A/N: Again, I'll save the small talk for the end. Be fore warned though, this is the last chapter and therefore longer then the standard chapters.

Disclaimer: standard because I'm too excited to be witty.

Chapter 16

When the cheering had died down, Aslan spoke once more.

"Men of Telmar," Aslan said, "you who seek a new land, hear my words. I will send you all to your own country, which I know and you do not."

"We don't remember Telmar. We don't know where it is. We don't know what it is like," grumbled the Telmarines.

"You came into Narnia out of Telmar," said Aslan. "But you came into Telmar from another place. You do not belong to this world at all. You came hither, certain generations ago, out of that same world to which the High King Peter belongs."

At this, half the Telmarines began whimpering, "There you are. Told you so. He's going to kill us all, send us right out of the world," and the other half began throwing out their chests and slapping one another on the back and whispering, "There you are. Might have guessed we didn't belong to this place with all its queer, nasty, unnatural creatures. We're of royal blood, you'll see." And even Caspian, Cornelius, and the children turned to Aslan with looks of amazement on their faces. Only Katerina looked un-surprised, keeping her head down so the others saw only the gold, diamond, and pearl flowers in her tiara rather then her eyes.

"Peace," said Aslan in the low voice which was nearest to his growl. The earth seemed to shake a little and every living thing became still as stone.

"You, Sir Caspian," said Aslan, "might have known that you could be no true King of Narnia unless, like the Kings of old, you were a son of Adam and came from the world of Adam's sons. Even the High Queen, though Narnian born, is descended from that world. And too, you are descended. Many years ago in that world, in a deep sea of that world which is called the South Sea, a shipload of pirates was driven by storm on an island. And there they did as pirates would: killed the natives and took the native women for wives, and made palm wine, and drank and were drunk, and lay in the shade of the palm trees, and woke up and quarreled, and sometimes killed one another. And in one of these frays six were put to flight by the rest and fled with their women into the center of the island and up a mountain, and went, as they thought, into a cave to hide. But it was one of the magical places of that world, one of the chinks or chasms between that world and this. There were many chinks or chasms between world in old times, but they have grown rarer. This was one of the last: I do not say the last. And so they fell, or rose, or blundered, or dropped right through, and found themselves in this world, in the Land of Telmar which was then unpeopled. But why it was unpeopled is a long story: I will not tell it now. And in Telmar their descendants lived and became a fierce and proud people; and after many generation there was a famine in Telmar and they invaded Narnia, which was then in some disorder (but that was also a long story), and conquered it and ruled it. Do you mark all this well, King Caspian?"

"I do indeed, Sir," said Caspian. "I was wishing that I came of a more honorable lineage."

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content."

Caspian bowed.

"And now," said Aslan, "you men and women of Telmar, will you go back to that island in the world of men from which your fathers first came? It is no bad place. There race of those pirates who first found it has died out, and is it without inhabitants. There are good wells of fresh water, and fruitful soil, and timber for building, and dish in the lagoons; and the other men of that world have no yet discovered it. The chasm is open for your return; but this I must warn you, that once you have gone through, it will close behind you forever. There will be no more commerce between the worlds by that door."

There was muttering amongst the onlookers before a voice called out,

"I will go."

The crowd parted slightly to reveal General Glozelle, looking slightly battered but determined.

"I will go," he repeated, moving forward.

Caspian bowed slightly as their eyes met.

"As will we," Queen Prunaprismia announced, holding her infant son, Caspian's cousin, in her arms.

She stepped forward as well, one of Miraz's advisors keeping to her side.

"Because you have spoken first," the Great Lion told them. "Your lives in this new land shall be good." And he breathed the Lion's Breath upon them, just as he had the new King.

The crowd gasped as there was a creaking sound. With careful movements, everyone watched as what they thought was one tree, uncurled into two, a portal open in the space between their trunks. The Narnians moved so everyone could get a clear view, with the Pevensies on one side of the terrace, Aslan, Katerina, and a few other Narnians on the other, and the new king in the middle, before all his people.

Though they seemed just as worried, the three Telmarines hesitated only a little before walking towards the portal, disappearing as they stepped through. There were more gasps and even Caspian looked slightly shaken.

"What's happened to them?" many questioned.

"How do we know they have not been murdered?" on man shouted. "Send one of your own through!"

"Sire," Reepicheep spoke up at once. "If courage is called for, I will take eleven mice through at once."

Aslan turned his eyes upon the mouse as it spoke but then gazed upon the four human children.

"No," Peter finally said, stepping forward. "We will go."

More gasps.

"We will?" Edmund said, sounding half terrified.

"Yes," his older brother replied, looking at them. He then moved to stand before King Caspian, and unclipped his sword. "After all," he handed it over. "We're no longer needed here."

Caspian grasped the sword, his knuckled white and a promise in his eyes.

"I will keep it safe," he said. "Until your return."

"That's just the thing," Susan interrupted. "We're…not coming back."

Caspian looked like he'd been punched in the gut while the Narnians were speechless. Peter looked past the new king to Katerina, who still stood, head bowed, next to the Lion.

"Not ever?" Lucy was on the verge of being distraught.

"You two are," the High King said, finally turning away. He looked at Lucy and Edmund. "At least, I think he means you two." He took his place beside them.

"But why?" Lucy still didn't understand. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one," Aslan replied gently. "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."

Unable to bear the fact that she looked close to crying, Peter walked over to his youngest sibling.

"It's all right, Lu," he told her. "It's not how I thought it would be…but it's all right. One day, you'll see too. Come on."

He took her hand and, followed by Edmund, they went to bid goodbye to the other Narnians on the terrace, among them, Doctor Cornelius, Reepicheep, the Badger, and the DLF. Susan, however, made her way to Caspian, who still stood dumbfounded and folding Peter's sword.

"I'm glad I came back," she said.

"I wish we had more time together," Caspian replied.

Susan smiled, though it held a bitter softness.

"It would never have worked anyway," she told him.

"Why not?"

"I am thirteen hundred years older then you."

That got her a small chuckle and smile but he made no move towards her. She began to turn away, back to her family, but after two steps thought better of it. She caused even more murmurs in the crowd as she pulled Caspian into a kiss. When their lips parted, it was Caspian who then pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand," Lucy said softly to her brothers.

"I'm older but I don't think I WANT to understand," Edmund muttered back, causing Peter to chuckle very lightly.

The couple split and Susan returned to stand behind Peter, the four of them looking out over all that watched. It was only then that Edmund noticed-.

"Wait, what's going to happen to Katerina?" he demanded, seeing her apart from them.

Katerina raised her head finally, surprising even herself that her cheeks and eyes were dry. The Great Lion's eyes softened and sorrowed as he spoke.

"High Queen Katerina has made her choice," he told them. "She is staying here, in Narnia. I have removed the magics that have caused her such grief and trouble."

"No!" Lucy ran to throw her arms around the young woman she considered her other older sister. "You have to stay with us."

Kat held Lucy tightly, soaking in all the love the youngest offered her and returning it.

"It's all right, Lucy," she whispered, finally pulling back. She smoothed a few of the brown hairs that had escaped onto the younger queen's face. "It's like Peter said, one day you'll see that this is the way things have to be. It's all right."

Lucy nodded, sniffing. Edmund touched her shoulder lightly and she moved to let him hug their sister in law.

"Take care of them, Ed," Katerina said softly, hugging him. "Especially Peter."

"I will," he promised and kissed her cheek. He took Lucy's hand and pulled her away, they passed Susan who also came to bid Katerina farewell.

"Look after yourself," Susan told her as yet another hug was exchanged.

"You as well."

Finally, all that was left was Peter. Kat walked to meet him halfway, and they stared at each other, as if trying to commit every detail of the other person to their memories. The people watching argued till the end of their own lives as to who moved first but the end result was the same, Katerina and Peter clinging to each other tightly, though no tears were spilling.

"You know that place between sleep and awake?" Katerina whispered, pulling back slightly.

"That place where I still remember dreaming," Peter replied just as softly, placing his forehead to hers, whispering words half forgotten from a battle long ago. "That place where we'll always love each other."

Katerina nodded shakily,

"Where I'll be waiting for you, Peter Pevensie."

Peter nodded as well before swooping in for one final, desperate kiss. Everyone watching was moved to tears as the young ones said their final farewells.

"It is time," Aslan said.

With a kiss to Katerina's forehead, Peter turned away, forcing himself not to look back as a sob was ripped from his former wife's throat.

"Ready you lot?" he asked of his siblings.

Though all looked ready to cry themselves, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy nodded back before stepping aside to let the High King take the first steps. Steeling himself, Peter led the way through the archway, knowing that if he looked back, he'd throw himself upon Aslan's mercy and beg to remain with his Katerina. Lucy did look back, but Aslan's eyes, kind and loving, convinced her to move forward after her brothers and sister.

Moving through the archway and back into the train station in England was like walking through molasses, though almost as soon as he had determined that he popped out the other side, school clothes completely intact and as in place as they were before the four were swept off. Looking around, he gave the smallest sigh of relief as he saw that his brother and sisters had also arrived, looking like they'd never left.

Students were pouring onto the train, and it was only when one boy asked Su if she was getting on ('Phyllis?' Peter questioned to himself)that all four awoke enough to grab their belongings and get on.

"Do you think there's anyway we can get back?" Edmund asked, rifling through his school bag a bit. At the others' quizzical looks, he gave a sheepish smile. "I've left my new torch in Narnia!"

Giggles erupted and hearts began to mend as the doors started to slide shut.

"Hold the door!" came a desperate shout and a suitcase was thrust between them.

Peter straightened from his chuckling as the metal split apart again to reveal-.

"Kat?"

Edmund, being closest to the door, immediately held out his hand and helped Katerina up the stairs. The girl, dressed in a school uniform not unlike Susan and Lucy's, stepped on and placed herself in front of Peter and her suitcase on the ground next to her.

"How-?"

"It took me about two seconds to realize I couldn't lose you again. And you know how He is," Katerina smiled slightly. "He was just waiting for me to make the choice, not Him. So I threw myself upon His Mercy, in a very dignified way I assure you, and here I am."

Peter gently brushed some hair behind Kat's ear, smiling all the while,

"Here you be."

As their lips met the train left the station, loaded with children to see to school for a brand new year and, for one young couple, a brand new adventure.

"Do you think we'll go back soon?" Lucy asked Edmund, settling on the train.

"I don't know, I hope so," he replied. "But you never know with these things." He smiled. "Best just to keep our eyes open."

The End.

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A/N: Wow, talk about your five years later!

My gratitude and my apologies to all my reviewers over the years, way to keep with me guys! Virtual cookies to you all! I almost can't believe it's actually done.

I don't know what will happen now. I have a few ideas dancing around in my head, just snap shots really into the other kids, their lives and romances, or Peter and Kat's life in England and though I really wanted to bring some of those in, I decided that this story was to primarily be about the High King and High Queen. Maybe if I get a really good idea, I'll add it in, maybe create a separate story, excerpts from the Golden Age.

For now, my thanks, my gratitude, however you want to say it, to you all. *bows* I could not have done it without you.

So, for the last time (for this story at least)

Live, Love, Lust, Truth, Dream, Breathe, Believe, Serenity.

Sailor Ppearl