Adoration

Prologue

Narnia 2304

"High King Peter. High Queen Susan."

The elder two Pevensies looked up to see Aslan standing a few feet away from them. They bowed their heads in respect before he called them over.

"Walk with me." They exchanged knowing looks and followed the lion.

As they walked around the grounds, Aslan stayed surprisingly quiet as if waiting for them to start the conversation.

Susan finally broke the silence. "This is our last time in Narnia, isn't it?" Her voice was quiet in anticipation.

Aslan looked at her, his expression impassive. "Do you want it to be?"

"Of course we don't," Peter answered for the both of them

Aslan answered "then it won't be" matter-of-factly as if that was the only logical answer and that they would be foolish to think otherwise.

"When will we come back?" Susan asked after another moment of silence.

Aslan smiled. "When you're needed, when the time is right. You have duties in your own world too, don't forget that."

Peter and Susan nodded. Despite being older and more mature than Lucy and Edmund, they still often forgot about their duties in their own world. They knew they wouldn't be able to stay in Narnia forever, though that didn't stop them from wishing they could.

Caspian was walking nearby when Aslan called him over. He paused momentarily at the sight before joining them on their walk.

Susan zoned out on the conversation.

She thought about how long she would be away from Narnia for. A month, a year, a thousand years like the previous time. That's what she worried about. What if when she came back it was a thousand years later. Everyone she knew would be dead, as they were when she came back this time.

Caspian would be dead.

She felt herself tearing up slightly at the thought and a tear dropped from her left eye. Susan tried wiping the tears before the other three saw however when she raised eyes, she found Caspian looking at her, his face riddled with concern.

Aslan turned to Peter, gesturing for him to give the two privacy. Peter looked between the two, furrowing his eyebrows at the tears in Susan's eyes, and walked away with Aslan.

Caspian reached out to wipe the tears from Susan's face with his thumb. "What's wrong?" he questioned softly.

"What if when I come back you're not here?" her voice was somewhat shaking as she stared at him.

His eyes softened, a smile forming as he pulled her into a hug. She debated between grasping onto him and pushing him away, settling with laying her hand gently on his back.

"I'll wait for you –"

"No." Susan pushed him back gently, interrupting him. "I don't want you to wait for me, that's not fair on you."

"Whether you want me to or not, I will." Caspian smiled softly.

She shook her head, glancing around the open area before meeting his eyes again. "I might not even come back in your timeline." Another tear slipped down her face.

"Is that what is upsetting you?" he questioned, keeping his eyes on her face.

"What if I never see you again Caspian?"

His smile faltered marginally before he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't think like that. Just enjoy your last few hours here."

Susan laughed awkwardly "that's easier said than done." The blush that coated her cheeks due to his previous action made him smirk.

They walked around the grounds for the hours following, sharing laughs and smiles, wishing they could stay in this moment for the rest of eternity.

As they joined the crowd a while later, Susan wasn't as upset as she was before due to Caspian's insistence that they would see one another again.

A kiss was shared between the two and, once they pulled back, Caspian mumbled against her lips. "We'll always find a way back to one another. I promise you Susan."

They both fought to keep their tears at bay as the Pevensie's left Narnia for the second time, praying to Aslan they would return soon.