Well, here you have it. The end of this story and my writing for this fandom. Enjoy!

Aleander was the first to receive the news of the infantry's return. In his rush to find Sabina, he narrowly avoided running into a door. Rather than colliding with wood, he collided with his brother. Both of them toppled to the floor, the younger of the two cursing rather colourfully. Barely had Caspian XI gotten them untangled before he blurted the news out. "The infantry just returned from battle," he breathed, rubbing his shoulder where it had hit the floor, "Father will be back soon."

"Where is Sabina?"

"If I had known that, I can assure you that we never would have taken a tumble, Brother," Aleander snarked, placing a hand on his cocked hip in annoyance, "I have been searching for nearly an hour." Which was true. He had started in her chambers but had been informed by her handmaidens that Sabina had not been seen there for some time. The library had been empty, apart from the grouchy librarian who had given him a withering look as he ran in calling his cousin's name. The stables had been equally lacking of princesses and seeing as Caspian XI had just barely left the throne room before he had crashed into him and still asked where Sabina was, Aleander doubted that he would find her there. "Do you think she already knows?"

Caspian XI shook his head. "Surely we would have heard her berating him if she did?" He frowned, considering what he knew of his favourite cousin. She was a person who, in spite of her parents' personalities and her own duelling skills, had always been drawn to peaceful and quiet places. The library was one of them but if Aleander had been searching for as long as he claimed he would have already tried it. The forest was another, though it would take much longer to find her there and he doubted she would go there since she knew the war had been won. "Come with me," he muttered, brows still furrowed, "I might know where to find her."

Bennett looked up from the documents he was surveying as Caspian XI came back into the throne room with Aleander in a tow. "I thought you had gone to see if supper will be served soon," he commented, "It takes a fair bit longer to reach the kitchens." Upon seeing the troubled wrinkle on his cousin's forehead, he paused. He met Aleander's gaze, but the younger man only shrugged with a nonplussed glance in his brother's direction. The oldest heir pushed the doors to the balcony open, a salty zephyr sweeping into the room. Bennett and Aleander followed him outside, wondering what he was up to. Caspian XI pointed towards the beach. A figure stood in the sand some distance away. The three shared a look before turning their gazes back to the princess. She did not appear to be doing anything in particular, just standing there.

"Forgive me, my princes."

All three princes jumped, knocking into one another. Caspian XI was the first to recover and he turned around to meet the deeply troubled gaze of a bloody and bruised Marius. The young soldier was leaning heavily against the gilded doorframe, trying not to put strain on his left leg. Understanding what the young man wanted, the prince sighed. "Perhaps it would be best that you are taken care of," Caspian XI said carefully, eyeing the red splotch that was slowly expanding against the pale yellow of Marius' collarbone, "I sincerely doubt that you are in any condition to go to her, let alone actually be standing."

"She will see to my injuries," Marius muttered, "Now where is she?"

Moving en masse, the three princes pointed out towards the beach. Marius nodded and limped away from them. Aleander winced. "Should we… help him?" But Bennett shook his head. There was something akin to resignation written across his features and the sons of King Caspian X shared a look as they joined their cousin in observing Sabina again.

The wind was picking up when Marius reached the ocean. Ahead, he saw Sabina's hair whip around her, the movement making her look more alive than he had ever seen her before. The cool air tugged at her dress and the water, small waves soaking her bare feet. Dusk was rapidly turning into night, the sky painted in pinks and purples and deep, dark blues as the sun clung to the horizon. Absently, Marius wondered how long she had been standing there. He walked closer to her, ignoring the pain in his leg and the blood trickling slowly down his chest in favour of taking in the expression on her face. Her eyes were closed, the slightest of smiles on her lips. To him, Sabina was the image of freedom. Freedom from duties and expectations, freedom from fate and the judgment of the stars. "Sabina." His voice was barely above a whisper and should have been impossible to hear. Her eyes opened slowly, trailing up and down his form. "You cannot expect me to abandon my duties," he said gently, just a little louder, "They are my choice."

"You cannot expect me to accept that you are willing to die for them," she replied just as calmly, "I refuse to love a man who fights to die a hero." Sabina turned back to watch the last of the sun disappear, the warm light surrounding them giving way to the cool blue of the moon. The water lapping at her feet was cold and unforgiving, a reminder that she needed to keep a level head. "A man of worth is one who remembers that he has people to live for," she stated, glancing at Marius through the corner of her eye, "After all, there is far more honour in being a survivor, in fighting to survive for the people you love, than there is in dying."

Sidling up with her, Marius bit the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. "I survived, did I not?" Sabina nodded, eyebrows raising expectantly. A heavy sigh caused him to wince, pain shooting through his side as he was forcefully reminded of the wounds he had sustained. He was sure that, in the light of the moon, the blood staining his shirt appeared black. While he was certain that he had something he wished to say, he suddenly found it difficult to remember what. The edge of his vision was darkening and Sabina appeared just a little blurred. Her voice, the sweetest of melodies, was a comfort as the world disappeared.

It was a beam of light that woke him up. He was lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room, the light that had roused him from slumber pouring in through the window directly opposite him. Despite just about every part of his body protesting against the movements, Marius gingerly pulled himself into a sitting position. Upon looking around properly, he found that he was alone. Disappointment settled heavily in his stomach. While he knew she was upset with him, he had truly believed that Sabina would be by his side when he woke. Being alone and not quite able to suppress the images of his comrades falling around him… he would much rather not have woken at all.

"If you are going to die at my feet, I would prefer it be by my hand, not your own stupidity." Sabina gave a small smile as the wounded soldier before her turned to face her, only to wince and clutch the bandage wrapped around his shoulder. "It took a long time to heal you," she continued casually, "I would have stayed with you through the night but Father only let me help you myself if I agreed to sleep in my own chambers." Marius' eyes flickered from her to the bindings keeping his ankle in place. Walking farther into the room, she nodded slightly. There was no need for words.

Bowing his head slightly, Marius traced his fingers over the large bruise stretching over the right side of his torso. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Sabina sighed heavily. "Marius, I love you," she whispered, "I will never not be upset when you go to war." Though he refused to look at her, he allowed her to entwine their fingers in his lap. Her lips quirked up into the ghost of a smile. "Promise me that you will never fight with the intention to die for your country, or even for me, ever again," she murmured reverently, voice catching, "It is terribly unfair of you to die when there are people who need you." She lifted a hand to his face, gently guiding his gaze to lock with hers. For a long while, they just looked at one another. Finally, Sabina pressed her lips to the back of his hand. "Promise me that you will fight to return to me."

"Until the stars no longer shine," he vowed, pulling her close so that he could breathe his promise against her lips, "Until nothing remains of Narnia but ruins."