Mauvaise Chance Apartments - evening

[susanofnarnia]

Susan was sitting out on her balcony, enjoying a small glass of wine and a good book. Or rather, watching the sunset. She might be having trouble concentrating.

[for once_a_king]

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[once_a_king]

Peter had just about forgotten about the possibility of using the telephone again so he walked down to Su's apartment to see if she was home. He saw her on the balcony and watched her for a second with a slight grin. Calling up, he said "Daydreaming, Su?"

[susanofnarnia]

"Peter!" She shot to her feet, leaning over the railing, her eyes lit up. "You're back! Come up, come up at once!"

[once_a_king]

Peter quickly ran up the stairs to Susan's apartment. Entering it, he bowed then hugged her tightly. "Good evening, sister. You didn't doubt I would be?"

[susanofnarnia]

"I had a couple bad moments," she confessed into his shoulder. "I kept telling myself we'd hear something, but-- I'm just so glad you're well, and you *are* back." Pulling away, she studied him, looking at him carefully. "How long was it for you?"

[once_a_king]

"I had some when I didn't think I was coming back either," he confessed to her as well. He brushed his too long hair out of the way and looked down at himself. "Two months. Ed and I were hunting some of the Witch's people through most of it. I - it took far longer than I thought it would. They were much better organised and supplied than we expected. Or than we were."

[susanofnarnia]

"Oh, lord." Susan swallowed, then asked, "But you found all of them. They're no longer a danger. Correct?" She put her arm around him, guiding him to her couch. "How were they so well organized?"

[once_a_king]

Peter followed her to the couch and sat down after her. "No, we took care of all of them. They were...they'd just obviously been planning for quite a while. They had food stashes and boltholes. We expected them to hit the first village then make for the North mountains like usual. So we rode to cut them off, but they weren't there." Peter shook his head, still upset with his inability to take care of it. "They attacked four more villages and several other dwelling places before we caught them. I...I ought to have been more prepared."

[susanofnarnia]

"How could you have been?" Susan opened a tin of cookies she had by the couch, and took one for herself. "You were acting on their past patterns, and what little you knew of their plans. Peter, you couldn't have done anything else." She took his hand, and squeezed it. "I know you did your very best."

[once_a_king]

He looked at her slightly askance. "That's all well and good, Su, but you know as well as I do that my 'very best' doesn't help the people killed or the homes destroyed. We aren't meant to do our best. We're meant to do what's right." He squeezed her hand back. "But I appreciate you saying that."

[susanofnarnia]

"I'm not *just* saying it, Peter. You may be High King, but you're human, Son of Adam." She sighed. "We took on so much. You *are* taking on so much-- and Aslan isn't always there to help. As difficult as it is to accept, there will be times like this again. And doing what's right doesn't guarantee that all will survive."

[once_a_king]

"No, of course not," Peter said quietly, meeting her eyes. "But that doesn't mean that I won't remember them and feel that I failed them." He brushed his hair out of his eyes irritably. "When I got back to Narnia? Only two days had passed."

[susanofnarnia]

"Typical." Susan bit her lip, studying him. "Is it very strange to be back? I always found it such a jolt, to be back in England. But this isn't England, and it's only been four days."

[once_a_king]

Peter considered for a minute. "I think it shall be tomorrow when I speak to more people. I've only seen you and Willow so far." He realised a second too late that he may not have wanted to mention to his sister that he'd seen Willow first. "But in some ways, Fandom feels a bit like Narnia. Maybe it's the magic?"

[susanofnarnia]

"You've seen Willow? Good. She was quite worried about you." Susan looked thoughtful, studying him. "Maybe it is the magic. And the need not to hide things. I do so miss Uncle Diggory, sometimes. He could be so sensible about Narnia *and* England."

[once_a_king]

"She said she had tea with you. Thank you." Peter blushed slightly at Susan's mention of Willow's worry. "I don't remember any Uncle Diggory? Unless I do and I'm mad?"

[susanofnarnia]

"Sorry, silly of me-- Professor Kirke." Her lips twitched. "We got to know him quite well after our first trip. He believed everything we told him, mostly because he'd visited Narnia himself, when he was very young."