So for all those who are hoping for a second chapter, I'm sorry to disappoint. This has been rolling around in my head to rewrite ever since I re-read it a while back and cringed. I hope my writing style has matured a little since then, but anyway. This is just a re-write and I hope you guys like it :)

Disclaimer: Still not mine. I wish they were.

I sighed for the fiftieth time. We had been sitting here in the waiting room of our local doctor for what seemed an eternity. Looking up at the ceiling I sighed again and my mother glanced at me as if to reprimand me but then thought better of it and turned back to her book. I appreciated that fact about my mother. She was never seen without a book, and she did her best to educate her children to the best of her ability.

I heard my name called and looked up, slightly irritated that she had called my name as she had seen it on the file, "Pevensie, Peter". Squashing down my irritation, I rose slowly and picked up my mother's purse for her, knowing she would come with me into the exam room as she had been doing so since I was a child. As we came around the first corner after clearing the door, I stepped on the scale and the nurse took my weight down in my chart. The next stop was the exam room and I automatically hopped up on the table. My mother had been bringing her children to this doctor for a yearly checkup every year for as long as I could remember, and neither war nor famine could seem to stop her.

Sighing again and whispering the number fifty one to myself, we waited quietly for the doctor to arrive. It was only a few minutes before the older, slightly hunched over man entered the room and I couldn't help but think of one of my advisors back in Narnia; an old owl who always seemed so wise and steadfast. He started the checkup by having me open my mouth and say, "Ah". He proceeded to ask me a host of questions about my current health, but I was pleased to answer all negatively as I have never had so much as a cavity.

When he asked me to take off my shirt, though, I hesitated noticeably and glanced at my mother, who had since put away her book and was watching passively. I caught the doctors eye and looked pointedly at my mother. He seemed to understand and asked my mother to give us a moment alone. She nodded her head, confused, but gathered her things and proceeded to shut the door behind her on her way back to the waiting room.

The doctor sat on his stool and waited without saying a word, seeming to say that he was prepared, had seen it all, and was ready when I was ready. I took a deep breath and pulled my shirt over my head. I was impressed that the doctor said nothing and showed no emotion at all, actually. My chest, arms and back were covered in scars. I even had one on my neck that I hid from view with high collars. The scars on my chest were mostly war wounds that had healed ugly as there was no time to tend to them properly due to campaigns that needed running. On my neck I bore a scar that was created by Orieus when I had let my smart mouth get ahead of me and given my instructor flack. He had proceeded to draw his sword and place it none to gently against my neck. He would never have harmed me, but from then on I knew he was not to be trifled with and kept a respectful tongue in my head at all times. In addition, I left the wound to heal naturally, to serve as a reminder to myself that I was not immortal or invulnerable. It served its purpose for many years. On my back were scars from multiple floggings I had earned when held captive and I bore them with pride for most of my kingship, until this moment. The doctor blinked slowly and we sat in silence for quite a while before he seemed to gather his thoughts. "These scars", he said, "how did you get them? I must tell you that it is my duty to inform the state if your mother or father is punishing you and leaving you with marks on your body. You will not be punished for this, but you will be removed from them so as not to be harmed further."

I wasn't surprised by those words. It was a common thing in our world that children were abused or punished too harshly. How was the doctor to know that I was not one of those thousands? Sighing again, I counted fifty three and gathered my thoughts. I wanted to express my thoughts eloquently but firmly and that sometimes took a moment to gather together.

When I spoke again, it was clearly but quietly. "Sir, I have not been touched by either of my parents in any manner that could be deemed inappropriately." The doctor looked slightly taken aback, but seemed to regroup quickly.

"Look, son, you can tell me. This doesn't have to happen again." He looked at me with such pity in his eyes that I was truly amazed. This man had probably seen similar cases thousands of times, but I could tell he still cared about every single one that passed through his care.

Sighing again, ever so slightly, I rolled my shoulders back and filled my chest, bringing back the posture I had learned in the courtrooms of Cair Paravel. Sitting up straight, now, I brought my eyes up from the floor where they had just rested to meet the doctors. My voice automatically deepened an octave and I slipped deeper into the dusty speech of the courts, hoping to show the doctor that I wasn't all I seemed and neither were my scars. "I don't expect you to understand, now, or ever. These are not the scars of a beaten boy, but more a story of heroics that anybody would be proud to wear."

We sat in silence, eyes locked, not saying a word for what felt like hours. The clock in the hallway ticked away, but I refused to give in, I would not budge on this. My heart thumped loudly in my chest and just when I had begun to lose hope of changing the man's mind, he slowly nodded his head and smiled a little bit at me. His voice was a whisper, "I believe you, son, but I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't double check. I would like to bring your mother in here. Her reaction will tell me all I need to know."

My heart sank at that, knowing the pain my mother would feel, knowing her first born son had obviously been through so much pain. I nodded, though, knowing there was no other way to get out of this. The doctor opened the door and disappeared through it without another word. A moment later the door opened again and I shivered partly from the cold air and partly because I knew what was coming. My mother walked in behind the doctor and when she looked at me, promptly fainted. I caught her before she hit the floor, it was a small room and I had been prepared for just such a thing. I lowered her gently to the floor, knowing my small muscles wouldn't allow me to lift her onto the exam table, and patted her cheeks lightly, while calling her name. When she came to, she stared at me, looking at my scars for the first time, not knowing where they came from and wondering who did this to her poor baby boy. I looked up at the doctor to see if he had gotten the reaction he needed. The doctor nodded and closed his eyes briefly in a gesture more along the lines of a subtle bow, than an affirmation.

Next thing I knew, I was in the car, next to my mother who was the most silent I had ever known her to be. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came. Several minutes ticked by before she spoke. Her voice was only just a whisper and I struggled to catch what she said. "What happened, Peter? Did the man you stayed with in the country do this to you?"

Thinking of the kindly professor who had been so good to us, I smiled and told her that no, it hadn't been him. I was loath to tell her the real story, knowing she would never believe me, but I couldn't let blame fall on any of my dear friends, or heaven forbid, my own father. We sat in silence for another minute or two before I spoke.

"Mum, the Professor was only ever good to us, and his staff was very kind as well. Please believe me when I say I was never harmed by anybody close to us." I winced visibly when I said that, thinking of my general and the ring around my neck.

"Explain!", she said, "Now!".

I felt an apology pass my lips before anything else could jump to my mind, "Sorry, Mum."

"For what, Peter?" Her tone was sharp and full of impatience.

"For scaring you like that. I should have told you before it was necessary."

She nodded her head and continued to drive. "I just want to know what happened! Where did you get those scars? It looks like you've been through a war for heaven's sake! Tell me!"

I tried to clear my head and start at the beginning. I told her about the game of Hide and Seek we decided to play, and how Lucy had come back out moments later, saying there was some other world in the Wardrobe and how we discounted it as her just playing around. My mother smiled briefly at this, knowing her youngest daughters fondness for make believe games. I then told her how we had been awakened in the middle of the night by Lucy, claiming to have been back to the land in the wardrobe and she had said that this time, Edmund had gone too. He had denied it of course, saying he and just been humoring her and going along with the game. "Well, it was raining one day and Ed and I had just taken apart a suit of armor up in the attic when we heard footsteps. It turned out to be Susan and Lucy, they had come to find us as the housekeeper was on a warpath. We didn't want to be caught with the suit of armor, so we decided it was best to hide and try to lay low until she had calmed down." My mother looked at me as if she didn't know the child sitting before her.

"Peter! I raised you better than this! How could you destroy these poor people's things! Did I raise you with no manners?"

I continued with my story, trying not to get caught on a rabbit trail argument, "Well, we all ran down the stairs, planning to go back to our rooms, but we could hear her footsteps coming toward us, and knew there was no way we could get back to our rooms without getting caught. We ended up running into the spare room where Lucy had found the wardrobe, and when we realized there was nowhere else to hide, we ended up piling in and trying to squeeze as far back as possible."

I glanced at my mother, it was clear she was trying to understand where this story was leading. "Well, anyway," I continued, "We fell backwards, and landed in snow. I didn't believe it either, but it's true. We had entered into another world, and it had been hidden in the back of this wardrobe the whole time." My mother looked interested. At least she believed me so far. "Well, we took some coats from the wardrobe, thinking that it wasn't theft if we didn't take them out of the wardrobe, and began to explore. Lucy took us to her friend's house, the one she had met on her first venture into this place, the one we thought had been make believe. When we got there, though, it was clear that it was abandoned and at some great hurry. To be honest, the place had been trashed. We even found a note, telling us that Mr. Tumnus, Lucy's friend, had been arrested and was imprisoned by order of the Queen, simply for having talked to Lucy, a human. See, this world was full of magical creatures like Fawns, Dwarves, Driads, Niads, and talking animals."

My mother looked at me as if I had gone insane, but I continued again, "Just then, we heard a whisper, trying to get our attention. We walked back outside and found, to our surprise, a beaver. He was a very nice beaver and gave Lucy a handkerchief that she had left with Mr. Tumnus. We knew then that he had been a friend of the Fawns and he offered to tell us what happened. We followed him to his dam and met his wife. They offered us dinner and we ate with them while they told us what was going on. They told us how excited they were to see us, and about this prophecy that had been around forever, about two girls and two boys who were destined to overthrow the evil Queen and take back Narnia. Then they told us something I will never forget. The beaver said, 'Aslan is on the move.' And in that moment I was filled with such hope, Mum. It was like something melted away inside me and I felt like a new person and was filled with this longing to know who this Aslan was."

"That's when the beavers told us the other prophecy. The one about Aslan returning. About a war against this evil queen who currently was in power and how they would take us to meet Aslan. Now, I never wanted anything more than to go and meet this Aslan. They said he was a great lion, king of the wood, and would save all of Narnia. Narnia being this strange land we had entered. No matter how I longed to go, though, Susan piped up with a logic that I could not ignore. She said, 'Mom sent us away to keep us away from war.' "

Mother nodded, and I could see she was proud of her daughter for seeing the bigger picture. I felt bad for what I was about to say, but I let the other shoe drop. "That's when we looked around to leave, and realized that Edmund had snuck out when we weren't looking, and had disappeared into the snow. See, he had been here before, and had met the evil queen. She had cast a spell on him, enchanted his mind and that had made him go to seek her out. We followed him to her castle but we weren't in time to stop him from going in. That's when I realized we needed to go to Aslan because he was the only one who could possibly help. I don't know how I knew, but I did, mum."

She nodded, urging me to go on, but we had reached the house. My siblings were up in their rooms, and we entered the kitchen where she poured us both tea and we sat down at the table. "So we packed up the beaver's dam for the journey, but we were in a hurry. Edmund had betrayed us to the witch, and had sent her police wolves to find us. We escaped through a tunnel, and began the journey to Aslan's encampment. We were hiking across a frozen lake when we suddenly heard sleigh bells, and the hush of a sled on the ice. We started to run, knowing it was the witch queen behind us and that if we were caught we could be imprisoned or killed. We all ducked into a cave and the bells stopped shortly behind us. We didn't hear anything for a long time, so Mr. Beaver went to investigate. We were scared that he had been caught, but he came back a second later, happier than I had seen him yet!"

I stirred my tea and took a sip at this point, getting chilled just thinking about that winter. "We all emerged from the cave to find Santa. Yes, Santa Clause was there. He gave us all gifts, too. He handed Lucy a healing cordial and a dagger for her own protection. He handed Susan a bow and arrow and a horn. He said that if she blew on that horn, no matter where she was, help would come to her. He fixed the beaver's dam, told Mrs. Beaver there was a new sewing machine waiting for her at home and provided us with breakfast. He saved me for last. To me he gave a sword and a shield. He warned us that these were not toys, but tools, and then he rode off to deliver more gifts."

My mother was incredulous at this point, and we both took a bite of our biscuits. "We eventually made it to the encampment, after a few more adventures, and met Aslan. Now, because Aslan was back, the witch's power was weakening and the snow had melted. Santa was a sign too, as she had banished him and made it so it was always winter, and never Christmas." I detailed our meeting with Aslan, my knighting, and how He sent a group of soldiers to save Edmund from the witch. I then told her how I had planned to stay in Narnia and help fight in the war, sending Edmund and the girls back home. "They would have none of that. By now we all wanted to help. After all, Aslan had saved Edmund, the least we could do, it seemed, was to help him fight." I told her everything from there on out about how Aslan walked away that night and the girls followed him. How he was sacrificed for Edmund, how my brother and I were left, then, with an army and a battle to lead. I told her about the battle, how Edmund broke the witches wand and when all seemed lost, Aslan appeared. He was back. He had risen from the dead and brought with him all of the witches captives to help us fight. I told her how we won the battle and we crowned in Cair Paravel. "So the prophecy was fulfilled and what began to be termed the golden age of Narnia began." I was choking up, now, I missed Narnia so much and every fiber of my being ached to go back. Tears formed in my eyes, "I reigned as High King for 25 years, Mum. It was brilliant. I wish you could have been there. Edmund and I fought wars, he found a love for the law that I have never seen equaled. He became the law maker and supreme judge in the land, being known as fair all over the land. He was known by his people as King Edmund the Just. Lucy became brave and helped me in many wars in later years. She was a healer and wonderful doctor for our people on the battlefield. She was terrific and became known as Queen Lucy the Valiant."

My mom smiled a little at each of the titles given by loving people. "Susan grew to be more beautiful than any woman in the land. She was sought after left and right, and was known for her grace and quiet strength. Her subjects called her Queen Susan the Gentle."

My mother cut in here and whispered, "What about you, Peter? Did they have a name for you?"

I was quiet at this, remembering what my people always referred to me with. I had always been proud of the name, sometimes a little too proud. It was extraordinarily personal to me and something I always tried to live up to, no matter what. My voice, when I eventually did speak was a forced whisper and a tear that I couldn't stop streamed down my cheek. "They called me King Peter the Magnificent. I was the one who made final decisions and lead the others when they needed it."

I looked into my mother's eyes to find that she had tears there too. We sat in silence for a long time before she spoke again. "So these scars. Where did you get them?"

Looking down at my shirt covered chest, I decided to tell her the 'life story' as Ed called it. It even used to be a game with us, of sorts. We would point to a scar on our bodies and name the battle or war. I pointed to my neck and the puckered flesh under my collar, "This was from our general. He was the one who trained us in swordsmanship. I ran my mouth a little too much one day and he decided to make a point."

"This," I pointed at a scar she couldn't see as my shirt was covering it, "Is where I was stabbed in a battle with the Ettins, a race of giants from the north. They have large blades and I was only saved by Lucy's cordial." I continued, telling her about the floggings I had received when kidnapped and a few of the other stories. I decided not to tell her that Ed bore more scars than I, even. That while I was the sword of Narnia, and one of its best warriors, Edmund was the shield and the shield always receives more strikes.

She asked one more question, but hesitated before she did. "And, Aslan, did you ever see Him again?"

I responded that yes. He would come and go as He saw fit, but never stayed long. Suddenly I remembered a command that he had given me before the hunt that fateful day we returned. We had been alone in my chambers as I prepared myself for the hunt, and I had been so busy in the hurry that I had not paid Him my full attention. He had said, "Peter. I have been with you in Narnia, but soon I will not be. You will have to search me out and find me among your people. You will not be able to see me as you have here. This you must do, for soon, things shall change."

I broke down, now, guilty for my selfishness and stupidity. What had I been doing with these months away from Narnia, except hoping to find a way back. Why had I ignored my Kings last orders. "Mum, I have to find Him. He told me to find Him. He says that he is here, too, but where could he be? I need to find Him!" I was desperate, not making any sense, I knew, but I didn't care. I needed my King, just as I longed for Him the first time I heard His name. It was an intense feeling of profound hunger for everything I once knew and loved.

Tears were flowing freely from her now, just as they were from me. I wished I could have spared her this, but I knew it was best to be honest with her. She got up from the table without another word and walked quietly to her bedroom. I trudged up the stairs to mine and Edmunds room. Edmund was on the bed studying some law book, determined to get an early start with his decided career. He looked up as I entered the room and asked how it had gone. As I told him about the doctor seeing the scars and our mothers fainting, his eyes grew wide. "What did you tell her?" he asked.

"Everything."

"So," he paused, "She thinks we're loony"

"Probably." Was my short response before throwing myself onto my bed and picking up a random book on my nightstand. My mind wasn't on the book, though, it was trying to understand Aslan's last words to me and see where to begin searching for Him here. Just then there was a soft knock on the door, and guessing it was my sisters, coming to ask how my appointment had gone, Ed and I both told them to come in. It was not my sisters, though, that entered the room, holding a book. It was my mother. Her eyes were still shining, but she bore a tiny smile on her face. She set the book down on my desk, and slowly closed the door behind her as she left the room. I got up from my bed and stretched before walking over to the edge of my desk and looking down at the book. The title was covered by a handwritten note from my mother that read, "Peter, He is in here." Anxious, now, I picked up the book and moved the note to read the title. "The Holy Bible." My brother looked up from his bed and gave me a questioning glance. I could barely breath as I showed him the book and whispered, "We found Him, Ed. Aslan is here, too."