It's Friday again! And not to cause you any alarm, but I started writing the last chapter this week. There may be an epilogue, depending, or it may just be one final chapter. Not entirely sure yet. Either way, this story will be fourteen chapters in length, fifteen with the prologue (and possibly sixteen with the epilogue).

So...we are nearing the end. So sad. :( What will I do when there's no more Naiad Trilogy to write? I really don't know...

Any who...on to happier things, like A New Chapter! Enjoy!

I Will Wait…

Chapter 10: High through the air...

2356 April 2

Ten years. Ten months. That's how long Rilian has been gone.

Nine years. Eleven months. That's how long my father has been gone.

Two years. Two months. That's how long Pierre has been gone.

Now I have to say goodbye to someone else: my grandfather. He died just four days ago, and his body was burned today outside the town. The flames seemed to stretch for miles upon miles into the sky. And in the crowd that came to see, nearly every eye had tears; I didn't know my grandfather meant so much to so many people. Everyone only had nice things to say about him.

Grandmother seems to be doing well, as does mother. My grandfather's passing is not a difficult thing to accept though. He did not die in battle. He did not fall prey to some insufferable illness that weakened him. It was simply age which claimed his life. That certainly makes things a little easier to bear, does it not?

My grandfather was not the only thing I lost this week; there was another thing which, like death, could not be repaired. This was a thing which was very near, and very dear to my heart. I was never without it. For nearly eleven years I have not been without it. But now…now it too is gone. I cannot help but think of what a terrible omen it must be.

It was my necklace. A simple heart pendent hanging on a simple chain, both were crafted by a Faun. For eleven years it hung around my neck; night and day it hung in the spot where he had put it. Until now…

XOXOX

2345 April 12

I turned the key in the door and unlocked it as quietly as I could. It didn't matter how many times I did this, I still couldn't keep from looking over my shoulders before turning the handle and stepping through. Rilian stood waiting for me just inside; his smile could not be surpassed, and it instantly brought a smile to my face. I quickly closed the door behind me.

"There she is," Rilian said as he began walking towards me.

"Here I am," I replied. It took no time at all for him to reach me. He placed his hands gently on my hips and pulled me the last few inches to him, where he welcomed me with a simple, yet breath-stealing, kiss.

"I've been wanting to do that all day."

"And I've been wanting you to do that all day," I replied as I wrapped my arms around his neck and beckoned another breath-stealing kiss from him. It was just one though. It was always just one.

"Close your eyes," he said as he stepped back and grabbed both of my hands.

"Why?"

"Because I have a gift for you."

"Rilian, you didn't have to get me anything. You know that."

"And what sort of lover would I be if I did not get you a present on your birthday?"

"The kind that respects my wishes."

"Close your eyes, Penelope."

I heaved a great sigh and closed my eyes as requested.

"And no peaking!"

"Oh fine!" I closed my eyes completely. Rilian pulled on my hands lightly and walked me deeper into the room, and slightly to the right before stopping and dropping my hands. If I had to guess, I would have said we were near his mirror (and we were).

"Rilian?" I questioned when I felt him move away from me.

"Keep your eyes closed, Penelope."

I heard a soft click like a box lid being opened. And then I felt his fingers in my hair as he moved it all to one side; his fingers brushed over the sensitive skin of my neck sending pleasurable chills down my back. Next I felt the cold touch of a metal pendant as he placed what was surely a necklace around my neck. After a few more seconds he had the necklace clasped and he moved my hair back to the way it was. I could feel the weight of the necklace as it hung; it was without question of high quality, and yet it was not so heavy that it was overbearing.

"Now, you may open your eyes," he said softly, and I knew he was a bit anxious to see my reaction.

I opened my eyes to find this beautiful heart hanging around my neck. My hand went instantly to the pendant to feel it and I stepped in closer to the mirror, so that I may see it better. It was solid silver, but inside the heart there were small cutouts and engravings which weaved delicately together. The chain on which it hung was made of onyx stone links, and I knew just by looking that each link was made with precise care and attention. Spaced sporadically throughout the chain were other silver hearts with matching weaves as the large heart.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"You're beautiful." I glared at him through the mirror; or at least I tried to, my happiness was overshadowing my aversion to that intolerable word. "You are, Penelope. I cannot help that, and neither can you."

I turned around to face him. "Thank you, Rilian, for the necklace. It's truly remarkable."

"You're welcome, Penelope, and happy birthday. I wasn't quite sure what to get you, so I had the Faun Orruns craft this for you. I thought it to be rather fitting, considering."

"Considering what?"

"That you already hold my heart; now this will simply serve as a symbol of that possession. So long as you wear this, Penelope, you will know that I am thinking of you, and loving you. And nothing could ever change that."

"Rilian…I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

"Yes I do. I love you, Rilian."

He smiled. "I love you too, Penelope."

XOXOX

Now that the necklace was broken, what did that say about our love?

XOXOX

2356 September 26

"Penelope! Are you alright?" Rhea asked from the other side of the river that she, her father, and the royal visitor Lord Barren had just crossed. The four of us, as well as a decent sized guard, were enjoying a pleasant afternoon ride. Well, they were enjoying it at least; I was never fond of riding.

"I'm fine, Your Majesty," I called back as my horse Sable and I began to cross the river too. It was a bit of a struggle, and she threatened to throw me into the water, but we made it across eventually.

"Riding has never been one of my strong suits, particularly because the majestic beast has always had a sort of aversion toward me," I explained once I was back on solid ground and our ride had recommenced.

"Or is that the other way around, I wonder?" Rhea whispered softly to me. I had no time to respond, however, because Lord Barren had also decided to speak.

"What a pity," he said. "I believe every proper lady should know how to ride well. It is a shame your father did not teach you better."

"It wasn't for a lack of trying, I assure you, my Lord. Daddy did try on several occasions when I was younger, but then I moved to the islands for a while, and we had no need for horses there."

"Islands?"

"Oh! That's correct!" the King exclaimed. "Penelope lived on the Lone Islands for a stint of time with her Aunt. I'd almost forgotten." Lord Barren was from the Lone Islands.

"Truly?" Barren asked. "And why might you have lived on the islands alone with only your aunt?"

"She was my grandmother's sister, and her health was poor. She would not move to Narnia, and I did not see it fit to leave her alone. So I stayed with her and cared for her through her last days."

"And on which island did you stay?"

"Doorn, Sir, just outside of Narrowhaven."

"Ah! Narrowhaven. A lovely port but a bit busy for my liking. I'd much prefer the solace of my quiet estates on Felimath."

"I love Felimath! There was this one spot underneath this large oak tree on a hill that overlooked the cove and the south beach. My aunt loved that spot. We used to visit there often; until the last summer. By then she was too weak to get out much."

"I know the spot you speak of; it is beautiful. I can understand why your aunt was so fond of it. And you speak very dearly of her. It's clear to see how important she was to you. But I must wonder, wouldn't you have rather been at home with girls your own age than caring for an ailing woman?"

"She was a dear woman and my life for near six years. Being at home might have been nice in its own accord, but I cannot regret the decisions of my past for they have made me who I am today."

"That is very wisely said, Penelope. It takes most a lifetime to realize that," the King said.

"Well, as you know Your Majesty, I am not like most."

"That you are not, Penelope," Rhea said with a laugh. "You most certainly are not like most."

"I do hope that was meant as a compliment, Princess," Barren said.

"Most surely, my Lord," Rhea replied.

XOXOX

An hour later we were settled at our destination and Lord Barren and Rhea were enjoying a small walk together under the watchful eye of the guards. I would have been walking with them, but the King had personally requested that I stay back a moment. I was confused as to why, until he asked me to join him under his tent and sit with him and his trusted advisor the Lord Drinian.

"What is your opinion of the Lord Barren? Your honest opinion, Penelope?" the King asked.

"Lord Barren?" I briefly glanced down the beach where I could see Barren and Rhea walking; her head was thrown back a little as she laughed, and I could almost make out his faint laughter too. "He is very kind and gentle." I turned back to look at the King. "He's an honest man, and very noble, not because he has to appear that way or because he was born into nobility, but because he chooses to be noble. He's a good man, all around, and I can find no fault with him."

The King nodded his head and sat back in his chair a bit more.

"But you weren't asking about his character, were you, Your Majesty? You wanted to know about your daughter. You want to know if the Princess could ever love him."

"You are very perceptive, Penelope. I believe that is your mother's trait. A trait she inherited from her father, without question."

I paused momentarily. It had not yet been six months since my grandfather's passing.

"No, Your Majesty," I said.

"I beg your pardon," the King said.

"No. Your daughter could not love Lord Barren; not in the way that you would wish. She could not love any the way you or I do. The Princess is different from both of us. She is Naiad."

"Her mother was Naiad, and yet she loved the King very strongly," Lord Drinian said.

"The Queen was different, my Lord," I replied. "She did not know she was a Naiad until the end of the Telmarine reign, and by then she was already fourteen…fifteen…"

"Sixteen. Ava was sixteen at the end of the war," the King said.

"Sixteen, then. She was sixteen when she found out, and then she only spent four years as the Princess before finally succumbing to the powers of love. Rhea on the other hand has known since she was ten, and she has spent every moment of every day for the last twenty-five years longing for the river. It is because of that longing that I do not think she is capable of a mortal love like we."

"A mortal love? You believe love to be a mortal thing? A thing which ends?" the King asked.

"I do, Your Majesty. I not only believe it, I know it to be truth. Love cannot last indefinitely. It always ends, whether by our choosing or someone else's. Love, like us, has a day in which it must be no more."

"Why do you believe such a thing?"

"I have seen it. I have lived it. As have you. You cannot deny it."

"Oh, but I do deny it, Penelope. Love is not mortal; it is immortal. It does not end simply because the one you love is not beside you. It carries on."

"Then you are a stronger lover than I, Your Majesty. For I do not have such strength."

XOXOX

2356 October 4

"How did it go?" I asked as Rhea walked in. I knew the answer with one look at her teary face. "Is it really that bad?"

"Father is leaving tomorrow," she said with great despair as she sat on her sofa.

"What? Tomorrow? Did you tell him would marry Lord Barren?" I sat down beside her.

"I did, but he would not accept it. He said I did not love Barren, and that he could not allow me to marry a man I did not love."

"Well, do you Lord Barren?"

"Yes. No. Not the way he wants me to. But I love Narnia with everything there is to love, and my love for her should be enough."

"But it's not?"

"No. Not in my father's eyes, at least. He has already sent Barren away, and he sails himself tomorrow."

"Where is he going? And why?"

"He sails for Muil. There is a rumor that Aslan has been spotted there; father intends to find Him and seek His guidance on whom to name as heir in my stead."

"Muil? That's part of the Seven Isles, is it not?"

Rhea nodded her head and my thoughts turned instantly to Pierre. When she started sobbing though, my attention was drawn back to Rhea. "He does not even want me as queen anymore. I have failed him. I have failed Narnia. I've failed mother!"

"No. No, Rhea that is not it! Your father has not based this decision on a sense of failure; he only sees now where your heart really lies: with the river. He knows you will never be truly happy as Queen, and so he wants to do all he can to make sure you are happy, and that you may remain the Princess."

"If that is so, then why does he sail to find a new successor for the throne? The crown belongs to Rilian; it should be his!"

I had nothing to say to this, and when I remained silent Rhea looked at me in disbelief.

"You are with him on this? You think he should give the crown to another?"

"Rhea…it's been eleven years. How long do expect us to wait? Your father and I have accepted the truth; perhaps it is time you do as well."

"No! No. I will never accept that. My brother will return."

XOXOX

The following evening saw the sailing of the King for Muil, and the arrival of two children at Cair Paravel. These children were not ordinary children though. They were sent by Aslan from that other world, the world of the ancient Kings and Queens of Narnia. One of them, the Son of Adam, was one of the prominent characters from my favorite old tale: Eustace Scrubb, the boy dragon. For years I'd read his story, and now at last I was honored with the opportunity to meet him and speak with him. It was nearly all I could do to maintain my composure at the dinner table.

Eustace and his friend Jill were sent by Aslan simply to visit the court of Narnia; at least, that is what I thought. That is what they and their guide Glimfeather had claimed. However, the morning following their arrival I awoke to their mysterious disappearance. They were not in the rooms which I had given them. They were not in the dining hall, nor where they in any of the courtyards or gardens. They could be found nowhere inside or outside the castle, and they were not found in the town. I knew Rhea was distraught over her father leaving, and so I let her sleep in. But by about ten that morning, I realized I could not allow another minute to pass without bringing the disturbing news of the children's disappearance to her attention.

I knocked insistently on her door before she opened it at last.

"I'm awake now, Penelope. Are you happy?" Rhea asked groggily as she walked back towards the bed.

"The children are gone," I said hastily.

"What children?"

"The other-worlders, Eustace and Jill. They're not in their rooms and they're nowhere to be found in the castle. What do we do?"

Rhea halted in her tracks.

"I've looked everywhere for them, and I've had knights search the town for well over an hour now. They've found nothing. There's been sight or sound from them since dinner last night. It's like… it's like they've just disappeared."

"They're gone," Rhea said suddenly, and as though she hadn't been listening to me.

"Yes I know they're gone. That's the problem. Where have they gone too?"

"Home." She turned around and faced me. "Aslan visited me in my dreams last night, and He told me that He had sent the children home."

"Home? But they only just arrived here yesterday."

"No they didn't. As it turns out they've been in Narnia for awhile now; they were exploring with Glimfeather. Their visit here yesterday was the last of their tour. Now they've gone home."

I had a very strong feeling that something was not right. "But they didn't do anything. They hardly even visited. There's always more in the stories. I hardly believe Aslan has sent them home already."

"Well what would you have me do about it? That's what it is. I may know more about what Aslan does than most, but that doesn't mean I understand everything He does! After all, it's not as though He's a tame lion," Rhea shot back in a manner that was unlike her. She never yelled. I was stunned into silence and could not respond.

"I'm sorry, Penelope," Rhea said softly after a few silent seconds. "That was a lie. The children haven't gone home, but it is what we must make everyone else believe."

"Why? Where are they then?"

"I—I can't tell you. Please, you must trust me on this."

"But you know where they are?"

"Yes."

"Are they safe?"

"They will be well looked after. I wholly trust the…Narnian they are with. Please, Penelope. Trust me."

Rhea wasn't simply requesting that I trust her, she was pleading with me both in tone and in look. It was clear to see that it was of vital importance that I merely take her word for it, and I wondered as to why that could be. The children were just children after all; what could they be up to?

And then it dawned on me. They weren't just children. They were children of the other world, sent by Aslan. They didn't come to Narnia simply to visit; they never did. The two children were sent on a quest by Aslan, and Rhea was helping them. There was only one thing I could think of that would require secrecy.

I took a deep breath. "I do, Your Majesty. I do trust you."

"Thank you." Rhea gave a relieved smile.

"Though, I think we should come up with a different story; perhaps one that is more believable then 'they've gone home already.'"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Why don't we tell people that Aslan has sent them on board with your father, to help him? It gives them a purpose for being in Narnia, as opposed to just visiting."

"Sounds good to me."

"And…perhaps you should let me be the one to tell the story? You're really terrible at lying."

"Thanks. I think?"

I smiled. "Why don't you get ready for the day, my Lady, and I'll go ahead and start spreading the word about the children being on board with the King."

Rhea gave her nod of consent before I left. As I began to spread the word that the children were safe and that the Princess had received a dream that they'd been sent on board with His Majesty, I thought more on their secret quest. I could come to no other possible reason than the one I'd already come to. The children were going in search of Rilian. I knew Rhea did not want to tell me this, because she knew I believed that he would never return. That is because for the last eleven years I had no reason to believe he would return, and yet I had waited. But I had long since grown tired of waiting.

Now, however, there was a chance of his return. Aslan had sent someone after him. For a very, very brief moment I felt hope and joy swell within me. Then reality hit. If two other world children sent by Aslan himself could not bring Rilian home, then nothing could. And at the present moment, their success was not a guarantee; Rilian might yet be lost forever.

Can anyone guess what happens in the next chapter? Anyone at all? Anyone?

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Oh! I'll just give it to you!

RILIAN RETURNS! Are you excited? I am!

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(Though, if you know anything about the way I write, then you should know not to get too excited.)