It Is Time

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

As Caspian moved to destory the dog Susan srank back, seeing no profit in staying with Galen still in her arms. If the child hadn't been there she would have eaisly drawn her bow and readied for a fight. If this monster truly was her sister's murderer then he would surly see her breifly before he was cast away, unable to look upon the pure Aslan and his untainted country before he joined his own kind in the land of fire far to the west from where he came. But for the sake of her newborn son she backed away, letting her husband ready the fight as she held the boy closer. She prayed he would not be able to since her fear or her anger in all of this.

[Cotnar]

The boy gripped his throat and he was ready. He had done it already and the only thought that passed through his mind was of how he had not managed to come up with something he wasn't ready for. But this time, instead of falling limp in his grasp and whimpering, he bit hard on the boy's wrist with, not the fangs and jaws of a dog, but that of a dragon with enough crushing force to reduce his wrist into splinters. With the bones shattered with a sickening noise he pulled away letting himself embrace the dragon's form completly. "Why so hostile towards me?" He said in a voice that was still perfectly calm.

[King Caspian X]

A yelp of agony escaped the King's throat. Caspian did not have his sword to help him this time, and he was already disadvantaged due to his now broken and bleeding wrist, which now throbbed in a pain that the King hadn't felt in a long time. Be wise, Caspian. A voice told him. You can't fight him now. You must be patient. As much as he didn't want to listen to the voice, he knew that it was right. "I thought you were somebody else..." he lied. "I'm sorry." Caspian turned, holding his wrist in his other hand, to look at Susan, hoping that she would understand what he was doing.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan went to him and looked over the disfigured wrist. It would take months to heal and he would hardly be able to use it in a fight ever again. "What was that for?" She questioned him not completly understanding Caspian's unnatural submission. "You bit him for no reason. Now how is he going to fight when we find my sister's murderer?"

[Cotnar]

He laughed at the boy's submission and the girl's rage. "I don't intend for him to fight." He growled, "He is a strong boy, but I intend to see that he is not strong enough to Stand and wield his sword." He roared and threw a colum of fire into the sky. he raised his wings, only to thrust them down and lunge, teeth bared, at Caspian.

[King Caspian X]

So, pretending wasn't going to work. Caspian had another idea. "Is it me that you want?" he growled. Only once the dragon answered would he put his plan into action. It was most likely suicidal, but his family would be safe, even if it meant the death of him. The King jumped aside from the fangs. That was the one downfall of dragons. Although they had strength greater than any creature and the ability to breath fire, their reflexes were rather slow. This was the reason that the demon had gone plummeting into the ground at Cair Paravell. They simply could not stop or veer once they had made the start of their attack. Should their target move, the beast would crash. Unfortunately, a face full of dirt and soil wasn't going to stop a raging beast.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan screamed, slightly embarrased at the sound of it, as the dragon came. "He couldn't want you," She answered Caspian's question for the beast. She had spent far to many hours trusting him and was not eagar to destory the trust in the beast that saved her remaining child. "No monster could kill his own son. A brother perhaps," She said thinking of her uncle Miraz, "But never a son."

[Cotnar]

The dragon crashed and lifted his head shaking it clean of the face full of dirt. He swung his tail at the boy, aiming to miss, as she spoke. "Then I still lie within your boundries," He said with ill humor in his voice, "You think I would have honor in having him him for a son. I'd sooner feed myself to the fires of Westersands. He is no son of mine, only a trap, a game eaisly played. And you, dear Susan, played your part well in it. The most influncial of my pawns did my bidding as though she be an expeirenced actor and knew every part well. Your heart makes you so predictable. And, although it shames me to admit that the conception of the child you hold was not my plan alone, the rest was. Lamont's knowledge, his accent into divine power, the trial and murder of two of your children as well as the rescue of the survivor. It all played perfectly well. Through you a gained your trust and learned many secrets. Glennstorm tried to warn you of the doom spelled out through the stars months ago, yet like a fool you ignored the threat that was among you: me. Lamont is no god, no heavenly being, and surly not immortal. He only believes such things because he is foolish and young. His power is granted only through me, the only true enemy to Aslan, the only one who can stand and fight against him. Twice Aslan and I have met and dualed, twice blood has been spilled from the both of us, and twice I have lived. I am the true master of demons as well as magic, the one you should fear, yet you welcome me with open arms as father. And for all this I thank you, Gentle Queen Susan." He would have normaly laughed here more, but his shape was changing to his normal form of chimera, "As for you, Caspian, I do believe you were correct in all your suspissons. I couldn't imagine why, for the life of me, why the woman who claimed to love you was so intent on accepting me. But you were certain of the body of the man you saw all those years ago. You may as well congratulate yourself for it was true. The man you saw at the funeral when you were five was your true father. And better he is in his grave, he has no shame of a son, and now a daughter, that is you. But still, I must thank you as well for allowing me into your keep until the perfect moment comes that I may strike. Aslan's greatest warrior will be of no more trouble to me."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian snarled, still holding his bleeding wrist. "Don't you dare talk to my wife like that!" he growled. "She is the best thing that's ever happened to me!" The King charged at the chimera, bringing his fist upon his jaw and retreating a few steps. "Is it me you want or not?" he asked. The wound on his other hand was pulsing, but nothing could be done about it right now. "Answer me." his voice was suddenly, and most dangerously, calm.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan felt the forest floor against her knees as weakness overtook her as he spoke. How could she have been so foolish, so predictable enough that he could have planned her every action since the dark isle. Lamont hurt her there and she could accept that. But that was a trap set knowing how she would react as well. How many other plans did this monster have stored in the dark place that was his own mind that involved her own predictable actions. The trial had all been false, only something to gain her trust and to seperate the strong from the weak among her child even before their birth. Her friends may not have even been against her, but captured by the demon's dark magic that had imprisoned Peter to play with her heart. And like a fool she fell willingly into the arms of the rescuer who had let Lamont escape so easily. And now, because of it, she had allowed him to know about how the castle was run, what it was like, what they did and didn't do durring the day. He knew their security and their methods, and now Lucy was dead. She started to cry then. At first she had to live with the thought of her simply being threatened with death at her hands, now death itself had truly come and she was to blame. With a kiss to Galen's head she put him on the ground. It was beyond what she wanted to do and even as it was done her heart screamed that she was mad, but it was done just the same. Without another thought she lowered herself to the ground, like a sprinter waiting for a race, with her head bowed. if it was in her power she would stop this bloodshed now.

[Lennia Silverwind]

Len followed. She wanted to see Aslan so badly but she had a strange feeling that wasn't about to happen. When she noticed that Susan was crouched by the body of Lucy she left. Len wasn't about to interfere with the two not when they lost a family member. She rested in a tree awaiting for the others. Bellow her Susan placed the baby. Len climbed down from the three and lifted the small child. He wriggled a bit but must of recognized her. She could hear fighting and knew she should help but couldn't leave the child. She headed for the tree close to the battle to help in any way she could but still keep the little one safe.

[King Caspian X]

"SUSAN NO!" Caspian yelled at her. It was the second time that he had ever raised his voice to his lover, or at least that he could ever remember. The King rushed over to her. "Let me handle this." he told her. "You go and be safe." Caspian kissed the side of her face, letting her know that everything was going to be okay. He looked over to where she had set the baby down. His eyes went wide when he didn't see his little boy in the patch of grass, but looking up shown that Len was caring for him. Thank Aslan she'd done so. The man turned back to his wife. "Please." he said. "Go to the castle and let me fight him."

[Cotnar]

The chimera roared and raised its tail that was dragon instead of snake. It belched fire but he was soon still, "What would I want with you? You are not strong enough to protect your Susan, the one you claim to love with all of your being. You tell me you would willingly give your life for her and when I speak against it you are not swain. Yet, though she lives, her life is only one of suffering of torment. You are powerless to save her, a toy for Lamont to test his power, and a nuisance to me. So no, Lucy is dead, I have no use for you, nor will I ever. Even if I did I would never come and speak it to you." He stopped as he noticed the queen before him. He did not see the child but the lion could smell that he was near. He went to her, slowly expecting Caspian to attack, and the eyes of his tail were locked with his. When he reached her he put his lion head over hers then pressed his nose to her forehead. Aslan would not have done any different. "What is it you offer child?" He asked as his mind began to spin and his constantly weaving of plans within his mind continued.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"You can't fight," she reminded him of his broken wrist. She listened to the chimera hating his words. Caspian wasn't weak, he made his mistakes, but wasn't weak. When she felt his muzzle on her face she felt her skin shudder. She fought to ignore Caspain's words, though it hurt her and forced tears to her eyes to do so. But she opened her eyes to meet with the lion's. If she was the source of all this pain, as well as this monster, then she had to end it here. She could almost see the gears of his diabolical mind turning through his eyes. "I offer . . ." She hesitated as she looked over him and lowered her head and her hand closed, "I offer your destruction." The moment the words escaped her all her strength was forced through her legs as she braced her spine. The crown of her head met painfuly with the demon's chest and the both toppled backwards. The sharp stone she had taken hold of moment's earlier served as a dagger and she drove it into his stomach.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian leapt to the tumbling two. His eyes went wide as he saw the black blood coming from the stomach of the beast. The scare that Susan gave the creature would very well match the one on her belly, if the demon lived through a gash like that. Shapeshifters, although very powerful, had no real healing ability. Caspian grabbed hold of his lover but did not pull her back. It was dishonorable to snatch a warrior from his or her battle. But the moment the chimera changed shape or tried to defend itself, Caspian would pull her away. Taking note of the tail, he stepped on it to keep it away from Susan.