Finding the Queen of Old

I waited...

"Do they know?" Susan asked, breaking a silence which had lasted a few minutes.

"No. I told Lucy to tell Caspian all about England while I spoke to the doctor. The doctor almost didn't say anything to me but after explaining the train wreck and how we were all you had left, he told me. At first it seemed he thought I was responsible for... well you know. But I told him we had been away for quite a while and that we didn't know," Edmund spoke quietly.

"Edmund, I never meant for this to happen. I was out at a party, had a bit to much to drink and then he... well let's just say he has about as much manners as Rabbadash in the sense of how to treat females," Susan felt she had to defend herself in her brother's eyes. Besides, the truth never hurt.

Edmund looked at her, worry clear in his eyes. "You never told anyone, did you?" Susan shook her head. "Susan, that man took advantage of you! James could be arrested!"

Susan's eyes watered. "Edmund, I can't tell."

"And why not?" he demanded, wondering how his strong sister who could face armies was now such a coward as to not be able to defend her rights against this man.

Susan uncovered herself and got out of bed. She lifted up the hem of her skirt. At first, Edmund didn't understand what she was doing and turned away, repulsed at his sister's seemingly provocative ways. But after a couple of seconds he scolded himself for thinking like that and turned back to be shocked.

Susan's fair skin was blotted with bruises of all different sizes and hues. From a sickly yellow to a fresh looking purple one, there had to be at least ten bruises scattered on her thigh.

Edmund sunk down onto the foot of Susan's bed. "That monster!" he spat quietly, unnerved by what latest development had been made in his sister's life in England.

"That's why I haven't told anyone," Susan whispered. "I'm afraid of what James will do to me."

"Susan, maybe this is why we were sent now. To protect you from this man until you have the... and then to take you and it back to Aslan's country with us," Edmund thought. He still had trouble talking about his sister having a baby. It was a foreign concept to him.

"Edmund, I need to hear you say baby. If you are too ashamed to say it, then leave me to be on my own," Susan cried.

"Susan, I wouldn't leave you or... My future niece or nephew. This baby is a gift no matter how it can to be," Edmund reassured his sister.

Susan hugged him. "Wow Ed, you've really grown up. Thanks for all this. But when did you become so serious?"

"Well sis, It was no problem. And me serious? Who are you trying to kid. We know that will never happen. I don't want to become dull like Peter."

Susan chuckled for the first time in a while. But she grew tense as Edmund escorted her out and down the stairs.

-

"Wow! This is so interesting! Tell me again about airplanes," Caspian asked excitedly. This land was so amazing! All these things were so fascinating!

"Come now Caspian, I've already explained three times," Lucy said with a smile, the same look she had on her face when she asked Caspian if he had found himself a queen.

"Fine then... Lucy, how come it is taking Edmund so long to come back with Susan?" Caspian asked, a worried look creeping onto his face.

"I'm sure he's just explaining things to her. She's bound to be confused," Lucy said, yet a bit of worry crept into her voice as well. That look the doctor had given Caspian seemed to think he was in some way responsible for something. Something Lucy did not even think of as a possibility.