The next day was the hardest of all. They had to say goodbye to Peter and the Professor at the train station in the morning. Lucy had never felt less like Queen Lucy the Valiant as she clung to Peter and cried. After they had gone, Lucy hardly left her room all day despite the others' attempts to coax her out. Even when she went to bed she couldn't sleep, but was overwhelmed by thoughts of all that she had lost by never returning to Narnia. When she had talked to Peter, she had been given such hope, but now that he had left hope was lost again. Her despair was so great that it reminded her of the dark island they had encountered on their travels on the Dawn Treader. But this was her salvation. Suddenly she remembered crying out to Aslan, and an albatross that had guided them out when she had done so. Once again she cried out silently, 'Aslan, if you are in this world, send me help now.'
Suddenly she was wide awake, because she smelt a delicious, sweet golden fragrance that she knew. She knew that He was here, in the room with her.
"Aslan," she said, looking round the room, "I can't see you. Please let me see you."
Then she started almost started sobbing again for she so desperately wanted to see Him and to bury her face in His mane once again and forget her troubles in His glory. Yet she had the horrible feeling that He was not going to let her.
"You will see my face again sweet child, but not here, not now" came His voice from the room. Not from somewhere in the room, but from everywhere in the room all at once.
"But when?" she cried.
"That is not for you to know."
"I am sorry I have been so gloomy lately, but how can I ever be happy again if you aren't here with me?" she asked.
"I am always with you Lucy. Have you known me so long and not seen that? It was I whispering in your ear as you cried on your bed and told you what you would need to hear. It was I who comforted you in the chapel, giving you the peace you would need for the day. It was I who breathed on you by the river, driving the gloom from you. It was I who spoke to you through Peter, though it was he who spoke my words. I have always been with you, though you have not always recognised my voice when I spoke."
At this the tears flowed thick and fast as she remembered the words that had been whispered to her, the peace of the chapel and particularly her conversation with Peter.
"And this I promise you little one," said the voice, "I will be with you till the end of time."
Lucy still could not see a anything except an ordinary room, but she felt His hot breath on her face, and felt her hair swish as He breathed long and slow over her and into her. Later she found the experience impossible to describe to the others, except to say, "His breath fills you up completely and you feel like you are going to burst."
After that Lucy fell asleep straight away, and she could never be sure whether or not it was a dream. However, when she came down to breakfast, Edmund immediately noticed the change:
"What happened?" he whispered, so that their Aunt and Uncle wouldn't hear.
"I found Him," she said, "No, that's not quite right. I think He found me and I know I'm going to be alright."