Chapter Thirteen/Epilogue

Disclaimer – for the final time (in these stories anyway), I don't own Narnia or anything recognisable (except for Ciera who I should hope is very recognisable at this point).

Well here it is: the final chapter in the story. I may actually cry. It's been so much fun writing all of this. I've memorised both the Prince Caspian and the Dawn Treader films with how many times I watched them. Writing Ciera and Edmund has been wonderful. I love Edmund/OC pairings and writing my own is brilliant. I want to thank every single person that read this story, made it a favourite, put it on alert and reviewed. The responses to these two stories has been fantastic and I loved reading every review. I hope this is acceptable as I haven't read the books (not for a long time anyway) and my knowledge on Aslan's Country is internet research based. I hope I got it at least in the ballpark. Here you go, for the last time (cries hysterically).

Ciera was very, very bored. She'd been in Aslan's Country for a long time although tedious it was not. She'd been reunited with Reepicheep not long after her death and was thrilled to see her friend again. She was even happier that Edmund kept his promise and Caspian was trying to joke about her. Her laughter had been such that she was certain that they had heard her. But time passed and she was joined by various friends along the way. When Caspian had gotten back to Narnia, he had paid tribute to her memory by naming a ship after her. She had not been amused and she had given him what-for when he had joined her in Aslan's Country, a good long while after his stunning wife (Liliandil). Aslan's Country was truly stunning with its emerald coloured leaves and grasses, large mountains without a hint of snow and a perfected replica of Cair Paravel (or so she'd heard. She'd never seen that castle). She loved it there but there was always something missing. The day that she found herself bored was also the day that she found herself with a gut feeling that something was going to happen. Given the last time she'd had a gut feeling, she panicked. Reepicheep soothed her quickly although she was certain Caspian or Edmund would have calmed her even faster.

"Reep, I hate gut feelings," she complained to the mouse, sitting in the beaming sunlight on a velvety grassy hill outside Cair Paravel. The mouse was curled up beside her, still wearing his gold ring and red feather.

"Just because the last time you had a gut feeling was telling you that you were going to die does not mean that something equally horrendous is going to happen this time," he said matter-of-factly.

"That's easy for you to say, you chose to end up here. I had to get a huge chunk of wood shoved through my chest," she growled angrily, standing up and beginning to pace. The mouse muttered something about needing Caspian and the King appeared randomly.

"Princess calm down," he said in a bored tone, settling next to Reep and watching Ciera pace. She glared at him.

"Stop calling me that," she snapped and went back to pacing.

"Did she get a gut feeling?" Caspian guessed. Reepicheep nodded sadly and they both watched as Ciera moved her head to look around like a meerkat.

"Something is going to happen!" she called back to them adamantly.

"Ciera, please relax or I will get Liliandil over here," Caspian threatened.

"I didn't say something bad would happen." She made a good point. She was simply edgy because she didn't know what would happen. Sighing, she looked down at herself. She hadn't aged a day since she arrived here, retaining her wavy red hair, her small stature and her toned muscles. Her eyes still sparkled grey-green although they lacked the sparkle that only a certain King could bring out. For the first time since she'd first come to Narnia, she was wearing a dress. Never before had she done it (besides a ball or two) but Liliandil had finally managed to convince her to today. Already having the gut feeling, Ciera figured that wearing a dress would not increase anything bad happening and conceded. The dress itself was a gorgeous golden colour and made of satin. It had daring yet reserved off-shoulder bell sleeves that almost touched the ground. The bodice was tight fitting and laced up at the back. The skirt flared out from the waist from a scarlet coloured band but was not puffy. A triangular slit from the floor to the belt revealed an under layer of scarlet silk. An elegant golden tiara sat on her head, inlaid with sparkling diamonds. If one looked particularly closely, they could see the unconventional but fitting dagger nestled in the twisting vines of roses that made up the rest of the tiara. She did not like wearing it but Caspian insisted that she wear it every day for her title was not something to be ashamed of. Thinking she could get out of all the formal clothing, Ciera had tried to sneak her black leather boots onto her feet but Ramandu's daughter was having none of it and forced her into sparkling red flats. Ciera thought of the bright side: they were not heels. Her red hair, although never changing colour or falling out because of age, had grown and hung to her waist.

"Ciera, there is something very interesting that you might want to see," Liliandil (or Lily, as Ciera preferred to call her) told her. She nodded and followed the still-glowing woman with Caspian and Reepicheep. A rather large gathering people were in the entrance hall as Ciera entered. Her jaw fell open as she saw a recognisable blonde head.

"Holy Aslan," she breathed and the blonde boy turned around.

"Ciera!" he cried and Ciera almost fainted upon seeing the youthful face of Peter Pevensie.

"Your Majesty," Reepicheep greeted, bowing before him. Caspian inclined his head and Ciera suddenly grinned, launching herself at him. She hugged him and he hugged back just as tightly. When they broke apart, Ciera saw Lucy. She shrieked with happiness, quite forgetting that one had to be dead to be here and hugged the once again young girl fiercely.

"Ciera, you're wearing a dress," she said, analysing the dress in awe. Ciera nudged her jokingly.

"Yes and I'm wearing a tiara. The things I get roped into, honestly," she joked and Lucy grinned.

"I missed you, Ciera."

"I missed you, Lu."

"How in the world did you end up here?" Caspian said as he came forward to hug her too. Lucy looked sad for a moment.

"I was on a train-."

"What's a train?" Caspian interrupted. Ciera hit him and gestured for Lucy to continue.

"I was on a train that turned a corner too fast. It crashed and killed mostly everyone on it, including me, and people waiting on the platform," she answered and Ciera felt tears well up.

"Oh, how awful," Ciera whispered, trying not to ask if Edmund was with her. She decided to try and ask through a different question. "So, you're here and Peter's here. Where's Susan?" she asked as casually as possible. Caspian saw right through her and snorted. Lucy smiled mischievously at her but her face fell slightly as she realised Ciera really wanted an answer to that question as well.

"She doesn't believe in Narnia anymore," she told the Princess who then frowned.

"Damn logic," Ciera snarled. Instead of dwelling on it, Ciera looked round the others gathered. There was an older man with a woman, a younger girl/woman and a boy/man with dark hair facing away from her. Ciera's heart stuttered as she realised who it could be but . . .

"I never thought I'd see you wear a dress," said a voice behind her. Ciera grinned and turned to see Eustace there with a wide smile on his face. The Princess smiled wider and hugged him tightly. He froze in surprise but quickly hugged back.

"Eustace, were you on the train too?" Ciera asked in a cracked voice when they broke apart. Lucy and Peter were already dead, along with the other unknown people. Not Eustace too.

"I was on the platform," he answered and Ciera sniffed. Eustace seemed alright with the fact.

"How many more people are going to die!" she cried, throwing her arms in the air.

"Ciera, calm down," Caspian said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and glared at him.

"NO! I will NOT calm down! These innocent people are dead, all at the same time. How is that fair? They deserve to go down fighting, not be killed by a stupid train!" she shrieked, attracting the attention of various other people. She didn't know why she was so angry but she was.

"I haven't seen her this angry since she yelled at me for naming a ship after her," Caspian said to someone behind her. Ciera growled lowly and opened her mouth to speak, pointing a threatening finger at him.

"I think she's adorable when she's angry," the person said from behind her and she froze, mouth gaping and finger pointing. With her mouth still gaping but her hand hanging limply at her side, Ciera turned slowly to face the speaker. There, in all his teenage glory, with a wide smirk, stood King Edmund the Just. Ciera's heart stuttered as his appearance registered slowly in her mind. He hadn't changed much and she assumed that he hadn't been in England for very long after he left. He looked to be around nineteen or twenty. His features had matured but he still had his soft, deep brown locks and his extremely cute freckles. He had grown (AGAIN) and she was certain that she wouldn't fit securely under his chin anymore. His muscles were still there and hadn't diminished, thankfully. His eyes were glittering as he watched her gape at him. Then, without so much as a warning, she burst into hysterical tears. Edmund's smirk immediately morphed to a worried expression and he quickly wrapped her in his arms. She sobbed into his chest loudly as the others looked on.

"Not you too," she mumbled and he stroked her hair, just like he used to. He smiled slightly as he saw the almost hidden dagger engraved on the tiara nestled in her red locks.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm ok," he assured her and she sniffed, pulling away slightly.

"Did you at least manage to live fully in the time you had back in England?" she asked, finally calming down. He stroked away her remaining tears, lifting her chin up to look at him.

"Yes," he said sincerely.

"Did you fall in love?" she asked and Edmund saw that she seemed torn between wanting a yes answer and a no answer.

"You didn't tell me to fall in love again. I didn't break your final wish," he answered cockily. Ciera glared at him whilst obviously trying to hold back a smile.

"I was two seconds from dying, you try giving orders in that state!" she protested and Edmund laughed. She soon joined in and hugged him tightly. He hugged back, burying his fingers in her hair. He had missed her so much and they were finally reunited, forever. Then Ciera jerked back. Surprised, Edmund looked down at her feeling hurt. She looked up at him for half a second before standing on her tiptoes and crushing her lips to his. He started kissing back immediately, rejoicing loudly in his mind. Ciera was electrified by his lips on hers and his tongue tangling with hers and she let out a muffled squeal when Edmund lifted her up. It was just like their reunion on the Dawn Treader, except this time, they wouldn't ever be apart again. When they broke apart, Edmund placed his forehead on hers as they both regained their breath.

"I never forgot you and I have never stopped loving you, my angel," he whispered and she closed her eyes, smiling slightly.

"I love you too, my warrior," she whispered back and her voice dripped with emotion. They stared into each others' eyes and relished in the feel of the other. Cheers erupted around them and Ciera, blushing madly, faced the assembled group. Edmund gripped her waist tightly and she knew he would rarely let go. They were made for each other and now they would never be apart. The two walked into gardens and, glancing at each other, ran towards the beach and to their never-ending future with Aslan smiling down upon them.

The End.

You didn't honestly think that they wouldn't be reunited did you? Pfft, who do you take me for? So, it's goodbye for this series but thank you to you all again! Love Bianca :)