Disclaimer: All characters are not owned by me and are used without permission solely for the entertainment of fan-fiction readers.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long to get up, but I was in the middle of trials fever. Then I decided to revise the story a bit, so that took some time too. I promise to be better at putting up chapters.

Summary: Everybody loves balls. Don't they?

Chapter 6: The Ball

The banquet was exquisite. The Kings and Queens all thought they had never quite eaten so much. Well, perhaps Edmund had, but it was hard not to with all the salted meats, fresh fish, squash, potatoes, vegetables, breads, cherries, plums, crab apples, nuts, and wine. And then there were the cakes and pies. Every kind of pie you could imagine. Everything was as delicious as the next.

Susan was feeling rather full when the dancing began. To her, balls had always been an unpleasant affair. It is hard to enjoy yourself when men were falling over each other just for a chance to dance. By the fourth dance, she had already refused five.

Some things didn't change.

"Honestly, is it impossible to allow to digest one's food before attacking with requests to dance?" the Queen complained.

Edmund chuckled, "I would have thought you'd know the answer to that by now, Su".

Peter nodded in agreement, "I used to have to practically beat them off you with a stick. It was as if they came in a wave once the music would begin".

Susan's eyes flared, "Is it so much to ask to be able to eat in peace? I think it's all rather ridiculous! Men acting like fools in order to gain my attention. Perhaps they should consider speaking with me, rather than about me. Maybe then I would willingly give them the pleasure of a dance".

Peter groaned.

Edmund looked around the room for Lucy, who was shockingly . . . dancing with the fauns. Susan gave a disapproving look at her sister.

"I hope she knows she'll have to grow out of that soon".

Edmund sighed, "Let her enjoy it while she can. You were once that carefree too, Susan".

His sister eyed him, "That was before I realized I had a duty to my kingdom, Edmund".

"You don't always have to put your duty above everything else", Peter interjected.

"Let's just dance before the ambassador of Archenland comes back again", she growled.

Susan did not particularly like balls.

Peter chuckled and led his sister onto the dance floor. It was a rather up tempo dance, which suited Susan just fine. She enjoyed dancing very much. It allowed her some freedom within the stiff world of royal responsibility.

Once the dance was finished, the two made their way back towards the royal table. But a hand on Susan's arm caused her to turn. It was Caspian. He bowed to her.

"May I have this dance, your majesty?" he asked.

Susan gave him a small bow of the head in reply. He held out his hand for her and she placed hers lightly in it. They walked out to the dance floor. A slow, stately song began to play. The queen tensed slightly. She did not know this dance. But, Caspian's reassuring squeeze of the hand calmed her.

I shall guide you.

They weaved in and out among the other dancing couples.

"How have you been enjoying your first Narnian ball, my King?"

The dance was a slow walk, and they gliding across the floor.

"Quite well, my Queen. It has been most intriguing", Caspian replied.

They took one step left and one step right.

Susan looked at him curiously, "Intriguing how, my lord?"

They stepped towards each other.

"You Narnians have unusual customs, my lady".

They stepped away from each other.

"As do the Telmarines", she retorted, looking back at him over her shoulder.

They both turned to the beat, then Caspian reached out and took both of the Queen's hands. They pulled together.

"We all have our own traditions. It is now up to us to bring those traditions together", he said, his breath on her neck.

The skin on Susan's neck tingled. He dropped one of her hands and still holding the other, they circled each other in time with the music. She peered at the young King as they continued the dance.

Caspian was very light on his feet and surprisingly graceful. Susan noted that he was able to move without thinking, allowing him to enjoy what was going on around them. He smiled at the others dancing around them, slipping in and out of casual conversation with some.

The music ended and both royals performed the reverence that was called for after such a dance. Caspian held out his arm for Susan, and they began to walk off the dance floor. But, the sounds of the next song stopped the Narnian Queen in her tracks. A questioning look came from her escort.

"It is a Narnian dance", she murmured.

The King turned them back to the dance floor. Susan moved closer to him, turning and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Caspian took in a sharp breath at the contact. This was most unusual compared to the stiff Telmarine dances that kept couples an arm's length away.

"Put your hand on my waist", Susan whispered in the King's ear.

Caspian looked appalled by the suggestion, "What . . . I" he stammered.

The Queen gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "It's alright Caspian, this is how we dance in Narnia".

The sound of his name on her lips calmed the king. What was this woman doing to him? Just being in her presence turned him into a blabbering fool. Perhaps he was merely captivated by her beauty. Each day that passed, she seemed more and more like the Queen from the history books . . . strong, noble, beautiful.

"It is good to hear you use my name again", he breathed.

Susan tensed under him. His dark eyes held such intensity to them. It was impossible for her to escape the gaze they gave. She smiled crookedly up at him.

"You have had your title but for a day. It would not do to wear it out so soon".

Caspian let out a small laugh. His hand found her waist and gripped it gently. Then, he held out his other hand for her. Susan placed her hand in his. She pulled closer to him.

She leaned closer to his ear, "Be prepared. You may find this dance . . . different than what you are accustomed to".

As the Queen pulled away, Caspian asked, "Different how?"

"Let us say it might be uncomfortable for you", she answered with a smirk.

The King shifted awkwardly. Susan began to lead him cautiously at first, just spinning them across the floor. But, as the music got faster, she guided him into a series of turns, skips, and hops. Soon, they found themselves caught in the flowing movements of the dance. Caspian pulled them closer as they moved faster and faster, spinning almost out of control.

Susan's laughter filled the room as several people stopped to watch the two monarchs flying around the dance floor. Peter looked on disapprovingly. Lucy was most amused and delighted to see her sister enjoying herself so much. Edmund ignored them and went on talking to the ambassador of Archenland.

The music ended and Susan stopped their spinning abruptly, crashing into Caspian. Her face grew red with embarrassment at their bodies touching. This was most unseemly behavior for a Queen. She curtseyed quickly to the king before rushing off towards her siblings.

Caspian watched as she rushed off, his face still flushed from the exertions of the dance. He had never danced, nor seen anyone dance like that. He was still a bit shocked at how close he and the Queen had actually been. Telmarine custom required distance between men and women, but the Narnians did not seem to abide by that.

- - - -

The night had been filled with food, dancing, drinks, and conversation. Some of the guests had started to leave in small groups, but all of the court and visiting officials remained. The conversation had turned to politics, much to the dismay of Susan and Lucy. The older Queen decided to make an attempt at changing the subject.

"What of the travels of our Kings to the neighboring lands?" she asked.

Peter gave Caspian a wary glance.

"We are trying to make-up for 1300 years of bad blood between Narnia and Calormen. Miraz at least had kept up some relations with Archenland", Peter answered.

Susan eyed him, "Was the Calormen Tisroc a disagreeable man?"

Edmund snorted, "That's an understatement".

Both Caspian and Peter glared at him. The youngest king quickly shut his mouth.

The Queen watched this exchange between the kings carefully.

"Is there something you boys aren't telling me?" she demanded in a warning tone.

Peter turned to her, "Susan, there is something you need to know . . ."

The look on her brother's face unnerved the Queen.

"Peter, what is it?"

"Calormen wasn't exactly open to re-establishing ties with Narnia. Archenland was much more receptive, as you can see by the ambassador's presence", he began.

Caspian looked on unhappily.

"Well it's not really a surprise for Calormen officials to feel that way, after what happened with Rabadash", Susan said.

Peter looked at her intently, "That's just it, Su. They haven't forgotten about Rabadash either".

The Queen looked shocked, "They can't still be angry about something that happened over 1300 years ago!"

"That's not how they see it", Edmund interjected.

Peter's looked gravely at her, "To them, you insulted Prince Rabadash in the highest manner".

"And what does that have to do with anything?" asked Susan in an annoyed tone.

Clearly it was a sore subject with her.

Edmund stood up, "They believe you caused personal insult and injury to the royal blood of Calormen. And that if we had not disappeared soon after the incident, further action would have been taken".

Susan now stood from her chair, "Any harm, either personal or physical, that fell upon Prince Rabadash was of his own doing. It was his stupidity and repulsive behavior that led him to his unfortunate fate".

Caspian studied them all, "While this may seem as something trivial to us, Calormen people take their honor very seriously. To them, you took away the honor of the future Tisroc of Calormen".

"But he's not even alive anymore! We don't even know if he ever became Tisroc. How can they bring up something like that?"

Susan was starting to lose her calm.

Peter slowly stood up and approached his sister, "He did become Tisroc. And he never forgot what you did to him. I don't suppose he ever thought you would appear again, so to him it was a harmless way to redeem his honor".

"What are you talking about Peter?"

"Don't you remember what became of Rabadash after he tried to attack Archenland? He was the laughing stock of all Calormen for years after that. Even when he became Tisroc after we left, he was known as Rabadash the Ridiculous".

Edmund seemed confused at this point, "But I read that he was Rabadash the Peacemaker because there was no war during his reign. It was said he was the most harmonious Tisroc in the history of Calormen".

Peter scoffed, "Don't you remember the curse Aslan put on him? If was to ever go more than ten miles away from Tashbaan, he would turn back into a donkey. That's incentive enough not to go starting any wars".

"I knew he was no good! I never liked that bloke", Edmund mused.

Susan looked irritably at both her brothers, "I don't see how this has anything to do with your trip to Calormen".

Caspian stiffened and Peter looked at her gravely again.

"Although Rabadash may be dead, his wishes aren't. The current Tisroc, Rashta, finds himself obligated to oblige them", Peter said.

The Queen gave her brother a confused look.

Peter sighed, "It seems as though our dear friend Rabadash made a decree soon after he was made Tisroc. The decree was that all who have dishonored the Tisroc would be punished by death".

Silence followed. Susan looked stricken. Edmund gave her a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry Su; Peter was able to sort things out. Well, sort of".

Caspian looked very displeased at this point.

"Your brother has made an exchange for your life, my Queen", he said gruffly.

"What does that mean?"

Peter took her hand, "What it means, Susan, is that in order to save your life, I had to make a bargain with Rashta".

Susan didn't like the look in her brother's eyes, "And what exactly was that bargain, Peter?"

Another sigh escaped her brother's lips, "That you are to marry a Tarkaan of Tashbaan or Calormen shall declare war on Narnia".

The Queen's hand dropped from her brother's grip.

- - - -

Once again, my apologies for taking so long to post this. Hopefully I can be a little more prompt with my updates. R & R.

- Lady Artemis -