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

Author's Note: I know I promised I would stay on track with this story, but I have to break that promise. I'll be going away for a week on Wednesday, so it may be a bit until I can get the next chapter up. Hope you can forgive me!

Summary: The past comes back to make trouble for Susan and Narnia. The Queen recounts the events that have lead to their present situation.

Chapter 7: Past Mistakes

It had been an hour since they ball had ended. It had also been an hour since Susan had locked herself in her chambers. She was not speaking to anyone, not even Lucy. Her reaction to the news had not been good at all. But Peter had expected that. It wasn't the kind of news you would expect anyone to take well.

The Narnian King sat in the girls' sitting room, his head in his hands. It had been a long night. Edmund sat beside him, playing with the straps of his sword. Caspian was up on his feet, pacing the room and looking quite upset. Lucy had been sent to bed when it was clear she could not help with the situation.

"How much longer do you suppose she will be in there?" asked Edmund in an exasperated voice.

Peter groaned, "If it's anything like before . . . a very long time".

Caspian stopped in front of the Queens door again, looking at it hopefully, but after a few minutes, he began pacing again.

"I knew we should not have told her", the Telmarine said suddenly.

Edmund smirked, "She would have found out eventually. I think she would have noticed being betrothed to a Tarkaan".

Caspian did not find the comment amusing. It only reminded him of the Queen's fate. He turned to Peter.

"Is there nothing we can do to stop it?" he asked imploringly.

Peter looked at the King determinedly, "We will stop this. I just haven't figured out how yet".

Caspian nodded. He knew Peter would find a way.

"We'll have to go to Calormen with her", Edmund chimed in.

Caspian stared at him.

"That would be a terrible risk", the King said sternly.

"It is a risk we shall have to take until we figure something out", Peter replied.

Edmund snorted, "Good luck getting her to go".

Peter groaned for the second time.

Caspian surveyed them curiously, "You do not think she will want to?"

The youngest King chuckled, "I think Calormen is the last place Su wants to go".

Peter nodded knowingly.

"It is the only way though. If we don't take her to Calormen, they'll come to us".

Edmund yawned, stretching his arms over his head.

"So I guess we're in for a long night here boys", he said as he made himself comfortable in his seat.

Caspian grunted and returned to pacing.

- - - -

It was dawn and the sunlight was beginning to pour into the room. Edmund was fast asleep in his chair, while Peter had dozed off on the chair next to him. Caspian was standing by one of the windows, watching the sun come up.

He hadn't been able to sleep.

Susan had remained locked within her chambers all night. Neither Peter's pleading nor Edmund's attempt at reasoning had even received a reply from the Queen. It had taken Caspian great effort not to try and reason with her himself, but it was not his place.

They couldn't really blame her.

It was hard to after the events that had unfolded at the ball. They had all thought that she had taken it rather well. Until she had locked herself in her room that is. But Peter and Edmund should have seen that coming. Some things didn't change.

Caspian stared out into the courtyard, the breeze blowing on his face. A small sound in the room behind him made him spin around. Standing at her bedchamber door was Susan. She froze when she saw the King gazing at her.

"I thought you were all asleep", she said sheepishly.

"Your brothers may be accustomed to this, but it did not sit as well with me. I could not sleep", he replied.

Susan looked embarrassed, "Well it's easier to think about something when you don't have your brothers pestering you about it".

Caspian tilted his head, "And have you thought about it?"

The Queen nodded, "I have".

"And what have you decided?"

Susan remained silent, glancing at the sleeping figures of her brothers.

"Perhaps the Queen would care for a walk in the gardens", Caspian offered.

"I would like that very much", she said, giving him a small smile.

The King offered her his arm and they exited into the hallway.

- - - -

The birds were singing outside now that the sun was fully up over the horizon. Susan breathed in the dewy scent of the flowers in the gardens. It was such a lovely garden; it had clearly been tended with great care over the years.

She peered over her shoulder at Caspian, who walked silently beside her.

"You know, I would have never thought Telmarines to be very good gardeners", Susan said, trying to lighten the air between them.

Caspian gave her a sideways glance, "My mother started the gardens here at the castle and made sure they were always well taken. After her death, the gardeners made sure to continue that tradition in her honor".

The Queen nodded and gave his arm a light squeeze.

"You miss your parents. It is nothing to be ashamed of", she said warmly.

Caspian offered a grateful smile, "It never really gets any easier. But I can find some joy knowing that this kingdom will be run in a way they would have approved".

"They would be very proud of you, Caspian", Susan replied.

The King eyed her carefully.

"I can only hope they would, my Queen".

Susan smiled and they continued to walk in silence for a few minutes.

"I suppose my brothers plan to sell me off to the highest bidding Tarkaan in Calormen soon", the Queen said suddenly.

Caspian pulled them to a halt.

"Your brothers would do no such thing", he said, appalled.

Susan looked away from him, "Clearly you do not know my brothers that well".

"Surely you jest", he said with reproach in his voice.

She chuckled lightly at him, "Surely, but I would not put it past them. And I would deserve it, after all the trouble I have caused".

Caspian seemed surprised, "There was no controlling something like this from happening. We were all caught off-guard by it, your brothers mostly".

Susan actually laughed, which grew louder when she beheld the confused look on the King's face.

"I can only imagine how they reacted when the Tisroc told them that", she mused.

Caspian's lips turned into a frown, "None of us took it lightly. We still do not take it lightly".

Susan sighed, "I do not take it lightly. But there is no point in hiding from it either".

The King nodded.

She turned to face him, "What are they planning to do, Caspian?"

Caspian stiffened at the question. He shifted awkwardly under her gaze.

She let out an exasperated sigh, "I suppose they are planning to take me to Calormen".

"Peter thinks it to be the best course of action until we have formulated a plan", he stammered.

"He is right. All the politics involved with our arrival and my presence would buy some much needed time", Susan said.

Caspian blinked at her. Was she agreeing to Peter's plan?

"Your majesty is in agreement with her brother's plan?" he asked tentatively.

The Queen nodded, "Well it's not like I have any choice now, do I?"

"It will be very dangerous".

Susan held up her skirts to step over a puddle.

Looking back at Caspian, she said, "I shall not let Rabadash win, alive or not. If I got myself into this mess, I am certainly going to get myself out of it".

Susan's lips tugged into a frown, "I never meant to offend Rabadash or Calormen for that matter. I was foolish and naïve, blinded by flattery and his handsome face".

"It was not your fault", Caspian offered.

Susan stopped to look at him, "He was a different man when he arrived in Narnia to court me. He performed marvelous feats at Cair Paravel's tournament and even Peter thought very highly of him. I thought him to be a great and humble man. But I was mistaken".

"And what came of him?" asked Caspian in a low voice.

A painful look crossed the Queen's face, "He invited us to Calormen to further pursue my hand. Of course I accepted the invitation and arrived with Edmund within a fortnight. It was then that I discovered Rabadash's true nature. Once in his own kingdom, he turned into a proud, cruel, and selfish tyrant".

Caspian took her hand, "So you refused him".

Susan forced a laugh, "How I wish it would have been that simple. To refuse him publicly would have meant death for us all. No, we escaped under their very noses in the guise of preparing a banquet aboard our ship, the Splendor Hyaline".

The King looked at her sympathetically. It must have been an awful ordeal. To think you were in love only to have your hopes crushed.

"I am sorry to hear of such plight for her majesty".

Susan looked up at him with teary eyes, "It is kind of you to be so understanding. There were many who were not at the time. Peter most of all".

"It is in the past", Caspian said in a soothing voice.

The young lady's tears were replaced by a determined look.

"It may be the past, but it is my past. And I shall make amends for it, even if I must make sacrifices in order to set things right. Narnia shall not be attacked on my account".

The King stepped beside the Queen and offered her his arm again, which she accepted hesitantly.

"You don't think I being rash about this, do you?" she asked.

Caspian looked down at the ground, "I cannot lie to you, my Queen. Because of this, I also cannot tell you that I agree at putting you in such great risk. But, I do admire your efforts in the situation".

Susan sighed, "I guess we shall be traveling to Calormen then".

"I give you my word that no harm shall come to you, my lady", he declared.

The Queen released herself from his arm and turned to face him. She studied him for a moment before leaning in and leaving a light peck on his cheek.

"Thank you", she whispered.

Now it was Susan's turn to leave a flustered Caspian behind.

- - - -

Edmund stared at Caspian.

"How . . ."

The Telmarine shrugged his shoulders.

"Quite honestly, I do not know myself", he said.

Peter was looking out the window of the Royal Study.

"So she agreed", he stated.

Caspian nodded, "It was as if she already knew".

"Of course she would know", said Edmund with a chuckle.

"She did not even seem distressed about it all", Caspian added.

Peter's grip on the window tightened, "That's because she had already made her decision last night".

Edmund scoffed.

"Of course she did. She always knows. It's starting to get on my nerves actually".

A small smile crept on Peter's lips. Susan was the sensible one. Sometimes he thought maybe she was too sensible. But he was relieved he would not have to talk her into it now.

"It seems as though we shall be visiting Tisroc Rashta sooner than we thought", he said.

Caspian eyed him, "Perhaps we should keep Susan's presence to ourselves until our arrival. It will prevent them from making any plans regarding her presence, and offer some surprise on our part".

Edmund grinned, "I like how he thinks!"

Peter nodded, "We might as well not announce our intention to journey to Calormen at all. This way, we will catch them completely off-guard and allow us plenty of time to formulate our own plans while they are busy with our arrival".

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Edmund.

Caspian nodded his agreement.

All that was left to do was make preparations for their journey to Calormen.

- - - -

Not quite as long as I hoped, but I wanted to get this done before I left. Hope you guys aren't too mad at me for leaving you hanging for a bit. Promise I'll be back soon! R&R!

- Lady Artemis -