Epilogue

Peter was true to his word. Never again was Franck's German heritage mentioned, and though he was sure he had been under surveillance in his first weeks and months in Narnia, he was treated no differently from any other Narnian citizen.

Like the rest of them, he mourned the country's loss when the four sovereigns disappeared, though he had a better understanding than most of where they had gone.

For several weeks he was gripped with the fear that he, too, would be compelled to return, and made up his mind never to go near either Lantern Waste or the place deep in the woods where his own gateway lay.

But as time passed, he began to relax, to believe that he might be allowed to live out his own days in Narnia.

Yet as he grew older, he found his mind drifting often to the four kings and queens…wondering what kind of world they had gone back to. A dark one indeed, if Hitler had been successful in his attempt to conquer it. But even if he had failed, if light and good had triumphed, what place in that world could four Narnian sovereigns possibly have?

Franck wondered, and for his mortal life was destined never to know.

oOo

For Franck couldn't have known that the four Pevensies returned to their world at the same moment they had left it, reverting once more to their old ages.

It took some time to get used to being children again, and some aspects of their former maturity and royalty would always be part of them. But as time passed it faded more and more to the background of their minds as they became once more the children they had been.

Certainly the day their father returned home from the war, he was greeted with childish glee quite different from how Susan and even Lucy had greeted Peter on his return from battle.

That evening Lucy sat on his lap with Susan on the floor at his feet as he told some of the stories from his time away.

His tale of the German pilot who had spared his life made Peter and Edmund look at each other. There was no reason to suppose it had been Franck, and yet… "It's just what — he would do," Edmund murmured; they both knew he did not refer to a man.

"Dad," Peter interrupted his father. "That German pilot…do you remember what he looked like?"

"About like any other German, I suppose. Fairly tall; fair hair. Why; does it matter?"

Peter half shrugged. "I suppose not," he admitted.

"I remember now," Mr Pevensie murmured. "He had a scar through one of his eyebrows, from an old injury."

"Aslan's mane," Peter whispered. "And I was ready to throw him in the dungeon, at best, for what he might have done to you…" He turned to Edmund. "Once again, Just, I thank you."

THE END

A/N: I suppose that exchange wouldn't have gone unnoticed by their parents…but I like that ending so much that it saves me having to think out the conversation that must have come afterward!

I certainly don't think the children were secretive about Narnia, or intentionally tried to keep it from their parents. More likely they slowly gave up trying to talk about it as their parents kept assuming it was just some imaginary adventure they had made up.

I'm currently working on writing a story about a Talking Eagle who is falsely accused of attempted murder, so watch for it sometime next year! In the meantime, I'll be posting another Deep Space Nine story, and then I have some MacGyver stories I want to get up. Barbie

I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know! (Note that this story is formatted using British spellings.)

Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie