𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄, 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 ✯ 𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗: 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐍

★────── ✦✧✦──────★

'My Barbarian Queen.'

I see his eyes, I feel his hands. But another voice penetrates my haunted mind.

'Susan.' His Telmarine accent rings in my ears as his warm hand touches my arm. I flinch at his touch and try to push myself away from him. I force myself to open my eyes. I can't tell him. I just can't.

I promised my family that I would come when I was rested. But I don't know how many hours has passed since Elvira and I arrived home.

Home, Cair Paravel is home.

'Susan, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now,' Caspian says. But I don't find comfort in his words. It only angers me.

'You weren't there,' I say, my voice nothing more than a whisper.

Caspian narrows his eyes. He reaches out to touch my arm again. But he hesitates.

'I,' he starts, but he looks away. He runs his hands through his thick black hair. 'What can I do?' he pleads, turning to face me again.

I want to flee from my bed, to flee from my room. Somewhere they can't find me. Where he can't find me.

'Susan, do you want to talk about it? Elvira, she is with Salvador and Peter. He-- your brothers were, are so angry with themselves. They couldn't bear it to face you.'

'Cowards,' his voice spits in my mind. 'They are cowards. That is why you are better off with me, my Barbarian Queen.'

'Go away,' I hiss, trying to block him out. He cannot be here! It can't.

Caspian's eyes widen. He quickly scrambles off my bed. He looks with pained eyes at me, his mouth moves but no words come out.

'See? He is already leaving you,' Rabadash hisses inside my messed up mind. Again I feel his hands on me.

'No!' This time I cry out and Caspian freezes when I scream. In seconds he is back on the bed with me and this time he doesn't hesitate to take my trembling form in his arms.

I bury my head against his muscles chest as he softly hushes in my ear. Trying to comfort me.

'Susan, please what is wrong? How can I help?' the seafarer king pleads.

'Just hold me,' I answer with a sob.

Caspian's arms tighten around me as he holds me closer. I can hear his heartbeat, which drums very quickly. As does my own.

I relax in his arms, trying to shut out the voice of Rabadash.

'Elvira!'

Immediately I sit up, because I recognize the voice who screams her name.

It is Peter.

I look at Caspian, who is also looking at me and at the door.

'Come!' I say loudly, pushing myself out of his arms. Adrenaline is filling my veins, helping my tortured body to move out of the bed and my feet on the cold floor.

'Susan, you--,' Caspian stops mid sentence. He suddenly smiles warmly and lifts himself from my bed.

'I am with you,' he says and I know he means it. Not only now, but forever.

I try to calm my beating heart and the hurricane of butterflies in my stomach. But it is all because of him.

'Elvira!' Again Peters screams, a plea.