Susan
The images haunted my mind: Her blonde hair, turned red by blood, the hole just below her heart that was spewing red, and her eyes as the life flooded out of them.
My only consolation was that she had made it to Aslan's country, I was sure of it.
I turned my thoughts to happier things. Something I hadn't thought about in a while: Rilian.
His images hadn't faded, either. If I closed my eyes, I could see him before me again. His soft brown hair that I was sure would grow to look just like Caspian's, his soft, round face, and his tiny little fingers and how soft they were against my hand.
I even remembered the intricate pattern on his blanket.
I had an idea: I was good at sowing, why not re-make it? I could keep it safe, then, one day, when I did have a baby, I would use it with him. I spent hours there, unmoving, sowing Rilian's blanket. When I finally finished, I looked at it proudly. It looked exactly like the one in my dream.
Along with it came darker thoughts, though.
An image flashed in my mind of a woman with such blonde hair, it was almost white, wise grey eyes, and fair skin.
I pushed the image away when I heard:
"Land ho!" We made it; we were in Ramandu's Island.
I ran on deck, seeing Caspian look out to the sea. I put my arms around his waist and my head on his shoulder. He didn't even need to turn around.
"How are you, My Queen?" I could hear the smile in his voice.
"So we finally made it, huh? Now we just need to lay the seventh sword and then, well…" I had a sudden realization that my time here in Narnia could be over in less than a week. Caspian must have noticed that I tensed because he said:
"Do not worry. Everything will sort itself out."
"But what if he sends me back?" I let go of him and he turned to look at me. He took my hands in his and said:
"Then I will look for you until the end of my days. Even if I have to sail to the end of the world again."
I kissed him, but, sadly, we were interrupted by Peter.
"Excuse me, Your Love-crazed Majesties, but I think we've arrived." He smiled and left. I rolled my eyes at him.
As we walked down the ramp, Peter's foot got caught in a loose floorboard. Selene actually caught him before he fell and hoisted him up. Then they kissed.
I guess it should have surprised me. I thought Selene wasn't able to love someone that was anymore. But they don't call him Peter the Magnificent for nothing.
"Excuse me, Your Love-crazed Majesties, but I think we've arrived." I said to them. We all laughed, because we were happy to be done with danger.
We travelled to the Stone Table, where the banquet was there, still. I looked up and saw the Blue Star, but she was alone this time. Then, she came down, just as her father had done.
She was very beautiful, with silky and long blonde hair, a long blue dress, and grey eyes.
I hated her.
"You!" I yelled. "You took Rilian! You married Caspian!" She looked unsurprised, as if she'd been expecting it. She simply smiled.
"Susan, what are you talking about? I would never-"
"Yes, you would have." The Star said. "I am Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu. I have more important things to discuss with you, but seeing as you need to know, I will explain. Destiny was written the following way: Susan, when you left, Caspian was terribly depressed for many years. Everyone was begging him to find a queen, but he simply couldn't. None of the girls he met were close to you in his eyes. None gentle enough, or smart enough, or beautiful enough after meeting you. Three Narnian years after your departure, he set sail to find the Seven Lost Swords with Edmund and Lucy. When he got to my island after getting all swords, he became my friend. I sailed back to Narnia with him. Caspian would never have loved me like he loved you, but for the sake of his kingdom, he married me. When you accidentally came back, Susan, the future became unclear." I had not been expecting that. I hated her; nonetheless because she might be the one walking away with Caspian and Rilian. "Now, let's discuss your cousin." From behind her emerged a boy I recognized as my cousin, Eustace. He was actually smiling for the first time. He didn't look so ugly when he smiled, though.
"Hello, cousins." He said. Lucy and I ran to hug him at the same time. He received a pat in the back from the boys and Selene. "I'm sorry for having been such a pest all these years."
"I would tell you you're wrong, but it's true." Peter said, but he was only joking.
"Hello, Sire." We heard a small voice say.
"Reepicheep!" Eustace said, delighted.
"Now, let's proceed to waking your friend, shall we?" Liliandil said, smiling.
"Oh, yes please." Lucy said, clearly excited. One of the crew members brought him forward.
"You just have to lay the seven swords and he'll awake, along with the other three Lords. Also, it will ensure peace, to all lands, for hundreds of years." Liliandil instructed. We lay the swords, one by one, on the table. Upon laying down the seventh, they started glowing, and we heard some gasps, like someone was trying to breathe. I turned around and saw Pirate Boy sit straight up, almost falling off the sailor's hands. At the same time, the three Lords stood up. "You need to go to Aslan's Passage, now. At the very end of the world." She added.
Two days later, I was walking around the ship when I heard some singing. I went to the dragon head, where the song was coming from.
"Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves are ever-sweet,
Doubt not, you Reepicheep,
To find all that you seek,
The in the utter East,
Doubt not-"
"That's a lovely song." I interrupted.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, you startled me." Reep apologized.
"Oh, it's not a problem. That was some lovely singing." I said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. My mother used to sing that to me. It was talking about the End of the World. It has always been my dream to go to Aslan's country." He said longingly.
"Everyone, come look!" I heard Lucy call. I heard running feet coming up and Selene appeared.
"There you are! Come on!" She beckoned us down. "It's beautiful!"
Excitement coursed through me. I wanted badly to see what she was talking about.
I looked on to the sea, but it wasn't a normal sea anymore but a sea of water lilies.
"We have arrived." Drinian said.
"Come on, child." Alberta said, gesturing to a lifeboat. I got on after Peter and Pirate Boy. Then I felt two strong hands on my waist. Without looking back, I lay back, relaxing, knowing we were safe.
But then I tensed. I remembered my worst fear. We were headed right to it. My time in Narnia was down to hours.
"Susan, are you all right?" Caspian asked.
"What if He makes us go back?" But Caspian didn't have time to answer because the sea of lilies was gone and now, suddenly, we were standing on an islet. The sea around it was vertical instead of horizontal, making some sort of walls around the little island.
The sea suddenly parted and Aslan came out. I had been wrong: my time in Narnia wasn't down to hours, it was down to minutes.
A cold feeling of dread replaced the usual warm feeling I get when I see Aslan. I stood up taller and tried to keep myself from falling. It all comes down to this: either He sends us back, or He doesn't.
"Hello, Kings and Queens of Narnia. Hello, John, Queen Selene. Welcome to my passage. You see, when you die, you come here. Then I decide if you should go on to my country or not. This is the End of the world." He waiting so long to tell us only made it worse. "I must congratulate you, for making it this far. No one in the history of any county or island has reached my passage." He looked at each of us in turn. "Now, I will tell you your fate."
I thought I might die; I truly would if I couldn't stay. I was sick of living only in half a world. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and looked at everyone.
Peter was keeping his composure, but only someone who had lived with him for so many years would know that he was nervous.
Edmund was probably trying hard not to cry, which was strange, because Ed rarely cried.
Lucy was looking at Aslan with absolute faith. I wished I had the same faith she did. She probably thought that if He thought it was right to send up back, it would be for our own good.
Pirate Boy was looking at Lucy with regret. Probably at being too shy and never telling her how he felt. And now it was too late.
Selene looked terrified. Selene, who never showed fear or doubt or sadness, now looked as if she could die of fright.
Caspian was looking at me. He simply broke my heart. He was wearing the same expression he had when he found out his father had been murdered, like a lost puppy that had been kicked too many times.
I looked back at those gold eyes.
The eyes I had trusted to keep me safe.
The ones that had helped me.
The ones that had hurt me.
"You may stay."
It took me a moment to process His words.
You can stay, He had said.
I felt someone crashing into me, lifting me into the air.
Then the realization hit me like a train.
I could stay in my country.
I could marry my Caspian.
I could hold my Rilian.
I kissed the lips of the handsome king that had held my heart for so many years. A heart I could fully set free now. I was so happy, so extremely and irrevocably happy. I was crying, but for the first time since I kissed Caspian in the sea so many months ago, I was crying of happiness.
We all hugged, like one big, happy family. Because that's what we were. You don't simply go through all the things we'd gone through together and not become as close as one.
"All, except for Eustace. But worry not, Eustace. Narnia may still be in need of you yet." Aslan said, and Eustace looked proud, instead of angry or sad.
"Excuse me, Sire. All my life, I have dreamt of seeing Your Country. Even from afar. Could I possibly- I don't know…"
"Of course, my country was made for noble hearts such as yours." He said and a small boat appeared. "You may get on and row. You are welcome to stay in my country forever."
"Thank you so much, Sire. Thank you!" Reep said. He was beaming, his eyes shone like the Sun. It was very sad to see him leave, but he would be as happy as the rest of us there. And maybe, in death, we would see him again.
"Must you go?" Eustace asked sadly. He had grown rather fond of the mouse, I knew.
"I'm afraid my adventures in Narnia are over. Good bye, Jack, Lucy, Peter, Caspian, Edmund, Susan, and Eustace, goodbye my friend."
He climbed the small boat after Lucy had hugged him goodbye and rowed away.
The waves suddenly opened up.
"Eustace, your time has come to go home." We each hugged him, saying our sad goodbyes. I couldn't be fully sad, though, because everything was going to be alright.
We were back on the ship. After two weeks of peaceful navigating, I heard it.
"Land ho!"
I ran over to the front of the ship, getting the best view possible next to Peter, Lucy, Edmund, Pirate Boy, Selene, and Caspian.
I looked to the horizon and saw a castle glistening on a cliff overlooking the sea. Cair Paravel. I turned to Caspian and tackled him into a hug, followed by Lucy, Peter, and Edmund. We cried and smiled and we were the happiest children in the world.
"You like it, My Queen?" Caspian asked.
I nodded, because I was finally home.