And lo, there was a third chapter (7-1-19). I relaxed the one-sentence rule sometimes. Given that dryads, naiads, and salamanders already exist in canon, I figured it would not be implausible to add sylphs as well. Earthchill is November in my Narnian calendar. The other two chapters have also been neatened up a bit.


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1. Moon

For just as the stars had their great dance aloft, so did the highest and strongest sylphs, whirling the sun and moon across the sky as the Lion ordained.

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*2. Star (Aslan, Coriakin; late DY)

"But of your own will, you have admitted your wrong, and for that, your sentence will not be complete—you shall see your daughter again, once and only once, ere the ending of this world."

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3. Sun

All had their part to play, and thus the greater part of the salamanders dwelt in the hills and valleys of the sun, where it was their duty to care for the brilliant bushes that gave light and heat and flower and fruit.

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*4. Too Much (Susan; ENG)

She did not understand, not then, and instead threw all her efforts into trying to recreate herself a ruler, desired and powerful—for queen she had been and queen she would be again, at the least of a dance or a man's heart, if she could not have a country.

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*5. Not Enough (Susan; ENG)

Nine coffins cracked her shell, but it took the tenth to shatter it.

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6. Warm (HHB)

The sun beat heavily on the sand, and for the first time in her life, Aravis wished she had a parasol.

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7. Cold (FP)

North they did not go except at need, for many of the giants that roamed the moors were savage, and the winds bitter.

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*8. Shade (Ailena, Susan; TFC)

"Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer from the dawn of time, two. Peter, you, Edmund, Lucy, from the Golden Age and the Deliverance of Narnia, four. Jill and Eustace from the rescue of Prince Rilian, two. And me, from the darkness before time dawned, until after darkness fell again, one. Together we are the nine friends of Narnia, and you are one of them, Susan."

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9. Simple (Eleanor; TFC)

"I'm...I'm you?"

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10. Complicated (Ailena; TFC)

"No, I'm you."

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11. Holiday (Lucy; GA)

She was always bright, but brightest during Lithe, when the sun shone its fullest.

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12. Spring (Edmund; GA)

He tempered justice with mercy, as Aslan had done for him, and gave the chance for new life to those who truly wished it.

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13. Summer (Susan; GA)

She was silk over steel, for "gentle" did not mean weak.

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14. Fall (Peter; GA)

His crown was highest and heaviest, for it was his duty to bear the other four as well—light and true, wise and kind, just and reason, faith and firm—and to wrap them all up together in strength and honor.

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15. Winter (Ailena; GA)

It took much to break her restraint, but woe to those who accomplished that feat.

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16. Rain (Ailena; PC)

She had waited long, and when she heard the prince had fled she knew it was almost time, and one cold twilight after a day of driving rains, she made her way to the lamppost, wrapped herself in her cloak, and awaited the arrival of a spirited Squirrel.

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17. Snow (early GA)

The first snows of Earthchill cast fear over Narnia, but the Five had faith that the Long Winter was broken forever, and so lent their strength to those afraid.

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18. Storm (ENG post-SC)

Thunder roared and lightning crackled, but Jill was unafraid—this was her fourth Guide trip, and she'd seen worse on Ettinsmoor.

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19. Inside (Jadis; FP)

She went back, once, when she found that the memory of the silver apples made all other food as ash in her mouth, and climbed the wall, and plucked another—but the fruit, though still as sharp and sweet and thrilling as it had been before, was now loathsome and foul to her, and she cursed the Lion for it.

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20. Outside (LB)

For some, the door led into the darkness of a shadow or a stable, but for others it led out of the darkness of a cave and into the light of truth.

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21. If (Edmund; post-LWW)

And for a moment they caught a glimpse of what he might have been, had the Witch been honest in her promises.

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22. He (Aslan, Jadis; LWW)

In the final instant, which lasted an eternity and no time at all, she saw with total clarity—he was everything in all worlds, and always had been, and always would be.

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23. She (Jadis; LWW)

And she refused to have any part of it.

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24. Home (pre-MN)

On a mountain at the End of the world, high beyond imagining yet green and snowless, beneath the waters of a clear flowing stream, Ailena Elythe opened her eyes.

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25. Heart (Eleanor; TFC)

beep, beep, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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26. Hours (Adethrel, Susan, Lucy; LWW) (bookverse AU)

They lay beside him, lost in their grief, and she knelt unseen, watching and waiting in somber expectation.

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27. Days (Ailena, Jill, Eustace; SC)

"'Tis a right pity you did not arrive a day or two earlier! For then you should have had the authority of the king in your favor, and the might of any and all he might send with you. But Trumpkin our regent is loyal (and crotchety) as a badger, and he would forbid your journey even though it be ordained by Aslan, for Caspian declared long ago that no more adventurers should seek his son. As it is, as chatelaine I can provision and equip you from the castle stores, but I cannot gather warriors contrary to royal decree, and so I'm afraid the only traveling companion I can offer you is myself. Judging from the the keen glances Master Glimfeather keeps sending your way when he thinks no one is looking, however, I suspect the Owls have their own plans, and may be able to assist us as well. But come! The minstrel is striking up the tale of Cor and Aravis, which I fancy you will find an enjoyable yarn. We shall speak more later."

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28. Weeks (ENG pre/post-VDT)

The first fortnight at the Scrubbs' was pure misery, but when they returned from Narnia, Edmund rather wished they had more than four weeks left with their undragoned cousin.

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29. Months (Ailena; end VDT)

It was a long journey alone, for though her craft was lighter and fleeter than the Dawn Treader, they were many and she was one, and even with the strength of the Last Sea her arms required intermittent respite, but she reached Ramandu's island in the end, and there rejoined the crew.

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30. Years (ENG)

At first Lucy did not see how a child of fourteen (much less a child of ten!) could be "too old" for anything, but as she pondered, over time she grew to understand—the Lion spoke of an age measured not in years, but in wisdom.

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*31. Proud (ancient Northern giants; FP)

It was a hard thing Aslan asked of them, that they should give up their good ruler to the earth's embrace so that he might do the Lion's bidding many long years hence, but King Tempor had chosen to obey regardless; his subjects bowed to his decision, and in his honor and memory they carved a verse into the pavement beneath which he slumbered.

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32. Content (Susan; GA)

She dug her toes into the damp sand, let the wind tangle her hair, felt the sea lap softly at her ankles, and enjoyed the peace.

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33. Anxious (Eleanor, Ailena; TFC)

"Oh gosh, did we just break the space-time continuum?!"

"The Lord of Space and Time is three feet away. I'm quite certain he is fully capable of handling any repercussions."

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34. Disappointed (Marjorie, Lucy; ENG post-VDT)

"It's just...ever since summer hols...you changed. You smile less. You think more. You look through me more often than you look at me. I miss my friend."

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35. Determined (late DY into PC)

It took days to cast each spell, weeks to know if it had worked, months and years to actually locate the horn, but it took decades for Cornelius to find a Man worthy of having it in his keeping.

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*36. Laughter (Lucy, Corin; post-GA)

He never forgot how the Lion's joy had radiated from her—a brilliant diamond in his golden sunshine, scattering sparks of Aslan's light on all those around her, will they or nil they—and sometimes Corin wondered whether their lives might have entwined in a different way, had he been a scant few years older.

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37. Kiss

Sometimes worlds pass close enough to meet.

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38. Lies (Ailena; beginning of DY)

She put up a calm front, and spoke her piece to the conquerors, and sent them running with thoughts of ghosts dancing through their heads—but when she had locked the great gate behind her, she could do nothing but fall to the ground and weep for her king and her land.

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39. Lips (King Caspian and Elytha)

Tender as their years might have been, they were wiser than some, and did not rush headlong and hot-blooded into union, but first built a firm and lasting foundation.

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40. Gluttony (LB)

But Ginger wanted too much—he wished to play both sides, yet truly support neither, and when finally faced with the consequences of being neither hot nor cold he could not suffer them—and thus the Cat became once more a cat.

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41. Wrath (MN)

In the heat of a moment, the bell was struck, and its ring heralded the beginning of an end.

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42. Sloth (HHB)

Lasaraleen was an eye-opening experience on more than one level, and Aravis realized that it was just as well that she was running away; the comfortably lazy life of Calormene nobility was luxurious and beautiful, but it was no place for a spitfire who rode astride.

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**43. Envy (Ailena, Telmarines; beginning of DY)

"You have come to the East in your drive to conquer, and it is from the East that your doom will come."

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44. Lust (HHB)

Rabadash had indeed wanted her, Susan reflected from the safety of the Hyaline, but wanted her as he might want a clockwork nightingale or a jeweled saddle: a pretty toy to be fawned over when he pleased, and cast aside again when he grew bored.

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*45. Pride (SC)

Iesil had learned well at the feet of her mistress, and eaten of the fruit, and bided her time, and so the second Witch to come from the North nearly succeeded—but in the end, Green made the same mistake as White, and was undone by her haughty disregard for the Lion.

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46. Changes (TFC)

It was odd, Eleanor thought, that closing her eyes should yield light instead of darkness.

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*47. Facade (Susan, Lewis; AL)

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Jack, than can ever be dreamt of in our theology—and indeed, why should he not incarnate differently in a different world?"

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48. Innocence (Susan, Lewis; AL)

"They told us, of course, and I was still willing to listen then, even as I danced blithely down my own rocky path, slicing my feet on the sharp stones. (It was my path, you see, mine and my own to do as I pleased, and so never mind the pain.) But I knew what it meant when my sister spoke of a sweetness and longing that would break your heart, and yet was not sad—you call it joy, I think—and I was never truly free of it. It sank hooks into my heart, as it does to all men, and in the end it let me wander to the ends of my world, and then brought me back with a tug upon the line."

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49. Revelations (AL)

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lewis. My name is Susan Benson, née Pevensie. I believe we have an acquaintance in common."

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50. History (AL/TFC)

And so, dear Eleanor, you see that not everything happened as it was written in the papers and the history books. We hope you have enjoyed our work, and we look forward to meeting you—or perhaps meeting you again.

Sincerely,
"J.S. Lewison"
-Jack Lewis
-Susan (Pevensie) Benson

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2: Based on a slightly nutty idea I have that Ramandu's daughter is actually Coriakin's. I have yet to decide on her official DU origin, so this is currently AU.

4: Partly inspired by a line from BrokenKestral's "Am I loved?"

5: I'm still working out exactly when Susan returned to faith in the DU. This snippet, which posits that her family and friends' deaths began the process and her husband's death finished it, may therefore end up AU.

8: This is from a very old (2010) and now obsolete DU Susanfic that I never finished. I resurrected this particular bit because it is where the Darkness Universe gets its name.

31: I headcanon that Father Time is the same ancient giant king over whose (supposed) grave the verse concluding "UNDER ME" was set.

36: Partly inspired by my complicated feelings about Lucy/Corin, and partly by BrokenKestral describing Lucy as "laughing and lovely as light."

43: The full story can be found in Azure Expanse. 38 is a miniature sequel.

45: Yeşil is Turkish for "green", to match Aslan for lion, Cadı for witch, and Taş for stone.

47-50: I've been playing with the idea of Susan also being involved in the creation of the DU Chronicles, but as of now it's still AU. 48 partially quotes Chesterton.