Peter and Mirsan dawdled back to camp early in the morning, the sun had barely been up an hour. The lovers crept through the sleeping campsite back to Peter's pavilion. Inside the pavilion, Peter busied him watching her change into a deep red velvet gown with long sheer yellow sleeves. She twirled in front of him.

"What do you think?"

"Perfect."

He stood with her and kissed her shoulders. A slight ahem broke their romance. Peter saw Aslan waiting by the pavilion opening. They tried to conceal sheepish grins futilely.

"You are needed High King" he said to the shirtless monarch.

"I'm coming."

Aslan nodded and left again. Mirsan picked up a black loose shirt that laced up at the neck and slipped it over Peter's head. He kissed her forehead and went after Aslan.

He caught up, belting his sword on as he ran.

"Aslan."

"Ah Peter, it seems I have a penchant for being right."

"How do you mean?"

"About Narnia's turmoil."

"I see," Peter said, remembering Aslan's words. "What has happened?"

Aslan walked slowly and stopped.

"Nature itself is Narnia's threat."

Peter frowned. How could nature itself be a threat to Narnia? It didn't make sense to Peter.

"I don't understand Aslan."

Aslan knew he wouldn't at first. He wasn't sure even Mirsan realized what needed to be done.

"Mirsan is a living one, representing flame and ash. There were the other three as well."

"Yes, that you told me."

"There needs to be a living representative for the other three."

Did they need to find new living ones? Or did the others still exist? Peter was trying hard to follow.

"Basically Peter, we need to find the essence of the other two living ones, so that Mirsan can take them into herself."

"No one else can do it?"

"No," came Mirsan's voice.

Peter turned to see her standing there. She knew somehow what was going on, and why. He could see it in her eyes.

"Only a living one can hold the essence. We were born for it. When a living one dies, another existing one must take the essence and carry it." Mirsan explained, hinting at the weight of carrying the essences of another.

"There's no way another could?"

"A living one is born, not made."

Peter took Mirsan's hands and pulled her close. She smiled unconvincingly. She knew the task, and the weight ahead, and she couldn't hide it. He took her face in his hands.

"Is it really going to be that bad for you?"

"A living one can successfully carry at least two essences and be as normal. Three will weaken physically and mentally. Four, well, four has the potential to render a living one incapacitated."

Peter held her close protectively. He didn't want to see any more harm to come to her. She'd been through enough already. Even from the dead, Jadis's evil will was wreaking havoc with people's lives. And with Narnia. Aslan watched the High King hold onto his goddess of flame. Aslan saw that look. The look someone gets when they are determined to go to the ends of the earth for the one they love. To protect them at all costs. And the High King of Narnia, a son of adam, just got that look in a most furious manner.

"Have no fear my love," Mirsan said, looking into her royal lover's face. "I am strong, I will hold the weight."

"Mirsan…"

She held a finger to his mouth.

"And have you to stand by my side and keep me from falling."

He surrendered again. He had forgotten any protests.

"Always. Forever." He replied.

"And us!"

Lucy, Edmund and Susan, came running from their hiding spot. Clearly they had been eavesdropping. Again. Peter rolled his eyes. Some things never changed. He silently thanked which ever deity for that.

"We'll be there too Mirsan" proclaimed Lucy.

Susan agreed and Edmund nodded, clapping his brother on the back.

The very earth moved beneath their feet. Shaking violently. The horses in fear, reared up and snapped their reins and bolted. Trees around them were uprooted and fell into the camp. The force of the earth knocked all to their feet. Edmund and Susan clutched Lucy between them, Peter held Mirsan close, while Aslan remained on his feet somehow behind them.

Moments later, which had felt like an age, the shaking had stopped. The earth was still again. Confused voices and cries from the camp. Injured were taken care of immediately. The centaur had gathered a few soldiers and had taken off in the direction of the horses that had broken free. Peter kept Mirsan under his arm as came back into the camp site's centre.

"Aslan?"

"It is beginning."

"Nature turning on itself?" Lucy asked.

"Yes Lucy," he said nodding.

Lucy swallowed hard. Edmund and Susan shared a look. Peter let go of Mirsan to help carry injured and help clean up the site.

"Destiny is still at hand." Mirsan whispered.

The return to Cair Paravel was not as joyous as they'd hoped. It seemed the earthquake had not just struck in the north. The white city walls had cracked and fallen, homes had seen damage. Peter looked crushed to see it in such a way. Lucy was already in tears by the time they had reached the palace stairs.

"What is being done?" Peter asked the centaur.

"Stone and mortar is being brought as we speak. Farms have sent provisions to help. The rebuilding has started."

"Good."

Aslan stood by Peter's side. Mirsan stood on his right. He leaned toward Mirsan.

"I wanted to celebrate your return to life with the people here. It seems Narnia has surprises yet."

"All of Narnia will celebrate life when our work is done."

He smiled sadly. The feeling was deep inside. That feeling one gets when they know the road ahead would be paved with bends and turns and cemented with hardship. He would stop at nothing to protect Narnia, his family, and Mirsan.

Aslan and Peter led the others inside the palace. Rest was needed for the journey still ahead.