Curse of Beaver's Dam Chapter 15 - Wait on Me

Note and disclaimer: Here's the last chapter! And alas, I do not own Narnia or anything affiliated with it. Here it is.

As soon as the group arrived at Cair Paravel, Susan ran out to meet them, her black hair flying loose behind her. The faces she met were not fllled with the gladness of victory, but a more solemn air hung about them. Yet, the parties' gloom did not faze the gentle queen as she caught sight of her little sister safe once more. All Susan longed to do was hold her close, and make sure she was well.

"Lucy!" she cried, waiting patiently while the rider's pulled their mounts to a stop. As soon as they had dismounted, Susan pulled Lucy into a warm embrace. She then held the Valiant Queen at arms length to see if there were any injuries on her form. She was glad to find no visible wounds, but as she studied her sister's sweet face, she saw faint signs of tree tracks from a recent cry, and she also noticed that her nose was redder then usual.

Susan knew the tears might be from the relief of being rescued, but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something deeper to the signs of sorrow. Susan decided it would probably be best not to pursue the issue now, so she turned with an arm placed firmly around Lucy's shoulder to face her brother's and Archenland's prince.

"King Lune and his emissaries have arrived," she stated, watching as Corin's blue eyes brightened at the mention of his father. She also noticed the strip of cloth wrapped tightly around his head, and her mothering instincs had soon kicked in.

"Oh Corin, what happened?" she exclaimed worriedly, pulling the boy close to examine his head.

"It's nothing," he glowered, smacking at her hand. The queen was not to be messed with when in mother mode, and she had soon sternly reprimanded the prince, then gone back to surveying the cloth, and the best way to remove it. She soon discovered that blood and time had crusted the cloth to the boy's tan forehead.

"You shall have to have it removed by soaking it in warm water, I should think, you need a bath anyway," she said, starting pointedly at his grimy hands. "But as soon as you've finished you must come back to have it bandaged properly." Corin finally managed to pull away, mumbling under his breath, so Susan turned her attention back to Lucy just time to notice a tear trickle out of the corner of her ye, and slide down her cheek.

"Lu.." Susan said, reaching her arms out once more, wanting to heal the hurts that were clearly in her sister. Before more words could be spoken, King Lune's usually boisterous voice interrupted the scene.

"Corin! My boy!" The portly king said, hurrying over, his attention focused solely on his son. Before the boy could protest, his father had crushed him in a hug. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you," Lune said, his eyes shining with moisture.

Susan's heart was pained for the middle aged man, remembering the story of his first son's kidnapping, presumed death, and then his wife's untimely passing. Susan looked around, warmth filling her heart at the sight of all three of her siblings, all together. She looked back at the father and son, realizing something. Corin was all King Lune had left.

"Come," Susan said quietly to her fellow family members. With slow steps, the others followed her until they arrived in her chambers. "You may now stop sheltering me with your silence," the queen said, "I know Lucy and Corin disapeared, and that you, my brother's, and our army went after them, but little else." Susan watched Peter and Edmund exchange glances. She laid a hand on her older brother's arm.

"Tell me Peter. I am ready to hear, I am no longer a child to protect from what is happening all around me. Tell me."

Surprise clearly showed on the High King's countenance.

"I- Susan, I never meant to treat you like a child. And I suppose an apology is in order. I'm sorry then. I think as monarchs of this country we need to be able to trust each other, and tell each other everything. So yes, if you wish it, you will be told everything. Though, I must say Ed and Lu can tell you more about it then I."

Susan sat quietly as her brothers and sister recounted the tale. Tears sprang to her eyes as she listened to what Lucy had been through, while Peter clenched his fists, he hadn't heard that part either, though he had been an unhappy witness to the attempted execution.

"Susan," Peter said gently before Lucy could tell the somber news.

"What is it?" she questioned uncertainly.

"Sir Bindarine – he didn't make it ," the High King finished none to elegantly. Her eyes growing large, Susan's mouth formed an "O".

"What?" she gasped out, salty tears soaking Peter's arm, which she had just grabbed. "What do you mean he didn't make it?"

"He was killed in the fight, Su," Edmund cut it, "He fought bravely." Susan closed her eyes. She had told her siblings she could take the news, and she would do it, she had to.

"It is unfortunate that one of our dearest and oldest friend has passed on," she said, "Though hope is within me that we shall see him once more, in Aslan's country."

Suddenly there was a tentative knock on the door, and even this quiet interruption caused three of the four monarchs to jump. Edmund, whose ears had heard the tread of footsteps outside the hall, just watched the others in his family with amusement.

"Oh stuff it Ed," Peter said, throwing a nearby silk pillow from off of the settee where he sat. The king then made his way to the door, and opened it to find a maid wringing her hands.

"What's the matter Adelpha?" Peter asked patiently of the satyr.

"I told him that your majesties were busy, but he insisted! And bless me, I couldn't turn down the poor child with his head hurting as it is." Peter smiled when he saw that behind the maid Corin stood, rooted stubbornly in the hall.

"Can we help you Corin?" Peter asked, raising his eyebrow at the young prince. The boy shuffled his feet.

"Is Queen Susan here?"

"I'm right here, Corin," Susan said, coming to the doorway while wiping away left over tears

"Well, I had a bath," the prince said grumpily- bathing was obviously not Corin's favorite activity. "I even used soap." Here the boy grimaced, reminded of his nemesis- that white, square bar of soap. As much as it pained him to do so, Corin had forced himself to bathe because deep in his heart, he knew there were only two options.

Option One: Not bathe and suffer queen Susan the gentle's wrath, and have to bathe in the end anyway, or

Option Two: Bathe now.

Corin chose the latter, deciding it would save time. The prince also knew that he could have gone to one of the palace healers for help with his forehead. He didn't of course, because he had decided it would be better to just do exactly as Susan commanded, in her current state.

"Oh yes, your head," the girl responded, rubbing her own forehead. "Follow me down to the healing area."

The two soon arrived at the clean smelling place. Bandages, herbs, pots of water, and other useful things were organized neatly. Four cots were located on one side of the room.

"Sit," the queen said with a motion towards the cots. Corin complied, muttering, "I want to anyway," under his breath.

Susan took out a bowl, and placed the herbs and medicines she would need inside, mixing it with a bit of water to form a salve. With practiced hands from helping the healers - who seemed to be absent at the moment - Susan used a spoon to spread a thick layer on a clean, white bandage. Corin eyed the greenish paste doubtfully as she walked over. With great reluctance he allowed her to tie around his head, and almost immediately he frowned.

"It's tingling."

The queen simply nodded.

"Hey! Now it burns. What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, actually. The burning sensation is simply the salve doing it's work. You should be right as rain in no time at all," Susan answered calmly while rinsing her hands using water from one of the pitchers.

"Oh."

"Now why don't you go visit with your father - I'm sure he's interested to know the details of everything that has taken place." Corin nodded, and had soon waltzed out of the room.

"Oh dear," the queen sighed, remembering the ball, and it's planning. How could she be ready after something like this happening?

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Lucy stood in her room, gazing out through the large window at the goings on in the courtyard. people and beasts dressed in their very best were arriving, and the girl couldn't help but smile as Mr. Tumnus passed by with a She-faun on his arm. The ball had been rescheduled, incidentally, due to the failed invasion of the Telmarine's, and everything it had caused. The royal letters had been sent out, not going into too much detail, as national privacy needed to be kept. Beaver had felt most foolish, and it had taken many tries to convince him that no one was angry, and he no longer believed in ghosts.

Corin's wound had almost healed completely, and his gold circlet would help to hide the small area. Lucy's smile faltered as she remembered how good, old Sir Bindarine would not be there to be almost like a grandfather to her. As she dwelled on the inward thoughts, regrets, without warning she felt a new presence in the room- like a breath of fresh air. Whirling about, the young girl's saddened face brightened instantly.

"Aslan!" she rushed to him, and nuzzled her face in his sweet smelling fur.

"My daughter, you must remember."

"Remember what Aslan?" she asked, looking up at his large, golden eyes.

"Bindarine is in my country, and that is where he desires to stay. He is happy, and you will see him again."

"When Aslan?"

And at that instant the lion gave her such a look that Lucy did not know quite what to make of it.

"When father time awakens," he said mysteriously. "When the mountains crumble, and the oceans dry, when wickedness is destroyed."

"It sounds so very long from now," she said, for she couldn't imagine these things happening.

"Wait on me daughter," and on that last, soft statement, Aslan was gone, as if he had not been there. But Lucy knew. Lucy straightened her silver crown that had been set askew when she hugged the great lion, as a knock sounded on the door. She opened it to discover Edmund, his black hair combed straight, covered by his own crown.

"I'm here to escort the beautiful queen to the ballroom," he said, with a sweeping bow. "And by the way, your dress if very nice." Lucy laughed at her brothers attempt at cordiality. Susan had, in fact, found a dress that she thought was perfect for Lucy. It was the yellow color of sunlight, the thing that was the very essence of who Lucy was.

"Shall we be off then?" Lucy suggested. Edmund nodded, taking her arm, and they walked down the hallway. As they traveled, Lucy couldn't help wondering about the future, what would be. And then she heard a voice inside her.

"Wait on me in all things."

"Yes, Aslan."

"What?" Ed asked, confused by his sister's spoken words.

"I'll tell you later." And with a secret smile tugging at her lips, the queen and king were announced into the ballroom together.

Note: I was thinking of cutting out the bit with Susan and Corin in the medical room, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I realize that this may not be my best chapter, but I hoped you enjoyed it anyway. Also, look for more stories from me, if you enjoyed this one. Currently I'm working on: Debt of Honor, a story about Corin and the girl who becomes his unenthusiastic companion. It's not REALLY a romance, but you'll see. Also, in the future I will hopefully be working on a series of sorts about Caspian's ancestors. The Lineage of the King. Or some other title. It may only be about two stories long, depending on what I can think of. I already have two exciting stories in the works. One involves the original pirates, and one King Caspian the first and second. Let me know if you would be interested when these stories are released, and I will try my very best to let me know. Thank you SO much for reading Curse of Beaver's Dam. It means a lot. Your friend, Lucy.