The Queen's Tales

Chapter 11: Not Goodbyes

Odd wasn't the right word Chloe would use to being back in her own world. She felt...out of place. But, at least she had the Pevensies, even if it was for a little while. They ended up going back to London not long after they'd all returned from Narnia. Chloe was sad to see them go, but Lucy and Susan promised to write and potentially call her whenever they could.

It was hardest for her with Edmund. How does one explain what they were in Narnia? What did that make them in their world? The day they were to get on the train back there were hugs all around. Chloe had asked Mrs. Macready to accompany her so she could see them off.

She hugged Susan, Lucy, and Peter tightly before Edmund walked over awkwardly, "I'm...gonna miss you," he told her.

She smiled sadly, "I'm going to miss you too Edmund. Don't forget about me?"

"I couldn't forget about you even if I tried," he kissed the side of her head, earning somewhat sad looks from his siblings as they boarded the train.

They poked their heads out of the window to say goodbye to Chloe, who was waving as they left the station. Her first night in the Kirke house without the Pevensies was a difficult one. Chloe couldn't sleep. Hell, for the past few years, her and Edmund had been sharing a bed.

So, she grabbed a candle, seeing as she couldn't be the source for her own light outside Narnia, and made her way to the spare room. She quietly shut the door and walked right to the wardrobe, placing her candle on the ground before opening the door. However she couldn't smell the Narnian air within,

"I don't think you'll get back in that way," her grandfather's voice shocked her. He'd been sitting on the windowsill next to the door the whole time, smoking his pipe, "I've already tried."

Chloe sighed, "Do you think I'll ever go back?" She wondered, "And the Pevensies?"

"Oh I expect so," he nodded, "But," he shut the door, "It'll probably happen when you're not looking for it."

Sadly the two of them walked away from the wardrobe, "Papa, I think I'll be looking for a way back for a long time."

"Yes, well, all the same it would be best to keep your eyes open," he smiled as the two of them walked back to their respective rooms for the night.

For the remainder of the summer, Chloe would visit the wardrobe, but her grandfather was right, it wouldn't work for her anymore. If she was meant to return to Narnia, it would be by some other means.

Chloe used to yearn for a place she thought was a story. But after having been there, fought there, lived there into adulthood, she knew it was more than that. But more than Narnia, she missed her friends. And she hoped that at the very least, they would call her soon, so she would be able to hear their voices....hear Edmund's voice...and know that she hadn't imagined the whole thing.

💜

And so, for an entire year, Chloe wrote letter after letter to the Pevensies. There would be the rare phone call that brought a smile on her face. Her best days were always the ones where she had some correspondence with Edmund. They were her reminder of everything, her proof that it was real.

She recalled her first call, and how the siblings were practically fighting each other to talk to her, "It's my turn!" "It's been more than five minutes Susan!" "Don't shove me Peter!" "Just one more minute!"

Chloe remembered feeling relieved that they couldn't see her, for when Edmund had got on the phone, she could feel her face turn beat red. His voice was deeper, but he still sounded like the Edmund she knew, "Are you having trouble sleeping too?" He'd asked her.

She nodded before remembering it was a phone, "Yeah... the house is awfully big without you lot here."

"I want to talk to my mum and see if you can't come visit before we go back to school," he smiled.

"That would be amazing," she agreed, although Chloe wouldn't be going anywhere seeing as her grandfather got her a private teacher who was to come to the house. From the background she could hear Peter telling him it was time to hang up, "I miss you..." she said softly.

He sighed, "I miss you too...I'll write to you soon!"

Behind the phone, Chloe had a stack of their letters, "I know you will. Bye-"

"Bye Chloe!" She heard Susan and Lucy yelling. Laughing, Chloe put the phone back. Turning around she gasped, before realizing it was just her grandfather watching her from the door, "You really need to announce yourself," she breathed.

The old man chuckled, "My apologies, but it seemed as though you were in the middle of an important conversation."

Chloe shuffled her letters back together, making sure they were in order before putting them in her drawer, "It was Edmund."

"Ah, yes. The Pevensie boy you so fancy. How are they?" He asked walking into her room.

"They're fine. Going back to school soon, they're hoping to get me to come visit before then..." she noticed the stern look on his face and faltered, "Unless of course I can't?"

Digory sighed, "I'd rather you didn't travel alone on a train given there's still a war going on..."

"But it'll only be for a day or two!" She pleaded.

"Chloe please, don't fight me on this."

She felt her face get warm from anger, "I haven't seen them in a year!"

"And so what's a bit longer?" He prompted, "Continue with your letters and phone calls. But while the war is going on you're staying here. That's final."

Being well past sixteen, Chloe was a lot more stubborn. Especially since she'd returned from Narnia. She'd gone from being a leader, someone who gave orders, to someone who had to take them all over again.

She was frustrated, but still understood her grandfather only meant well. That didn't mean she had to be happy about it. For the following few weeks she avoided him, she was the first to fetch the post almost every day incase she got another letter. It turned out that Mrs. Pevensie agreed with Digory, stating it may not be safest for her to come visit given the climate. So she had no choice but to keep their conversations to letters, she didn't get another phone call until the day they were leaving for boarding school. It was shorter than she would've liked but she was glad to hear their voices one last time before they departed.