Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...
Summary: Even in the midst of pain, there is yet comfort.
A/N: This snippet is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe.
In the Midst of Pain
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It was not often that she came here. To the memorials and graves. It often felt so barren to her like a forest that had been burned and salted to the point that nothing green and life-giving could ever sprout again. It was most difficult to force herself to enter the memorial set aside for the seedlings and saplings plucked from the rich soil of life far too soon. But she knew there was one whose seedling lay in a far different cradle than envisioned who now kept vigil within the boundaries of the memorial and the pang within her own breast at what had occurred in Terebinthia drove her actions.
The Nymph sat on a bench but her gaze was fixed on a simple marker with a name carved into the marble surface. Thalia sat next to her. Surely it was worse to find your seedling did not even have the chance to draw the first breath than to never have hope of a seedling. The thought made her look down as she held back tears. Four years of marriage and there was no seedling with her husband's sky-colored eyes to grace their lives. "Does the pain ease?"
Her companion did not look away from the little memorial to her lost seedling. "I am told it does fade or at least it does not pierce the heart with such agony. Eventually. You should not let a bitter diplomat plant doubt in your mind, Your Highness."
Thalia stiffened. "Word has spread so swiftly?"
"Before you ever returned, we knew of the insult offered to you and the High King. Children are a blessing. No doubt, the blessing will come to you in time. When Aslan deems it so."
Turning, Thalia caught a glimpse of a single tear rolling its way down the curve of her companion's cheek. Pity stirred in her. "Surely the Great Lion will give you another seedling. Surely He is comfort."
"Surely." The Nymph closed her eyes as the tears began to fall freely. "But the pain of loss is yet a lance. Comfort is there but it is difficult to see and seems to slip through my fingers when I reach for it. But that is fear and hurt's design, not His. Never His. The most difficult task given to us when in the midst of suffering and sorrow is to trust in Him and in His goodness even though we do not understand why these things are happening or at least not happening the way we want and when we want."
Thalia fumbled for a handkerchief, intending to offer it to her companion even as tears blinded her own eyes, but a sound from behind made her look over her shoulder. The intrusion made her rise from the bench and slip away as the Nymph's husband pulled her into a comforting embrace, one Thalia had no wish to trespass upon. Raising her handkerchief, Thalia dried her eyes then entered the gardens, not stopping until she stood within a grove of beeches. She slipped out of the fine velvet slippers and raised her skirts to her ankles as she planted her feet more firmly in the soil. Tilting her head back, she felt the warm kiss of the sun's rays upon her face. "Aslan, You know my desire for many seedlings to spring up in the grove of our marriage. I fear, Great Lion, and its bite is as deep as an ax taken to slender saplings. We wait on Your blessing, Great Lion. Give us comfort. Give us all comfort."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! I had every intention of writing a funny, enjoyable story...this came out instead. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.