Title: Glasswater

Author: Mase992

Genre: Romance

Rating: M (for sexual themes)

Pairing: Susan/Caspian

Disclaimer: This was written in light of watching the movie twice, finishing the original book, and a late response to Challenge #1 at susancaspian from LJ with use of the prompt word "feast". No copyright infringement is intended and I'm not gaining any profit from this story, I'm only having fun with C.S. Lewis's fantastic world and characters.

Summary: It had been a mere coincidence; just a fleeting decision made under the influence of restlessness prior to a coronation and insomnia. He hadn't expected to meet up with her, and neither did she…

Movie-verse. Not beta-ed.

He fumbled the bedpost blindly, groping in the dark with hopes of finding his course. Emerging from the pile of blankets and linen covers, the Telmarine prince stretched his legs, put on a pair of leather boots, and wrapped a cloak over his broad shoulders. Silently and as slyly as a shadow, he found his way out of his chambers, through the grey stone corridors dimly lit by torches, and once his sharp features met the cool breeze of the courtyard and the plutonian rays of the great Narnian Moon, which as you may know is far larger and more splendid than ours, Caspian fixed his dark eyes on the magnificent black steed whose silhouette and dazzling size casted shadows on the cobblestoned floor. It stood stock-still with its glassy gaze meeting his master's; its breath hovered before its snout sending tiny clouds of vapour into the chilly, nightly air. While occasionally stamping a hind hoof, the noble beast christened as Destrier, remained straight on its spot. Bearing a smile, Caspian reached to caress its snout, and after whispering a few encouraging words he climbed the majestic beast until he was seated properly on the saddle and with the leather reigns grasped securely around his fingers and wrists.

"You know the way already, Destrier." He said, pressing his legs against the steed's strong flanks. Giving a short whiny in agreement, the royal horse trotted through the gates of Cair Paravel unnoticed by the Telmarine and Narnian guards sleeping at their posts and once the colossal stone arches disappeared beneath the safe cover of trees, Destrier broke into a free run. Caspian squinted his eyes as the mass of leaves and branches flashed past him, sinking in the ethereal stillness of the forest.

The fresh gales swept against his face as Destrier's pace quickened at his command. What little moon rays seeped through the thick shrubbery helped Caspian not to lose his trail within the eternal darkness of the sleeping forest of silver birches, wizened oaks, and gracious beeches. He opted to simply allow himself to be guided by the mirror currents of the ocean swaying to his left and the silvery reflection of the Moon on the waters allowed him to know, every time he took a wrong turn, where his destination was waiting.

After much turns and time, the scent of moist soil wafted lost amidst the retreating fir trees and the curtain of leaves finally lifted revealing the turquoise blaze of the night sky speckled with twinkling stars and dancing summer constellations. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, dressed in armour and blazing rubies saluted from the highest point in the sky while Alambil, the Lady of Peace, draped in a diamond gown and flowing aurora locks, curtsied at the soon-to-be king. Caspian returned the salutation with a quick bow of his head and then set his dark eyes back on the road.

He finally heard the welcoming sound of swaying waters. He sighed with content at the sight of swishing green waves crashing against the rowlocks, then dying down, melting within the deep blue rushes, exhaling their salty breath one last time before disappearing and being reborn in the rhythmic dance of the ocean, then dying once more against the surface of the brown stones. The clop-clop of Destrier's pelting hooves died down once it stepped on the blanket of pure, pale sand and Caspian drew his horse to a halt. He jumped to the ground, the sand sinking briefly under the weight of his boots, and then straightened himself to admire the vista.

He tied Destrier to a cluster of rocks and once he made sure that the knot was tight and resistant he began to follow the border of earth and ocean with light steps. He inhaled the fresh, salty air, and smiled inwardly at the sensation of his lungs filling with the clean substance. His raven hair swayed wildly against his face at the cool breeze's playful touch and his feet grew cold and numb when small waves crashed against his legs, and water finding entrances and roads inside his boots. He was lulled by the rhythmic swell of the ocean, its dreamy voice filled with a mystique melody that whispered secret songs to the wind and ushered silent stories of the olden times. He stopped to listen to the voices of the Dryads casting giggling choruses within the fading foam. He closed his eyes but his mind and ears remained open to those antique verses of Maenads and Sirens and for an instant his back chilled and his hair stood on edge when he heard the faint chant:

Euan, euoi-oi-oi-oi…

He opened his eyes, his olive skin acquiring a pale hue under the moonlight as the mysterious words, chants, and legends of fertility and creation slipped from his memory and into the safe drawers of Time's wardrobe. After the air of fleeting nostalgia was swallowed by the prince's own peace of mind, Caspian continued walking and admiring the extensive coast of the Glasswater Peninsula. He stood for a moment contemplating the stars; he easily recognized (and thanked Professor Cornelius deeply for this knowledge) the main constellations that graced Narnia's velvet sky in summer and named them as if by second nature.

"The Ship, the Hammer, the Leopard…" Caspian said with natural confidence. He was pleased that he had learned to know his kingdom so well, even if he was of the Telmarine race. The stories of the Old Narnia and its Talking Beasts that Professor Cornelius told him about on their nightly escapades for astronomy classes at the Great Tower had proved worthy after all, saving him from his brief encounter with death at his uncle's hands and rueful army, his meeting with the Narnians whom everyone had believed extinct but deep down believed they were still out there somewhere in the hazy moor under the pale twilight or hidden in the ghostly wood beyond Beruna.

Caspian had learned to love all inhabitants of Narnia, no matter the race, and as future king he knew it would be his duty to reunite both races and prevent new disputes among them. Of course, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to retrieve his throne or his rightful place as king, or even keep his life if it hadn't been for the aid of Kings and Queens of Old Score. It was also thanks to the Professor that he had come to posses the knowledge of these warrior and selfless kings and queens from the Golden Age of Narnia and it was his tutor who gave him the instrument to summon them from the past: a horn belonging to the Gentle Queen. The title hovered tauntingly before his eyes and her name slipped from his lips and out of his reach.

Susan…

Looking up, he admired the tiny, dark dot overlooking the sea in the distance that was the castle of Cair Paravel, his future home and also the current residence of the four legendary rulers who, as Queen Lucy had explained in a fit of her explosive laughter, had returned via the workings of mysterious magic that sent them back to Narnia through a cave near the bay. He had set out to inspect such cave and if the possibility of a portal that connected their worlds was still active. If there had been a magical entrance of some sort within the cave, there were no traces left to prove it had ever existed and once his musings and examinations on the cavern were settled, he sighed and prepared to return to where Destrier was waiting.

The strengthening wind toyed with his cape, the fabric fluttered behind him, gliding atop the chalky sand, and the murmuring waves sprayed droplets on his long strands of flowing dark hair. He walked slowly, enjoying the feel and beauty that his kingdom had to offer, and treasuring this moment of solitude and tranquillity. Stopping once more to glance at the ocean he imagined what lands lay beyond the dark horizon, what type of creatures roamed there, what stars tiptoed on those alien heavens, and then, he looked beyond. Past sky-reaching mountains and snaking rivers, whirling gushes of wind, and spinning clouds, until odours and shapes and sounds unlike any odour and shape and sound in Narnia vaguely materialized before his eyes. Was that the world the kings and queens lived in? Was that her world? He studied the magnificent, talking ocean and the outlining woods of dancing trees and the majestic castle looming on a cliff almost in reach of the stars. Confusion took over him. Did she miss her world? Could that other, distant and surreal world be more beautiful than Narnia? And if so, if he desperately asked her to stay here with him would she decline and return to that vast continent of unnatural odours and shapes and sounds. Would she rather leave than rule Narnia with him?

And then, a melodious and familiar voice tickled his senses. The songs of old or the secrets by the sea, as evasive and numinous as they may be could not hope to match the soft showery voice that at that moment made his heart skip a beat. For a moment he thought he had been fooled by the shushing of the sea or the crash of the waves and so to make sure he turned his gaze to inspect the sea.

"Caspian?"

And there he saw her.

He froze for a moment, believing it was some sort of apparition. He relished the sight of a pair of naked shoulders shaking under the lick of the moonlight, the creamy flesh enhanced by a pearlescent sheen reminiscent of the image of a frail snowdrop in bloom. Lithe arms curled around her chest while her slender body draped in a soaked, white dress, remained above the undulating and unstill waters. Drinking in the sight, Caspian inspected the face; her cherry lips were pursed into a thin line due to her embarrassment, her cheeks, dotted with subtle hazel freckles, were flushed pink. Her wet long curls cascaded down her partially revealed collar bone, and her auburn hair glistened golden under the Moon's spectre.

"Caspian, what are you doing here?" she tried again, turning to look at her reflection on the water.

Caspian lowered his head in respect, his face burning with heat and with his hand across his chest, "That should be my line, your Majesty."

"Oh enough of these formalities, Caspian." She answered indignantly, with a hint a stately command, and with coloured cheeks. "I just… wanted to be alone for a while…" she confessed in a barely audible voice. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, "but I never expected to meet you, of all people here."

"As did I, Susan." He replied warmly, "I aware that even you need a little time for yourself sometimes, between politics and battles." He offered her a sincere smile and his hand. She reached for him and dripping, with tresses of soaked fabric dangling behind her, he pulled her out of the water. Caspian removed his cloak and wrapped it around her delicate figure and pressed her to his side to keep her warm. Susan didn't complain about their proximity.

"May I ask…" Caspian started, "how did you get here?"

Susan tossed her humid hair, "I asked Glenstorm to leave me here earlier. Thankfully centaurs are wise enough to mind one's privacy."

"Indeed, they are trustworthy creatures."

She nodded and shuddered at the first hint of a gale. Placing an arm securely around her shoulders, Caspian opted for them to return to Cair Paravel but Susan heartily declined, asking for him to accompany her for a few more minutes.

They sat side by side, admiring the scenery and barely talking but mostly content of being in each other's company. It was after their eyes met for the third time and the sudden brushing of their hands that a plethora of mixed feelings and questions rushed through both youngsters' minds, and Susan broke. Streams of salty tears trailed down her face and cheeks and Caspian placed his warm palm against her skin, removing the droplets with his finger. He looked deep into her light blue eyes, overflowing with candidness and gentleness but he could still find in their core, in Susan, that something was wilting. She gazed at him, pleadingly and with submissive and smooth whispers that weren't common in the Gentle Queen's mannerisms. All logics thrown aside and frivolities turned into prime matters, Susan grabbed his hand carefully, kissing the tanned skin, and then guiding it across her face, from her wet left cheek, up her temple, behind her ear, and stopped, placing it between her rippling strands of soft hair. Caspian, rubbed her scalp slowly, massaging the damp skin in between trends of flowing, long hair as Susan exhaled blissfully at the feel of his skin touching hers. He tentatively leaned before her face, gingerly rubbing her nose with his own as he paused mere inches before the cherry folds, parted slightly in anticipation of his taste. His eyes ebony orbs searched for hers and once he had gained her approval, a lusty smirk etched across his face as his lips claimed hers in a brash take-over. She responded, tauntingly running her fingers through his silky hair that sipped itself like water between her slim limbs. Caspian's skin tensed at the savoury contact of her soft lips against his own and only relinquished for a minute to regain some air. She bore her deep beautiful eyes into his own and uttered his name, rekindling his intensifying passion. He huskily pressed his lips against hers once more, indulging in bliss the taste of her and the perfume of her hair and skin. She sighed against his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck as Caspian nibbled on her lower lip, using his tongue to silently plead for admittance. With a smile grazing her face, Susan gave in and moaned silently as he searched his way. The hand that rested on Susan's hair had slowly found its way down her collar bone and was carefully massaging it, urging soft gasps from the Gentle Queen's part. Susan blushed at the sudden ocean of heat that bubbled inside her stomach when Caspian's hand rubbed her skin, slowly and in a circular motion. Her breaths came out raggedly and she looked up at Caspian who smiled down at her reassuringly and making boiling blood to rush to her face every time he whispered her name.

"Caspian—!" she breathed startled, her chest heaving hurriedly as his fingers caressed her hard nipples, pressing against her dress. She whined slightly at the alien wave of heat that raced from her sensitive breast and down her lower abdomen. She moaned, whispering his name in soft convulsions of passion, and Caspian looked down at her with a sudden glint in his eyes.

"Susan…" he said, pressing her down on the sand, as her hair spread around her like a blanket of ripples. She soon closed her eyes in bliss, as his soft lips rubbed against her own tenderly and with utmost care and soothing. She placed her hands on his face, pushing him closer and feasting on his skin when she felt a sudden thrill that shook her completely. Panting and squeaking in surprise, as new waves of heat etched through her frame, Susan looked questioningly at Caspian whose hand now rested on her throbbing thigh. She then, after understanding, reassured him. Stretching her neck, purring against his earlobe, planted a wet, soft kiss on his skin, sending shivers down his spine and a gasp from his mouth. With a smile, and kissing her passionately once more, he thrust his finger against the core, gaining a moan of approval from his queen. He repeated the motion as Susan gasped and breathed his name repeatedly until releasing a scream of shrill ecstasy that was died down under his lips…

It was until the morning star first greeted the sky that they both laid together, holding hands, and wrapped in Caspian's warm cloak. Susan pressed herself closer to his chest, lulling herself to sleep with the beating of his heart and the pleasure of his emanating heat being only for her safekeeping. Caspian, smiling, ran a finger through her hair, playfully removing a few stranded grains of sand, while his arms were securely placed around her waist and back. He rubbed her cheek lovingly, tracing a trail down to her chin with a strand of auburn hair curled around his finger and delighted at the beauty of her figure enhanced under the first morning lights and the liveliness of her half-open eyes. Leaning to kiss her, Caspian whispered in her ear, sending sweet shivers down her nude shoulders.

"I love you, Susan…"

And when she intertwined her fingers with his own tightly, he knew that she knew.