Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. C.S. Lewis does.

"Thank you, Uncle Digory, for inviting us here."

The Professor smiled down at Lucy Pevensie, now a young woman. She beamed up at him. "Bless you, my dear. It is always a joy to be able to talk about the land we all love."

"I say, Aunt Polly, these potatoes are splendid!" exclaimed the good-looking youth across the table from the Professor. "They won't last long, if you eat them at that pace, Scrubb," retorted the youngest there, Jill Pole. He answered crossly.

"Now, both of you, stop it," said one whom in Narnia was called the Just. "There are enough potatoes to go around."

The High King watched them all in amusement. "Uncle Digory, I do believe we were to talk about Narnia at this special dinner, and not the distribution of potatoes."

"Yes, I believe that was the reason. Now, Jill and Eustace," he said, turning to the two friends. "You told us somewhat about your visit to Narnia last year, but I have not quite heard in full. You say that Caspian was an old man, about to die? And he did set sail for the End of the World?" Eustace nodded, his mouth full. Jill answered, "Yes, sir. And we attended his funeral, and then we were in Aslan's country, and he brought Caspian back... if you take my meaning." The Professor nodded. "And the country... how did it appear to you?" asked Edmund. "Was it flourishing?"

"I'd say somewhere at the bad end of management at the time," replied Eustace. "But of course, mainly we only saw the Northern Waste."

"And those beastly giants!" Jill shuddered.

Lucy cocked her head ever so slightly. "But Caspian told us... when we were on the Dawn Treader, at least, that he had whipped those giants and made them pay tribute."

Eustace nodded. "And they did, and they were, but they still eat men! As long as Narnians stayed on their side of the river, they were fine."

"Now, the witch," said Polly Plummer, leaning forward. "Do you think she may have been Jadis? It seems like the sort of plan she would cook up."

"I jolly well think not!" said Edmund, turning to look at her. "Not meaning any disrespect, Aunt Polly, but Aslan killed her, and that was the end of that."

"But maybe," replied Peter, "just maybe, she somehow came back. Remember, Edmund? When we were in that cave, the night we met Caspian? There were a hag, a werewolf, and a dwarf insisting that She could be brought back from the dead... maybe someone did!"

Lucy retorted, "Of course not! They were probably bluffing, anyhow. Sort of like 'The Bolt of Tash falls from above.' I don't think Aslan would allow it."

Eustace muttered angrily, "Oh, come out of it! Stop before there's a dreadful row. That's not what we gathered for anyway."

Peter said, "I think Eustace is right. We ought not to be.." but Jill interrupted him by jumping to her feet with a small scream. Lucy and Eustace were on their feet, too. Polly gasped, and the Professor made a small movement with his hand- a wineglass shattered on the floor- and murmured, "Well! Bless me!" Edmund's eyes widened and his eyebrows went up. Peter clenched his fist and turned pale.

Across from Lucy stood a man where no one had been the second before. He was dressed as a king, though dirty and tattered. He seemed to be as surprised as they were.

Peter swallowed hard and summoned the courage to speak. "Speak, if you're not a phantom or a dream," the eldest Pevensie commanded. "You have a Narnian look about you, and we are the seven friends of Narnia." The man looked as though he were trying to say something, but he made no noise.

Peter rose from his seat, his eyes fixed on the man. "Shadow or spirit or whatever you are: If you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan, speak to me. I am Peter the High King." But the vision began to fade.

Everyone started talking. Peter stepped back. The man disappeared, with a look of despair on his noble face.

"Well, what in the name of Aslan was that?" exclaimed Eustace impatiently. "He shows up, says nothing, and disappears!"

"Wouldn't I like to know," replied Peter thoughtfully. "He really did look like he came from Narnia."

"Yes, I think so," added Lucy. "But why? Why would he appear now, and what is happening in Narnia that he should appear?"

The Professor was deep in thought. "Well, I might as well say it now. I called this dinner because I felt that we were somehow needed over there. It seems we are."

Edmund stood and placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. "But if we are needed over there, then there jolly well ought to be a way to help! None but Aslan himself could let a Narnian appear to us like that, which means something's up!"

"Yes, and he looked like something dreadful was happening," Jill mused. "I wonder what's up in Narnia."

Eustace banged his knife on the table, earning a questioning look from them all. "It's not whether something's up, or what's up, it's how do we get there?" he exclaimed. He looked toward Peter for support.

Peter nodded. "Yes, I suppose we must get there somehow," he agreed. "But how? We can only get there if Aslan called you two... and who knows when that would happen?"

Polly turned suddenly to Digory, and he nodded at her. "That's just what I was thinking, Polly." He looked at the children. "Do you remember how I told you I buried the rings?"

Everyone nodded solemnly. All had been informed of the history of visits to Narnia- and the history of Narnia itself.

"Well," the Professor said slowly, "Perhaps the rings have not been entirely lost. Perhaps they could be retrieved by some careful hunting... and used."

Edmund and Eustace both clamored, "Oh, yes! Let's do! Can I go?" then looked at the other and laughed.

Polly spoke slowly. "I don't think it would be wise to send you, Eustace, as you are still somewhat young. I think Peter and Edmund should get the rings, then we could somehow meet them and possibly the ones who hadn't been told they could never again go to Narnia could go together."

"Splendid idea, Polly," smiled the Professor. "If I remember correctly, there are eight rings. Possibly the Pevensies could go explore the Wood between the Worlds and take along a guinea pig!" Polly and Digory laughed together, the sweet laughter of a shared joke. The younger ones smiled in puzzlement.

Peter smiled, too. "I think that's a fair idea, Uncle," he said. "When do we start?"

"Bless me, what do they teach them in these schools?" muttered Digory, and winked at Polly. Louder, he added, "Right now! Of course! If we're wanted, then we must start immediately! Start making plans today!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" said Edmund.