My wittiness had evaded me today!

I don't own Narnia, just Joanna, her parents, Ludwik, Adrina, Alexandria, the granddaughter and the grandmother.

Chapter Nine: What a Difference a Year Makes

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"We didn't know it when we left Narnia was going to be thrown into thirteen hundred years of proverbial darkness before any sign of hope was seen." The grandmother read as her granddaughter sat up from her slouching position.

"When are we going to read part two?" The grandmother laughed as she practically dragged her grand child into bed. She kissed her forehead and smiled at her.

"As soon as you wake from your nap." Three hours later they were once again snuggled up, about to begin the second part of Joanna Pevensie's life.

"It had been a long year. Everyone noticed changes in the five of us. Some good…"

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Some bad. For example, Edmund, to put it bluntly became less of a whiny boy and more of a chivalrous man. He changed for the good. Myself, not so much. Once we returned I let my reckless and aggressive side take the reins. First to join in a fight, other than Peter who usually started them, last to retreat. The change was hard, but we managed, barely. When we were in Narnia Susan and I were close. We grew apart when we came back, leaving me more time to bond with the youngest Pevensie. I learned I enjoyed Lucy's company much more than Susan's.

I grumbled as I pushed my way through the crowd that was gathering, knowing Peter was probably in the midst of it. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" My eyes rolled heavenward as I shrugged my bag and coat off, ready to join the fight. My long blonde hair fell out of its loose braid as I pulled one of the boys off Peter.

"Get off of him!" With that I slammed my fist into face. It seemed to be going well for me, until I let my guard down. The boy grasped tightly onto my hips and shoved me against the wall. He didn't seem to mind that it was unethical to hit a lady when he slapped me. I struggled in vain and resorted to the oldest trick in the book. Kneeing him where the sun doesn't shine. Unfortunately he was expecting that a clamped a hand on my knee, preventing me from kneeing him. He smirked at me as he captured my lips with his. I was trying to scream, but it only came out as a muffled sob.

"Get off of her!" Ah, my knight in shining armor. Edmund tore the boy from me as I smiled innocently at the boy. My fist lashed out at the same time my foot did, effectively bringing him to his knees.

"Help Peter. I'll deal with this scum." Ed nodded and tackled the other guy. The man who had kissed me grabbed my ankle and pulled me down to the ground. I let out a yell of frustration as I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up with strength I didn't know I had. I continued to pummel his face in until a guard pulled me off.

"Act like a lady!" I sent the guard and the boy a dirty look as I picked up the things I dropped in my haste to help Peter. I flinched as a flash of pain radiated from my hips.

"You alright?" I rolled my eyes at Edmund's concern, but deep down I was touched.

"I'm conscious aren't I?" I threw my bags down and sat on the bench, carefully avoiding the sore spots. "Sorry. I just, yeah I'm alright. Thank you for your concern." I smiled at my husband, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Our love was one we only really shared around close friends and family, in public it was glances, a chaste kisses. In private we didn't hold back from our love filled kisses that seemed to fill me with butterflies just like it was our first kiss all over again. Edmund sat next to me and held my hand loosely, as if to silently say 'I love you.'

"You're welcome." That was directed at Peter whose shoulders were slumped, ego wounded.

"I had it sorted." If you call getting your ass kicked sorted. Peter stood, looking towards the tracks.

"What was it this time?" Susan, Susan never believed that we would return to Narnia. I just hope and pray every day that we do.

"He bumped me."

"Where have I heard those words before?" Edmund muttered, sneaking a look at me. I slapped his shoulder. Now was not the time to recall old memories.

"So you hit him?" Lucy was the one that changed the least out of all of us. She knew we would return to Narnia, when we were needed. I believed her of course, I would not let that become another wardrobe.

"No. After he bumped me, they tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him." My head slid to Edmund's shoulder in frustration. I got pulled into a fight that was about bumping someone? I let out a loud breath, not only in frustration, but sadness. I missed Narnia, and my friends. I missed home.

"Really. Is it that hard to just walk away?" Yes. Apparently Peter thought so too, in a different sense.

"I shouldn't have to! I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?" Edmund was about to say something, but I cut him off. Peter needed to know that we too felt out of place. I leaped to my feet and stalked right up to him.

"Of course we do! That doesn't mean we go around picking fights over the most trivial things! I am sick of people treating us like kids who don't know anything! We've seen battle, we've lost men in combat, yet those adults sit there and say we know nothing of war. What right do they have?" We glared at each other for a moment until I spoke in a quiet voice that only the five of us heard. "They have every right because they don't know what we've seen. Just ignore them Peter. You're better than this. Better than petty fighting. There is one reason I jump in every time to pull you out of the fire, because you're family, and we take care of each other." His head was bowed as I grasped Edmund's hand tightly, wishing that I could kiss him like I could in Narnia.

"It's been a year. How long does he expect us to wait?" I pushed myself closer to Edmund so Peter could fit on the bench. I bit my lip. I knew he was talking about Aslan. The question of when would we go back hung over our heads for over a year.

"I think it's time we accept that we live here. It's no use pretending any different." She crossed her arms and cast us all a look. My shoulders slumped and my lips fell into a pout. We turned as we heard the train approaching and I heard Susan whisper, "Oh no. Pretend you're talking to me."

"We are talking to you." My lips lifted up into a smile as Susan gave Edmund the look.

"Ow!" Lucy jumped up and stared accusingly at the bench.

"Quiet, Lu."

"Something pinched me!" With that she pointed to the bench. That's when Peter stood up and looked in shock.

"Stop pulling!"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not touching… Edmund! We are in public!" I whipped up and glanced at my husband with a shocked look.

"Look, would all of you just… what is that?" My forehead wrinkled in confusion. Wasn't the train going a little fast? Why weren't the other people bothered by it?

"It feels like magic!" Yes! If that means what I think it means, Narnia here we come.

"Quick, everyone hold hands." Peter reached out to take Edmund's hand. He didn't seem to like that idea.

"I'm not holding your hand!" I grabbed each of their wrists as I yelled over the wind.

"You are a bunch of babies!" Papers flew all around us as the train past by us even faster. I wanted to tie my hair back as it whipped in the boys' faces, but I couldn't let go. I watched as the tiles pulled away from the walls as well as the ceiling and entrance to the tunnel. On the opposite wall a picture kept flickering, it was familiar to me. Like from a dream, or a memory. The train past, leaving us standing in a cave, with the beach to our right. I quickly turned and knocked Edmund's ridiculous hat off as I pulled him down so our lips could lock. We were back! Our tongues fought for dominance, like always. When I pulled away Edmund tried to pull me back, but stopped when Peter cleared his throat. The other three's faces were a mixture of amusement and disgust. I smiled awkwardly as we ran towards the ocean, removing articles of clothing as we went.

"Shame you're not as quick as me, Ed!" I laughed as Peter ran past Edmund laughing.

"Too bad you're about to be beat by a girl Pete!" I shoved him into the sand and ran passed him cackling like a mad woman. I almost made it to the water when Edmund wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me into an oncoming wave. I came up sputtering, trying to get the saltwater out of my mouth. I pointed a finger at the boys as a dangerous smirk came across my face. "I'd run if I were you." They glanced at each other and Peter shoved Edmund to me, knocking me back into the ocean.

"She's your wife Ed!" I tried to grab Peter's shirt, but he darted out of my reach. Pushing my wet hair out of my eyes I laughed as Lucy fell onto her bottom in the warm water. I grinned when Peter turned his back on me. I splashed him on the back, and then jumped on him, effectively soaking his clothes. For the first time in a year, I was back to my old self.

"Ed? Ed!" I turned and saw that he had a bewildered look on his face.

"What is it?"

"Where do you suppose we are?" I thought that would be obvious. The others seemed baffled as well.

"Well, where do you think?"

"Well, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia." I cast my eyes upward towards the cliff side. He was right there were no ruins in Narnia, but the view seemed like an old friend. We spent the better part on an hour trying to find our way up to the ruins. Though now decrepit, I'm sure that this, castle, was beautiful in its prime. Though I don't know why, there was a pang in my chest as I came to a stone dais with five chunks of stone sticking out of the ground. I bit into the juicy red apple I picked early as I thought. What castle had five thrones? Oh my… It couldn't be, could it? I shook the thought out of my mind.

"Wonder who lived here." I looked over at Lucy who was on the balcony with the blue ocean in the background. I heard a tint clink, and saw that Susan was picking up something golden.

"I think we did." I stood at her side and peered at the golden object I her hand. It was a golden Centaur. I would know that piece anywhere.

"Hey that's mine. From my chess set." Edmund said as he walked up behind me. Peter was close behind.

"Which chess set?" I rolled my eyes, King Peter the Dense.

"He didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley. At least I hope he didn't." Edmund took the chess piece from Susan and looked it over. I didn't want to think that this might be Cair Paravel, but in the back of my mind I knew it was. But that doesn't mean that I can't deny it until someone else realizes it as well. Lucy's eyes trailed to the side and found what was left of columns.

"Can't be." She took off running and came to where I was earlier, the Throne Room. "Don't you see?"

She began placing us at our thrones. Peter in the middle. "Imagine walls." Edmund to his right, I was on Edmund's right and Susan was on Peter's left. "And columns, there." She pointed towards the right. "And a glass roof." It was the final nail in the coffin. We were standing in the ruins of our palace, Cair Paravel. My eyes shut to keep the tears at bay.

"Cair Paravel." I let out a breathless laugh, it was my fault.

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have left Narnia. I never listened to Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. I'm the Heart and Soul of Narnia. Without one it would fall to darkness, war." I slumped down to my knees as I took in the destruction my absence caused. Edmund kneeled down in front of me and gave me the look I was always giving him.

"None of this is your fault. We didn't know we would be leaving Narnia. If you did you would have passed your job onto someone else." I looked at him through my watery eyes and smiled.

"Thank you. It seems I needed that." He pulled me up and we began to get reacquainted with the ruins of Cair Paravel. I snagged one of the apples off an apple tree as Edmund bent down to examine a rock.

"Ed?" He seemed puzzled by something.

"Catapults." I cocked my head in confusion. What did catapults have to do with the ruins?

"What?" It seemed like others were just as confused.

"This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked." Oh, it was attacked with catapults. Now I get it. No one said anything as Peter walked over to a specific wall. He threw a branch out of his way and began pushing the wall, with Edmund's help. They pushed it enough so that we could see the rotted wooden door that lead to the Treasure Room. The wood above the doorknob gave way easily and we had no problem getting the door open. Peter cut off the bottom part of his shirt and wrapped it around a stick lying on the ground.

"Don't suppose you have any matches, do you?"

"No but," Edmund rummaged around in his bag for a moment. "Would this help?" He asked as he pulled out an electric torch. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Good idea trying to be Mr. Survival Peter, but Edmund just stole all your thunder." Peter shot me an annoyed, yet amused, glance.

"You might have mentioned that a bit sooner." Peter tossed is makeshift torch to the ground and motioned for Edmund to lead the way. I rushed in after him, hoping all of our things were still here. I rushed down the winding staircase, but let Peter be the first to go in. He was after all the High King. "I can't believe it. It's all still here." We all walked towards our designated chests. I lifted mine with a heavy heart, knowing that the memories would try to overwhelm me. I glanced at Edmund who was on my right as I glanced back into my chest. Right on top was my swords and my wedding ring. It was hard for me back in England not to have it on my finger. As quickly as I could I slipped in back on, the familiar weight comforting me.

"I was so tall." I looked at Lucy who was holding up a dress that was many sizes too big for her.

"Well, you were older than."

"As opposed to hundreds of years later… when you're younger." I giggled in spite of biting my lip to keep it back. Edmund was wearing a helmet that almost covered his eyes.

"I always said you had a big head." The girls laughed.

"What is it?" I turned my head to see that Susan had her bow in hand, but not her horn.

"My horn. I must've left it on my saddle the day we went back." We all turned and watched Peter open his chest and pulled out Rhindon.

"When Aslan bares his teeth, winter meets its death."

"When he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." Lucy looked a bit down so I sent her a reassuring glance. "Everyone we knew, Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers, they're all gone." That means that Ludwik and Adrina were gone. I closed my eyes to the sudden onset of emotions.

"I think it's time we found out what was going on." I nodded and slinked back over to my chest to try and find a dress that fit, and was in good condition. My digging was getting for frantic when I finally found one. It had a square neckline and two layers. The bottom being a burgundy color and the top being black. The sleeves were long and at the bottom of them was a cuff of burgundy. It tied together in the front and had a belt with a golden buckle that sat directly underneath the bust. We ushered the boys out and began to dress. I situated the dress to my liking on my body before buckling up the belt with my twin swords on it. It felt right, having the swords' weight on my hips again. Everything in Narnia felt right. Well, almost everything. I left my chest with a heavy weight on my shoulders and started walking up the steps. No matter what Edmund told me it was my fault that Cair Paravel was in ruins. It was my fault whatever happened to Narnia after we left. To think the whole year I couldn't wait to be in Narnia again and I forgot my job. To keep Narnia alive. What kind of Heart and Soul was I? A pretty dreadful one that's for sure.

I squinted through the bright sunlight and found Edmund, looking as dashing as ever in his Narnian clothing. Whatever went wrong after we left I would try my hardest to fix. That was my goal, to fix Narnia.

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DRESS ON PROFILE!

Kind of boring and no original work, but I'm trying to relay that Jo feels really guilty about not thinking of the consequences that leaving entailed. Until next time my wonderful readers!

All reviews are welcome!