At the risk of spoiling it... I'm pretty sure this is an ending none of you have quite predicted. Let me know if you did.
There's a long note at the end but it's to help figure out what happens next. So please read it and give me your thoughts.
Chapter 21: Aslan's Country
After all the arrangements had been made, the three royals clambered into a longboat. Ana, Eustace, and Reepicheep joined them. Reepicheep had been looking forward to the journey all his life so he wasn't going to pass on the opportunity. But fortunately for him, Caspian did not refuse his offer to go with them.
As they approached the water, Ana noted white water lilies were floating on the sea. From a distance, they made the water appear white. The air was clear and she could feel Aslan's presence before they saw any signs of land. Reepicheep told them the water was sweet but Ana saw that it was clearer and fresher than any other body of water. Almost like it was pure.
Ana and Lucy sat next to each other, the rudder between them. Lucy kept it steady while the two Kings rowed the boat. Reepicheep was at the front of the boat, eagerly awaiting their arrival. Eustace sat directly in front of the two girls with his back to them. He occupied their time by telling them how he shed his dragon skin.
"So, what was it like when Aslan changed you back?" Edmund asked.
"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. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot," Eustace explained and Ana smiled a little. "Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really. I'm so sorry for being such a sop."
"It's okay, Eustace," Edmund assured him. He looked at Caspian and then back to his cousin. "You were a pretty good dragon."
His comment caused everyone to either laugh or smile. Even Eustace, though he did duck his head a little in embarrassment. Everyone agreed that being a dragon had been good for him. It seemed to have transformed him in more ways than one. Ana shook her head fondly before looking out across the horizon. She could see a beach in the distance.
As they drew closer, Ana suspected that she would have to say goodbye to her friends again. Not only that but she wouldn't see them for a long time. If they left now, Ana had a feeling that they would not return to Narnia. And there was one thing she wished to do before they were gone for good. She merely hoped Aslan would let her.
"My friends," Reepicheep announced as they sailed through the lilies, "we have arrived."
Caspian and Edmund had to turn to look while the others stared ahead. The sight before them was beautiful and indescribable. There was a large wave that spanned the whole beach, as far as the eye could see. It was a continuous wave, never quite reaching the ground. Just above the froth of the wave, Ana could see treetops and the tops of mountains. She thought she could make out a few waterfalls as well. The wave was just a barrier. Something else lay beyond.
They all climbed out of the boat. Caspian and Edmund pulled it safely out of the water. Ana glanced around, scanning the shore for any signs of Aslan. She didn't see Him, but that didn't mean He wasn't there. He always revealed himself in His own time.
As they walked towards the wave, Eustace was the first to see Him.
"Aslan," he stated. Everyone turned to look behind them.
"Welcome, children," Aslan spoke, circling to stand in front of them. "You have done well. Very well indeed. You have come far, and now your journey is at its end."
"Is this your country?" Lucy asked.
"No, my country lies beyond," He answered, turning his head to look over the wave.
It was then that Ana realized everyone had to make a choice. They would have to decide to go to His country and leave everything, everyone, behind. Or to continue in their current life. Without much thought, Ana knew what her decision would be. But she couldn't be sure what the others would choose.
"Is my father in your country?" Caspian spoke up.
"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue... there is no return."
Caspian looked at the others and then stepped towards the wave. He reached his hand out to touch the water. For a moment, Ana thought he would go if only to find out what happened to his father. But he'd abandoned his Kingdom, his people. As the water cascaded past his hand, she knew what his decision was.
His hand fell to his side and Caspian stepped away from the wave. He slowly walked back to the others, the beginnings of tears in his eyes. It had been a hard choice, but Ana knew had made the right one. It wasn't his time and people still needed him.
"You're not going?" Edmund asked, a little confused.
"I can't imagine that my father...would be very proud that I gave up what he died for," Caspian answered. "I spent too long wanting what was taken from me...and not what was given. I was given a Kingdom. A people." He looked at the Pevensies and Ana, the corners of his mouth upturning slightly. "A new family." He took a few steps towards Aslan. "I promise to be a better King."
"You already are," the Lion assured him. He turned to face the Pevensies and Eustace. "Children?"
Lucy took a few steps forward, smiling. She was going to speak when Edmund spoke up instead.
"I think perhaps it's time we went home actually, Lu," he said.
Her joyous expression faded and she turned to face him. "But I thought you loved it here."
"I do," he told her. "But I love home and our family as well. They need us."
While Lucy didn't say anything, Ana could see she agreed with her brother. They would go home. And even though no one had said it, they seemed to know it would be their last time. She could tell just based on how solemn they appeared.
Reepicheep cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence that had fallen. All their gazes fell to him and he scampered in front of Aslan. Removing his feather from his head, he bowed low.
"Your Eminence... ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your country," the Mouse began. "I've had many great adventures in this... 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."
"My country was made for noble hearts such as yours... no matter how small their bearers be," Aslan answered with a soft smile.
"Your Majesty." Reepicheep bowed again.
"No one could be more deserving," Caspian told the Mouse, bowing his head to him.
"Well I—" Reepicheep protested but Edmund cut him off.
"It's true," the Just King stated. He too bowed his head to the Mouse. Reepicheep bowed in response.
Lucy walked forward and knelt before him. "May I?" she asked.
"Well, I suppose. Just this—" Reepicheep began before Lucy scooped him up and pulled him into a hug. He was taken aback at first. But when she leaned back, he gave her a hug of his own accord. "Goodbye, Lucy."
She stood and returned to Edmund's side. Eustace took her place, kneeling in front of Reepicheep. He looked up at him and held up a paw.
"Don't cry," Reepicheep said.
"I don't understand," Eustace replied, voice breaking. "Will I not see you again? Ever?"
"What a magnificent puzzle you are. And a true hero. It's been my honor to fight beside such a brave warrior... and a great friend."
Eustace sniffled a little and turned to join his cousins. There were still tears in his eyes, but he seemed in slightly higher spirits. Reepicheep turned to leave but stopped, looking at Ana. Feeling all eyes on her, she stepped forward to say goodbye to another friend. But she was never good at that and didn't know what to say.
"I'm not very good at these things," she said, kneeling in front of the Mouse. Reepicheep chuckled.
"What a marvelous person you are," he said. "I've never met anyone like you. You're one of the bravest people I've had the honor of meeting. A wonderful friend and willing to protect anyone, no matter the costs. I have been so honored to be your friend."
"You're a brave warrior and great friend," Ana said. "It's been a pleasure to fight and work beside you. I'll miss you dearly."
He grinned at her and bowed his head. Ana could only give him a small smile in return. Then she watched as he ran across the sand to where a small boat was waiting. He removed his rapier from his waist and pushed the boat into the water. They all stood with a mix of emotions and watched as he paddled to the wave. He let the current take over and as Reepicheep sailed over the top, he looked back at his friends. One final goodbye. Ana's smile grew, seeing how happy he was.
They stood in silence for a moment. But Ana soon felt eyes on her again. She realized everyone else had made their decision, but she hadn't voiced hers. They wanted to know what she would do. She had wanted to go to Aslan's Country but she felt guilty for doing so. She didn't want to leave her friends behind. And she wasn't ready; she felt like there was more for her to do. If it was her time, she knew Aslan would've made her heart ready. Ana looked at Aslan, both knowing what her decision would be.
"I would love to see your country," she said and noticed the others' faces fall. Caspian seemed particularly disappointed but he perked up at her next words. "But... it's not my time yet. Although I've lived a long life, I'm not finished yet. There's still more for me to do here."
Aslan nodded. "Spoken from the heart, dear one."
"If I may... There is one thing I'd like before I return home."
Ana watched as Caspian frowned, confused. Eustace and Edmund seemed equally perplexed. None of them knew what she wanted. But one look at them had Lucy smiling. She was able to piece together what Ana was asking. Both looked to Aslan and He nodded, smiling a little as He did so.
"This may be my last chance," Ana said, turning to face them. "And I would like to go with my friends. See their world."
Once they realized what Ana was asking, the effect was immediate. Edmund grinned, interested at the prospect of her going with them. Eustace perked up a bit more, surprised at her request. But Ana didn't think he was upset about it. He just hadn't expected it. None of them had. But they were all happy. Except for Caspian that is...
Ana watched several emotions flash across his face in a matter of seconds. First, he was surprised, then disappointed, and maybe slightly angry, before seeing a look of sadness and finally becoming resigned. There was also that look in his eyes that she thought she kept seeing. It seemed as though he didn't know how he felt about her request. He sent her a smile to try and cover it up, but she had already seen it.
Ana hated seeing him so conflicted, but she needed to go. She couldn't explain but she felt this pull to go. Caspian would understand. At least she hoped he would. She studied him carefully, trying to figure out how he really felt. But his moment of vulnerability faded and he became impassive. So Ana turned back to her friends.
Edmund and Lucy had been looking at each other, having a silent conversation. He placed his hand on her shoulder as she turned to face Aslan. Her face held both sadness and understanding as did Edmund. He was trying to stay strong while Lucy didn't bother to hide the tears threatening to pour out.
"This is our last time here, isn't it?" Lucy asked. Her voice showed just how sad she was.
"Yes," Aslan answered, walking closer to her. "You have grown up, my dear one. Just like Peter and Susan."
She stepped closer to Him with Edmund right behind her. She reached up to touch His face. "Will you visit us in our world?" Lucy asked, voice breaking.
"I shall be watching you, always."
"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?"
"Mm. Yes, dear one. One day."
At this statement, Aslan turned His towards the wave and roared. The water parted down the center, creating a small gap. It provided enough room for four people to stand inside though it appeared to run very deep. The three approached Caspian to say their goodbyes but Ana lingered back.
"You're the closest thing I have to family," Caspian told them. He reached out to Eustace and clasped his shoulder. "And that includes you, Eustace."
"Thank you," the boy replied, smiling a little.
Caspian raised his arms and Edmund stepped forward to embrace him. When her brother moved away, Lucy threw her arms around his neck. While the two hugged goodbye, Edmund approached Aslan and politely bowed his head. Ana could tell the Just King was barely keeping it together. Lucy, on the other hand, was practically crying by the time she reached the Lion. She wrapped her arms around His neck and buried her face in His mane. As she walked away from Aslan she let the tears fall, barely holding back a sob.
Ana watched them say their goodbyes before approaching Caspian. He grimaced a little, as saying goodbye to her was more painful than the others. She knew it probably was and tried to cheer him up.
"Don't worry, Caspian. I'll be back before you know it. You couldn't survive a day without me." She grinned and he let out a small chuckle so she considered that a success. "Besides, I'm a Narnian. This is my home. I wouldn't last long in the human world."
"Why are you going?" he asked.
"I can't really explain it other than I want to see their world. I know it will be my last opportunity to do so."
He nodded in understanding. Ana reached out to hug him, catching him off guard. She very rarely initiated such contact. But Caspian welcomed it, wrapping his arms tightly around. He held her like he didn't want to let her go.
"Be careful," he whispered before releasing her.
Ana smiled. "I will."
She nodded her thanks to Aslan and bowed. She knew she would see Him again. Then Ana joined the two siblings near the wave. Eustace began to follow but stopped and turned. She continued towards Lucy who pulled her into a hug, needing something to hold onto. Ana promised her that everything would be alright.
"Will I come back?" Eustace asked.
"Narnia may yet have need of you," answered the Great Lion.
Eustace was smiling when he turned back to face them. The place had grown on him, changed him. Ana realized that Narnia seemed to have that effect on people as even the Pevenises had changed. Some transformations—like Edmund's and Eustace's—were more obvious.
Once Eustace joined his cousins and Ana, they turned back. They watched as the wave closed and water swirled around them. Soon they were underwater and had to swim to the surface. As they swam upwards, Ana noticed furniture and other items were gathering in the water. When they finally surfaced, she realized they were in some sort of room.
Edmund had grabbed a hold of a bed frame and pulled himself onto it. The other three ended up on the floor as the water level around them began to retreat. Ana noticed several things at that moment. The first was that all their clothes were dry and the second was that her attire had completely changed. Her weapons had disappeared and she was wearing clothing from materials that felt foreign to her. But she realized she still had her Phoenix necklace. She also felt different but couldn't put her finger on why. The last thing she noticed was that the water drained into a painting on the floor. The painting was of a ship at sea and it looked suspiciously like the Dawn Treader.
Everyone stared solemnly at the painting. They didn't know what to say. It was the last trip for the Just King and Valiant Queen. Both were deeply saddened by the fact, though they understood. Edmund seemed to have accepted it but Lucy still looked surprised by the news.
Eustace slowly stood once the water reached the frame of the painting. He carefully picked it up from the floor and hung it on the wall above a mantle. Edmund rose from the bed and the girls collected themselves from the floor. Ana felt a little dizzy and a sudden sharp pain in her head as she stood. She frowned slightly and shook her head, which only made it worse. When she looked at Lucy, she realized all three were watching her.
"What?" she asked, ignoring the pain in her head.
"Y-you look different," Lucy stated.
"Well... this is different," Ana replied, gesturing to her attire.
"It's not just that. You appear to have lost some color..." she said and the boys nodded in agreement. "Do you feel alright?"
"I have a bit of a headache..." She frowned again, trying to figure out why she felt so weird. Then it dawned on her. "And... m-my magic is gone. Well, not entirely... It's still there but I can barely feel it."
"That's probably because there's no magic in our world," Edmund explained.
Ana nodded. "I don't think I'll be able to stay for long but I should be alright for a few hours."
"Eustace?!" a voice called, stopping them from asking any more questions. "Eustace... what are you doing up there?! Jill Pole's dropped in for a visit!"
All three exchanged worried glances before looking back at Ana. She knew they would probably have to explain her sudden appearance. But if Aslan took care to make her fit in, then she hoped it wouldn't be too difficult to come up with something believable. Something told her these people wouldn't believe 'the portal from another world' story.
Without a word, they all headed for the door. Lucy held open the door for them and Edmund walked out first. He lingered just behind his sister in the doorway as Eustace followed them out. Ana sent Lucy a small smile and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she passed.
The others turned to leave as Lucy cast one last glance at the painting. Ana heard her sniffling as she closed the door and followed them downstairs. It was their final adventure in Narnia.
Just kidding! This isn't the end yet. There are at least three more chapters! But before we get there I have some questions about what happens next...
So would you guys like me to continue this series? There are three (four) options. I can do all, some, or none. Just let me know which you prefer (feel free to wait until the end of the book to give me your opinion. I'm only posting early to give you some time to think):
Option 1 - A fourth book that follows Ana through the events of Silver Chair and the Last Battle (I kind of plan on combining them). They would obviously be booked-based, but with characters from the movies. (ie. their personalities and descriptions come from the movies instead)
Option 2 - A series of Short Stories involving Ana throughout the Narnia universe. This one would allow you to make requests and get answers to some of your questions. Such as: What is Ana doing during the events of The Horse and His Boy? (Good question. I actually have the answer but won't spoil it here ;) )
Options 3 & 4 - I can post one (or both!) of the crossovers to BBC Merlin. One of them I finished shortly before starting rewrites (I actually started the rewrites when I got stuck) so I probably won't do much editing on that one. The other... well I may need to do some editing on that. Keep in mind that although they involve a crossover into the same universe and characters, they are stand-alones from each other. Titles are (so you can pick which one you think sounds better): A Light in the Darkness or When Destinies Collide (not a love story, FYI). I will tell you that one is much darker than the other and the longest story I've ever written.
Or, as I said, I can do none of the above and just end the series. Let me know which you would prefer!
