Adoration

iv

Narnia 2325

Susan had ridden out to the Tree of Protection, the dusted sunrise on the horizon.

The moment she arrived, she dismounted her horse, running towards the Tree, which resembled her dream: fallen brown leaves, peeling bark, and drooping branches. "No...no...no...not yet."

She felt a presence behind her, and her confusion turned to rage when she realised who it was. Remaining facing the tree, she spoke: "Why would you bring us here if you knew our presence would be the downfall of Narnia?"

"Because you needed to come." Aslan spoke. He kept a safe distance from the seething woman.

"But why?" She turned; Aslan's figure slightly blurred by her tears. "Narnia could be here for millions of years to come if you would have left us alone."

He smiled. Though she still had not gotten used to such human emotions on a lion's face, she wasn't unsettled by it. "Would you rather have never come to Narnia?"

She paused, trying to form an answer. If she had never come to Narnia, she would not have gotten closer to her siblings, Peter and Edmund would fight a lot more, she would never have had the opportunity to have the childhood that she missed out on. And she would not have met Caspian. Despite all the pain they had caused one another, she knew she would never erase their time together.

Choosing not to voice any of those things, she kept her answer simple. "If it would have saved it, then yes."

But Aslan wore his usual expression, giving the impression that he knew even more about Susan than she did - which he most likely did. "Unfortunately, that's not how it works, my child. The stars foretold your coming here and it would have happened one way or another."

"I request that you keep this from your siblings, I don't want them feeling guilty." Aslan spoke.

If Susan had not been feeling the way she had, she probably would have made a comment about how guilty she felt.

She had gotten used to her feelings being secondary to her siblings'. Their mother had always confided in Susan about her concerns about the war and their father. Though Susan didn't mind it at the time, she realised that how she felt seemed to matter less and less. When the siblings were travelling to the countryside with the other children, her mother had instructed her to look after the others. Of course, she would've done anyway. And she didn't blame her mother for giving her responsibilities in a difficult time. But she was annoyed that no one was ever instructed to look after her.

"Can nothing be done?" Despite already knowing the answer, she chose to ask anyway.

He shook his head.

They stared at one another for a moment before Aslan spoke once more. "Go back, child. Enjoy your remaining time here."

Susan stood. "I don't think you can call me a child anymore: I'm not." He smiled at her, watching her mount her horse once more.

Turning to him, she asked the question she truly did not want the answer to. "What happens to the Narnians after...?"

"Go spend your time, my child."

Realising she wasn't going to receive an answer from the lion today - or likely ever -, she said her goodbye before departing the scene. The sun rose behind her as she rode back towards the castle, lighting up her path. Susan couldn't shake the thought that Aslan had something to do with the trail of light and, for the first time in a while, she was grateful for him.