After my long string of Hunger Games fanfics, I finally got inspiration for a Narnia songfic. "See You Again" is by the lovely Carrie Underwood from her new album, Blown Away. It was originally intended for the Narnia soundtrack, so when I heard it I couldn't resist writing a songfic. This is from Lucy's POV, and is set at the end of the VDT book, when Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace see Aslan and leave Narnia. I also used the dialogue from the book; it's too beautiful to leave out, so please keep in mind that the dialogue belongs to C.S. Lewis, not me.
Lucy couldn't help looking around at the queer sort of island they were on. All she saw was the foamy waves and lilies and the blue wall, and she had to choke away a sob in her throat at the thought that she might never see Caspian and her other friends again. Yet despite the strangeness of the situation, she felt an odd sense of calm. She knew things would turn out all right. Aslan would fix it in the way that only he knew best. She finished chewing the piece of fish and looked at the Lamb.
Said goodbye, turned around
And you were gone, gone, gone
Faded into the setting sun,
Slipped away, but I won't cry
"Please, Lamb, is this the way to Aslan's country?" Lucy asked, her heart beating terribly fast.
"Not for you. For you the door into Aslan's country is from your own world," the Lamb replied gravely.
"What!" Edmund exclaimed. "Is there a way into Aslan's country from our world too?"
Hope began to rise in Lucy's chest. She bit her lip as she awaited the Lamb's answer. It was almost too good to true. She knew that no matter what world she was in, her faith in Aslan would always be strong.
'Cause I know I'll never be lonely
For you are the stars to me,
You are the light I follow
"There is a way into my country from all the worlds," the Lamb said, but while he was speaking he transformed, growing larger until he changed into the magnificent Aslan himself.
Tears of joy shone in Lucy's eyes. It was really him! "Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?"
"I shall be telling you all the time," the Lion said. "But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder. And now come; I will open the door in the sky and send you to your own land."
I'll see you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again
Shivers ran down Lucy's spine. "Please, Aslan, before we go, will you tell us when we can come back to Narnia?" she pleaded, feeling as if her very life depended on the answer. "Please. And oh, do, do, do make it soon."
"Dearest," Aslan said in a tender voice. "You and your brother will never come back to Narnia."
You might have expected that Lucy would feel stunned, as if the breath had been knocked out of her, but the truth was all she felt was a horrible confirmation. She'd been afraid something like this might happen. Now, after hearing the words spoken out loud, the empty feeling in her stomach intensified.
"Oh, Aslan!" she and Edmund both said at the same time, their voices mirroring each other's anxiety, each hoping that somehow, it wasn't true. That somehow, they could come back.
I can hear those echoes in the wind at night
Calling me back in time
Back to you, in a place far away
Where the water meets the sky
"You are too old, children," Aslan explained.
This, naturally, made Lucy feel very little. Not in a demeaning way, but as if it was impossible to stand on her own. Her faith in Aslan was what made her strong. How could she continue to trust if he was no longer there for her to follow?
"You must begin to come close to your own world now," the Lion continued.
Lucy spoke up, rushing to explain her scattered emotions. "It isn't Narnia, you know," she said, fighting back tears. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"
"But you shall meet me, dear one."
The thought of it makes me smile
You are my tomorrow
In the silence that followed, Edmund asked, "Are you there too, Sir?"
Lucy could hardly dare to believe it.
"I am," Aslan promised. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."
Years later, Lucy would never be able to quite grasp the feeling of absolute peace that swept over her at Aslan's words. Her tears stopped their flow. This made things different. Life could go on in her own world, if she could still believe in Aslan there. That was what mattered. Living in England wasn't the same as living in Narnia, but it was bearable. Most importantly, she would have Aslan.
I'll see you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again
Lucy's mind began to turn to other things. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Eustace and realized he had been silent this whole time. "Is Eustace never to come back either?" she asked, hoping that at least he might be able to return.
"Child, do you really need to know that?" Aslan said gently, his eyes staring deep into hers. "Come. I am opening the door in the sky."
Lucy caught her breath. Everything was happening too fast. She blinked in disbelief as a great noise came from the blue wall, and then there was a blinding light. For a second that was far too brief, she could feel Aslan's mane and the brush of a kiss on her forehead, and then she was sitting in Eustace's bedroom in her own world.
Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking
But I stay strong and I hold on 'cause I know
I'll see you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, yeah yeah
It was funny––Lucy had expected that she would cry, but she couldn't shed a single tear. This last journey to Narnia had been so beautiful, so bittersweet, so full of life lessons, that she felt as if crying would ruin the memory. It was better to keep it tucked away in her head, not make a big fuss over it.
Besides, it wasn't all over. She'd see Aslan again. And even though she might never return to Narnia, she would never allow herself to forget it. Ever. She would hold her precious memories in her heart, and even if she was in her own world now, she vowed to live like a Narnian as much as possible.
I'll see you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again
Till I see you again,
Till I see you again,
Days passed, and the pain in Lucy's heart lessened. Even though Narnia was gone, her memory of it remained strong. She continued trusting Aslan, knowing that he had a plan for her.
Perhaps this chapter was over, but this was not where her story ended. Her journey to keep learning about Aslan would not stop.
Said goodbye, turned around
And you were gone, gone, gone.
Please review…it would make me very happy. :) Even if it's only a sentence or two, I love getting feedback. Constructive criticism is welcome.
Again, I don't own the song "See You Again" or the Narnia series. Thanks for taking the time to read this!