Hey everyone! Here is the second to last installment of A Legendary Queen! Can you believe it? I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to Ewcom for betaing.

Also figured I'd give you the ages I have figured out for the Pevensies and Swanwhite since I've skipped a few years: Peter is 17 (almost 18), Susan is 16 (almost 17), Edmund is 14, Lucy just turned 13, and Swanwhite is 17. These ages are all based on birthdays I thought up for the characters.

Disclaimer-I don't own Narnia at all. Phooy.

Chapter 41: The War is Over
May 15, 1945; Tuesday

Over the past few years, "The Friends of Narnia" grew. Not so big that all of Finchley knew about Narnia, but there were around twenty of us (Narnians included). We incorporated our closest friends into the group. Gatherings were held three to four times a year in which the Narnians shared stories, and we all practiced our etiquette, dance, and weaponry. And most of the time we were all there. There were occasions when someone couldn't make it, or Susan attended other gatherings on conflicting nights. Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and I never complained when Susan attended the parties instead of the Narnia gatherings because we started noticing a change in the attitudes and actions of some of the town bullies, and we knew of only one person who even had a shot of getting that change underway. Not to mention we all knew she enjoyed Narnian celebrations and going to parties in England was a way to give her happiness for a while.

Presently, I was getting ready to attend the victory and "welcome home soldiers!" party—which was planned by the Gentle Queen. The women of Finchley spent most of the day, under Susan's direction, decorating the town hall. The hall looked extravagant, and Susan went to great lengths to make sure that there was little possibility the decorations would send the local heroes into flashbacks.

And now everyone in town was getting ready to the lavish party. For my attire, I chose to don the same pine green dress I had been wearing for the Christmas parties for the past four years. Though, instead of a maroon sash I tied a sky blue one around my waist. I added the same coloured ribbon to my hair, clasped my Miraculous Medal around my neck, and placed my Lion ring on my finger. Then I turned to look at my dagger as it lay on my bed. The queen in me wanted to clip it under my skirt and take it along. "Always be prepared," as Kaymen often told me. Another part of me didn't want to take it along in fear of a soldier spotting it and sending him into a flashback. Frustrated, I sat down on my bed and grabbed the box that held my wedding ring. Memories of Amesh's birthday celebration came flooding back to me. Had Amesh or I not had our daggers on our person, Xemphar would not have been stopped. I sighed as I wished for my hair dagger.

A knock on my bedroom door brought my out of my revelry. "Come in."

Eamon opened the door and poked his head in. "Almost time to go, Belle. You ready?"

I smiled up at my brother. "Almost. I am just having some conflicting thoughts."

His gaze went to the dagger he got me for Christmas a few years ago and then back to me. "Are you debating whether or not to take it?" Eamon asked gesturing towards my dagger.

I nodded with my eyes still locked on the blade. My brother sat down next to me and waited until I placed my gaze upon him. He stared into my eyes for a long moment.

"Has there ever been a time, besides going off to boarding school, when you haven't had your dagger on you?" he asked.

"No," I answered quietly.

Eamon gave me a small smile. "And why is that?"

I smiled bashfully back at him. "Kaymen told me to always be prepared."

My brother paused as he let my words hang in the air a moment longer. "Then should tonight be any different?"

"No," I replied with a joyful grin on my face.

My brother smiled widely with me. He patted my leg and rose from the bed. "Now hurry up, Swan!" he said playfully. "The others will be wondering what's keeping us!"

I beamed. "Then get out of my room!" I responded in kind as I childishly pushed Eamon out the door.

"I'm out! I'm out!"

After I shut the door, I quickly clipped my dagger to the small belt I always wore under my skirts. I quickly hid my wedding band again, slipped my shoes on, and met Eamon in the hall. We both donned our spring coats and headed out the door.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Despite Eamon's tease, we were hardly late. My brother hung up our coats, and I went to find Susan, as I volunteered to help her host the party. My girls arrived shortly after I did and went to make sure the food and drinks were out and ready. Lucy was chatting with the band that Susan had arranged to come, and the boys were conversing with Polly, Digory, Eustace, and Jill.

Within a few minutes the town arrived, and the band began to play. Susan and I became extremely busy greeting folks, offering directions, and mingling with as many people as possible to make sure they were enjoying themselves. We also made the effort to give our soldiers special attention by saying 'thank you for your service', offering to talk or dance, and letting them know if they needed anything to inform us.

I paused a moment to try and catch a glimpse of my brother, as I had not seen him since we arrived. A smiled graced my features when I caught sight of him on the dance floor with Macy Williams, his childhood friend and fiancé. I was so happy when Eamon wrote me while I was at school and told me he and Macy were courting. Those two were as meant for each other as Mezinda and Leesum, and Peter and Maggie. Thoughts of the former couple made my heart ache to see them again. Though, just as I started heading down that depressing route, the latter couple danced into my view. Peter and Maggie were practically engaged, but they were holding it off until Peter was at least out of college and had a steady job.

A hand on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts. I turned around and saw it was Edmund. The Just had gradually been getting taller. It made me wonder if he was growing the same way he had in Narnia—I did.

"Anything I can do for you, Edmund?" I asked smiling.

The King of Narnia offered his hand to me. "Would you care to dance, my Lady?" he asked graciously.

My expression turned to one of gratitude. I took his hand and curtsied. "It would be my honour, my Lord."

Out on the dance floor, Edmund was just as good at mixing Narnian and English styles as Peter was.

"Lucy has left you alone this time, has she not?" I asked the Just after the song finished.

He smirked. "How could you tell?"

I laughed. "I have never known you to voluntarily dance with someone when Lucy has forced you to dance with her multiple times."

"My Lady is correct. I also thought you could use a bit of relaxation," Edmund confessed.

"Oh, Edmund, thank you. I appreciate it."

The Just bowed to me. "It was my pleasure, Swanwhite."

I glanced over towards the refreshment table and saw that most of the Friends of Narnia had gathered there. "Shall we go get some refreshments?"

The king nodded and offered me his arm. "Sounds like a swell idea to me."

The two of us reached the table just in time to hear Eustace ask above the din, "How does this compare to parties in Narnia?"

The five of us kings and queens froze, and the rest of the Friends looked anxious. The people around us gave us queer looks, especially to Eustace. Unfortunately, there was no way to explain ourselves out of the situation without announcing our travels. Susan, however, saw an out.

"You mean the game we used to play when we were younger? Yes, that was fun! We could definitely think up some extravagant stories."

The look of betrayal on Eustace's face tore at my heart, and I could only imagine what it was doing to Susan. Jill looked shocked, Polly took on a chilled expression, and Digory looked thoughtful. Peter, Edmund, and Lucy were doing their best to their faces neutral while my girls looked grim. Despite everyone's reactions, the people around us seemed to accept the lie and continued as if nothing happened.

Jill took Eustace by the arm and led him away from the group; Polly followed their example. The Gentle's face turned into one on anguish as Digory looked at her once again, as if deciding whether or not to follow his childhood friend. Softness came into his eyes, and he gave Susan a small nod before heading off. The rest of us gave the Gentle Queen looks of encouragement. She accepted them all with a watery smile. Peter silently offered her a handkerchief to dry her eyes, and she graciously accepted it. After she dabbed her eyes, she handed it back to the Magnificent with a nod of thanks. She then steeled herself and headed back out to host everyone else at the party.

"I can't believe she just did that," Sara said with amazement coating her voice.

"She did what she had to," the Valiant responded blandly.

"But how could she just pull herself together so quickly after it looked like she was nearly going to burst into tears?" Phebe questioned in bewilderment.

"In our positions, you have to be in complete control of your emotions," the Magnificent answered.

"Though that did not always happen, right brother?" the Just asked jestingly.

Peter gave a short laugh. "Yes, that did not always happen."

I saw Lucy smile. "But Susan was always the one to have the most control," she commented. "When she did lose her temper…well, let us just say it was safer to steer clear of her."

I glanced back at my girls and saw wide eyes. Smiling, I excused myself to continue hosting.

Hosting was such a chore. You had to talk with people you did not know, make sure they were having a good time, and make sure they had everything they needed. There was a lot of standing and dancing, and by the end of the night you would want nothing more than to lie down and never get back up. But there was one thing I did like about hosting parities—it made the time fly by. By the time the party came to an end, I was ready to go home.

I met Susan in the coat room just before Eamon, Macy, and I headed home.

"It was the only way out," I told her softly after I gave the Gentle Queen a long hug.

She nodded solemnly. "I just wish there had been another way. Gosh, I wish Eustace had waited until after the party to ask anything!"

I rubbed her arm comfortingly. "I know. But he did ask then, and your fib was the only way out of the situation. And while Eustace, Jill, and Polly may be angry with you, my queen, there are more people around you who love you deeply and understand why you did what you did."

Susan gave a small melancholy smile. "Thank you, Swan. I do not know what I would do without you because you've helped me through so much."

I smiled sympathetically. "I guess that's why Aslan sent me to Narnia and then back here."

She nodded. "Yes. Thank Aslan."

"We always should."

Well? What did you think for the second to last chapter? Please let me know! I mean really, the review box is right there...and reviews make me happy because then I know people actually read it :)

The next and final chapter should be up before I head off to college in about a month (if all goes well).

Aslan's Blessings upon all of you!

~Fierce Queen