A/N: Due to the great response I received for the prologue, I decided to continue. I started this chapter yesterday not knowing where to take it. I sat down an hour ago and the rest just came naturally.

Disclaimer: If I owned Chronicles of Narnia, I wouldn't have the student loan debts I have. (read: I don't own Chronicles of Narnia, I don't make money from this. I am merely a fan)

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"Lucy, where are we?"

"Isn't it obvious, Peter?" She replied.

"Narnia…" They all quietly spoke.

The water was a beautiful cerulean blue; the sky, cloudless; and the trees, dancing. The four siblings wondered along the beach, Susan trailing behind the rest of them. She inhaled slowly, not wanting to release the sweet Narnian air. She closed her eyes, feeling every sensation: the air blowing her eyelashes, the feel of the sand in her toes, the hum civilization in the far distance. Opening her eyes, she saw it: Cair Paravel. It stood in front of them, at a considerable distance, but the majesty of its presence was incontrovertible. The sight made Susan smile a smile her siblings hadn't seen since their last trip there all together.

She gazed at her siblings. Their British clothing had transformed into their royal garbs. Peter looked handsome in his brown and white attire and gold crown upon his head. Edmund was a sight as well in his blue vest linen shirt and black pants, his silver crown gleaming in the sunlight. A Lucy was positively glowing in her purple gown with silver trimming with her crown being held on her head by her hand as she splashed in the waves. Susan looked down at her own clothing. It too had changed from her normal black skirt and red shirt to a regal red gown with gold trimming; her hair was in spiral curls and her crown of ivy and lilies nestled neatly on top her head.

A trumpet sounded from the woods. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy stopped in their tracks and braced themselves for who or whatever emerged from the woods. They regrouped and waited, all holding their breaths.

From the woods approached 5 men on horseback; they had Narnian flags in holsters and galloped in a "V" shape like birds flying south. At the head of the group was…

"Caspian!" Lucy cried out.

Lucy, Peter, and Edmund all rushed to meet the approaching group. Susan stood, afraid that if she moved, she would fall.

"Lucy!" Caspian dismounted his horse. "Peter! Edmund!" They all hugged. "It's wonderful to see you! Where's Que…" And before he could finish his inquiry he saw her. Standing 50 yards away, she stood motionless, breath held, eyes not blinking.

Caspian walked over to Susan very cautiously. He stopped in front of her, leaving a foot of space in between them. He waited.

Stiffly, she reached up to touch his cheek. When she finally felt his skin, he began to change. His smooth, tan skin turned grayish tan and wrinkled. His brunette tresses changed to gray with hints of its former life. His eyelids drooped and closed and he feel backwards.

"No," Susan whispered. He landed on the sand and turned to ash. The wind scooped up the ashes and carried them to sea. After the ashes were gone, Susan fell to her knees. "Aslan, what is happening?" She looked to the ground and tried to contain her un-Queen like behavior. She wanted to rant and scream, but she thought better of the situation.

When she looked up, she did indeed see the Great Lion. He stood where her siblings had previously occupied moments ago.

"Rise, Small One," He spoke softly, but Susan heard him. With ever bit of strength Susan could muster, she rose back to her feet. "What is troubling you, Child?"

Susan couldn't answer, so she simply looked in the direction in which the Caspian's ashes were taken. After a moment, she returned her gaze to Aslan.

"Dear One, I can see what is in your heart; I know how you feel. But what you have seen here is not real. Learn to see with your heart."

"Aslan, can't I go back, just once more?" As she approached the Lion, the scene all around them became hazy then faded to black. Susan walked up to the Lion and kneeled before him. She clasped her hands together in her lap and gazed into His eyes.

"My dear Gentle Queen, there is only one way in which your return can be granted." Aslan replied. Susan waited with wide eyes.

"Susan! Wake up!" Edmund knocked on Susan's bedroom door.

When Susan was fully awake, she remembered her dream. Aslan…what was he going to say?

"Oh Ed!" Susan practically growled as she opened her door.

"What?" His eyes grew scared and he backed away.

"Aslan was telling me something about possibly returning to Narnia! But I didn't get to hear the rest because you woke me up!" Tears formed in her eyes, but she pushed them away.

"Returning? How? Why? All of us?" He rambled on.

"I'll never know." She sighed and walked down to the dining room for breakfast with her siblings.

The four of them have been living in the professor's house for a year now. It was big enough to allow each sibling his or her own personal space but remain together. They even had a room done up specifically for Eustace. However, the room that remained untouched, save for a few chairs and a dusting every other day, was the one with the wardrobe.

Susan glanced at the door to the room containing the wardrobe. She pulled her red robe closed around her and tied the belt in a secure knot. As she and Edmund walked into the dining room, they were greeted by a fully dressed Peter and a sleepy Lucy.

"Ed, are you ready to head to town?" Peter asked after sipping his tea.

"Sure, Pete." Edmund followed Peter and they were out the door a moment later.

Susan took her normal seat at the head of the table (Peter's spot was at the other end of the table; Lucy to Susan's right; and Edmund to Susan's left).

"Not hungry again, Sue?" Lucy was finishing her coffee and oatmeal.

"I had a dream last night…Aslan was in it." Susan knew Lucy would want to know every detail.

"Oh Susan! Please tell me!" Lucy's eyes widened and she smiled in excitement. Susan told the dream to her younger sister, careful not to leave out any details. Lucy winced at the part about Caspian turning to ashes, but she found renewed hope in the part about Aslan.

"So, what do you think it means?" Susan knew Lucy always had theories about Narnia and their dreams, especially when they involved Aslan.

"Maybe…maybe we do have a chance of returning. I wish Ed hadn't woken you up!" Lucy slipped her feet back into her purple slippers and rose to her feet. Retying her matching purple robe, she took her dish and cup to the sink and washed them.

Susan stared out the window, pondering her dream and what Aslan might have said had Edmund not woke her up. She concluded that there was no point in wondering; Aslan would tell her in his own way what he meant. In the mean time, she would carry on as usual.

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A/N: Please review! Reviews give me so much inspiration to continue stories...and they make me smile :-)