Hello! It's time for another chapter and this one is particularly great, if I say so myself. I had a blast writing this chapter and I hope you all get to feel that excitement as you read!
Just a little reminder: I do not own anything, only my original characters and plot.
Enjoy!
Chapter 7: When Love Makes an Intervention
The market had always been one of his favourite spots for cold weather days, the mass of people roaming its streets keeping the cold winds from being too harsh, while the smells and the warmth of the fires and furnaces from shops provided a very pleasant sensation of comfort. Oil lamps looked like fireballs from afar, colouring the cobblestones in the floor and the walls with their orange hue, making the streets even more welcoming. He loved the incredible energy of the place; the shouts, the laughs, the curious and contented hums of people; to be surrounded by such a spirited boost of life and the sincere smiles he got from the few who recognised him made his heart proud at the clear sign that he was a good ruler to his people.
He had come alone, taken by the sudden desire to walk aimlessly and think, his eyes absentmindedly scanning the objects on the shops, stopping here and there to examine any interesting items. His stomach was the one enjoying this little stroll the most, sweet and savoury smells teasing his nose. Inevitably, he stopped at several stands, gathering a considerable amount of small paper bags, his hands warmed by the freshly roasted chestnuts he had just purchased.
He was passing by a colourful tent, full to the brim with all sorts of fabrics and colours, when his eyes caught the figure of a woman, someone he knew very well and would recognise anywhere. His surprise was tinged with guilt; he had meant to talk to her right after his coronation, but he got immediately caught up in the multitude of matters and duties requiring his attention, and he had hardly had time to think about anything else. And now Aslan had given him a chance to talk to her. With a small smile, he noticed she was not wearing dark colours; she appeared to be taking her widowhood with utmost grace. Then again, it was no surprise, she had always been one to make the best out of an unfavourable situation. Some of his anxiety ebbed away; hopefully she kept no resentment towards him.
"Aunt" he addressed her, unable to keep the hesitant tone from his voice and hoping not to startle her. Her shoulders tensed for an instant before she relaxed and turned around to face him. She had not changed; her intelligent eyes and sharp yet handsome features were the same as always, and yet she looked younger, lighter. She offered him a small smile before curtsying politely.
"I am no longer your aunt, Caspian" she spoke, pulling a piece of fabric between her hands and examining it.
"And yet, to me you will always be. The recent events, however tragic, have not altered the affection I have for you; you are still my family, even if not directly by blood" he explained, earning another smile from her. "You left the castle in such haste, and although I can understand your reasons, I would like to have the chance to help you, to provide a good living for you and the baby" he told, hoping she could see he was speaking from the heart. She looked at him for a moment, a soft smile on her lips.
"You are a very honourable man, Caspian. Thank you for your kindness but I- we are fine. I have returned to my family's home, you need not to worry" she reassured him, proving she was still the strong woman she had been all these years.
"Miraz's mistakes were his and his alone, it is hardly fair that you were the one to pay the price of his ambition" he argued with a frown. A sigh escaped her lips and she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, her dark gaze telling him she was touched by his concern.
"I have made my peace with the past, Caspian. My life now is peaceful and enjoyable; facing the ghosts and memories of my life in the castle is not something I want to do, ever" she confessed, knowing he would understand, and he did.
"So- um- how is your son?" Caspian asked a bit awkwardly, his voice uncertain but full of the unmistakeable hint of genuine curiosity.
"He is well, a clever little boy, although he is asleep most of the time" Prunaprismia replied, beaming lovingly. Caspian mirrored her smile. He could see she loved her son immensely, like the great mother he was sure she was.
"It gladdens me to hear it. I- um, I want you to know that you can count on me for anything you need, anything at all" he told, clearing his throat. "Please, I'll be glad to help" he added just as Prunaprismia made it to refuse, his voice acquiring a more serious and formal tone.
"Always kind and generous, I wouldn't have expected less from you, Caspian. I had the fortune to be born in a wealthy family; my son and I have everything we need and we are well taken care of, but thank you" she replied, her features softening, and for the first time, Caspian saw love in them, love for him, one that she had probably kept hidden in fear for her husband. Her hand reached forward and laid gently on his forearm in a reassuring although slightly hesitant gesture.
"You are a great king, Caspian; it was your destiny, no matter how others tried to keep you away from fulfilling it. It gladdens me to see you in the place you were meant to be, walking down the path of grandness you were destined to. Goodbye, Caspian" she spoke, proudly and sincerely. With a final squeeze to his arm, she turned on her heel and left, walking down the street and getting lost in the crowd. Caspian stared at the empty spot where she had been standing, stunned. Taking a deep breath, the King smiled, his heart warm with a newfound respect for Prunaprismia; she was a good person, she deserved a life without Miraz's memory hanging over her.
Lord Tir looked at his surroundings with a disgusted wince, taking notice of the crowd of drunken men and grimy surfaces of the bleak watering hole.
"I insist we should have chosen a less public place to gather" he complained.
"I already paid the owner to reserve one of the more secluded rooms for us; we are only waiting for the others to arrive. Stop fretting, we can't look conspicuous" Lord Bartrian lectured, pouring himself some more wine. One by one, a small group of Lords of the Council started joining them, until seven of them were sitting at a table, looking around and sharing some small talk.
"Well, I think it's time we take this somewhere more private" Lord Bartrian spoke, catching the attention of the bartender, who motioned them to the back of the building.
Meanwhile, the royal family and their guests were gathered at the dining hall, sharing many laughs as they enjoyed their meal.
"Your Majesties there is-" a maid announced, interrupted by a grunt and a light push.
"Oi, pretty boy, this is important, I can't wait to be announced in such fancy!" Trumpkin groaned, glaring at Caspian from the door.
"Oh, a dwarf! A real dwarf!" Scorpio exclaimed, marvelled at the ginger-bearded Narnian, standing to take a better look from across the table.
"What are you looking so intently at, blondie?" the very dwarf retorted, causing Caspian to sigh loudly.
"These are the King and Princes of Archenland, accompanied by Lord Zephyr and Sir Rainidan. Your Highnesses, this is Sir Trumpkin, one of the Court Counsellors and a very close friend" the King introduced.
"You need to come with me, now" Trumpkin told him after his cumbersome bow to the foreign nobles, sending Caspian a deep, meaningful glare.
"What is it?" the King enquired as soon as the doors closed behind them.
"The lords, those who always cross you at the Council meetings, I saw them all gathering in a shady bar in town, you know, not the kind of place where posh pricks like them usually meet. Smells fishy to me" the Narnian explained. Caspian frowned, sharing the dwarf's suspicion.
"Take me there" he said, forgetting completely about his unfinished meal.
The room was not the best, but it was enough to host them more or less comfortably. At least the cracking fire and wine helped in making the room half decent.
"I believe you all know why we have gathered here" Bartrian spoke, raising from his seat and looking around at the lords, all six pairs of eyes on him. "It is revolting to see how the great work of our forefathers is being torn apart by this child and his revolutionary ideas of equality. We cannot let him continue ruling like this, unstopped, following his whims instead of reason!" the lord exclaimed, a chorus of cheers of agreement issuing after his statement.
"He has ignored most if not all our traditions, gone against the very foundations of our civilisation, disrespected not only the noble legacy of past kings, but everything we stand for!" Lord Tir added, his voice old and thick with bitterness.
"He is not like his predecessors, who knew and followed the order of things; this brat has no experience and has no respect for those who do possess it and are much wiser than him. He's stomped on ancient traditions with his behaviour and outraging personality; this has to end, before our entire society crumbles!" Lord Prius – always one to get exalted easily – claimed hotly, meeting sounds of approval and a buzz of comments.
"That foolish old mentor he had, he is the one to blame. He filled his head with all those fairytales and fantasies! Had he stuck to history lessons and politics, those freaks of nature would still be hiding on the forest!" Lord Harem spoke, slamming his fist on his knee, inciting yet another round of exclamations.
"That old tutor is only part of the blame. Let us not forget those so-called Kings and Queens, four children who appeared out of nowhere and now pry onto the kingdom's matters, unchecked! Who knows what kind of charms they use to convince the boy to do their bidding!" Lord Bartrian stated, the booming noise of a multitude of voices following suit.
"You believe in tales of witches and sorcerers, Lord Bartrian?" an ironic, accented voice said from behind the door as it was pushed open, revealing the young King to his lords. "I could have sworn you had just agreed they were 'just fairy tales'" Caspian added, meeting the flabbergasted gaze of all seven lords.
"My King, w-we were just discussing-" Lord Almien tried to explain, failing miserably to come up any credible story.
"Call it whatever you want, My Lord, but when it comes to questioning my decisions or my capacity to rule this land, I very much prefer to be told personally and not behind my back" Caspian replied, his flaring temper peeking hotly from behind the dark curtain of his eyes, yet cleverly kept from his voice.
"Sharing points of view and disagreements is hardly a crime, Your Majesty. We have been merely enjoying good wine and conversation" Lord Tir said, cleverly circumventing Caspian's accusation.
"I couldn't agree more, Your Lordship, but when said conversation is surrounded by secrecy it can be mistaken for plotting, scheming, and that wouldn't be good, would it?" Caspian parried, meeting the man's cunningness with some wit of his own.
"With all due respect, Majesty, this was a private meeting and we are still entitled to our privacy" Lord Bartrian spoke, clearly hinting Caspian was not meant to be there.
"Certainly, had you met at any of your homes, my intervention would have constituted an invasion of privacy, indeed. And yet, I find not less than seven of my Council Lords gathered – under quite dubious circumstances – at a public house, to hold accusations, complaints and disregarding comments not only about me but against the entire royal family. Tell me My lords, is that not enough motive for suspicion?" Caspian said, meeting Bartrian's death glare impassively.
"How unfortunate would it be if your words – or 'points of view' as you kindly put it – were misunderstood by the casual listener; I, for instance, could accuse you of treason, of conspiring against the Crown, and have you banished, imprisoned or even executed" he added, glaring darkly at the men, dangerous, threatening, murderous.
"I remind you, gentlemen, that the Kings and Queens of Old are sovereigns of this land with as much right as I am, and do not deserve to be wrongly blasphemed by treacherous hypocrites like you. Nevertheless, I do not feel like ruining a perfectly enjoyable evening by having you all thrown into the dungeons, yet I may not be as generous next time" Caspian hissed, incensed. His scalding temper did not take away a single ounce of his imposing posture: shoulders squared, head held high, his flaming dark eyes gazing at the men from above, carrying what could be understood as an air of arrogance, but was no more than utter disgust.
The lords watched as the King walked towards the door, no sound coming from their open mouths.
"Ah, one more thing," Caspian said, turning to look at them over his shoulder, a hand resting on the rusty handle. "Contrary to what you seem so confident in believing, I am the only one accountable for my decisions; I am not one to be influenced or manipulated easily. I would have thought you of all people were aware of this, after all, your intrigues and attempts at influencing me never got you anywhere" he stated, his darkened eyes glinting with a dangerous hint of humour as his lips twisted into a satisfied smirk before he opened the door, slamming it behind him as he strode out of the overcast pub.
He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, storming out the gloomy pub in a blink, ignoring the faces and words directed at him. He came to a stop as he turned a corner, leaning his back on the wall while he caught his breath.
"Aslan, give me the patience and wisdom to deal with them, for if you give me strength I shall beat them to a pulp" Caspian prayed, looking up at the dark sky and the twinkling stars on it, hoping the Great Lion heard his plea. With a sigh, the Telmarine King made his way back to the castle, where he knew his sudden disappearance must have caused some concern.
A mid-spring cold spell marked the following days, light drizzle making an appearance once or twice, the sky covered with a very light coat of grey clouds. The Narnian monarchs and their guests were gathered in the study, the blazing fire in the fireplace providing them with heat as they indulged in their hobby or favourite entertainments. The Magnificent King was currently glaring at both Tairin and Zephyr over the rim of the thick medical journal in his hands as the young couple quietly whispered sweet nothings to each other, Tairin's quiet giggles disturbing the King immensely as he tried – and failed – to focus on the printed words of his book.
"I am trying to read here" he noted pointedly, one of his eyebrows raised in irritation.
"Peter" Susan lectured him calmly, sending him a meaningful look.
"I can't read with such noise" Peter countered, flashing his eyes at the affectionate couple.
"Let them be" Susan whispered tiredly, tapping his lower leg with her foot lightly, hoping it would keep him from whining any longer. The eldest Pevensie huffed and looked back at his book with a frown, staring intently at it for a moment before slamming it close when the couple started laughing quietly.
"You're doing it on purpose!" the King exclaimed, his annoyance clear on his face.
"If you are so bothered you can always leave, you are the only one complaining" Tairin retorted, her chocolate gaze challenging.
"You're throwing me out? It's you who should take your indecent spectacle somewhere else" Peter replied, temper rising. Fortunately, a knock on the door prevented the quarrel from turning into a fight, Rainidan entering the room with a small curtsy.
"Your Majesties, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Anvard and his family have arrived" the knight informed, the news causing several gasps and surprised hums.
"Oh? How come I didn't know they were coming, where are they?" Tairin rambled, her whole face lighting up in excitement.
"Right behind Rainidan, but he is blocking the door" a young voice commented from the corridor, earning a squeal from Tairin and a chuckle from Gemini and Gaetan.
A girl with a long mane of bouncy ginger curls and grey-blue eyes popped her head from behind the knight's strong built, causing Tairin to squeal again and jump from her seat to meet the girl in a fuzzy embrace, bursting into a full-speed rant in Archen dialect. Rainidan then moved aside, bowing at the Grand Duke, a man in his late thirties, his ash coloured hair hinting he had been blond once. His clear blue eyes were narrowed by his smile, arms opened in friendly gesture to address them all. Twin boys followed behind him, identical even in the mischief glinting in their bright, clever blue eyes, sharing a hidden smile as they stood close to their father.
"Oh, what a joy to have you all here! I've missed you terribly!" Tairin exclaimed, enveloping both boys in a hug, causing them to squirm in her embrace.
"It is an honour to be here, to be back in Narnia and meet you all. I am terribly sorry to have arrived so unexpectedly; we had a very sudden change of plans and I barely had time to post my letter to you. Had I known we would get here so fast I would not have troubled the postman" Lord Caelic apologised with a hint of humour, pulling a smile from everyone in the room.
"Your Highnesses, our days are made brighter by making your acquaintance. I am Caelic, Grand Duke of Anvard and these are my children: Taril, Ameril and Myrina, my eldest" the Archen noble introduced, bowing elegantly, a gesture mirrored by his children.
"My, my, little cousin, you are even prettier than when we left Anvard. Telmarine men will be lining up at the gates to catch a glimpse of you! Don't share many kisses or I'll get jealous!" Scorpio exclaimed, turning Myrina around, the girl laughing at his words, cheeks slightly tinted with pink.
"Don't worry, Myr, men in Narnia aren't as cheeky as this wind-head here" Tai commented, earning a glare from the Prince.
Room was made in the comfy sofa and armchairs for the new arrivals, hot beverages and cakes passed around freely. Lucy and Susan warmed up to Myrina almost immediately, having heard about her kindness and sweet demeanour from Tairin. Yet, the youngest Queen – always keen on making new friends – soon offered to show the twins around, having caught them sneaking glances at the view from the window, sharing excited whispers among themselves.
"Behave boys. I have eyes everywhere in this castle so don't try anything sneaky" Tairin warned as the trio exited.
"Yes ma'am" the boys answered in unison, as if rehearsed, twin troublemaking smiles on their faces as they marched behind Lucy.
"With luck they won't burn anything" Myrina noted under her breath, causing Tairin and Susan to laugh.
Edmund was half listening to the conversation around him, not quite interested at the topic being currently discussed. In moments like this the young King indulged in one of his favourite hobbies, which was observing the people around him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed as Scorpio quietly made his way towards the door, sending him a conspiratorial wink as he slid quietly through the door, probably to try his luck and charm a few maids. Smiling at the Prince's antics, Ed turned his gaze back at the group of people in the room, his gaze falling on Lady Myrina. His brows furrowed curiously when he found her staring at the ceiling, her expression one of agonising boredom. With practiced inconspicuousness, the Just King got to his feet.
"Would you fancy a walk? I believe this talk will get even more boring" he suggested quietly, leaning slightly over the back of the sofa so Myrina would hear him. She looked up at him in surprise and smiled, nodding somewhat shyly. She whispered her excuses and got up, timidly allowing him to lead her out of the room.
"I don't believe we have been properly introduced" Myrina spoke as Ed closed the door behind him.
"Is there really the need?" he commented casually. "I mean, your father was kind enough to introduce you and your brothers, and I find my siblings and I hardly need an introduction nowadays" he added with a spark of humour, seeing her tense at his previous remark. Myrina relaxed at his small joke and nodded.
"Alright, but how do I know you are not King Peter?" she remarked, playing along.
"I'd take it as a personal offense if you did" he replied, making her laugh.
A comfortable silence then fell between them as Myrina's eyes wandered curiously around the garden. Edmund stood politely behind her, allowing her some freedom to explore and move around. It had been an interesting exchange they had had; usually, he opted for a more reserved attitude towards visitors, keeping within the limits of polite yet brief conversation. He could argue that he had offered to show her the gardens out of chivalry at seeing her so miserably bored, and indeed, that had been his initial purpose. Yet, something in Lady Myrina's attitude had relaxed his stiff, strictly diplomatic approach. He felt comfortable and surprisingly at ease talking to her, his witty remarks met nicely by her own clever streak. Her sincerity was welcoming and even amusing, the Archen Lady having already blurted some thoughts, pulling honest laughs from him at her embarrassment.
The gardens were charming, even despite the cold weather, and she allowed her eyes to wander around as they strolled quietly. Every now and then she would take a peek at her companion, the fabled Just King of the Golden Age. Admittedly, he was younger than she expected, much younger; he could not be much older than her, if at all, however wise and grown-up by his past life. The history books she had read described him as a logical, fair, clever and skilled king, although the mentions about his appearance were scarce and lacking much detail. She had drawn many elements mostly from the few illustrations in the books to compose her mental image of the Just King; an image that was contested at present, for the King at her side was quite different from the one in the illustrations. His hair, for instance, was short and a tad messy, whereas his older version carried it long. She stared at his eyes for a moment, a light hue of chocolate looking somewhere ahead, piercing and thoughtful. As if sensing her eyes on him, he turned to look at her, and she quickly dropped her gaze, staring intently at her shoes and allowing her hair to act as a curtain in order to hide her blush of embarrassment.
"Careful" she heard him say the next moment before he pulled her arm, steering her away from a tall flower pot before she ran over it.
"T-thanks" she said, her face positively burning.
"Well, you seemed quite mesmerised by your shoes, I did not want to interrupt you" he replied jokingly and she smiled, relaxing a bit, though feeling quite silly. A small conversation developed after this unflattering moment, both of them relaxing and enjoying the talk, laughing comfortably.
This was a new development for him. He had always been the least social out of the four of them, and he had never been one to make fast friends. Caspian was the rare exception; they had become close friends shortly after they had met, perhaps because of how similar their thoughts and personalities were, or simply – as the Telmarine had put it during one of their many talks – because they were brothers of the soul. Upon enquiry, Caspian explained that it meant two people had a deep understanding of one another that went beyond affinity or shared experiences. Certainly, it was too early to tell if he and Lady Myrina would indeed become good friends; all he knew was that he felt surprisingly comfortable in her company. He took a moment to look at her as she inattentively played with one of her copper-coloured curls, her greyish blue eyes cast to the side while telling him some story; his older self would have considered her pretty in the Golden Age, back when adolescence had effectively kick-started his romantic interest in girls. With hindsight, it was better this way; the interference of bubbly hormones would have made this pleasant acquaintance infinitely more awkward. He smiled. The prospect of them becoming great friends was not bothering him at all.
There was a weird feeling in the air, something heavy and bothering she could not quite put her finger on. She tried to brush this thought aside as she pushed the ornamented door of her room in the castle, revealing her four posted bed, just as she had left it that morning; everything appeared to be in its usual place. She approached the mirror, check for any signs of illness, anything that could be causing that dullness in her chest. There she was, her crystal blue eyes staring back at her, wearing the same dress she had put on for breakfast, nothing amiss.
And then the mirror broke, shattering into pieces. She gasped and screamed, covering her face, the sharp shards scratching the skin of her arms and hands, little drops of crimson liquid staining the white of her skin. She then opened her eyes to find her skirt had shortened and familiar shoes were now wedged to her feet, white socks climbing up her calves. She looked around, fear, despair, sadness and confusion flooding her chest as she found darkness, the only clear thing into view being the shattered mirror. She could see herself in the broken pieces of glass, wearing her gray skirt and red uniform coat, her hair tied in the back, just like that day... She blinked and everything cleared up. She was standing in her room, back in Finchley, the room she shared with Lucy.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as her surroundings became clearer, feeling as if her heart had been ripped from her, as if everything she loved the most had been taken away. She had been in Narnia only a moment ago, how could it be that she was now in- A pained, raw cry scratched her throat and she dropped to her knees at the brutal hit of reality; she was back, back in this colourless, bitter world, with no way of returning back to her real home. And then, out of the corner of her eye she saw the Wardrobe, standing just a few feet away from her. She bolted towards it, fighting the fur coats and making her way to the back, her heart beating wildly, expecting the Western Woods to appear in front of her at any moment, her features brightened by hope. Disappointment washed over her as her hands found the back of the sturdy piece of furniture, solid and smooth against her hands, leading nowhere. Why, why was this happening to her, why was hope offered to her only to be ripped away her so violently!
Numbly, she made her way out of the wardrobe, her legs giving up on her weight as she crumbled on the floor, curled tightly as sobs shook her. Her chest hurt with the utter misery and desolation and she felt empty of any good sentiment, anything that would be worth living for. She was alone. Her siblings were probably still in Narnia, along with Caspian and the others. Caspian. The mere thought of him twisted her heart in excruciating pain, constricting her throat as she cried, her own screams horrifying her.
Despair, agony, anguish, abandonment, loneliness; they were pulling her deeper and deeper into the sea of darkness enveloping her, not one spark of light to comfort her. She had lost everything.
She opened her eyes abruptly, finding Peter's deeply concerned gaze looking back at her, pale with worry.
"Susan! Susan, what happened?!" he exclaimed, somewhat relieved to see her finally awake. She was completely disoriented, vaguely registering one of his hands brushing her hair away from her face, while the other held her shoulder in a rather tight grip. It took her sometime to realise she was still in her bed, in the Telmarine Castle, in Narnia, eyes wandering around the room before falling once more on her older brother, blinking several times.
"Peter" she whispered, unable to speak any louder, and the King exhaled in relief, loosening his grip on her arms.
"Oh, Su! We were so worried!" Lucy told, hugging his sister close by the neck. "You were screaming as if under some kind of torture, we couldn't wake you up! You squirmed and tossed around, weeping in the most painful of ways" the young Queen told her sister, pulling away to look into her eyes. Susan stared at her, still in a bit of a daze, and lifted a hand to brush the cold streak of tears she had only just noticed on her cheek.
"Su?" a grave, slightly nasal, voice asked, and she turned slowly to look at Edmund, the Just King leaning over to look at her.
"I'm sorry, I- it was a nightmare" she finally said, smiling weakly at her siblings. The memory of such horrible images and feelings squeezed her chest and she chocked on some tears again, her trembling hands covering her mouth. Peter hurried to hug her tightly, her head resting on his shoulder as he rubbed her back in soothing motions. Lucy patted her hair lovingly, leaning closer while Edmund gingerly held her hand, squeezing it lightly, comforting her in his own awkward way. Her siblings were there, close, warming her heart with their love and care. The coldness of that terrible nightmare ebbed away slowly, cast away by the bright, warm flame of the love of her family.
Meanwhile, Caspian needed to move, and pacing seemed like the only available option at the moment as he glanced at Susan's door every few seconds.
Her screams had been terrifying, the ripping agony in her voice causing shudders to run down his spine. He had woken up with a start, having jumped out of bed and grabbed his sword before any coherent thought had the chance to form in his head. When he reached Susan's room, he found the three Pevensies already at the door, Peter slamming the door open with Lucy hot on his heels, while Edmund spared and moment to signal him to wait in the corridor. It could have been just mere minutes, turned into hours by her pained cries, sobs that shattered his heart, and he wished to be there with her, to do something – anything – to help her. The enlarged Archen family soon appeared from both ends of the corridor, looking sleepy and worried. Tairin led the way, pulling a robe around herself and looking worried. The situation would have been funny had the context been different; two royal families looking anything but regal, clad in their nightwear, strands of hair pointing in all directions. With all the calm and diplomacy he could muster at such late hour, he asked everyone to return to their beds, promising Tairin to alert her about anything that happened. Her screaming had subsided by then, and he sighed in relief, although still considerably concerned.
How long had she remained huddled against Peter, being comforted by her siblings, she did not know, but it mattered not. Her sobs had died down, as well as her tears, and she now focused on enjoying the closeness and warmth of her family, needing it the most.
"Should I call the physician?" a pleasant, grave and thickly accented voice asked from the door, forcing her to open her eyes, identifying Caspian's shadow blocking the light coming from the corridor. She smiled, even Caspian was there with her, even if indirectly.
"No, it's ok, she seems to be better now, but I think we should call him in the morning, just to be sure" Peter's kind voice replied, and she could almost hear his light frown in his voice. "Ed, take Lucy to bed and tell Caspian he can go as well, I'll stay with Su" he added, lowering his voice this time, speaking like the caring older brother he was, looking after everyone. Lucy moaned softly as she heard this, agreeing reluctantly at Peter's pointed look.
"Call me if you need anything" she told, placing a loving kiss on Susan's forehead before jumping off the bed. Edmund rubbed Susan's shoulder affectionately before he too got up from the bed, gently prodding Lucy out of the room.
After the door had been closed, Peter looked down at his sister, finding her clear eyes staring back at him.
"Let's get you under the covers, it's freezing" he whispered, moving away, stopping when her hand grasped his arm. "I won't leave, don't worry" he added, guessing the meaning behind the pleading look in her eyes. A few minutes later, they were both cuddled together as they did when they were children, her head resting on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her. Susan gasped lightly as his cold feet touched hers under the covers and Peter chuckled, whispering an apology.
"I don't want to return, you know, there" Susan whispered moments later, tensing as another wave of images flashed before her eyes. Peter took a deep breath and pulled her close, pressing his cheek to her hair, a frown knitting his eyebrows together.
"Was that your nightmare?" he asked quietly and she nodded, causing him to sigh.
"I've had bad dreams about it too, but they are just that, dreams, and they won't become reality, not again. We have to hope, Su, living in fear won't do us any good" Peter said calmly, comfortingly, soothing her fears as he did years ago. Sweet Peter, always caring and kind, his heart holding such great love for all of them.
"Thanks Pete, for being here" Susan murmured, looking up at him.
"I'm your older brother, I'm meant to be here" he half joked and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
Sometime later, the King of Old noticed his sister was dozing off, and slowly pulled the covers off himself, trying not to disturb his sleepy sister.
"You're leaving?" Susan whispered sleepily, causing Peter to look at her.
"Do you want me to stay? I can always sleep in the armchair" he replied, moving his head lightly towards the small piece of furniture and the Gentle Queen smiled, pulling the covers tighter around herself.
"For you to wake up sore as if beaten? I can't do that to you" she told. "And you snore" she teased, Peter sending her a hurtful glare.
"I feel so loved, both my sisters blatantly tell me my snores are unbearable!" he whispered in fake outrage, smiling as Susan chuckled; at least she was feeling better now. The King kissed his sister's forehead once more before getting on his feet, turning to make sure Susan was alright as he reached the door.
"Wake me up if anything happens, yes?" he told her simply, waving as he slipped through the gap of the door.
It had been just a nightmare, disturbing yes, but harmless. Everything was alright.
Caspian was awakened by a tingling sensation on his body, a bubbly feeling that crawled under his skin and through his muscles, driving sleepiness away. He opened his eyes to find his room barely lit, the sun only beginning to make its splendorous ascent on the sky, making its return after several weeks of gray, cloudy days. The King jumped out of bed and got dressed, exiting his room towards the courtyard, feeling he had to be there. In the corridor he met Lucy, who still wore her nightgown, the light green silk peeking from underneath the thick robe the girl was pulling around herself.
"Lucy, what are you doing up so early?" Caspian asked in a whisper, startling the young Queen.
"Caspian! I could toss the question right back at you, sleepyhead" Lucy joked with a grin. "I couldn't sleep, I woke up with a strange feeling of anticipation and the urge to go outside" she explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The creak of a door reached them and soon Edmund stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes with one hand, while the other tried to flatten his untidy hair.
"What are you doing here?" he asked after his initial surprise, lifting one questioning eyebrow.
"It's hard to explain" Caspian replied with a big grin.
The Kings and Queen whispered their guesses as they walked towards the eastern courtyard, called by some certainty in their chests. The wind was crisp and slightly chilly, as expected at such an early hour, and they remained quiet, looking at how the bluish light of the early morning slowly gained some pinkish and violet palette, a soft orange hue burning slowly in the horizon. Peter and Susan joined them next, surprised to find them there, adding themselves to their silent watch.
The trees rustled with a light whisper as the first golden rays of sun peeked from behind Narnia itself, each of them feeling a pleasant shudder crawling under their skin. As the sandstones of the courtyard slowly acquired a warmer shade, a shadow appeared some distance ahead of them, blocking the sun with its presence.
"Aslan!" Lucy yelped as he stepped forward, revealing himself to them. The little Queen's welcome was effusive and warm as always, and soon the others joined them in their embrace, burying their faces in the Great Lion's golden Mane without a second thought.
The noise had alerted the other inhabitants of the castle, and soon, Tairin and the Archens crossed the threshold, stopping dead on their hurried tracks when they saw the royals huddled together around the magnificent Lion.
"Aslan?" one of the twins exclaimed, having grown up with stories about the Legendary King of Beasts. Aslan looked over at the group with his kind amber eyes and smiled, welcoming and warm.
"Greetings, friends from Archenland" he spoke, his voice rich, pleasant and grand. The boys ran towards him without a second thought, prodded by something simply unexplainable, and rounded the Great Lion with their arms, eliciting a chuckle from Aslan and a gasp from their father.
"Great Aslan, please, forgive my sons for their impetuosity" the Grand Duke apologised, kneeling regally on the spot, followed by Gemini and Zeph, who also dropped formally on one knee and bowed.
"There is no fault to forgive, Your Highness; those who love me should come to me without fear" Aslan replied wisely, his voice carrying no lecture at all. Scorpio then surprised everyone by dashing towards the King of Beasts, grabbing Myrina's hand on the way. The cousins sat at Aslan's side and threaded their fingers through his fur – shyly at first – feeling it was the right thing to do. Little by little, they all sat around Aslan, whispering their astonishment or simply silent, admiring the Great King with eager eyes.
Breakfast was served outside by the flabbergasted servants, who had not expected to find a lion, let alone one as majestic as Aslan, in the middle of the courtyard. If there was a chill in the air, they could not feel it, the sun rays warming the stones of the courtyard with the promise of a radiant day.
"Are you staying long, Aslan?" Lucy asked excitedly, cutting another slice of berry pie.
"I came on duty, dear one; I shall stay as long as it takes me to finish it" Aslan explained, Lucy's smile faltering a bit as she sighed. "Which reminds me: Peter, Susan, I need to speak to you in private" Aslan called, standing up to all his majestic height, turning towards the castle.
"Your Majesty, its time" he then told Caspian, and the King nodded, excusing himself from their meal and running down the opposite direction, leaving everyone puzzled.
Peter and Susan exchanged curious glances as they walked behind Aslan, waiting for the moment he deemed right to speak.
"A period of your life has come to an end" the Lion spoke calmly, looking ahead as if gazing into eternity itself. "You have learnt everything you needed to from this world, now you must return to your world to learn the lessons waiting for you there" he added after a small pause, turning around to look at them, his clear golden eyes tinted with sadness.
"You are to return to your world, all of you" Aslan explained, desolation ripping through the young siblings standing in front of him.
"Will we ever come back?" Peter asked with a strangled voice, fighting to keep the rippling cry vibrating in his chest from his voice.
"I'm afraid not, Son of Adam" Aslan replied, and they could see he was as pained as they were with the news. Susan sobbed quietly, Peter rounding her with his arms, containing the burning tears that were now blurring his vision, trying to hold on strongly for Susan's sake. The feelings of that awful year back in England returned to them with full force. Worse still, the absence of the hope of returning someday shed more darkness over their hearts, shattering them to pieces, breaking them beyond repair.
"Be brave, my children, for destiny never charges us with loads we cannot handle" Aslan said with great wisdom, despite knowing it would not lessen their anguish.
"Your Majesty?" Aslan asked, looking sideways. The eldest Pevensies turned to see Caspian stepping through the stone arch leading from the gardens into the small courtyard.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to pry" he said quietly, still taken aback by what he had just heard.
"Time likes to play such tricks on all of us" Aslan commented kindly with a soft, sad smile.
They were leaving, never to return. They were leaving for a place he knew close to nothing about and had no means to travel to; they were to be lost forever. He wanted to say something, ask if they had done something wrong to deserve such fate, but one look at Aslan told him it was not the time for questions. His heart was pierced by a cold dagger when he saw Susan's tearful eyes, glistening with pain, deep sadness dripping with each of her tears. Why was her to be taken away from him just as he had started loving her? Was there nothing he could do to keep her with him? Was their love never meant to happen in the first place? And he remained rooted to the spot, watching as Peter and Susan held each other, desperately trying and failing to bring comfort to one another.
"Is everything ready, Your Majesty?" Aslan's grave voice shook him out of his trance. He blinked a few times and nodded, meeting Aslan's sorrowful amber orbs.
"Let us go then" Aslan spoke, signalling him to follow him and give Susan and Peter a small moment of privacy. Caspian threw one more look at the siblings, unable to find the strength to accept their departure.
If only he had had the courage to tell her before...
The sun was starting to set in the horizon when a large crowd of Narnians and Telmarines gathered on the main courtyard of the castle, having been summoned from the village near the castle and the adjacent areas. They stood expectant and curious, murmuring among themselves. The rumours of Aslan's visit stirred excited murmurs among the Narnians and many Telmarines, while others expressed their anxiety over the still unknown reasons for their presence at the castle. The Lords of the Council were among this group and they gathered close together, frowning and snorting at the many attempts to guess what this was all about. Every now and then they would turn towards one another, sharing an idea on how to avoid any less than favourable situation that might be imposed on them.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Caspian appeared in front of the crowds, the magnificent Talking Lion walking elegantly at his side.
"People of Narnia, Aslan has returned to us today, into our welcoming embrace, with an offer that is meant to bring peace among our races" Caspian announced, his regal tone succeeding in bringing the buzz of whispers to a stop.
"Telmarines of Narnia: after much consideration, it has come to my attention that the new order of things brought by the rightful ascension of King Caspian to the throne might have been perceived as an imposition by many among you. Narnia is a land of justice and fairness, and it is for this reason that I have come to offer you the opportunity of a new beginning" Aslan spoke, imposing yet not fierce, inducing respect but not fear.
"It was about time someone realised we were invaded by them, and that we had no choice but to agree to have our lands taken to their favour" Lord Tir commented, his hateful glare fixed on Aslan.
"Narnia belongs to the Narnians as much as it belongs to us, My Lord. I think this matter has been much discussed already" Caspian intervened, his temper rising at the man's brazen attitude.
"Gentlemen, please, it is imperative for the better understanding of the matter at hand that hostility is kept at bay" Aslan appeased. Caspian nodded, taking a breath to steady himself. By then, the Pevensies, the Archen royals and Tairin joined them, standing quietly on the side.
"My offer to those who are willing is the chance of a new start, a new life in the land of your ancestors" Aslan spoke, gasps issuing from his words, murmurs and fear filling the air.
"We can't return to Telmar, it's been centuries since we left" someone in the crowd yelled, inciting yells of agreement, the volume of whispers rising.
"Your ancestors were pirates from another world, the same world than our Kings and Queens'. It was by a design of Fate that these pirates crossed to our world and arrived to an island, the very island where my offer lies" Aslan explained, silencing the murmurs. His words were met by a short moment of utter silence. Then, gasps and surprised cries emerged from the crowd; the air felt different, there was a tingle in the air. It was something unexplainable, invisible, something that was not meant to be touched but felt: magic. Aslan looked over to the lonely tree towering behind them, its trunk twisted tightly, rooted to the border of the cliff, flanked by the stone balustrade preventing an open free fall. Loud gasps of surprise escaped from the multitude, who could not believe their eyes when the tree moved slowly, creaking lightly as it untwisted, a small gap opening in the middle.
"I'll go" a strong voice agreed among the mess of voices, too familiar to be mistaken. Caspian searched the crowd for its owner, finding him already climbing the few steps separating them. The former General of the Telmarine Army stood in front of Aslan, firm and resolved in his choice. Coralee trailed behind him, holding onto her uncle's hand and doing her best to look as determined as he, but Caspian could see she was frightened and hesitant.
Caspian felt the impulse to try and reason with Glozelle, convince him that there were other choices, but he nodded politely at the General instead, accepting his decision. Even if he disagreed, a part of him understood Glozelle's reasons. Aslan looked at the King, amber eyes calm and reassuring, crossing with Caspian's deep chocolate orbs for a moment before turning towards the former Telmarine soldier in front of him.
"Glozelle," Aslan addressed him, walking towards the man, who dropped to his knee. "Your sacrifice mirrors your noble spirit, one of a man possessing an honest heart. It is for these very qualities that you are more needed here, in Narnia, where your example may be followed and your experiences learnt from by others. You are free to choose what you judge best, but remember General, it is not just your life in your hands, for another depends on you. Thus, decisions must be taken wisely, considering everything and everyone, so as to keep regret from the future. Still, if this is what you truly want, the passage is open for you as it is to everyone; it is your right and it shall be granted to you" the Lion spoke, looking deeply into Glozelle's face, noticing the hesitation in his soul. Glozelle frowned, looking sideways at his niece. His heart broke at the fear behind her charade of bravery, at the feeble encouraging squeeze she gave to his hand.
"We will stay; I will redeem my mistakes honourably by preventing others to fail where I have" Glozelle stated after a short moment of silence, rounding Coralee's shoulders with his arm and pulling her close; however uncertain, deep in his heart he knew this had been the right call. Aslan smiled at him and blew his blessing over them, whispering his promise of a prosperous future before returning to his spot next to Caspian, who was smiling sincerely at the General, admiration and respect shining in his expression.
A most curious occurrence took place once Glozelle had returned to the crowd with Coralee, an event that left everyone astonished and wordless, but no one more than Caspian.
"I want to go" one of the Council Lords spoke resolutely, walking forward and climbing the first of the steps towards the tree. "I am old and my family won't miss me, I will take the offer" he claimed, and Caspian was unable to utter a single sound, not even making the effort to keep his jaw from dropping. After this first confession several others issued, some lords even coming with ideas of their own, asking to be sent to other kingdoms, or suddenly willing to retire and lead a peaceful life in the countryside. Caspian shared a flabbergasted look with Aslan, knowing he was behind this unexpected – and most welcome – change. The Lion simply smiled behind his whiskers, a spark of amusement mingling with his naturally wise gaze.
It all made sense to Caspian now; this was the result of the magic Aslan had inspired on the Lords during their previous meeting some time before.
"I whispered into their hearts and these are the ones among them who listened. As per the others, their hearts are too hardened and deaf and they will continue to cause trouble, although I trust it will be to a lesser degree; fair and noble kings need opposition to know they have are on the right path" Aslan explained in a low voice, meant only for Caspian to hear, and the young King smiled, memorising the wise lesson.
A middle aged man with greyish long hair pushed his way through the crowd and reached the first step, Caspian recognising him as one of the Court nobles.
"I will accept the offer" he stated, earning a nod from his King and Aslan.
"So will we" a feminine voice stated then, clear and close, clenching Caspian's heart. Prunaprismia was now being helped by the elderly lord – her father – her free hand holding a small bundle of covers which cooed softly. Caspian observed as his aunt and cousin reached the top of the steps under the heated sound of whispers and curious gazes, his hand reaching forwards for a moment before falling back at his side.
It was not hard to understand her reasons. A new life, the opportunity of getting rid of the ghosts haunting her, it was definitely appealing. A new beginning, where she could steer her life towards whichever path she chose without being reminded of her husband, without being marked as the widow of a tyrant. Yet, the unfairness of the situation sickened him; two innocents carrying the weight of Miraz's deeds, blamed for his mistakes.
"Caspian" Prunaprismia called him, stopping in front of him on her way towards the tree entrance. "I know you don't agree with this, but it is for the best, for history not to repeat itself" she said, smiling sadly as she looked at the infant in her arms, the baby sleeping unbothered, oblivious of what was happening around him. The look in her dark brown eyes was full of meaning, gazing deeply into his, and he understood; he knew she spoke of his story.
"Good luck" Caspian whispered through his constricted throat, earning a smile from his aunt before she marched towards the tree once again, vanishing as soon as she crossed the hole, to the gasps of all present.
There were frightened whispers arising from the crowd, who remained unconvinced and suspicious of what laid behind the magical door once they stepped through it.
"How do we know this is not leading us to our death" a Telmarine man asked, voicing everyone's concern. Peter looked at Susan, questioning and knowing at the same time; she had felt it too: it was time, it felt right.
"We will go" he stated, stepping forward, looking over at the crowd.
"We will?" Edmund asked him, unwilling to believe his brother's words, just as Peter himself was.
"Our time is up" Peter replied gravely, his blue eyes assuring his brother he was serious.
"But, we will come back, right? I mean, we already did once" Lucy spoke, her fierce hope shining brightly in her eyes, as always.
"You two will" Susan said softly, placing her hand on her sister's arm, smiling sadly. Lucy opened her mouth to reply, but was cut by Peter's voice.
"Come on, it's time to go," he said gently, motioning them to start walking.
All you can do is try to know who your friends are, as you head off to the war...
"After all, we are not really needed here anymore" the Magnificent King added, having shortened the distance between him and Caspian, his hand pulling Rhindon off his belt and placing it in the Telmarine's hands, looking at him proudly, from King to King.
"You are a great king, Caspian, Narnia could not be in better hands" he praised sincerely, offering him a small smile.
"I will treasure this forever" Caspian replied fiercely, Peter's words and actions carrying great meaning to him.
"I wouldn't have it any other way" Peter replied, his grin growing a tad bigger, and both shook hands as their silent farewell.
Lucy approached Trumpkin after bidding her goodbyes to the others, her chest knotted tightly as she bowed to her Dear Little Friend.
"Good luck" he whispered, uneasy and fidgeting. Lucy then sighed and hugged him, telling him how she would miss him dearly, the dwarf admitting he would feel the loss of her company. After a teary smile, the young Queen curtsied in front of Reepicheep, the mouse bowing elegantly with a flourish of his minuscule sword.
"I will keep Her Majesty's memory in my heart until your return and beyond" he spoke, Lucy containing the urge to hug him as well, knowing it would go against his pride and pathos.
Glenstorm distanced himself from the others and approached Aslan quietly, bowing elegantly to the Great Lion before speaking.
"Majesty, it is my duty to watch the stars, yet it is also to inform you; yesterday's readings could not be done. The stars, they were scattered, unclear, contradicting, and it was impossible to predict anything. It was as if a fine cloud covered them, even if the night was clear" he spoke, his voice calm and husky, as usual. Aslan listened attentively to his words, analysing the situation.
"Thank you, Sir Glenstorm, for telling me this" he told kindly, returning to his ponderings a moment later. It was not usual for the stars to act so unlike themselves, to keep future concealed behind them. Could it be...?
Tairin watched as the four Pevensies walked closer to the door in the tree, grasping Zephyr's sleeves tightly and swallowing hard through the tightness in her throat, a tight knot that seemed to spread to her chest with each breath. She looked over at her brother. Caspian was rooted to the spot, tense with grief, eyes locked on Susan. It was so evident he loved her, as much as she loved him; why was this love condemned, forced to be forgotten?!
Susan looked ahead, to the massive tree that was about to take her away from her true home, from any vivid colours and emotions and into the grey prison of fear and coldness. She had tried with all her might not to look back, failing as she turned slowly, crystal clear eyes crossing with dark chocolate and staying there, something strong, quiet but electrifying flowing through the space between them. Mustering all her strength, she tore herself from his captivating gaze, focusing back on the path ahead, on her siblings, knowing it would be worse if she allowed herself yet another peek at the handsome King.
Started out as a feeling...
He loved her, truly and deeply, even if he had been ignorant of such a feeling all his life. And now, she was slipping through his fingers like water; he was unable to keep her close him, tell her about his feelings, protect her. Why was fate tearing them apart when such bond had been created, when he had completely abandoned his heart to her care and which she would take with her, leaving a cold, empty void in his chest? Had this been wrong? Were no ties other than friendship to be formed between their worlds? She, her siblings, they belonged to Narnia as any tree, centaur or even he himself did; this was their home, where they could truly be themselves, why were they sent back now?
...which then grew into a hope...
His heart jumped in a frantic beat as she looked back at him, agony staring into pitiful misery as their eyes met, his love for her flagrant in his eyes, begging her to defy destiny and stay, cling to him and refuse to go. He wanted to hold onto her forever and never let go, just to keep her at his side forever. But how was one to go against Fate, against Aslan? And then she looked away, and he knew she did so to prevent herself from more pain, the same kind of that slicing his heart into nothing.
...which then turned into a quiet thought...
What if he ran with them, held onto her hand and crossed to their world? He would, with no hesitation; for her, he would forget his kingdom, his people, his crown, everything that mattered now was her.
...which then turned into a quiet word...
"No"
...and then that word grew louder and louder...
"Don't leave..."
...till it was a battle cry...
"Susan!" he cried, startling her and causing her to turn back at him, stopping halfway through the distance to the tree. In two long strides he met her and gently grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes never leaving hers. He looked deeply into her eyes, love beating into his dark orbs, fervent and intense.
"I- I wish we had more time together, you- I- we had to- I don't want you to go, I cannot let you go!" he whispered, words stumbling into his mouth, his own feelings too tangled and mighty to be tamed.
"It is my destiny, the path that I have to follow, Caspian. Maybe there will be a way for me to come back one day; if you call me, with your heart, I'll come back, so this isn't really goodbye" she whispered back, gently touching his chest, right above his heart, her brows crunched into a desolate frown as she tried to smile, managing a sad, kind smile.
Aslan watched them with interest, noticing the glint in their eyes, the strong energy that flowed between them, and he smiled to himself; not even the stars could predict love.
Susan smiled once more and pushed herself away from him, holding onto the feeling of his hands, to his scent, storing in her memory for when she would be there again. Caspian curled his fists as soon as she stepped back, knowing there was nothing he could do. He wished to go after her, his courage prodding him to follow his heart, and yet he could not move, unable to rebel against Aslan more than he had already.
Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light...
A pained sigh left his lips as the four Pevensies turned towards the tree, taking deep breaths of courage, ready to step across worlds, across Time itself. Susan held Lucy's hand, squeezing it tightly, looking down and nodding bravely. Both girls fought back their tears, breath stuck in their throats, coming out as shaky sniffs and whispered weeps.
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger, till they're before your eyes...
Their strolls in the garden, the laughs, the conversations, the teases, the blushes, the one almost-kiss under the rain, the uncomfortable moments, the stinging in her cheek after his daring stolen kiss… Everything came to her with force, clear, vivid. A kiss, that one moment she had imagined so much and yet avoided for some reason. Something bubbled in her, incredibly empowering and irrational, and she found herself dropping Lucy's hand and rushing back to where Caspian was, embracing him, pressing her lips to his; nothing else mattered but him.
Time stopped. All he could feel were her lips on his, their smooth softness beyond anything his mind could imagine. Caspian overcame his shock a few seconds later, his arms immediately rounding her as he responded the kiss. All the hesitation, the doubt, it vanished as he passionately claimed her lips, hungrily kissing her back. It was clear now: she loved him back.
The moment he wished to last forever, however, came to an end, his lips missing hers the moment she pulled back. Their gazes met for a split moment before she leaned against his shoulder, pulling him into a warm, loving embrace. If only he could never let her go, but just as the kiss, their embrace ended much too soon. He placed a delicate kiss on her exposed shoulder, inhaling her scent and keeping both her perfume and taste in his memory, her touch and warmth as a token, something he would never forget.
Peter smiled. The heavy mood of departure kept his brotherly jealousy from bristling up and he preferred to let them be; it was their goodbye. It had been there all this time, he had seen it in their stolen glances, in the shyness which sometimes tinted their moves, in the hidden blushes that had not been all that well-concealed; there was a beating attraction – love even – drawing them closer and closer. It had always been clear, yet he had not wanted to see it, his issues regarding Caspian clouding his judgement on everything involving the Telmarine King.
"I think when I'm older I'll understand" Lucy commented in a low voice, a light wince crumpling her features as she looked over at her sister and Caspian. Peter chuckled.
"I'm older and I don't think I want to understand" Edmund replied, looking at the scene with mild disgust, uncomfortable with any display of affection, as usual.
... it's just a feeling and no one knows yet...
For the second time she tore herself away from him, turning to look at him with one last smile before she joined her siblings at the base of the tree. Her heart felt a bit lighter, carrying the sweet memory of their kiss and the candid softness of his lips. Her chest fluttered with a tingling bliss that drove sadness and despair away for a moment, giving her some strength to continue ahead.
...but just because they can't feel it too, it doesn't mean that you have to forget...
No matter what happened, no matter how much anguish would be poured into her, she would never forget, anything, anyone; she would always be a Narnian in her heart, and that could not be taken away from her.
And they went, stepped closer and closer, the dark bark of the tree surrounding them while the Narnian view still stretched in front of them. They closed their eyes, keeping that brilliant, colourful sight in their heads just a bit longer before they were tossed back to the drab reality of London, taking the last breath of fresh, magical air. For a moment they waited for the magic to vanish into the sound of the filled underground station or the bustle of people in the street, maybe even the smell of their home in Finchley, but it did not come.
Being the one leading the way to the tree, Peter was the first to experience the strange sensation, followed by Edmund. Both brothers opened their eyes and reached ahead, hands pushing against something invisible to their eyes. The boys pressed further, Lucy and Susan stepping on their heels, pushing against the thing in front of them. It felt like silk and water – a barrier, hard and elastic – that was preventing them to go through no matter how hard they pushed. Peter and Edmund tried to force it, but it only resulted in the four of them being shoved back with impressive strength, causing the siblings to stumble back into the courtyard; it was almost as if Narnia wanted them to stay.
The tree then twisted back into its original form, sealing the door and leaving them staring at it for an instant before turning to Aslan, confusion written on their faces. Before any of them could utter a word, yelps and cries vibrated in the air as a strong current of wind swept over the courtyard. Dust thrashed around in the air, furiously carried by the rash wind, while the leaves on the trees rustled with a deafening sound, branches threatening to snap. The strong gust then gathered into a swirl that enveloped Aslan, messing his mane, whispering loudly in his ears. Aslan remained unmoved, calmly looking into the swirl, as if gazing into someone. He then nodded and whispered something, upon which the whirlwind came to an abrupt stop and dissolved into nothing, leaving them all dishevelled and bewildered.
"No one can tell what future beholds, for that is the privilege of Fate and Time. Yet, there is some powerful magic – so much that not even I can control it – and it can change Destiny's own writings. Narnia wants you to stay, Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, and I cannot – nor wish not – go against Her will" Aslan explained once calm had returned. He looked at the Pevensies, his eyes lit with a warm hue of amber: happiness.
"So, we are staying forever?" Lucy asked, excitement bubbling inside her, her ocean-blue eyes staring into Aslan's with immense hope.
"Yes, dear one, you are" Aslan replied, smiling fatherly at them, his eyes glinting with the undeniable love he had for them.
Cheers erupted from the crowd after some moments of gobsmacked silence, adding to the laughter that erupted from the siblings, who had been taken by an indescribable feeling of ecstasy and relief; they were staying, forever, in their true home, where they belonged. Lucy was giddy with a surge of emotions, bouncing and squealing in sheer joy, approaching Aslan and hugging him dearly, whispering her blissful gratitude. Her siblings soon joined her and Aslan chuckled, nuzzling each of them.
Fauns started singing, clapping and using any instruments lying around, while many among the Telmarine crowd produced food and drink and improvised dance steps to the music. The mood turned from chilly and glum to merry and inviting, spirit-lifting and contagious in its jolly nature. It did not take long for Lucy and Tairin to join the dance, the girls pulling Caspian and the Archens along, clapping, laughing, dancing to whatever steps they could think of, simply celebrating the turn of events.
Sensing the need of a private moment, Edmund smiled and went to speak to the Professor, who was gaily clapping to the fauns' rhythm.
"Peter, Susan," Aslan told, turning to look at the eldest siblings, who were still sitting at his side.
"Lessons lay ahead, my children. Narnia has assumed the task of teaching them to you, and in Her wisdom, She will know when you need to learn them and how to place them in your path. It is up to you to make the most out of it" the Great Lion told, and they nodded seriously in agreement.
"We will, Aslan" Peter vowed, smiling genuinely in great glee, yet remaining kingly and regal in his posture; a true King of Narnia. Aslan smiled proudly, his gaze remaining on Peter only for a few seconds before turning to Susan, the Gentle Queen tensing slightly in anticipation. Quietly, Peter bowed at Aslan and walked away to join the dancing crowd; Aslan's next piece of advice was meant for Susan's ears only.
"Experiences, feelings and particularly people come into our lives for a reason, not when we want them, but when we need them. There are things we cannot control, dear one, and we will not always find a logic explanation to every situation, simply because they need to be felt, not reasoned. There is one powerful magic, for instance, so strong and unpredictable, that it can subdue the bravest and toughest of men, yet it brings so much delight and joy when we welcome it in our hearts, that we become aware of its presence only when we have inevitably fallen into it; we call it Love" Aslan told her, looking deeply into her eyes.
Susan felt as if he could see through her; no secrets, no excuses. No words were needed at that moment; she could see the truth peeking behind the warm pools of amber in his orbs. Her gaze dropped as a blush crept up her cheeks, her crystal eyes stealing a glance at the Telmarine King. Their gazes met for a split moment, and even from the distance she could notice the passion in his eyes, the expectation. She quickly looked away, suddenly embarrassed by the intensity of his stare.
"We learn through discovery, child. You must open your heart to new experiences in order to understand them, dear one" Aslan whispered, sage and gentle in his advice. "Well, I believe we have deprived the party from our presence long enough, shall we?" he then offered, understanding the confusion currently tormenting her, and she agreed with a smile, both walking towards the joyful multitude, welcomed by cheers and praises.
Instruments were soon brought over, and wine circulated generously among the crowd, pleasing everyone and enhancing the already lively ambiance, which became a massive party, masses of people joining in and filling the small courtyard to full capacity.
Caspian approached Peter as the Magnificent King shared a light-hearted chat with King Gaetan.
"Ah, King Caspian, you arrive just in time to keep King Peter company while I chase after another serve of that fantastic wine some dwarves have just brought in" the plump King commented before disappearing into the crowd.
"For his sake I hope they have not tampered with the wine" Peter told with a smile, finishing his own drink. Caspian looked at him curiously. "Dwarves like to mix herbs and other mildly alcoholic ingredients into wine and it takes some getting used to" Peter explained with a look that left no doubt he spoke from experience.
The pause that followed made the awkwardness between the two men painstakingly obvious.
"I think you will need this more than I do" Caspian spoke at last, his lips turned into a small smirk as he handed Rhindon back to its rightful owner. Peter looked taken aback for a split moment before he too broke into a smirk.
"I take back only my sword, the words you can keep, for I truly meant them, Caspian" the Magnificent King told sincerely, his voice husky but laced with warm kind-heartedness as he offered Caspian his hand to shake.
"I still need time to get used to not being the only High King anymore, but sharing title and duties with a friend definitely makes things easier. I hope we can leave the past in the past and start anew" Peter said, deep respect flowing between them as they shook hands for the second time that day, this time to mark the beginning of their friendship, one they hoped to grow stronger and solid over time.
In the end, it really had been just a nightmare.
AN: Hope you guys liked it! I am particularly proud of this chapter and how everything came up, especially the kiss! I know you had all been waiting for it, and to be honest, I could not wait to write it either!
Please review and let me know if you have any suggestions!