His Majesty, Her Grace - Sequel to A Prince Caspian Love Story

Chapter 25 - Aslan's Country

Althea's POV

After Caspian collected me from the study, we go out to one of the only remaining rowboats. Caspian and Ed take care of the ores while the rest of us simply enjoy the ride. Speaking with my aunt was enlightening, to say the least. I missed her so much more than I initially believed. I spoke most of the time, telling her about the royal siblings that came to help us and our unexpected turmoils at sea, but mostly about Caspian. My aunt mostly apologized for leaving in the first place. She thinks it would've been better for her to stay and bring me to the Lone Islands when I was older. I insisted that if she had, I wouldn't have been able to stay with Caspian, even if I had no idea about my heritage. We didn't talk much about the future, mostly about the past, but I know that she'll be here for me now and that's what matters.

Our small boat is met with pure white lilies floating in the sweet water. They look as if they've just bloomed.

"So what was it like? When Aslan changed you back?" Edmund asks Eustace.

"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself. Then he came towards me. It sort of hurt but it was a good pain. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot." Eustace explains. It's more than the way he speaks or what he's saying, but Eustace has matured more than any of us during this journey. He's a completely different person but it's a good thing. "Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy really. I'm so sorry for being such a sop."

"It's okay Eustace," Ed says. "You were a pretty good dragon."

Smiles form on everyone's faces, including my aunts. I told her in great detail about how that whole thing happened and she found it quite amusing.

"My friends, we have arrived," Reep says from the very front of the rowboat.

Caspian and Ed twist around to see. A twenty-foot wave forms a sort of wall on the beach of Aslan's Country. It's strangely natural looking but a real ocean wave wouldn't ever move the way that one is. My first thought when I see it is that it looks like once you've gone over it, you won't be able to come back.

"It's even more beautiful than I imagined." My aunt says more to herself than me.

We arrive at the beach. I help push the small boat up onto the shore so that it's not pulled back out to sea. The tidal wave is even more magnificent to behold up close. It takes a small dip, revealing a series of tall cliffs on the other side. I can vaguely make out hundreds of waterfalls flowing from them. They're similar to the ones back at Ramandu's Island. We begin to move closer to the wave, my aunt on my left and Caspian on my right.

"Aslan," Eustace says while looking behind us.

We all turn around and Aslan is there. His large but silent paws have left prints in the sand that lead back to the shore like he arrived here with us. Mist sprays his long, dark mane but his eyes remain unblinking.

"Welcome children." He greets us. "You have done well, very well indeed. You have come far and now your journey is at its end."

His use of the word 'end' makes my heart ache in my chest. It's time for Lucy and Ed and Eustace to go home. I was too preoccupied with my aunt to even think about the fact that they are going to leave so soon. The three years they were gone went by so slowly but it feels like they've barely been here at all.

"Is this your country?" Lucy asks.

"No." He says and looks out past the wave. "My country lies beyond."

Caspian's eyes gaze past the wave with a silent longing. "Is my father in your country?" He asks Aslan.

"You can only find that out for yourself, my son," Aslan says. His voice remains steady and stoic but raw emotion rumbles under the surface. "But you should know that if you continue, there is no return." The mighty lion glances at me briefly.