The lion and the young woman walked into the sunset. Edmund sat down beside Susan and dug his heels into the soft earth. She was looking to the east, toward the camp. After a few moments of silence, Edmund laughed. Susan double-looked him in mild surprise. "What?"
"How long have you been courting Ardrew behind our backs?"
She threw a handful of grass at him. Edmund laughed again. "It's okay. That's how it happened with us." He looked at the receding speck on the hill. His thoughts went back to those first dates and the fear he had felt. It had been a small fear of the unknown, of what might happen if he fell in love. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth to think of it. Falling was the best thing he had ever done and now there was no fear at all. That's how he knew he could go with Aslan. However, the thought of leaving still hurt, and he was worried about Beth.
"Can she handle it?" He asked. He didn't need to specify. Susan thought about it. "I think Aslan knows what he is doing."
"Answer my question, please." Edmund said sharply. "I need my old sister, not a Lucy double!"
Susan looked stung. "I'm sorry, but that is my answer Ed . . . I'm not that horrible person anymore."
"You weren't horrible." He said. "You might have lost sight of what ultimately matters, but you always paid attention to the present and what mattered then."
She smiled and twisted a blade of grass. "Well, then what do you want me to say?"
"I want you to tell me what's going to happen to her, when I'm gone."
Again, she sat quietly for a minute. "I don't know anymore, Ed. I've seen her change so many times since we've met . . . but each time, she has gotten stronger."
Edmund breathed easier. "Good."
"Will you tell Peter and Lucy that I said hello, and that I love them?"
"I was going to."
"Thank you . . . here they come back." Susan pointed. Edmund watched Beth climbing toward him and gave a melancholy sigh. "I just wish I had more time with her."
Susan patted his arm. When Aslan and Beth reached them, Beth pulled Edmund to the side with a new smile in her eyes.
"I love you." He told her. He estimated that he only had a few minutes left. If he started now, maybe he could say a lifetimes worth.
"I love you too." She said. They kissed and held each other for a long moment. "I'll miss you." She said.
"I'll miss you too." He swallowed. "Beth . . . I've been thinking about this . . . I want you to find a good man to take care of you and love you, maybe not as much as I do, but someone to make you happy. Promise me."
"I promise." Beth whispered after a long kiss.
"Don't forget about me."
"Impossible!"
"I love you!"
"I love you!"
Aslan spoke then, "Edmund time to go."
"I'll follow later." Beth promised. Edmund went with the great lion, fading into the sun like mist.
*
Peter and Lucy were surprised and delighted to learn that Susan got to journey into the new land. After Edmund finished telling the story, Peter sat back and folded his arms. "So Susan got to stay, and Beth had to go back to England? Why couldn't she just come with Ed?" he asked Aslan.
"Because Edmund was only a chapter in her life story," He answered. "Bethany will have many, many more adventures before I bring her home."
"Like what?" Lucy asked.
"You will hear them from her, in time."
Lucy hugged Edmund. He smiled back, as happy as one can be after departing one fulfilled life for the next.
"Mr. Tumnus is having tea. Let's go visit him."
"Let's," Edmund agreed. The Pevensies went further up and further in, to find the faun that they had met on their first Narnia adventure, and laughed and talked of the fascinating times they'd had in other worlds.
The End.
AN: I had a hard time finishing this story. I don't know, I guess I just didn't want it to end, just like I didn't want the books to end. Nonetheless, I am quiet pleased with the way this story came out, and I hope you have too.
Please-PLEASE leave a review here, especially if you didn't in the earlier chapters (which is understandable.) Tell me what you think; Good or bad? I can take it! lol