The Pevensies: The Art of Adjusting

Susan's Heartbreak

Saturday, 15th March, 1941 (13:25)
57 Eversleigh Road, Finchley, NW London

It began as a surprisingly average Saturday afternoon. Edmund and Lucy were sat on the living room floor, a chess board between them. There had been abrupt tension when chess had been first mentioned, yet it was never spoken of. Each sibling silently prayed that Edmund may have gotten away unnoticed.

Peter occupied an armchair, trying his hardest to understand a Geography text book. In Narnia, he'd been able to direct an army all the way from the villages of Anvard to the Northern Marsh, tell one the exact coordinates of the Island of Galma within a second, the Western Woods also proved no challenge for the High King. Yet, in England, Peter Pevensie simply hated Geography. Learning 'The 20 Greatest Rivers in England' and how he'd go about measuring their diameter was currently not going too well.

"Su, do you kno-" he looked around the room, slightly surprised his sister wasn't settled in the opposite armchair with a book of her own. Thinking back, however, Peter didn't recall seeing her at all that day. Lucy glanced up and saw his confusion.

"She's upstairs- she woke up in a simply terrible mood. She said to leave her alone as she's a lot of work to do- I wasn't going to argue with her." She told him with a shrug as she put an extremely begruntled Edmund into checkmate.

"Hey! Your Knight wasn't there before!"

"I think you'll find it was, Edmund Pevensie!"

Peter sighed and headed up the stairs, leaving his bickering younger siblings. He tapped on the girls' bedroom door. After waiting for a moment and getting no reply, he opened the door slightly.

"Su? Su, do you have a minute?" He opened the door further to find Susan sat on the window ledge, eyes gazing down at nothingness but the deserted street below. He approached her, still gaining no attention. He placed his book on the desk and a hand on her arm.

"Su? What's troubling you? You look ever so upset."

"That's because I am, Peter." She replied calmly. This was the moment the High King wished Susan to be a little more Lucy. Lucy would cry and be straight up, whereas Susan was always so reserved, so distant and incredibly hard to reach.

"Talk to me?" Peter offered, only to gain a shake of her head as she looked back out of the window. There was a moment of silence, before Peter took one of her hands in his, using his other to turn her to face him gently. Their eyes met, allowing him to take the moment to search her dark brown orbs for an answer.

"It hurts." She spoke after a moment in the smallest voice he'd ever heard her produce. "I miss it, Peter. I miss it so much. I miss Narnia, I miss our people, I miss- I miss him, Peter." She confided in him finally as tears streamed down her cheeks. Peter pulled her into an embrace.

"I know. I know you do, Su. I miss it too. But Aslan said that we're ready- and I don't recall him making a mistake before." He felt her swallow but nod against his chest.

"But Peter, I truly don't think I am ready."

"I believe you are." He told her in all seriousness, drawing away to put his hand on her cheek. "I believe our strong, gentle Queen is as much the strong, gentle Queen in Finchley as she was on her throne in Cair Paravel. Crown and bow or no crown and bow." She smiled weakly before returning back into her brother's embrace, soaking up his warmth for a few more minutes as she composed herself fully.

"Oh, what happened to us, Pete? We used to be so close when we were young- now it feels like I never get to speak to you without one of us fussing over Lucy or Edmund. You're my big brother and I miss this."