The four stayed clinging to each other even as the whirling wind died down, their hair and clothes falling down against them once again. It was after what felt like a very long time of holding onto each that Lucy finally slipped out from between her siblings, backing up a bit, Edmund following quickly, both of them turning to look out at where they had ended up.

Susan and Peter stayed facing each other for a moment. Her eyes were squeezed firmly shut, her hands clenched tightly around the fabric of his shirt. He held her body to his own a little closer, filling in the space that Lucy had abandoned, before he gently pushed her back, tipping her chin up with a finger and calling her name softly. She opened her eyes ever so slightly, keeping her gaze on his chest. Peter could feel her trembling ever so slightly in his hold and pulled her close again. As she fell against him he took a moment to look out over the landscape.

The grass was tall, up around their knees, and the flowers, every colour of the rainbow, were dazzling. Lucy and Edmund were chasing each other about in glee, pollen clouds rising in their wake, laughing and tumbling. Edmund scooped up Lucy, who had tripped over something deep in the greenery, before she hit the ground and threw her into the air, catching her just in time and causing her to squeal with delight. Peter smiled at the sight until a voice interuppted his musings.

'Hello, High King Peter,' and the boy whipped his head around, shocked to see Aslan calmly sitting not ten feet from them, his tail swishing through the high grass, 'Hello Queen Susan.'

'Hullo Aslan,' Peter said, a little too shocked to address him with as much formality as he maybe should have. Susan simply pressed herself more firmly into her older brother; Peter could feel that his shirt was damp from her tears.

Aslan cocked his head to the side, a twinkle in his eyes, and Peter could have sworn that his lips quirked up in a half-smile.

'Now Peter, if you don't mind, I should like to speak to your sister privately a moment. If you wouldn't mind joining your other siblings?'

Peter complied, and though he knew that a talk with Aslan would be good for Susan it hurt him to pry himself away from her. After a comforting squeeze of her shoulder and a nod to Aslan he turned away from the pair. He paused a moment, taking a deep breath, before a smile threatened to spilt his face and he ran down the hill, colliding with Edmund, the two of them tumbling down the hillside with Lucy in tow.

Susan hadn't yet turned to face the lion; she kept her eyes on her toes instead. Aslan watched her brothers and sister playing for a moment before addressing her.

'Turn around,' he said in a comforting rumble, and she felt her feet responding, 'and look up at me.'

She did, her tear-coated eyes meeting his kind ones, his smile warming her from the inside out and encouraging a small one of her own.

'Come here child,' and she did, slowly at first, but then she ran to him, falling into him, burying her face and arms into his mane. He purred, deeply and comfortingly, covering the sounds of her sobbing.

Once she had cried herself into calmness she stood up, straightening her clothing and running a hand through her hair as she did so, before turning to face Aslan. She kept her eyes downcast and intertwined her fingers together, waiting for him to speak.

It eventually became apparent that he wasn't going to speak - he was waiting for her to - and so she gathered her courage before addressing him.

'I'm sorry Aslan,' she stopped there, unsure of how to go on.

The lion looked at her, completely serious, 'You lost me, Susan. You lost Narnia.'

She bobbed her head in response.

'I told you never to lose me again; I told you that you would never return to Narnia.' she nodded miserably again, 'I am willing to repeat the first, but as for the second, I stand by it.'

Her eyes widened in fear and she looked away briefly, back over her shoulder at her siblings, all of whom were playing happily in the fields.

'Oh, Aslan,' she breathed.

He held up a paw to halt her, 'Wait, my child. Neither will your brothers or sister; you are not in Narnia now, nor will any of you ever return there. It is not to be.'

She turned back to face him, a surprised sound escaping her lips.

The corner of his eyes crinkled, 'You lost me, and even your siblings couldn't save you,' his voice became serious at this pont, 'Never stop listening to them again Susan. They make you who you are, because you are not a single unit in this or any world. They are as much a part of you as you are of them.'

She nodded, tears once again pricking at the corners of her eyes, clenching the fabric of her skirt in her hands.

'You let me find you in the end, though it should not have had to come to that,' and his stern voice ended here, his tone lifting, 'But you finally listened, and now you are here.'

Susan spoke up at this point, noting that he was finished, 'Yes Alsan, but where is here?'

Aslan gave a laugh at this point, one that bubbled up right from his belly, 'My country; you are in my country Queen Susan.'

She looked up hopefully at his use of her former title.

He smiled down at her, 'Of course you are still a Queen; once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia. Now, this is not Narnia but you four shall still rule as you did in the Golden Age. I trust that you remember that now?'

She silently nodded, shamefaced, 'Yes Aslan. Please, please forgive me. Please allow me another chance to rule with my siblings. I need nothing more; not my silly parties or outfits.'

The great lion nodded solemnly, 'You are always welcome in my land.'

She gave him a very small, careful smile, which he returned wholeheartedly.

The lion then stood up, moving towards the girl and allowing her to wrap her arms around him again. 'Though I am sure that we will still have many parties where there shall be fancy clothing and many silly times.'

Susan chuckled into his fur at this. Alsan then pulled back.

'I have one last thing to show you, Queen Susan.'

She looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.

'I do believe that you will need a castle to rule in,' he looked over his shoulder and she followed his gaze.

There it was; that beautiful castle from the painting. She could almost imagine snow on the trees and swirling around the structure. She was, quite simply, speechless.

Alsan touched his nose to the back of her head, softly woofing into her hair.

'I told you it was I that found you,' and they fell silent for a time. 'Now come! We shall play with your brothers and sister!'

And he turned, and she chased him down the hill, and the play they had surpassed even that first romp of Aslan's reborn life.

Peter, Edmund and Lucy were pleased to have their sister back, the happiness from that more than their pleasure at coming to Aslan's country, though that pleased them very greatly.

Susan was just happy to have her family, to have Aslan, to have his country and to have the sun on her face.

Queen Susan the Gentle was just glad to be right where she should.

Alright, I think that that's it! Not totally positive on the ending, and I plan on one last proof, but I really wanted to get it up because you guys have been waiting for so long! I just had midterms and my Grandmother was sick (she's just find now though), and I had a huge job interview that I'm still waiting to hear back about. Anyhow, I hope that you liked it and reviews would be wonderful (on that note the ones I've already been blessed with have been fantastic!).

Hope that you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Moksgmol