Author's Note: Hallelujah! I just found my copy of the book, meaning I can continue writing considering chapter eleven isn't quite finished yet thanks to the lost book that's been missing for…over a year now…

Anyways, here's chapter ten and hopefully you can expect some more regular updating from now on. Also, I've begun posting this story over on AO3. I'll link it in my profile for you if you want to check it out. I've only got the first chapter up so far, but I'm working on getting caught up over there too.

Without further ado, here is chapter ten.

Chapter Ten:

The "Royal Breakfast" – as Susan was starting to call it – the next day was a quick and hurried affair. Caspian set out to find anyone who was willing to talk of what there could be beyond the Isles. Edmund and Peter left for the docks where The Dawn Treader was located. Lucy headed to see if she could pry Eustace from his room, leaving Susan to find Francis.

The guards had been attempting to get into better shape over the past few days. They had taken over one of the practice courts and had stayed there ever since.

When Susan arrived she could see that they were indeed making progress but there was still a ways to go. The men didn't notice that she was there for a few moments. But men began to stop what they were doing to stare. One very large man noticed and frowned. He strode over to her and said, "This is no place for women."

"I am here for Francis," Susan said.

"I was not aware that Francis was going to be fetched today," the man said.

"And who exactly are you?" Susan asked.

The man frowned down at her. "I am Master Robard, I am in charge of the Lone Islands' defenses."

"Well, Master Robard, I must have Francis," Susan told him, wondering if the frown on his face was permanently etched there.

"He can't be spared," Robard responded.

"Well, I have need of him. So I will be taking Francis with me."

"You have need of him? What do you need him for? Who are you anyways?" Robard asked.

"I am going to speak with him on the deplorable state of your guards. And as for who I am, you should be more aware of who exactly is in this castle," Susan said.

"She's a slave," a loud voice said from the back of the group of men. They parted to reveal none other than Nathanial. "She's a slave with ideas of grandeur."

He had a lovely bruise from where she had struck him and a brightly colored one from Caspian's hilt.

"Be gone with you," Robard said. "Return to your duties, girl."

"One, slavery is no more. Two, I believe His Majesty ordered you to leave this castle and never return. And three, King Caspian will be far from pleased when he finds you here."

"She's the Queen," Francis said. "She's King Caspian's wife."

Susan could only blink in surprise at that statement.

"The Queen?" Robard asked, paling considerably. "Francis, go."

Francis hurried to her side and the two left the practice courts. "I'm not Caspian's wife," Susan finally said. "He has nothing to do with my being Queen of Narnia."

"But His Majesty introduced you as the Queen," Francis said, puzzled.

"I was Queen long before he was born," Susan said.

Francis gave her a long look and then said, "You are Queen Susan of Old, aren't you. And your siblings are High King Peter, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy of Old also?"

"Yes," Susan said. "We return to Narnia when She has need of us."

"Is Narnia in danger?" Francis asked, growing alarmed.

"I do not believe so," Susan said. "In my opinion the most danger Narnia is in is Caspian's quest."

They reached the solar before either spoke again. "What did you mean when you said, 'return?'" Francis asked.

Susan opened the door to the solar and sighed. "My siblings and I aren't from Narnia. Not originally so. We come from another land and world." She sat down in a chair and continued. "When we left Narnia during the Golden Age we returned to our land. We came back to help Caspian gain his throne. Peter and I were told by Aslan himself that we were too old to return, yet here we are."

"I apologize for mistaking you as King Caspian's Queen," Francis said.

"It's alright," Susan smiled. "Now, what is it exactly that you wished to speak about?"

"You saw how ill equipped the guards are for actually defending against anyone. The vast majority of the men here don't know how to fight. And Master Robard…He's the former Governor's second cousin."

"Ah," Susan said, things beginning to fall into place.

"I believe that he should be replaced. He always supported the idea of claiming women."

"Do you have any suggestions for a replacement?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"And regarding the horrible practice with the women who work here?"

"I can't possibly thank the king enough for freeing them all," Francis said with a wide smile. "I plan on asking for Rachel's hand."

"Congratulations," Susan said happily.

"I couldn't have done that when she was a slave. I could only have bought her. Others have done that. It's the closest we could have come to marriage."

He continued, saying, "The problem now is that the men still view themselves as the "protectors" of these women. They think they still have control of them to an extent. Whoever replaces Robard needs to make them see that the women here are free to do as they wish now."

"I see," Susan said. "Do you have any ideas about who to put in charge of the women?"

"Pardon? You're replacing Madame Danvers?"

"I believe the Duke is," Susan said. "But yes, there is a very good chance that she'll be needing to find a new job shortly."

Francis thought for a moment and said, "I would love to say Rachel, but I'm biased. Other than that I can't say."

Caspian was in town for much of the day and returned to the castle past dinner. The Pevensies were gathered in Peter's rooms – Eustace still refused to leave his – when Caspian returned. He collapsed heavily on the couch Susan was sitting on.

"Long day then," Edmund asked.

"It seems that none have ventured beyond the Lone Islands," Caspian said. "I have listened to dozens of men tell stories of what lies beyond, though I have little doubt that all were merely tales." He looked at them all and asked, "How did your day fare?"

"Eustace refuses to come out of his room," Lucy said.

"The Dawn Treader is coming along well," Peter said. "We should be ready to depart in roughly three weeks I believe."

"Three weeks?" Lucy asked in surprise. "Isn't that a long while?"

"It's to make sure the ship is in top condition," Edmund said.

"It also gives us time to put these islands to rights," Caspian said. "Speaking of which, how did you talk with that soldier go, Susan?"

"It went well. Francis says that Robard – the man in charge of the soldiers – should be replaced. Also, someone needs to inform the men that the women in this castle are free to choose a man for themselves."

"I will speak to the Duke," Caspian said but was interrupted by a large yawn. "Though I believe I had best speak to him in the morning."

They made their goodnights, leaving Peter to his room. Edmund and Lucy headed off together talking about what exactly needed to be done to a ship to make sure it was sea ready.

This left Susan alone with Caspian.

"May I escort you to your room?" he asked, extending an arm in invitation. As it would have been rude to decline she nodded.

The two walked arm in arm to her room. It was silent, but it was a charged kind of silence. It felt extremely awkward to be walking alongside this man. She was grateful when they reached her door.

"If you would be willing, I think it would be beneficial if you could speak to the women who work here about the changes they would like to see," Caspian said.

"Of course," Susan said. "It seems Rachel is not willing to speak to me, but I will at least try."

"That is all I ask," Caspian said. With a bow he added, "I bid you goodnight."

Susan nodded and stepped into her rooms. Once the door was closed she leaned back against it.

Caspian was frankly driving her around the bend the way he was going from flirting to not and back again.

She stepped further into her rooms, making her way into the bed chamber. She stopped short when she saw the state of the room.

A locker sat at the foot of her bed, its lid tilted back. Inside she could see sensible boots, seafaring clothes, a satchel, and other items she might need on a trip to sea.

On her bed lay three dresses that she assumed were meant for the next three weeks that they would be on the island.

One was an exact match – an exact match to the purple dress she wore the last time she was in Narnia. The second was a deep, rich royal blue that looked like it was the Narnian equivalent of silk. The third was more formal than the first two but looked just as lovely. It was a pale red, but not quite pink. The scoop neck was rather low, but it was gorgeous.

There was a note on the bed as well. She picked up the parchment and read the surprisingly simple script.

Your Highness, it read

I took the liberty of ordering these dresses for you. They were completed today. The locker is full of everything and anything that you might require during our stay at sea.

Sincerely Yours,

The note was signed "C" but she could see that "King Caspian X" had been scratched out.

Oh yes, Caspian was driving her around the bend.