Authors note: hello! Passacaglia is my ongoing journey into the world of Narnian fanfiction, and an attempt to write an original character into this universe without falling victim to the many pitfalls inherent in that process. Anything you recognize is not mine, everything else is.

Prologue

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After the overthrow of Miraz at the battle of Aslan's How and the second battle of Beruna, and the following coronation of Caspian as a King of Narnia, the four Pevensies had resigned themselves to going home. Narnia was no longer without a rightful King –all was now as it ought to have been.

As so often happens, one day not too far away from the great events above mentioned, the four had happened upon the same place in their individual wanderings of the castle, a small green meadow long overrun by nature itself. It was there that they sat; each lost in their own thoughts, when a sweet smelling wind softly blew past, ruffling their hair and clothes.

As Aslan appeared before them, padding softly to where they sat, none of the children were surprised. It felt natural to them that he should appear in that moment, as natural as the following of autumn by winter, and the following of winter by spring.

"Are you sending us back to England, Aslan?" Lucy ventured to ask. The great Lion looked at them with a gaze that was full and bright.

"No dear ones," He said, his voice deep and rich, "you will remain in Narnia". He raised his head to the sky, inhaling a deep breath that stirred the air around them. "I cannot see the future, dear ones; only the consequences of choices already made. And I can only offer guidance to those who seek it. I do not know why or how, but there has been a change in the fabric of fate, from beyond the borders of this land, and beyond where I can see. There has been a change, and you will come to know it. It comes on the western wind and brings joy and life, but also pain and death. You must be strong. Trust in Caspian, for he will be a good King. Teach him about Narnia, for he wishes to know it. Trust in yourselves, and in Me. Know that I love you, and that I know you. Difficult times lie ahead...but do not live fearfully. There is time yet. Be not troubled, but ready. Narnia waits to be strong once more. She waits for you."

And as he finished, the Pevensies knew his words to be true. They knew that there was something coming that would test their faith – in Aslan, in Narnia and in themselves. But they also knew that it would not come tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. They knew that there was time now not to fear, but to build. To build happiness and strength, trust and hope. So that on that day, when it came, Narnia would be ready to face it.

And as they stood to embrace him, he breathed on them a sweet breath full of deep magic, blessing them. "Know that I am always here when you need me most," he said, nudging them playfully forward. "Go now, and rejoice. A new age has begun". The four ran back into the castle, pausing at the doorway to look back behind them. Aslan was gone, as quickly and as silently as he had come. They smiled, and the courtyard which for so long had been barren and empty heard the strains of their laughter before they disappeared behind the stone walls.

But the Pevensies were not the only ones to see Aslan that night. Caspian sat on his bed in the Castle that had been his only home for all of his life, when he turned his head to find Aslan standing in the opened doorway of the balcony, the setting sun behind him. Caspian lowered his eyes, and knelt. "Aslan," he said, with wonder and fear in his voice.

"Rise, dear one," Aslan said as he walked into the room, coming to be in front of Caspian, who sat back down on the bed. "You have won a great victory, yet you are troubled. Why?" He asked. Caspian looked at Aslan then; really, truly looked at him, and knew that he could not lie to one who saw into his heart.

"I – I do not know," he answered, his voice flowing with the smooth accent of his forefathers. "I do not know what to feel."

"I did not know what to expect when I came back to this place," he continued. "I suppose I always thought that if I ever managed to overthrow Miraz, this castle would finally feel like home. But I look at these walls and feel only emptiness and pain. I do not know what that means. And I fear that if I do not know what even that means...then how can I know how to be King?"

"You are young, dear one," Aslan breathed softly. "You have known only pain and suffering behind these walls. Do not look to the stones for comfort and healing, for they cannot aid you. What has been done is done, and cannot be reversed. Instead, look within you, and to the ones who love you. Know that home is wherever your heart resides. Know that since others now carry a piece of your heart in theirs, you will feel home whenever you are with them. And know that there is a place for you in Narnia, whether you believe it now, or not. You doubt yourself - you are inexperienced, yes. But you care for the people of Narnia, and your heart is good and pure. The work of a King is never easy, and there are troubled times ahead, as I have told your brothers and sisters. But trust in them, trust in me, and trust in yourself. There is fear in your heart. But there is love and courage too."

And Caspian heard his words, and knew them to be true. He knew that he loved Narnia, and that he would always strive to protect it and those who had come into his life to help him save it. He knew that there would be hardships ahead, but that he would learn now, work now, build now, in order that he might see them through. He was still scared. He knew little about being King, and worried that he might turn out like his Uncle had been – A man who was unable to tell the difference between reigning over and owning a people.

"You will be a good king, Caspian the tenth," Aslan continued in his heavy, golden voice. "Do not be afraid. I believe in you." He licked Caspian softly on his forehead, and Caspian closed his eyes. When he opened them, Aslan was gone.

Caspian looked around the room, turning his eyes to the balcony where the wind blew through the silky curtains. He stood and walked over to it, leaning his hands on the stone railing. Just as he did, another gust of wind blew into the room. But this was no ordinary wind. It was stronger, and carried that sweet smell that meant Aslan was near; a mix of honey and cinnamon, of fond memories long held dear, of sunsets and sunrises. Caspian closed his eyes against it, letting it surround him. He felt the magic against his cheeks and on the palms of his hands.

He turned and ran out of the room, off to find the Kings and Queens of old; his friends...his family. He found them in the great hall flooded by the warm light of the dying sun. And when they saw him, the Pevensies smiled and laughed, calling out. Peter's booming voice shouted his name, and Lucy's laugh was full of music, like wind through chimes. He came closer to them and saw a grin on Edmunds face and trust in his deep brown eyes. And Susan's were full of warmth and something else, deep caramel pools that reminded him of Aslan's mane.

They clapped him on the shoulder and hugged him, surrounding him as they sat. To the East lay Cair Paravel and Peter almost thought he could see its spires far away across the rolling hills. Caspian looked at him and seemed to know what he was thinking, for he was thinking it too.

"We'll rebuild it," he said softly, "as soon as we can". And they knew he wasn't just talking about the Castle, but Narnia itself, which had survived the sickness, but was now in need of healing.

"We saw Aslan," Edmund said. "Something's coming." Caspian nodded.

"He told me as well. But there is time yet, I think."

"Yes," agreed Lucy, "there is. Time at least for tonight, isn't there? Let's just spend tonight talking and telling stories, and thinking of good things".

"That's a right good idea, you know," Peter added. He was silent for a minute, and thoughtful. "Say Ed, do you remember that time we were coming back from Archenland and that young princess...what was her name? She had hidden herself in the caravan and we found her on the way home? She said she thought that if she got all the way to Narnia you'd marry her!" He began to laugh loudly, the force of it shaking his shoulders, causing everyone else to follow suit.

"Mathilda" Edmund replied drolly, remembering the incident not quite as fondly.

Lucy laughed suddenly, loudly, and they all turned to look at her. "Oh my gosh!" she managed out between laughs. "I just remembered that time when we were in the breakfast room and that little faun spilled hot porridge all over Edmund's lap, and then he knocked over that pitcher of ice water on to Peter, right as that envoy from Galma was walking in! God he looked mortified, do you remember that! You two were flying about like chickens!" And she dissolved into laughter on the floor, taking Susan along with her. Edmund looked at Caspian.

"I'm not faring well in this little trip down memory lane," he remarked dryly, but his eyes smiled. Lucy finally calmed down long enough to take a real look out the window. The sun was bright against her eyes, but she kept them open. She was happy, in the best way that one could be happy. It was the kind of happiness that was contagious, that spilled over and touched other people's very souls until they felt it too. She imagined to herself a lifetime of Narnia, and the happiness intensified - she felt it thrum through her very being, through the bridge of her nose and the tips of her fingers and the bends of her knees. She thought about never having to worry whether this day would be their last, never having to remember to say goodbye to make sure you didn't miss your chance. She smiled a soft, secret sort of smile, and thought of Aslan.

'I always knew you would bring us back' she thought. And as she turned to join again in the laughter to her right, she thought that she could almost feel Aslan beside her, smiling.

And as the five kings and queens laughed on into the night, that same mischievous breeze rolled through the castle once more, filling its nooks and crevices with a sweet smell.

A new age had begun.

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