serendipity - narnia [EDITING]

chapter 28

Chapter 28
Not Alone

Dahlia leaned on the edge of a balcony, overlooking the city and watching the sunset. She wrapped her cloak more tightly around her shoulders to fight the chill of the evening air - or rather, Susan's cloak. In a moment of peace during the busy day following the Pevensies' departure, Dahlia had flown back to the ruins of Cair Paravel to recover some of her old things. After spending quite some time staring at the stone statues of the Pevensies, she'd decided to take some of the siblings' old clothing to remember them by. Belts and shirts from the boys, pretty much anything else from the girls. Susan had actually made that particular cloak herself when Dahlia offered to teach her how to sew.

Dahlia played with the lilac fabric of the cloak, the emotional weight of the day crashing down on her. It was an odd thought to have, but she felt as if she'd taken her coma for granted. Last time there was no painful goodbye, no having to consciously wait for the Pevensies to return. The second time around, she could actually feel the ghost of their presence like a missing limb.

"I suppose this is ours now." Dahlia jumped; she'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed Caspian join her on the balcony. She realized what he'd said and looked up at him.

"Ours?" she asked. The new king looked down at her and smiled.

"Yes." Dahlia returned his smile and looked back out over the city. "I'm just glad I have someone who knows what they're doing. It's nice to know I'm not alone." Dahlia's smile fell; all she felt at the moment was loneliness, even with Caspian right beside her. Silence settled between them as Dahlia admired the crown ring on her hand.

"I miss them already." Caspian had to lean closer to even hear her. "The 1300 years wasn't even all that bad because I wasn't awake to feel the time go by. But this..." Dahlia trailed off, folding her hands so she couldn't see the ring anymore. "It feels like a part of me is gone. And in a way, part of me is." Caspian turned to face her fully; he held one of her hands, using the other hand to brace himself on the balcony railing.

"I do not think this feeling will ever truly go away. It's like losing a part of your family, the grief will stay with you. But Lucy and Edmund will return soon."

"Yes, but for how long?" Dahlia replied; she appreciated his attempt to console her, but she couldn't bring herself to be positive. "They can't stay forever, Cas, no matter how badly I wish they could." Caspian sighed, staring at the ground before looking back at Dahlia.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to do." Dahlia managed a small smile, patting his hand and turning to lean on the balcony again.

"You'll make a great king, Cas," she said, nudging his side. "Your father would be proud." The king looked down at his hands, smiling sadly to himself.

"I'm sure your parents would be proud of you, too." Dahlia hoped so. She twisted one of the rings on her hand, a pale blue stone set in a silver band. Her mother's engagement ring; it sat next to a braided bronze ring belonging to Lucy.

Caspian and Dahlia said little else after that, instead quietly admiring the pink and orange hues on the horizon as the sun set on a reformed kingdom.

Their kingdom.