I'm sorry for the long wait on this, but I have been refraining from uploading it, because I really don't want to end this story, but I know I have to, so here is the very last chapter :( Enjoy.

The next morning, Edmund placed his torch back onto his bed as he and Peter concluded their last chess game of the night and parted ways to get ready for the day. Peter had already told Edmund that he intended to use it to his advantage while they were in Narnia.

Aslan had ordered for all of them to be given new clothes to wear and although they weren't exactly like the old Narnian clothes that they had worn years ago, they were a pretty good exchange and all of them were perfectly happy in those new clothes.

Susan had just finished sorting her hair when Lucy walked over to her and sat down on the bed. The oldest Pevensie sat down behind her sister and began to plait her hair.

"I'm so glad to be here," Lucy commented as Susan did her hair, "Aren't you?"

"Of course I am Lucy," Susan replied, "I don't get to where dresses like this back home. I feel like some kind of princess."

"Well you are a Queen." Lucy replied as her older sister made the finishing touches to her hair. The dress that Susan had mentioned was actually very beautiful in Lucy's eyes. The white underdress made for a nice contrast to the blue overdress with its gold trim and pattern. The underdress sat just off of Susan's shoulders and had gold bands at the elbows and halfway down the top part of her arm. The sleeves were Bishop Sleeves from the elbow down and the dress was long enough to almost touch the floor.

Lucy's dress was equally as nice and suited the young Queen perfectly, but still Lucy dreamed to be a bit more like Susan. After finishing her sister's hair, Susan stood up and pulled on her shoes, passing Lucy her own as her younger sister gave her a curious look.

"Come on, let's go and find Peter and Edmund." Susan told Lucy, who them beamed a happy smile and began to pull her shoes on.

Edmund made his way out into the open space of the Telmarine castle and if he had been living there while Miraz was still alive, you would notice the difference in the people's attitudes. People lined the city and were desperate to see their new King and speak with the former Prince.

Peter and Glenstorm stood at the training grounds with Caspian and Peter was trying to talk Caspian through plans and tales that he had used when he was King and Caspian seemed to be thanking the oldest Pevensie. As Edmund approached them, he was noticed by Caspian and quickly hurried forward into the conversation. Edmund – having from the original Golden Age been the most lawful of the kingdoms rulers – had instantly seen the faults in the plans for Caspian's court and raised his issue to the King.

"How does the court normally work here?"

"Well you have the King and his council is made up of thirteen Lords who help to rule over the land and in decision making." Caspian explained.

"So they act as advisors to the King?" Peter questioned, "A sort of support network thing."

"Yes in a way," Caspian answered, "The council of Lords has always been made up of the most trusted noble Lords by the reigning King."

"What about Trufflehunter?" Edmund suggested suddenly, gaining all the attention very quickly, "And Trumpkin, Reepicheep, Glenstorm, the Bulgy Bear and your Professor; Cornelius?

"Ed, none of them are Lords, they wouldn't count in this system."

"But Caspian doesn't trust any of the Lords that served under Miraz. However he does trust all of them and I'm sure they can prove such," The youngest King of Old explained, "Trufflehunter is a badger and it had been their job for years to remember. Glenstorm is a centaur, the sky is theirs to watch just as it is theirs to prophesise. Reepicheep is an honest general of his own mouse fleet and the Bulgy Bear along with his ancestors have been the chosen Marshalls of the Lists for decades on end. As for the Professor, well Caspian knows him well enough already."

"And Trumpkin?" Peter asked, getting closer to his brother before lowering his tone to address solely his younger brother, "No offence to him, but he's just a dwarf Ed."

"Who Lucy trusts dearly and is in favour to all of us for what he has done for our family," Edmund told his brother sincerely, but with his voice equally as quiet, "I bet he could prove it."

"How?" Peter asked.

"Have him fight you or something, Pete. Find a way to give Caspian a chance to see how worthy his is of the people of Telmar's trust."

The High King turned around and drew his sword, holding the hilt out towards the small dwarf, "Fight him." With a look of the head in Edmund's direction, Peter made it clear as to what he meant and Lucy's Dear Little Friend took the motion of the youngest Pevensie brother drawing his own sword as an agreement to fighting him.

Trumpkin took Peter's sword and allowed the blades point to drop to the floor, making the sword look all too heavy for him to wield.

Susan and Lucy were walking the land at that exact moment and noticed the little battle. Both sisters made their way over to their brothers and stood beside Peter and Caspian respectively to watch how the following match would play out between the youngest Pevensie brother and Trumpkin.

The ploy that Trumpkin was playing was soon stopped and the Dwarf quickly whipped the High Kings sword upwards and Edmund, who was caught almost completely unaware by the move and was only just able to duck in time in order to miss the well-aimed swipe of Rhindon.

"Edmund!" Lucy shouted out as her brother reeled back from Trumpkin's hit to his forehead.

"Are you alright?" Trumpkin asked as he looked up at the King before swinging the blade again. Suddenly Edmund dodged and moved round, so that he was behind the dwarf and able to whack him with the side of his sword, causing giggles of laughter from Lucy.

For the other three Pevensie's and Caspian, the small practise battle involved constant movement unless they wanted to risk being hit by either blade.

Trumpkin swung again and Edmund met the strike with his own blade before pulling his sword back and going for his own strike which completely missed Trumpkin with help to the dwarf's height. Trumpkin swung Rhindon at the youngest Kings legs, but Edmund saw the move and jumped upwards, bringing his feet as far off of the ground as he could before landing again, allowing the attack to miss him.

The next strikes met followed by the one after. And that meeting was enough to give Edmund a slight edge. Using all the force he could find, Edmund forced Rhindon upwards and around before dealing out strike after strike, which the DLF tried to match with all his force and muster, but eventually Edmund got the edge and forced the blade out of Trumpkin's hand. Holding his sword steady, Edmund pointed the blade at the little dwarf, who fell backwards and landed on his bottom.

"Beards and bedsteads!" Trumpkin started after he had hit the ground, "He's better than you." The High King looked slightly offended for a moment, but quickly nodded his head with a reply.

"I know he is." Peter replied as he picked his sword back up. Edmund made his way over to Trumpkin and offered the dwarf a hand up, which he took and used to pull himself back up and give Edmund a polite nod of his head. As the group re-joined, Edmund remained staring a something behind them all.

"What is it, Ed?" Peter asked as he looked over his shoulder, causing the rest of their little group to do the same. Aslan stood behind them and it was obvious that he had been watching the group for some while.

"Your Majesty would you care to gather everyone together please?" The lion asked while looking over at Caspian who nodded and bowed slightly. The lion then turned his attention to Narnia's oldest King and Queen of Old, "Peter, Susan, would you walk with me for a while?"

After the exchange of a look the High King and oldest Pevensie sister stepped forward and joined Aslan at his side for the walk that he wished for. Caspian left a moment later to do as Aslan had asked, leaving only Edmund, Lucy and Trumpkin to decide what to do with themselves.

Caspian made his way out of the door and down the stairs into the main courtyard, looking for Aslan and the Kings and Queens of Old that he had come to know rather well over the past few days.

"Because you have snuck in…" Caspian looked over to see Aslan, walking with Susan and Peter on either side of him, "I'm sorry, but their future in that world shall be good." Caspian watched as they continued walking, completely unaware of his presence and from the small bits of conversation that Caspian was hearing, he was sure that he wasn't meant to know what was being said.

He decided to leave things a little longer. After all, it was Aslan who had asked him to do the task and if Aslan was busy in important conversation with the elder Pevensie siblings, he was sure his small announcement could wait. So he began to turn away from them, planning on heading back towards the way in which he had just come.

"Your Majesty?" Aslan's voice suddenly asked, stopping Caspian in his tracks, as he turned back to face the three.

Susan and Peter were both looking slightly stern and yet curious and Aslan – despite his raging and fierce outlook of a lion – held on kind eyes and a soft featured face. Caspian just looked at them all for a moment: by them though, that really meant Susan.

The eldest Pevensie sister just looked back at the newly crowned King. Caspian eventually blinked and shifted his gaze between all of them, realising he had been staring at the Queen for a bit too long.

"We are ready," He explained and guessed that Aslan had guessed what he meant, especially considering he had asked for the notice, "Everyone has assembled."

Aslan made a low rumbling noise as he looked to Susan, who looked back at him. Caspian shifted his glance to the floor before walking backwards a few steps and then turning around to head back up the stone stairs. Susan's eyes trailed Caspian slightly for a moment, before she, her brother and Aslan started walking again: all with solemn heads.

As Caspian had announced to Aslan, all – Telmarines and Narnians – had gathered in a section of the castle by a huge winding tree. On a higher raised platform with a small set of stairs, stood the Kings and Queens of Old on the right, with Aslan; Glenstorm; Reepicheep; Cornelius; Trufflehunter; Trumpkin and the Bulgy Bear on the left. With the exception of Aslan, the six Narnian creatures, (although the Professor was only half Narnian,) were now going to be making up parts of Caspian's council, replacing the Lords who had served Miraz.

Caspian stood in the centre to address everyone as a collective, "Narnia belongs to the Narnians, just as it does to man. Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any of you who wish," The newly crowned Telmarine King looked over at the lion here with a very small pause, "Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

"It's been generations since we left Telmar." Commented a man stood near the front of the crowd. Near him, Miraz's wife - Lady Prunaprisma – stood, cradling her young, newly born son in her arms.

"We're not referring to Telmar," Aslan announced in his bold voice, easily gaining all's attention, "Your ancestors were seafaring brigands. Pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world. The same world as our Kings and Queens." Aslan and Caspian glanced over at the four Pevensie's, who at this announcement, were looking between themselves.

"It is to that island I can return you," Aslan continued, "It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start." For a moment, everyone was solely looking between each other, none overly willing to accept the proposal.

"I will go." Lady Prunaprisma announced as she stepped forward, followed by her Father, who held her hand to help her up the stairs. Behind them, Telmarines began to chatter amongst themselves for a moment, while the Narnians just looked on in silence.

"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good." Aslan told them as they walked forward and up the stone steps. Briefly, Caspian's mind flashed back to the conversation he had heard earlier, remembering Aslan speaking something very similar to the eldest Pevensie's.

With a deep breath, Aslan managed to unwind the tree's wound bark from behind him and create a small gap. Everyone watched the sight in awe, with some very loud shouts of confusion and amazement at the same time. Caspian bowed his head to his Aunt as she walked past him and she returned the action with a small smile before walking through the gap in the tree and suddenly disappearing from sight.

Gasps of shock ran out from everyone, along with comments and shouts, "Where did they go?"

"They've killed them!"

"How do we know he is not leading us to our death?" A man shouted, pointing his hand at the lion. At the accusation, the Kings and Queens all turned around. Peter was tempted to draw his sword, but refrained from doing so, only in fear that he would cause greater panic.

"Sire," A voice suddenly interrupted, "If my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay." Reepicheep announced as everyone turned to look at the small, talking mouse. Susan and Peter though, just glanced at each other before Aslan looked over at them too.

"We'll go." Peter announced to everyone, stepping forward, gaining all of his sibling's attention at the same time.

"We will?" Edmund questioned, looking at his older brother in confusion as to how the blonde could want to leave after desperately trying to find Narnia again for the past year. Peter just looked back at him.

"Come on. Our time's up," On the last line, he looked mainly at Susan, who was completely getting where the eldest of them all was coming from, "After all…" Peter began as he turned to Caspian and began to cross the short distance to the King.

"We're not really needed here anymore." When he reached the Telmarine, he extended his sword out towards him and after a moment, Caspian extended a hand out and grabbed the sword.

"I will look after it until you return." Caspian told them before Susan cut in.

"I'm afraid that's just it," She began solemnly, "We're not coming back." At that, Caspian just looked on at the beautiful Queen in shock at her notice.

"We're not?" Lucy questioned sadly, but at the same time shocked.

"You two are," Peter started as he walked back to stand by Susan, gaining the focus of Lucy and Edmund, "At least, I think he means you two." Looking at Aslan for some form of confirmation, the High King stopped beside his tall, dark haired sister.

"But why?" Lucy asked curiously as she looked over at her beloved lion, "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one," Aslan answered the youngest Queen of Old, "But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learnt what they can from this world." All eyes shifted to focus on Aslan here as he gave out his reasoning for the decision.

"Now it's time for them to live in their own." Lucy though, even after the explanation, kept her curious expression, still not fully getting it.

"It's all right, Lu." Peter told her as he moved toward his youngest sister, who looked up at him: knowing that it really wasn't all right, "It's not how I thought it would be… but it's all right. One day you'll see, too."

"Come on." Peter told her as he took her hand and led her across the stone towards Caspian's new council. Edmund followed the two and Susan also moved from where she had been stood, however didn't follow her siblings.

Letting go of Lucy's hand, Peter looked up at Glenstorm in silent thank you for all he had done for them, apology for all he had lost and best wishes for his future, which the High King was sure would be a good one.

Edmund stood in front of the smaller council members, Reepicheep and Trufflehunter. Edmund was glad to be speaking to the wise badger and the tactical mouse before he left, giving them both smiles and a small bow.

Lucy smiled at Trumpkin before she felt tears pulling at the sides of her eyes. Slowly she gave him a small curtsy, while he bowed his head, slightly unsure of the true customs having been a rather free and wild dwarf all of his life. A moment later, Lucy couldn't help herself and threw herself forward towards the dwarf, who predicted the move and wrapped his arms around the Queens back, as she wrapped hers around his shoulders.

When the pair pulled apart a moment later, Lucy gave him a last nod of her head and a smile before walking away from her Dear Little Friend, who had composed himself too, allowing the youngest Queen of Old to make her goodbye to them all slightly easier.

Susan made her way over to Caspian and stopped in front of him, "I'm glad I came back." She told him with small hints of a smile.

"I wish we had more time together." Caspian commented as he looked at the Queen.

Susan seemed to think over this for a moment before speaking, although whether she had intended to voice the comment or not was unknown even to her, "It would never have worked, anyway."

After a moment, Caspian brought himself to ask his question and voice his curiosity, "Why not?"

"I am thirteen hundred years older than you." The eldest Pevensie sister reminded him with a smile and Caspian couldn't help, but smile slightly too. The Queen turned away from the King moments later, but stopped only a few steps away and with a small glance back at Caspian, her feet were soon set in motion and walking her back the way she had just come.

Placing a hand behind Caspian's neck, she leaned up towards him slightly and kissed him, not caring who was watching or what they were mumbling. When the two pulled away, they quickly then embraced into a tight hug, which couldn't have simply been pulled apart by anyone who had dared to try. Peter's sword still held in Caspian's hand, rested behind Susan's back.

"I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand." Lucy told Peter as she walked over to stand beside him, finished with her goodbyes to her friends. Peter found her comment slightly amusing and gave a small chuckle and smile to her sister.

"I'm older and I don't think I want to understand." Edmund told Peter as the elder brother looked over at him, as Edmund watched the scene in front of him.

When the Queen of Old and Telmarine King finally let go of each other, they shared a look before Susan walked back over to her siblings with a smile, Caspian's eyes following her every step of the way. Lucy moved slowly to the side and Susan slipped in between Lucy and Peter.

Her older brother placed a hand on her arm quickly in some form of condolence before looking over at Edmund. Lucy just looked up at her sister with a smile before taking a hold of her hand.

The mass crowd in front of them just watched as slowly – led by Edmund, who had the thought to lead – the four Kings and Queens began to turn and walk through the portal in the tree. Lucy was the only one to spare a glance backwards at Aslan and his solemn face before she took a step through the portal.

The sounds of the busy London underground Strand station soon reached her ears and the incoming train sped past them. All of them were once again in school uniform and amongst others in the station: no longer Kings and Queens, but normal children.

Lucy looked behind her and was disheartened to no longer see Narnia behind her. As the train drew to a stop by them, the doors opened and people began to hurry off and onto the train. Susan noticed the boy from Peter and Edmund's school who had been talking to her earlier get onto the train and turn around to address her.

"Aren't you coming, Phyllis?" Susan couldn't help, but smile at the incorrect name he used for her, even after Lucy's obvious correction of it only minutes earlier. The four Pevensie's quickly grabbed their bags and bundled themselves into the train carriage.

"You don't think there's any way we can get back?" Edmund asked while looking into his bag. Susan and Peter just looked at him curiously and in shock, wondering if he had even been listening to Aslan back in Narnia. In answer to their confusion, Edmund delved into explanation.

"I've left my new torch in Narnia." The small sentence caused smiles to reign on Peter, Susan and Lucy's faces with some laughter as the train doors slid shut. Edmund – although he didn't find the situation overly funny couldn't help, but join in after a moment.

As the train began to pull away and pick up speed, the carriage passed by the now empty station platform, ensuring the Pevensie's journey back to school and away from Narnia once again.

But if you had really been listening, then mixed in among the loud clatter of the train leaving, you may have been able to hear a loud roar travelling through the station, echoing off the circular structure of the tunnel.

There we are, I'm Not Holding Your Hand is officially done! I really liked writing this story and I hope that you all enjoyed reading it. Thank you so much to all whom favourited, alerted, reviewed and of course read this story, everything number on the story stats has meant a lot to me :) As I announce in the new chapter of The Just, I will be uploading a new multi-chapter story in place of this one, hopefully tomorrow, which I hope some of you will read, but until then thank you once again and goodbye for now x