Together they walked through the water to where Peter, Edmund, and Lucy stood, kneeling in front of the Lion. Every Narnian around them kneeled as well. Eris, the twins and Lukas all knelt too. They had heard of this Lion in myths and Lily could see the same surprise in their eyes: they never knew he actually existed.

Susan and Caspian knelt before the Lion and Lily remained in the water, staring. Being this close to the Lion, she felt a strange warmth.

The Lion spoke, his voice deep and warm, "Rise, kings and queens of Narnia."

The Pevensies rose to their feet but Caspian remained kneeling.

The great Lion smiled down on him, "All of you."

Caspian kept his eyes cast down, "I do not think I am ready."

"It's for that very reason I know you are."

Caspian looked up and met the Lion's eyes and whatever he saw there gave him strength and he rose to his feet.

"Thank you, your majesty."

A small progression came forward before the Lion, a group of Narnian mice, carrying a fallen comrade: Reepicheep.

Lucy rushed forward and held her elixir bottle over the mouse, a drop falling to his lips.

The mouse rose, fully healed and looked up at the great Lion.

"Hail, Aslan!"

Lily looked up to the Lion, hearing his name gave her such strange feelings…she had never seen him before and yet she felt she had known him for her whole life…

"It is an honor to be in…" Reepicheep stopped short, his nose wiggling.

The mouse looked behind him and saw that there was not a tail. He retreated, embarrassed.

"I'm completely out of countenance! I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion!" He looked up to Lucy, "Perhaps a drop more?"

Lucy looked at the mouse doubtfully, "I don't think it does that…"

Reepicheep thrusted his tiny fist into the air, "You could have a go."

Aslan laughed warmly, "It becomes you well, small one."

Reepicheep removed the feather and gold ring from his ear, "I regret that I must withdraw, for a tail is the honor and glory of a mouse."

"Perhaps you think too much of your honor, friend," Aslan said, a sneaky twinkle in his eyes.

Reepicheep looked up, surprised at the Lion's words, "Well…it's not just the honor. It's also great for balance. And climbing. And grabbing things."

Reepicheep's comrade stepped forward, "May it please Your High Majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honor denied to our chief."

The mice raised their tails and placed their swords at their bases, prepared to cut them off.

Aslan shook his head, his beautiful golden mane waving in the golden sunlight that now lit the river.

"Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people."

And then a tail grew behind Reepicheep and he looked back, seeing it over his shoulder.

"Look!" he cried, grabbing it and holding it out to admire it, "Thank you, my liege. I will treasure it always. From this day forward it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility!"

Aslan smiled and then looked at Lily.

She did not notice at first that he was looking at her; she had been staring at him from the moment she saw him on the shore.

His voice was loud but warm, "come forward, Lily, daughter of Eve."

Lily swallowed and walked onto the riverbank. Her friends smiled at her and Edmund winked.

"He's not going to eat you."

Everyone laughed and Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

But once she stood in front of the Lion, all humor vanished and she looked into his eyes. They were golden brown and filled with things she could not understand. He was bigger than a horse and she felt very small in front of him.

"Lucy has told me a great deal about you," he said.

She glanced at Lucy who smiled at her.

"You were with your father when he died.

She nodded and felt the need to confess. "I killed him, your majesty."

Aslan nodded solemnly, "I know. He has lived with a tormented soul for a very long time. In a way, you freed him.

"Did he tell you about your brother?"

Lily nodded, this time tears filled her eyes as she listened again to her father's words in her head. Tears were in her voice as she spoke, "Yes, he did."

Aslan smiled kindly, "And you know now that I speak the truth when I say that your father saved Leland and he now waits for you at the Telmarine castle."

Everyone gasped and Eris looked up, her eyes locked on the Lion.

Aslan looked at the sweet Telmarine girl, smiling, "and Gabriel as well."

Eris could only stare and tears fell down her cheeks. Marsonia and Genia hugged her tightly, crying with smiles on their faces.

Aslan turned back to Lily, "It takes great courage to face your enemies but even more to forgive them."

Lily nodded.

Aslan looked to Lucy, "Now, where is this dear little friend you've told me so much about?"

Trumpkin walked forward sheepishly, daring not to look Aslan in the eye.

But the Lion roared over him, blowing the draw's golden hair back as he coward in front of him.

Lucy smiled, her eyebrows raised, "do you see him now?"

Everyone laughed and the dwarf smiled timidly.

Then Aslan addressed everyone: "Let us return home."