Hoist the Colours

11

The Telmarines retreated to the bridge. They got halfway before stopping. They'd noticed Lucy, who drew her dagger and smiled. Aslan appeared and Sopespian stared a moment longer before looking around and back before yelling, "Charge!"

The Telmarines charged towards Aslan and he roared, causing the Telmarines to stop. The water began moving, and then shot up to form a river god. He lifted up the bridge and soldiers fell off. Sopespian stood alone on the bridge and swung his sword wildly as the water came crashing down on him. The Telmarines managed to climb out from the water and handed their swords over to the Narnians. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Caspian knelt before Aslan. Marina and Evreux stood nearby.

"Rise, kings and queens of Narnia," Aslan said and the Pevensies rose. "All of you."

Caspian looked up nervously. "I do not think that I am ready."

"It's for that very reason that I know you are."

They heard solemn music and a few mice walked up carrying Reepicheep on a stretcher. Lucy walked up to him and gave him a drop from her cordial. He let out a breath and sat up. "Oh, thank you, Your Majesty."

He saw Aslan and said, "Oh, hail Aslan! It is a great honour to be-"

Reepicheep tried to bow, but stumbled forward. Marina thrusted out a hand and caught him so he wouldn't fall and he gave her a nod before realising his tail was gone. "I am completely out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion." He looked to Lucy. "Perhaps a drop more?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't think it does that."

"You can have a go."

Aslan fought a smile. "It becomes you well, Small One."

Reepicheep turned back and said, "All the same, great king, I regret that I must withdraw. For a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse."

"Perhaps you think too much of your honour, friend."

"Well, it's not just the honour. It's also great for balance... and climbing... and grabbing things."

Aslan smiled as the other mice drew their swords and placed them to their tails. Preepiceek said, "May it please your high Majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour denied to our chief."

The Great Lion let out a laugh. "Not for your honour, but for the love of your people."

Reepicheep's tail grew back and he said excitedly, "Oh, look! Thank you, thank you, my liege! I will treasure it always! From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility."

Once again, the lion laughed and he went on to say, "Now, where is this dear little friend you've both told me so much about?"

Trumpkin looked at him nervously and slowly walked over before bowing. Aslan roared and Trumpkin shook in fear.

Lucy smiled. "Do you see him now?"

Marina nodded. "What a majestic beast he is."

They made their way to Caspian's castle. There were fireworks going off and Caspian walked into the courtyard and noticed Aslan talking to Peter and Susan.

After a moment, Caspian said, "We are ready. Everyone has assembled."

The Telmarines and Narnians were all gathered together outside. Caspian spoke to his people. "Narnia belongs to the Narnians just as it does to man. Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. And for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

A Telmarine lord said, "It has been generations since we left Telmar."

Aslan shook his head. "We are not referring to Telmar. Your ancestors were seafaring brigade, 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."

He glanced to the Pevensies and said, "It is to that land I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

There was a pause and Glozelle said, "I'll go. I will accept the offer."

Prunaprismia, who was holding her son, said, "So will we."

Glozelle, Prunaprismia, and another Telmarine lord stood before Aslan. He gave them a nod. "Because you have spoken first, your future in that world will be good."

He breathed on them and the tree behind Caspian twisted to form an opening. They walked through the door and vanished from sight causing people to gasp.

"How do we know he is not leading us to our deaths?!" a Telmarine asked.

Reepicheep said to Aslan, "Sire, if my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice with no delay."

Peter and Susan shared a look. Aslan looked at them and Peter stepped forward. "We'll go."

"We will?" Edmund asked.

"Come on. Our time's up."

He walked over to Caspian and offered his sword. "After all, we're not really needed here anymore."

Caspian took the sword and said, "I will look after it until your return."

Susan gave him a sad look. "I'm afraid that's just it... We're not coming back."

Evreux frowned. "What do you mean? I don't understand."

"We're not?" Lucy inquired.

"You two are," Peter answered, glancing at Aslan. "At least, I think he means you two."

Lucy glanced at Aslan. "But why? Did they do something wrong?"

Aslan shook his head. "Quite the opposite, dear one. But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."

Peter gave his sister a smile. "It's all right, Lu. It's not how I thought it would be, but it's all right. One day, you'll see too. Come on."

He shook Glenstorm's hand, and Edmund, Lucy, Trumpkin and Cornelius bowed. Lucy curtsied to Trumpkin and he nodded. They each took a turn hugging him and Susan walked up to Evreux.

She gave him a smile. "I'm glad I came back."

"I wish we had more time together," Evreux answered.

"It would never have worked anyway."

"Why not?"

"I am 1300 years older than you."

She walked away and walked back over to Evreux and kissed him before they embraced.

Marina gave a small smile and felt eyes on her. She turned to see Caspian's gaze and he quickly looked away.

Lucy glanced at Evreux and Susan before saying, "I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand."

A look of disgust crossed Edmund's face before he said, "I'm older and don't think I want to understand."

Susan made her way back to her siblings and Aslan.

As the Pevensies walked towards the portal, Lucy took one last look at the lion before walking through. She was back in the train station in London.

The train arrived and the geeky boy said to Susan, "Aren't you coming, Phyllis?"

They all looked to Susan in confusion and grabbed their luggage and boarded the train. Edmund looked in his bag and asked, "Do you think there's any way we could get back?"

His siblings all looked at him, wondering where his sudden thought was coming from. He looked up and informed, "I've left my new torch in Narnia!"

They laughed and the doors closed. The train started moving and went under a tunnel. As the train chugged along, a lion roared.