Edmund lay his head on his husband's chest, listening to the sound of his heart as their children, Rilian, Sallea and Samuel, played around them. A smile graces his lips as he remembers that he, like many in those fairy tales he heard growing up, got his own happily ever after. After returning from Cair Paravel with Peter, their lives finally settled down. Upon arriving and settling in their castle, Peter soon met Aravis, Rillian's nursery nurse. A feisty woman who made Peter work for her affection, not giving in to Peter's pursuits just because he's High King Peter of Old. Their relationship had started off rocky as Aravis didn't fully believe Peter wanted her for anything but being a distraction and a bed warmer. They are now married with three kids.
Eustace and Lucy had also found love in the non-identical princes of Archenland - Calin and Olven. Coming to the end of Edmund's second pregnancy, Lucy and Eustace had travelled to Archenland on a short business trip where Eustace and Lucy had officially been introduced to the princes. According to Eustace, it was love at first sight between Lucy and Olven, the pair disappearing during any free time together whilst Eustace left with Calin. Had Edmund not been close to giving birth, Lucy would've stayed in Archenland a little longer to be with her new lover.
Eustace and Calin's romance wasn't as easy as Lucy and Olven's. There had been the initial attraction, but Eustace wasn't ready for any relationship. Unlike his cousin, Eustace had never considered himself to be attracted to men; he'd always believed that he'd end up with a woman, and whilst no one ever caught his eye in either England or Narnia, Eustace never had any reason to suspect otherwise until he met Calin. He spent his time avoiding Calin (and failing) until it was time to return home. Being back in the safety of Narnia, Eustace tried to forget the prince throwing himself into his training and princely duties. It wasn't until Olven came with his brother to ask to officially court Lucy did Eustace come face to face with the same man he planned to avoid for the rest of his life. At first, Calin hadn't been as patient with Eustace, not knowing that Eustace came from a world where homosexuality was considered a sin. Just because Eustace accepted Caspian and Edmund's relationship didn't mean he'd throw himself into a relationship with a man. Still, with the help of Edmund and Calin, Eustace came to accept this part of him, and the couple hit it off, planning on getting married in the next couple of months.
A sharp kick to his kidney brought Edmund out of his thoughts. A smile graced his lips as he rubbed his stomach. He was only five months along, but his stomach was already big. Caspian's hand rested over his.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look?" Caspain said before dropping a kiss on Edmund's temple.
"Only every day," Edmund replied, tilting his head to look up at his husband.
"Well, you do. I never understood why people found their partners more attractive whilst pregnant until you fell pregnant with Rilian. Then we were gifted with Sallea, Samuel and this child. I remind myself how lucky I am every day," Caspian said. Edmund resisted the urge to roll his eyes; with every pregnancy, Capsian became soppier, not that Edmund didn't enjoy seeing this side of his husband.
"We're lucky to have you too, Cas," Edmund said before kissing his husband. Looking back to his life in England now felt like a forgotten dream; the hurt and pain he felt being separated from the man he loved with the fear he'd never see Caspian again and now being in his arms, their children and family close by, Edmund got the life he desperately sorts for.
And the legend of King Caspian and King Edmund will live in the hearts of the Narnians forever.
~70 years later~
Lying on her death bed, surrounded by her three children and grandchildren, Susan felt content with her life. At 87 years old, looking back on her long life, Susan only had one regret: she never saw her siblings, Peter, Edmund and Lucy, again, even briefly. To hold and hug them and tell them the truth that whilst she loved Narnia, it never felt like a home to her, unlike their parents' house. Peter, Edmund and Lucy always needed Narnia more than she ever did; returning home after 15 years on the throne felt like a blessing in disguise. Her siblings had a purpose in Narnia, Peter as high king, Lucy for finding herself and Edmund for his desire for redemption. To Susan, she felt like she was living there, watching her siblings' happiness whilst never finding her own.
Susan loves her siblings, and when they returned to Narnia one by one, she felt grateful that they got to live in the world they called home and deep down, Susan was relieved she wasn't forced back to. She only regrets, now on her death bed, that she never told her siblings that she loved them dearly, and whilst Narnia may never be home to her in this life, she'll always be proud of them.
Being here, Susan found her happiness. London has always been her home; she's never really moved out of the city throughout her life. Meeting her husband, having their children and raising them here. She never forgot her siblings, telling her children and grandchildren stories of their lost aunt and uncles and tales of Narnia. She mourned them, and she lived for them. Peter never understood how she could quickly move on and accept that Edmund, Lucy and Eustace were gone; time always worked differently in Narnia, flowing faster than the world they came from. Deep down, Susan knew that Peter, Edmund, Lucy and even Eustace were long gone before she hit her mid-twenties.
Susan smiled at her children, her oldest daughter Petra, her second-born daughter Esme and her youngest and only son Luke. She felt so weak for all the life-threatening situations she's lived through in World War 2 in England and the two wars in Narnia; cancer got her in the end. Her eyes drooped, and her slowing heart came to a stop. Yet darkness wasn't what awaited her.
The weight of old age and the constant pain in her joints disappeared, and she felt younger, lighter, and if the stories of the afterlife were true, she'd look it too. Standing before her were Peter, Edmund and Lucy, her siblings looked different yet the same.
"What took you so long, Su? Needed a nap before coming here," Edmund said, grinning. Susan's heart leapt for joy hearing her long-lost brother's voice, sounding full of life. Susan laughed before running up to her siblings, throwing her arms around them, and pulling them close. Peter, Edmund and Lucy clung tightly to Susan as she was to them. When they parted, neither sibling moved far, needing to be close after years apart.
"Come on, Su. It's time we re-introduce you," Lucy said, grabbing Susan's hand and pulling her along as they set off. They came to a palace, a mixture of Cair Paravel and Caspian's castle. Mr Tunmus, the Beavers, Reepicheep and his talking Mice of Narnia, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, Eustace, Caspain and many more were waiting for them. Peter wrapped his arm around a blond-haired woman, Lucy held a red-haired man's hand, and Eustace was wrapped up in the arms of a black-haired man whilst Edmund clung to Caspain. Everyone she ever knew, and those she'd yet to meet, were here, all apart from… her heart caught as a man stepped out of the crowd, his short-brown hair gelled back and his blue eyes sparkling in the sun. George, her George, was here, her beloved husband who was cruelly taken from her 11 years ago. Wrapped up in his arms, Susan finally felt at home.
Author's Note: Heya guys, thank you to everyone who's stuck around and supported this story. This is officially the last chapter, and I really hope you've enjoyed it. This story might have taken me years to complete, but I'm so glad that I've finally finished it. Please leave your thoughts in the comments, as I love hearing what you've thought of this chapter or the story overall. Again, a big thank you!
~ElectraAshLeakySmith
