Disclaimer: I am not C.S. Lewis and nothing in the Narnian world belongs to me.

It took a day and a half for Airies and Edmund to get to Beruna. They were met by a guard of centaurs and fauns who took them to the center of the camp where a large red and gold tent sat. Peter, Susan, and Lucy waited by its side. They attacked Edmund with hugs right away.

"My daughter, welcome home," a deep voice said from inside the tent right before a beautiful lion stepped out of it.

"Aslan," Airies just managed to say before the world spun around her and she collapsed on the ground in a heap.

When she awoke, she was not sure of how much time had passed, but she was aware of a weight resting on her legs. Her eyes traveled down the bed until they landed on a head of dusty blonde hair resting on a pair of arms. He must have fallen asleep here. Almost immediately, memories came flooding back to her: of returning to Narnia, meeting the Beavers, reviving Edmund, losing Rayon. Airies gasped and clutched her chest. So much had happened already. That explained why she had collapsed. She closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then started shaking Peter awake.

"Peter. Peter, wake up."

Peter jolted awake and shook his head, gathering his surroundings.

"Oh, Airies! You're awake. You've been out for a day and a half."

Airies quickly sat up. "That long? Oh no." She could not believe that she had been asleep for so long. So much could have happened.

"Ed told us everything; About the White Witch, and how he was turned to stone. About Rayon, and everything in between. Airies, I just want to thank you but I don't even know where to start. You risked your life for my brother. And you saved him, even though he was not yours to save. I don't know how to thank you, but I owe you my life." There were tears in Peter's eyes as he said this, and he was gripping her hand so tightly that her fingers began to go numb, but none of that mattered.

"I would do anything for you… for any of you," she told him, and shockingly enough she meant it.

There was a pause in which both parties thought of what to say next. Neither really had any experience talking to the opposite gender, and both felt a little bit awkward around the other.

Airies broke the silence by saying, "How is he?"

Peter nodded his head over to another bed in the tent. "He's been out cold almost as long as you have. He's woken up a couple of times though. He has quite a bit of healing to do, but he'll be alright."

"And how are you?"

Peter was silent for a time before answering. "Terrified. I don't know what I'm doing, or how to fight for this country," he admitted.

"You'll need some training."

"But what about emotionally?" he questioned, and Airies squeezed his hand.

"I'll be here."

Peter gave her a weak smile, and was quiet again for another minute before saying, "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

Airies face blanked and she sat that way for a moment, just staring at him, trying to think of an answer. She shook her head and said, "I didn't want to scare you. In England… you would never have believed me. And when we got here, I just, I don't know. I was home, and you were here, and I didn't want you to go. I knew right away it was a burden. I didn't want to place it on you. But it's more selfish than that, I think. I just did not want you to leave, and I knew that if I told you about who I was and about the war going on here… you would leave."

Peter shook his head fervently. "I would have stayed either way," he promised.

They were silent again before Peter said, "I had my first kill today," in a whisper.

"What?" Airies whispered back, her hands flying to her mouth. She then swung her legs out of bed and reached over to Peter to give him a hug. "Oh, Peter." She could feel his body shaking, resonating with his fear. She knew what he was thinking; that he was not the right person for this job. So, she stood up and took his hand, and led him outside.

Night had fallen once more over the camp. The moon shone big and bright in the sky, casting a silver glow over everything its light touched. Airies led him through the camp to a clearing off the woods. Here she stopped, and she took a deep breath before she started talking.

"I was fourteen when I started my real training. I had been training for combat for years before then. But when I turned fourteen… I started a different kind of training. When I was a small child, Aslan found me. And he made me into something great. He took his own magic, and a flame from Narnia's fire goddess, as well as a wave, the earth, and a breath of air from the other three Narnian goddesses. And that was it. My destiny has always been to fight in this war, for Narnia. And I was given the gift of magic, and control over the elements. I was fourteen when Jadis attacked this very clearing and Aslan sent me away. We all have a destiny. Fate leads us to it. Your destiny is to be king over all of Narnia. When the time comes, you will be ready. And I will be here every single step of the way. I believe in you, Peter, and I will do so even when you don't believe in yourself."

"I'm sorry, Airies. That does not sound like much of an existence," he apologized, and Airies had never thought of it like that before. It's true she had never had much time to be just a regular child, but then again she never was just a regular child.

"Don't be. It is the only existence I have ever known, and the only one I could ever want. This existence led me straight to you, and to your brother and sisters. I have never been stronger, and it is all because of this life. I have never been prouder to be a warrior, and to fight alongside someone like you, Peter."

They had turned to face each other, and Peter held her gaze with a look so intense it almost scared her. No one had ever looked at her like that before. Slowly, almost unsurely, Peter moved his hands to cup both sides of her face. And then, he leaned over and softly kissed her forehead. "Thank you," he whispered.

The next morning found Peter being shaken awake right as the sun was rising.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. It's time to start your training. Susan and Lucy did not waste a moment after I woke them," Airies said before brushing the hair out of his eyes. "Edmund Pevensie, the same goes for you. Do not make me come over there and wake you up a second time. Come on, boys, we don't have any time to lose!"

Soon enough, the boys were joining their sisters in the same clearing that Airies herself had trained in.

"It's about time, boys. Oreius and I are going to teach you the art of sword fighting. Let me see what you know so far, and then we can continue from there."

This morning when she had awoke, Airies had been overjoyed to learn that Oreius, her own trainer and mentor, was still alive. She knew that centaurs lived an unnaturally long life, but she had never known one to live as long as he had. Knowing and seeing that her old friend was still alive had given her a much greater hope than she had felt since she stepped foot back into Narnia. She was more ready now to start training again and to end this war once and for all with Oreius by her side.

Peter and Edmund both shrugged before pointing their swords at one another. It was not long before Airies was shouting at them to stop. She instructed them to move off to the side and watch her and Oreius demonstrate.

The girl and the centaur took their places across from each other. They circled each other for a moment before Airies made the first move. She whipped her sword at him, moving quickly, planning out each attack and each counter attack with ease. She was vaguely aware of Susan and Lucy coming over to watch. Lucy gasped loudly as Oreius took a swing at Airies' head, but she ducked and rolled to the right, missing the blow. As they came back together, Airies faked left and spun her sword around his with a peculiar twist, which knocked it out of his hand and rendered him weaponless. Aires then was able to place the tip of her sword underneath his chin, naming her the winner.

The four Pevensie children all clapped. "That was brilliant!" Edmund exclaimed, which made Airies laugh.

"Thank you, Ed. I learned everything from him," Airies said, acknowledging Oreius.

"Yes, she was always my best student. It has been a long time since I have gotten to watch you with that sword." His deep voice had a hint of pride in it as he spoke to her.

"One hundred years too long, my friend." Airies grasped the arm of the centaur before turning back to the others.

"And now, it is your turn."

Airies took Edmund, and Oreius took Peter, and they practiced. The two teachers constantly bellowed out instructions to their students, but after a while they were able to step back and watch their handiwork unfold. Edmund felt very luck indeed. It was clear that he was learning how to fight by the best swordsmen, or swordswoman in this case, in the country.

Soon, they were joined by Aslan. "Quite the work you two have done on them," he praised.

"I have faith in the boy," Oreius agreed, "He will lead Narnia to victory."

The three were silent for just a moment before the lion spoke. "Airies, I wonder if we might have a moment to walk together?"

She saw a look pass quickly between Oreius and Aslan before she agreed, and he led her off into the woods.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

"There is something I need to show you. This is no light matter, dear one, and it is with a heavy heart that I take you where we are going."

They came to a clearing, one Airies recognized immediately: It was the clearing in which she trained with Anali, but it was far different now. In the center of the clearing there was a pool of water, and in the middle of the pool was a stone statue.

"What is that?" Airies choked on her words, tears in her eyes.

"A tribute," Aslan answered, his voice somber.

Slowly, she moved towards the water, even though she did not have to get closer to know who the tribute was for. She made it ankle deep into the water before crashing to her knees, sending the water splashing around her.

"NO!" she screamed, the ending turning into one long howl of anguish. The tribute was for Anali, her teacher, the goddess who was part of her, for she had died when Jadis had come all those years ago.

Airies was barely aware of pounding her fists against the water, or of the tears that were pouring down her cheeks. All she could feel was the pain in her chest, and the heavy sadness in her heart. She had known that Anali had been turned to stone, she had seen it herself just before she left Narnia. But she had hoped that Aslan had been able to fix her. He had the powers to heal anything. And the fire goddess had been so strong. She should have been able to overcome this.

Peter and the rest had heard her screams and came running. "Airies, what-?" Peter attempted to come after her in the water, but she shouted, "No!" and threw out her arm to stop him.

As she did so, the water underneath her came soaring out of the pool, building up a wall all around her that separated her from the others. It rolled up and down in waves. She could just make out the sounds of the Pevensies calling to her, but the wall of water mostly blocked out the sound, and made her feel alone, which was what she wanted. She did not know how she had done that, but it did not even matter now. She turned back to the tribute, making sure to keep part of her concentration on the water so that the wall did not come crashing down to let them in.

"Anali…"

"I was able to save everyone but her."

Aslan was suddenly beside her. "I should have known that I could not keep you out," she whispered.

"The ice reacted differently to her. She tried to use her fire from the inside once she had been turned to stone. It made her crack, until she was nothing. I tried everything I could." The lion's voice was grave, and Airies leaned against him. "What about the others? Her sisters? Are they still here?"

Aslan was unable to answer, but Airies understood what that meant. She would never get her proper training now. She would never be able to control the other three elements.

"The witch will pay," she spat. "All the lives lost, all the terror she has caused… her reign is over. I will make sure of it."

"The determination is good, dear one, but you must not hold the anger in your heart," Aslan told her.

"But how can I not?" she asked.

"Let the wall down," was all he said before walking off through the other side of the water.

Aslan was never wrong, so she did as he advised. She lowered her hand to her side, and the wall of water pooled around her feet once more. With a deep breath, she stood up and moved towards them. She could not bring herself to look at any of them. They had seen her weak, and she was humiliated. She made to walk away from them, but was stopped by the youngest Pevensie grabbing her arm.

"She must have been a dear friend. I am sorry, Airies," Lucy said before hugging the older girl with all her might, and Airies melted into the hug. The weight of her loss came crashing down upon her once more, the weight of all of her losses, and she sunk to her knees. Lucy patted her head as Airies cried, and then more pats were added to her back when the rest of Lucy's siblings came over.

Peter kneeled down next to her and placed a kiss upon her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Her grieving would have to wait, however, as Mr. Beaver came running over to them. "Children, the White Witch has requested a meeting with Aslan. We must go at once." Airies was off the ground quicker than anyone could imagine. She led the way back to the ford with a look of fierce determination in her eyes. A crowd had formed around Aslan's tent, and the children pushed their way to the front of it just in time to see the witch coming over the hill. Airies immediately made to pull out her sword, but Peter placed a hand on top of hers, staying her hand at the hilt of her blade.

The witch's chariot was placed on the ground right in front of Aslan. She stood up and looked right over to Edmund. Airies could practically feel him trembling at the sight of her, so she reached back and grabbed his hand, and then moved in front of him to shield him from her view. Peter had the exact same idea.

"You have a traitor here, Aslan," Jadis announced, turning back towards the lion.

"What's done is done. He has been forgiven for his disgraces against Narnia," Aslan decreed.

"Have you forgotten that every traitor belongs to me?" she growled.

"Try and take him, then," Peter challenged as he pulled out his sword. Jadis chuckled, and the sound made Airies' blood boil.

"Quiet human, insolent youth. You are no match for me!"

Aslan roared then, and Jadis visibly cowered at the sound. "Enough," he growled, "You and I shall speak alone." The two then disappeared into his tent.

They were in the tent for quite some time. It could have been hours, no one was sure. Most of the creatures had begun to sit on the ground, or paced back and forth in their place.

"What are they doing in there?" Susan questioned, biting at her nails.

"Negotiating," Airies said shortly, trying to mask her worries as best she could. Jadis had been right. The Deep Magic stated that all traitors in Narnia would be turned over to her. There was only one thing Aslan could hand over to Jadis that she wanted more than traitor's blood, and that was himself. Airies looked over to Edmund, who sat on the ground pulling at the grass, and hatred filled her body. But just as quickly as it came, the feeling was replaced with disgust in herself. That boy, who looked so much older than fourteen, had been put through too much torment at the hands of the witch. This was not his fault.

After what seemed like ages, Aslan and Jadis emerged from the tent, and the lion announced that she had given up her claim on the boy. Everyone in the camp cheered loudly, and those around Edmund clapped him on the back. Only Airies knew what this would really mean. Aslan turned back into his tent and Airies followed him.

"Am I to lose you too?" she asked, her voice thick and heavy with sorrow.

The great cat sat facing her, hunched over and looking as if he held the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Tonight, I want you and Oreius to make ready for battle. Get everything ready for Peter," was his only response. She nodded and moved solemnly towards the tent flap.

"Daughter!" he called, and she turned around to see tears shimmering in his eyes. "I shall always be with you. You are my very dearest one."

Airies could not help herself as she ran to the lion and embraced him. "Thank you," she cried into his mane.

As she walked out of the tent, she looked around at all of the happy Narnians. She would not let them see her cry. She had to be strong now; for Narnia, for Edmund and Peter, for Aslan, for everyone. She did not want Narnia to see her weak side, because then they would all know that she was vulnerable, just like them.