Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

A/N: I know many of you thought that with Peter's sudden appearance in the story Lilliandil might be later paired up with him, but I have no intention of doing that whatsoever. This is a Susan/Caspian/Lilliandil love triangle fanfic and it's going to stay that way—at least until Caspian finally makes his choice. :) By the way, I'm really sorry for the lack of updates lately. I've been sick with pneumonia, plus I went back to school on the 24th, so I'm sure you can understand now why I haven't been updating the story as frequently. Anyways, I really hope all of you enjoy this next chapter, especially now that Peter's in the story. Watch out, Caspian! Lol! :D

Happy reading!

Chapter Six: Bonding Moments

"C-Caspian?" Peter choked out after he brushed away a few wet bangs from his forehead. "Su?"

"Peter," she said with a half-smile, making her way towards her older brother's side.

Despite his being soaked, Susan wrapped her arms around his frame and embraced him tightly. The Gentle Queen had no idea how much she missed him until now. They had just been together not a day earlier with their parents in America, but it had felt like ages since then. Peter had always been her protector, her savior, the one person she could turn to when things seemed bleak, just as he could with her. Yet now that he was in Narnia, she could only imagine what the High King would do to Caspian if he ever found out he was caught between her and Lilliandil. He could tear him limb from limb, beat him to a bloody pulp, threaten to kill him if he ever touched her again—Lion's Mane, the possibilities were endless! Peter had always acted like an overprotective father with his younger siblings, but more so with Susan because suitors had been seeking her hand in marriage since her first year as High Queen. To fill the void for their absent mother and father during their first adventure in Narnia, Peter and Susan did their best to serve as parental-like figures in Lucy and Edmund's lives until they all reached adulthood. There was a special bond between them, and somehow Aslan must have known Susan needed her brother's strength and wisdom now more than ever to help cope with the situation Caspian had unwittingly put her and Lilliandil in.

Judging by the vice grip coming from his sister's bear hug, Peter automatically knew something was troubling her. Something had happened since she had been in Narnia. He didn't know what that troubling information was, but as soon as he and Susan were alone, Peter was determined to uncover the truth and help her in any way possible.

Pulling away from her, he asked, "What are we doing in Narnia, Su? I thought Aslan said we could never come back again."

"It's a long story," she sidestepped his question, not wanting to get into the details right now. "We'll talk about it later. You need to get changed anyway, but first there's someone I'd like you to meet." Susan turned her attention back to the young woman she had just been bonding with an hour earlier and said, "This is Lilliandil. She's a friend of Caspian's…and mine."

The female Star smiled upon hearing this, and then bowed to show her respects to the legendary High King. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Majesty."

"Thank you," he bowed his head in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Crows and crockery!" Trumpkin exclaimed upon entering Susan's bedchambers and seeing Peter present. "Every time I walk into uh room now, another one of ya pops up outta nowhere!"

The four young adults all laughed after hearing this, amused by his reaction.

"Stop doin' that! It's freaking me out!"

About two hours later Peter was dry and in fresh clothes, wearing maroon-colored Narnian attire with gold embroidery. Once again, the guards and servants were utterly surprised to see the High King in their presence, but everyone welcomed him with cheerful hospitality. When he finally made his way back to Susan's private bedchambers, he knocked on her door, calling out her name, and she told him to come in.

With a smile on his face, he entered her room and said, "Good as new."

"I'm glad," she grinned, coming over to kiss him hello on the cheek.

"How long have you been here, Su?"

"Since last night," she briefly replied. "I went to take a nap in my room like I told Mum, then the next I know I'm waking up here."

"Do you know why we're here?"

"Yes," she answered with unease, which he quickly noticed.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I was sent here by Aslan so Caspian could choose between Lilliandil and I."

"What do you mean choose between you and Lilliandil?"

Knowing full well what could happen after she told her brother the truth, Susan was still very reluctant to come clean with him. She didn't have to remind herself that Peter was only trying to look after her, that he was just being his usual overprotective self whenever a suitor came her way, but if he knew Aslan brought her here because Caspian couldn't decide between her and a beautiful Star, the kingdom should start preparing for their ruler's funeral now! She would never—and could never—lie to Peter, though. After all, he was more than just her older brother… he was her best friend.

"Caspian is in love with both of us, and because of that he's been torn between Lilliandil and I ever since his people recently announced that it was time he choose a queen. Aslan apparently knew all of this, so he came to him last night, and after telling him that he was going to bring both of us here, he asked Caspian to spend time with me and Lilliandil so he could properly decide which one of us he wants to become his future bride."

Walking out of the throne room with the lords on his counsel after an important meeting on foreign affairs, Caspian saw Lilliandil standing alone, looking out at the kingdom from the terrace. She turned around upon hearing their voices come outside, smiled and warmly greeted each of the lords who came up her to introduce themselves. Once the handsome, bearded king was finished bidding goodbye to all of the lords, he walked over to Lilliandil, and immediately realized he still owed her an explanation. They were alone, with not even a guard around to disturb them, and while it felt pleasant to be in her presence, everytime he was around her now, Caspian couldn't help but also think of Susan. After all, there were so many similarities between them—their crystal blue eyes and pearly white skin, their gentle smile and infectious laughter, their timeless beauty and elegant grace. He cursed himself for loving two women at the same time, but how could he not when they were both so similar?

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," she curtsied.

"Lady Lilliandil," he bowed his head in return. "Where are High King Peter and his sister?"

"Talking, I believe. High King Peter wished to speak with Queen Susan privately after he got changed."

"Then would I be correct in assuming you came here because you wished to speak with me about what I told you earlier?"

The Star smiled, turning back around to look out beyond the terrace. "I came here because I wanted to see the kingdom. Until now, I have never been outside the Lone Islands. It's more beautiful than I ever could have imagined."

He walked up to the terrace to stand beside her and he softly said, "I'm glad you like it."

"Most humans take certain things like living in a safe, happy community for granted. To always have someone there for you…that is something Aslan's magic can never give us."

"You lived alone on your father's island?"

"Oh, please do not misunderstand me… I loved living on my father's island. It is my home. But even though I had my father and growing up there felt like paradise, I was still very lonely."

"You wouldn't know this, but my mother died shortly after I was born, and my uncle killed my father in his sleep when I was just a boy."

"I am so sorry," Lilliandil whispered, covering her mouth to show how shocked she was. "That must have been devastating for you."

"And until I met the Kings and Queens of Old, I had no real friends either."

"Sounds like we both know how it feels to be alone, Your Majesty."

Realizing that she was right, he whispered, "I guess we do…"

"I'm gonna kill him!" Peter yelled out after the shock of hearing about his sister's love triangle sank in.

"Peter! You can't just—"

"No!" he interjected heatedly. "I don't care if he's the King of Narnia now! I don't care if he's torn between you and that other girl! I'll kill him with my bare hands for what he's done to you, Susan! You don't deserve to be treated this way."

"And I agree with you," she concurred in a gentle tone, doing her best to calm him down. "But I already told Caspian to choose Lilliandil."

"You what?" he gaped at her. "Why?"

"For a lot of reasons. I don't want Caspian spending the rest of his life wondering what we could have been. I don't want him to continue tormenting himself over his feelings for me. Lilliandil is a sweet girl and she would make a wonderful Queen of Narnia. Her father is a retired Star and he raised her by himself on his island for years. She's kind, and loving, and everything Caspian could possibly want in a wife. She can make him happy."

"But she's not you, Su," he spoke out in just above a whisper. "You're the one he's loved all this time, not her."

The Gentle Queen closed her eyes and pursed her lips, keeping her emotions at bay in front of her brother. "We don't belong here anymore, Peter. Our time in Narnia is done. It has been for 1,300 years. Isn't it time we move on, and let Caspian move on with someone else?"

"Only Caspian will know when he's ready to move on. We can't make the decision for him."

"That's just it I'm afraid."

"What's just it?"

"I'm afraid he will never move on if he doesn't choose Lilliandil now. And I could never live with myself knowing he wasn't able to move past his feelings for me. I don't want Caspian to end up alone."

"What if he chooses you instead? What would happen then?"

"I'll remain here and become Caspian's wife, and Lilliandil will return to her father's island with no memory of what happened while she was here."

"Does that also mean Edmund, Lucy, and I will never see you again?"

"I don't know…" she whispered out truthfully.

Taking this information in, Peter remained silent for several moments with his blue eyes averted from her own. The thought of never seeing his sister again—there weren't enough words in the English language to describe the anguish that came to his heart. Susan was his closest sibling, the voice of reason in their family, the practical and level-headed one. She was one of the most irreplaceable, most important people in his life. How could he and the rest of their family lose her like that? And if she did no longer live in their home world, would their memory of her cease to exist as well?

"For fifteen years I watched your suitors waltz through Cair Paravel like they owned the place, and every single one of them gave me the same reasons for wanting to marry you—your beauty, grace and wisdom. It nearly drove me mad to think most of them were just trying to use you for political gain and wealth. But if I was to be completely honest with myself…I think the real reason why I threw all of those blokes out the front door was because I didn't want to see you being taken away from us. Ed and Lu would have been crushed if you had left, and so would have I. The four of us, we're a team, Su. We're a family. And if we had lost you, ruling over Narnia never would have been the same."

"But I didn't leave," she reassured him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "I stayed because I knew my place was with you, Edmund and Lucy. Besides, I never loved any of them. How could I possibly marry someone I did not love?"

"Things are different now, though. You're in love this time. So I guess that means only one question remains for you. Are you really willing to leave everything back home behind, including your entire family, for Caspian?"

After talking some more, Peter and Susan finally left her bedchambers to talk to Caspian. The pair learned from one the guards that he had just finished a meeting with the lords in the throne room, so they made their way across the castle in hopes of catching him there. But just before the two siblings turned the corner which led straight to the throne room, Peter pulled his sister aside to speak with her privately one more time.

"Su, before you talk to Caspian again, there's something I want to you know."

"Okay," she nodded understandingly.

"No matter what happens, the most important thing I want for you is to be happy. It won't be easy to see you go, but if being here with Caspian is what you truly want and he makes you happy, I won't stand in the way of that. You're my sister and I love you."

Grateful for his kind words, she enveloped him in a hug and whispered, "You, Edmund and Lucy will always be with me in my heart, Peter."

Holding onto Susan tighter, he believed her. "I know."

They continued embracing each other for a few more seconds before she finally pulled away. She wiped away a single tear that had fallen down her pale cheek, and gave her brother a weak smile after he kissed the top of her right hand to help comfort her.

Ready to find Caspian, the eldest Pevensie siblings continued their walk. When they turned around the corner, however, Peter and Susan stumbled upon something neither would have believed unless they had seen it with their own eyes. They watched as Caspian began to lean in close to Lilliandil—as if to kiss her—only to see him turn his head towards their direction when he caught two figures staring at them in the corner of his eye.

Utterly mortified by the scene she had just witnessed, the Gentle Queen could barely breathe as she watched her first love stand up straight after he almost locked lips with Lilliandil, gazing at her with shame and regret in his eyes.

"Susan…" he whispered, his mind reeling with a million thoughts.

Unable to listen or even look at him now, she ran away in the opposite direction, tears streaming down her face, cries echoing throughout the cobblestone corridors.

"Susan!"

A/N: Please don't kill me, Suspian shippers! We all knew something like this was going to eventually happen, especially since this is a love triangle fanfic. Plus, Peter is probably going to kill Caspian in the next chapter anyway, so there would be no need to kill me, right? Lol!

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