𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐒𝐂 & 𝐋𝐁)

Chapter 3- Ana and Aslan

A few after Rilian was born, Caspian and I presented the new Prince to the Kingdom. Rilian slept most of the time. We threw a party and invited the entire kingdom. I wore a simple dress. I usually left my hair down, like normal, but for the celebration, I had put it up. Like Caspian I wore my crown but I didn't have my weapons on me. Then I rarely did have them at celebrations before.

They seemed elated and no looked like they were faking it. I hoped none of them were disappointed, but I didn't really know why they wouldn't be. Every Narnian that I talked to was very happy. Some Telmarines seemed a bit wary of the thought. They could be concerned with what would happen.

I knew nothing was going to happen so they really had nothing to worry about. Maybe they just didn't care about Rilian being born. It was okay if some people didn't care about Rilian as long no one tried to kill him or us. That was fair because no one HAD to like the rulers, they just had to live with it. Caspian wouldn't be to happy if he found out people didn't like the fact that his son was born.

After the celebration, Caspian and I took a walk through the castle. Rilian was awake and wide-eyed as we walked through the halls. He wasn't old enough to talk yet and I realized this was the first time Rilian was seeing more than just a few rooms as the two the castle. That was why he was looking around. He was curious.

The three of us enjoyed the quiet. It was nice to take a walk and not have others following you around. Ever since Rilian was born, I had someone following me around constantly. They were just making sure I was fine, Rilian was fine, and such. This was the first time it was just Caspian, Rilian, and me.

Walking down the hall, I noticed the door to the study, as we called it, was open. It was usually closed, locked if Caspian was inside. I pointed it out to Caspian thinking that he might not have shut it. In response he walked towards it and I started to follow. But he held up and hand telling me to stop. Caspian wasn't sure if it was empty or not.

"Ana, stay right here with Rilian. Somebody could be in there but I don't know," Caspian told me as he walked inside.

Instead of listening, I walked to the open door. I recognized who was in there before actually walking in and I couldn't see. Smiling, I followed Caspian inside and the two of us stopped at the same time. Aslan was waiting.

He always managed to get in without anyone noticing. I'm sure it was because he was Aslan. It wasn't the first time he surprised Caspian and I in the castle. Well, I could always kind of tell when he was near, like I had when I entered the study. I just didn't know he was that close. After I had told Caspian the news, Aslan surprised us with a visit to congratulate us. He was here now for the same reason.

"He'll make a great King someday," he told Caspian and I.
"Aslan, I need to ask you something," I told him then turned to Caspian. "Would you mind if I talked with him alone?"
"Not at all, milady," he told me.
"Thank you."

He gave me a quick kiss and took Rilian from my arms. I watched Caspian leave with Rilian in his arms. Rilian had reached up into the air and I assumed he wanted Caspian. A small baby laugh told me that was true. They were cute together.

I faced Aslan. Before I could even ask him a question he spoke up.

"Something bothers you, child. What is it?" Aslan questioned.
"Rilian," I answered.
"Rilian will not posses the phoenix. You were the only one and there's no way for you to pass it on," he told me.
"How?" I asked him. "If being a phoenix is part of me, why isn't there a slight chance for him to have it?"
"For two reasons," he answered and I was confused. "One is because you didn't become the phoenix while you were carrying him. The other is because of your past."
"What about my past?"
"I would've told you before, but you weren't ready. You still aren't."
"Will I ever be?"
"I'm afraid by then, it will be too late."

I understood what he meant. In order to understand my past, something similar had to happen in my future. But by the time it did, it will be too late. I was going to die. Aslan knew how and when. Only then, would I understand what he wanted to tell me about my past. I had a feeling it had to do with how I became a phoenix.

"I wanted Rilian to have the best chance he could at being normal. If he was like me, he would have to watch everyone he knew and cared about die. He would have to live for a long time. Without, you I don't know how I would've made it," I told him. "I felt like if asked you to take his ability to stay young forever away, while he was young, he would lose the phoenix. That's not a decision that should be left up to me or Caspian. But for him, Rilian."
"You were right. If I took away his ability to stay young while he was still a baby, he would lose the phoenix. It's something that goes together. That's why I had to wait to take that away from you. After you learned about your ability to transform, I couldn't just take that away phoenix part from you. It was a part of you that you finally realized. That's why I waited so long to take it away. You, and Rilian if he had it, would have to wait until you were an adult age for someone to take away your un-aging ability. Or you lost the phoenix."
"Because they're aren't young phoenixes. Most die...." I realized.
"Exactly. Except in your case, I probably waited too long," Aslan told me with a smile.
"I understood why. First I had a prophecy to fulfill, which you never told me about..." Aslan and I both laughed before I continued. "Then after the Pevensies, left I had to protect the Narnians. You could've taken it away when I was in a Telmarine cell but I would've died without friends or anyone I knew. I would've been alone. Finally, Caspian came but this time it was different."

Aslan smiled, knowing that I understood the reason long ago. I smiled at Aslan before we left the study. The two of us walked around the castle in silence. There was nothing to be said. We were just enjoying each others company.

Eventually, Caspian found us and joined us. He had put Rilian back in his bed. Apparently he had become a little tired even though he had slept most of the day. I was told he wouldn't want to do anything but sleep for awhile.

I walked over to look outside. Caspian and Aslan both followed as I watched the sun set. It left a wonderful color of purple, orange, yellow, and red in the sky. It was a excellent evening to a wonderful day. Very peaceful.