The Valley Between Us (1)

Chapter 2: Reliving the Golden Age

That night Caspian introduced Peter and Susan to Liliandil and regretfully announced their engagement. Peter congratulated him trying to sound excited but was burning with anger on the inside. He had seen the looks Caspian was giving Susan. How could he lead her on like that only to tell her he was already engaged?

Susan congratulated them with a smile, but an artificial smile. How could she be happy for him? She loved him, so she wanted him to be happy, but not with someone else. What about how he had stared at her when they first saw each other on the beach? What about the way he had looked at her when their hands touched at the boat? Was it all just a lie?

~

That night Susan couldn't fall asleep. How was she expected to anyway what with everything that had taken place that day?

She decided there was no point in tossing and turning all night, so she arose from the cold bed. There was a velvet cape hanging on the hook by the door. She pulled it on over her nightgown and crept quietly out of the room so she wouldn't wake Lucy.

She tiptoed outside to the deck. The sky was filled with many constellations, all different from the ones Susan sometimes saw from her bedroom window back home. She sat on one of the steps and pulled the cloak tight around her arms, burying her hands in the soft fabric.

So many thoughts swirled through her head, but they were all abruptly interrupted by Peter's voice coming from the doorway. "Hey Su." He greeted, walking towards her.

"What are you doing awake?" She asked.

"I couldn't sleep either. When I heard you get up I just followed." He took a seat on the steps next to her. They sat staring at the stars for a long while.

Susan finally spoke, spilling her thoughts that had collected in her mind since hearing of the engagement. "I can't decide weather I'm happy to see him again or not." She confessed, still staring up at the night sky.

Peter tried to catch her eyes, but she didn't look down. Her statement didn't surprise him. He had wondered how she was taking the news all day, and this wasn't anything different than he had expected.

"When I first saw him standing there on the beach I was overjoyed. When he stared at me I thought I could feel that same spark I had the very first time we met. I thought maybe everything would work out, but then he told us about Lilliandil..." She trailed off, her voice about to crack, her eyes about to tear, and her heart about to scream. She didn't even need to go further, Peter knew exactly what she was feeling.

"I know." He sighed, looking down to his feet. Susan squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to stop the tears from spilling over, but it didn't work. Next thing she knew her face was buried in her hands and her body was shaking as she sobbed, letting out everything that had been built up inside.

Peter had expected this as well. He reached his arm around her. Maybe Caspian had turned his back on her, but Peter wasn't about to do the same.

~

Despite her lack of sleep Susan still rose early the next morning, earlier than any of the crew members. She sat on the deck where she had the night before. The horizon glowed a deep orange, as the sun began to wake up. Just as the sun was peeking from the horizon, so was Caspian peeking from the doorway.

He had arose early as well. His mind also swirled with many thoughts. It swirled with confusion, and helplessness. And suddenly he swirled around when he heard the deep voice of the high king behind him.

"What brings you out here this time of morning?" Peter asked and approached him.

"Oh! I - I didn't sleep well." Caspian admitted nervously. Peter hadn't been particularly fond of him before, and Caspian was sure his engagement didn't help their friendship.