I wrote this as part of my Carmine anthology for the Adventures in Narnia 2021 Encore, but I've since decided I would prefer it be posted separately. It is set in my Darkness universe (brief intro on profile). Further AN may be found at: tmblr . co/ZrXgjTauHjdNie00
"Let us go on and take the adventure that shall fall to us," says Queen Susan, and one by one they pass into the thicket, with the High King Peter in the lead, and the high Queen Ailena at the rear.
She knows it the moment they step out of the world. The air flexes four times in succession, rushing in to fill newly-empty space, and each time a different piece of her heart goes missing. She takes a deep breath, and then steps through the last bush herself.
A large wardrobe stands in the little clearing, its back toward her. She does not attempt to step around and open the door. This pathway is not hers to take, for her place is here, as it has been since the beginning, and as it will be until the end. Instead, she reaches out to lay one hand on the bright applewood, thinking back many years to a Tree in a garden, and a tree by a river, and a third tree in a London yard.
"It is the Lion's will," Ailena whispers to the back of the wardrobe, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against it. "But oh, we will miss you so very badly. I will miss you so very badly. You have changed Narnia forever, and it has changed you, and neither will ever be the same."
It is her duty and gift (and burden) to know and recall perfectly many things that have been, are now, and will be one day, and so she knows they will return. But it will be long centuries hence, when Narnia lies in darkness and many have lost hope—and it will not be a return as regnant kings and queens, but as transient kingmakers. An age has ended, which both for Narnia and for her has been the brightest and happiest time since the Beginning, and it is fitting that it be mourned.
Tears water the wood for several minutes, until she hears the sounds of the courtiers finally catching up and puzzling over the tied horses. She raises her head, and as she does, the wardrobe fades away into nothingness beneath her fingers.
Ailena carefully dries her eyes on her sleeve, and meets the gaze of the creature now revealed at the other end of the clearing. She has her own private fancies about who the White Stag is, and why he was sighted in this year of all years, and how all the horses grew too weary except those of the Four and herself—and so she sweeps into a deep curtsy.
"Thank you for this time," she says, and if there are still tears in her voice, at least they do not clog it entirely. Already she can feel that she will no longer grow older, but slowly return to her former age. There is so very much to do in this world where she is now a monarch alone rather than one pentarch of five, and there will be much more grieving to come in Narnia, but as this new era dawns, she is deeply grateful for the few minutes' respite.
The Stag dips its head majestically and disappears into the woods.
She looks around the empty clearing, a million memories of fifteen years flowing through her mind all in a moment, and closes her eyes.
"Peter Greatheart, Susan Steelgrace, Edmund Fairhand, Lucy Bravelight," she whispers to the empty places where her fellow rulers so lately stood. "As queen of Narnia, I commend thee to Aslan." It is one of the traditional farewells given by Narnian royalty to those setting forth on a journey. "Go in his grace and travel in his favor, carrying always in thy minds the memory of who he is and who thou art, and take care that thou act in no wise contrary to such."
And then she breaks from tradition, for the next line would ordinarily be may thy return be swift and certain, and insteads finishes with simply "We love you."
Queen Ailena Evermind turns, squares her shoulders, and takes the first step toward her kingdom.