It Is Time

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She hadn't thought of actualy feeding her before Caspian said anything. Remembering the few nights before it made since, the screaming and crying left her mouth dry. Then she was unwilling to let Caspian leave her and the one time Lennia had him go to get her something she wished she could hurt her. She remembered taking Caspian's hand and holding it tight, almost breaking it it seemed. She first looked at a stick and then thought it too fragile to her thoughts. She found a rock instead. "It's not much, but if you bite this it might make you feel better." The demoness cocked her head bor a moment but took the stone between her jaws. The next time pain tore through her her mouth closed powerfuly bringing her teeth together and crumbleing the stone. She coughed out the pieces before looking up as Susan. "Strangly, it did help in the slightest." She said. Susan nodded in agreement still shocked. She had turned a rock into shards like a hammer did to a window with her teeth. They couldn't afford to lose her as an ally.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian went to the waterfall and held out his one hand, letting the river of waves rush into it and fill it like a small bowl, and walked carefully back to the creature. "Here." he said. "It's not much, but drink this." she did so, and immediately she wanted more. Caspian couldn't cup both of his hands together because of the cast, so he could only carry little portions of water at a time. But each time she drank, she wanted more water. How could you quench the thirst of a demon? Caspian wished that he had a giant glass or bowl, like they had for the hunting hounds of the castle, but all he had were his fingers. The King continued to bring back the water for her, and now brought back rocks from the mouth of the cave for Susan to put into his mother's mouth as her pains only grew worse. "Why isn't anything happening?" Caspian finally asked as he brought back the water for some billionth time and she drank from his hand. The beast simply looked at him, unable to speak now through pain. But her answer was clear. Something was wrong. Caspian snarled up at Cotnar. "Why don't you do something?" he demanded. "She could die, and you'd lose her." Caspian said. He knew that that wouldn't mean much to Cotnar, so he tried something a little more convincing. "You'd lose your power." That one would cut it though to the demon. Maybe he would help them now. But Caspian refused to wait around for an answer that he wouldn't get, and went to the mouth again and came back with more water for his mother.

[Cotnar]

Cotnar almost laughed when he spoke. What did he know? He steped foward and shlashed his claws across the boy's face before sitting back down. "You know nothing," He said, "I've been waiting for years for her to die. When one of our kind die they are reborn with more strength then before. If I lost her now all I would do is search for the red lion again and take her before anyone else dose. Besides, if she is not strong enough to handle this she is not deserving of life."

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Natural selection at it's fullest. The strong survive and the weak perish. It was a cruel way of life, but it ensured the preservation of a species if they were great enough to fight for their strength. At that point no one was stupid enough to cross paths with them or risk death and irresponsibility left them weak and they were destoried. It was a cycle, as is everything in life, and was the way things should be. But to carelessly throw a life a way, without thought of what it was was wrong. Her existance should be acknoledged to some degree, if not more. "She won't die now if there is anything that can be done."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian stepped back, absorbing the blow so that he might not topple over. Blood ran from his face, but he felt no pain. Pain was nothing to him anymore, not by his enemies at least. It only came to him when Susan was in danger. Then it all came rushing back to him. But she was fine, and so would be Caspian. He knelt by his mother's side, on the opposite side of her from Susan. He stroked her belly softly and pet her face, running his thumb over her closed eye. Caspian knelt down by her ears and whispered. "Take his strength. Even if he doesn't want you to, just take it from him." Caspian didn't know what had made him think of it, but he had. Her eyes flew open and she stared at her son, then at his bleeding face. She and he both bore the same symbol now. Hers was on her side, his across his face. But they were both from Cotnar. Both from his claws. Her eyes turned up to Cotnar, and a snarl of determination spread across her lion-like lips. She would not die today. She began to draw upon his energies, and used them to work harder to bring the little creature into the world. A world of war and destruction. She drew and drew and drew from Cotnar, until Caspian could have sworn that he could see the energy leaving his body and coming into her own, but such a thing Caspian had thought impossible. The man stood and sat beside his wife, watching. He knew that surely Cotnar would come, if he had enough strength left after Firemane's drawing against his will, for one of the three of them. Susan, Caspian, or Firemane. He wanted to be by both of them when that happened. He would protect both of them. It was strange to say, but he almost felt as if he loved his mother. Almost. Maybe. Or maybe it was just his heart's desire to love the mother he had never had. He had always pictured her as beautiful and kind and gentle like his father had described her. Never a demoness. But this was his mother. She was the only parent that he had left.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She watched and a smile stretched across her face. She almost felt foolish for not thinking of it herself Perhaps she would draw enough strength from Cotnar that he would die. Fool, The dark island said and she closed her eyes ready to ignore it, but for once, knew he was helping her. What did he just finish telling you? When one of theire kind die . . . "They are reborn with more strength then before." She repeated the last portion out loud so they could hear. "You have to stop. Kill him now and this starts all over again. We won't have won, we need him alive."

[King Caspian X]

The flow of energy stopped, and Caspian knew that surely after that, Cotnar would be left weak. That was enough energy to have been taken from all of the military. If Cotnar was as strong as he had boasted, then she had taken just the right amount. And now, with renewed strength, she was stronger than even him for the moment. Her voice returned, as did the color to her face. She didn't look so ghastly anymore, and her efforts to bring the child came again. For the first time since they'd been in the cave, it looked like she was actually getting somewhere this time. Caspian patted her shoulders and held her head in his lap, petting her cheeks and brushing her great mane away from her face. "You can do it." he encouraged her. The beast winced and tried again.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

To say she didn't feel out of place was a lie. She didn't know what to do. Before she was the one needing help, not the one solving the problem. The ability to help was just beyond her reach and once again she felt useless. Caspian was the one who brought her life giving water and who told her to draw energy from the powerful demon that was their enemy. All she had done was feed her rocks. This was something between Caspian and his mother, not her. Sooner or later something wouldn't involve you. You can't be a part of every moment in his life. You can want it, but it will never be. She sighed and looked away for a moment. He was always right, answering questions she didn't want answered. She cursed the all knowing voice and went to sit along the edge of the cave. This was between Caspian and his mother. Not her. Not this time.

[Lamont]

Lamont smiled as she stepped away, alienating herself from the rest of the group. Silently he stood and sat beside her and put his arm around her, as a lover. He kissed her cheek and brushed her hair from her face. "It's alright," He told her, "You're with me now, everything will only get better now."

[King Caspian X]

"Girl, girl where are you going?" the voice came from the throat of the animal on the floor. Caspian turned to look at Susan, and waved a hand for her to come back over to them.

"Susan, come here." he said. Caspian didn't like it when she left his side, especially willingly, and especially while Lamont was here. She was still at risk to be taken over by whatever spell the island held over here. Caspian watched her, eyes flicking from her to Lamont, ready to spring between the two of them if anything happend. But, so far, Lamont had been pretty quiet. But from what Caspian knew, that was when he was the most dangerous.

Firemane tried once more, roaring as the back feet of whatever creature it was came through. When Caspian turned to look at Susan again, Lamont was beside her. He didn't know how he had missed that move, but he was furious. He moved to get up, but his mother put a paw over his hand, "Stay with me!" she yelped, and the King was forced to sit back down.

Punch him, Susan. Caspian silently urged her, his eyes pleading. Punch him good. Where was that girl that he had met before the battle of Narnia and Telmar? She was still there, somewhere. Get him, Su! Caspian yelled in his mind.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She looked up for a moment as Lamont joined her. She looked aside for a moment not wanting to see him, but her turned her head into his kiss. "Can't you just leave me alone?" She said annoyed before she looked up again. The demon roared as hooves emerged followed by thin legs. She didn't wait, her own instinct took over. Taking only a moment she tore off Lamont's coat and used it to dry the foal. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, only hoped it was right. But, as always, she was wrong. The lion growled her away and ran her tounge over her child.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian stroked his mother's head for a while longer, and then retreated to let her have her space. He immediately put his arms around Susan and glared at Lamont. He would not have his Cuddle-bug. Caspian looked at the little horse like creature on the stone floor. He wanted to help, but his mother had already forced Susan away. Surely she would send him away too. So he just watched, happy again, but also confused to see that his new brother or sister had four legs and a tail. "Is it a filly or a colt?" he asked.

"A girl." answered Firemane, her tongue coming over the little one's ears. Caspian held Susan close, thinking so much of Galen right now.

[Lamont]

Why did he even bother coming? With a growl to himself he watched as the lion sent her away from her . . . foal? He didn't question things anymore. Apparently lions make horses in this strange and foreign world he had fallen into, destine to be their ruler. The filly also didn't share any of the colors of his parents, being truely black with a white diamond between his eyes and a small snip at his nose. around the diamond was a small place that glittered. This filly was not a black mare, but a black unicorn. He had never seen one before, never thought they could exist with their white and pure holy magic. But here it was, clear as daylight. He stood there for a short while almost stunned by this.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She let Caspian having no complaints of it though the others might. A girl, another sister-in-law. another memeber to her already large family. This sister she wouldn't fail to protect like she did with Lucy. She felt a tear form that she blinked away at the thought of her sister. But soon after another tear would join it, one she couldn't send away so easily. Arielle. It was going to be there daughter, one that was killed by the boy who was not far from her along with what could have been her brother or sister. How many times did she have to fail and let someone lose their life before she would learn her lesson. First you must learn the lesson to be learned. "I won't let this one die so easily."

[King Caspian X]

"You haven't let anyone die." Caspian said as he hugged her and watched his mother with the unicorn foal. She really was beautiful, that filly. Her face was as black as night -no, darker. Her eyes were soft and brown like the gentle trees of the forest. "She's beautiful." Caspian commented. "Can we touch her?"

The demoness thought for a moment. She was about to say yes, after she's been cleaned, but once glancing at Cotnar her decision changed. "No." she said simply a hint of anger in her voice that Caspian knew was false. She was acting, like so great an actress she was.

The King wiped away his wife's tears softly as he watched his mother and sister. Caspian wondered what kind of life she would lead, what kind of role she might play in this ever-lasting war, and if she too, would be slaughtered at the hands of Lamont or Cotnar. But then a memory came flicking into his mind, only faintly, but it made him smile. It was a crime to kill a unicorn. To do so was to bring a life long curse upon yourself, one that could not even be avoided by death, or rebirth. His sister would not be killed if anyone had half a brain in their skull.