Hello, all! I'm back to publish this new one-shot: In Aslan's Time. It was my submission to NFFR's Secret Santa. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, the Pevensies, etc. but Anna is mine.

In Aslan's Time

The sky was dark with looming rain clouds that only emphasized the gloom of those standing in the St. Michael's church graveyard. Every person was draped in black and even the scenery outside seemed to be shrouded in grief. It was still early spring, but a late frost had killed the emerging blossoms before vanishing again. The trees were mostly bare, with a few dead leaves hanging from their branches.

Anna Davis stared dully across the field behind the church. Fitting, she thought dryly. Even the earth mourns their partings. The girl standing next to her—Susan Pevensie—was blinking rapidly, as only someone who is trying desperately not to cry can. Anna took her hand and squeezed it gently to remind her that she wasn't alone.

They barely heard the minister's words as the caskets were lowered slowly into the ground in front of them and Anna wondered idly what that family (for indeed it could not be anything but a family) was doing now. Do they even remember us here? Does Peter remember me?

Her fiancé's name brought a stab of anguish and pain and her eyesight blurred for a moment. Susan glanced at her and smiled sadly. "They'll remember us," she whispered. "They must remember us." Anna nodded at her and dropped her gaze to the headstones being nestled into their places.

She supposed that it had been fortunate to have all of that "family" buried in the same place, but the thought brought her no joy. "Are they… in His country, do you think?"

"Yes," Susan replied.

"They deserve to be there, I think."

"I hope one day I'll deserve to be there, with them." Susan smiled fondly at the thought. "Think of it: all of us in Aslan's country. Together."

Anna smiled and the two young women turned to walk away from the graves. "Did I ever tell you about when Peter told me about Narnia?" she asked. Her own levity surprised her, but Susan didn't seem to notice. They climbed into the car they'd driven to the cemetery and Susan shook her head. "Well," Anna continued. "It was right before we went back to school. Peter had told me stories about Narnia before, but I thought they were just that: stories. But then…"

"What?" Susan looked eager to hear about her older brother.

"We went on a walk."

vVvVvVv

Anna clasped her hands behind her back and gazed up at the young man beside her. Peter was taller than most of the other twelfth-years and more handsome than any of them (at least, he was in Anna's mind). He was different than other boys she knew—kinder, wiser, and more thoughtful, among other things—and she yearned to know why.

"Do you…" Peter trailed off and began again, "Do you remember the stories my siblings told you? About Narnia?"

Anna smiled up at him. "Yes."

"Ah."

"Are you going to tell me another?"

Peter smiled. "Perhaps. Do you want me to?" Anna mock-glared at him, knowing that he was stalling, and he held up his hands. "Have I told you about how the four monarchs first got to Narnia?"

"No. Will you tell me?"

He nodded and sat down on a bench beside the path. "During the war, four children were sent away to live in the country. They arrived at a magnificent house; and at first they were content to stay there. But after a while they became bored. The youngest convinced them to play hide-and-go-seek." Peter smiled fondly and continued, "She hid in a magnificent wardrobe, and when she stepped back, there was snow underneath her feet and pine branches all around her."

Peter went on to tell her about how the second youngest was tricked and captured by an evil witch and how the other three had to find the Great Lion, Aslan, to save him. "He died for the younger king," he murmured softly when he told Anna about how Aslan had sacrificed Himself instead of the younger boy. "Actually, I think He died for all of them, in a way." Anna looked at him quizzically. "The prophecy needed four children. I don't know what would have happened with only three. And Ed—er, the younger king, saved the others so many times after they were crowned that life without him would have been very short. And not worth it." He said the last sentence so quietly that Anna wasn't sure it was meant for her.

"But that wasn't the end?"

"No. Not at all." He smiled and continued his tale, telling her about a battle and a Lion's resurrection and a Witch's ended reign. When the story ended, the two sat in silence for a few moments. "Anna?"

"Yes?"

"That… wasn't a story."

Anna's brow furrowed in confusion, "What?"

"I didn't make it up."

"What do you mean?"

He turned to face her. "Narnia's real, Anna."

She smiled, suddenly unsure. "It was a lovely story, Peter."

"No!" He grabbed her upper arms and turned her to face him. "It's real, Anna. I've been there. The story I just told you was mine." Anna froze and listened as he persisted, "You can ask any of my siblings—except Susan, who doesn't remember any of it—and they'll tell you the same thing."

Anna shook her head. "But how—"

"Have I ever lied to you, Anna?"

"No…"

"I'm not lying to you. It's real!" He shook her gently and, observing her expression, added, "And I'm not crazy!"

"You really went?"

Peter nodded fervently. "The four monarchs were the four of us. We ruled for fifteen years there before we came back the first time. Then we went back a year later, and Aslan told Susan and me that we couldn't come back. Ed and Lu got to go back with Eustace, our cousin, later that year. Yes, we went."

Anna sat in stunned silence. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Would you have believed me?"

Anna thought for a while before shaking her head apologetically. "Thank you. For sharing Narnia with me."

He smiled. "Thank you for listening. And believing."

vVvVvVv

Susan smiled warmly. "That sounds like Peter."

Anna nodded. "He loved you, you know. It broke his heart when you said you didn't remember."

"I know. I just…" Susan broke off. " I couldn't stand being different from everyone else, so I tried to forget. It was wrong of me."

They stopped in front of a small house and got out. We might be left behind, Anna thought confidently, but we're not finished yet. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard a lion's roar and she knew that it was true.

She and Susan would come home—in Aslan's time.

A/N: So? Did you like it? If you did, the button below is for you. If not, the button below is still for you.
If the results are positive, I'm starting to write the backstory for Anna about her relationship with Peter. It'll probably be pretty long...
~Elissa~