Susan Was Always First

Vitals and Vials

"Your husband-"

"My husband is none of your concern." Envy snapped, her voice harsh. She had been pacing the meeting hall as her daughter looked on, the small child trembling and uncertain of what was happening. "He will  have to pay for his mistake like anyone else."

"But the silver king is-"

"I am aware!" Envy's eyes flashed dangerously. "I know what took place, Gluttony. I saw the wound myself."

"Momma, what's happening?" Jealousy asked, voice shaking. "Did papa really kill the king?"

"Yes, sweetheart." Envy picked up her daughter, trying to control her rage. "The king is dead. And now your papa has to pay for his mistake."

---

Sunlight woke Susan up for the first time in months, the sweet smell of the breeze ticking her nose awake.

Sunlight. It would not seem to most something to be treasured, but after being in the dark for so long it was priceless to her. She savored the warmth against her skin, and smiled as she felt her child seem to react to it as well.

The cell that Envy had got her and her brother held real beds and even a small table and chair set. A hand mirror was in the room, and a few books were scattered throughout, torn but still readable. There was even a separate, closed off area that served as a restroom. It was a welcome change, and almost made it easier to forget that she and her brother were prisoners.

"Morning, Su." Peter was already awake, using the hand mirror to examine the fading scars on his body, thin pale lines that danced along his arms, legs, and torso, and a few that marred his face. Those were hidden by the facial hair that was slowly covering his cheeks, making him look much beyond his years in terms of age.

With the light now provided to them, Susan could see how pale she had grown, her veins appearing through her near-translucent skin on her wrists. She could make herself look slightly more presentable, even if it was solely for her own sake.

"Morning, Pete. Has breakfast been sent yet?"

Petter shook his head, setting down the mirror. "Not yet. But I did hear shouting earlier this morning."

"Shouting?" Susan asked, concerned for Envy. She knew deep down that it was foolish to care for one of the people who held her captive, but the woman had been nothing but kind to her and she would hate to see her harmed yet again.

"Male voices, not Envy." Peter knew her concern. "It sounded like something has happened to throw off their plan and they are scrambling to fix it."

Susan's eyes shone with hope. Perhaps her husband and siblings had found a lead. Her hand rested on her stomach, praying that her child would be born surrounded by family.

---

Elda, or Wrath to those who had wanted to kill her, ran as quickly as she could with a body draped across her shoulders, praying no one saw her with this corpse and that that dark was enough cover for her. The man looked enough like King Edmund that she hoped the king could forgive her for trading out his injured body for a dead man to save his life.

Pride, that stupid idiot, had left King Edmund bleeding out, likely panicking at his mistake, and Elda had witnessed it all. Working quickly, as she knew she had little time to waste, she rushed Edmund out of sight and hurried to find someone who looked enough like him to replace him. She held little love for the Pevensie family, but King Edmund had looked ready to defend her against anyone who would speak ill of her, and she could not let him die, knowing she'd take the blame.

Placing the corpse where Edmund had fallen and checking once again to make sure the wound she left in the fresh corpse looked similar enough to Edmund's to hopefully throw off anyone who would examine it, she left the body behind. Grabbing the unconscious king from where she had hidden him, she made her way to her home. No doubt Pride had used poison on the blade in his attempt against her, and she would need to figure out which. Unfortunately, when she did figure it out after dressing and treating the wound, her heart dropped. There was only one way to remedy a poison that strong.

"Fireflower... I need fireflower..." Elda muttered, sounding much older than a young teen. She rummaged through her newly stocked bag of poisons and remedies- things that the Kings and Queens did not need to know she still had collected from her days of torturous ways- and pulled out her only fireflower capsule, shoving it into Edmund's mouth.

"You had better live through the night or so help me I'll kill you myself." The girl muttered as she waited for Edmund's eyes to open. "I'm not going to be blamed for any more deaths, you got that you idiot?"

---
"Where is your brother this morning?" Caralyn asked Lucy with feigned concern. The Just King was not in the palace, that much she knew, having been watching for his return in hopes to chat with him some more, use her feminine charms to pry information from him. She shot a glance to Jesse, worried he had taken some matter into his own hand. However, it was clear he too knew nothing.

"Edmund, or my brother-in-law? As I recall, you and Jesse had wanted to dine with me separately last night, so I allowed it. Likely the two of them are eating in Caspian's study."

"Ah, yes, how could I forget." Caralyn laughed, pretending to play dumb. She hated the patronizing tone of the silver queen, hated her family, hated the way they acted better than everyone. But she would put up with it for only a little longer, her own plans ready to take place.

"So Lucy," Jesse struck up a conversation with the young queen, distracting her for Caralyn to make her move.

Caralyn tipped the vial she had worn so close into the silver queen's glass when she was not looking, watching for Lucy to take a sip. Just one sip, and the silver queen would fall right into Jesse's arms, would be one more crown for her sister's cause to boast.

Yes, Envy would be proud of what she and Lust had accomplished...