River Flows In You
Summary: The breaths stop and they each have their part in preparing the passage to Aslan's land.
Author's Notes: This story was inspired by the beautiful piano piece "River Flows in You" by Yiruma. I highly recommend listening to it if you've never heard it.
Disclaimer: The Pevensies and Narnia belong to C.S. Lewis, "River Flows in You" belongs to Yiruma.
Warning: Character death
The last drop of blood fell on the ground, darkening the grass into a deep shade of red. This time, there was no hope of recovery, no cordial drop to restore the life that had once been lived so fully. The joy had gone; only the mourning remained.
The sun, once high overhead, began its descent to sleep and so did the rest of the world, except those three. They stayed, standing, as the blood sank deep into the ground and flesh became pale.
"Come," said the oldest, "it is only right."
So they went to prepare the way, letting the falling tears mix with blood on the stained ground.
The two girls went first into Cair Paravel, while the High King followed, his brother cradled in his arms.
They all knew what was required; they all knew their roles to play. They just never expected to be called to fulfill them so soon. They departed from each other to their separate duties, knowing that when they came back together they would still not be whole.
Lucy gathered the white flowers with the long stems that grew by the shore – Edmund's favorite. He always said the white blossoms reminded him of the first time he met Aslan. With care and love, she clipped each stem to a uniform height, the bouquet becoming unnatural but beautiful and fitting. She plucked off each leaf individually, crushing them between her fingers along with her grief. This was her role; this was right.
Susan found the purple burial linens. Lined with golden embroidery, Edmund's numerous titles lined the edge. It was a Narnian custom for monarchs – each of them had a set already made, given to them shortly after the coronation, for when Aslan called them home. Except no one expected any of the linens to fulfill their purpose quite so early in the Pevensies' reign.
Susan took the linens from the special closet they were kept in and placed them in the coffin as was custom. The thick one she tucked into each corner of the casket, remembering the similar motions she used to make when tucked Edmund in at night, hoping the act would guard against nightmare or when she would make the bed in the morning, almost unnoticed.
She folded the cloth that would cover her brother and placed it at the foot of the casket, his title in clear golden thread. She knelt at the end, her part done, just waiting for it to be official. Her tears spent, she only stared at the golden lion's face that was etched into the ornate wood.
Lucy joined her, resting the white flowers on the pillow in the casket.
Peter came forth, still carrying Edmund in his arms. Gently, as if he had all the time in the world, he set his brother upon his final resting ground.
Lucy fetched him Edmund's silver crown.
"Once a King or Queen in Narnia, always a King or Queen in Narnia," Peter recited, and the words rang hollow through the halls. He placed the crown upon Edmund's dark head. Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen in Narnia. . . even in death.
They all had their parts; this was the farewell, until they met again in Aslan's land. The unspoken truth hung in the air around them, heavy and thick, almost suffocating. They had delayed as long as possible, but they could no longer. This was their goodbye.
Lucy placed the flowers between Edmund's now stiff hands. She curled his fingers around them, wanting him to hold on to them as tightly as he had clung to Aslan in life. Susan pulled the cloth up to his neck, tucking in gently around his shoulders, only wishing he was there to thank her as often as he had done before. Peter leaned over and kissed the top of Edmund's head, already missing his brother's warm embrace.
"Farewell, my brother," Peter proclaimed, his voice thick with sorrow, "Until we met again in Aslan's land."
Lucy, standing between her two older siblings, reached out a hand to both of them, which they both grasped with all the strength they had left.
"Until we met again in Aslan's land," Lucy echoed. It was both a hope and a promise of reunion, a glimmer of light to hold on to in the days ahead.
Holding each other tightly, they wept with the loss only a sibling and monarch of Narnia could know, but together, they would stumble towards Aslan and towards hope.