Umm… right. This is a new turn of events, isn’t it? I still am doing DP fanfics by the way, I just sort of… um…

You want the truth? Fine. I procrastinated.

But this… argh, you know what? I couldn’t resist. Before any of you ultra-fans start complaining about the whole SusanCaspian thing, do yourselves a favor and bloody save it. I’m not interested in you prats pointing out my inaccuracies. Yes, I’ve read the book; yes, I appreciate it and I was surprised by the whole SusanCaspian idea, but I loved it. And that’s my opinion. So save your flames. Don’t like the pairing? Don’t read it.

Anyway, on to business…

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walden Media

No ownership. No profit. No suing. Kthx.

–

Prologue

"This is for you."

He dropped something small and glimmering into the palm of her hand, and Susan felt a tingle creep up her arm as his calloused fingers brushed against hers. She frowned slightly at him, then observed the object he had dropped in her hand.

It was a ring. Susan found herself entranced by the intricate swirls and flowers that were carved into its flawless silver surface, as well as the tiny petals at the top that held a small, fantastic stone of ethereal swirling blues and greens that seemed to move at her touch.

It was beautiful.

She tore her eyes from the jewel and stared at Caspian, confused and frightened. His brown eyes bled into hers.

"Caspian... I... it's..."

He took her hand in his, gazing at the ring, and not at her.

"This is my farewell, Queen Susan," he whispered. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and Susan's heart gave a pang. They looked like they were being torn apart from the inside out.

"It's... beautiful," Susan murmured back stupidly, too numb to dredge up something logical to say.

He slipped it onto her finger. Susan's arm felt like it had been jolted with novacaine.

"Promise me you'll never take it off."

Susan nodded, holding back tears.

Caspian suddenly pulled her closer to him, and Susan shivered as his breath tickled her hair when he whispered, "It is magical, Susan. That is a protection stone. Should you ever take it off, its true power will be lost. Both you and I will be vulnerable to the forces of darkness that ring keeps away. Do not lose your faith in Narnia, or in yourself, for if you do, all will be lost."

His close proximity to her seemed to engender in Susan just a need to bury her face in his chest, and that was exactly what she did. She leaned forward slightly, feeling the warm satin of his tunic absorbing the tears she was now allowing to fall free.

"I'm -- I can't do it, Caspian, I'm not ready."

He wrapped his arms around her.

"You are," he whispered, and squeezed her once more, so very tightly that Susan felt like she was suffocating. But if she could only remain like this forever, if he would only hug her that much once more, she would never want to breathe again. Then he stepped away, and Susan sensed when he let go that doing so was the very last thing he wanted. She took a breath, containing the emotion that was threatening to explode inside her, and stepped away from him. The ring felt chilling on her finger. Goose pimples blossomed up over her arms.

She glanced up at him. At the scars on his face, at the cleft in his chin, at the brown eyes she couldn't seem to tear her gaze from. She wanted to memorize his every feature; every lesion on his skin; every inflection of his voice; every strand of hair that hung softly in his eyes. She wanted to always be able to smell the scent that always wafted from him; the scent of cinnamon, of wind.

"Susan?"

Susan turned to find Aslan's amber eyes watching her expectantly. Oh, how badly she wanted to tell him that she wasn't ready; that she couldn't do it. But she'd promised him she'd agree to his terms.

She could never return to Narnia, nor to Prince Caspian. Never in her life could she ever return here. Never again. She kept repeating the words over and over again, trying to accept them.

She whirled to face Caspian and, with a sudden and uncontrollable impulse, pulled him toward her and kissed him.

She felt like her lips were glued to his. She was pulled under by the inexorable current of the touch. She could taste spices on his lips, spices of Narnia, spices of memories, spices of herself.

After almost too short a time, they broke apart.

"I love you," she whispered, and then walked to join her siblings. She passed through the door in the air without looking back.

–

It’s summer, mates. This’ll be getting an update soon enough… I mean, if you want one. If you don’t, oh well. I’ll just try another story. This is my first time! Be gentle.