Chapter Text
“You’d have every right to be disappointed in me,” Susan said to the empty air, “I know that I am.”
The gravestones didn’t answer her. She didn’t expect them to.
Six years after the last argument she’d ever have with her siblings, after the train crash that took her entire family away from her, and only now could Susan finally admit they were right.
Oh, she’d been so stupid when she was younger. Stupid to pull away from her siblings, stupid to have believed Charles when he said he loved her, stupid to have prioritized parties and fun over time with her family.
And now here she was. The widow of an unfaithful man, swiftly coming to the realization that her life had been built upon illusions and candy floss with nothing to fill the hollow behind her breastbone.
She gently ran her fingers over the simple carving of a lion on her sister’s gravestone.
“Even if they were just children’s games, they were more real than I was,” Susan whispered, “I’m so sorry.”
It was starting to get cold out, but Susan didn’t want to leave. When she left, she’d have to return to an empty house, one that was missing the warmth of love even before her husband had drunkenly managed to throw himself under the wheels of a fast-moving car. She’d have to eat food that had no taste, and pray that she didn’t dream when she went to bed. Then in the morning, she’d have to deal with all her “friends” coming over to insincerely apologize for the death of her husband and then wandering off to gossip about her and her pain, and just the thought of it all made Susan want to lay down in the grass and wait for a tombstone to be erected over her.
The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that her family wouldn’t want that for her.
“I’m not strong enough to do this,” Susan whispered, “I can’t…”
She sighed, laying her head against her sister’s tombstone and trying not to cry.
Then she stood up, and started walking.
Lucy was going exploring. It was a crying shame that more people didn’t take the opportunity to explore the millions of unique worlds that made up Aslan’s country, to her way of thinking. So many stories to hear, people to meet, things to see! Anyone who thought that Lucy, the most adventurous of the Pevensie siblings, wasn’t going to explore clearly needed their heads checked.
The world she was exploring now was just as wonderful as every other world she’d visited, although in her heart none could hold a candle to Narnia. Lucy’d already had a fantastic time hiking through the forest the locals called “Forever Fall” and trying the unique sap that was harvested there. She’d have to come back and bring Eustace along, he loved sweets.
Now she was exploring the nearby city, Vale. The shopping district here was excellent, and so was the food. The people were quite friendly (but that was not unusual here in Aslan’s country) if a bit more warlike than Lucy usually saw.
“Are you going to the arena?” Someone asked as she walked past.
“I’ve thought about it,” Lucy replied, “But I’ve never much liked seeing people fight and get hurt.”
“Oh, no one gets hurt!” A young lady in the nearby cafe laughed, “It wouldn’t be fun if anyone got hurt. We might not need to fight against the grimm anymore, but it’s still a big part of our culture. The huntsmen enjoy being able to just have fun and use their skills without anyone’s life on the line for a change.”
“Interesting,” Lucy mused. She still had a while before she was expected back at Cair Paravel, “Why not?”
Lucy found a seat in the stands with her popcorn and settled in as all the people around her cheered for the fighters in the ring. Right now it looked like a twelve-on-one, a dozen fighters going up against a single young woman with long red hair and golden armor. The young woman was winning.
Despite herself, Lucy was interested. Everyone down in the arena was visibly smiling. They were having fun. They were all getting thrown around by a small, slim young woman and they laughed when they ended up out of bounds and out of the fight.
“Winner!” the announcer calls, “Pyrrha Nikos!”
The crowd roared its approval, and Lucy clapped along happily.
Later, she wandered down to where the triumphant victor was looking less than happy. “That was quite the performance.”
“It didn’t feel like it,” the girl sighed, then squeaked, “Oh, I’m sorry! I’m Pyrrha, but I’m sure you know that.”
“Lucy Pevensie,” Lucy smiled at her, “It’s a pleasure. Are you quite alright? You certainly aren’t acting like someone who just won.”
“Winning has never been very important to me,” Pyrrha said, “And it’s not quite the same without my team.”
“Ah,” Lucy nodded understandingly, “Not here yet, are they?”
“I don’t want them to be here yet!” Pyrrha said hurriedly, “They’ve still got their whole lives ahead of them!”
“But you still miss them,” Lucy agreed, “I understand.”
They stood for a moment in silent solidarity.
“Ah!” Lucy lit up, “I have a marvelous idea. Why don’t you come with me to visit Narnia?”
“Narnia?” Pyrrha asked.
“Oh yes, my brothers will love meeting you,” Lucy said, “And I find there’s nothing better for loneliness than visiting new places and making new friends.”
“Well…” Pyrrha hesitated a moment, “Why not?”
“Oh, I’m so excited!” Lucy hopped in place gleefully, “Let’s go!”
“Well, this all seems to be in order,” Headmaster Lionheart nervously shuffled through the stack of papers he’d been handed, “We’ll begin your classes next week, to give you a few days to settle in. Welcome to Haven, Professor Pevensie.”
Susan smiled at him, the golden lion pin on her lapel gleaming, “Very happy to be here, Headmaster.”