Chapter Three

Before Anything Else Happens

"What?" said Lucy.

"No!" said Susan, actually standing. Caspian rose with her.

"I'm afraid so. Peter's hurt worse than Edmund."

"Not them too!" said Susan.

"Susan-" began Caspian, but Susan almost shouted him down.

"I don't want to be the strong one!" she shrieked, pulling at her hair and pacing rapidly. "I'm not strong! I don't want to watch anyone else get hurt on my account!"

"But-" said Trufflehunter, but Caspian shook his head at him.

"Look at me!" Susan cried. "I haven't eaten anything since last Sunday! And I haven't slept in days!"

That was evident, although no one said so.

"Well, it's true!" said Susan. "It's because my sister and my brothers are sick and injured and I can't take it anymore, I-I-"

Then Susan gave a wail, buried her head in Lucy's lap, and started to sob.

Lucy stroked Susan's hair and Caspian put his arms around her. The badgers bowed their heads and went to get Peter and Edmund.

"Susan," said Caspian gently, and Susan lifted her head to look at him.

"Listen to me. Lucy's poisoning was not your fault and this most certainly isn't. The best you can do is be here."

Lucy nodded enthousiastically and Caspian continued.

"As for strength," he said. "You're the strongest woman I've ever met."

Susan blinked, then started to cry weakly.

"It's okay," Caspian said, hugging her. "It's okay."

Then they heard a noise at the door. Twilight, Trufflehunter, and a battle-worn Glenstorm were carrying the unconscious Peter and Edmund to the beds beside Lucy (one on one side and one on the other). Susan gave a heart-stopping gasp, her hand over her mouth. Lucy stifled a cry as her brothers came into full view.

Edmund had long, cruel cuts all over his face, arms, and legs. Dried blood stained his shirt and his leg was in a splint.

Peter looked even worse; his chest had an enormous gash in it that was still bleeding and his arm was bent back the wrong way.

Trufflehunter and Glenstorm left, and Twilight set to work on Peter and Edmund immediately. When she was done, they had as many bandages and casts as their injuries necessitated. They resembled mummies in some form, and it would have been very funny if the situation weren't so serious.

Susan went over to Peter, Caspian's hands on her shoulders.

"Peter," said Susan, sitting down next to his bed and taking his hand. "I don't know if you can hear me. Just know that I'm here."

"Me too," said Lucy to Edmund, even though she was quite sure he could not hear her.

But...

Couldn't he?

For at that moment, he gave a low moan and opened his eyes.

"Lucy?" he said, blinking dimly. He turned toward Susan, who had come over to his bed, her face practically shining.

"Su...I heard Lucy. I was-I was-it was dark...and I heard Lucy...she was awake..."

Susan's eyes filled with tears of joy and disbelief.

"She is awake, Edmund."

And then Susan and Twilight then seemed to realize the same thing at the same time. Edmund had been quite close to death, it had seemed.

But when he had heard Lucy's voice, it had seemed to bring him from the brink of death.

In short, Lucy had saved his life.

Edmund tried to sit up so he could look at Lucy. Susan had to help him, but he succeeded, and a smile appeared on his face.

"You're alive?"

Lucy nodded happily.

Edmund actually stood up. He winced with pain as Susan gave a cry of surprise and Twilight tried to get him to lie back down.

But Edmund walked over to Lucy's bed and hugged his little sister as hard as he could.

"Thank you for saving my life," said Lucy, hugging him back.

When Edmund answered, his voice was croaky.

"Thank you for staying alive."

They kept hugging for quite a while. Then Susan brought them back to earth.

"What about Peter?"

Peter still lay in his bed, looking battle-scarred.

"Talk to him, Lu!" said Caspian, with a little more force than he had intended. Everyone looked at him.

"Sorry," said Caspian. "It wouldn't do to have the High King die."

So Lucy turned toward Peter's bed (with much effort) and said "Peter."

Susan and Edmund sat beside their brother.

"Peter," said Lucy again.

"Peter," said Susan.

"Peter," said Edmund.

"Peter!" said Lucy. "Peter!"

After a minute or two, Peter slowly stirred. Susan's breath caught in her throat and Twilight gasped.

"Lucy?" was all Peter said. "Where...are...you? I can...hear you...but I can't...see..."

The rest of his words were cut off as Edmund and Susan both hugged him, Edmund wincing slightly.

"Su? Ed? Is that you? Ohhhhh...my head..."

"This is amazing!" gushed Twilight, her eyes alight with joy. "It's a miracle."

"Lucy's alive," muttered Peter, evidently unaware of the other two hugging him and openly expressing their joy or Twilight running around the room, saying "This is a miracle!" over and over and over again. "She's alive and she's talking."

He was a little disoriented, but no one really cared at that point. Trufflehunter came back in, and Twilight hurled herself at him joyfully, saying "Miracles happen, Trufflehunter! Miracles happen!"

But in the midst of all the celebration, a single voice arose out of it.

"Susan!"

It was Caspian. Susan turned toward him as he came up to her.

"Yes?"

"Before anything else happens," said Caspian determinedly. He got on one knee and held out the ring. "Will you marry me?"

Susan's eyes seemed to glow. Her brothers froze and Lucy gave a happy little shriek.

Susan's answer was the best of all.

"Oh, Caspian, of course I will!"

Susan and Caspian threw their arms around each other and everyone (that felt like they were able to) started clapping.

It had to be the best day of their lives.

--

Bet you didn't see the proposal coming up, huh?

But wait! The story's not over!

I was going to end it here, but thanks to the positive reviews I got (thank you readers!), I'm going to keep writing this.

Come back for the next chapter!