The Next Four Months

Chap nine

(Caspian)

How could they do this? The same people I had grown up with, the same boys from the castles courtyard were against us. That didn't sicken me as much is those who could plot to kill Susan, in her condition and all. It was disgusting, where was the gentleman in each and every one of them? I held her in my arms, they ached from her weight, of which she had gained so much since I'd last lifted her. To think she had been expecting then and I hadn't even known. I still felt awful for leaving her, she was showing when we left and I didn't even notice! The more I'd thought about it I remembered a conversation we had before I left her to the lions. I'd felt a much more solid area under skin down below her belly button, I had pointed it out to her and she'd simply mentioned it was her womb and when I mentioned that it was never usually so firm she had only said 'I know' as a reply. I should've thought. But I didn't and I'd done this! She was barely conscious in my weakening arms, one arm still clutched my shirt, squeezing weakly whenever each new pain came racking through her, torturing her. I'd felt her belly and it was softening and hardening with the pain, her muscles were squeezing the baby down- or so Lucy told me.

The other of Susan's arms lay on top of her belly, every now and again she would rub it, reassuring her baby. Or babies.

As soon as I'd seen, or felt, her belly I'd known. I heard that many traits were passed through families- I had my fathers hair for example- and so I presumed if my Grandfather's seed was capable of growing two children at one time then it was likely my Father's was and then my own. I knew that was a privilege to be able to do that but still I felt for Susan. I'd made it even less likely for her to survive this. I had made her so sick she wasn't able to protest to me carrying her, so sick she could do nothing but whimper in and out of consciousness. This was me, if we hasn't such a libido she wouldn't be so pained.

The footsteps carried on to Chase after us, whichever vile fool was perusing us was about to pay, he should've thought before attacking us. He would feel the sharp end of my sword very soon. It was getting harder for us to stay behind us and there was only one of him.

"Lucy, support her for a moment," I decided, laying Susan's feet very carefully on the ground and letting her wrap her arm across the shoulders of her younger sister. Susan's eyes snapped open and through the pain sheaving her icy irises she looked at me with worry, worry for what I was going to do.

"Keep going if she can walk, I'll follow you as soon as I can,"

Lucy simply nodded, she was as iron hearted as any man in these type of situations. Susan would have told me not to go if she wasn't consumed with another wave of pain. Lucy was brave and strong and efficient, the best person I could want right then.

"Aahaha," Susan cried again, turning from Lucy to push against the wall instead. She looked up at me again, pleading in her eyes. I couldn't leave her.

"What can I do?" She just shook her head and continued to breath quickly, sucking air between her teeth. I gently squeezed her belly, feeling how firm it was, skin stretched out like a drum skin.

"Susan!" The voice called from a distance, I checked quickly around me Lucy's expression also showed she'd heard it.

The footsteps quicken after us again, he called again,

"Susan! Lucy!" Then I knew his voice, Edmund. The king appeared in the light a little further back down the corridor from where I stood. He stared at me and I stared back. So much relief, someone we could trust.

"Caspian? How on earth-," he was cut off when he saw Susan. She let go of the wall and pushed her arms back around my neck, I was the only thing keeping her on her feet. She buried her face into my neck as I turned to look at Edmund.