Prologue
It had been hard on all of them, coming back from the land they'd grown to love so much. That much was undeniable. It had become safety. It had become peace. It had become an escape. It had become home.
Peter missed the freedom and power coming with his kingship. Touching his side and finding the rough fabric of his trousers replacing the cold hilt of a sword made his heart sink. Anger, resentment, bitter fury all rose up inside him with every command adults gave him. How dare they? Didn't they know who he was? Without his crown, though, how could they? Did he even know who he was now?
Susan longed for the gentle rolling hills, soft sand that caressed the beach, and glorious sunrise that met her every morning. Her thoughts drifted away from the glum English day to the grand ballroom of Cair Paravel. Was there ever a month that went by without it being filled with the clamor and excitement of a ball? The admiring gazes of their subjects – no, their friends – haunted her; she had been so beautiful. Now, she was back in a teenager's body, dreaming of the day she would look like Queen Susan the Gentle once more.
Lucy yearned for the dear friends she'd left behind. What was Mr. Tumnus doing without her right now? It was their tea time, the time she had never missed once since her coronation. She missed being able to walk outside and instantly find a friend in a squirrel, a rabbit, or any passing animal. Now who could she talk to? Not Peter, who was angry all the time. Not Susan, who barely stayed home anymore. Not Edmund…
Edmund…No one was sure what he missed. He loved Narnia, undeniably, but what was he holding onto from that land? Was he clinging to the good memories, the ones where he defeated enemies, delegated peace with foreign lands, and spent hours horseback riding through the fields? Or was the clinging to the bad memories, the ones where the White Witch permeated the air of every breath he took before his coronation?
The first month, no one thought much of anything else. They were all hurt, confused, wondering why Aslan had sent them back to the world they didn't belong in. But, over time, they began to adjust. They lost their royal speech, forgot about the wonderful food they used to have every night, and stopped touching their heads in search of a crown and their belt searching for a sword. Life seemed to go on for the Pevensies…at least, for three of them.
[Author's Note: Hey everyone! Okay, so I've posted a few chapters of this story before but I kinda left it hanging, so now I'm revamping it. Reviews are great; please leave some!]