Susan Was Always First

Seven is Key

"He thinks I'm dead." Susan had been quiet for hours after Envy left, her tears speaking well enough for her. These words finally left her lips, and the anguish behind them was chilling. "He thinks he's lost me, and our child, and he's suffering."

"Su," Peter placed a hand on his sister's shoulder, intending to comfort her, but she continued before he could speak.

"No." Susan shook her head. "No, I won't believe it. They can't have given up on us yet."

"I don't want to believe it either. You know I do not trust Envy. She could be lying to us."

Susan sobbed into her hands. "She wouldn't lie about something like that, though, would she? She's too kind to say such cruelties..."

A loud thud startled both Susan and Peter, and a ghostly voice echoed from outside the cell.

"So sorry to have been away these last two months..."

"Greed." Susan breathed.

"Very good." Greed opened the door, the room chilling with their presence. They were still hidden by a cloak, no features discernable. "I wished to see how you two have settled in. With the kingdom thinking you dead, it looks like this may be your constant home."

The figure shifted their voice, and as they spoke Susan wept. "She can't be gone... we were going to be parents... we were supposed to be happy..."

"Stop this!" Peter interrupted Greed, cutting off the borrowed voice of Caspian. "Why have you captured us? What can you gain?"

"Quiet, golden king." Greed's voice changed again. "Peter, look after them. Take care of your siblings, my eldest son. Keep them safe."

The voice of the Pevensie's mother echoed, and Peter was hit with guilt. He had failed in protecting Susan, and now he had no idea what was happening to his other siblings. How did he even know they still lived...?

"Anyways, it seems the two of you are well, so I shall leave." Greed began out of the room, then paused. "And, hopefully when I see you next, I'll have another friend for you..."

---

Silence; silence. Light echoes around my vision. I've seen this... I know this... where is this? Peter? Susan...

Laughter rings in the back of my mind. Cool water laps my feet. I should know this... where is this?

Gold light, soft and beautiful mixes with the haunting sounds of Susan's tears. Peter's reassuring voice rings out, though it has never sounded so forced.

Where is this? Pattering feet in the halls, muffled voices. I need to run, can't be seen. Flee, FLEE!

Warmth, a tight embrace...

"Dear One..." 

---

Lucy's head swam as she sat up quickly, trying to remember her dream. It had felt so real again, so familiar. She could have sworn that Susan and Peter were nearly in her grasp, having thought she saw where they were, only for her to realize it was just a dream...

Edmund, who was still up and reviewing some documents from Archenland, looked over towards her. "You alright, Lu?"

Lucy nodded. "Yes, I just... it was just a dream."

"Okay," Edmund accepted her words, and glanced away towards where Caspian slept. The man was curled tightly into a ball, looking worn and sickly. "Lucy, he's losing himself in his grief..."

"I know." Lucy frowned. "I've tried all I can to get him to even smile, but he just won't... the closest I've seen to him being himself was when he saw that hair..."

"That hair, ring, and note have caused us too much trouble." The Just king glanced at the papers in his hands before setting them down with a sigh. Edmund's next words were quiet. "Do you... do you think that they could be alive? Is there even a chance at this point? I want to believe it but... should we accept it?"

"Ed..." Lucy's words were soft. "I don't know... at times I feel as if they're out there and I'm just missing something obvious, but at other times... other times I think that perhaps accepting that we will never see them again is the healthiest option. I don't want to believe it, but sometimes you have to accept things you aren't sure of."

"I just... Susan was going to finally have a baby. She and Caspian would have that family they always dreamed of..."

"I know." Lucy sighed, the tears beginning to trickle down her face again.

Edmund moved to her side and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I don't think Caspian will ever truly accept it." Lucy whispered into her brother's shoulder, staining his shirt with her tears.

"I don't either..."

The sleeping king shifted, mumbling Susan's name as he slept...
---

"Wrath... what am I going to do with you?" Greed crossed their arms as they looked at the unconscious form of the young teen held in Envy's arms. "I thought I had taught you what lesson you needed to learn..."

"The girl has been trouble since we brought Susan and Peter here." Envy shook her head. "I had such high hopes for her..."

"As did I." Greed moved forward, taking the girl from Envy. However, as soon and Wrath was in their arms, they dropped her to the floor.

"She's worth nothing to us now. Dispose of her at once, or better yet, leave her out as bait for the remaining queen and kings... let her take the fall for the disappearance of Peter and Susan. I'm sure the royals will take care of seeing to her life ending quickly."

"But she knows enough about us-" Envy started, but Greed cut her words off with a motion.

"All she knows will sound like nonsense to all but our group. Who would believe someone that sins are what stole their king and queen? Besides, Envy, it seems to me that you forget the powers I am capible of..."

"Of course I don't," Envy spoke quickly.

Greed grinned, and the room grew cold. "Good. So then you must trust me that our plan will not be compromised. Let us prepare Wrath so she can meet her end. She will be an example... let her head fall as warning."

For the first time since meeting Wrath and taking her away from the men who taught her the art of torture, Envy actually felt a bit of pity for the teen...

But, pity for the teen could wait until after she'd found someone to replace her. After all, what are the sins without wrath? Seven is key, not six...

Seven, and the words spoken long ago can come to be.