Note: This chapter starts in England after the Pevensies return and then the chapter goes back to Narnia. In England three weeks have passed while in Narnia thirty years have passed. And then a character thinks about the past. Sorry for any time confusion!

England

Peter woke up abruptly. There was a noise in the hallway. He reached for his sword but it was not there. He sat up and took a deep breath. It still felt awkward to be back in this teenage body. He glanced over to the other twin bed. Edmund was sleeping.

Peter got up and put on his dressing robe. He carefully lit a candle and stepped into the dark hall. The door to his sisters' room was slightly open. He tapped on the door very lightly and then pushed it open a bit. Lucy was sleeping. Susan's bed was empty. He carefully shut the door. Peter checked the lounge near their rooms where the siblings spent time. No sign of Susan. He started walking through the large house.

Memories of Narnia were hard to recall. Each day the memories felt more distant. He could remember the face of a childhood friend he hadn't seen in years easier than he could remember the face of the woman who had been his wife three weeks ago. Narnia felt like a dream more than the reality of fifteen years of experiences.

Peter opened the door to the wardrobe room - the room that had changed his life. Susan was sitting on the floor with her back to the wardrobe. She was weeping. The moon was full and the moonlight spilled around her. For a moment, he saw a beautiful queen with long hair and then he only saw a girl. He went and sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

Some things, Peter thought, were different. All their relationships were subtly different – influenced by fifteen years of ruling a kingdom together. Before Narnia, Peter would never have patiently sat waiting for Susan to finish her cry. He would have been telling her to buck up and stop crying. Peter realized he wasn't the man he had been in Narnia but he had carried parts of it back into this world. Susan finally stopped crying.

"Su, did you try to go into the wardrobe again?" asked Peter. "I think the Professor was right, we can't get back to Narnia through the wardrobe."

"I know" whispered Susan "but I still hope. I was a queen, I was loved, I was happier than anyone in this world could ever be. I don't know if I can get used to this world again. I miss Narnia so much. I miss Galen. I feel so lost."

Peter wasn't sure what to say in response that would help Susan feel better. She continued speaking.

"Then I think, what if the door did open and I stepped back into Narnia – I am a child again, I couldn't pick up my life where it was when we left – oh, I wish we hadn't followed the White Stag. Sometimes, I am so mad that you didn't take my advice to go back. Peter, if we had turned around, we might still be in Narnia. Right now we would be feasting and dancing in our great hall in Cair Paravel" said Susan.

Peter sighed and replied "Su, I don't think it is that simple. I don't think the door back to our world was an accident. I am sure Aslan sent us back. He opened the door in the first place for us to enter Narnia and He opened it again because it was time for us to leave. I have been thinking about it a lot and I think Aslan must have believed our work was done. Narnia was safe and at peace. Imagine if we didn't come back, if we just disappeared from this world. The Professor would probably be blamed for our disappearance. Our parents would be mad with grief. Aslan had to send us back. Perhaps some day, we will be able to go back to Narnia. The Professor said we might find a different way in the future."

Susan said "I'm sure what you are saying will make perfect sense tomorrow but tonight I feel mad with grief. You must understand how I feel. Don't you miss Melina?"

"I miss Melina. I miss my children. I miss everything about Narnia and our lives there. Sometimes I wish Aslan had let us say goodbye but then….I have no idea how I would have said goodbye" answered Peter. "Sometimes I am frustrated that the memories are so faint but then I think it is actually a blessing."

Susan said "I feel so sad tonight. I am not even sure why I feel this way tonight. I woke up an hour ago and I wanted to be back in Narnia so badly. When I felt the back of the wardrobe, I started weeping and I felt so overwhelming sad. I feel in my heart I will never see Galen again."

At that moment, at Cair Paravel…

Queen Melina stood at a window watching the ocean waves crash on the shore. It seemed unreal that thirty years had passed since the misadventure with the White Stag. She could close her eyes and vividly remember that day thirty years ago. She could remember Peter joking that he would give her some his wishes when he caught the White Stag. It was strange that the last thing her husband said to her was such a light-hearted comment. No advice on how to rule in his stead or suggestions on raising their children. That fateful fall day had started so lovely, hunting the White Stag and then ended in such confusion. They had found the four horses and then followed footprints that suddenly disappeared. Then Aslan appeared.

"Do not send out search parties. You will not find the High King and his royal siblings. They are gone – called back to the world they came from" said Aslan.

She couldn't stop herself from questioning the great lion.

"Dear Aslan, Peter would have never left without me. Please, tell us how to find this other world" pleaded Melina.

"I am sorry, my daughter. I know this will be hard but the door is closed. You cannot reach them and they cannot return. They were not born in this world and they had to return to their world. Return to Cair Paravel, Queen Melina. Your place is here with your children. You must be strong and keep Narnia safe until your son is old enough to rule in his father's place" said Aslan.

Melina could still remember the sorrow in Aslan's voice. He knew her heart was breaking but there was nothing he could or would do to change the situation. She felt his comforting breath giving her strength.

Galen had asked "Aslan, will they ever be able to return? Wasn't Queen Lucy able to come and go through the door several times when they first arrived in Narnia? Why can't the door open again?"

"I know this is difficult, my son. But Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are gone. The door near the Lantern will never open again. You will not see them again in this life. Some day Narnia will be in great need and they will be called for and they will return to help save Narnia. But that day is far in the distant future – generations from now. Be at peace my children" said Aslan.

And He was gone.

Their lives would never be the same. Melina had returned to Cair Paravel and the council of advisors confirmed her as Regent. She named Galen as the Commander of Narnia's defenses. Sometimes laying awake at night, Melina wondered what she would have done if she had been given a choice between following Peter back to his world and staying in Narnia with their children. It was a conversation she would have loved to have had with Susan. But Susan was gone too. She had not only lost a husband but her best friend. A few fools had shown up at court, thinking to court her. She had no interest or patience – how could any of them think they could take Peter's place? The years had moments of great joy. She was blessed with a wonderful son and daughter and now, grandchildren. Narnia was still a magical country full of loyal and loving friends. There were still dances and festivities and celebrations and feasts. But there had also moment of loneliness that had been so hard. Melina's remembrances were interrupted by the voice of her grown daughter. With a sigh, Melina returned her thoughts to today. A fall day, thirty years since the day her husband and his siblings had disappeared. She turned to look at her daughter.

"Mother, are you ready?" asked Princess Alanna.

It had been a joyous day when Alanna had married Prince Corin of Archenland. It had cemented the already strong relationship between Narnia and Archenland. Alanna and Corin were frequently at the Narnian court with their four children. Fatherhood had finally calmed some of Corin's impulsiveness.

Melina was grateful that Alanna was here today. Mother and daughter walked towards the main courtyard. Alanna's sister-in-law, Queen Aravis, was waiting for them near the main door. The three royal women walked outside and waited for the approaching procession with members of the court.

The Kings of Narnia and Archenland led the procession. Prince Corin and his nephew Crown Prince Ram joined them at the front of the riders. Men on horses, centaurs, other creatures, and talking beasts followed behind. Melina watched them approach and thought Peter would be proud of their son. He was a good king and a skilled warrior. The Narnian and Archenlander armies had a hard won victory in this recent battle. But there was little joy in her son's face or that of King Cor. After so many battles, Narnia's greatest knight was dead and the kings and princes were escorting his body back to Cair Paravel to be laid to rest.

Galen had helped raised her son. Many had helped of course, but Galen played a special role. He was Melina's brother only by marriage to her sister-in-law. A marriage that had lasted less than three months before Susan disappeared. Some wouldn't consider that even a real relation. But Galen was more a real brother than her own blood brothers. He had defended Narnia well and long. Now, he was dead. A pillar of support was gone from her, her children, Narnia itself. With sadness, Melina stepped forward to play her official role in the ceremony.

A week later, Alanna accompanied Melina to Galen's rooms. Melina needed to make final arrangements about cleaning out his rooms. He had kept the same rooms all these years that he and Susan had so briefly shared. He had refused to change anything. Susan's old dressing table was dusted by a servant but no one was allowed to actually put away her perfume bottle, mirror or comb. A blue scarf had been on the back of the dressing table chair for thirty years. Susan had carelessly thrown it there, the day they left in pursuit of the White Stag.

Princess Alanna walked over to a beautiful portrait of Galen and Susan on their wedding day.

"I was so young that I have such few memories of Aunt Susan. But I will always remember how happy she was on her wedding day. We should move this portrait somewhere where it can be admired by all who come to court" said Alanna.

"I agree, dear. The library hall near the ocean doors would be a lovely location. Susan loved the ocean. She was a wonderful swimmer and she took special joy in the mer-folk visiting and singing" replied Melina.

"Mother, have you heard any of the new songs being sung about Uncle Galen and Aunt Susan?" asked Alanna.

Melina laughed and said "I don't think they are new songs, dear. People have been singing some of those songs for years – just quietly so Galen would never hear them. Now that Galen and Susan are both gone, they are being sung openly."

"The song I heard that starts with "one spring day" is my favorite. It was written by two fauns. I think it will be sung for generations" said Alanna. "It makes their love story sound so romantic and so tragic because it was brief."

Melina replied "Many are referring to the reign of your father, uncle and aunts as the Golden Age of Narnia. There will songs and legends long after we have passed to Aslan's country. Galen always said that even though some parts of our lives have been hard and sometimes lonely, we were blessed to be part of the Golden Age of Narnia. I believe my dear brother was right."