Shortly after the surrender of Telmar, things were finally at peace once more. Narnians and Telmarine gathered in the capital city of Telmar to celebrate the victory and return of not just the kings and queens of old, but also that of their own prince. Caspian- who had been crowned king- rode astride his horse next to Aslan, with Peter between Susan and Kari, Edmund and Lucy behind them. The day and night were filled with festivities, but they would not last.

The day after their victory, Kari walked with Peter and Susan as Aslan discussed a very important topic with them. They walked through the castle grounds as they talked, only stopping when Aslan spotted Caspian and called out to him. Caspian informed them that they were ready and everyone had assembled before turning away and heading back into the castle.

When they had joined the others, Kari stood with Peter and his siblings as Caspian addressed their people.

"Narnia belongs to the Narnians, just as it does to man." Caspian started. "Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

A murmuring spread throughout the crowd.

"It's been generations since we left Telmar." one man said.

"We're not referring to Telmar." Aslan said, looking at the crowd. "Your ancestors were seafaring brigands. Pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world. The same world as our kings and queens." He looked at the Pevensies for a moment, then back to the crowd. "It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

"I will go. I will accept the offer." said Miraz's former general, stepping forward from the crowd.

"So will we." Lady Prunaprismia said, stepping forward with her infant son and those who followed her.

"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good." Aslan said, breathing his sweet breath upon them before looking to the tree that twisted into a portal.

Kari watched as they stepped through the tree, disappearing through the portal without a trace.

The crowd erupted in gasps and murmurs, one man shouting out, "How do we know he is not leading us to our death?"

Kari looked at the crowd, then to Reepicheep as he offered to take eleven mice through the portal with him.

"We'll go." Peter said, stepping forward.

"We will?" Edmund asked looking to Peter.

"Come on. Our time's up." Peter added, then turned to Caspian and gave him his sword. "After all, we're not really needed here anymore."

Caspian hesitantly took the sword from him. "I will look after it until you return."

"I'm afraid that's just it." Susan said, stepping forward. "We're not coming back."

"We're not?" Lucy asked, a sadness hanging in her voice.

"You two are." Peter said, coming back to stand with Kari. "At least, I think he means you two." He added, looking to Aslan.

"But why?" Lucy asked. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one." Aslan answered. "But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it is time for them to live in their own."

"And what of Kari?" Caspian asked, looking to his sister.

Kari stepped forward, going to her brother. "I'm going with them, Caspian."

"But I've only just gotten you back."

Kari hugged her brother. "I know, brother, but my place is with Peter. As it always has been."

"It's alright, Lu." Peter said, turning to his sister. "It's not how I thought it would be, but it's alright." He looked to Kari as she stepped back from her brother and rejoined him. "One day you'll see, too. Come on."

As Kari and the others said their goodbyes, Susan went to speak with Caspian. Kari looked up just as Susan kissed Caspian and smiled.

"I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand." Lucy said, leaning in to Peter.

"I'm older and don't think I want to understand." Edmund added.

Peter smiled and looked down at Kari. "It's no different than with us."

Kari smiled at him, then looked to Caspian as Susan joined them. "Take good care of our people, brother."

"I will, I promise."

Kari grasped Peter's hand as they looked back out to their people one last time before turning and making their way through the portal, finding themselves back in the train station- just where they had been before.

They gathered their things, boarding the train together. As the doors closed, Edmund looked down at his things before looking to them.

"You don't think there's any way to get back, do you? I left my new torch in Narnia."

Kari and the others laughed and the train pulled away from the station.

"I promised, didn't I?" Peter asked, looking down at Kari as he wrapped an arm around her.

Kari smiled. "That you did." Her smile faded a bit as she thought back on the feeling she got when she met Aslan's gaze one last time before stepping through the portal.

"What is it?"

Kari looked at the Pevensies and just smiled. "We may not be going back now, but I got the impression from Aslan that we'll return- all of us- some day. Though, not for reasons we may think." She reached up and kissed Peter's cheek. "But only time can tell us when and why. For now, we must make the best of our lives here."

And so they did.

In the summer of 1942, Lucy and Edmund were sent to stay with their aunt and uncle while their parents went away on a trip to America with Susan and Peter and Kari went to study with Professor Kirke. It was during this time that they, along with their cousin Eustace, were brought back into Narnia through a painting where they met Caspian and Reepicheep again- once more embarking on an adventure to save Narnia.

Kari and Peter were married again, this time in his world, once they had finished school- just as Peter had promised.

Afterwards, life continued on as it normally would. But, things were going to change very quickly and in ways none of them could have imagined.

In 1949, Lucy, Edmund, Kari and Peter were having dinner with Eustace, Jill Pole, Polly Plummer, and Digory Kirke, reminiscing about their days in Narnia, when a Narnian-dressed figure appeared to them as a specter. The figure did not speak, even when Peter demanded as High King that it do so.

After the specter disappeared again, they all felt sure that something was dreadfully wrong in their beloved country, and they needed to find a way to get there on their own.

Remembering the Magic Rings that were capable of carrying humans from one world to another, the eight of them set up a plan to get young Jill and Eustace to Narnia. While the rings were retrieved, Lucy and the others got on a train to take Eustace and Jill to school, intending to use the rings on the way.

They never made it, though, as their train had crashed on the way, killing at least nine people. Lucy was among the casualties, having died instantly as a result of the crash- as were Edmund, Kari, and Peter. Susan herself was not present during the accident and thus survived, but by this time she had begun wondering if she would see Narnia again.

Upon their deaths, Aslan had transported Lucy- along with Edmund, Peter, Kari, Digory and Polly- to a great green field with fruit trees, and a door that led to nowhere, clothed in Narnian garb. Several people came in or out of the door, but most seemed unable to see the fields or Lucy and her companions. After some time, Eustace, and then Jill, came through the door, explaining that they had been to Narnia on the other side of the door. Once everything in Narnia had been straightened out, and many other Narnians had joined them, the Friends of Narnia stood by, as Aslan brought about the end of Old Narnia.

Aslan then gave a great roar, and began to lead all the remaining Narnians. All ran after him in the field, realizing that this was not the Narnia they had known and loved, but the real Narnia, and the afterlife of the world they had known. They all ran until they reached not the Cair Paravel they had once called home, but a bigger and better Cair Paravel, and met all of their old friends from all of their adventures in the Shadowlands, alive and better than ever before, as well as many people of whom they had only heard.

But Lucy was, as Aslan said, not quite so happy as he meant her to be. She explained that it was because they were so afraid of being sent back home again. It was then that Aslan explained that there had been a train accident back in England, and that in their world, the children were all dead, and that this land was the real Narnia, that it was Aslan's Country, and a Narnian equivalent of Heaven. Lucy and the others were not going to be sent back, but were permitted to live forever in the real Narnia.