THE GENTLE
Disclaimer: I don't own the Pevensie's, I wish I did though.
Authors Note: I would like to explain why I'm writing this story. I know there are many Susan stories out there but they are always about the aftermath of The Last Battle, which Susan was treated very unfairly in (she is also my favourite character too!), so I decided to write Susan's story during the evacuation, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, sometime during the Golden Age and a little bit afterwards. Susan has always been one of my favourite child hood characters, I thought she was perfect (I was five for the record) beautiful, kind and a Queen! I have always wanted to write about her adventure and how she became Queen Susan: The Gentle. I want to keep Susan in character as much as I can and I hope for those who are as fond of Susan as I' am, see that I have tried my hardest of keeping Susan and everyone else in character. Muriel Candytuft thank for the donuts and you wonderful review, you truly do rock! Lola123456 I'll check your music video out ASAP and also to everyone else who reviewed, read, favourited and alerted, your all the essence of awesomeness! Also I'm sorry for the long wait and everything but sometimes my schoolwork takes priority over everything else (hey I'm not getting straight A's for anything!) so once again I'm really sorry but I'm sure all you other cool nerds out there will understand. Also where the bold line is where the ruler line is SUPPOSE to be but document edit is being annoying so yeah, sorry, it won't let me fix it :(, anway on with the story.
Episode Five: Through The Wardrobe.
"Why do we have to do what Lucy wants?" Edmund whined as Susan, himself and Peter trailed behind Lucy as she skipped merrily through the woods, a bunch of flowers in her hand.
"Because we promised Lucy we would." Peter replied simply and Susan nodded her head in agreement, they had promised to the spend the day with Lucy, just like yesterday and the day before that and the day before that. It had helped a great deal too, Lucy seemed to have almost forgotten about the whole Narnia business.
"But you and Su promised her yesterday and the day before that and the day before that, why can't we do what I want?".
"Because you were the one that upset Lu the most in the first place! Pretending to go along with this whole Narnia business, that was just down right horrid of you!" Peter replied in a shockingly calm voice, Susan heard Edmund mutter something inaudible before falling behind them.
"Susan do you want to pick flowers with me?" Lucy called suddenly, Susan glanced at the bunch of flowers in her hands, she wasn't to fond of daisies and snap dragons, Susan thought them to be plain and mundane, she much preferred the more exquisite ones like roses, especially white ones.
"Of course Lucy." Susan replied plainly, walking up with Lucy, she handed the patch to Susan and smiled warmly up at her. Susan couldn't help but smile back, it was the first time she had seen Lucy smile in many months, she was getting such joy out of picking these simple flowers that Susan didn't want anything or anyone to spoil it.
"Do you remember when you use to play with me Susan?" Lucy asked suddenly glancing up at Susan, Susan stared down at her and nodded. When Susan had been much younger, she had played games with Lucy, not interesting games like Dictionary but imaginative games, they would explore a made up jungle in their backyard, make forts under the tables and pretend they were beautiful princesses in faraway lands, where the most dashing looking Princes would request their hand in marriage, but than Susan had done something foolish, she had grown up.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could play like that again?" Lucy asked simply.
"I suppose it would be Lucy, but I fear I've outgrown games."
Lucy glanced up at Susan sadly but smiled none the less, Susan knew that Lucy understood that Susan had grown up, just like she would eventually. Susan had always been eager to grow up, eager to get invited to grown up parties and eager to become a lady, just like her mother.
"Lucy, Susan, we should be going back inside, it's getting awfully late, I don't want us to catch the flu or a chill!" Peter called from behind them. Susan turned around and saw her brothers walking alone, Peter not far behind herself and Lucy and Edmund falling sulkily behind. She nodded her head and took Lucy's hand, leading her back towards the manor.
"Dinner should almost be ready." Susan informed them as they all made there way into the manor. Some strange holiday makers had showed up today, the Macready had ordered them all to stay out of her way when people came to look at the home.
"I hope it's not that dreadful soup again!" Lucy exclaimed and Susan couldn't help but agree, last night the cook had prepared a truly dreadful soup, it had smelt dreadful, it had tasted dreadful and the after taste had been just as bad.
"Maybe it is something nice, like roast chicken and potatoes." Susan said hopefully, the Professor seemed to have an odd taste in food, they were often Chinese and French, Susan much preferred food she could pronounce.
"I do hope so," Lucy said with a small sigh in her voice.
"Hurry up you two!" Peter called, Susan glanced up and saw that he and Edmund were quite distance between them. Lucy and Susan hurriedly quickened their paced, Susan wanted to keep the small peace in the family for as long as possible.
"Are you sure Mrs. Macready said this was fine?" Susan asked anxiously as she watched her brothers attempt to explore the garden shed. Edmund and Peter had interrupted both Susan and Lucy saying they were going to explore the garden shed.
"Yes, the Professor himself said it was fine, stop being such a worry Su." Peter said with a small laugh in his voice 'well somebody has to be, since you don't seem to be!' Susan thought sighing and keeping a close eye for the Macready.
"I think I've found a cricket set," Susan heard Edmund said, rather muffled. She smiled, neither though she didn't like to admit it, she rather enjoyed playing cricket, when one of her friends discovered this small fact she had said that it wasn't a very ladylike game and if Susan ever wanted to fit in with good society of London, she would need to stop liking the sport.
"Are you sure that's a cricket set? It looks broken."
"Peter I'm sure, why do you always disagree with me?"
"I'm not disagreeing, it is a cricket set, you were right. Susan do you want to play cricket?" Peter called out, Susan sighed, she wanted to say yes, but how could she be a grown up and a lady, while playing cricket?
"I don't know," Susan said, still thinking 'it's not as if any of my friends are here, what they won't know won't kill them.' she thought smiling.
"Yes, I do want to play, you better set up, I'm not very good at that part." Susan replied, she heard Peter say something back but couldn't understand, Susan turned to Lucy who smiled up at her.
"Do I have to play?" Lucy asked Susan as she and Susan watched the boys set up the old cricket set.
"Of course not Lucy, I can sit out with you if you like." Susan replied, Lucy shook her head and showed Susan the small poetry book she had brought with her 'of course Lucy wouldn't need me, she is perfectly capable after all' Susan thought smiling lightly as she watched Lucy go and get herself comfortable under the large oak tree.
"Susan, what do you want to be, bowler? Batter? Wicket keeper?" Peter called out, Susan shrugged, she didn't mind any of those positions, she wasn't to fond of batting though.
"I want to be batter!" Edmund said grabbing the bat before Peter could retaliate, he glared at him lightly before picking up the worn cricket ball.
"I'm wicket keeper than?" Susan asked, Peter nodded and she sighed. She walked behind the wickets and waited for Peter to bowl the ball, he had always been very good at cricket, he had been on the school team.
"Hurry up!" Edmund exclaimed, Susan tried hard not to scold him, what on earth was the matter with him? Was he still holding a grudge against the whole Narnia business?
"Peter winds up, poised to take yet another wicket!" Peter exclaimed as he bowled the ball, Susan watched as it hit Edmund harshly in the leg. Susan tried hard not to think that, maybe Peter did it on purpose.
"Ow!" Edmund said, rubbing his leg and glaring at Peter annoyed.
"Whoops! Wake up Dolly Daydream!" Peter said, before laughing childishly and Susan resisted the urge to roll her eyes, honestly her older brother could be such a boy sometimes.
"Why can't we play hide and seek again?" Edmund asked. Susan glanced over at Lucy, who turned sadly away from the rest of her siblings and Susan felt her heart surge, how could Edmund ask such a thing? After everything that happened because of that ridiculous game.
"I thought you said it was a kids game," Peter said throwing the ball in his hands.
"Besides we could all use the fresh air." Susan added and Edmund turned and glared at her.
"It's not like there isn't air inside."
Susan glanced sadly at him as Peter got himself ready to bowl again "are you ready?" Peter asked, avoiding eye contact with Edmund.
"Are you?" Edmund asked hitting his bat into the ground. Peter shook his head before bowling again, Edmund hit it harshly and Susan watched shocked as it smashed into window, breaking it and knocking over something large and old. Susan glanced at Edmund shocked, he looked just as surprise, maybe he hadn't done it on purpose.
"We better go have a look see," Peter said glaring at Edmund who glared back. Susan nodded as did Lucy, she stood up and walked over to Susan. They both followed the two boys to the room, avoiding all the servants and other people, knowing Susan she would blurt it out before anyone could stop her.
Susan and Lucy nervously waited near the door, they were the look outs while Peter and Edmund inspected the damage they had caused 'I hope no one comes!' Susan thought as she felt her heart rate quicken, the last thing she wanted was to get in trouble, especially by the Professor, they seemed to have been nothing but a burden to him since they arrived.
"Susan do you hear that?" Lucy whispered anxiously, looking nervously about. Susan strained her hearing and heard it, the Macready and bunch of people with her. She glanced to where her brothers were and than to Lucy, who looked as if she were about to burst into tears.
"We have to tell Edmund and Peter, we must hurry before the Macready hears or catches us!" Susan exclaimed running into the room where Peter and Edmund were, Lucy closely behind her.
"Look out! Here comes the Macready and a whole gang with her!" Susan cried as she heard the echoing footsteps of Mrs. Macready, with a group of eager sightseers.
"Sharp's the word," Peter said hurriedly grabbing Susan's hand and running out of the room with her, closely followed by Lucy and Edmund. They ran from the parlor, into the green room and beyond it, into the library, they were just about to keep running when Susan heard it, the sound of many footsteps, they seemed to be followed everywhere.
"Oh, bother those trippers! Here- let's get into the Wardrobe Room till they've passed. No one will follow us in there." She said in a hushed, hasted voice. They all ran into the Wardrobe Room, standing frightened, watching the door, than they heard it, the rattling of the door knob, Susan felt her heart beat quicken, what were they to do?
"Quick!" Peter said walking towards the wardrobe "there's no one else," he said as he flung open the door, Susan paused, he had to be joking? Honestly hiding in the wardrobe that caused so much fuss but when she heard the Macready's voice speak something, she ran and hid into the wardrobe.
Peter stood closest to the door, not shutting it of course because much like Susan, he knew that no sensible or logical person should ever lock themselves in a wardrobe.
Minutes seemed like hours as Susan and her siblings remained cramped in the wardrobe "I wish the Macready would hurry up and take all these people away," Susan spoke annoyed "I'm getting horribly cramped!" She added angrily.
"And what a filthy smell of camphor!" Edmund added and Susan silently agreed, nodding her head.
"I expect the pockets or these coats are full of it," Susan said smartly "to keep away the moths." She added, in case Lucy or Edmund didn't understand, as Peter slowly started moving back, walking towards the back of the wardrobe, taking Susan with him, sitting down on the ground, Lucy and Edmund now sitting closest to the door, both scowling; annoyed, what was taking so long?
"There's something in my back!" Peter said suddenly, Susan nodded her head in agreement, something hard and, cold was sticking in her back.
"And isn't it cold?" She asked.
"Now that you mention it, it is cold," Peter spoke "and hang it all, it's wet too. What's the matter with this place? I'm sitting on something wet. It's getting wetter every minute." He added, struggling to his feet.
"Let's get out," Edmund spoke, nervously "they've gone."
When Susan suddenly realized what she was sitting against "o-o-oh!" she said, everyone turned to her and asked what ever the matter was, she stood up with Peter and turned around, no it couldn't it be? Could it?