Epilogue

The Kings and Queens governed Narnia well, and long and happy was their reign. Later, when the history of that time period was written down and stored in the castle library, it was called the Golden Age of Narnia. As you have probably heard of the accomplishments of the Kings and Queens, I will tell you about the Protectors instead.

Much of the Protectors' duties at the beginning of the Golden Age involved stamping out the remnants of the White Witch's army. Sightings of werewolves, hags, minotaurs and all those foul breeds were reported to the Protectors and they would go out and investigate. The Protectors also worked to stop anyone from using dark magic and months after the coronation, they uncovered one half of the Witch's wand in the possession of a hag. Unfortunately, the other half was never to be found. They did, however, find out what happened to the third family member who kept the prophecy of the Protectors. After interrogating a Black Dwarf, he confessed to chopping down Auryn the dryad's tree, thus killing her, after the White Witch first heard the rumour of the Protectors two years before the humans arrived in Narnia. Afterwards, Rebecca, Joy, Mr. Fox and Ember went to where her stump stood and paid their respects to the dryad.

Lady Rebecca helped High King Peter with setting up outposts along the borders and inspected them every year for disrepair. She also equipped them with the fastest of Narnian creatures so as to get word to Cair Paravel in time in case of an invasion from the surrounding countries. Later on, Rebecca was made a General of the Narnian army and rode into battle many times alongside Peter and Oreius. They worked together so often that Peter and Rebecca saw fit to get married to one another and Rebecca became the third Queen of Narnia.

Lady Joy rode into battle far less frequently, but she went on many diplomatic visits to Archenland, the Lone Islands and the remote Seven Isles in order to maintain friendship and peace between their allies. She also went along with Edmund, Susan and Mr. Tumnus to Calormen and fought against them in the battle for Archenland when Prince Rabadash invaded the country. Afterwards, Joy became the official ambassador to Archenland and stayed at Anvard for many days at a time.

One day in the early fall when Joy was back at Cair Paravel, the Narnian royals received word that the White Stag had been seen in the Western woods. So, the six set out in search of the magnificent beast for Mr. Tumnus had told them it would grant their wishes if they caught him. They rode hard across Narnia and through the woods. Peter led the group but Rebecca was close behind him. Susan, Lucy and Joy were all clustered together in the middle of the group and Edmund brought up the rear. As they entered a thick wood, Joy was the first one to notice that they had left Edmund behind. The group trotted back into a clearing and found Edmund and Philip standing nearby. Susan and Joy trotted across the clearing towards him.

"Come on, Ed," said Susan.

"Just catching my breath," said Edmund with Philip was panting beneath him.

"Well that's all we'll catch at this rate!" exclaimed Susan.

"What did he say again, Susan?" asked Lucy, riding up beside her.

"Oh, he's slowing us down," said Joy, pointing at him with her thumb. Edmund gave her a frown and Joy gave him a bright smile back.

"'You girls wait at the castle, I'll get the Stag myself,'" said Susan in a deep voice, and all the girls started laughing. Edmund merely smiled for he was usually quieter than the others. Joy then noticed he was staring up at something, and Joy followed his gaze.

A tree of iron, with a lamp burning on top, was standing in the middle of the clearing.

"What's this?" asked Peter. He dismounted and helped Rebecca down. The others stopped laughing and dismounted as well. They all gathered around the strange tree as a sense of familiarity washed over them. "It seems familiar," remarked Peter.

"A foreboding familiar," said Rebecca, taking Peter's hand.

"As if from a dream," said Susan slowly "or a dream of a dream." They all stared up at it, unable to tear their eyes from it.

"I feel like something about it will change us forever," said Rebecca quietly. Then, a strange word popped into Joy's head.

"Lamppost," said Joy quietly, and Edmund nodded in agreement.

"Spare Oom," said Lucy, and she started running towards the nearest thicket. Joy's feet started following, and she felt like she had done this some time before.

"Lucy!" called Peter.

"Joy!" called Rebecca. The others started running after the two. Susan muttered "Not again," as she ran. They all blundered into the bushes.

"Lu?" asked Peter.

"Come on!" said Lucy excitedly. The trees suddenly grew close together, and Peter, ahead of Joy, said "These aren't branches!" Something soft brushed across Joy's face.

"They're coats," said Susan. Edmund got stuck in the coats and called out in frustration. Joy grabbed his hand and pulled him through. The space suddenly grew dark and closed in on them.

"Peter, don't push!" said Edmund in a high-pitched voice. The ground beneath their feet became wooden planks. Everyone jostled each other while searching for a way out. Joy couldn't remember how she got in front of the group, but suddenly the door in front of her swung open and she tumbled out onto a wooden floor! The others quickly followed and Susan was the last one out, landing on her knees by the wardrobe behind them. With a great shock, the children realized they were back in the wardrobe room, and now fifteen years younger.

The door at the front of the room opened, and in walked Professor Kirke! "Oh!" he exclaimed. "There you are!" He walked across the floor towards them, all either lying or kneeling on the floor with the open wardrobe behind them. "What were you all doing in the wardrobe?" asked Professor Kirke with a glint in his eyes. Peter looked from Susan behind him to Rebecca lying on his right and then back at the Professor.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you, Sir," he said. Professor Kirke tossed Peter a small red ball, the one that had broken the stained-glass window. All the children looked up at him with smiles.

"Try me," said Professor Kirke.

And try they did. Little by little, they told the Professor the whole story and to Edmund, Joy and Lucy's surprise, he believed every word! He also told them of how the lamppost came to be in Narnia along with the White Witch, and Joy remembered the stories of Lord Digory and Lady Polly from the castle library. Both Rebecca and Peter quickly realized there was one thing the magic did not take back: their Narnian wedding rings. Both switched them to their right hands so they could wear them all the time and not attract attention.

As the days passed, the reality of it all set in; they were now children again and had once been great leaders of a magical country. All their friends in that world would be looking for them, but how could they get back? How would they adjust to life back in England? Professor Kirke told them they would not get back through the wardrobe again. But they would get back to Narnia again, it was only a matter of time.

And it was that belief that the children clung to in their hearts.