It Is Time

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Caspian, dont. She thought, but words would not escape her. The ice cold of the place sent shivers down her entire body. She feared the slight pressure of her own vibrating voice would be enough to drive the already hard-pressed blace through her skin. In truth she didn't care if she lived or died, only that Caspuan lived. You catch on well. the voice told her. But why didn't he understand? Why did he keept trying to fight for her when she knew she would only bring more sadness.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian stepped forward, trembling. He took her hands in his and kissed her softly, tears still streaming from his eyes. The man stroked her long black hair for what might have been the last time, and looked into her eyes. Then he kissed her fingers, the wedding ring touching his face. "'Till Death do we part." he told her, his voice shakey. It was also his code. It meant very well: I'm coming for you. He kissed her lips once more.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan felt herself wanting to cry again as his lips touched her again. His touch was soft and perfect, just as it always had been. When he spoke her heart deepened with love for him, but sadness as well. With a voice that still shook for fear of the blade she whispered the only thought that escaped her mind. Perhaps it was the infuence of fear that drove her to say it, or the voice of the Dark Islands, but still she said it regreting it instantly. "Then let death let us part."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian felt as if she had shot him with her words. "Never." he whispered, and kissed her forehead. "If you die, I die with you." he told her. If she died, Caspian would kill himself. Life wasn't worth it if she wasn't standing beside him. "Please." he said, "Don't let that happen." Caspian kissed her lips again. He wouldn't let her die. Somehow, he would make sure that she lived.

[Lamont]

"Enough," Lamont ordered as he leaned in to kiss her a second time and he hit the prince's chest back with the flat of his blade before quickly returning it to her throat not willing to risk the loss of his only protection. With the hand that did not hold his sword he trailed it down her right arm, slowing as he reached her wrist. When his fingers met with metal his grip tightened and again he traveled downward until it slipped from her hand and into his own. He looked at it for only a moment, it truly was the most precious piece of jewelry he had seen in all his years. The second ring that fell of beside the magnificent one was much plainer, but it's significance was important to Caspian just the same. He bounced the two rings on his palm for a moment before looking to his cousin. "And your suffering will be simple. You had your kiss, two if I hadn't stopped you in time, and our deal will be kept." Then with a grip far beyond his years, or that of any warrior, his hand closed on the two rings. Smiling he held his hand above his weaker and released his grip letting the powered gold and diamond and rubies and other gems drift to the ground in front of him. He only laughed.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"No," she whispered, "Never die, Narnia needs you. I only curse it." She embraced his kiss againknowing he had gone over their agreement of one kiss, but she did not care. If she was going t die anyway she at least wanted to have one of her last moments be with him. But then he pushed him aside and took both her engadgement and her wedding ring from her reducing it into poweder. She felt anger rise in her and she wanted only to beat him with anything she could get her hands on, but remained still for fear of his blade again.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian stared at the powder, then looked up at Lamont, enraged. But then there was a smirk that played over his lips, something that he had over Lamont. "Destroying a symbol does not destroy its superior, no matter what you do to it. Our love is still never-ending. There is nothing that you can do to cease it." he looked at Susan, unable to touch her for fear of her death. "I love you." he said to her. "Be strong."

[Lamont]

"I find little reason to destroy a symbol." He said. He shifted Susan in his arms so that she was held tightly in one arm and his point of his blade was less than a hair's width from Caspian's throat. "The destruction was of something else, your sentence is not yet carried out." He pressed Susan's body close to his and he looked away from his cousin as he returned his blade holding it behind her throat. She could not back away and Caspian could not attack or he would lose her. "Now with it gone I may carry out his sentence." His arm tightened around her in case she tried to struggle at his demands, "Now you will marry me."

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

NO! The answer screamed in her mind. she could never marry another and be happy, but then when has happiness graced her with it's presecne while Caspian was not by her side. Marrage to the monster would make things no diffrent with her, only that he would be allowed to do the horrible things he had done to her in the dark isle by law. She shivered at the thought of it and looked down. To accept is to leave Caspian, To reject is to jeprodize his life. she hated truth, it always worked in favor of her enemies. "I will."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian moaned. Never. But he had an idea. He knew what he was doing. "Do you have the rings?" he asked. He would marry them himself. He hoped that Susan would understand, she was a smart girl. "You'll be married." he said, crying. "Just don't hurt her." he said. Please, let Susan see my plan. he prayed. All that Lamont would see was a hurt man marrying his wife to his enemy to save her life.

[Lamont]

"No, but you didn't either." He said loosening his grip as she agreed. "Now let it be done." He let go of her back and took her hand enjoying her softness and already looking forward to his wedding night just as he had looked forward to the night they shared on the Dark Isle. for a moment, almost out of pity for her, he leaned close to her face and whispered softly enough that Caspian wouldn't hear. "We will have our son, one way or another."

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

The words confused her as did Caspian's sudden willingness to accept her fate of losing her. It is better this way, she told herself again. In doing this she protected herself as well as all Narnia. It was what must be done. Her eyes never met with Caspians out of shame or Lamont's for fear. The one time they met with her true lover's they were with confusion, begging for an understanding. But she stayed silent waiting for her second wedding to pass.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian shuddered and rehersed the verses. "In sickness, and in health. For richer, for poorer..." they continued. "Do you, Lamont Miraz, take Susan to be your wife?" Once his cousin answered, whatever his answer was, Caspian turned to his wife tearfully. "And do you, Susan Miraz, take Lamont to be your husband?" Please, say yes and see my plan. he pleaded.

[Lamont]

"I do," he said not taking his eyes off his future bride almost captured by both he endless beauty and the fear and sorrow in her eyes. He wished she would meet his gaze that he could see her fear fully, but she never did. He didn't care. In a moment she would be his and there was nothing that could be done.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

With a voice that shook she said in a voice only slightly more than a whisper, "I do." She swallowed hard wanting hwe pain to end, yet knowing by doing this she was only making it last longer for Caspian's sake. She knew him well enough that when she looked towards his eyes she knew he was planning something, but could not know what. She ony prayed it didn't hurt him or she would interviene.