Narnia's Shadow // Peter Pevensie

Epilogue

A knock on the door echoed throughout the quiet room. I didn't care to turn my head to see who it was, because I didn't need to. The clinks and clanks with each step let me know that it was a certain faun who I care deeply about.

He sat across from me as I continue to stare out the window, the ring twirling around in my hand. The colorful stone shining in the setting sun, lighting up the room with its glow. It was in Peter's bag that he took the day he and Your Majesties went missing. One of the guards gave me the bag and sitting inside was the ring in a small box.

"It is my fault that the Majesties are gone." Tumnus starts. "If I hadn't told them about the stag High King Peter wouldn't have wanted to chase after it." I slowly turn my head over to my friend whose head was bowed down in shame. A lone tear slips down his cheek.

"I don't blame you, Tumnus." I tell him.

"But you should, Natasha." He argues, snapping his head up at me. I noticed the red-rim around his eyes from all the tears he had shed. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw the same on me. "I am the reason why they went home. Why King Peter wanted to catch the stag. He wanted—" Tumnus paused, hesitation in his words.

I raise an eyebrow in silent question. I suspect what he was going to say but there was a huge gap in between. I lean foreword a bit, grabbing his hand in mine.

"What, Tumnus? He wanted what?" I gently coax him. I know it is wrong but I so desperately want to hear the words come out of his mouth.

He sighed. I could see the battle going on his head about whether he should reveal the secret to me or not. Finally, Tumnus looked back up at me with an emotion that I cannot describe.

"King Peter was going to propose." As I suspected I still couldn't help but let out a gasp. "Which is why he was so desperate to catch the White Stag... to make sure that you wouldn't say no."

A tear rolled down my cheek. He thought I was going to decline his proposal? I would have been speechless then answer with a passionate kiss. But, I would be a fool if I'd said 'no'. I will regret it for the rest of my life.

It is a beautiful ring, a rare stone that changes color's upon the wearers emotions. I wonder how Peter was able to get one of these stones in his grasps. I lift up the ring to our view. Tumnus' eyes widen in shock, looking between me and the ring.

"It was in the bag that Peter took with him that day." I explain to the faun. "I had my suspicions about him proposing. All those secrets and the giggles Susan and Lucy would pass amongst them as they saw Peter and I together. Or, the way Edmund teased me about a 'wedding' in the future." I smile in the memories. "I remember the way Peter had gotten frustrated every time we got interrupted when we were alone."

"So... you knew." Even though he was stating it, I nodded anyways. It grew silent before he asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Do you think they will return?"

I didn't answer right away. If I was correct — which I always am — Aslan has something planned in the future. The problem is... I don't know if we are all going to still be here. Alive to see them again. Thousands of years could go by before He decides to allow the Pevensies' to return.

"They will," I decide to say. "They will return to rule Narnia once more to victory."

I put the ring on my finger on my left hand. The cold metal cooled my warm touch. My eyes lift up and stare out the window to watch the sunset glare right back at me. A sigh blew past my nostrils. A feeling of longing suddenly warming me through inside as I thought about Peter. Maybe he is thinking of me? Wherever he is.

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"I want children."

I glance over at him from my book. The sun bouncing off his blonde hair. A mischievous smirk on his pink lips. Marking the page, I close the book and pushed it to the side. My arms wrap around my knees. I raise an eyebrow at his statement.