On My Mind {Suspian}

The BlackBirds

She heard the sound of crumbling rocks beneath her brown high heels. Bitterly, the taste of salt had dried her mouth like a drought hitting a free flowing river. The sky was a threatening shade of grey wanting to pour it's trapped anger onto their exposed skin. With ease, she walked up the long, jagged rock faces until she reach Cair Paravel.

In the few years she had been gone, Cair Paravel was different and Susan didn't like it. They had started reconstructing the original palace and had made a lot of progress, however something didn't feel right. She wasn't sure who designed it but it didn't have the beauty or peaceful feeling it had before. Anxiously, Susan followed Caspian's men through the large glass doors and into the marble box. Caspian had split of from the group without warning.

They was ushered into a grand hall where Susan came face to face with a statue in the shape of Aslan. She admired it with a glance but became skeptical when she noticed Aslan wasn't the same fierce lion she had known and that he had a tiny scar on his nose, a scar so faint she was surprised she noticed it. She reached out and to stroke the main but got interrupted.

"Welcome your majesty." A gentle voice spoke from behind her. She turned around to a fragile old women bowing before her weary eyes. Susan politely thanked her and asked to meet Lilliandil. "Ma'am- I mean, Queen Susan.."
"Susan will be fine," she glanced at her with a soft smile.
"You're very kind Susan. We have guests who are anxious to meet you. Everyone is meeting at 7pm for the King and Lilliandil's entrance to their ball here in the main hall."
"Oh is that tonight?" She innocently asked, her chest began to feel tight. "I shall require some assistance finding a gown to wear for tonight."
"Susan, I believe Lilliandil has this all covered. I see you are wearing a strange green dress. She also requested you wear a special gown, a dress she chose especially for you." The old lady starts leading Susan towards a long hall way which lead to a golden bedroom door.
"She knew I was coming?" Susan was concerned. "How is that possible?"
"Well you see Queen Susan, we have been expecting you for a few days now. Caspian has yet to be told this news; I am presuming, he will be told before the ball." She said with excitement before slowly gripping the glistening silver handle. Susan gulped. Faintly, she could her laughter, one dominant male voice and one croaking male as well as a soft feminine voice. Her shoes tapped along the white marble flooring, she couldn't have been discreet if she tried.

"Susan!" Edmund gasped.
"Oh I knew she was coming. She just had too. I told you didn't I Peter." She expressed before she ran towards Susan and hugged her tightly.
"And so you did Lucy." He said as he held his chest, as if he was in agony. Edmund helped him stand before they walked towards Susan open armed. "Peter, what's a matter?" She said concerned.
"It's nothing a king can't handle." He jokes before he placed a sloppy kiss on her forehead. A tear spilled from Susan's eyes. "I don't understand, how am I here? How are we here?" Dramatically, she fell to the floor, Lucy fell with her and wiped away the tears. Edmund took her hand before stating: "We're not sure either, it's pretty impressive." He paused and smiled at the little old Lady still standing at the door. "You can go now Mary. Thank you for your time. Tell everyone we'll be going for a walk and will return in a under an hour. If we're not back within the hour tell Caspian to come and find us. Only Caspian." Mary went to speak but instead nodded her head obediently.
Peter whispered into Susan's ear, "We need to go somewhere private, you have a lot to catch up on. We know you've noticed somethings not right with Narnia, or at least with Cair Paravel." Slowly. Peter ushered his family out of the balcony door which lead into a overwhelming sized garden. He froze at the door and cried with pain.
"You should stay here Peet. I'll stay with you. Now Caspian's home we can get my healing potion." He nodded before Lucy helped him inside.

*

The aroma of summer filled her airways and reminded her of the summer they had all shared at the beginning of the war. The birds flew low, as if they was listening to every word that flowed through their mouths.

"I think it's safe here." Edmund suggested but to his surprise Susan was distracted by the birds. He watched as she examined everyone. "Su-" before he could finished Susan shushed him and tiptoed towards the dancing oak tree. Edmund follows her but keeps a few steps back. "Su what's happening?"
"Look," She pointed to a glossy black bird, it's wing moved until she spoke again. "I think they're listening to us. When we speak, it doesn't move, at all. It's chest doesn't, pump and it's eyes are beady but unusually dry."
"Su I don't know what Black birds in America look like, but it seems pretty natural to me." Sarcastically, he commented before pulling her away and linking his arm into hers. From time to time, he would fake laugh, and Susan played along. He made the conversation seem less secretive. "This is what we was talking about, somethings wrong. We haven't met Lilliandil yet. Peters been here five days, Me and Lucy have been here for three. We couldn't work out why you came later or why Eustace wasn't invited. Then Peter suggested it was because this Lilliandil hasn't met Eustace. But then Lucy said reminded him that she hadn't met us yet." He whispered into her ear, loud enough for her to hear but not for anyone else to possibly hear. Susans brain moved like clockwork. "Jadis." She whispered back but Edmund just gave her a clueless look in return. "The White Witch you idiot." She says slapping the back of his head.

Edmund stopped and stared straight ahead. "Oh. No. Impossible." His words were no longer whispers. "How can you be sure?" Susan started to panic and laughed. "I'm just joking, of course I'm not pregnant, you know what mother always said, No sex before marriage." Before slapping him on his shoulder, he didn't laugh. In fact he looked pale, his eyes dark and drained. She grabbed his hand and carried on walking.
"We're not certain so let's keep this between us. We'll find more evidence before we tell the others." She murmured before smiling and splashing Edmund with water from the fountain and sitting on the ledge.

Her brown eyes twinkled with concern. His were clouded with anger. They both sighed. Faintly in the distance, Susan could hear her name being called. To her surprise, Lucy was running towards her with an emotionless expression. Susan stood up and walked towards her before signalling Edmund along. The three walk towards the Palace and talked about the letter that Susan received from Lucy the very same day she left America and returned to Narnia.

So sorry if this chapter seems rushed. I noticed I haven't added a lot of Suspian in yet, this is because it's about to get juicy and then very romantic. Over the next few months I will be doing my GCSE's and I should be dedicating my hours towards revision. I will try to upload a chapter every two week but I can't promise. But I do promise I will complete this story unlike my other stories. Hope you're enjoying it :)
-Emmz