Wishes and Tasks
A/N: I cannot remember the exact word the Professor said at the end of LWW, and I do not have a copy of the book with me, so this is a tad AU. But hopefully still enjoyable.
"And so we've returned, sir. And we came to you because we felt we ought to explain," Peter finished.
Professor Kirke raised his eyebrows, looking from the oldest to the youngest, each in turn. "Explain what?"
"Well, why the coats were missing, for one thing," Lucy put in.
"We didn't want to have stolen them," said Susan.
The Professor regarded the once (and always) Queen, who had overseen the spending of a treasury, and who was now unable to pay for a mothball-perfumed fur coat. "As you didn't intend for me to lose them, one might call it inadvertent stealing, if one was to call it stealing at all. But do not worry, young lady. If you have any more qualms—if any of you do," he added indicating the group with a wave of his hand, "I shall consider myself well paid for them by this story of your experiences. Indeed, if you ever have more, I would request most urgently that you come and tell me of them."
"Do you think we shall have more, sir?" asked Peter, eagerness lighting his eyes.
"Of course, of course! That is evident to any person who's had a good education; bless me, but I must try to remedy this. But you won't have another adventure when you're looking for it. Anymore than you were looking to come back to England when you did. No, those adventures are mainly sent when you are not looking for them; when your attention is taken by something else. Indeed," he added thoughtfully, "one might almost say that on this latest occasion you found the opposite of what you sought."
"Could you explain, sir?" It was the younger boy this time, Edmund, his eyes filled with the curiosity of the intelligent.
"By your account, you were hunting a White Stag when you left." The Professor steepled his hands together and leaned back. "And why was that?"
"So he could grant us wishes, sir."
"And what would you have wished for, had you caught him?" He paused, and let them think. "All of your wishes were related to Narnia, weren't they? For the continued good of your kingdom, and for your life in that realm. It's quite natural, you see. And when your wishes were all focused on Narnia, the door opened, and you were handed a different task instead. And that, of course, is what the Lion requires of us." The Professor thought of one of his strongest memories, of wishing with all his heart for his mother's life, and being sent to get an apple for Narnia instead. "He requires that we give Him our deepest wishes, and take in return an entirely different task. Only in time—His time, you know—will we see how the tasks will lead us back to our deepest desires. Some day, some time, you'll understand how coming back to England will be for Narnia's good—and it may even bring you back there."