"I bear little resemblance to the king I could become"
-East by Sleeping at Last
Edmund stood, shifting his weight off his bad leg. He stared at the statue, hardly believing he'd actually won. He hadn't even known if the wand would work on her.
The wand.
He held it in both his hands, staring at it. She'd–
Time froze. She'd killed Peter. Peter.
Edmund whirled around, hardly registering the circle of Narnians surrounding him. His only thought was his brother. He spotted Susan through the crowd, and without a second thought for the statue of Jadis, he hurried in that direction.
The circle of Narnians parted to let him through.
Lucy knelt in the slowly melting snow, Peter's head in her lap. His brother's skin was pale, and Lucy's face was streaked with tears. Susan stood behind Lucy, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.
Edmund dropped to his knees beside them, ignoring the pain that shot up his bad leg. He dropped the wand in the muddy ground beside him.
"Did you give him any cordial?" he asked, voice hoarse.
Lucy nodded, voice breaking, "The moment we got the ice off… but he wasn't breathing and I–"
She stopped and Susan drew her into a hug.
Edmund looked away. He felt like someone had pulled a rug right out from under him. Peter couldn't be gone…
"He's waking up!" Lucy cried
Edmund looked back, taking his brother's hand, watching Peter take a deep breath and open his eyes.
"Ed..?" his brother asked.
Edmund threw his arms around his brother, not caring that he was crying. In moments, Lucy and Susan were hugging them both.
"We won," Edmund said, voice muffled in his brother's shoulder. He pulled back just enough to see his brother's face.
"The Witch?" Peter weakly asked.
"Ed turned her to stone," Lucy cheerfully supplied
Peter stared at him incredulously. "You, turned her to stone?"
"I wasn't sure it would work," Edmund said. "But I thought you were dead, and we had to defeat her."
Peter just shook his head with a soft smile, "Well done, Ed."
Edmund shrugged, and pulled Peter into another hug. His brother clung to him tightly.
Edmund rested his head on his brother's shoulder.
By Aslan, he couldn't believe they'd won and all come out of it alive. But he wouldn't trade it for a thing.
Lucy gasped.
Edmund and Peter broke apart, turning to look at her.
She was watching something behind them. "Aslan!" she cried, racing toward the lion and throwing her arms around his mane.
Aslan chuckled as Susan pulled Edmund upright. Peter clambered to his feet on his own.
Edmund hissed as he limped toward the lion. Peter slowed, tugging Edmund's arm over his shoulders.
Ahead of them, Susan kneeled in front of Aslan. Peter and Edmund settled for bowing as low as they could manage.
"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia," Aslan gently said. "You have done well."
Lucy beamed, "It was mostly Edmund."
"Was not!" Edmund protested. "Where would I be if you hadn't rescued me?"
Peter hugged him again. "No, it was mostly you."
Edmund sighed good naturedly.
Aslan chuckled again. "Regardless, there is work to be done."
Lucy took out her cordial, already hurrying away.
Edmund watched her go, the sight so familiar, calling to mind battles long since passed. Susan came up on his other side.
"What will you do with it?" she asked softly, her eyes on the wand.
"I don't know…" he admitted. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead."
"We'll figure out something," Peter said. "Together."
Edmund nodded, softly repeating, "Together. All four of us."
Susan unfastened the cloak still around her shoulders, and helped him wrap the wand securely. A dryad gave them a length of rope to tie it closed.
Edmund only relinquished the bundle to Oreius, knowing the general knew how dangerous it was in the wrong hands.
Susan put her hands on both their shoulders.
"Everything is finally as it should be," she softly murmured.
Edmund couldn't agree more.
"Peter! Give that back!" Lucy cried.
Peter laughed, holding her crown up out of her reach.
She crossed her arms.
"Peter," Edmund said from across the pavilion, without looking up from the report he was reading by lantern light. "Susan is coming."
Peter set Lucy's crown on her head without a moment's hesitation, then set off to resume his seat next to Edmund, where he was supposed to be reviewing a report of the battle.
He'd just taken his seat when a pillow hit him in the back of the head. Turning, he saw his little sister, poised to throw another pillow.
Giving up on his report yet again, Peter snatched up the first pillow she'd thrown and advanced toward her.
Lucy began to back away.
Peter charged, and she ducked his first swing, nailing him in the side with her own. He abandoned his own pillow and grabbed her around the waist.
"Got you!"
Lucy hit him over the head with her pillow, knocking his crown off. Within minutes, they were both laughing and lying on the ground.
Susan's face appeared in Peter's line of sight, looking stern in the predawn light.
"What are you two doing?"
Still laughing, Peter said, "Pillow fighting."
Susan planted her hands on her hips, clearly fighting back her amusement as she said, "We're meant to have a meeting with the Prime Minister in ten minutes, Peter."
Peter sat up, accepting his crown from Edmund. "I know, I know."
Lucy clambered to her feet, asking, "Has everyone been un-statued?"
"Yes," Edmund said. "Celer was the last; Aslan did him this morning."
"Good." Peter stood, picking grass off his tunic.
Lucy pulled a piece off his back, saying, "We're ready to leave then. The healers told me after breakfast that all the wounded are at least ready for transport."
They started walking as Peter quietly asked, "How many did we lose?"
"About ten," Lucy responded. "There were a few more critically injured that I was able to save."
"Against Jadis, I'd say that's outstanding," Edmund said softly.
Peter nodded. "Well done Lu."
"The healers did most of the work."
"I'll personally thank them then," Edmund said. "Especially since they insisted on making my new brace sword proof."
Peter put one arm around Edmund's shoulders and one around Lucy's. "I'm glad they did. Besides, Oreius would've had that fixed eventually."
They walked in silence to the edge of camp, where an open air pavilion had been set up to take advantage of the warm July air that was back to normal.
Oreius, Sir Peridan and Lady Lilnion were waiting for them, and Peter could see who he assumed was the Prime Minister and his entourage approaching in the distance.
"We've met with him half a dozen times," Edmund muttered, "and I still can't believe we're meeting with Churchill."
Peter patted his brother on the shoulder. "It'll sink in eventually."
Edmund shot him a wry look, and Peter just smiled. Lion's mane, he'd come so close to losing this…
He mentally shook himself as the delegation arrived.
Churchill gave them a nod as everyone took their seats.
"I was pleased to see in your report that your soldiers are recovering well," Churchill said.
"Thank you," Peter replied.
"Though," Churchill continued. "I cannot help but wonder what you will do once they're recovered."
Peter hesitated, and a voice from behind them smoothly filled in the silence.
"I have an answer for that."
They all turned, finding Aslan calmly waiting.
Churchill, to his credit, only blanched slightly, having met the Lion once before. The prime minister's delegation had not, and several of his diplomats staggered back, watching Aslan with fear.
Peter stood and bowed, his siblings following suit. Oreius, Lilnion and Peridan knelt.
Lucy straightened with the rest of them, taking a step toward Aslan. "Whatever does that mean, sir?"
"My Valiant Queen, have patience. All will be revealed shortly." Aslan paced to the edge of the pavilion. "I have instructed your good cousin to direct everyone in the camp here."
Edmund shot Peter a quizzical look over Lucy's head, and Peter gave his brother a subtle shrug. If Edmund didn't know, then he certainly didn't.
They waited, listening to Churchill's updates on how London and its inhabitants were doing. Thankfully, the city was recovering well, and most of its citizens had escaped being turned to stone. Those that had, Aslan had healed.
Even the rail lines were beginning to run again, though some had yet to be repaired.
Within fifteen minutes, the entire Narnian camp, save those too injured to be moved, waited outside of the pavilion.,
Accepting Sir Peridan's hand, Susan stepped up onto a rock and held her hands up for silence. The crowd stilled, and Peter smiled. All of his siblings had stepped right back into their roles as monarchs, Susan especially. The Susan in front of him now was drastically different from the bitter and sad Susan of merely two weeks ago.
"If everyone would remain silent, Aslan has a message for all of us," his sister said. She stepped off the rock, resuming her place on Peter's left side.
The Great Lion said only one sentence.
"I now offer a way for those of Narnia to return home."
Lucy let out a tiny gasp, grabbing Peter's hand. He squeezed it gently, never taking his eyes off Aslan.
Aslan turned, and blew softly on the rock Susan had just been standing on.
A warm feeling swept over Peter, and before his eyes, a stone archway took shape.
"Magic…" Lucy whispered.
"This archway," Aslan said, "will return you to Narnia, if you have been there before."
Peter released Lucy's hand, stepping forward. "Anyone?" he asked. "Even those previously barred from Narnia?"
Aslan smiled, eyes twinkling. "Yes, Son of Adam. You and your brother and sisters may return to Narnia, should you wish to."
Turning back to his siblings, Peter didn't even have to ask. He'd been prepared to stay behind with them, despite the overwhelming longing for Narnia. But that longing was mirrored on their faces.
To Oreius and Peridan, he spoke for all four of them, "Go. Lead everyone home. We will be right behind you."
They both nodded, and with Oreius and Peridan in the lead, Narnians began to file through the archway.
"Will all of you leave?" Churchill asked, hiding his surprise well.
Peter paused, eyes landing on Professor Kirke and Polly, who'd apparently spent the last week trying to sneak past the British army to find them.
The Professor looked hesitant, saying, "If you will have us, we will come."
Susan swept forward, taking each of their hands. "You are friends of Narnia. Of course you may come!"
Polly laughed, and threw her arms around Susan, murmuring something Peter didn't catch. Then, seizing Digory by the hands, she pulled him to the archway, and they both vanished.
Susan gave a slight shake of her head, smiling as she rejoined Peter.
"Eustace," Edmund was saying. "Are you sure you won't come?"
Lucy added, "You too Jill. We'd love to have you."
Jill shook her head. "I would miss my parents terribly."
"If Pole's staying, so am I," said Eustace. He turned to look at Aslan. "Will we go to Narnia some other time?" he asked.
The Great Lion gave a deep nod. "Narnia will have need of both of you yet, do not fear. You will see your cousins again."
Satisfied, Eustace nodded.
Edmund clapped him on the shoulder. "Sir Eustace the Undragoned, do make yourself known when you stumble into Narnia."
"Yes," Lucy said as she swept Eustace into a hug, "we'll keep an eye out for you."
Eustace smiled, letting Peter and Susan hug him as well. Then, he and Jill stepped back.
Peter took a deep breath, and approached the archway. The sun was rising directly behind it now.
Lucy's hand slipped into his, and without thinking, Peter took Susan's. He briefly glanced at Edmund over Lucy's head, and smiled.
Without another moment's hesitation, they took three steps east, into Narnia.
Into their home.
~The End~
First off, I really hope you liked it!
Second, let me know if you'd like a sequel, and if you have any other fic ideas I could explore in the wonderful world of Narnia!
Lastly, this is the final chapter. I have vague plans to do a sequel, we'll see if that happens.
I want to pause and thank everyone one of you for reading and reviewing this fic. I think this is the most engagement I've ever had on a fic, and I loved every minute of it!
Thank you all!