It Is Time

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"No," She corrected him, "Caspian has been nothing but good to me. Even if the child was his won it wouldn't be because of impetience or disrepect, it would because I asked him to." She left her father and went to Caspian curling against his chest with her back to him silently asking for him to hold her. She wondered breifly how many good and wonderful things could she think to say of her husband. She knew she could only think of few for herself.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian smiled and wrapped his good arm around her, then carefully, his bad arm too. He bent his head and kissed her jaw softly before looking up again. He would never grow tired of holding and kissing her. It would always bring a smile to his face. "I love her, Sir." Caspian said to him. "With all my heart, I do."

"I know you do." said her father, smiling now. "You take good care of her then."

"I do." Caspian said, hugging Susan as tightly as his wrist would allow. He was glad that they were all finally on good terms, and that Susan might finally be happy again. He kissed her a second time. "I love you." he told his wife.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"I love you more." She told him and turned, never leaving the arms that held her, and kissed him. She didn't mean to stop acknowledgeing her father, it just happened as she became absorbed into him. When the kiss was broken she leaned against him, her hands against the soft skin beneith his clothes. She wouldn't leave him, wouldn't let herself stop thinking about him. The only other thought that even began to enter her mind was Galen, their son. These moments were perfect and pure, and they came whever he held his Cuddle-bug.

[King Caspian X]

"I love you more." Caspian said, and kissed her forehead. But as he did so, he heard a cough from the edge of the bed. It was his father-in-law.

The old man waved. "Yeah, you two love birds over there, um, we're still here." he said, and coughed again. Caspian had the idea to kiss Susan and gross him out, but thought better of it. It wasn't Lucy who was teasing them this time.

Caspian still kissed her just to make his point. He didn't care who was watching when he kissed Susan. But then he stopped and looked back at her father, who was just watching them now. "Alright." he said, laughing slightly. The thoughts of Lucy had made him a bit sad again, but he wouldn't let his emotions drift into the hearts of others. It was best to stay off the topic of the little Queen for a while.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Susan blushed slightly, hardly enough to notice though she knew Caspian would and probably would tease her for it later. She didn't want to have to leave his arms, and when she looked up into his eyes she found more reason to stay. Sadness had crept back into his thoughts. But she would say nothing of it, not until he wanted to. See how you hurt him. the voice said, You know this is your doing. If he refuses to believe it as so then so will I, she thought trying to fight back the voice, I can take down whatever hurts him. You? You have not the strength to protect your own virginity from a child. How do you expect to protect him? I don't know yet, but something will come. There has to be a way, I just have to think of it. Aslan, Aslan saved us in the church he can protect Capian when I fail. Yes, rely on the great lion. Because the both of us know he won't come shoud Caspian fail to protect you. I will trust the lion's judgement. She wrapped her arms around Caspian's waist taking pleasure in the fact that there was no belly to put distance between the two lovers bodies.

[King Caspian X]

"I'll see you two in the morning." the soldier said, and reluctantly got up and left the room.

Caspian put his hand on her neck and kissed her cheek when she wrapped her arms around him. "I think we scared him away." he said, laughing. He couldn't say that it wasn't amusing, because it was very much so. His hands stroked her long hair, Caspian enjoying the feeling of her soft hands on his skin. It was a nice feeling to know that everything was going to be okay, and that their son was sleeping, and that his father-in-law would no longer be ashamed or show hatred towards either of them. "Cuddle-bug." he said as he kissed her once again, grinning.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

There was a brief moment of silence and thought before she looked up at him. She pulled one hand out from under his shirt only to stroke the side of his face in a way that matched her title. "Would you have it any other way Vidar?" She said using the name she had chosen for him. She kissed him before lying agains his chest, her head close enough to feel and hear his steady heartbeat.

[King Caspian X]

Caspian chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair. "What did you call me?" he asked. He had never heard the term before, but it sounded interesting and new to him. "But to answer your question, no. I wouldn't have it any other way." he kissed the top of her head because he couldn't bend his neck that far to get to her lips. "What is a 'Vidar'?" he asked, ready to tickle her if it was something amusing like 'cheesehead'.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Vidar," she repeated the name only to smile more. "I learned it a long time ago, but I had never thought about it until not to long ago. You would live beyond it's meaning, I think, though. It was given to the brave and powerful warriors of the north of our world, a land known as the Norselands. They were warriors beyond what many Narnians can claim: braver, swifter, stronger than any other. But this name is not chosen only because of it's heretage as an unmatched warrior, but it's meaning: kind father."

[King Caspian X]

It would be a lie to say that Caspian was unhappy after she said that. It made him feel loved and looked up to, and a larger smile spread across his face. "Why thank you, fair maiden." he said, pretending to be one these fairytale warriors from her far away land of 'England'. "Is there a name for 'brilliant mother'? 'Cause that'd be the name for you." True, it was a lame compliment, no matter how hard he tried to make it sound amazing. But a compliment none the less. Caspian hadn't done any major study in the meaning of names. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head again. "But you'll always be my Cuddle-bug." Then he decided to be amusing, sliding his jaw foreward and sticking his bottom lip far out so that it curled over his upper lip, then moved the corners of his mouth into a smile. "My Cuddle-bug." he said.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Only yours." She said. Somehow, though she didn't want it to be the way it was, she knew that that the both of thim would think of something else. Lamont had told his master, who in turn told them as he posed as servant, that she would somehow become Lamont's woman. It was a match she couldn't live with, a match she could never live to bear. "But a match that suits you." I will stay where Caspian sees best. He has chosen, for reasons I don't understand, to love me. Even if I didn't love him I would stay beside him. "You don't deserve him." I know, all to well. "As long as you will love me then I will stay."

[King Caspian X]

He pulled her up so that their heads were at eye-level, and kissed her on the lips. "Then you will stay with me forever." he said lovingly, and then childishly smiled. "But you have to love me back!" he teased, knowing that she already did. Then he looked at her questioningly as he saw her pensive expression. "What are you thinking about?" he asked his friend. "What's bothering you?" Caspian tilted his head up from the pillow, listening to what she had to say.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he lifted her leaning against him and letting her aems rest on his shoulders and still being able to hold his neck. "I'll always love you." She said. But her moment of joy eneded as he asked. He has asked of you, you must answer. But she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Lamont is still going to come for me." She said sadly. "I don't want him to, I want to stay with you forever. But I can't help but think that if both of us were to fail, or he were to do some horrible thing to me or you that would force me into agreement, what would happen? Also, to be matched as a lover with someone as low as him could possibly be a match well made. I know he hunts me only because he sees me as a prize, a toy he can play with whenever he pleases, and I've let him play with me and my emotions a few times. But if it were to happen it is a fate I deserve, not a perfect one with you." She had thought she was done there, but the moment her thought ended another thought sprang to the surface of her mind, one she didn't want to say. He has asked of you, you must answer. the voice repeated and she obeyed. "I also wonder why you would want to love someone as useless and pathetic as me. I could sit for hours and tell all the reasons I love you, but I have never heard from you." The ever-present voice was there ready to discourage her the moment the words escaped her lips. just you wait it said He loves you for the same reason Lamont dose. You are nothing but a toy, a beauty he can find pleasure in by touching you. You can't posibly think you are worth something to him. You'd be a fool if you did."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian leaned his head up higher and kissed her lips. "I will never let him take you from me." said the King. "No matter what he does or threatens." Then he sat up as she told him the next bit. "Susan." he said seriously. "I love you for many reasons. You are the sweetest person that I've ever met. You are loyal to your country and all of its people. You are an excellent Queen, and both the Narnians and Temlarines adore you, as do I. You truly are the Gentle Queen, no one could ever forgive more, cause less pain, or cause more joy than you bring to the World. You even weep for your enemies and fears, and believe so much that there is good in them that you are reluctant to kill them. There is no greater kindness, if any kindness at all, that a warrior could show her enemies. It is a good kindness, that very few, if any, posess. You are a wonderful mother to little Galen. Never have you shunned him away as unwanted or unplanned. You've only welcomed him as if he's all you ever wanted in the World. You are funny when you want to be, and your smile chases away the darkness faster than moon and torch light. You bring peace and happiness to all that you meet just by being around them. You saved me from countless things, not just my enemies, but even myself. You have been a better friend than I could ever find or ask for, and you are a better wife than any other in the World, yours or mine. You live and love as if the World would end tomorrow, and that's something that few can ever even dream of doing. You are my Cuddle-bug, my greatest friend, and the reason that I can live and refrain from bolting though the trees and killing myself. You are my wife." He kissed her again. "Your list is endless as well. You are not as low as my cousin. In my eyes, you are second only to Aslan." He smiled up at her. "Have some confidence about yourself, Gentle Queen. You can't be humble or modest all the time." He put his hand on her face, rubbing her cheek softly with his thumb. "Silly Susan." he teased her, grinning.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

She listened and leaned closer to him as her emotions ran widly through her mind and the dark voice was chaced away for the first time. When she noticed it's silence she hugged him, holding him tight. "He won't speak. The voice, is quiet. I've never known a time when he was, but he is now!" She almost screamed as she held him tight and kissed his neck. "You did it! He may be back later, but for now I'm free. You proved him wrong and he can't say anything now. He's never been wrong before, every horrible detail was truth. He told me," she now spoke almost driven to tears, "that you've never loved me. That you saw me as a toy to play with like Lamont. I couldn't believe him, you are nothing like him, but still he seemed so infoulable. And now that he's wrong he's left, even for a short while. My thought's can be my own, If only for a moment." She held his face and pressed her lips to his never wanting to pull away. Her mind spun, throughts racing in and out, some faster than she could understand them. Her mind enjoyed this freedom and she would use every moment of this joy on her Vidar.