his hand when Lucy opened her mouth to protest. "And if something big were going to happen, don't you think Aslan would've come to us by now?"

"Aslan has better things to do than wait around for us to notice and feel things," Susan pointed out.

She started to pace the floor. She always knew Lucy had some sort of a connection with the mythical lion, had seen it herself when she'd traveled to find him within their last two adventures in Narnia. Something about Lucy was connected to Aslan as, while the rest of them believed, he only appeared when she was in absolute distress. Maybe it was something that could be unexplained, but that wasn't how life worked for her. Things had explanations; it was the most logical thing.

Just as there was a explanation for how the wardrobe transported them to Narnia. A magical sort of explanation, but an explanation nonetheless. Just as there was an explanation to how Peter was found to be ambushed.

It's always been easier for her, Susan thought. She's never had to think about how difficult things would get. Even with the war back home, we would all distract her from what was going on. We'd ensure her that father was coming back. Susan was startled for a moment, finding herself having a visceral image of her father that filtered through her mind. Of him in uniform, posing for his picture. She hadn't thought of him in so long, and even when she had, it was never as clear as that. Clear enough she could clearly see the twinkle in his eye that was never able to be completely snuffed out.

Susan composed herself. "Right. We have to think seriously about this, the same way we thought about how to move forward with taking down Miraz." Her eyes flashed over her brother's, sister's, and friend's faces. "Someone knew Peter was going to Cair Paravel and knew enough for when he was supposed to get there and how many others would be around him. Whomever, outside of us, knew that, had a connection to the Calormens, and told them with enough time for an ambush to be set up." She shook her head. "We're not safe here. We can't trust anyone here." She lifted her chin and looked to Caspian. "We need to leave here as soon as we can."

Caspian nodded back.

Lucy sighed quietly but didn't speak any further.

Edmund nodded. Then paused. He looked pensive for a moment then asked, "If anyone knew Peter was going back," he said slowly. "How did they get word to the Calormens so quickly? It would've taken days for the Calormens to have enough time to gather an army and get to Cair Paravel."

Silence stretched through the room as the four tried to figure it out.

Susan swept into her chamber, startling Brielle who sat at the foot of the bed, book in hand. Brielle closed it with a thump, tossing it aside when Susan went into her room. She went straight to the dresser and started to gather the jewelry she'd brought along to Aanvard, practically barking at Brielle over her shoulder, "Gather your things."

"O-of course," Brielle said quickly. She moved to Susan's side, brushing her hands out of the way so that she could pack her queen's things rather than have her majesty do it herself. "Is something wrong? What's going on?"

"We need to leave as soon as possible," Susan explained. "I wish there was more I could tell you, but it's not safe to even be speaking to you right now."

Brielle's eyes shifted back and forth, her eyebrows coming together. "How do you mean? Did something else happen? Is Peter alright?" She tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear. "I was just with him in the infirmary earlier today…did something else happen?"

"We've been compromised." Susan quickly explained what she, her siblings, and their friend had conversed about. "We have to be ready to go back to war. If the Calormens knew about Peter, we're not safe. Especially not here." Brielle looked stricken and Susan turned her way, clasping their hands together. "I know Archenland is your home. I know you've spent a lot of time in Anvard, but it's not as it's used to be. Someone has put us all in danger."

"The Calormens."

"Exactly. We're unsure of how they found out about Peter's trip…we have to leave as soon as possible."

Brielle listened carefully then nodded, "I'll ensure all our things are put together. I'll get the servants to take on Lucy's things as well." She turned to leave, only stopping when Susan grasped her wrist, keeping her from leaving the room. "We need to get everything ourselves, if King Nain and Queen Aria know we're leaving before we're able to tell them, if there's anyone who finds out before we're able to leave, it may get to the wrong people."

"I understand," Brielle agreed. She thought for a moment. "How are we going to get Peter out of here? I don't know if you've seen it, but the infirmary is being heavily guarded."

"I'd expect it would be," Susan agreed. "King Nain would never allow anything to besmirch the reputation of Archenland, he wants others to know they're taking care of one of the Kings of Old." She brushed her long hair behind her ears. "But it's not safe for us anymore, we have to leave as soon as we can. The less we have of King Nain's and Queen Aria's people to help, the better off we'll be to leave."

"Then you'd need to come up with a good excuse to get Peter out of there," Brielle pointed out. She reached out and started to absentmindedly run her fingers across the front of her book. Susan watched her movements, a small smile coming to her lips. Brielle was always writing in the book, reading everything she'd written inside. Hadn't let it out of her sight since Father Christmas had gifted it to her on their first trip to Narnia. They were best friends and Susan had never seen anything inside it. "The nursemaids, they're very clear to not do anything to him they haven't suggested."

"Honestly, I think the nursemaids are excited he's around."

"I think you're right."

"You've been spending a lot of time up there lately," Susan said carefully, watching Brielle's face for any reaction. She did her best to keep her face neutral. "I can't imagine the servants you used to work with are what's keeping you around."

"They have some pretty good gossip," Brielle replied with a grin. She shrugged. "I've been spending some time with the nursemaids. They've been asking me about the sorts of things I'd seen while in battle, the wounds we had to treat…" She turned away, eyes flashing. "I can't say it hasn't been interesting watching them fawn all over Peter…he doesn't know what to do with the attention. Not that he ever did."

"So you're protecting him then?" Susan teased. She laughed to herself, seeing Brielle's grimace. "You're acting like you've never fancied him."

"I was young and stupid," Brielle shot back with a light roll of her eyes. She crossed the room and started to "You'd fancy anyone you spent a lot of time with, because you spend a lot of time with them." She rolled her eyes. "And the time I spent with Pete wasn't times I spent willingly." Susan gave her another look. "What do you want me to say, Su? That I still fancy him? I don't. I was a kid then. He'd moved on years ago."

Susan wasn't quite sure that was true. But it was also something she didn't speak to her siblings about much. Her brothers and sister had teased her about the men that had fancied her, about the ones that had tried to court her, even the ones that had tried to kidnap her to force her into a marriage—she would never forget Prince Rabadash or Tisroc, but it wasn't a conversation they had seriously until it was something that would affect the Narnian rule.

Something rippled across Narnia when Peter met Diane…

"Bri," Susan said slowly, carefully. "When was the last time you thought about Lord Peridan?"

Brielle shrugged in response, keeping her face carefully masked. "I don't know. I reckon I haven't thought much about that part of my life in a long time."

Susan shook her head. "How do you not think about the man you loved so dearly? Bri, you had a life with him."

A full life. Susan was sure the two were going to finally stop courting and get married. That she would stop being a lady-in-waiting and simply be a 'lady' of her own land, have her own place of residence, start her own family. Brielle seemed to be completely in love with the Lord, who had been introduced to her through Edmund, as Lord Peridan had been his right hand in Edmund's embassy. But she hadn't said a thing about him since having had returned to Narnia and finding that everyone they'd known and loved was gone for years.

There was a way to mourn the life they'd lived when they returned to their world, and then there was mourning the life they could have had, if they had been able to return sooner.

Brielle was silent for a long moment, working through that silence while Susan watched her.

"I had a life with you guys," Brielle reminded her. She busied herself, collecting Susan's dresses and folded them over her arms to be packed away. "I gave my word that my life was going to be dedicated to you and the rest of the royals. I took that promise seriously." She thought for a moment, looking Susan in the eye. "I'm sure I'm going to have to make good on that promise, yeah?" Susan started to shake her head. "I'm prepared to go back into battle, Su, don't worry about me."

"I was hoping we'd never have to do it again," Susan said honestly. "I was hoping that once we came back to Narnia and fulfilled what it was we were supposed to fulfill, then we could live our lives here or home or…wherever things decided to end up. But things are different since we came back."

And that was the problem.

"I can feel it."

A/N: And now you see a bit more of what has bonded Peter and Brielle together. They both lost someone they loved. And are still grieving over it. I know this was a short chapter to come back to, but at least you can see how Peter's and Brielle's (somewhat) complicated feelings for each other are starting to form, or in Brielle's case, have always been there.

Plenty more where that comes from! :)

Cheers,

-Riles