The Forgotten Princess: A Narnia Story

Chapter 15: Farewell

Here I am. Crown on my head, adorning the fanciest dress I've ever worn, and standing in front of a throne at the recently-resurrected Cair Paravel with Caspian. We can now bring good to our family name. However, this is a very bittersweet moment.

The Pevensies are going home soon. Over the past week or so, I've come to love all four of them very dearly. They've given me strength to grow as a person and find myself, which very few people did for me in almost seventeen years. I'm going to miss them more than words can describe.

"I guess this is it," Caspian says.

I've never seen him cry, other than the night his father died. But now, his emotions are prevalent; raw and true.

He shakes hands with Edmund and Peter first, firmly, but in a loving way.

"It's been incredible fighting with you two," he says, "Narnia will never forget you."

Lucy flings her arms around his torso. She's tearing up too.

"Thank you for helping us," she whispers.

Caspian pats her on the head. "You're the bravest little girl I know."

Finally, he comes to Susan. I haven't seen her cry very much either, other than that one instance before the final battles. Caspian holds her tight.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she says, her voice muffled as she buries her face in his shoulder.

"Me too," Caspian says.

"We never would've worked out anyway," she laughs, wiping away a few tears.

"Why not?" Caspian asks.

"Well," Susan smirks, "I am 1300 years older than you."

Caspian laughs and pulls her in for another hug.

Susan pulls away. She says nothing, but then leans in and kisses him abruptly. Someone in the crowd whistles.

"Maybe I'll understand when I'm older," Lucy says.

"I'm older and I don't think I want to understand," Peter laughs.

Now it's my turn.

"Goodbye, Peter," I smile, my eyes also starting to water.

We hug awkwardly. "Sorry I almost killed you when we first met," he says.

I laugh. "Don't worry, I would've done the same if I ran into a Telmarine."

Next is Susan. We hug before saying a word.

"You're an amazing person, Susan," I say, "You're going to do great things."

She wipes away a tear. "Thank you," she says, "I have immense faith in Narnia's new queen." She puts her hand on my shoulder. "Good luck, Melanie."

I smile bashfully and move to the next Pevensie.

Lucy wraps her arms around me as if she would never let go.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asks.

I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "Lucy Pevensie," I say, "You are so loyal and kind. I've never met anyone like you."

She smiles, holding back tears.

"I will hope every night of my life that we'll meet again," I pull her in for one last hug.

(I regret to inform you that my final encounter with Edmund Pevensie is extremely cheesy, but I hope you'll stick around and read it.)

Another embrace, but this one is different than the rest. I've never felt such a strong connection to someone before, nor did I ever think I would. Although it took me a bit to warm up to him, Edmund saw me in many different forms. He saw me right before a battle, after I had killed my mother, when I was severely injured, when I cried, and now, in my most formal attire. One thing that stuck out to me was that he never looked at me different based on what I was wearing or how I was feeling. He just accepted me for who I was, no matter the circumstances. And that is why I loved him.

After a long silence, I pull away from our hug, teardrops streaming down my face. He puts a hand on my cheek, trying to clean up the mess my tears are making. Everyone is staring at us, but I don't care.

"I don't know when or if I'll ever see you again," I say, "But I want you to know that I-" I hiccup, interrupting my sentence.

Gosh, how could I be so stupid! Choking on my own words like this? Some queen I am.

He hugs me again as I sob as quietly as I can. I don't have to say it, he knows.

"I love you too," he whispers in my ear.

Aslan walks over to us.

"Have we said our goodbyes?" he asks calmly.

Caspian and I nod. I can't bear to see them go, but I'm sure they need to be back in England soon, wherever that is.

Performing yet another miracle, Aslan opens the air into a door- no, it must be a portal. A portal to England sounds about right. The Pevensies stare into it for a second, then they all turn and wave goodbye. I wave back, silently wishing all of them the best life they could possibly have. Susan steps into the portal, then Peter. Lucy and Edmund linger a little longer.

"Are you just gonna let him go?" I hear.

"Trumpkin?" I ask, turning around.

"Stop stalling," he says, "Go!"

He's right. Regret is the worst feeling in the world.

Lucy has just stepped through the portal. Edmund is about to leave when I tug on his arm and turn him around. I grab his face and kiss him right in front of everyone, because I really don't know if I'll see him again.

"Please don't forget me," I say.

He smiles. "I promise." Then he kisses me on the nose and steps through the portal.

***

Doctor Cornelius taught me a lot of things while I was studying. But some things happen in life that teach you far more than what is taught at school. For instance; finding out the truth of your family history, running away from home, fighting in a war, saying "I love you" without actually saying it, meeting figures you thought only existed in your daydreams, watching someone die, making lifelong friends, and most of all, finding your purpose.

I encourage all of you to take risks. If you're locked up in a stuffy bedroom on the dark side of a castle, or even if you aren't, there's a whole world out there for you to see. You deserve to see it just as much as anyone else. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, or the day after that. Who knows how much time we all have left? If you want something, go after it. It's always better to try and fail than to ask "what if". Take it from me! If I hadn't run away, who knows what I would be doing right now? If Lucy had never left the Land of Spare Oom, the Pevensies would never have come to Narnia. Then we all might be living under the White Witch's rule instead of Caspian and I.

All rambling and preachy rubbish aside, I want you all to realize that life is one big chain reaction, and who knows what lies beyond that door in your wardrobe?