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AN: Okay let me explain this next chapter. Firstly, I apologies to everyone and anyone who hates the whole Peter/Susan idea and has enjoyed this story. I have probably ruined the story for you. And for those who love the whole Peter/Susan idea, you're going to love this story. I originally had the whole Peter/Susan thing in my head when I started writing this but I didn't intend to put the whole scenario in so late. Anyway this chapter will have a Peter/Susan pairing. Not a lot, just a bit.
Once again I apologies to whoever I have ruined the story for. However please continue to read this story!
Warnings: Incest references
Chapter 8: Up in the Tree
Peter and Susan walked back into the western wood.
"I don't think it would be safe if we stayed on the ground," said Susan, "We would be less luckily to be seen if we were in a tree."
She looked upwards to the tree tops.
"Somewhere high," said Peter, "How about that one?"
Peter pointed to a great oak tree. Its branches were long and thick. It was heavily leaved as well, which would help to hide them. It was starting to get dark and Peter remembered Edmund's warning about the woods not being safe in the night.
Susan nodded, "Yeah, I suppose that's the best one."
It was a good thing that Peter and Susan were good climbers. Peter could see that Susan was trying her hardest not to make any indication to her broken fingers. How in God's name she had been able to climb the tree with broken fingers, Peter never knew.
All he knew was that it must have been very painful because when they had reached the top she had tears in her eyes and she was trying her best to hide them. They found what was like a small platform. Three thick branches where sort of joined together. The eldest children leaned against the huge trunk.
They were lucky that the branches were covered in leaves. It hid them behind a curtain of wood and leaves. They were quiet for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.
It was dark by the time Peter spoke, "Susan?"
She looked up from her musing, "Yes?"
"I don't understand. Why did you come here in the first place?" he turned to face her. Both were bathed in moonlight.
He saw her face darken and she said slowly, "I was an idiot! I believed everything the Witch told me. I should have told you. But I didn't, I didn't want you to carry the same troubles as me. I let her lure me to her, even when I knew she could not be trusted. Especially after what happened with Edmund."
"What do you mean?" asked Peter. Now he was even more confused about the whole situation then he had been before. What did she mean about the Witch luring her? And when did she even meet the Witch before this?
"Do you remember that day when me, you, Edmund and Lucy where seeking out the Witch's army. It was a few weeks ago. Something distracted me in the trees. The three of you were riding ahead and I quickly got off my horse and went to have a look. But it was nothing. When I got back to my horse the rest of you were completely gone off the path. You said you had searched for me for ages. You remember?"
Peter thought back, "Oh yes, and when we found you, Lucy said you looked as though you had seen a ghost. I have to admit, she was right. You were awfully pale."
Susan sighed, "And I told you I had been attacked by the Witch's army. Well that was half true. I hadn't been attacked but I met her. She told me things that would happen if I didn't help her. I said I would never betray any of you to her and I rode off as fast as I could. But she found me and said that her army was tracking you, Lucy and Edmund and if I didn't help her she'd kill you all. I told her again that I wouldn't betray my brothers and sister."
"She seemed as though she was about to give the order to have you all killed, but her face changed and she seemed to rethink it all. She then said she would to a bargain with me," Even though it was dark Peter could see tears start to pour down her face. Her voice started to become thicker. He didn't know what to do. He just sat there staring at her shadowed face, "She said she would spear your lives if I came down into the wood at the night of the full moon. She said I was to leave my weapons behind, and I was got give her a drop of my blood…"
"I listened to her and said I would do my part of the bargain, as long as she didn't touch you, Edmund or Lucy. Last night was the full moon and I came down here," she wiped the tears from her cheeks, "I was an idiot to even think it was a bargain. I only came down here because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happen to you, Ed or Lucy and I could have helped stop it happening in the first place," She stopped talking then and Peter knew she could not continue.
Peter had remained silent during the whole of Susan's explanation. He didn't have anything to say, he just sat there watching his sister cry. Finally he moved closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders.
It was a cold night and Susan wasn't wearing much. Only a dress which was torn around the ends and along the arms and shoulders. Peter could feel her shaking.
"Here," he said, taking off his cloak, "You need it more then I do your cold."
He held her until her sobs were gone. They sat quietly for a little while, until Susan spoke, "Peter, how did you know where to find me?"
Peter looked down at her and started to explain everything. His dreams, this fore-sight that Aslan said he had, Edmund showing him the way and the tree spirit that had helped them.
"I was confused about how you knew about my fingers," said Susan quietly. She looked away from him.
Without saying anything, Peter reached for her injured hand. Automatically she pulled it away from his reach and gave him a suspicious look.
"It's okay," Peter said softly, "I just want to see how much damage has been done."
He stroked her raven hair and watched the fear disappear from her eyes. She sat up straight and showed Peter her injury. He too sat up and took her hand at the wrist. Slowly he moved his fingers along her's. Her index and middle fingers stood at odd angles. Her thumb and two last fingers were the ones without any damage.
Peter's fingers felt ruff from his sword fighting, but they had not lost any care.
Susan's eyes flicked from Peter's face to her hand and back again.
"It hurts so much," she confessed quietly. Peter said nothing, just continued inspecting her injury.
"It's not as bad as you think," said Peter, "I've broken my fingers before. There not broken, just pulled out of place. It can easily be fixed; you just need to push them back."
He looked up at her and saw her face change. Fear plunged back into her eyes and she turned very pale. She moved her hand away from him, but he pulled it back, still holding her wrist.
"If I do nothing, you might not use them again," he said
Her breathing grew a little harder, "It'll hurt, won't it?"
Peter nodded, "Yes. Yes it will, but only for a few minutes, then it'll all be over."
Susan shook her head, "No, no more pain."
"Susan, you are in pain now and you will never again be able to use a bow again and that is a real shame because you're an excellent archer. I swear, it will all be over in about twenty seconds. I promise," said Peter
Susan searched his face. There was no lye in his eyes. She swallowed and slowly nodded. He took her hand and said softly, "Brace yourself."
Susan couldn't bear look at her hand so she keep on eyes on the tree branches and leaves. Peter saw her tense and he hated himself for having to do this. But he had no other option. He had learnt how to reset fingers at school, and he hoped against everything that he didn't do anything wrong and end up causing his sister more pain.
He started to push her fingers back into place, he saw Susan bit her bottom lip and her breath got heavier, he could see she was trying to stop herself from making any noise. He knew the pain must be killing her. He watched as tears glistened in her eyes and when he cracked the first finger back into place, she gasped and tried, but failed to stop the small cry of pain.
"Only one more to go," Peter tried to reinsure her, but he knew that nothing he said would help.
Her soft eyes were now brighter then usual and Peter could feel Susan trembling, probably from the fear of more pain. She had raised her eyes to his face and her lip had a blood mark across it from where she had dug her teeth into it. Peter started to reset her second finger and she couldn't stop the tears that started to flow.
She sucked in a deep breath and tried to steady her breath but the pain was worse then ever. With her other hand she dug her fingernails into her palm, hoping it would distract her. She pressed her back teeth together as hard as she could. She felt another extreme burst of pain through her fingers and gave another small cry of pain. She buried her face into Peter's tunic, trying to calm her breathing.
She could feel his fingers running over her own again. Finally he stopped and put an arm around her and stroked her hair again, "It's all over, Su. It's done."
She closed her eyes, her reset fingers throbbed from the after affects of the pain. For long moments, Susan stayed still her face buried in her brother's chest, finally she looked up.
"Thank-you," she whispers. Peter doesn't say anything, just kissed the top of her head.
Susan rested the side of her head against his jaw line. She was shaking, although she didn't know what from. They both did move; expect for Peter who continued to run his fingers lightly through her raven hair to try and calm her. Let her know that the worst of her nightmares were over.
After a while, Peter thought his sister had fallen asleep until she spoke.
"It was horrible," she said quietly
"What was?" he asked
"When they broke my fingers," she whispered, "Peter, I was serious when I said the Witch is worse then ever. It made me wonder what she may have done to Ed when she held him hostage."
Peter didn't say anything. He guessed this was the way she tried to tell him of what had happened in the torture chamber, but at the same time not actually tell him. He looked down at her and placed two fingers under her chin and titled her face towards him.
He suddenly took notice for the first time of the cut on her cheek. He rubbed the back of his fingers along it and spoke very softly, "She already has your blood."
It wasn't a question, more of a statement. Peter looked Susan square in the eyes then. However not even a moment had passed before Susan dropped her gaze. She was afraid of what she saw in them, though she did move away from his embrace.
"Su," said Peter softly, "its okay-"
Susan shook her head and put a finger to his lips, "Please Peter, don't say anything."
She looked sad, though Peter. The sadness clashed with her beautiful features, giving her a bizarre expression.
"Susan." She didn't look at him.
"Susan," he repeated. She sighed quietly and looked up at him, only to meet a pair of lips, which pressed themselves against her own. Her eyes widened in shock and amazement, before she let them fall shut.
She would have expected her mind to scream at her to stop, but it went blank and she actually felt as though she had no mind.
She felt Peter's lips begin to move over her own slowly at first; his hands went to either side of her face. Then he increased the pressure and by ever passing second their kiss became more powerful, more heated.
Every worry she had about a minute ago was out the window. She had to admit, Peter was a every good kisser. She caught herself wondering why they hadn't ever tried this before.
Because he's your BROTHER, a voice suddenly screamed in her head. It felt as though she had come down to reality.
"Don't," her voice was muffled as she pulled away from Peter. She pushed herself out of his embrace and moved away. She shut her eyes and turned away from her brother.
What the hell did we just do? She thought. What the hell did I just do?
Please Review! Chapter 9 on the way!