A Gift For You, My Darling (Susan only, please)(R)

[King Caspian X]

Caspian sat on the tree root, his head tilted back against the wood. He had come early. -Hours early. Hoping to see her. He could see her name and his own clearly above him, the heart and words cut into the tree forever. This was their special place, or at least it had been. Was it still? This was the place where he had spent his months after her leave, etching their names into the great Oak. This was the place that he had proposed to her that day, after the sunrise. This was the place that he had laid beside her for hours, holding her hand and wiping away her sweat and tears and kissing her as she gave birth to Galen, with the help of Lennia. This was the place where they had come if they were sad or lonely and just wanted to be together, away from the castle and duties of royalty. Just to talk to one another, as friends, as husband and wife. And now, this was the place that he would give her his gift. His last gift, perhaps, for a long time. If, that was, she should come to him. His brown eyes never left the forest. He wanted to see her come from the trees, wanted to see her run to him. Wanted to feel her arms around him again. Wanted to see the happiness on her face as he held out his hand and the gift left his fingertips, falling into hers. He wanted to hear her thoughts, her real thoughts, now that the voice had been destroyed, just as he had promised. He wanted to look into her beautiful eyes and let himself be lost in them for what would be the last time for a while. But now, he waited.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

The moonless night came and she stepped forward parting the trees with what was now a long pearl horn, nearly a foot in spiraling length. What had come was not Susan as was promised, but the young unicorn, nameless by Caspian's opinion for her birthname of Agrona was not fit for her. When she came into the clearing she pawed the ground with her front leg and snorted to get his attention. Her brother was alone now and he seemed so lifeless, so empty, from just the week without her. Perhaps his cause was not lost. When she was sure he had noticed her she bowed her head careful not to let her horn touch the filth of the earth, one of the greatest of shames aside from losing her horn. In a moment's time she looked up and stepped forward touching him softly and, hopefully, comfortingly. "I send my apologizes from the gentle queen for she cannot come tonight. Fate has been cruel and it is not within her power. I come to send the message, but soon I must return for fear of the young masters whip." She turned her head, as unicorns often do to polish their horns on their normaly pearly flanks, but on her hide there were many marks where fur did not dare grow out of fear of breaking the healing process. "but stay I will as long as it can be done until you are satisfied with what I know I may say."

[King Caspian X]

"Secret!" Caspian exclaimed, running to her. He stroked her face, but frowned. "Why can't she come?" he asked. "What has fate done that is so cruel?" Caspian had so been hoping to give her his gift in person. It remained hidden in his pocket until he would see his wife again. The King scratched behind his sister's ears. "Where is she now?"

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"Secret?" She snorted. Was that the name he chose for her? She knew little in the ways of the humans, but she could have done much better she was sure. In either case, he was the king and his choice was final, not hers. When he scratched her she almost forgot why she had come. Her head tilted towards him embracing the effection rarely given. "She lies in the forest," She answered after a moment of painfully having to distract herself from his fingers. She found her distraction in the form of an annoying fly that had become dedicated to live in her nose. "She tried to come but her strenth failed her and I, by chance, saw her and delievered her message. I have known in the week's time that she has become very ill. Her fever comes irregulary breaking limits I know to be high for humans and turning her already pink flesh red as fire. It is very rare that she gathers the strength to wake and roam, though mostly it is for purposes of relief and for food. The monster that claims to care for her will not bring her a meal in this time of weakness. In either case she eats hardly more than a single piece of bread with each passing day." Again she snorted the fly away, "But the many healers and preists in Aslan's name, as well as the Relnedas, or worshipers of the demons' ways, cannot find cause in her illness. They claim that her sickness is either a punishment for her actions torward you by Aslan, a curse laid on you through your undieing love for her, or simply her lack of enjoyment in life." The filly stopped here and tossed her head at the fly impressed with herself. Only a few weeks old and she spoke as if she had done it for decades. Speech was what she had learned to do, her own talent. Caspian had love, her dragon brother his strength, she had the gift in language. Cotnar would see flaw in this lowly talent of communication, but she would make it work for the better.

[King Caspian X]

"What?" Caspian gasped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Where is she? I want to see her!" said the King, standing up. "Please." he begged. Caspian began to roam through the forests, searching for her even though he knew not where she lay. His actions were frantic, brushing away the leaves and growth of the woods. "Is she near by?" Caspian asked. "Is she far away?" He looked behind another patch of trees. "Don't keep it to yourself, tell me!" Caspian pleaded, looking for her still. He ran, faster and faster, completing a circle and coming back to stop in front of Secret. "Please!"

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Keeping up with him was a challenge in itself. He ran with no direction, his only purpose finding Susan, and she was forced to gallop for a moment so she could catch him, holding his cloth between her teeth. "Come," She mumled through his cloth, "She lies in another direction. Follow and I shall lead." She let go knowing he would do as she said. This was what it meant to be in charge, to simply speak and know that she would be followed. It was a power she could understand her birth-father wanting. Onward through the forest she trotted parting the thorns of rosebushes with her horn that they may pass. Thus was the magic of the unicorn that even the earth will stand aside to let them enter. The journy lasted only but a moment ending in a small clearing where Susan lay on her stomach, the length of her body stretched across the forest floor. Her hand closed weakly on the root of a tree she had attempted to use to drag herself further, closer to Caspian, but it did not suceed. She stepped forward and brushed her muzzle across her face, still red with fever, inhaling her scent that took on the exact scent of her home with Lamont. No more were flowers smelled around her, it was a habit easily broken in Lamon't care. After she breathed, confirming she was still unconscience she stepped aside allowing Caspian to take her place.

[King Caspian X]

"Susan?" he spoke her name, kneeling slowly down by her side. He touched her red face and retreated, shaking his hand in the air for a moment. She was as the unicorn said. As hot as fire. Caspian sat down beside his wife and carefully turned her over so that she lay on her back, and placed her head in his lap, running his fingers through her long black hair that was as hot as she. "Susan," he said again. "Wake up." Caspian rubbed her shoulder gently, urging her to open her eyes. He was worried again for her life. Never had he seen someone this ill. Not even a soldier after battle. He was scared to even pick her up. His finger ran along her face, stroking her nose gently and then her closed eyes. "Please, wake up." he begged.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

Someone was there . . . She could feel it's touch. Was it Lamont come for her? No, it was too soft, to tender to be the boy. Out of instinct she wanted it away and reached to grab the wrist of whoever had come. It took long moments for her to let herself awaken to the point where she could open her eyes and see what had come. "Caspian . . . " She whispered weakly reaching to touch the side of his face like she used to. "You left our tree and came for me. Why?"

[King Caspian X]

Her voice sent a shiver down his spine. She was weak. Very weak. "Because I love you." he told her. "Secret came and told me where you were, and she led me here." Caspian said to her, still stroking her face. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. "Is it safe for me to get you to the Castle, or shouldn't I move you?" asked the King. He gave her an encouraging smile, though his expression never left its worried state. She was as red as a tomato. Her hot skin scared him. "What's happened to you?"

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

At his first words she looked away, both loving and hateing them. After what she had done to him they peirced her heart like silver daggars to a werewolf. "You could bring me to the castle if you wished it. I doubt I'd have the strength to bring myself. But I won't allow you to go, Lamont would kill you the moment he saw you. Through marriage he will inheirit your throne should you die." Wit her eyes still turned away she could not see his smile, nor become lost in whatever thoughts it granted her. "As for what's happened, I don't know. We left and Katrina and I fought. It is more than clear she wants me dead for what I did to you. I could not blame her, I almost wanted the same. When she hit me the first time I did nothing to stop the blood. If my wound would have it I would have died that night." She pulled down the top portion of her dress knowing Caspian had seen it all before and having no shame. diagionaly, from the bottom of her ribs to the lower portion of one of her breasts a long scar had formed where the spell had struck her. The wound had not healed entirely and still the threads of the healer's stiches were in place and the crust of dried blood remained on her skin. Several days would still pass before the stiches could be removed. After he saw it she covered it back careful not to distirb the thread that would send pain through her body at every touch. "I thought I would be alright after the healers came to me, but I was wrong and the fever hit me. So far they haven't been able to pinpoint a cause, they claim the reasons are to many though I show no clear symotoms of something they know of. Even my knowledge of the research in England, which is much more advanced than here, could not help me more than simple theroies. I won't say my own thoughts until I am certain I am right, there is no need to give you hope when there very well could be none."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian's jaw dropped when he saw the scar. His breath sucked back against his teeth, making kind of a hissing noise that meant that it looked painful. "I'll kill her." was his response when he saw the wound. And he meant it. Katrina was going to pay for what she did to Susan. He stroked the side of her cheek and smiled down at her, trying to make the best of a bad situation. "You being alive is hope enough for me." he told her. "And even in your illness, you didn't give up coming to our tree." Then Caspian carefully picked her up, cautious not to touch or disturb her wound. "I'll take you to the castle." he said. "Then, I have something for you." He turned back to the unicorn. "Thanks, girl." Caspian scratched behind her ears again and motioned for her to follow if she'd like, but he knew that she had to be getting back 'for fear the master's whip'.

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

When he touched her face her skin tingled at the feeling she had not had in such a very long time. Lamont was, overall, violent and single-minded. To have a touch so soft against her was one she silently longed for again. She groaned slightly as he lifted hating herself for the sound knowing he did not mean to cause her the pain he did, no matter how small. She leaned her head against his chest breathing in his scent unable to shake her title. No matter what changed, no matter which way the wind would blow, she would always, in one way or another, be Cuddle-bug. "No," She objected at his words, "not to the castle. You must never return to the castle. Lamont will kill you the moment you step inside. He has everything to gain with you being dead now. At least before there was some benefit in keeping you alive, but not that I am his wife he sees no prospect in it. Don't go there, go to our tree." She looked up at him smiling brightly as her curiosity took root. She looked at him for a few seconds and reached to touch his face once more and whispered childishly, "Can't you tell me now?"

[King Caspian X]

"But Lamont isn't at the castle." Caspian told her, but decided to bring her to their tree anyway, if that was what she wanted. He began to walk back along the path that Secret had lead him to her, now carrying Susan back to the place that he had waited so long for her. "And Susan, you and Lamont aren't married." he reminded her. The man carefully set her down upon the tree root, letting her sit up. "And no, I can't just tell you what it is." Caspian answered in the same childish tone. "You have to close your eyes." he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the gift. "And hold out your hand."

[Queen Susan the Gentle]

"The boy traveles leauges in seconds, he could be at the castle any moment you are there." She did not bother to argue with him about their marriage. The kingdom knew and believed they were married, that was all that need be known. If Caspian were to strike against him it would be against Susan's husband and she was expected to act on Lamont's behalf regardeless of opinion. When he set her down she opened her hand and closed her eyes, not wanting to. The last gift he had tried to give her was Lucy's cordial, a gift she could not accept. She silently prayed he did not give her something she could not have. "I am ready."

[King Caspian X]

Caspian smiled and gently placed two rings on her left hand finger. They were exactly the same rings that he had given her before. Her engagement ring and her wedding ring. He hoped that she would like them and accept them. Caspian and Susan were still married, and Narnia and Telmar knew that, too. Lamont had destroyed her rings that night when he tried to take Galen. But they were merely symbols for never ending love and joy. Something that she had betrayed him on. But still, he thought it right that she should have them. He had bought them from the same man who had made the other ones. These were again the only ones like it in Narnia, considering the other two were only dust now. "I know that you would probably have to hide them from him, but I thought that you should have them." Caspian told her, looking up into her eyes and looking for her reaction. This was exactly where they had been those many months ago. This same tree. This same root. But he was not proposing again. Now he was just hoping that she would accept what was rightfully hers. Caspian's last gift.