The Professor's Niece (A Peter Pevensie Love Story)

Chapter 11

 It had been 15 short years since the day of our coronation, and we hadn't left Narnia. I hadn't thought about the effect of us not returning to England, for I had always remembered the time difference. I still hadn't masted the changes in time but if Uncle Digory was right, than only minutes, maybe hours had passed in England while years had gone by in Narnia. Over the years we had spent in Narnia, our focus had been on mainly one thing - seeking out the remnants of the White Witch's army and destroying them. After years of tracking them down, we thought we had destroyed them all, though no one knew for certain. We had passed dozens of laws that kept peace and saved trees and animals from being wrongly harmed. We had fought giants and created treaties with the countries beyond the eastern seas.

We had all grown much older and wiser. Peter had become a tall and deep-chested man and a far better warrior than he was when we first came to Narnia. Susan had grown more and more beautiful by the day, Ambassadors and Lords being sent from every direction asking for her hand in marriage. Her black hair had grown much longer and was now almost to her feet, though most of the time she wore it in a braid. Edmund had probably changed the most, his rebelliousness gone taken by the place of a responsible man who cared a far deal more about research and politics. He was very respected in counsels and people all around Narnia cared for his opinion. Lucy hadn't changed a bit, other than her age and looks. She was the happiest among us, her dark brown hair long but not as long as Susan's. Where Susan had been gracious, Lucy cared far more bout the adventure than the crown. All of the Narnians loved her the most. And while Ambassadors and Lords from far off had longed for Susan, the men of Narnia longed for Lucy.

As for me, I grew just as they did, becoming a mix of all the Pevensies. I was well enough in counsels to get by, a fierce warrior (though perhaps too fierce at times), gracious and beautiful and still I carried the longing for an adventure. I would be lying if I said I didn't think about Uncle Digory and the idea of going back. It crossed my mind at least once everyday. But as a Queen, I felt an obligation to my people. I needed and wanted to be there for them; to be a proper Queen of Narnia. But I also wanted to be there for Uncle Digory. With dad off fighting, Digory really only had me and Macready left. No matter where I went, (or rather when I went) I always had Peter.

Peter and I were a different story. We had grown inseparable throughout the years, though we never wed. I wanted to leave the possibility open of going back to England, where I knew we would become 17 years old again. We wouldn't have been looked highly upon if we had we'd at such a young age (or at least a young age in that time). And while we never wed, I was his long-time fiancée, seeing as he had proposed one of those many days we had spent in each other's company. Peter and I were far more in love than I had seen between any one else. We had an unbreakable bond.

At least I thought it was unbreakable.

I remember the day as clear as the crystal that we had seen in Narnia. I had fallen ill on the day that Tumnus, who had aged much like the rest of us, had told us of a White Stag that he had seen roaming the woods. None of us had ever found and caught a stag, so it was another adventure we all wanted to gone on together. Yet, I had caught a nasty illness and wasn't able to go. Peter wanted to stay with me, but I urged him to go, knowing how desperately he wanted to be the one that caught the stag. The Pevensies has always turned these sort of things into competitions. (Peter and Lucy were tied.) So I had staged in the castle, allowing the maids and doctor to tend to me. They wanted me to rest, so I rested. But I wish I hadn't. I wish I had allowed myself one last adventure with them. As I was laying in bed, waiting for Peter to come back and tell me all about the stag, one of the soldiers that was riding with them came into my room with an urgent announcement. The Kings and Queens had gone missing.

I sent all the soldiers we had out into the woods, but no one found them. Just their horses. I waited for their return, but days turned into weeks and we had still heard no word about their well-being. I knew they weren't dead, though. I would've known if they had been. It was the bond that Peter and I shared. I would've known if he was dead, but he wasn't. He was just gone. They all were. It was in those last couple of days that passed, that I had come across the realisation of what happened. They had accidentally traveled back to England. They had found the entrance to the Wardrobe - they had found the lamppost. Though most Narnians feared they were dead, I knew better than that.

Hundreds of years past and soon we were simply myths. The Kings and Queens of Narnia were no more. Yet, I knew they would come back. This was the end of just one story, but the beginning of another. Keep your eyes open, for you don't know when the Kings and Queens will return. But I trust in the plan that Aslan has set for them and for the Narnians. And it's because of that, I know they will return, stronger than ever.

Not the end, but rather a to be continued