Peter was the first to forget.
They'd been in Narnia for almost five years, when all four children settled in the chairs of the pavilion overlooking the bay near Cair Paravel. Susan was almost adult, her once stick-like form filling out to create a gentle curve around her hips. Edmund was directing the courts almost exclusively. His shoulders were beginning to get wider and his legs were longer now. No one even thought to call Peter one of the 'children' from Spare Oom anymore. He was a man now, whiskers beginning to show on his cheeks and chin. Even Lucy was growing taller and wiser.
Lucy was sad, that day. She had been talking with a cat who had just given birth, inspecting the kittens and cuddling each in turn. But it made her remember her own mother. As much as she could remember. The woman seemed distant now. Distant, but not forgotten.
"I've been thinking." She said at last. "Do you remember when we went to the theatre, in…that other place. With mother."
Susan smiled. Of them all, she talked of…that other place the most. "Of course. Mother did love that play."
"Which play was it, Su?" Edmund said with a frown, glancing up from the scroll he was studying.
"I don't know." She puzzled over this a moment, then turned toward her oldest brother. "You remember, don't you Peter?"
The High King was staring at the back of his hands, his face enigmatic. There was a moment when his face betrayed his internal struggle, a mere twitch of his lip and a too-quick blink of his eyes. At last, he sat back and said, resigned. "I'm sorry, Lu. I'd forgotten her altogether."
No one spoke of…that other place in Peter's presence again for a very long while.
Peter was the first to remember.
They'd been back in England for many years, long enough to let them grow into adulthood. Susan had boyfriends and Peter had exams. His eyes were oftened framed by dark circles. Even Lucy was beginning to find herself closer to twenty than to ten. Both boys were often gone at school, and Susan was too busy dressing up. No one had time to talk about Narnia anymore.
It was at one of those rare times when all four (no longer) children were alone together when Lucy thought of Narnia. Nowadays, Susan was liable to make a scene if anyone brought up "that ridiculous, childish story". It wasn't too hard for Lucy to leave the subject alone. Every year she spent in England seemed to blur the memory of what had happened in that distant land. The only memory that never faded was the glimmering gold of lion's fur.
"I had a dream last night." She said at last. "Peter, you were in the water--"
Susan's hand wavered as she applied her lipstick, anticipating her sister's point, and said, "Lucy, for heavens sake!"
Edmund looked up from his book and said, "I'm sorry, Lu, what did you say?"
But Peter, faithful, magnificent Peter, had smiled and said, "I remember that time. You pushed me in the lake, Lu."
Susan rolled her eyes, and Edmund put his book down to join in the conversation.
Lucy could only smile the rest of the afternoon, and the circles under Peter's eyes were gone by nightfall.
Thanks for reading. Nothing big, I know. :) Leave a review on your way out, please!