Caspian, the two Pevencie children, their cousin, who was now a boy again, Airies, and Reepicheep climbed into a long boat and rowed ahead to the end of the world.
"We're close. Can you feel it?" Airies asked Edmund, her body tingling with magic.
"My body's tingling all over," he agreed with a nod, feeling the same thing that she was.
"Magic," they both said together.
"I felt that when Aslan was changing me back," Eustace said quietly.
"What was it like?" Lucy asked him.
"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself. Then, he came towards me. It sort of hurt, but it was a good pain, like when you pull a sore from your foot… Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really… I'm sorry for being such a sop," he told them.
"It's okay, Eustace, you were a pretty good dragon," Edmund said with a smile. "You were far better off than I was my first time."
"Then let's not talk about it," Eustace said quickly, not wanting to make his cousin feel bad.
"Narnia changed you, Edmund, you never have to be that person again," Airies told him, reaching across the boat and gently grasping his hand.
"Just the same as it has changed you, Eustace," she then said, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders and he smiled at her in thanks.
"My friends, we have arrived," Reepicheep announced, his voice sounding very happy.
The others slowly looked past him to see a sandy beach in front of them, with waves towering high above them and rolling over and over, but never tumbling down upon the white sand. Magic kept the waves rolling in the air. This place was full of magic.
They got out of the longboat and slowly made their way towards the waves, all feeling both very nervous and very excited at the same time. No one knew what they would find here, but they all knew that it would be something great, and something different, for each of them.
"Aslan?" Eustace called out, stopping dead in his tracks, and the others spun around to see what he was talking about.
Aslan was, in fact, standing beside them, smiling happily at the children, his golden mane flashing at them in the sun, and his lion eyes sparkling with delight.
"Welcome, children. You have done well, very well indeed. You have come far, and now your journey is at an end," he told them.
"Is this your country?" Lucy asked.
"No, my country lies beyond," he answered, looking towards the waves.
"Is my father in your country?" Caspian questioned, staring at the waves, his eyes never leaving them.
Airies looked up at him. There was a strange look in his eye, and she took his hand in hers, giving him comfort once again.
"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue, there is no return," the Great Lion told him.
Caspian stepped towards the waves, letting Airies hand slip from his. He dipped his hand into the water, letting it fall down around him, before turning his back to the waves and walking away from them, tears in his eyes.
"You're not going?" Edmund exclaimed.
"I can't believe my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for. I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a kingdom, and people. I promise to be a better king," he responded, looking directly at Aslan as he spoke.
"You already are," Aslan praised him.
Caspian then looked to Airies and she nodded at him, tears in her own eyes. This trip alone changed Caspian in great ways, and Aslan was right. He was already starting to be a better king to his people. Not giving in to his temptations to join his father was the first step to a new life for Caspian.
"Children?" Aslan looked to Edmund and Lucy now, and Lucy immediately walked forward towards the waves, a grin planted on her face. This is what she always wanted.
"I think perhaps it's time we went home actually, Lu," Edmund said, looking at Airies with sadness in his eyes, but she shook her head at him and gave him a small smile.
She understood now that Narnia was not their world; that they belonged in England, and she would not throw a childish fit the way that she did last time. She was older now, and much, much wiser.
"But I thought you loved it here?" Lucy asked her brother, incredulous. She could not believe that Edmund would be so willing to give this all up.
"I do, but I love home and our family as well. They need us," he told her.
Lucy bowed her head, tears leaking out of her eyes, but she knew that Edmund was right. She didn't want to be in Aslan's Country without the rest of her family with her. Despite how amazing it may be, it would be miserable without Peter, Susan and their parents by her side.
Airies wrapped her arms around Lucy, whispering comforting words into her hair. She knew how hard this was going to be for the young Queen to leave Narnia once again.
Reepicheep cleared his throat before running up to Aslan and bowing.
"Your Eminence, ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your country. I've had many great adventures in this world, but nothing has dampened that yearning. I know I am hardly worthy, but with your permission I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes," Reepicheep waivered.
Aslan smiled at the little mouse and said, "My country was made for noble hearts as yours, no matter how small the bearers may be," earning another bow from Reepicheep.
"No one is more deserving than you," Caspian told him, and the mouse made to disagree but Edmund cut him off with a swift, "It's true."
Then, Lucy walked over to the mouse and sunk down to her knees in the sand before him.
"May I?" she asked his permission, and he, of course, knew right away what she was referring to.
"Well, I suppose, but just this once-OH!" he gasped, for Lucy had picked him up in his arms and hugged him tight, finally being able to do what she had wanted to do from the moment that she met the tiny warrior.
Gently, she set him back down as he said, "Goodbye Lucy."
As she walked back to her place beside Edmund, Eustace took her spot on the sand, tears pouring from his eyes.
"He's truly changed," Airies whispered to Edmund, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Narnia has that effect on people. I'm sorry, I must go," he apologized to her, his eyes pleading with her to understand, bringing her back to them time when Peter had the same look in his eye.
"Hush. It took me three years, but I understand now. England is your home. Your family is there. I can't expect you, or Peter for that matter, to leave them behind," she told him.
"But you're my family too, and I'm leaving you behind," he pointed out, but Airies shook her head.
"It's not goodbye forever, Ed. I feel certain that we will see each other again."
Airies looked away from Edmund and over to Reepicheep, who took off his tiny crown and bowed in her direction. Airies smiled at the mouse, before bowing in return. No words were spoken between the two friends; it was too hard for them to speak the hard words of goodbye. They had been through so much together, and it was going to end. So instead, they sent each other silent goodbyes of the utmost respect of a noble Knight of Narnia to his great Highness, Aslan's daughter.
They all then watched as Reepicheep loaded himself into a tiny coracle, leaving his sword in the sand, and then he rode over the waves into Aslan's Country.
"This is our last time, isn't it?" Lucy asked sadly once he was gone, and Airies closed her eyes, knowing what the answer would be.
"Yes. You have grown up, my Dear One, just like Peter and Susan," Aslan answered, and Edmund's hold on Airies tightened as Lucy walked over to Aslan, resting her hand against his furry mane.
She was crying, as were Airies and Edmund.
"Will you visit us in our world?" was Lucy's next question.
"I will be watching you always," the Lion told her.
"How?"
"In your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by it. That was the very reason you were brought to Narnia: that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."
"Will we meet again?" she questioned, holding tighter to his mane.
"Yes, Dear One, one day."
Then, Aslan turned towards the waves and roared loudly, causing the waves to part down the middle.
Airies let Edmund's hand slip from her fingers as he, Lucy and Eustace walked over to Caspian to say their final goodbyes.
"You're the closest thing I have to family, and that includes you, Eustace," Caspian told them.
Airies chose that moment to walk up to them as Edmund and Caspian embraced in a hug.
"Goodbye, Lucy," she said quietly, and Lucy hugged her tightly.
"I love you, Airies," she cried.
"And I love you, my sister." They were both crying harder now. They had grown very close during this voyage, and it was hard to part with each other now, at the time when their friendship was flourishing.
The two girls let go and Airies moved over to Eustace. She stopped directly in front of him, and he moved to bow to her, but she stopped him, and instead bowed herself.
"It has been my pleasure accompanying you on this miraculous journey, Eustace. I am glad that you ventured into Narnia with your cousins. It's been an exciting ride with you as part of the crew of the Dawn Treader," she praised him.
"No, it was my pleasure accompanying you. I'm glad I found my way here too. I never realized how much of a prat I was before this adventure, but I think I've found it in me to change and be a better person, a better kid. I'm sorry for the way that I acted when I first got here, and thank you for being so persistent and nice to me," he told her with a smile.
Airies smiled back and held out her hand to him, knowing very well that he didn't really like to get that physically close to people. But Eustace did something then that would surprise everyone. He took Airies hand in his, and then pulled her to him in a hug. She was surprised at first, but then she hugged him back, placing one arm around his shoulders, and resting her other hand on the back of his head.
Once they pulled away, it was finally Edmund's turn to move over to Airies, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him and resting his head in the crook of her neck.
"I care for you deeply, Edmund," she whispered to him.
"I know, your heart is beating rapid fire right now," he chuckled, but tears fell from his eyes at the same time.
"I'll miss this," he said sadly, and she knew exactly what he meant, and strangely she felt the same way.
"As will I. I love you, Ed, you know that."
"I love you too," he said before taking her face in his hands and kissing her gently.
He pulled away from her, and he, Lucy and Eustace walked towards the waves. Tears poured from Airies eyes, and Caspian quickly walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, letting her know that once again, he was here for her.
The three children turned around, giving Narnia and their friends' one last look before the waves closed around them, sending them back home.
Airies closed her eyes, waiting for the hurt and the pain to come back, but strangely, it did not cloud over her heart like she thought it would. She remembered how it felt like a gaping hole had been torn through her chest when they all left Narnia three years ago, and she expected that feeling to come back.
"Daughter," Aslan beckoned her, and she walked over to him, kneeling in the sand before him.
"I do not wish to cause you anymore pain. For you, your home is where your heart is, and your heart lies with Peter and his family in England. You may go to him, if you wish," the lion told her, smiling at her.
"Really?" she asked, skeptical, and he nodded at her.
"But what about Narnia, and you, and Caspian? My home is here too," she cried, feeling torn between two different things.
"My love, Narnia is in your blood. Unlike the Pevencies, this is your native land, and so you shall be able to return anytime you wish," Aslan explained to her.
"They need you, and you need them. I won't take them away from you again. I am giving you the choice," he added.
Airies took in a deep breath before standing up, and looking towards Caspian. He walked over to her and placed his hands on both of her arms.
"Go to them. Aslan is right, as he always is. You all need each other," Caspian told her.
Airies reached up and rested her hand against his cheek.
"But who will comfort you this time?" she asked him with a smile.
"Hopefully Liliandil. I'm going to find her again," he answered, sending her a smile of his own.
"I will miss you," she told him, and he pulled her into a hug.
"And I will miss you, which is why you must use your powers to come back and visit every once in a while. I still need your guidance, seeing as I am a rookie king," Caspian laughed.
"That is true. Thank you," she whispered before reaching up and planting a kiss against his lips.
"For everything," she added after pulling away.
Airies then walked over to Aslan, and wrapped her arms around him.
"My daughter, I love you. Be safe in that world," Aslan told her.
"I love you too, father. Of course I'll be safe. You'll be watching over me there too," she whispered before straightening up, allowing Aslan to roar at the waves again.
They parted for her, and before she stepped into them she knelt down to the ground, letting her hand rest upon the sand. She closed her eyes, taking in all of Narnia so that she could remember it always, and then Airies straightened up and stepped to the waves.
"I will always be with you both," she called out before the waves swallowed her up and she was sent to be with Peter.
After the waves closed around her, Airies was sent tumbling through them, and then out of nowhere she was soaring through the air, and then suddenly it all stopped, almost as quickly as it all started. She landed with a loud crash on something wooden, and hard, and when she opened her eyes she realized that she had landed on a coffee table, bringing down with it a lamp and the magazines that were sitting on top of it.
She stood up, wiping herself off, and looked around at her surroundings. She seemed to be standing in the middle of a living room in a small cottage.
"What the bloody hell was that?" a voice said from the next room, and seconds later she could hear two pairs of feet running towards her.
Airies made to grab at the sword that had been resting against her hip moments before, only to find that it was no longer there; she was unarmed in a stranger's house.
The footsteps were getting closer, and then they stopped as two people entered the room, and then stood still in the doorway.
"Airies?" they both asked, and she could now see that it was Peter Pevencie and Professor Digory Kirke staring at her.
"Peter," she sighed, running up to him.
"What… how… you're here!" he spluttered, holding her tight to his body, completely confused as to how she could be standing in front of him now, but also incredibly happy at the same time.
For the first time in a year he felt complete, now that she was with him, and she felt the same way.
"Aslan told me I could come back, to be with you. He granted me the only thing I've ever wished for," she cried, tears falling out of both of their eyes.
"You're here to stay?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.
"I'm here to stay with you, forever, so that we may be able to keep our promises," she said to him, before capturing his lips with hers.
"I love you so much," he whispered against her lips.
"Oh, Peter, I love you more than you can imagine. And we can finally be together now," she whispered back, feeling the happiest she had been in the past three years.
Author's Note: Well, that was the second to last chapter. There will be one more after this. Hopefully everyone liked this one, and the ending that came along with it. I figured it was about time to let Airies and Peter finally be together. They've struggled enough. Let me know what you think, please and thank you :)
And as always, thank you, thank you, thank you for reading!