As they walked through the woods, Peter and Caspian went over what had happened since Susan's horn had been blown. After awhile, though, Caspian glanced back at his sister where she walked with Trufflehunter and Lucy.

"So, how did you meet?" he asked.

"We met Kari when we met the Beavers, shortly after we arrived in Narnia the first time." Peter looked back at Kari, smiling when she met his gaze for a moment. "She was a huge help in the battle against the White Witch."

"She was there with you? But that was a few hundred years ago."

Peter nodded. "Kari seems to have been sent back in time. Just as we seem to have been sent back to Narnia in this time. Whatever the reason, it would seem that both times were just where we needed to be."

Caspian looked back at his sister. "Then you were there for her when I could not be." He glanced at Peter. "I am grateful to you for that."

Peter looked back at Kari again, smiling. "I'd be lost without her, to be honest."

Caspian could see the look in his eyes. "You love her very much, don't you?"

Peter nodded. "I wouldn't have married her if I didn't." He said, chuckling when Caspian looked at him, surprised.

"She is Queen Kari the Wise? The one of legend?" Caspian looked at his sister. "I always thought it a coincidence, the great queen who shared a name with my sister."

Back with Lucy and the others, Kari walked with Trufflehunter and told him everything that had happened since she disappeared.

"And now?"

"And now," Kari said, glancing at Peter as he looked back at her. "I go where Peter goes. It's where I belong."

"You really love him, don't you, dear girl?"

Kari smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't have married him if I didn't."

"Well, at any rate, dear girl, your parents would be so proud of you."

Kari's face fell a bit. "Tell me, Trufflehunter... what happened?"

Trufflehunter sighed. "After you disappeared, Shain searched the woods every day and night for you, but when winter came and he fell ill, he refused to stop searching and it proved to be his undoing."

"Da was always stubborn." Kari sighed. "What about Mum?"

"I think it was the grief that finally got to her in the end. Losing you and your father broke her heart. She shut herself away from everything and everyone, but she never gave up hope that you'd return one day." Trufflehunter sighed. "And now you have. I just wish they were still alive to see you come home."

"I never meant to leave..."

"I know, dear girl." Trufflehunter patted her hand. "What matters now is that you are alive and well, happy and safe."

Kari looked up as they cleared the trees and came across a vast, open meadow- the green grass swaying ever so slightly in the breeze. She stood with Peter as they looked out over the meadow, sliding her hand in his.

They made their way across the meadow before them, stopping with them when they passed under the archway and were greeted by centaur guards. The guards raised their swords ceremoniously, extending them above the pathway leading into the tomb.

Kari looked up at Peter when he squeezed her hand and smiled. She had worried, a worry shared by the Pevensies, that the Narnians would not accept them like they had in the days of old. But seeing such an act of respect gave their hearts ease and they knew they had nothing to worry about. She walked with Peter and the others, Caspian and the rest of the Narnians accompanying them not far behind.

Once inside, they looked around, seeing many Narnians hard at work with preparations and smithing.

"It may not be what you are used to, but it is defensible." Caspian said, looking to Peter and Edmund.

"Peter," Susan called from where she, Lucy, and Kari had gone. "You may want to see this."

Caspian watched as Peter and Edmund went to join her following close behind.

Taking a torch, they looked at the walls of the tomb, seeing carvings from the First Battle of Beruna- carvings of Lucy and Susan astride Aslan's back, of them standing next to their thrones, of Mr. Tumnus and the lamppost, and others of the like.

"It's us." Susan said, looking to Peter.

Lucy looked to Caspian. "What is this place?"

Caspian looked at the Pevensies and his sister. "You don't know?" He grabbed a torch, gesturing for them to follow him and led them a bit deeper into the tomb.

They came out into a large, dark chamber, and watched as Caspian lit a nearby brazier filled with oil- the brazier one that circled around the wall of the chamber. As the brazier lit up the chamber, Kari and the Pevensies looked around- seeing carvings cut into the walls of Narnians. When the chamber was fully lit, they suddenly realized where they were.

"Peter, that's..."

In front of them was the stone table that Aslan had sacrificed his life to save Edmund's upon. Lucy walked up to it, placing a hand on the cold stone. When Susan joined her, she looked to her sister and said, "He must know what he's doing."

They looked to the carving of Aslan on the wall behind the stone table, then to Peter as he said, "I think it's up to us now."

Kari and the Pevensies jumped straight into helping wherever they could, only stopping to rest when they could.

Some time in the night, Kari found herself unable to sleep and wandered through the tomb. She touched the now ancient stone walls, wondering how much they had lost out on when they were pulled from Narnia and thrown into Finchley. She stepped into a empty chamber, one much smaller than the others she had seen, and sighed as she looked around at the statues of the old Narnians they had once called friends.

"Kari?"

Kari glanced at Peter as he came up behind her. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"I got worried when I noticed you were gone. Are you alright?"

Kari nodded. "We've lost so much time..." She looked at the statues. "We may have only been gone a year, but to them we've been gone for hundreds. We abandoned them, though through no fault of our own..."

Peter pulled her into his arms. "We're here now. We at least have the chance to save what's left of our people, help them rebuild what we've lost."

"I hope so..."

"Kari, look at me."

Kari let him lift her chin up and met his gaze.

"We'll make it through this, just like before."

Kari sighed, smiling softly at him. "You know I love you, right?"

"And I love you." He leaned down and kissed her, hoping he was able to quell her worries- even a little.

They immersed themselves in the kiss for a moment. Kari pulled back to catch her breath and looked at him.

"Peter, perhaps we shouldn't..."

Peter claimed her lips again briefly before he answered. "Do you know how hard it has been to resist you since we left Narnia?"

Kari chuckled. "I can imagine." She reached up to touch his cheek. "Peter, I-"

Peter pressed his forehead against hers. "I need you, Kari..."

Kari nodded, leaning forward to kiss him. Peter deepened it before an urgency they hadn't felt in a long time kicked in and Peter lifted Kari in his arms, pinning her against the wall- hooking her legs her legs around his waist.

He pushed up her skirt and fumbled with his trousers, pulling his cock out and shoving it into her. He was surprised at how tight she had gotten over the course of the last year or so, which only urged him on as he thrust his hips back and forth, locking lips with her again.

Kari's body was racked with pleasure and she breathed in sharply through her nose as Peter kept his lips to hers. When she gasped, he slid his tongue into her mouth and met hers as his pace quickened. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and let him have at her, feeling an old sense of desire for him rising within her once again.

Peter quickened his pace and felt himself reach his climax. He pressed against her, feeling the warm rush erupt within her. Panting, he felt Kari quivering around him and he stood there, holding her up against the wall, for a few moments.

"Better?" Kari asked, feeling their breathing finally slowing down.

Peter nodded, pulling out of her and setting her back on her feet. As they readjusted their clothes and whatnot, Peter looked at Kari.

"What?" she asked, noticing his expression and feeling his worry.

"Promise you'll stay by my side, no matter what?"

Kari smiled, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Just as before."

Peter sighed in relief, leaning into her hand. "I don't know how this battle will play out..."

"Whatever happens, Peter, we face it together."

Peter nodded, taking her hand in his. "You know you're amazing, right?"

Kari smiled. "As are you, sire."