SURPRISE!
I won't make you wait anymore, but please, read the author's note at the end.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! The last bit of this chapter (before the song) contains spoilers for The Last Battle.
I Will Wait…
Epilogue: I'll keep your heart with mine, 'til you come to me…
The years went by without much ado. Things were not always perfectly peaceful between Rilian and I; they never were in a marriage. Rilian and I are both very strong-willed, and so we disagreed on many matters. No matter what the disagreement was though, we always agreed on one thing. We always sought to do what was best for the people. And we always loved each other.
Maybe that was two things then.
Nearly two years after we were wed, Rilian and I received joyous news. I was pregnant with our first child. Thanks to my brothers and sister I already knew of some of things to expect while being pregnant. But knowing what to expect and dealing with what actually comes are two very different things. Aslan must have really bestowed great patience and endurance on Rilian during the months of our pregnancy, because I know I was no gem to live with. I gave birth to our son, Prince Orlian, around mid-day of the twenty fifth of October in the year twenty-three fifty-nine. Three years later on the third of November, Orlian was joined by a sister as Princess Jilian blessed our lives.
Over the passing years Narnia lived in a time of peace and prosperity. Even with our growing family, Rilian and I served side by side in the throne room and amongst the citizens. Rilian and I would take weekly trips into town to see the people, and once a month we would travel to one of the more distant cities to meet and work with the people there. I was determined not to be some aloof queen who sat locked away in her castle all day. I was going to know what went on in the day to day lives of my people.
Though Narnia may have been at peace with the surrounding world and the surrounding world was at peace with Narnia, it was not the same for one of our sister countries. When the Calormenes threatened Archenland, Rilian took many Knights to our Southern Sister to aid her in her time of need. I would have loved to have gone as well, but I couldn't. And that's not simply because some people still felt that the battlefield was no place for a woman, or because Rilian pleaded with me to stay in Narnia where it was safe. No. I didn't travel to Archenland with the army because when Rilian and the army left I was eight months pregnant with our third child. Prince Eustian was born on the nineteenth of March in the year twenty-three sixty-five while his father was at war. When Rilian and the victorious army returned two months after leaving Cair Paravel, they returned to our completed family.
For the time being at least. I had no more children after Eustian, but each of our three children did eventually marry and have children of their own. During our reign as King and Queen of Narnia, our children forged an eternal alliance with The Seven Isles and with Galma, as their spouses came from one or the other. Orlian was the first to marry, and his future Queen was the beautiful Petra, daughter of Prince Pierre and his bride Bianca of the Seven Isles. Our youngest, Eustian, married five years later and his bride, Elvier, was the youngest daughter of King Henri and Queen Isabeau. Jilian developed a great love for the sea and sailing, and so she married later in life when she met the charming sea captain, Aiden, from Galma.
Then came the grandchildren. In all, Rilian and I were blessed with a total of eight grandchildren. Orlian and Petra had one son and one daughter, Clivian and Edmée. Jilian and Aiden also gave us one granddaughter and one grandson, Mara and Myrddin. Eustian and Elvier provided us with two more granddaughters and one more grandson, Alienor, Gabrielle, and Tristian. Elvier gave birth to another daughter after Tristian, but though we were only afforded a few hours with Perette before Aslan called her home, we loved her no less than we loved our remaining seven grandchildren.
Rilian and I were even blessed enough to have witnessed the marriage of two of our grandchildren. Our first granddaughter, Mara, married the young Narnian Knight Kyhan, who was sure to become a Lord one day, during the summer of twenty-three O'six. In December of that same year, our first grandchild, Clivian, married his bride and future queen Luciella. For a time Rilian and I were both hopeful that we might even get to greet and love our first great-grandchild, as Luciella became pregnant soon after joining our family. But it seems Aslan had other plans.
2407 September 30
I was in the training room with my swords in hand when I heard someone calling for me.
"Grandmother!" Tristian, my youngest grandchild and the youngest of my youngest, called out.
"Grandmother Penelope!" Luciella called soon after.
I knew why they were looking for me and so I pretended I didn't hear them. I twirled the swords in my hands slowly; my eyes were closed as I silently reminisced. I remembered the days where my body moved with ease across the dueling arena, and I longed to feel the rush and slight breeze from two swords connecting.
"Grandmother," Luciella said with a soft sigh.
I had been found. I halted my swinging swords, but I did not turn to face her.
"Tristian, run along and tell the others we've found her."
I heard scampering feet and I knew young Tristian had run off as instructed. A few moments later his shouts of "We found her! We found her!" could be heard even by my aged ears.
"Grandmother Penelope, what are you doing in here? And what are you doing with those swords? Didn't you hear us calling for you?" Luciella asked.
"Yes, I heard you calling," I replied as I finally turned towards her. I smiled softly when I did. Though she was trying to keep it concealed, my well tuned eyes could easily see the swelling in her abdomen.
"Then why didn't you say something?"
"If I wanted to be found, I would have."
"Clivian has been very worried about you. He has made all us grandchildren search the entire castle for you."
"He worries when he shouldn't. And you should not have needed to search the entire castle. You should have known that I would be in here."
"Grandmother! Praise the Mane, we found you!" Clivian exclaimed as he came rushing into the room followed closely behind by my two youngest grandchildren. Clivian's worry for me was slightly put on hold by his worry for his wife as he stopped by her side and kissed her cheek.
"Are you feeling alright, Ella? I told you, you didn't have to help us look. You should be resting."
Luciella quickly turned her head from her husband to me. "I'm beginning to agree with you," she said before looking back at her husband. "You do worry when you shouldn't. I'm pregnant Clivian, not some fragile piece of glass."
Clivian smiled slightly. "They are one and the same to me, dearest." Then my oldest grandson turned his attention back to me. "What are you doing in here, Grandmother? And what, prey-tell, are you doing with those swords? They are dangerous weapons, and not some toy. You could have been hurt, and what would Grandfather do to me if you had been?"
Clivian quickly stepped forward and took the swords gently from my hands like I was a small child. I was not particularly in a mood to fight him on the matter, and so I let the swords be taken.
"I wouldn't be so quick to underestimate her, Son."
At last my rescuer had come. Orlian, our oldest son and Clivian's father, walked slowly down the stairs until he stood next to me. He wore one of his crowns on his head, which told me he had just come from court. Five years ago, when Rilian and I finally agreed to live a simpler life, we passed along our titles as King and Queen and all the responsibilities that came with those titles to Orlian and Petra. They had been ruling over Narnia ever since; though really, Orlian had been serving as king since he was twenty-five.
"Your Grandmother is stronger than she may appear," Orlian continued. "Do not for a moment think that you bested her by taking away her swords. You only hold those blades now, because she let you take them."
I couldn't help but to look on my son with pride and joy.
"Forgive me, Father, I mean no offense and I do not intend to be rude, but she could have hurt herself with these swords. She has no place in a room like this."
"Watch your tongue, child!" I scolded. "If you were but a bit older I would duel you myself here and now, to show you what place I have."
"Be calm, Mother," Orlian pleaded gently. "Clivian was too young when he last saw you duel to remember anything of it now."
"What are you saying, Uncle?" young Tristian asked. "You make it sound as though Grandmother Penelope knows how to duel."
"Oh, but she does Tristian. Your Grandmother Penelope was very skilled with the blade in her day."
"Listen to you talk," I said. "What do you mean, 'in her day?' It is still my day, and I can still fight. Give me my swords and I will show it."
"Now, now, mother," Orlian said as he gently pushed my hand down.
"But how can she fight, Uncle? She is a girl," Tristian pointed out.
"And you're a boy," Gabrielle, Tristian's older sister said. "What difference does it make?"
"Boys are supposed to fight. Girls are not."
Orlian chuckled. "You have much to learn about girls, Tristian. Why shouldn't a girl know how to fight? Or why shouldn't she be skilled with the blade?"
"Mother doesn't know how."
"And that is her choice, but just because one girl chooses not to fight does not mean that no girl should fight. After all, who do you suppose taught me or your father how to fight?"
"Well, I suppose Grandfather Rilian taught you."
"And who might have taught him?"
"His father?"
"Indeed he did." A new voice joined our conversation. And at the sound of his voice my breath caught in my throat and stomach went aflutter. Even after fifty years of marriage he still created the same reaction within me. Rilian walked slowly into the room, assisted by Eustian.
"My father taught me nearly all I know about fighting," Rilian said as he came to a halt between Tristian and Clivian. "But there were many tricks I learned from your Grandmother. And I'm not ashamed to say that I only ever beat her once in a duel, where I won the grandest prize of them all."
"What was that, Grandfather Rilian?" Gabrielle asked.
"Her love my dear. Her love." Rilian smiled down at Gabrielle before looking back at me.
"In the spirit of honesty, Rilian, you needn't have won that duel to win my love. You had won it years before." I paused briefly before continuing. "Though, really, you never won it at all. I had chosen to give it to you freely."
Gabrielle and Luciella cooed softly while Tristian made a sound of disgust.
"Eww, love."
"Careful, my Son," Eustian said with a laugh. "You will find love one day and you will understand." Tristian made another face and another sound of disgust and we all laughed lightly.
"Come," Orlian said at last. "I do believe I heard the dinner bell toll some time ago."
"Oh! I hope there are carrots and cabbage," Luciella said hopefully. "I have been wanting carrots and cabbage all day it feels."
"And by carrots and cabbage I do hope you mean a side of carrots and a side of cabbage." Orlian said.
"Oh no, Orlian. I do not want two separate sides; they must be mixed as one."
"It is moments like these when I am glad my wife can have no more children."
As Orlian, Clivian, and Luciella began to walk out of the room, Rilian stretched out his hand towards me, and I took it gladly.
XOXOX
That night after going to bed with Rilian, I had a most magnificent dream.
I awoke next to Rilian after napping under the warm sun, and instantly my eyes fell on Him. I had never seen the Great Lion before, but I knew, without a doubt, that it was Aslan I saw. Rilian saw Him too. We both ran forward joyously and embraced the Lion. Aslan greeted us warmly and lovingly, and He welcomed us to the land. Then we began to walk.
As we walked I noticed that I felt no pain. My body felt young and new again; all my aches and pains were suddenly gone, and they were nothing more than a distant memory. It was then when I looked to Rilian and saw that we were young again. Both of us! We were just as we were the day we married. All of Rilian's hair had turned back to sunlit blonde, and his blue eyes were light and shining. I laughed and Rilian laughed with me as he realized it too. Then our walk turned into a run.
Rilian and I chased after each other across the plains. The sun was bright and the air was warm, but for all our running we never tired or ran short of breath. We were carefree and happy. When Rilian caught me at last he spun me around, and we danced together. Our laughter rang throughout the air.
"Where do you suppose we are?" I asked after Rilian and I stopped dancing and resumed our walk.
"I'm not really sure, but does it matter?"
"Well, I suppose not. It's just that it all seems a bit…"
"Familiar? Yes, I feel it too. But I cannot place where it might be."
"Though there are mountains before us, it is too flat to be Archenland."
"No, it is surely not Archenland. But look there, to the east; it's the sea. Are we perhaps on one of the Seven Isles?"
"Forget the sea, Rilian! Look there, by the river. It's…It can't be, but is that the Cair?"
"Cair Paravel? That's not…but it is! It is the Cair!"
"Then that would make this Narnia!" I said in awe as Rilian and I looked around once more.
"It is Narnia, and yet it is so very different from the Narnia we know."
"It is the New Narnia," a voice suddenly said from our right. We quickly looked in that direction and saw none other than King Caspian and Queen Ava walking towards us.
"Mother! Father!" Rilian exclaimed as he rushed over and embraced both of his parents; they were also younger like we were.
"What do you mean 'the New Narnia', Your Majesty?" I asked.
"Still with the 'Majesty' stuff, Penelope? I'd hoped that at least by now you might be able to call me Ava."
"Sorry," I replied sheepishly, but still I did not use her name. Rilian laughed.
"It is Narnia as it should be," King Caspian explained. "Without war, without illness, and without death."
"It sounds splendid."
"It is," the Queen said. "Come, let us show you."
As she and King Caspian began to walk, Rilian quickly took my hand and we walked with them. We walked across the land, upwards and westward. Always westward. We climbed to the top of the Great Waterfall, which started the Great River, and looked out towards the sea. We could see all of Narnia clearly. We saw from Lantern Waste to the mouth of the River and Cair Paravel. And we saw from Mount Pire and the pass into Archenland to the Northern Marsh and the boarders of Ettinsmoor. We saw it all, and yet it was so much bigger than anything we had seen before.
"How is any of this possible?" I asked no one in particular.
"Why does it matter if we are together?" Rilian asked.
I shook my head and smiled. "It doesn't. It doesn't matter at all."
I leaned into Rilian's embrace as we continued to look out over the New Narnia, and I heard the Queen sigh contently and do the same with her husband. It seemed slightly odd to be so casual and free with my relationship with Rilian in front of his parents. And yet, it wasn't odd. Every negative emotion and sense of doubt were quickly fleeing, just as every painful memory or thought had already vanished. The longer I was in the New Narnia, the harder I found it to feel anything but happiness.
After awhile I became aware of King Caspian glancing at me and smiling as though he knew something I did not.
"What are smiling so coyly about, Caspian?" I asked. I dropped his title, but it did not feel odd to me, and he did not question it.
"I knew you would make an excellent Queen, Penelope, and you proved me correct."
"Of course she was an excellent Queen. She was my daughter, Caspian."
I turned quickly at the sound of the new voice; it was a voice I knew too well, though it had been years since I'd last heard it. If I still had tears to cry, I would have, for there stood my father. He looked just as I remembered him, with shining hair, bright eyes, and the very essence of honor. He smiled widely, and his pride could not have been outdone, except by the Lion Himself. For a moment all I could do was stare at him as all my prior doubts of failing him flashed before me. But with the blink of an eye they were gone, and then, as Rilian had done with his own father, I ran forward and embraced mine.
"She was not just your daughter, Orlich. She was mine too," my mother said as she came and stood beside my father and me. With great joy I hugged her neck too. Then I saw my grandparents walk up behind her and I turned back to the Queen.
"Is everyone here, Ava?"
The Naiad Queen smiled. "Not yet, but one day they will be. Come, there is still much to see. We must go further up, and further in."
XOXOX
2407 October 1
"I'm sorry, Sire," Liandra, the court healer said solemnly. "They must have passed sometime in the night."
Orlian nodded his head sadly as he looked down at the still forms of his parents lying in their bed, their hands entwined. He closed his eyes as he felt the prick of tears behind them. Years of instruction told him to keep his composure when faced with such detrimental news, but years of love forced his emotions to the surface. At his side stood his wife and Queen, and she rubbed her hand gently over his arm in comfort; it was the only thing keeping his emotions back at the moment.
"Is there any sign of distress?" the composed King asked without a quiver.
"None, my Lord," Liandra replied. "It is as though they simply fell into an eternal rest. I believe they felt no pain at all."
"Thank you for your services, Liandra. You are excused."
The young healer gave a curtsey before leaving her King and Queen alone with his parents. Only after the door closed behind Liandra did Orlian give in. He fell to his knees by the bed as his pain broke through. His face he buried in his hands. Queen Petra placed a comforting hand on his shoulder despite her own tears. Around her neck rested the Queen's Star, but it did not glow, for there was no magic which could heal a fractured heart.
After a moment or two of weeping bitterly, Orlian lifted his regal head. He placed a hand on top of his wife's as his composure returned to him. Then he bent over his mother's form and kissed her forehead tenderly before whispering a prayer to Aslan.
He turned to his wife then, and said, "Gather all the children. Send for Mara and Kyhan. I will find my brother and sister and tell them first. We will tell the children together. And then…the people."
(Spoiler alert)
In the year twenty-three eleven, on a small stretch of sand at the eastern edge of the world Caspian, tenth of that name, King of Narnia and his betrothed, Ava, were given a promise and a blessing from the Great Lion. The promise and the blessing were the same. The Lion said to them, "Then you shall have a blessed union. Your descendents will reign until the end of days."
Caspian, tenth of that name, married the Naiad Princess, Ava, and they had two children: Rhea, the next Naiad Princess, and Rilian, Crown Prince of Narnia. After her brother's disenchantment, Rhea took up full residence in the Great River where, in time, she was given a daughter of the river, Ida, to raise as her own. Ida became the Last Naiad Princess and lived in Narnia until its end in the year twenty-five twenty-five. Rilian married Penelope, and they had three children: Orlian, Jilian,and Eustian. Orlian married Petra, Princess of the Seven Isles and daughter of Pierre and Bianca.
Orlian and Petra had two children: Clivian, and Edmée. Edmée married Mien, a young Lord of Narnia, but she suffered a riding accident at an early age which left her unable to have children. Clivian married Luciella and they had two children: Clea, and Staplian. Clea died at the age fourteen in a drowning accident, but Staplian married Anawell, the Beloved, and they had one child: Lewian. Lewian married Sanna and they had two sons: Jacian, and Xian. Jacian married Edmonda and had one son, Erlian. Xian married Orla and had no children before his untimely death in twenty-four ninety-one.
Xian was on a diplomatic trip to the Lantern Waste when his camp came under siege by a group of outlaws from the Western Wild. Xian died in battle while trying to protect the Narnians of the area. Prince Jacian, under his Mother the Queen's word, rode out against the outlaws to reclaim Lantern Waste and honor his brother's memory. After months of fighting, the outlaws retreated to the Western Wild and a treaty was agreed upon. Before the treaty could be signed though, a young outlaw, displeased with the retreat, crept into the Narnian camp by night and slew Prince Jacian as he slept. Prince Erlian then took up his father's sword and fought the young outlaw in a duel to claim it all. After defeating the outlaw, Erlian showed him mercy and spared his life, but demanded that the outlaws withdraw from Narnia never to return. Bayou, the outlaw leader, agreed and he and Prince Erlian signed the treaty.
After the deaths of her sons, Queen Sanna relinquished the crown and throne to her grandson, Prince Erlian. King Erlian, The Merciful, ruled for fifty-three years, and in that time he married Loreena and they had one son, Tirian. Tirian became King of Narnia after his father's passing and after his mother relinquished the throne in the year twenty-five forty-eight. King Tirian was king for seven years before fighting in his last battle. He fought against Rishda Tarkaan at Stable Hill and together they passed through the stable doors. There Rishda Tarkaan was given over to the Calormen god Tash, while King Tirian, the last king of Narnia, watched with his Narnian friends the final return of the Great Lion and the end of Narnia.
And so the descendants of King Caspian, tenth of that Name, and Queen Ava were as this, and they reigned until the end of days.
The End.
And the song which inspired it all.
Now that the time has come
Soon gone is the day
There upon some distant shore
You'll hear me say
Long as the day in the summer time
Deep as the wine-dark sea
I'll keep your heart with mine
'Til you come to me
There like a bird I'd fly
High through the air
Reaching for the sun's full rays
Only to find you there
And in the night when our dreams are still
Or when the wind calls free
I'll keep your heart with mine
'Til you come to me
Now that the time has come
Soon gone is the day
There upon some distant shore
You'll hear me say
Long as the day in the summer time
Deep as the wine-dark sea
I'll keep your heart with mine
'Til you come to me
Loreena McKennitt - Penelope's Song
Well...I'm not really sure what to say...
...
...
But I suppose I'll think of something.
First. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I cannot thank you all enough for your patience and dedication to this story. You have been faithful readers and reviewers and your constant support has kept me going for the past year. Yes a year. It's been nearly a whole year since this adventure first began with the first chapter of The Naiad Within (April 12 2011). And I must say a very special thanks to kcollins720; you were my very first review on chapter 1 of part 1, and I do believe you have reviewed every chapter since. Also, Evy201, you have been there every step of the way too. Words cannot express my gratitude towards the two of you. This in no way diminishes the gratitude I have for every other reader and reviewer.
Second. In the process of writing this epilogue, in order to sort out ages and names of children and grandchildren, I created an entire family tree for Caspian and Ava. Using a free program I downloaded from the internet, I have made a picture of this tree. I have included the full links to this picture on my profile; I know quick links are disabled at the moment so it has been typed out (just be sure to delete the spaces). The picture is split in half so that you may zoom in to see more detail. I have included links to both halves and the whole picture. Feel free to check this out and let me know what you think. I put a lot of work and effort and thought into this tree. I guess I should quickly say that the only canon people in my family tree are Caspian, Rilian, Erlian, and Tirian. The story of how Erlian became king, is completely my own doing.
Third. Upcoming projects. I still haven't decided if I'm going to go with the Rilian/OC or the Caspian/OC story (which has been given a name now, The Lion's Lamb). For now I will continue to work on both and post whichever (or both) when I feel I have enough to begin posting. Please note that this may take a while. I don't know how long. If you are interested in either of these stories, I simply suggest you add me to your author alert list to receive a notification of when I post something new. Another potential project is posted on my profile as well, at the bottom. Trilogy Tidbits: A collection of one-shots, outtakes, extras, and "deleted scenes" if you will based on The Naiad Trilogy and I Will Wait... Each chapter will be a different outtake, and they would be written in no particular order, just as they come to mind.
I think that is about it... Thank you once more for all your support and for joining me on this epic adventure.
With much, much appreciation SweetSunnyRose. (AKA Loraine.)