We're nearing the end here people. Just one more chapter after this! I'm not sure how long it's going to be, but we'll see when we get to the end, shall we?
I apologize in advance if there are things from the book I haven't included, but I've done my best to mention the most important things. I would rather not rewrite an entire book (never mind that I've done it twice already, shh!).
Disclaimer: Direct quotes from The Last Battle are set in pure italics.
WARNING: If you have not read The Last Battle, then be prepared for MAJOR spoilers. I would actually suggest reading the book beforehand. It's only about two hundred pages, and is, I think, the shortest of the series.
~Hereafter~
Chapter Eleven – October, 1949
Early October, 1949
Light filtered through the half-open window and shone in strips over blue birds and jumping sheep and teddy bears; all three of which circled one another above a wooden crib. Tiny fingers reached out openly, then enclosed upon one larger. When the connecting hand flexed, the one much smaller clung stubbornly with a stronger grasp, accompanied by a sound of what could be construed as indignation.
"He has a tight grip, doesn't he?" Edmund remarked as he played gently with the little fingers holding onto his.
"Of course he does, he's my son after all," Peter replied with a proud look upon his face.
"Being overly smug already, Pete?" Lucy quipped from her position on a wooden rocking chair. She was folding sheets while Edmund sat watching the newborn in his cradle. The two were visiting, helping Peter around the house while Alexa continued to rest.
"It's only been a year and already you're gloating about all of his achievements." Peter grinned as he worked on repairing a lampshade made of a beige cloth, but had singing bluebirds stitched in the middle. It only needed to be fixed on top of the light blue base.
"What, jealous that you're already an old maid?" Edmund couldn't contain the amused chortle that escaped after Peter's words, but he graciously resisted the urge to point and laugh at Lucy's incensed expression.
"You kind of do look like a spinster with that old flower apron on," said Edmund. Lucy glanced down at her stained and faded apparel before glaring at her brothers.
"This happens to be Alexa's, not mine. And as for you," she said, making a pointed glance at the eldest. "I'm only single because you chase away every man who has ever come to call."
"Damn right," said Peter with a nod.
"You know your child is in the room," said Edmund.
"He's young, he won't remember."
"Be that as it may, she does have a point, Pete."
"What men? I remember no such thing."
"More like you've chosen to forget," Lucy mumbled.
"He does as it suits him," Edmund whispered to her in agreement.
"Well, what about you, Ed? When are you going to make an honest woman out of Mina?" Peter asked. When Edmund seemed to flush and turn immediately back to the infant, brother and sister shared a knowing look.
"You know, you're not getting any younger," Lucy drawled. When Edmund refused to acknowledge her, she gazed at the back of his head with narrowed eyes.
"For goodness sake, Ed, you're twenty years old. It's your last year of university; find a job and buy a house, like Peter did."
"You make it sound so simple," Peter said dryly.
"My point exactly," Edmund muttered.
"Well, so what if you need to live here for a while until you both get on your feet? There's plenty of room here," said Lucy.
"I couldn't do that to Mum and Dad," said Edmund with a shake of his head. He dismissed the thought as he shook a rattle lightly above the child's head.
"So you admit you've thought about it," said Peter with a knowing grin. Edmund rolled his eyes.
"Of course I have, but I just don't think we're ready for that kind of commitment."
"Well, there are just two questions you have to answer," Peter reasoned.
"And what, pray tell, would those be?" Edmund asked wryly. It was then that Peter's expression quickly became solemn, diminishing the light tone of the conversation.
"Do you love her?" Edmund was caught off guard by the question, and simply stared at his brother blankly.
"I…"
"Do you care for me, Ed?" she asked. The two lay at the base of the tree, supposedly viewing the stars, though neither of them could pay attention to the glittering sky above. Edmund glanced downward at the girl resting upon his chest.
"Of course I do. If I didn't, why would I be here?"
"True enough. I don't know why, the question was in my mind." Edmund didn't reply, but simply rolled his eyes playfully. He had given up understanding her antics years ago, but they amused him nonetheless.
"Have I ever told you that I love stars?" she asked.
"Yes, I believe you mentioned it." It was why they were there in the park in the first place.
"Have I ever told you why?" He thought for a moment.
"Why no, I don't believe so."
"It may sound illogical, but I like to imagine that stars are not as far away as we like to believe. I like to imagine something beautiful as stars, as really a race of exquisite people, dressed in clothing of brilliant whites and blues," said Mina. She paused and intertwined Edmund's hand in hers, then pointed to a group of stars that could be seen between the branches of the tree.
"They would light the way for weary travelers in the night, and sing lullaby's carried on the wind to give them peaceful dreams."
"That's quite imaginative," said Edmund. "Was it a dream of yours?"
"Yes, when I was a child my family relocated constantly. My father's work as a trader kept us moving. Sometimes I would look out my window and watch the sky; the one thing that remained constant," Mina admitted. "Always beautiful, no matter what stars glittered in the evening light."
"That's very poetic of you," he said. Though he couldn't help be reminded of how close to the truth her imaginings truly were, as he had gathered from Eustace and Jill that their old friend, King Caspian had indeed married a lovely star.
"I too, have always had a fondness for the evening lights…they remind me of a place I once knew," he added. "As well as people I have known."
And still know, he thought to himself.
"To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant."
"To the great Western Wood, I give you King Edmund, the Just."
"To the radiant Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan, the Gentle."
"To the shining stars above, I give you Queen Alexa, the Courageous."
"And to the clear Northern Sky, I give you High King Peter, the Magnificent."
Mina sat up enough to turn and regard Edmund's expression, both wistful and grim. She ghosted her fingers along the side of his face, just over his cheekbone and also along his jawline.
"But such sadness as well. I can see it here, in your eyes," she whispered. He blinked and his expression turned blank. Her frown deepened.
"Why do you do that?" she asked.
"Do what?" he asked.
"That. Guard your emotions like that. You can't hide from me, Edmund," she said bluntly. And he realized with a pang that she was right. She had always been right. And she could read him like an open book.
"What memories trouble you?" she asked.
"Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen. May your wisdom guide us until the stars fall from the heavens."
If it had been anything else, he would have told her. Anything else at all.
He slowly sat up and grasped her shoulders, and eventually, he rested his forehead upon her shoulder. Her arms came to wrap about him, a comfort for which he was deeply grateful for.
"One day, I will tell you. I swear that I will. Just…please…don't press me tonight…they are bittersweet memories."
Memories that I will always cherish, but ones that I will carry for my entire life.
"I will look forward to that day, then…I will wait for it, by your side, if you will let me," she confessed, and her voice shook with the amount of emotion and sincerity held within.
"…Why?" he asked plainly.
Why would she want to stay with me, of all people? Why me?
"Because…" When she trailed, he slowly rose from her shoulder to lock their gazes. He wanted the truth, and he wanted to read it in her eyes.
"Because I…I…" She bit her lip then, but she didn't allow herself to look away from him, even as he inched closer.
"…I…I love you." And even as his lips closed upon hers, he couldn't help but smile as a warmth filled him, one that he had never quite known as of yet. As his hand fisted into her hair and curled around her waist, he deepened the kiss, continuing until he was drained of breath. He didn't want to live without this. Couldn't live without her. Her smile. Her questions. Her imagination. Her dreams. Her love.
He was content. He could even dare say that he was happy. He would be happiest, however, with Mina Lewis.
When he pulled away, he trailed slow kisses along her cheek and jawline until reaching her ear, where he whispered.
"I—"
"—love her." Peter nodded, satisfied, while Lucy's eyes softened as she regarded her brother. In light of his confession, she saw the sobriety in his deportment…and none of the mischievousness he held as a child.
He truly has become a man, she thought. A man in love, as hard as it may be to conceive the idea.
"And…does she make you truly happy?" Peter continued. Edmund let out a short chuckle.
"…Why, yes. She truly does."
"If she does as well, then there is nothing to stop you."
"Perhaps you're right…after all, I'm not getting any younger, am I?"
By the 18th of October, Alexa and Peter had recovered enough energy through sleep to travel to the countryside, this time accompanied by their son, William, whom was held in a carrier as they ascended the short amount of steps to the modest house. As what might have been expected, the babe was the topic of discussion for a short amount of time. They talked of the preparations that had been needed for the couple's home, such as the nursery, and other such things.
"It's taken time to adjust to short amounts of sleep again," Peter said wryly. "But he's much quieter than Garrett was."
"Yes, that's true," Alexa reflected. "And William isn't as finicky."
"But with a cast iron grip," Edmund muttered.
"I remember Garrett had that too," Peter said wistfully. Polly sighed.
"I wish I could have had children. I find them quite lovely," she said.
"Too much hassle, the lot of them," Professor Kirke remarked.
"Is that what you thought of us, Professor?" Lucy asked with a grin. He gave Lucy a hesitant, sideways glance, and suddenly appeared a bit flustered.
"Well, perhaps not all children. You six are the exception, merely because Aslan has opened your eyes."
"That has to be the only reason," Edmund agreed sardonically.
"Be that as it may," the Professor continued. "It's a good thing you all are here today, especially you two." He directed the last bit to the two youngest members, Jill and Eustace.
"Why do you say so, Professor?" asked Alexa.
"I just have a feeling we're all meant to be gathered here today, a good feeling," he assured. "Nothing to worry about."
"Well, supper is ready everyone. Peter, dear, would you like some wine? And you, Edmund, or Alexa? I know Digory will," said Polly. Peter accepted with a, "yes, please, 'Ma'am,'" while Edmund and Alexa graciously declined. The others were yet too young for wine, and so settled with water and a lemon. They had just about finished their meal when Peter glanced over at his brother across the table. He sat staring blankly at the wall in front of him, absently spearing his salad.
"What's the matter, Ed?" he leaned forward and whispered. For a moment, it seemed as if he had not heard Peter. But when he kicked the younger man's foot under the table, his attention was firmly grabbed.
"Huh, what?" Edmund asked.
"What's the matter? You've been staring into space for the past five minutes."
"Nothing, just thinking."
"About what, pray tell?"
"Just things…you know, I went into the city the other day." This managed to pique Peter's interest enough to inquire after it.
"Really? Did you buy something?"
"Well, yes…I think you'll be proud of me…"
"What did you get?"
"I—" It was then that the shocked screams of the younger women in the room alerted the two out of their conversation. For before the round table they sat at was a figure, ghostly white in appearance, and somewhat transparent. From what Peter could tell, it was a man, stately, though his attire spoke of a nobleman, it was dirty and haggard. He heard more than saw Professor Kirke spill his wine glass on the floor, while another took a sharp breath inward. Alexa, who sat beside him, grabbed his arm in support. He held her hand tightly, but directly addressed the figure.
"Speak, if you're not a phantom or a dream. You have a Narnian look about you and we are the friends of Narnia," he said firmly. When the man did nothing but open and close his mouth several times, he let go of Alexa to fully stand.
"Shadow or spirit, whatever you are," he said, and locked gazes with the man. "If you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan, speak to me. I am Peter the High King." It was only then that the silvery image began to blur and distort, and then all in the room began speaking at once.
"Look! It's fading," said Alexa.
"It's melting away," Polly lamented.
"It's vanishing!"
"What in Aslan's name was that?" asked Edmund.
"Whoever he was, he was definitely from Narnia," said Lucy.
"Something must be wrong," said the Professor.
"But what can we do?" asked Peter. "The five of us have spent our time—"
"Yes, you five have. But not these two." Professor Kirke nodded at Eustace and Jill.
"But, however will we get there on our own?" asked Eustace. It was then that the Professor became pensive.
"Digory, you don't think…" Polly trailed and shared a look with the elderly professor.
"I think it's time for a trip to London," he said.
"What's in London?" asked Jill.
"Two very special Rings, used long ago to bridge the gap between this world, and all other worlds, including, at the time, the newly created Narnia," he explained.
"The Rings your uncle made," Peter confirmed. "And they are in London?"
"What the hell are we doing, Pete?"
"Shut up and put on your jumpsuit."
"I look like I'm going to jail."
"You look like a workman. Now shut up, it's early in the morning."
"I don't think this is going to work, Pete."
"Just follow me and keep quiet. We need to slip into the garden with these shovels somehow…here's the fence…here, give me a boost."
"But—"
"God damn it, Ed, just give me a boost!"
"But the gate is unlocked." Peter glanced over and saw that the gate was indeed, unlocked.
"All right, let's go. But we need to hurry."
The two snuck into the backyard of the old house that once belonged to Polly Plummer's parents. Immediately they began digging up plants and grass and soil. It took them nearly two hours to finally find a small, metal box within the dirt, replace the soil into the respective holes, and leave the premises unseen.
That night, Peter sent Professor Kirke a wire.
"Did you fine them?"
"Yes, we'll meet you all at the train station."
The following morning, Peter and Edmund made their way to the train station where Alexa and William were waiting for them. The four waited for Jill and Eustace, who had school this morning, but were to receive the Rings from them after getting off the train. From what the Professor had told Peter, he, Polly, and Lucy were accompanying them on the train; Lucy, so that she may return home, and Polly and Professor Kirke so that they may stay with Peter and Alexa in their home for a couple of days.
"How's Will?" Peter asked Alexa when they were settled on a bench in the waiting area.
"He's fine, a little fidgety though. He doesn't like the sounds of the station," she replied, and fixed the blanket in the child's carrier.
"Well, the train should be here any minute," said Peter. "You know, Mum said something about her and Dad taking a trip to Bristol today. I wonder if they're going by cab or train."
"It will most likely be by train, Pete. Actually, most likely this train, now that I think of it…"
"Oh, by the way, Edmund, you do have the Rings in your pocket, right?"
"Yes, they're right here, where they've been for the past few hours," he replied dryly. He then paused, and regarded his brother pensively.
"You know, Pete. Speaking of rings, I…" Edmund trailed as he patted the pockets of his jacket, and then his pants. Peter and Alexa watched him with concern.
"What's wrong?" Alexa asked. Edmund continued patting his clothes down until he relaxed in his seat.
"I was going to show you something I bought, but I think I left it on my desk at Dad's house. It's all right, I'll show you another time, I guess," he said. Edmund then looked up and saw bright, yellow headlights approaching.
"Oh, there's the train," he said. But the headlights…they were coming in very fast.
"Well, come on then. Let's go," said Peter. He and Alexa stood up and traveled closer to the incoming train, followed closely by Edmund, who still had a churning feeling in the bottom of his stomach. Just as he saw the train come in around the corner, it made a screeching sound and a sharp jerk toward them before all was cased in darkness.
"Thou hast called me into Narnia, Rishda Tarkaan. Here I am. What hast thou to say?" A great creature stood before a cowering Calormene captain, a creature which had a vulture's head and four arms; its curved, cruel beak was open while its eyes blazed, and its twenty fingers had long, pointed claws. Within a moment, the creature, known as Tash, the god of the Calormen, pounced on the captain and snatched up its prey. Then, turning its bird-like head to the side, King Tirian of Narnia became in view within the small stable.
The man was indeed our "ghost" from before, but at this time, it was the King who had bravely attempted to save Narnia, along with Eustace and Jill (more on that later), against the forces of the Calormen, a greedy ape, and a very dimwitted donkey.
Just as the vile creature's obsidian eye focused on King Tirian, a voice spoke.
"Begone, Monster, and take your lawful prey to your own place: in the name of Aslan and Aslan's great Father the Emperor-over-the-Sea." Only then did Tash vanish with the Tarkaan in a plume of inky, black smoke.
Tirian turned to see who had spoken, and so found not only the two Kings and two of the three Queens of Old restored to their former glory, a babe wrapped in the arms of one of them, but also Jill and Eustace, and who he as a Narnian had recognized as Lord Digory and Lady Polly.
"Sire," said Jill, who came before him and made a lovely curtsey. "Let me make you known to Peter the High King over all Kings in Narnia."
It was after King Tirian has been made acquaintance to all the Kings and Queens, as well as the Lord and Lady who no longer gray and aged, but were again vibrant and youthful, that Eustace asked Peter how he had come to be in this place, since they had not had to come through the Stable within Narnia. The area around them was a field of sorts, with the greenest grass that ever could be seen, and a great, cloudless blue sky above. There were trees with strange, yet beautiful fruit all around, and a light wind which added to what seemed to be a beautiful summer's day.
"Well, there's not much to tell. Edmund, Alexa and I were waiting for your train to come in…I remember it coming rather fast around the bend, but after that, it's hard to describe," said Peter.
"Not too hard, actually," said Edmund. "It wasn't like the first time we were pulled in by Magic at the train station, but I heard a frightful roar…and then, in the darkness, something hit me hard with a pang, but it didn't hurt…"
"Not so hard to explain, huh?" Alexa asked wryly, but her playful grin gave her away. She shifted her hold on the child in her arms, and Peter beside her laid a supporting hand on her lower back.
"It's true, though. It really didn't hurt, and by that point I wasn't so much scared as excited," Edmund said with a smile. "Then I felt very light, and well, then we were here."
"I strained my knee a bit while we were digging in that garden, and it was feeling a bit sore this morning. But once we arrived here, the feeling disappeared altogether," Peter added.
"And what has been happening in the meantime?" asked Eustace.
"Well, for what seemed like a long time, nothing happened. But then the door opened—"
"A door?" asked Tirian.
"Yes, the door you came in—or out—by. Forgotten, have you?" said Peter.
"I don't see a door."
"Over there, look." Peter pointed behind them to the left, where Tirian, Eustace and Jill had entered from. There, in fact, was a door, rough and wooden, with no walls or roof to accompany it. Tirian walked around it, but found there was nothing on the other side but open air.
"Sir, this is quite a marvel," he admitted. "This must lead to the stable I and the Calormene came out of, right?"
"Look through it and see for yourself," urged the High King with a smile. The younger King obliged, and soon found that the door led to the forest of Lantern Waste, where it was still night, and Calormenes discussed around a bonfire of who should go in the stable and look for Rishda Tarkaan. Tirian backed away from the door then, a bewildered look on his face, and his friends began to laugh. Despite himself, he smiled and shook his head.
"It seems that the stable seen from within and from without are two different places," he said.
"Its inside is bigger than the outside," said Lord Digory.
"Yes," agreed Lucy, speaking for the first time. "In our world too, a stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world."
Tirian turned to her, and realized that she had been silent before, only because she had still been taking in the wonders of this world they were now in; she was overjoyed to be here, to even speak. But he found himself wishing she would speak again…it was a lovely sound.
"If you would, Madam, please tell me your adventure here," he said with a smile. And she proceeded to tell of the Calormene who had come in, Rishda, who had stood by the door holding a blade and ready to ward off any who came near. He could neither see nor hear any of them, or the wonderful world around him, but then Tash appeared, sending the man cowering to the floor. A large Cat then also appeared, but ran off frightened right before Tash could pounce on it. It settled for Rishda Tarkaan.
"And after that…" Here Lucy shuddered and made a face that suggested she has seen something repulsive.
"After that, a monkey was flung through the door. And then Tash appeared again. What Lucy would rather not tell you is that with one peck, the monkey was gone. She's just too tender-hearted," said Edmund with a grin and a comforting pat on Lucy's shoulder.
"It serves him right," Eustace mumbled. "I hope he disagrees with Tash's digestion."
"After all of that, about twelve dwarves came through, then Jill and Eustace, and more recently, yourself," Edmund finished.
"I sincerely hope Tash ate all of the dwarves as well, the little swine," said Eustace disparagingly.
"Don't be horrid, Eustace," Lucy admonished. "They're still here. In fact, you can see them from here. I've tried to make friends, but I'm afraid it's no use."
"Friends! Of all things, friends, is not how you want to associate yourself with them if you knew how they were acting," Eustace exclaimed.
"Oh, do stop, Eustace. Come and see them," said Lucy. "King Tirian, perhaps you could do something about them."
"I'm afraid I have no great love for dwarves today, but at your asking, Lady, I would do a greater thing than this," Tirian confessed. When Lucy blushed faintly and smiled, Peter could be seen with his eyes narrowed, viewing the King—whom they had been only recently acquainted—with a suspicious gaze…until he felt an elbow lightly (but pointedly) nudge his ribs. He looked over sharply to his left and found Alexa staring up at him, brow raised, but with an amused grin upon her face, nonetheless, as she held their sleeping child.
"What?" he asked sheepishly.
"Please don't start that here," she said bluntly with a playful roll of her eyes, and she brushed passed him without looking back.
Lucy lead them to the dwarves, who sat closely together in a circle, not simply having a rest or enjoying themselves. Not only could they not see the group of royalty, but they also could not see the grass, the sky, the trees, or even leave the pitch black "stable" they claimed they were trapped in. When Lucy tried to convince one of their true surrounding by holding up some beautiful purple flowers for him to smell, she had to dart back quickly to avoid being hit by the little dwarf.
"How dare you! Where do you get off shoving a lot of filthy litter in my face? Who are you? Show yourself!" shouted the dwarf. Peeved on the Queen's behalf, Tirian stepped up and spoke.
"She is Queen Lucy the Valiant, dwarf, sent here by Aslan Himself. It is, for her sake alone that I, Tirian your lawful King, do not cut all your heads from your shoulders, proved and twice-proved traitors that you are."
"Well, what do you know?" said the dwarf. "How can you stand to go on like that, when you are tied up here as well as the rest of us? Your Lion hasn't come to rescue you, has He? And here you are trying to feed us more lies, that we're not in the dark, we're not shut up in here, and heaven else knows what."
"Oh, gosh, what are we to do for them?" asked Lucy, who shook her head as she watched the blind, diminutive creatures.
"Just leave them alone, then," said Eustace. But as soon as he spoke, the earth trembled and shook, the air around them grew lighter, sweeter somehow, and a bright light flashed behind them. They all turned, and found the Great Lion Himself before them. Tirian, because he was frightened, stayed behind while the others knelt before him and greeted him warmly with happy tears, some with laughing and rejoicing as He touched them with his tongue and greeted them in turn.
But then, He turned his amber eyes on Tirian, and he came near, even as he was trembling greatly, and flung himself at the Lion's feet. Aslan then kissed him and said, "Well done, last of the Kings of Narnia who stood firm at the darkest hour."
"Aslan, could you perhaps…could you do anything for these poor dwarves?" asked Lucy, who watched the pathetic group behind them with saddened and pitying eyes.
"My Dear One, I will show you what I can do, and what I cannot," said the Lion, and He approached the circle of dwarves. He came very close to them, then growled a low growl, to which they passed off as a clever machine those "oppressing" them were using to try and frighten them. Aslan then raised His head and shook His mane, and brought a splendid feast before them. All they tasted were rotten cabbage, half eaten turnips, and weak-old hay, and while one rose a golden goblet of wine to his lips, the dwarf only tasted disgusting trough water a donkey had drank from. But at least, one said, they had not been taken in by anyone; the dwarves were still for the dwarves.
"You see, they will not let us help them because they have chosen cunning instead of belief," said Aslan. "Their prison is made of their own mind, and here, they will stay. But come, I have other works to be done."
He approached the Door, the rest of them following, and He raised His head and roared, "Now it is time!"
He roared louder.
"Time!"
Then louder still, that it could have shaken the moon and stars from the sky.
"TIME!"
And the Door flew open to Him.
They stood before Aslan on His right side as they looked out through the doorway.
All was cased in darkness, and one could hardly tell where the ground ended and the sky began. When Aslan roared once again, a darker patch to the left rose, higher and larger until it became a more pronounced figure of a man, who stood on the high moorlands leading up to the lands in the North, lands that the High King, his wife the Courageous Queen, and Eustace and Jill remembered well. And it was then that Eustace and Jill recalled the deep caves underneath those moors, where they had seen a great giant sleeping. They had been told then that his name was Father Time, only to be woken at the end of all things.
Though the two had not spoken, Aslan said, "Yes, while he was dreaming, his name was Time. Now that he has woken, he will have a new name."
The giant raised a horn to his mouth, made visible by the change in his black shape against the brightness of the stars. Eventually, they heard the sound of it—screeching and terrible, yet deadly beautiful. And then the stars fell. First a few, then dozens, and scores, and then hundreds and thousands, like silver rain onto the earth. Then starless patches of black began to emerge, slowly at first, until they combined at reached the center of the sky.
It was with a thrill of both wonder and horror that they all realized that the blackness in the sky was emptiness; Aslan was calling the stars home, and they fell all around them—glittering people with long, burning silver hair and electric-white spears. They made hissing noises as they landed on the ground past them, and burnt the grass beneath them as they did so. Because of their enormous light casting off through the Door and over Narnia, they could see every tree, every pond, and every blade of grass with its shadow. But Aslan held the greatest shadow, streaming to the left.
Up in the Northern Moors, they could see creatures stirring—dragons, giant lizards, terrible monsters with bat's wings, and other such animals venturing downward into Narnia. All at once they heard the sound of screams and wailing and rustling and the pitter patter of small feet to the large, lumbering paddle of paws and the thundering of bigger ones. Finally, out of the trees came creatures of all kinds—dwarves, satyrs, fauns, nymphs, Talking Beasts, Giants, Calormenes, people of Archenland, Monopods, and strange things from remote islands and unknown Western lands. They ran for their lives up and over the hill to the doorway where Aslan stood.
Either the Door had grown much larger, or the creatures had grown as small as insects, but one of two things happened when they approached Aslan: they either looked at him with fright and hatred (upon which they were sent to the left of the doorway. What became of them, none of the monarchs or children behind Aslan knew.), or looked upon Him with some amount of fear, but loved Him, and entered through the Door. Among the happy creatures surrounding Tirian and his friends were those he had thought to be dead, such as Roonwit the Centaur and Jewel the Unicorn among others.
"Further in and higher up!" exclaimed Roonwit, who galloped away to the West. Though they did not understand him right away, the words somehow set "butterflies" off within them.
Back within the doorway, the dragons and Giant Lizards could be seen, having Narnia to themselves. They wandered to and fro, tearing up trees from their limbs and depleting the forests, which soon began to disappear, along with the grass that died and browned. The whole country became bare, and the creatures there became old and died, until their flesh shriveled up and their bones lay bare in the dust. And then from the East came the water, high and foaming in a wall, until everything was covered, and rose up to the doorway. It never passed, but lapped at Aslan's feet, where the water met the sky.
And then a dreary, pale dawn came in the horizon, until the sun came into view, slowly turning red. Lord Digory and Lady Polly, having seen something like this once before in the Deplorable World, knew at once that the sun was dying, and both shared a glance. Its rays fell on the waters and made them appear as crimson blood, and the rays also fell on the moon (which also turned red). When the sun and moon merged, the rays then fell on the great Time-giant.
"Now make an end," said Aslan, and the giant threw his horn into the sea. He reached out and grabbed the sun, squeezed as if you would a tomato, and then there was total darkness.
All save for Aslan had to jump back at the sudden cold that blew through the doorway, which creating icicles and a floor of ice around it.
"Peter, High King of Narnia, shut the Door," Aslan instructed. Peter, shivering with cold, reached out and closed the Door, which screeched over the ice. He pulled a golden key from his pocket, a key which he had no remembrance of having, and locked the Door.
Finally, all could relax and take in the world around them, bright and beautiful in the daytime. Aslan regarded them with king, laughing eyes, then crouched lower and shot away toward the West.
"Come! Further in and further up!" he called over His shoulder as he went. The rest followed Him at a walking pace, leisurely talking of old adventures while some mourned for the death of Narnia (namely Lucy, Polly, and even Lord Digory). Many were slowly moving the same way, but the grassy country was wide and beautiful and not the kind of place one needed to rush through at the moment.
"Peter, where do you suppose this is?" asked Lucy.
"I'm not sure…it reminds me of somewhere we've been, but could it be somewhere we went for a vacation when we were small?" he replied.
"It would have to have been a splendid holiday, because I'm sure there's nowhere like this on our world," said Eustace.
"It's not Aslan's country?" Tirian asked.
"It looks like somewhere in Narnian world—look at those mountains over there ahead, and the ice-caps behind them," said Edmund.
"Yes, you're right, Ed. They look like the ones we used to see from Narnia, Westward beyond the Waterfall," said Alexa.
"They are bigger though," said Peter.
"And look there," said Lucy, pointing Southward to her left. "Those hills look like the Southern border of Narnia."
"Why, they're exactly alike! Look, there's Mount Pire, and the pass into Archenland and everything!" exclaimed Edmund.
"But it's not, really. They have more colors, and they're further away than I remember, and they're more…" Lucy trailed, trying to comprehend what exactly was going on.
"More like the real thing," said Lord Digory. It was then that an eagle named Farsight, a friend of Tirian and Jill and Eustace that had helped them during their last adventure in the Old Narnia, flew above them and called out.
"My Kings and Queens, we have only begun to see where we are! From up here in the air I have seen it all—Ettinsmoor, Beaversdam, the Great River, and Cair Paravel. I see it still shining and standing on the edge of the Eastern Sea; Narnia is not dead, for this is the real Narnia!"
"But how can that be? Aslan told us that we were never to return to Narnia," said Peter. "And here we stand."
"Yes, and we saw it all destroyed just now," said Edmund.
"It's all so different here too," said Lucy.
"The eagle is right," said the Lord Digory. "Peter, when Aslan said you could never go back to Narnia, he meant the one you were thinking of; a mortal Narnia with a beginning and an end. This is the real Narnia which has always been, and will always be. It's not unlike our world in England, which was only a copy of whatever Aslan has here in His country."
"So this means," Lady Polly began, "that you not need mourn for Narnia, Lucy. All of the Old Narnia that ever mattered, the ones you have known, have been drawn through the Door. Of course it will be different, as waking life is from a dream."
Then the Lord Digory, an old professor still within him, began muttering a bit to himself, saying, "it's all in Plato, all in Plato: bless me, what do they teach them at these schools!"
They older ones began laughing, because it was so like the Professor Kirke they had met all the time ago. He, knowing why they were laughing, joined in. But then, as they viewed their surroundings, they quieted again in solemnity. Though they were happy, there was a seriousness and silent contemplation that came with such happiness at one time or another. And it was then that Jewel the Unicorn summed up the crux of what they all were feeling.
"I have come home at last! This is my real country, and I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all of my life, though until now, I never knew it," began the unicorn. "The reason why we all loved the Old Narnia so much is because it looked like this. Come further up and further in!" He shook his mane and galloped ahead at a speed which would have taken him out of sight in a few moments in the regular world the rest were from (save Tirian). But then everyone else began to run, at a pace which was so astonishing, and everyone could keep up, never growing weary.
Farther and farther they ran, through rivers, over hills, and up mountains while exerting no energy, all the way until coming to a great wall of golden gates. They stopped and were hesitant to enter.
Could that be made for me? each one thought. Surely not.
But while they were standing, a great horn blew from within the walled place, beautiful and sweet, and a mouse, bright-eyed and with a red feather stuck in a circlet about his head, padded out and came to them. While its left paw rested on his sword, he bowed an exquisite bow before them.
"Welcome, all, it Aslan's name. Come further up and further in," he said with a smile. Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Alexa (though mindful she was of William) at once went forward and greeted the mouse.
"Reepicheep!" they all cried out. Tirian marveled at the scene, for he knew he was looking at a great hero of Narnia, but he didn't have much time to do as such as he was hugged and kissed on both his cheeks before greeted by a familiar voice.
"You are both thicker and taller since the last time I saw you," said his father, the good King Erlian. While Tirian accepted that this was his father and joyously embraced him, he remembered the man with a graying beard, but this was him, youthful and merry as when Tirian was a child.
As for the Lord Digory and Lady Polly, they were also received by an old friend; Fledge the winged stallion came to meet them at the gate, neighing and happy to see them.
It was a few minutes yet before Reepicheep encouraged them all further in again, and they all followed him inside and through the gates, into the delicious smell that wafted from the gardens and cool mixture of shadows and sunlight. They walked on springy turf that was lined on either side with brightly colored flowers, some familiar, some odd, and some so fantastically shaped and colored that one could hardly believe they were flowers at all. But then the newcomers were attacked on all sides by old friends and family they had not seen in years, perhaps decades.
To name a few, there was Glimfeather the Owl and Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, and King Rilian the Disenchanted, and his mother the Star's daughter and his great father Caspian himself. And close beside him were the Lord Drinian and Trumpkin the Dwarf, and Trufflehunter the Badger with Glenstorm the Centaur and a hundred other heroes from the great War of Deliverance (as the war between the Narnians and the Telmarines had been called).
When Peter had shook hands with King Caspian for the first time in years (for the High King that is—it had been a much longer while for Caspian), it was much of a shock for both. Not so much in the appearance of the two, but in the fact that both had grown larger families since they had last seen one another. Caspian introduced Peter to his wife, a lovely star with a quiet voice, but overall kind demeanor. And Peter and Alexa introduced the couple to their child, whom by now had woken, and was smiling at all the new faces that he was seeing with bright eyes.
"He's a lovely boy," Caspian said with a smile.
"Thank you, Caspian," said Peter, while Alexa gave him a bright smile. But it was not long after this that from another side came Cor the King of Archenland with his wife Queen Aravis and his father King Lune and the brave Prince Corin-Thunderfist, his brother. And then—to the Pevensies extreme and utter delight—came the two Beavers, Tumnus the Faun, and Oreius the Centaur. And there was greeting and warm hugging and kissing and hand-shaking and laughing and the like, and the entire group moved further in until coming to the center of the grove, where a large Phoenix sat in a tree looking down upon them all. At the base of that tree were two thrones, where a King and Queen sat, glittering and beautiful before them all. They were, in fact, King Frank and Queen Helen, from whom all the most ancient Kings of Narnia and Archenland are descended.
All rejoiced for those they had been reunited with and for the wonderful future that lied before them, especially the four Pevensies (whether by blood or by marriage). But when a stray voice could be heard calling in the distance, there was one of them whose mirth died down enough that she became quiet. When she heard the voice again, something stirred within her, a tingling one could say. She touched Peter's arm gently with her free hand.
"Peter do you—"
"Do you hear that?" he finished. They shared a glance.
"Hey, Pete, do you hear something? I feel like I've heard it before…" said Edmund, who turned to address them, along with Lucy. It was faint at first, but soon the shouting became clear.
"Over here! Can you see me? Over here!" The four of them turned to face the oncoming crowd, and at first they couldn't tell where the voice had come from. But as the shouting repeated, they saw distinctly a hand waving in the crowd, not a long ways from them, and they moved to meet whoever it was, for the voice sounded both familiar and unfamiliar all at once. Soon the crowd parted enough to reveal a handsome young man, clothed in finery. But the most distinguishing features Alexa picked up on right away were his hazel eyes, shoulder-length russet-colored hair, and the same, boyish smile. In that smile she saw the child she had cared for almost nine years. At that moment Lucy was gracious enough to quickly take William in her arms, allowing both Alexa and Peter to nearly smother the boy. Alexa kissed his cheek and clung to her eldest son, who was now much taller than she (actually, almost as tall as Peter). She sobbed tears of joy, though she apologized over and over, while Peter did the same.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry, Garrett, we never wanted to leave you…so very sorry," Alexa cried, but towards the end she sounded quite hysterical, though she was the most happy she had ever been in her life at that precise moment.
"Shh, Mother, you need not cry for me. If I had harbored any resentment toward my family, I forgave you all a long time ago," said Garrett, through the few tears that he himself shed. And after a few moments, he also embraced his teary-eyed aunt and uncle.
"So this is my younger brother?" he asked as he gently grasped the small fingers of the infant, who laughed a babe's sweet, high-pitched laugh and almost seemed to wave at Garrett with his other hand.
"Yes, my son, his name is William," said Alexa. She stood beside Garrett as Lucy still held William, and Peter and Edmund were on either side of Lucy.
"But where is Aunt Su?" asked Garrett. The others became silent at the question. But it was Lucy who took it upon herself to explain to her nephew all that had happened after they left Old Narnia for the first time.
It was after some time—whether hours or centuries, one couldn't be sure, as time ran differently there—Lucy stood with her dear friend, Mr. Tumnus, overlooking the wall of the Garden and seeing all of Narnia spread out below. The hill there was very high, so high that it sank with the cliffs, and the trees below looked like grains of sand.
"I see now," she said quietly. "This garden is like the stable; it is far bigger inside that outside."
"Yes, Lucy. The further up and further in you go, the larger things will get," said the faun. She continued looking down and further out, and saw that were they were was not really a garden, but a whole world, it was a world within worlds.
"It's like an onion," he said. "Except that you continue to go in and in, and each circle is bigger than the last." Soon Lucy found that if she looked upon something far away, eventually it would clear up and become more visible, like looking through a telescope. From there she could see Cair Paravel, shining and beautiful in the sunlight, and Archenland to the south, and even further south, Tashbaan, and the Lone Islands, and island after island beyond a great mountain, she could see Aslan's country. But by now she could see that it was part of a greater chain of mountains that circled like an onion.
She then looked to the left and saw a band of brightly colored clouds; purple, red, blue, orange, colors of this nature, all circling around each other. She focused hard on it, and when it cleared, she focused on one spot of it. It was then that she found something extraordinary.
"Peter, Edmund, Alexa! Come here at once!" she called out. When they went over to where she was standing, along with Garrett, their eyes became like hers and they saw what she had seen.
"Why, look! It's England! And there's Professor Kirke's house…" Peter trailed in wonder.
"But I thought that house was destroyed," said Edmund, voicing Peter's thoughts.
"Ah, yes, but remember you are looking at the real England, and there nothing good is ever destroyed," said Tumnus.
"How do we get there?" asked Lucy.
"Well, that's easy. All the real countries are connected to the Great Mountains of Aslan, one needs just simply to walk across. And there King Frank's horn just sounded, we are to go further up!" said the faun. And they all walked together—a great procession up toward mountains higher than anything that could be seen in the Old World, or even Old Narnia. But there was no snow; there was forests and groves and waterfalls and trees with delicious fruits, and then there were valleys on each side, growing deeper until the real England came into view across the valley on the left. There was also a light ahead, growing stronger, but then Aslan himself could be seen leaping down from cliff to cliff. It was after but a moment that he landed in front of them, smiling a cat's smile, watching us with knowing eyes.
"You do not yet look so happy as I mean you to be," He said.
"Oh, we're so afraid of being sent away, Aslan. And you have so often to our own world…" Lucy trailed, unable to continue the thought, for the mere conception of leaving this place was horrid and foul.
"There is no fear you should have of that, have you not guessed?" said Aslan. "There was a real railway accident. Your father, mother, and all of you are—as you once called it in the Shadowlands—are dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."
And it was only then that the four began to think of all they had left behind; friends, family, work, school, people in their lives who had mattered, but here was not a place to dwell on sadness and melancholy. It was now that before their eyes that Aslan ceased to look quite like a lion, but happenings began so wonderful and marvelous, things that cannot be written or ever described. And it was only then that the real Story could be begun, and all that had been before came to pass in preparation for this, hereafter.