A/N: Okay – I PROMISE this is going somewhere…LIKE SERIOUSLY…I know this chapter is going to be really yucky but really, really, I AM getting to it…so please don't throw things at me (hide) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. RaedenRulbetti, annapfan, Shining Friendship, bluebaby3296, Erin-21, miss nen yim, mae-E, StuffRocksInnit, Gategal, Kaleena Dragonmaster, reader13, shaqqara, Princess Britny, the fan of everything, and last but not least FlyFly. By the way people, reviews like FlyFly's WILL get you another chapter, HAHA! NEXT CHAPTER will be really SusanxCaspian stuff THEN we'll get into juice okay? Please be patient with me and this story. YAY!! DVD's OUT!! Ahem – I did write too much for A/N. Well thanks everyone!!

Chapter 3

"Your majesty," Reepicheep was scurrying across the courtyard with a roll of parchment almost twice as long as its body. Susan had her head buried in Caspian's back, her cheek resting on his shoulder and was slightly disgruntled that she had to unwind her arms from Caspian's waist. Destrier snorted at the sight of the mouse, perhaps reflecting Susan's annoyance although for different reasons, causing Reepicheep to take a tentative step backwards. Caspian gently touched the crown of Susan's head with his hand crossing over to his left shoulder, the other hand still on the reins. He turned his head to glance at Susan's resting head regretfully as Susan straightened herself from his touch. She gave him a smile to reassure him that she wasn't too bothered before he slid off the handsome horse in one fluid movement.

"Ah sire, here is the list that we were able to devise for the council. I do hope your mission was successful, the trees are awake?" Caspian landed on his feet lightly as Reepicheep stood on the tips of its toes to hand the roll to the king. Caspian looked at Susan, "Yes it was," he said meaningfully. Susan hid a smile as the memories shone brightly in her mind. Caspian had to turn away however as Reepicheep ushered him towards the castle, telling him about the members of the new elected council if Caspian would pass the edict. He said these details with hurried footsteps, which Susan noted, musing perhaps in order to get away from Destrier who was straining at the reins she had taken up.

She could feel the horse flexing its powerful muscles, itching to stamp on the furry creature, unaware that the mouse was an advisor to the king and a knight of Narnia. As Reepicheep seemed to be eagerly explaining, twitching its whiskers, Caspian halted to glance back at Susan again. Susan gave a encouraging nod to urge him to listen to the mouse more attentively when Caspian mouthed 'Destrier, in the stables," after a suspenseful pause. Susan crinkled her nose at him, 'I know that much,' she mouthed back but then Caspian turned away with a smile, disappearing from her view with the very animated mouse. Susan sat on the saddle, unmoving, still ruefully gazing after Caspian, wondering when she had seen him so playful and was surprised at how much time she spent analysing Caspian's every gesture.

She twisted Destrier around, snapping from her reverie, to head for the stables. She was decidedly ignoring the small page boys running towards her to take the horse; Caspian did ask her to put Destrier in the stables after all. Her hair bellowed out from behind her, the creamy white underskirt flaring behind her against the black hide of the horse as she spurred Destrier on, the horse whinnying whilst complying with her instructions.

"Susan!" a voice called out and Susan pulled back sharply from mid-canter as she saw Lucy hurrying down the stairs into the courtyard.

"Lu," Susan dismounted, handing the reins to the hovering pageboys changing her mind as Lucy fast approached her.

"I just saw Aslan," Lucy's face was ecstatic.

"That's great," Susan encouraged, judging from her younger sister's she could tell Lucy was bursting to tell her more.

"Aslan said that we're doing the right thing," Lucy's smile was beaming and Susan felt as if a heavy weight had lifted from her chest.

"He did?" Susan repeated, relief starting to seep into her voice.

"Yeah, staying here and everything…" a shadow however crossed Lucy's face, "But he seemed a little…" Lucy trailed off.

"yeah, what is it?" Susan asked eagerly.

"A little sad," Lucy admitted finally, looking slightly apologetic and confused.

"Did he say why?" Susan asked carefully, the heavy weight slowly forming back in the pit of her stomach.

"No," Lucy said quietly, but she brightened up instantly, "He said we were doing the right thing though, isn't that great?"

Susan smiled although she saw a spark in Lucy's eyes that told her that Lucy was holding something back.

"What els - "

"Peter!" Lucy looked past Susan and Susan turned around and saw Edmund and Peter just making their way through the gate, grinning from ear to ear. Susan glanced back at Lucy who had already brushed past her to greet her older brother and wondered if this had been a timely diversion for Lucy. Susan wondered briefly if Lucy really had the gift of hiding something from her but wasn't able to be preoccupied with that thought further when she heard their conversation piquing her interest.

"-See," Edmund was saying a little sheepishly, "Pete and I had given up hope by then and we were really bored and we knew we couldn't just come back though, that would look bad."

"So what did you do?" Lucy asked. Susan walked towards them, "Yeah, what did you do?"

"Oh, Susan." Edmund greeted, "Did you guys manage to wake the trees?"

Susan gave a nod but did press on, "So? You managed to wake the trees didn't you?"

Under her enquiring gaze Edmund burst out laughing.

"We did," Peter interjected, "By playing cricket."

"Cricket?" Susan raised a sceptical eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. Lucy burst out giggling.

"It's true," Edmund insisted. Seeing the look on Susan's face, Peter asked, "Well, how did you and Caspian wake the trees then?"'

Susan gave a start and realised their own method of waking the trees had been rather unimpressive. She looked down and blushed, "We ate…and just..." She trailed off guiltily. Lucy smiled, "Just..?"

Edmund, Peter and Lucy exchanged similar looks and all turned red with suppressed laughter. "What?" Susan asked abashed as Edmund and Peter then hurriedly said something about attending horses and fled from Susan's onslaughts of 'What? What's so funny?' Lucy tugged at her sister's sleeve as Susan made a move to go after Edmund, the more willing one and truly ask what the implications were. Susan was then able to realize that Lucy was truly getting much too clever for her own good and she was more than capable of hiding things from her.

"Susan," Lucy whispered to get her attention again.

Susan turned back to Lucy, "Hm?"

"Caspian wanted me to tell you this,"

"What? Did you see him just then?" Susan asked.

"Yeah, when I was coming out to see him. I could see Reepicheep was harassing him already." Lucy quirked an eyebrow.

"What did he say?" Susan asked, she thought, too eagerly for her own good.

"Well," Lucy said hesitantly, "He told me to tell you to come to the open terrace at sundown."

"The terrace?" Susan asked just as quietly.

"He said the completely open one, so I think the western one." Lucy confirmed, Susan hid her delight well. "But Su," Lucy cautioned, "I've heard that there's going to be a voyage to get the exiled lords."

"A voyage, what voyage?" Susan's brows furrowed.

"And Caspian is going."

Susan's delight suddenly turned cold. "He's going? When?" she tried her hardest to keep the anxiety from showing in her voice.

"I think he wants to talk to you about it on the terrace."

Susan's thoughts riveted through the moments when Caspian had had the chance fto tell her that he was going away. In all the times, even with their mission they had just completed, he had just told her how glad he was that she was staying. He told her nothing of it. She felt betrayed, he must have known that the only reason she was staying was for him? Now he was leaving and Susan felt dazed and ill as if she had been struck by a blow.

"Su, it's only a rumour." Lucy countered quickly when she saw that Susan had grown pale and numerous emotions like shock, hurt and anger scroll through her face.

"At sundown was it?" Susan asked dangerously, she pursed her lips. "I can't wait."

A/N: thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for reading!