Who: King Caspian X and Queen Susan of the Horn What: Settling into their house on the first night. When: Backdated to Day 4. Where: The house they picked out for themselves. Rating: PG-13ish Status: Closed; Completed Gdoc
Following a meal and deeper conversation, Caspian recalled reading that the lighthouse was haunted. Obviously, this was not an ideal place for the two of them to be spending the night. The two decided it best to locate an empty house instead. Even if it was only a temporary stay, Caspian felt better knowing they would not have a ghost creeping around their beds that night. He preferred enemies he could brandish his sword at to those that rendered him helpless. Besides, he felt as if Susan had suffered with enough figurative ghosts in her world to last a lifetime.
Packing up the few supplies they could locate at the lighthouse, the two set out for a cluster of homes a few miles out from the lighthouse. Being that it was still daylight, it was warmer and Caspian had located an old coat for Susan. It was far from fashionable, but it would keep her warm for the time being and that was all that truly mattered. Hopefully, when they located a house, there would be clothes they could wear. So far, no one has found a replacement for soap yet.
The first few houses they came across were clearly occupied, but after another mile or so they finally came across an empty one. The home was old and in desperate need of repairs, but Caspian assured Susan that for tonight it would hold together. In the morning, he would have to look into supplies to patch up the structure. Once the two were settled inside, Caspian secured the door and managed to get a fire going in an old fireplace. He was unfamiliar with electricity and even if he wasn’t? There was no power to be had at the moment.
After finishing a small meal and cleaning up, Caspian settled on an old sofa near the fireplace and held out a blanket to Susan. “It may be best if we spent the night down here. The rooms are a bit drafty in this house and the damage to the structure is not helping.” He knew what he was suggesting and that it could potentially cross a line, but he felt it was the best solution.
The day had been a long and confusing one, but Caspian had been a steadying presence at her side the entire time, and she was grateful for him. When at last the did find a place to stay, she did what she could to clean the downstairs up a bit, then ate a quiet meal with him. Now, the sun had set and she found herself again grateful that he suggested staying downstairs.
"I don't exactly fancy possibly falling through the floor, and those beds need to be cleaned and the sheets at least aired out before chancing them," she stated, then walked over to where he sat. Taking the blanket, Su first went outside to shake it out a bit, then came back in and shut the door firmly against the cold that tried to creep in. Returning to the sofa, she satclose beside Caspian and held the blanket out so they could both be under it.
"Do you think here will do, or should we try the floor," she said with a faint rueful smile. As she waited for his answer, Susan began to remove the pins from her hair, freeing the long dark strands, because trying to sleep in her dress would already be uncomfortable, and the pins would only make things worse.
“I quite agree. I don’t fancy falling through the floor much either. Though, I do not know when we will be able to clean any of the bed linens. So far, no one has managed to locate any soap or the ingredients necessary to create it,” Caspian replied. He watched Susan step outside to shake out the blanket. Part of him was tempted to follow, but he reminded himself he wasn’t far from the doorway. If anything dared attack her, Caspian could be by her side in seconds. He was a trained knight after all.
When he observed Susan shutting the door tight against the chill, Caspian suddenly wished there was a way he could install a better, less rusty lock upon the door. The one in place did work, but it would be a poor defense against anyone trying to break in. “Perhaps we will look into finding a way to fill in some of the holes and gaps in the walls tomorrow. I would like a better lock too, but I do not know if that is feasible with the supplies we currently possess.” He knew there were magic users here. Maybe he would inquire about some sort of magical barrier on the house.
Susan settled on the sofa beside him once more and held out the blanket for him to join her. He offered her a smile and slipped beneath it with her. Part of him wanted to wrap an arm around her and pull her closer, but Caspian did not wish to overstep any boundaries. Instead, he satisfied himself with shifting as close to her as possible in the hopes of sharing his body heat.
“We could. Though it may be a bit painful with only a few blankets and pillows for cushion. Though, I imagine it can not be worse than sleeping on the ground back in Narnia.” Caspian settled back against the couch, dark brown eyes studying Susan in the flickering firelight as she tugged out the pins in her hair. If it was up to him, she would always have it down. It was beautiful, loose around her face. The dark waves cascading around her shoulders contrasted perfectly with her milky white complexion. The king had to force himself to focus on the fire instead.
“Except we wouldn’t even have the bonus of looking at the constellations there.”
“At the very least, we can wash and shake them out, let them dry in the sun. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve gotten by without soap,” she said softly, then smiled a bit. “But there was someone who mentioned we could possibly make our own, from plants. I’m going to reach out to the woman he suggested in a day or two, in order to learn how.”
When Caspian shifted closer, a part of Susan really did wish he’d wrap that arm around her, but for the time being she made do with the closeness. After she finished pulling out the pins, Susan slipped them into a pocket, then ran her fingers gently through her hair to remove any tangles, then began to braid it loosely so it’d be out of her way.
“Perhaps for tonight, we stay here - it’ll be a little more comfortable, at the very least.” And Susan was loathe to move, considering how their legs were pressed against one another for the time being. Pulling the blanket up a little more, she shifted even closer to him.
When she mentioned someone had mentioned making soap from plants, Caspian looked genuinely curious. “If she can show you, I shall help you locate what you need to make some,” Caspian replied. He knew he was not the only one who wished for something to wash with. While he knew what it was like to go without a bath for some time, he also knew it could become quite uncomfortable and unhygienic too. No one wanted illness to spread here. Not when they had a friendly ghost to do that for them.
Caspian had always wanted to run his fingers through Susan’s dark hair. As a thirteen-year old boy, he remembered watching the stray strands blow in the wind and wishing he could tuck them behind her ear. Of course, he never acted on such a notion. There was a battle to win and a throne to claim, but still, it did not mean the longing was not there. He watched her untangle the strands and then weave them into a loose braid.
“I believe that is a far better choice.” Their legs were pressed together and Susan shifted closer to him. His heart kicked up a notch in his chest. Caspian decided to ask if he could put an arm around her. It felt best to inquire instead of doing so. They were not children; she was a woman and Caspian had been raised to respect boundaries. He turned to look at her.
“May I wrap my arm around you, Susan?” He asked softly. The way the firelight flickered on her features, highlighting her full lips and shapely nose. It reflected in her eyes, setting them aglow in a hypnotizing manner. It made her all the more attractive. All the more alluring to Caspian. He swallowed and forced himself to think of something else.
At the question, she looked over at him, studying his own features in the firelight, and meeting his gaze. There was something there, something very different from the way he’d looked at her when they were children, and it was so very obvious that neither of them were children any longer. It took her a moment to remember that he’d asked a question, and as she recalled it, Susan nodded. “You may,” she said just as softly, and once he had, she tilted her head to rest it against his shoulder if only to give her mind the chance to catch up and decipher her own desires and feelings.
Except that was a mistake, because all it did was place her squarely within his scent, her body now more intimately pressed against his by virtue of the fact that his arm was no longer between them, and she slowly lifted her gaze to his a second time.
There was much she wanted to say - or thought she should say - but rather than speak, Susan lifted a hand slowly and brushed her fingertips across his cheek, then rested his palm softly against his skin as she just took in this face of his - so familiar, yet so different from the boy she’d once known.
In a way, it would have been far easier if they were still children. They would already be cuddled under the blanket together without a thought to social norms and politeness. But as easy as that would have been, Caspian couldn’t see himself taking that over the way Susan was looking at him right now. From her gaze, he knew she realized it too. They were no longer children. The rules changed. He knew she could see through him as surely as he could see through her.
It was as if she was in a trance as she studied him in the firelight. Then, suddenly, she seemed to remember he asked a question and nodded, voicing her consent. Caspian settled an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against him. Her head rested on his shoulder and with no space between them, Caspian was fully engulfed by the warmth of her body and her scent. In response, he felt his pulse quicken and heart pick up pace in his chest.
How many times had he pictured a moment such as this with Susan? Thought about what it might be like to hold her in his arms? Far too many to count over the past six years. Obviously, in his imagination, such a moment took place in Narnia, in the palace or outside, while the two gazed up at the stars in the velvet sky and forgot the world around them. But Caspian was not picky about the setting. He didn’t care as long as he was with Susan.
Caspian felt as if there was something he should say. Oh, there were a million things he should say, but instead, all he could do was gaze into Susan’s eyes and watch as her fingers came to rest upon his stubble cheek. They brushed the skin before the palm came to rest on his cheek. The touch alone seemed to set every inch of his skin on fire. He briefly closed his eyes and savored the touch. The touch he’d dreamed about every moment since he’d last glimpsed her in Narnia.
“Susan.” Caspian’s eyes flickered open and his hand came to rest upon her own still on his cheek.
When he closed his eyes at her touch, she smiled a little, and her lips were still curved when they reopened and he spoke. "Caspian?" She said softly, teasing just a little with her tone. After a moment, her smile slowly faded to a look of seriousness as she studied his eyes. Oftentimes over the years, when she’d dreamt of Narnia, had had been in those dreams as well - and seeing him now felt almost like yet another dream, one she was afraid to wake up from.
But for too long now, she’d allowed fear to guide her actions; fear, and resentment, because she’d been full of so much after being told she couldn’t return to Narnia. Now, though, all that filled her was wonder, curiosity, and desire. Acting more on instinct rather than thought, Susan leaned in and brushed her lips across his in a kiss as light as her touch on his face, just taking a little taste while she could, with the hopes that he wouldn’t push her away for her lack of propriety.
When she replied with his name, voice teasing, Caspian could not help the grin that tugged at his lips. It was a gesture that reminded him of their past together, but the lighthearted moment was short lived. Her expression turned serious once more, her eyes studying his dark ones, and Caspian mirrored the motion. Much like Susan, Caspian felt as if he could be dreaming. After all, that was truly the only moment he could see Susan again.
Of course, his mind could never quite capture the beautiful woman sitting in front of him now. It could not hold a candle to the feel of her touch or the way her eyes seemed to peer into his soul. To the very essence of who he was as a man and a king. He had never found a woman with a gaze like Susan’s. She was truly unique in every aspect of the word. It was no wonder he’d developed a crush on her. Felt things for her. Things that remained strong even after years and worlds apart.
What she did next surprised Caspian. Susan leaned in and brushed her lips against his in a feather-light kiss. For a second, Caspian was so taken aback that he could not respond in kind. Then it was as if everything fell into place and he was returning the kiss. She tasted better than he’d ever imagined. He pulled back, his hand cupping her cheek, and searched her gaze for a moment. Then, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers once more and this time, the kiss was far from chaste or innocent.
When at first he didn't respond or move, Susan very nearly withdrew; but then he was kissing her in return and she couldn't move in the slightest. Her eyes stayed on his when he did draw back from her, and something in his gaze had Su tilting her cheek into his hand, just a little.
The second kiss, when it came, took her by surprise this time, but there was no hesitation as she let herself lean into the kiss and deepen it. Her eyes fell shut and Susan’s free hand lifted to rest lightly on his chest while the one on his face slid slowly back into his hair.
What she might have once dreamed about was now happening, and Susan could do nothing but enjoy it. Something deep down inside knew that this kiss was different from any she had experienced until now, and she opted to think about that another time.
When you had waited nearly seven years for a chance at something you never thought you would have, it was impossible to not give in when it was right in front of you. Caspian had thought about Susan, about all of the Pevensies, at least once a day since Edmund and Lucy departed Narnia. Of course, he’d probably thought of Susan the most. Of missed chances and an infinite sadness at knowing what could have been and would never be again.
But then he was here, on this mysterious island, under mysterious circumstances, and Susan was too. A twist of fate that Caspian found he wouldn’t trade for the world. As he kissed her that second time, he was lost in the sensation of her soft mouth on his and the feeling of her hand resting upon his cheek. He was also quite relieved she didn’t pull away or worse, chide him for being too forward. He knew he’d broken a few rules of courtship with such a bold move, but he couldn’t help it. Susan’s brazen gesture had ignited a fire within him that had been smoldering for nearly a decade.
After a moment, he pulled back, giving them each a chance to catch their breath. His fingers tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her hair was soft against the tips. A faint smile formed on his lips. “I may have been waiting nearly a decade to kiss you, Susan,” he replied softly.
Susan would never chide him for what had happened thus far, particularly when she had been the one to initiate the kiss. It had been pure impulse, and it was one she was happy she’d gone with, particularly now. When the kiss ended, her eyes slowly slid open as her breath shuddered out softly, and she returned the smile. “You don’t have to wait any longer,” she told him.
Tipping her head against his fingers because she really liked having them in her hair, Su meanwhile kept her eyes on Caspian’s. “I’ve thought about this sometimes. Of what might could be, but…I didn’t think it was ever possible.” And after her family had died, she’d tried to forget Narnia even harder. “I know that being on this island is….an impossibiliy, and that I should be more alarmed about it, and about what we might face. But somehow, because you’re here, I don’t mind it one bit,” she told him.
“No. I do not and even better, I know this is not a dream,” Caspian replied. It was a moment, however, that Caspian would cling to for the rest of his days. Work tirelessly in order to ensure he never forgot the way Susan’s lips felt against his and how she tasted it. This moment was far better than any his imagination could have created. He never wanted to lose it. He never wanted to lose her again.
In Narnia, he had no choice, but to let Susan go. To let them all go. Because Aslan deemed it necessary, but here? Here, there were no rules saying Susan must return to her own world and never return to Narnia once she reached a certain age. Here, on this mysterious island, they were allowed to be together. To spend as much time as they liked without worry of Aslan coming to steal her away once more. To send her to a place in which Caspian could never follow even if he wished with all of his heart that he could.
Caspian loved the way in which she leaned into his touch, seeming to savor it as much as he savored her own. Devouring it like that of a thirsty man who’d only had just a taste of water after being lost in a desert for days. Her words tugged at Caspian’s heart because he’d felt the same. He did not believe a moment like this was ever possible for them. Susan was fated to live in her world and Caspian in Narnia. Separated forever.
When she finished, the smile returned to his lips and he nodded. “I felt the same, Susan. I thought about you all the time. Your family too. But I never believed our paths would cross again. The moment Aslan said you could not return, I think I felt true disappointment, a true ache in my heart for something I could never have.” Even at thirteen, Caspian recognized what he was losing when Susan disappeared through that door alongside her family. He was losing everything, but he could do nothing to stop it. It was the first time in a long time Caspian had felt helpless.
His hand slipped from her hair and gently shifted to grasp her hand, intertwining their fingers. “I know what you mean. This place should be an impossibility and I should be more alarmed. More afraid of what could happen to us both and yet, because you are here, I do not mind. Whatever happens. We can face it together.”
Her thoughts ran along the same line as his - joy that they were together, and that no one was telling either of them they had to leave - even though they’d barely had a single day together thus far and tomorrow things could change. But at the moment, they had tonight, and Susan wasn’t going to let any time with Caspian go to waste.
As their hands met and fingers entwined, she lifted them to lightly brush her lips across his fingertips, then smiled again at him. “Together,” she agreed. “We can do anything as long as we remember that.” Even come together despite all the odds, it seemed. Now that it was decided, she had no problem snuggling in even closer to him, then lifted her head to kiss him again if only because she could, and no one could stop her.
Like their previous kiss, this was anything but chaste, and she took it even deeper, wanting to draw out everything she sensed he felt for her, and what she felt in return.
When Susan’s lips brushed the tops of his fingers, an electric shiver raced down Caspian’s spine. The simple gesture ignited every inch of his being and sent his heart into a frenzy in his chest. His gaze remained locked on hers and he allowed their foreheads to touch. She snuggled closer to him and tilted her head up, lips finding his own once more in a passionate kiss. Caspian returned it eagerly even as part of him chided himself to slow down.
This was not even their first full night together and Susan and him were not betrothed or married. Still, the other half of him felt as if he should live the moment to the fullest. To enjoy every second he had with Susan, kissing her and touching her, because what if this place decided neither of them was a good fit. What if it sent them away? Caspian would be returned to Narnia, alone, and never to have Susan as his Queen. As the women he chose to spend the rest of his life with. The thought crushed him. For once he had a taste of what he could have, how was he supposed to return to a life in which it was impossible to ever grasp again?
Acting on instinct, Caspian released her hand and settled his hands on her hips. Easily, he lifted Susan onto his lap, but not so that she was straddling him. He was hesitant to push too hard and fast even with the possibility of both of them being gone tomorrow. He still wanted to court Susan properly or at least attempt to because she deserved it. She was a lady of the highest calibur after all. A Queen of Narnia and one with the kindest heart Caspian had ever known.
His lips parted from hers. An arm rested around her waist, keeping her close, while another hand cupped the back of her neck. Nose brushing hers, he smiled. “I believe I could kiss you all night and never need anything more, but we should rest. As kissing you has fulfilled my greatest dream, sleeping beside you could quite easily compete.”
Susan had no quarry with him pulling her onto his lap so that she was sitting somewhat sideways, because at least it meant his hands were on her and they were still pressed close to one another. While she wanted nothing more than to do a great many more things with Caspian, the situation was far from ideal, and some small practical part of her felt that perhaps they should wait a few days, just to finish settling in a little more on the island before going that far.
All the same, she wanted to keep kissing and touching him in return, and the faintest sound of protest escaped her lips when he ended the kiss once again. Her breath was unsteady as her eyes opened again, and Susan returned his smile at the nose brush. “I’m loathe to say that you’re right because it means you’ll stop, but you are,” she said, the smile turning a touch wry.
“We really should rest, and see what tomorrow brings. And hopefully we’ll have a great deal more time together.” And they’d both stay there, because she was firmly of the thought that no one else would ever be able to take Caspian’s place in her heart, not after tonight.
Every fiber of Caspian’s being was screaming at him not to stop. To keep kissing and touching Susan. To lose himself in everything that was her. Especially when their lips parted and that small sound of protest escaped her lips. She looked so becoming with the flush upon her cheeks, eyes bright in the flickering firelight, and her breath was warm, tempting on his face. He found he thoroughly enjoyed leaving Susan breathless. Just as much as he enjoyed seeing her smile and knowing he was the source of such happiness. Such pleasure.
But Caspian wanted to take it slow. Susan deserved slow and perfect. She deserved to have Caspian court her like the king, like the man he was and like the queen, and the beautiful, young woman she was. “I was loath to say it,” Caspian admitted with a soft chuckle. Then, in an instant, his expression turned serious and his hand took up hers once more. His dark gaze never wavered from her gaze as he briefly pressed a kiss to the knuckles. “I wish to be with you Susan in all the ways possible. This is a promise of what is to come.”
“We will have more time,” he assured her. If not, then he only had himself to blame for missing out on a moment he’d been waiting years for. The king shrugged the blanket off and carefully maneuvered them down upon the old couch. He laid behind her and reached for the blanket, tugging it over them. Then, he settled his arm around her and pulled her close against him. Her hair tickled his face pleasantly and he found himself intoxicated by the smell of her hair and skin. He pressed a kiss to her cheek.
There was such yearning in her that Susan very nearly chose to take matters into her own hands to continue things - but at her core, Susan was still a very practical person, one who wasn’t given to immediately leap in without considering everything, and at the moment she could hardly think at all. When his gaze darkened and he kissed her hand, she met that gaze, then gave a nod. “I will hold you to that promise, Caspian,” she told him quietly, before smiling again.
Realizing what, precisely, he was doing, Susan moved carefully with him so that they were stretched out together, though she wished that she faced him instead of the fire. “Good night, my King,” she said whispered as one of her arms settled over his and her hand rested directly on his over her stomach and under the blanket.
Though she didn’t think she’d sleep, Susan closed her eyes and eventually let herself drift off, lulled by the warmth of the fire and of Caspian pressed tightly against her, and the feeling of his arm around her.