Author's Note: I nearly cried as I wrote this chapter. I found it a bit heart-wrenching. But Aceline does have the prophecy to fulfill. I hope you don't hate me. By the way, I didn't even have the heart to put a quote.

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Choice Broke Them Apart

"Goodnight, Peter," Aceline said, placing a kiss on his lips. He grinned at her and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Night, Ace," he said. She gave him a small smile before closing the door to her bedroom. She literally skipped her way to her bed. Walking into her closet, she carelessly tossed her dress to the floor and picked out a white nightgown. She lied down on her bed, wrapping the plush sheets around her body. Her eyes fluttered shut, but she would've wished she had kept them open afterwards.

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She was standing in a green meadow, the soft grass tickling her feet. She looked down and saw that she was still in her nightgown. Her hair blew in the soft breeze. She pushed it out of her face and focused her attention on the magnificent creature before her.

Aslan looked at her, his amber eyes looking into her purple ones. Aceline bowed to him, her hair falling like a curtain around her face.

"Daughter of Eve, it is time," he said, his voice shaking the ground. Dread washed over her as she realized that she had to leave.

"Please, Aslan," she said. "What about the Pevensies?"

"They cannot go to the Lone Islands until you return," he replied. "Afterwards, you are free to travel with them." The girl looked down, biting her lip.

"How am I to get there?" she asked, staring at the ground.

"Archenland will help you. Leave within a week, Daughter of Eve."

"What about Peter, Aslan?" The Lion looked at her.

"What about him, Dear One?" he asked.

"What will happen to him while I'm gone? We just got together and-"

"I can tell you no one's story, but your own." Aceline felt put out just then.

"You can't tell me what would happen?"

"To be told what would happen? No, no one is ever told that." She nodded, regretting that she had ever asked.

"But you can find out what will happen."

"How?"

"By making a choice. Do what you feel is right, my daughter, and go to the islands. Make a choice, Aceline..."

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The Princess woke with a start, her eyes darting around the room. She sat up and found her hair matted with sweat. She remembered her dream and started to sob, not caring if anyone heard her.

"No!" she yelled. "No! I don't want to go! I don't want to!" She might have screamed herself into hysterics if Peter, followed by his siblings, hadn't come running into her room.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, concern written on her face. The siblings were crowded around her, Peter's arms wrapped protectively around her. She looked up into the High King's face.

"It's time," she whispered. Those seemed to be the magic words because - kazaam! - his shoulders sagged, his face went blank and his eyes grew wide.

"Time for what?" Susan said, looking from her brother to her friend. With help from Peter, she explained the prophecy and brought them all up-to-date with the dream. (She conveniently left out the part of herself worrying about Peter.) There was silence when she finished.

"In a week? Isn't that a bit soon?" Edmund asked quietly. The girl nodded, tightening her grip on the blond king. His hand gently squeezed hers.

"We can't even go with you," Lucy said, laying her head on Aceline's shoulder. "We can't even see you for Aslan knows how long."

"I know, and that only makes it worst," she whispered, clenching the Valiant Queen's hand. The blonde sniffed and the Princess wrapped her free arm around her shoulders. The friends sat together, enjoying the other's company as it lasted. They all slept on her bed (I know this is unbelievable, but it was quite large.) and the next morning, as Peter was the last to leave the room, she made her choice.

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On the morning of her departure, the Princess requested to speak with the High King.

They stood on a balcony, looking at the three Archenlandian ships that would help her at the Lone Islands: the Evening's Grace, the Easter Lily, and the Blaze of Glory. She looked from her favorite ship (the Blaze of Glory) and stared at the boy beside her. How could she break up with him? Aceline had never been the type to hurt people on purpose.

"Peter," she began, "I think we should break up." Now, you must understand something. These words sounded good in her head, which proved that she was as much as a novice when it came to romance as a newborn. The dreadful truth was that she didn't have a clue to what she was doing.

"W-What?" She hated the tremor in his voice. She clenched the balcony with tight hands. She gave a subtle sigh (one that was anything but) and looked over at him.

"We should break up," she said.

"Why?" He was looking at her with a despaired kind of love.

"Peter, listen to me. No, listen," she said, grabbing him as he tried to walk away. "Who knows how long I'll be gone. It could be years. You and I could find someone else during that time."

"No, we won't," he said stubbornly.

"Yes, we will," she insisted. (This was strike one.) Quite suddenly, he grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake.

"We won't, Ace, we won't! Listen to me!" he exclaimed as she opened her mouth to interrupt. "You're the only girl I've ever liked." Her eyes dropped down, tears threatening to fall.

"You'll find someone else. Someone who's smarter and prettier and more fun to be around with," she said, looking back at him.

"No, there won't be another. I like you and I'll always like you," he stated firmly.

"Stop it, Peter," she answered in the same tone. "You know there'll be another and she'll like you and you'll like her."

"I'm never going to forget you," he said.

"Both of us can find someone else and you know it!" (This was strike two.)

"I know I won't," Peter said. "I'd rather rot than be with someone else. And I'd rather be hanged than see you with someone else."

"Be reasonable, please," she cried in despair. He looked at her, still holding her by the shoulders.

"I don't think you have a heart," he said quietly.

"I wish I didn't!" There was a quiver to her voice and Peter seemed to take this as a good sign. He was a born wheedler (even if you won't believe it) and summoned up his persuasive powers then and there. He took her hands in his and said in a wheedlesome tone that didn't become him one bit--

"Ace, you know that'll never happen. We're meant to be together. We can't just break up because of something as stupid as a prophecy." She wrenched her hands from his.

"No! You know that won't happen. There'll come a time when you'll be thanking me that we broke up. We'll both be happy with someone else."

"I'd rather be hanged!"

"I know you better than that. We aren't meant to be. We fight even now. How could we possibly stay together? There'll be someone who will make you care for her, in spite of yourself. I know there'll be."

"Not. Going. To. Happen. If you think I'll be happy with someone else, you're wrong. But you will be happy with someone and you'll live and die for him and I shall have to stand back and watch."

"Yes, I will live and die for him, if he ever comes and you must do the best you can," she exclaimed, losing patience with poor Peter. (This was strike three.) He looked at her for a moment before saying, "You'll be sorry for this, Aceline," and he walked away.

"Where are you going?" she asked, for she had caught his expression and it had frightened her. He looked over his shoulder and there was such anger, despair and love in his face, that her heart seemed to stand still. His eyes answered her and the Princess watched the poor chap run, knowing that he was trying to outstrip the trouble he carried in his heart. She watched him until he turned the corner.

A sigh escaped her lips and she bowed her head, as if in prayer. Her surpressed tears flowed down her cheeks as feelings of guilt, grief and more guilt washed over her in continuous waves, adding the feeling of nausea to the load. Aceline thought she was unworthy of bearing the title of "Princess". She had just broken someone's heart, which, to her, was the worst kind of injury. (And that proves that she learned something from this experience.)

"Aslan, please have Peter get ove-" She stopped as she remembered that the Lion couldn't interfere with matters of the heart. She leaned on the balcony and allowed herself to cry.

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"Promise to write to us, Eos?" Dar asked. She nodded, tears flooding her eyes. They were saying their goodbyes before she had to board the Blaze of Glory. Darrin came after his brother.

"We'll try to visit as soon as we can," he promised.

"I'd liked that a lot, Heracles," she answered. Artymis was trying and failing miserably at not crying. The girls hugged each other and it soon became Aceline trying to comfort her instead of vice versa.

"Don't cry, Athena," she said, patting her friend on the back. "I'll be back before you know it. And if I'm not, you can still visit me." She nodded, wiping her tears. Apollo offered her his handkerchief. Then came the Pevensies. Lucy went first. The blonde girl hugged her tightly.

"Promise you'll be safe?" the Queen asked. The Princess nodded, bending slightly to return the hug. Edmund went next.

"Take care of yourself, Ace," he said. They stayed still for a moment, remembering the time when they had done this when she and Peter had been fighting. They let go, both smiling slightly. Almost immediately, Susan embraced her.

"I'll miss you terribly. Write to us, alright?" she said, letting go. She nodded, turning to Peter. They stared at each other, the seemingly endless silence. The High King embraced her tightly, the Princess wrapping her arms around him.

"Please, Ace?" he whispered in a voice both touching and pathetic.

"I can't, Peter," she answered quietly. With those words, she sealed the events that would happen later on. The blond boy let go of her and stood back, his face betraying nothing, but his eyes looking betrayed.

"It's alright, never mind," he said, turning away from his. But it wasn't alright, and she did mind. At that moment, she felt as if she had killed something preciously innocent and had simply buried it under the leaves. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She turned away and watched Artymis say goodbye to her brother.

"Take care of her, Tynan," she heard her whisper. The Lord Tynan nodded, smiling slightly at the Princess. She gave him one back, though it was slightly forced.

"It is time we leave, Your Majesty," the lord said. Aceline nodded, her throat becoming quite dry. She followed him onto the Blaze of Glory and the ship departed with a burst of fanfare. The surrounding crowd cheered loudly as the flags of Narnia and Archenland went up. The Demis and Edmund waved wildly. Susan was caught between waving and comforting a sobbing Lucy. Her eyes finally settled on the High King. He gave her a slightly strained smile and waved half-heartedly. She waved back, feeling quite empty. Her purple eyes flooded with tears and she clutched her opal necklace.

"Your Majesty?" the Lord Tynan said.

"Yes?"

"We have to discuss battle tactics with the others." She nodded. The Archenlander nodded, turning on his heel. She waved one last time to the shore before following him.

Like I said, it was heart-wrenching. But - I think I've said this before - it all fits in with the story. I still need OCs. And, of course, I'm open to suggestions. By the way, if you're interesting into what Peter's thinking, listen to "Ice box" by Omarion. Oh, and if you forgot who the Demis are its: Athena - Artymis, Apollo - Dar, Heracles - Darrin, Eos - Aceline.

OCs Used:
airnchik 128