The Heir I Need

Part III: Chapter 10

And so, we sailed on. We sailed until we reached a point in which the sea seemed to turn white. From there, Lucy, Eustace, Edmund, Percy, Caspian, Reepicheep, and I continued in a longboat. It turned out, the water was covered in white lilies. Smiling, I reached down and drew one out of the water.

It was the sweetest smelling flower I'd ever smelled in my life. My eyes closed as I held it. Memories flowed through my mind. Stumbling upon the wardrobe as a child, barely able to reach its knob. Entering it the first time and finding myself in a land of trees that danced. Catching a little star who'd fallen from the sky. Helping return it home and meeting Aslan. I remembered dancing with dryads, swimming with nymphs. I remembered waking in a frost covered world, meeting Lucy and her siblings.

Our battle against the White Witch, watching each other grow up. Falling in love with Peter, our first kiss, the night he proposed. I remembered our wedding day and the happy year that followed it. I remembered Percy's first breath and the first time he opened his precious eyes. His first giggle, his first words. And then the pain I felt when I lost him when we returned home.

The confusion and listlessness of those months until we returned. Meeting Caspian, our first defeat, facing the wickedness of Miraz' reign, the kindness of Alias and Miraz' wife. My pain and loneliness when the Pevensies returned to England and I could not go. Raising Percy with Caspian's help. This whole adventure.

A hand on my arm brought me back to the present. I opened my eyes looking up to see Percy watching me curiously.

"Are you alright, Mother?" he asked.

"Yes," I smiled, leaning down and placing the lily back in the water.

We lapsed into silence briefly. It was peaceful as Caspian and Edmund took turns rowing us throw the seemingly endless flowers.

"So what was it like?" Edmund broke the silence looking to Eustace, "When Aslan changed you back?"

"It was strange," he admitted, a thoughtful expression forming on his face, "That cuff had just kept getting tighter and tighter. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it off on my own. Then he came toward me and removed it with surprising ease. He began to scratch away the scales after. It hurt, horribly so at some points, but it was a good kind of hurt. Like pulling a thorn out."

We all nodded in understanding, warm smiles on each of our faces as he recounted the tale.

"Being a dragon wasn't all bad though. I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy really. I'm so sorry for being such a sop," he continued.

"It's okay, Eustace," Edmund said, "You are a pretty good dragon."

"I'm glad you learned from this experience. What you felt? That good kind of pain? Many will experience when their time comes. Transformation is not an easy process, but with Aslan, all things are possible," I said slowly as they all looked to me, "When we turn from our old lives, we become a new creation and leave our past selves behind. Now that you have felt the relief and the comfort of the transformation, you can guide others and empathize with them."

He nodded.

"I plan to. I think everyone should have a chance to experience this newness," he agreed.

"Everyone," Reepicheep called and we all turned to the mouse, "We have arrived."

Before us, a small strip of beach lie. But what was just past the beach was what was truly awe-inspiring. The water flowed straight up into the air creating a barrier through which we could not see. My heart swelled with joy.

We reached the beach and left the boat. From the beach, we could just see glimpses of what lie beyond the water. Something in my heart wanted to go there, but I knew it was not yet time. We began walking toward the water, slowly to allow Percy to keep up with us.