An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 6

Susan's POV

After Lucy had quite literally stumbled upon the path down the cliff, we began making our way down the cliff's edge. Lucy and Trumpkin at the front, Y/n and I next, and my brothers bringing up the rear. We begin to cross a shallow river. As we're crossing, Y/n places her foot on an unstable rock and falls back. I reach out and grab her arm.

"Twice in one day, yeah?" I laugh as I pull her back up.

"Guess you are really that uncoordinated," Ed teases Y/n from behind us. I grin at him and wiggle my eyebrows, which seems to be my signature look for these two recently. He rolls his eyes at me.

"Yes, I really am!" Y/n laughs at herself as she continues forward. I notice Edmund smile at her before looking down to see where he's stepping.

"Be straight with me Y/n," I say in a quiet tone to be sure the boys don't hear me. "Could you even entertain the idea of liking Edmund? I mean, you've known each other for so long, and you two seem to play off each other well."

Y/n laughs lightly.

"You're really pushing this, Sue, aren't you?"

"You two are very similar, and I know you've gotten to be some sort of friends in the last year. You two are always teasing each other. I know you both just have that kind of humor, but you're telling me there's nothing more there than just joking with each other?"

I'd secretly always wanted them to get together, but Ed had been such an arse for so long it didn't really seem possible until this last year. Y/n had always been too headstrong and mature for him until he changed last time we were in Narnia. Now, they'd compliment each other quite well. Plus, Peter and I have a hunch Ed has had a crush for a little while now.

Y/n looks at me for a moment, contemplating my words. She sighs.

"Sue, I love you and your family. I'm beyond thrilled and honored to be here with you all, but my teasing with Ed is simply us playing off each other's attitudes," she says. "I like being around him, and he is great. I just don't think we like each other like that."

I consider her words and look back at my younger brother. They have the perfect personalities and senses of humor for them to be friends and just flirt with each other, but I sense there's something more there.

"Fine, I believe you," I say with an eye roll. "I'll leave it alone IF you promise me one thing."

"What's that," Y/n says with an amused look on her face.

"You don't rule out the possibility of letting something more happen," I stick out my hand to seal the deal.

"Ok, I promise," Y/n shakes my hand laughing, and we step onto the shore, having successfully crossed the river.

——————

Darkness had fallen upon us, and we had built a small
fire. We had all laid down to rest, and everyone was asleep, or so I thought. I notice Lucy staring at the Narnian constellations above us.

"Lu? You up?" I whisper.

"Hmm?" She responds.

"Why do you think I didn't see Aslan?" I prop myself up on one elbow and face my little sister. She does the same.

"You believe me?" She asks with a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Well, we got across the gorge thanks to you."

"I don't know. Maybe you didn't really want to..." she says almost guiltily.

"You always knew we'd be coming back here, didn't you?" I look around at my brothers, Y/n, and the new friend we'd made today.

"I hoped so," she said with a smile. "Aren't you happy to be here?"

"While it lasts," I say, my heart heavy. I love Narnia. It changed me for the better. It changed all of us, but I had lost hope in our return in the last year. In fact, my first time here had morphed into some sort of distant dream and less of a distinct memory.

I had a feeling this time in Narnia would be very different than the last, and not just because Y/n was here.