Susan Was Always First

Thief in the Night

The feast had ended, and Susan was readying herself for bed. Idly, her fingers danced over the swell of her stomach and rested there, a smile fluttering to her lips as she thought of the tiny life inside her. 

The door opened, and a pair of arms wrapped around her waist as rougher hand rested on top of hers, and she lent her head against her husband's as he rested it on her shoulder.

"Now, what is it you were going to tell me, love?" Caspian's stubble tickled her cheek as he spoke.

Susan carefully moved one of her hands so Caspian's rested on her stomach. Ever so gently, she pressed his hand down so he could feel the harder swell that held their child. "We're going to be parents." A grin stretched across her face as she leaned back into her husband's embrace.

Susan turned herself slightly so she could see Caspian's reaction. Her husband was grinning widely, overjoyed. 

"How far along are you, love?" He spun her towards him so he could kiss her quickly. 

Susan embraced him tightly. "Four months, we're out of the first trimester."

One month longer than she had carried their last child, one month making the pregnancy more likely to carry to term. It was a joyous thought, though both their minds would think back to the hard days that followed the loss of their first child. The healers had thought perhaps the gentle queen would not be able to conceive after that, yet here she was, two year later with their next child. 

"We're going to be parents!" Caspian's joyous shout echoed down the corridors, making Susan throw her head back and let out her own happy exclamation.

"We're having a baby!"

The two laughed joyously, Caspian embracing Susan tightly. He kissed her fiercely, then grinned.

"So I take it Edmund figured it out before all of us, hmm?"

Susan laughed. "Apparently so. It seems he's taken interest in all my little habits."

"Your brother has always been observant." Caspian took one of Susan's hands and led her out onto their balcony.

The moon still was a grin, and Susan thought now that it was smiling with her, though her neck felt as if a cold blast hit it. But that was probably the night air, and she had not realized it.

Caspian reached for something in his pocket and pressed it gently into her hands. "I thought I would give you your birthday present now, love."

Susan took the item and held it up, her face lighting up. The small bracelet in her hands was twisted silver and gold, blue gems adorning it.

"I thought you could wear it with your rose hair clip." Caspian added as she remained quiet, just in awe of the gift.

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

Caspian wrapped his arms around her again. "It's does not compare with the gift you've given me by letting me know we are to be parents." He gave her a small squeeze. "Now, you must be exhausted, love. Let's get to bed."

---

Sleep came easily for the king and queen, Caspian's arms wrapped tightly around Susan, holding her close. The gentle queen had a hand rested on her stomach, a smile fluttering onto her lips as she slept.

Her dreams were odd, however. Filled with colors and voices both sweet yet unsettling... they seemed to want something from her, seemed to beckon her come, yet she could not understand the words, only the tone. The colors filtered in and out, fading between different shades of all the hues of the rainbow. Red had such a charming sound, the voice like warmth and welcome, deep and inviting. Orange was more alert, the high voice like wind chimes caught in a storm. Yellow was bold, loud and crass was the masculine tone. Green was reserved, holding in the feminine wisdom the voice shared as if it were for them only. Blue was cool, the loud crude voice hording time of both words and color shown. Purple was relaxed, the tinkling voice soothing and calm, as if telling one to take a break and enjoy.

Perhaps she should try and listen... try to get closer to the colors and understand them...

---

Caspian woke with soft smile playing on his lips, hands reaching for his wife. Yet, she was not there. Knowing that she was an earlier riser than he, he stood and made the bed, shaking his head as he noticed her hair clip left lying on her pillow and moving it to the bedside table. He then set out to look for her after dressing, eager to share their news with the rest of her family. 

He still could not believe that he would soon be a father, his hopes of that happening having nearly been lost with the miscarriage of their last child.  It still ached to know that this child could have had an older sibling, but it was not as cruel a pain as he had thought it would be. No, it was eased with the knowledge that the child lost would get to see their sibling from Aslan's Country.

When he could not find his wife in any of her usual spots, he sought out her family in hopes they had seen her. Yet, they all gave a negative reply, and his and their worry grew. When it became time for lunch and Susan was still no where to be found, a nagging sense of panic built in the kings heart.

Where was she? It was almost... almost as if she were stolen away in the night.