Epilogue: An Ending and A Beginning
15 Years Later
"Your Majesties! Your Majesties!" Mr. Tumnus shouted, running through the vast halls of Castle Cair Paravel.
"Tumnus, what has you running about so frantically?" An elderly female Faun asked him, a slightly reproachful note in her voice.
"I have news for the Royals." Mr. Tumnus replied, slowing to a stop and looking at the elderly female. "Would you know where they might be? They're not in the Dinning Room."
"They're in the Apple Garden. They decided to take breakfast outside, wanting to enjoy the morning air." The female Faun replied.
The female Faun had only just uttered the last syllable and the male Faun was off, changing directions and heading back the way he came and turning down a hallway. The elderly Faun shook her in amusement at the constant hurry the youngsters seem to feel the need to be in.
"Your Majesties!" Mr. Tumnus shouted as he ran outside to the Apple Garden, coming to a stop, panting, in front of the five Royals. They had just finished their breakfast and were discussing what their plans were for the day.
"Mr. Tumnus! Are you all right?" Lucy asked, getting up from her chair and hurrying around the table to put a gentle hand on her dear friend.
The beautiful 27 year old Valiant Queen, standing at 5'2, was dressed in a floor length red dress with a long double sleeves, the top layer the same shade of red as her dress before opening at the elbows and revealing the russet sleeves underneath fitted to her wrists. Over her dress, she wore a cape-like cloak the same russet red as her sleeves, held with a gold chai that crossed her collar bone. Her hair, which had lightened over the years to a beautiful light brown and reaching her elbows, had a section on either side of her temple pulled back away from her and pinned behind her head. Atop her head, she wore her silver crown.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Della asked in her musical lilt, hurrying around to the Faun's other side.
The breathtaking 28 year old Divine Queen, standing at 4'9, was dressed in a sky blue floor length dress with a round neckline that showed the light blue-grey underdress, double sleeves, the layer the same shade as her dress before opening midway along her upper arm and revealing the fitted undersleeves the same shade as her undress, with a gold chain looped around her waist like a belt*. Her long dark auburn red hair had a section on either side of her head twisted back before being tied into a braid behind her head, with the rest of her hair left loose down her back to her knees, curling lightly from the middle of her back*. Resting gently on her head, just behind the beginning of the twists, was her crown. On her right index finger, she wore her ring, the resting state of her sceptre, while on her left ring finger was a beautiful gold and diamond engagement ring* and behind it was a gold engraved wedding band*.
Unlike Lucy, she wasn't wearing a cloak due to her inability to feel the cold. Her powers had gotten stronger over the past fifteen years, to a point that when she cried, she caused rain to fall, the intensity of the shower depending on her emotions at the time – if she was crying angry tears, the storm would be a raging typhoon, and if she was crying happy tears, the storm would be a gentle shower.
"A White Stag has been spotted in the Western Wood!" He gasped, panting.
The five Royals gasped in shock, looking at each other. Susan, Edmund and Peter shot to their feet at the news.
"You girls stay at the castle, I'll go get the Stag myself." Edmund said, looking at the three women with a smirk on his face.
The handsome 29 year old Just King, standing at 6'2, was dressed in a purple grey high-collared tunic with puffed sleeves that became fitted at his forearms down to his wrists, a brown belt around his waist, brown leggings and knee-high boots. He had a mauve cloak pleated and pinned to his left shoulder, draping down over his right arm and back. His dark brown hair reached his shoulders in a neat layered cut and he wore his silver crown on his head. On his left ring finger, he wore a gold engraved wedding band*.
"I don't think so, honey." Della said, rolling her currently light blue eyes, reflecting a peaceful cloudless sky, and looking at her husband.
"We should all go to catch the Stag." Susan said with a bright grin.
The stunning 31 year old Gentle Queen, standing at 5'3, was dressed in a purple floor length dress with the over skirt parting in the middle to reveal the yellow-green under skirt, off-the-shoulder sleeves with purple at the shoulders and cuffs and pale pink in between. She had an amethyst purple train-like cape pinned to her shoulder-blades. Her long dark hair, reaching her elbows, was curled and pinned back away from her face in a half pony, with her golden crown resting on her head.
"Mr. Tumnus, can you alert the stable master and inform him that we wish to go riding?" Peter asked the Faun, who was breathing normally once again.
The charming 32 year old Magnificent King, standing at 6'5, was dressed in a deep maroon long-sleeved tunic, puffed at the upper arms before becoming fitted from the elbows down to his wrists, with a white high-collared shirt underneath, a brown belt, brown leggings and brown knee-high boots. Like Edmund, he had his dark purple cloak pleated and pinned to his left shoulder, draping down his right arm and back. His golden hair reached his shoulders in layered waves, and he had a rugged beard along his jaw and chin. His golden crown rested gently on his head.
"At once, Your Majesties." Mr. Tumnus replied, bowing his head and turning, heading in the direction of the stables.
"Do you think he'll ever go back to calling us by our names?" Della asked ponderingly, looking to where the Faun had disappeared.
"Ash, I sincerely doubt it." Edmund replied, putting his arm around her shoulders and squeezing gently.
Edmund and Della had been married for the past 9 years, having gotten married when they were 19 and 20 respectively. He was the only one who called her 'Ash', as a diminutive of her first name 'Asherah' which is what the kingdom knew her by. The other three Pevensie siblings, her in-laws, called her 'Della', the name they had known her by since they met fifteen years earlier.
The five Pevensie's made their way out of the garden, Edmund and Della behind the other three and talking softly between themselves.
"Have you gotten a response from the doctor?" Edmund asked Della quietly, not wanting to alert his siblings to their conversation.
Della had been feeling incredibly sick the past several days, throwing up whatever she ate and not being able to keep much food down. Thankfully, as far as Della was concerned, it was only her husband who had noticed. At his repeated urging, she had finally gone to the doctor to get checked out the previous day.
They had both agreed not to mention anything to the others until they got the results of the tests, unless Della's condition seemed to worsen. Neither wanted to worry the others if it was a simple sickness, particularly since they each already had plenty to worry about to begin with.
"Not yet. He had just done the tests yesterday, so it will take a few days before the results come in." Della replied just as quietly, absently putting a hand on her flat stomach.
"Do you still feel sick?"
"Yes, but he said that it doesn't seem to be cause for concern at the moment. If I get worse before he can give me the results, then he wants me to go see him immediately."
Edmund nodded and tightened his hold around her shoulders reassuringly. He was worried, but eh knew that Della was in good hands and that he would know the instant she began feeling worse.
However, they needn't have worried about drawing attention to their conversation as the other three Pevensie's were having a discussion of their own.
"So, what is the plan for their anniversary this Saturday?" Peter asked Susan quietly.
"We have the ball in the evening, like always." Susan replied. "But I was thinking that we give them the day before, Friday, to themselves. No work, no responsibilities. Just time to be a married couple."
"That would be nice." Peter said, nodding. "They are both incredibly busy, so having a day to just be a couple would be a good idea."
"Then, on Saturday, we would have the ball with our allies from the neighbouring kingdoms." Lucy said, barely managing to hold back her excited squeal, lest she alert the couple in question behind them.
Over the next several minutes, the three Pevensie siblings ironed out the plans with Susan making mental notes as she was the official party planner of the family. Behind them, Della and Edmund, unaware of their being the topic of discussion, talked about their plans for the redesigning of their quarters. They had been intending to redecorate their shared quarters for several months but kept getting sidetracked by other duties or were simply unable to settle on a particular design, leading to spectacular rows between the two.
Reaching the stables, they found their Horses already saddled and ready for the hunt. Mounting their Horses, they rode out from the castle grounds and headed for the Western Wood.
Several hours later, the sun hung low in the sky, the five Pevensie Royals rode through the forest, chasing the White Stag, Peter in the lead with Susan behind him, followed by Edmund, Della and Lucy.
Philip, Edmund's Horse, began slowing down while Lucy and Della passed them, giggling at the dark-haired man.
Edmund frowned worriedly as Philip slowed to a complete stop, the brown Horse breathing heavily.
"Are you all right, Philip?" Edmund asked, patting the side of Philip's neck gently.
"I'm not as young as I once was." Philip replied, panting lightly and turning his head to look at the Just King.
The two turned to the sound of Horses whinnying as the other four Pevensie's rode back and rejoined them.
"Come on, Ed." Susan said, stopping her Horse in front of her younger brother.
"Just catching my breath." Edmund said, gently patting Philip's neck reassuringly.
"Well that's all we'll catch at this rate." Susan said in exasperation.
"What did he say again, Della?" Lucy asked her sister-in-law, the two younger woman coming to a stop on either side of the older woman, Peter beside Lucy.
"'You girls wait at the castle, I'll catch the Stag myself'." Della replied, deepening her voice to imitate her husband's baritone voice.
The three Queens chuckled, Peter and Edmund's deep chuckles mixing in with their lilting voices. Peter's chuckles faded as he caught sight of something beside them.
"What's this?" The blond Magnificent King said, climbing off his Horse and stepping forward.
He looked at the iron pole that caught his attention, vines of leaves climbing up the pole and curling around the glowing lantern at the top. The other four Pevensie's climbed off their Horses and stepped forward, looking at the lamppost.
"It seems familiar." Edmund said, a thoughtful frown on his face.
"As if from a dream." Susan said, an almost dazed expression on her face.
"Or a dream of a dream." Della breathed, a similar dazed expression on her own face.
"Spare Oom." Lucy said, remembering a story that Mr. Tumnus used to tell them so many years ago.
"War Drobe." Della breathed, her dazed expression becoming a frown as she remembered the story as well.
Lucy looked at her siblings and sister-in-law before picking up her skirts and running through the forest, Della half a step behind her.
"Ash!" Edmund called.
"Lucy!" Peter called.
"Not again." Susan muttered exasperatedly.
The three ran after the youngest two, something they were all quite used to over the past fifteen years.
"Lu? Della?" Peter called as they followed Lucy and Della through the trees.
"Come on!" Della said in an excited whisper, grabbing her brother-in-law's arm and pulling him forward.
They walked through the trees, grunting as the branches seemed to get closer together.
"These aren't branches." Peter said with a groan, pushing something furry away from his face as he followed his sister and sister-in-law.
"Ow!" Edmund cried when something hit him, Della wincing at the same time.
Their intertwined bond had become stronger over the years, to the point that they could sense the other's general location and emotions no matter how far apart they were. They were also able to feel if the other was in any physical pain, which had been how Edmund had known that something was wrong with his wife.
"They're coats." Susan said, looking at the furry objects that seemed to hang from the branches.
"Susan, you're on my foot!" Peter growled as they pushed through the coats and branches.
"Peter, move off!" Della cried.
"Della, you're on my skirt!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Stop shoving." Peter said.
"Stop it!" Susan cried. "I'm not on your toe!"
They slowly passed through the forest and into the wardrobe, the door opening and expelling them one after the other. They grunted as they fell to the ground, back in their younger bodies and dressed as they were fifteen years earlier when they first entered Narnia.
"Oh, Duw." Della breathed, tears in her eyes as she put a hand on her stomach and looked at an equally alarmed Edmund.
They looked at the room door when they heard it open, revealing Digory Kirke.
"Oh!" Digory said in surprise, seeing the five children on the ground with the wardrobe door open behind them. "There you are."
"Grandpa!" Della exclaimed, having been fifteen years since she last saw as opposed to him having seen her two hours earlier.
"What are you all doing in the wardrobe?" He asked them, a knowing smile on his face.
"You wouldn't believe us if we told you, Grandpa." Della said, a smile on her face despite the tears in her eyes.
Digory looked affronted at his granddaughter's comment, as well as the agreeing nods from the four Pevensie siblings. He tossed the cricket ball they had been playing with to Peter, a smirk on his face.
"Try me." The elderly man challenged.
Several hours later, after telling Digory Kirke everything that they had experienced and Della getting upset with him for not telling her about Narnia, Edmund and Della went out to the yard for a walk.
"I don't feel sick anymore." Della said quietly after several minutes. "And I can't feel you."
"I can't feel you anymore either." Edmund admitted softly, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "We'll get through this, together."
"Together." Della repeated.
They turned and looked up at the sky, Edmund putting his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace, their other hands still linked.
They both prayed they would be able to return to Narnia, they're beloved home. They wondered what they would have to face when Edmund and his siblings returned to London and Della returned to Wales, how they're relationship would survive the long distance and the war.
As they pondered their thoughts, they couple was joined by Peter, Susan and Lucy, standing beside them as they looked out at the British countryside horizon.
"Come what may, we will get through this together." Lucy said, her child-like voice echoing the regality of her older self.
"Together." The other four Pevensie's echoed.
The five Pevensie's looked out at the horizon, for make no mistake, Asherah Adelaide 'Della' was no longer and Evans, but rather a Pevensie.
Links (on pinterest):
*Della dress (sky blue with a blue-grey underdress) - .ca/pin/474566879478711080/
*Della hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879479520744/
*Della engagement ring (set in gold) – .ca/pin/474566879484749463/
*Della and Edmund wedding bands - .ca/pin/474566879485272293/