Susan awoke and was suddenly overwhelmed with confusion, not recognizing the place she was in. It was almost completely dark all around her, and the only light that penetrated the darkness was the cold blue light of the beginning of the sunrise as it peeked through the folds of the curtains that covered the small windows of the tiny room in the low building she was in.

Memories came rushing back to her, and she immediately remembered the soft but well-worn blankets she lay in, as well as the sturdy log walls around her. She was in the house of the Morkin family, composed by a Dwarf woman and her four young sons. It was not often that one saw dwarven women; from what she had heard they had a tendency to keep to themselves, but Hana Morkin was no ordinary woman.

The night before, after they had shared a very simple supper in the Morkin's garden along with the others, Edmund and Susan had gone to sit on the low steps of the porch of the small house, illuminated only by the soft golden light of a lantern that hung from the side of the roof. Around them, the small roads were deserted, distant lights glimmering in the trees and in the small houses in the distance. All had gone to their homes now, and those who had come from Cair Paravel had retreated to the Morkin's stable behind the house, along with the four Morkin brothers.

Susan had sat and listened to the crickets chirp and the soft whispers of the trees moving in the breeze. Edmund had been rubbing his hands together.

"It is colder here than it is at the Cair," he had said quietly. It felt as if louder words might awaken the night.

"It is because we are closer to the mountains," Susan had replied softly.

They had sat in silence for a while, their knees and elbows touching as they sat on the narrow porch steps, iron armor against soft cloth clothes. Susan had felt like a child once more, the stir of fear and excitement in her heart as she looked on towards the darkness, reminiscing old tales of monsters and ghosts that she had long ceased to fear, but that still held their place in some distant part of her memories.

"Sometimes I cannot help but think that perhaps this is all a dream," Edmund had said in a low voice, his gaze on the darkness as well, a small smile on his lips. "And that soon I will awaken and we shall be at home with Mother, arguing and fighting as we used to."

Susan had laughed softly. "Poor Mother."

Edmund had laughed as well, shaking his head at the memories of their fierce squabbles over insignificant things.

"Edmund," Susan had said presently. He had turned his face towards her. "Do you ever miss it?"

"Sometimes," he had answered after a moment, turning away, his eyes gleaming in the soft lantern light. "But not as much as one would think. Do you?"

"I feel the same," she had said. "But do you not wonder at it, Edmund? That we feel no remorse for having left behind all we have ever known? That we do not wonder if our mother misses us, that we do not wish we could return?"

"There was nothing for us there, Susan," Edmund had said, his voice firm but not unkind. "Narnia is our home now, and, as Lucy would say… this is the will of Aslan."

"We do not know what the will of Aslan is," she had replied. Her eyes had gone wide and her fingers were clenched around the soft cloth of her dress. Somehow, the night had given her the confidence to speak the fears that had been lurking under the surface of her mind for months. "Are we returning someday? Or is this to be our home forever?"

"Would you rather it weren't?"

Susan had smiled, almost sadly. "No. I would rather stay here than go to any other world."

"Then what is the point of wondering? We cannot know. We have duties to perform and friends all around us. What else do you need?"

Suddenly she had realized she had tears in her eyes. "A reason," she had whispered. "A reason to live, and plan, and grow. How can I be truly satisfied with the world around me if I fear that in the blink of an eye I shall have to return and lose everything I have built here? How can we fight for our people if we have no reason to fight for ourselves?"

He had said nothing, and they had not shared any more words that night. Instead, her younger brother had put his arm around her shoulders and she had placed her head on his, both staring on towards the night, until the moon had fully risen and Edmund had left towards the stable where he would sleep.

In the distance, a rooster crowed, and gradually Susan became aware of rustling noises on the other side of the curtain that separated her small room from the rest of the house. Candles had been lit, and it was not long until she saw Hana Morkin's short, stout figure come through the curtain, making her way to her bed. Her rough hand reached forwards and gently shook Susan's arm.

"Queen Susan," the woman said in a low voice. "It is time to rise. Your brother and his men are bringing out their horses now."

Partly concealed by the blanket, Susan pretended to wake up, and sat up slowly. Before her, Hana stood with a candle in her hand, a well-worn apron over her skirts, her reddish hair in a messy bun. She would have looked like a human, had it not been for her short height and the distinctly dwarven shape of her face. Her stony brown eyes peered at Susan almost guardedly as the Queen arose, fastening her gown over the shift she slept in.

The people of Pebble had not seen monarchy in their entire lives, and therefore had some trouble when it came to knowing how to address Edmund and Susan properly, and what sorts of things to do and say before them. They were ignorant of court rituals and hierarchy, and therefore often inadvertently treated their superiors as people of their same rank. But Susan did not find this offensive or annoying; in fact, it was somewhat amusing and in a way a good rest from the treatment she was used to receiving in Cair Paravel, which could be tiresome at times.

After she had washed her face and arranged her hair, she followed Hana out of the small room and found herself in the small main room, where some chairs, a table, and a low couch were neatly arranged near a fireplace that was rather large for the room, an
equally large cauldron inside it. Shelves of cooking implements and household tools were placed against the wall, and on the opposite side of the room was a small door leading down to what Susan presumed was the cellar, beside another which she knew led to Hana's room. It was strange to think that the house had once been the home of eight people. But then again, everything seemed rather smaller to her, being much taller than the dwarves; as it was, there were parts of the house where her head nearly scraped the roof.

While Hana seized a tray full of small bows of porridge, which Susan realized was what the cauldron had held, Susan unlatched the front door and opened it wide, following the dwarven woman out into the road.

The village of Pebble had been built almost completely around a crossroads: one road leading back towards Cair Paravel in the East, another leading North towards what had become known as Lantern Waste, another leading South towards mountains, and another leading towards the forest and more mountains beyond in the West, which was where Edmund and his men were going.

The houses were spread out with much space between them, as was customary in Narnian villages; the different styles of living that the diversity of species within the Narnian population had made it necessary for homes to be rather separate: dwarves and moles had different sorts of homes and activities. But the villages were villages nonetheless, and there was a fierce sense of unity and protectiveness for their own.

In front of the Morkin's house was Clover's home, a small shack under which, from what Susan had heard, a burrow had been dug. The shack served merely as protection from rain and wind, and protection for the vegetables they acquired during harvest season; unlike most Talking Beasts of their kind, Clover's family had ensured that they could easily obtain food from their own land, and had an income from selling to other families in the village. Clover had said that in the years before the Long Winter, his family had had the largest and most richly furnished burrow in all Western Narnia. With the White Witch's reign, their riches had mostly been lost, but they had slowly begun to plant crops once more and had been looking forward to the fruits of their labor.

But at the moment, their field laid torn apart, and their shed only half-stood on the few logs that remained in place. Only a few days before, the Knights of Stone had ransacked their stores and torn out their crops, destroying most of their shack in the process. Susan could see Clover's mother and many children standing on the side of the road, looking rather meek as they watched Edmund's people saddle their horses, preparing to leave. There was a certain unease to their stance, and they glanced jerkily towards the far ends of the roads, as if they expected invaders any moment now; Susan could not blame them… after what had happened to the villagers, it was expected. In between the houses where people were visible stood abandoned huts; these had been the homes of those who had abandoned the village in favor of the Knights of Stone.

Edmund greeted Susan as she walked towards him and Borik, who was grumbling as he fastened his pony's saddle, but stopped to bow deeply towards her as she reached them.

"Breakfast?" she offered, handing a bowl of porridge with a spoon to each.

"Thank you," said Edmund with a smile, taking the bowl and eating quickly. He looked comfortable in armor, unlike the first days when he had to ride wearing it at the beginning of their reign.

"Do you know the way?" Susan asked.

Edmund looked towards the forest. "Well enough. Two of Hana's sons have offered to take us near the caves. I will send a message when I can."

The empty bowls were set aside (the Talking Beasts had found food in the outskirts of the forest on their own) and the horses were mounted. Looking around her, Susan could see many small groups of locals watching them prepare. She could tell that many eyes were set upon Edmund; their gazes were a mix of curiosity and fear… in some cases, perhaps some disdain.

He followed her gaze. "Narnia has not," he said, repeating his words from the day before, his eyes grave.

She said nothing, and patted his horse as he got into the saddle. As everyone else mounted as well, he looked at her. The look in his eyes made him seem older than he really was, and somehow she felt she was speaking to a part of him that was older than she. "Be brave, Sister," he said in a low voice, so no one else could hear. "For now, these people are your reason."

And then he reined his horse, and with a thunder of galloping hooves, they were gone, turning at the crossroads and disappearing in the direction of the forest.

Susan took a deep breath, and then turned to those who had been left behind. Slowly, one by one, they turned their eyes to her.

Nearest to her were those who had come with her from Cair Paravel: two Fauns, three dwarves, two dogs, two moles and one satyr. They were finishing their breakfast, and the two Fauns were carrying the dirty bowls back into Hana's small house. Near the sides of the road stood Clover's family, along with Clover himself, who was sitting calmly on a clump of grass, looking considerably better than he had before. The two remaining Morkin brothers, Gimor and Kimor, heavily bearded despite their very young faces, crouched on the porch of their house, their mother standing nearby. Susan thought she saw some eyes peering at her from a nearby tree, and suspected it was the Monkeys, two of whom she had met the night before. They were all staring at her expectantly.

"Very well," she said, raising her voice so that all might hear. "It is time to begin our work. May all willing to assist move closer?"

She was quickly joined by those who had come with her, having finished their breakfast, Clover and two of his brothers, the three Morkins, and three Monkeys who swiftly dropped from their tree and came near. Two black dwarves also suddenly appeared and joined them, though they looked rather reluctant. Susan heard whispers, and suddenly one of the black dwarves cried out, looking towards a larger house that stood near the Hare family's.

"Come out o' yer hole, ye disgraceful thing," he cried harshly. "Ye don't get to lurk in the shadows while yer neighbors fix the trouble ye were too cowardly ter face!"

There was a hushed murmur among the locals, and Susan suddenly saw movement from the door, which she had assumed was closed. Slowly, an old Faun stepped out, his face downcast, wearing a woolen vest. He said nothing as he joined the group, but Susan could see people glancing at him now and then with no kindness in his eyes.

She had heard of him. He had elected to give supplies to the Knights of Stone, even when they began threatening neighboring families. He had refused to take part in conversations to call for help, and had not opened the door for the black dwarves when their house had been burnt to the ground by the rebels.

Susan spoke up quickly, fearing that, given too much spare time, a fight might break out. "For those of you whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, I am Queen Susan Pevensie, come from Cair Paravel to bring you aid in this time of need. I trust we shall get to know each other very well over the next few days as we repair the damage that was done to you. Please know that I and those who have come with me are here to assist you in anything you may need; we are your friends, and we are here to serve you. We shall do our best and devote all our energy to these tasks, so as to ensure that you never need suffer in this way again. Please know that though only King Edmund and I were able to come, given the responsibilities the Festival demands, both the High King Peter and Queen Lucy send their loving regards, and their well-wishes for your restoration in this time of need."

There were nods and some words of thanks from the more trusting creatures. Susan smiled.

"Let us begin, then. Last night we decided we would begin with those buildings that have been damaged or torn down." She looked to Clover. "Those would be…?"

Clover gave a small cough and then spoke rather nervously. "The Morkins' chicken coop, the Birdel brothers' home, and my own family home."

"We shall start at your own home then, Clover," said Susan, "As I believe it is the easiest to rebuild, given that it has not been burnt."

And so they began to work, the moles quickly making their way to ensure that the dirt near the burrow was in good state to rebuild the two walls that had been collapsed. In doing so, they discovered that part of the burrow had caved due to the heavy crash of the logs over their home, and together with Clover and his brothers, they managed to rebuild it and even add an extra room. The Fauns and the satyr inspected the wood that was found scattered nearby and took them to the dwarves, who, with help from the Monkeys, who had facility when it came to the roofs, carefully set them in place and began to work on them with their hammers. Meanwhile, the dogs ran further, searching for the pieces of wood that had been lost. They returned explaining that several trees that had been torn along the way were not dryad trees and therefore might be used if new wood was needed.

Susan and Hana helped Clover's family retrieve empty sacks from the trampled and upturned ground, which had been scattered when the shack was raided. The rebels had been thorough; no food had been left within the sacks, and the shack had been almost completely emptied.

The sun was only beginning to truly warm their skin when they finished the Hares' shack. They quickly moved on to the Morkins' chicken coop, which had been partially torn down and burnt, its chickens scattered. Gimor and Kimor had managed to catch them all the night they had escaped from the fire, and had placed them in a makeshift pen near the back of the house for the time being. This time the dwarves went with the dogs to cut slabs of wood both for the chicken coop and the Birdel brothers' house, and the Monkeys remained to help build it. The Fauns and the satyr helped transport the slabs of wood with wheelbarrows, and Susan and Hana helped with the hammering. Meanwhile, those who were not needed in the task of rebuilding the coop made their way to make plans for the Birdel brother's house or were gathering straw for the interior of the coop.

Once the coop was ready, Susan, a Faun and a Dwarf had the rather unpleasant task of moving the chickens into their new home, a task both uncomfortable for them and for the chickens. Susan suspected she gained some respect from the locals when they watched her struggle with a rather fierce chicken and ultimately win after what was nearly as exhausting as a full-fledged swordfight.

Sometime after mid-morning, they all went to where the Birdel brothers' house used to sit. The Birdels were the two fierce black dwarves who quickly set to work with the wood they had helped procure from the fallen trees in the forest. They seemed anxious to prove that, though they had help, they could do most of the work on their own.

Susan stood towards the edge of the land, gazing at the pile of burn wood that had been set to a side in a crumpled heap, along with what she could see were remnants of furniture. She was suddenly overtaken by sorrow for the two dwarves who had nearly lost everything to the fire.

"Shameless outlaws," she heard a growl from beside her, and turned to see Hana standing beside her, her arms crossed angrily before her. Her expression was dark. "Burning down the only thing those poor boys had left over from their family… and all just because they tried to defend the rest of us."

Susan shook her head. "It's terrible."

"I swear to the Lion if any one of those bastards enters this town again I will hunt him down myself," Hana said through gritted teeth, not even looking at Susan, who had the distinct impression that the Dwarf woman was speaking more to herself than to her. "I'm not standing still while people threaten my sons; I've lost enough to the war and I won't lose any more."

"They threatened your sons?" Susan turned to her in astonishment. "You did not mention that in the meeting last night."

Hana gave a small shrug. "T'weren't important at the time," she said. "Why do you think they burnt our shed and scattered the cattle when all they needed was a bit of meat?" She grinded her teeth. "They threatened my boys and tried to make me do things I won't ever do. I won't let any creature make me do anything I don't want to; I'm not letting anyone try to own me. I lost three sons and one husband to the Witch; two to the War and another two to what happened afterwards. They've drawn our people out with talk of a better way, and now they have them destroying their own village. If they think I'm ever letting myself lose anything again then they're wrong. Oh, they're wrong."

Susan stared at the woman with newfound respect. The night before it was her sons who had done most of the talking; but it became clear that what they had learned, they had most likely learned from their mother. She fervently hoped Edmund would defeat the rebels quickly. The people of Pebble had suffered enough.

The foundations for the house were nearly finished by the time it was noon. Susan, along with one Faun, a female Monkey named Willow and Clover's mother, followed Hana to her home and helped prepare dinner. It was a very simple affair, what with food being scarce for everyone, but everyone had brought something and soon a simple yet savory stew was cooking. While Hana stirred the cauldron inside, Susan and Willow washed the bowls that had been used that morning, while Clover's mother carefully dried them and set them in a careful pile.

"Ought you to be doing this work, Queen Susan?" Willow asked meekly from where she stood, rubbing soap over the bowls.

Susan laughed. "Why should I not be, Willow?"

The Monkey looked shy, turning her eyes away. "Well… you're a Queen…"

"That simply means I must work all the harder," said Susan with a smile.

They piled the bowls and spoons onto a cart along with the heavy cauldron full of food, Hana herself sitting beside it to hold it in place. The cart was pulled along by a donkey, which, apparently, had been the only beast wise enough to remain inside the stables the night the rebels had opened it and scattered the cattle. Willow sat on the donkey and edged it on, her light weight making her nearly go unnoticed by the beast, and Susan guided it carefully by its rope. In this manner, they reached the area where the house was being built, and they shared a joyful, though rather tired meal together.

After half an hour of rest, those working on the house returned to the task at hand, and Susan followed the rest to the land behind the stable of the Morkins. The cows had escaped only a night before and the Morkins had been too busy with the other problems the Knights of Stone had caused to herd their own cattle. The dogs immediately set to work, running in circles to push the cows towards each other as they stood grazing, scattered across the land, between clumps of trees. Susan was somewhat amused as she watched them.

"Did you know that where I come from some dogs gather cattle all the time?"

One of the dogs in question looked rather confused as he cocked his head towards her, breathing quickly after all the running he had done, having brought a pair of cows in safely.

"You mean… like that is their employment, Queen Susan?"

She hesitated, not knowing how to explain ownership to him. She did not wish to offend him by drawing a comparison between a common dog and a Talking Dog, and therefore merely said, "Not exactly… but something of that sort."

It was after a bit over an hour that most of the cows had been gathered, but Hana pointed out with no little worry that that four of them were missing. And so Susan set off, accompanied by the two dogs and two birds, who happened to live in the trees nearby and were eager to help.

They found one cow ambling through a distant clump of trees, looking rather confused, and they tied her to a tree trunk while they further explored the area, wondering if perhaps there was another there. They did not find any, but the dogs thought they picked up a scent and left at a run towards farther off into a deeper cluster of trees. Susan was only beginning to untie the cow and lead her back to the stable when she heard frantic barking, and the dogs rushed towards her calling out that they had found another one.

The poor cow seemed to have sprained her somehow, and was lying awkwardly on the grass, crying out softly. Susan stroked her head and sent one of the birds to call two of the dwarves for help.

It was a good thing too, because just as the dwarves were debating what the safest way to transport the cow back to the stables so she could be treated was, the dogs picked up another scent.

This time Susan had to force herself not to cry. Two dead cows lay near to each other behind some rocks, parts of their flesh cruelly cut off, and in some cases, some of their legs, their necks extended as if they longed for an escape, their eyes wide and glassy. Blood caked the grass underneath them.

"Savages," Gimor bit out, tears in his eyes as he surveyed the damage. "Couldn't even dispose of the bodies properly, could they? They needed meat, and they took it. There's no respect for the poor beasts." He leaned down and stroked the one of the cows' nose, gently. Susan could tell he was trying very hard not to cry. "You poor, poor girl. I'm so sorry."

They buried them a few yards away, near the trees, once the other two cows had been safely taken to the stable. Susan got painful blisters in her hands while helping dig the graves, but she couldn't care less. Her tears joined those of the two dwarves as they buried the damaged bodies.

Everyone met at sundown and helped set up a tent for the visitors, since the stable was now full. Susan could not shake the sadness in her heart, despite her best attempts to appear cheerful before those around her. It was the arrival of an eagle that helped calm her, for it bore Peter's letter in reply to hers.

My Sister:

I address this letter to you only, for I trust that Edmund has already departed earlier this morning. He is in our hearts and in our minds, and we hope for his swift victory in defeating the rebels. We hope also for your success, dear Sister, in assisting the villagers of Pebble; your detailed explanation of what has transpired there has saddened us greatly, but we are confident that with the aid of the Great Lion and your skillful labor all evil shall be eradicated from that place. I fear that there are times when we believe the entirety of our country is reflected in those towns and villages closest to Cair Paravel, and by reducing Narnia to such small a region we omit the sufferings of those farthest from us from our minds. This is, of course, not something born of malicious intent, but a mere act of forgetfulness that we must be aware of so as to not commit the same mistake again. It is a great relief, therefore, to know that we are on some level addressing this problem.

Here in the Festival all goes well. Narnia has been succeeding quite brilliantly in the tournaments, though Calormen is a fierce adversary. But the competitiveness has not overshadowed the alliances between the countries, and though trying moments come and go, overall there is much enjoyment and laughter to be had. Your presence and that of our Brother is sorely missed, but I believe that we might even have gained a higher respect in the eyes of our allies for the swiftness of our actions when our people are in need. Perhaps it is wishful thinking; but our Sister assures me that it is not.

On the topic of our royal Sister, she is doing quite marvelously. I have come to realize that our reign would be impossible without her. In fact, these mere two days without her would have sent the entire Festival into irreparable disarray. She has proven herself outstandingly capable. I am afraid that I may have been wrong on all accounts, and fear that perhaps I have been holding all of us back by attempting to protect you. If this is the case, which I suspect it is so, I must beg your forgiveness and that of our Brother. I trust that in your capable hands, this country shall move forwards to become a land of joy and plenty once more.

Please communicate our most earnest greetings and well-wishes to those who suffer in the West. And on a lighter note, our dear friend King Lune has entreated me to relay to you that he intends to save his last store of Archenland mead until your return, which he hopes is rather soon, for he yearns for its taste, or so he has informed me. We eagerly await your next letter.

Your good brother,

Peter.

She could not help an amused smile at King Lune's message, or a tender smile at Peter's admission that perhaps he had been much too overprotective. She fervently hoped he was not worrying himself too much about it, though knowing her brother he most likely was dwelling in self-hatred. She only hoped Lucy would know him well enough to help assuage his worries.

...

The next day began just as early as the first had, and it took much willpower for Susan to get out of bed. But Hana's insistent words and her knowledge that the entire village was aware of her good will and energy served as motivation, and she was soon out of bed and eating the hasty breakfast porridge that Hana had prepared.

They had intended to begin fixing the crops that had been burnt or torn apart, but word reached them that Old Badger, who lived in a burrow near the stream at about an hour's distance from Pebble, had been hurt badly when the outlaws had raided his cellar and stolen many of his things. So, leaving behind the Birdel brothers, the Morkin brothers and two of the dwarves who had come with Susan, they set out on the road towards Old Badger's home. Along with them came Clover, who was now feeling very well, Hana, and Willow and her brother Ash, for they knew the way and were worried about Old Badger.

"He helped our family lots when we were short on food," Ash had said. "Kept us all alive during the Long Winter, when it was hard to find things to eat and Father had just died. Mother didn't know what to do, but Old Badger would travel all the distance to bring us supplies."

Old Badger lived in a large burrow near the outskirts of the forest, more towards the South, so near to a stream that Susan could hear the water moving over the rocks as she stood outside. The burrow was so large that she could crawl into it and sit, which was very convenient, seeing as Old Badger turned out to be badly injured.

They had broken his hind leg and stabbed his paw, and he was lounging on a chair with a makeshift bandage around his paw, gritting his teeth as Willow and Hana nimbly worked on fixing his wounds, Susan handing them bottles of cordials and bandages when necessary, for Hana had had the presence of mind to bring her medicinal supplies along with her. As they worked, some of the others went out hunting for any things that might have been lost in the forest as the thieves escaped, and others inspected the damage that had been done to the badger's stores. Much had been smashed and broken, and they immediately began to salvage what they could, fixing the shelves and trying to rearrange what few jars, barrels and sacks were left.

Though he was in terrible pain from his wounds, all Old Badger seemed to be worrying about was what had been stolen from him. He constantly spoke between growls of pain as Willow and Hana attempted to set his hind leg back in place.

"They've taken all my food, nearly everything," he kept saying in a whisper, his black eyes glistening in between his old, almost discolored, fur. "I had so much saved. Now what will happen when Winter returns? What shall I eat?"

"Relax, friend," said Hana, in the kindest voice Susan had heard her use yet. "We shall replenish your cellars with enough food to last you."

But the badger continued to murmur, shaking his head over and over again. "No, no," he said. "No... there is not enough food to withstand another Winter…"

Susan wanted to question him in order to understand why he spoke so desperately. But one of the Fauns soon managed to calm him with a drink of some sort, and Old Badger fell into a deep sleep on his little couch. Hana's face was unfathomable as she gathered her supplies, and Susan felt that it was not a good time to ask questions of that sort. Instead, she kneeled near them and made many questions about the ways they had healed his wounds, and the names of the herbs they had used. Though Lucy had the cordial Father Christmas had given her, they could not rely on the cordial forever, and they had long ago decided that it would not be used unless it were in the most extreme of cases. Lessons in simple healing would prove useful, she was sure.

When it was midday, they left the burrow and went to the stream, where bread and butter was shared as a sort of simple dinner, along with a few apples that had been brought. They had set aside a share for Old Badger, who still slept. As she ate, sitting upon the bright green grass of the bank, Susan dangled her sore feet in the cold stream, the bright sun making the weather quite warm. Some of the Talking Animals stepped into the water themselves, such as the dogs and Ash, who had quickly formed a friendship with them, and the sound of their games nearly echoed all around them.

"What will we do this afternoon?" Willow asked, a bit less shyly than she had done the day before.

"I believe we shall go visit that Dwarf family you spoke of, that has the goat farm," Susan said. "They seem to need our help, and they are not too far from here."

"And tomorrow, Queen Susan?"

Susan smiled. "Well, tomorrow I expect we shall tackle the crops. And I shall help Hana with the farm chores she has told me she will need to do tomorrow."

Hana gave what almost looked like a smile. "Queen Susan, milking a cow?"

Susan laughed. "Do you honestly find it that hard to believe? What I do not know already, I shall learn."

Willow reached down into the stream and placed her hand in the water, letting it run through her fingers. Her actions reminded Susan very much of Lucy whenever they had encountered a stream of this sort, and she felt a brief stirring in her heart at the thought.

"But Queen Susan," said Willow in a low voice, which Susan nearly did not hear over the noises of the others playing in the water nearby. "You did not do this sort of work where you come from, did you?"

Susan smiled. "Not quite, no."

"What was your kingdom like, there?"

And Susan suddenly understood. The Narnians believed that she and her siblings had been Kings and Queens in England, in Earth, just as they were so here. It was all she could do to hold back laughter.

"Oh, Willow," she said, her smile wide. "I was not a Queen in that country."

Willow's eyes widened. Susan could tell that Hana was listening, though the Dwarf woman's eyes were fixed elsewhere. "You were not? But then… what were you?"

"I was merely a girl. A common schoolgirl, from a common family."

"And King Peter, King Edmund and Queen Lucy?"

"Common boys and a common girl."

Willow gasped. It seemed that she had not even imagined that Susan could be anything other than a Queen in her other world. It was actually rather flattering, Susan thought. But she could not help the feeling of dread in her heart that arose whenever she thought of England. She pushed it down, forcing herself to focus on the conversation at hand.

"But then you did do these things, Your Majesty," said someone at Susan's elbow. She turned her head and found Clover sitting meekly beside her. "If you were… of common blood..."

Susan shook her head. "No, Clover. You see, where I come from, the world is not like it is here. There are large cities, larger than any in Narnia, perhaps even larger than any in Calormen. And the people there make great machines, and they fight many wars. And trade is great and plentiful, when there is peace. But most of us must live in cities, and our cities are made of metal and stone." She sighed. "It has its beauties, just as any country does… but not all of us can have the experiences to learn these things. Therefore I had never touched a cow before yesterday; much less help build a house. In England, I am but a girl, a child, and I can do very little."

"So things are very different," said Clover softly.

"Yes," she replied. And then she smiled. "But Narnia is teaching me; you are all teaching me."

She couldn't help but wonder how much longer she would have to learn before she would have to return and find herself locked up in classrooms once more; a commoner, a schoolgirl, a child.

Later they left the water and made their way back to where Old Badger lived, to say goodbye and promise that they would bring him new supplies. He still looked very much preoccupied, and he exchanged some more anxious words with Hana, but he looked better and healthier than he had when they had first arrived, and it made them all feel some relief.

As they walked on their way back to the road, Susan thought she saw a familiar shape up in a tree. She left the group slightly to look at it more closely. It was a fruit, slightly elongated at the top yet rounded at the bottom.

"It is a pear," she said with some disbelief. She had not seen pears in Narnia before; but this one looked quite ripe. She picked it.

A Faun named Surbius walked up to her. "Is all well, Your Majesty?"

"Oh, indeed it is," she replied with a smile. "I have found a pear."

Surbius looked at her in confusion. She raised the fruit she had in her hand and he frowned slightly, puzzled.

"That is a fruit only birds eat, Your Majesty," he said. "It is not customary for people."

"It is not? In my country we call it a pear."

"A what?" Willow and Ash had joined them, followed by the dogs and the other Fauns.

"A pear," she said. "Or at least it seems like one." Carefully wiping it against the sleeve of her dress, she took a bite. It was a bit harder than most pears, but it was sweet nonetheless, and she smiled at the familiar taste that she had not even realized she had missed. "Oh, it definitely is a pear."

Slowly, the Narnians took other pears from the tree and began to try them, perplexed at first but then truly enjoying the taste. They picked a few more to take to those who had remained in Pebble. It was not until many hours later that it occurred to Susan that she had just been responsible for the discovery of the pear in Narnia.

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