The Queen's Dilemma: A Narnia Story

Chapter 15: The Beginning

All of us freeze.

"What's going on?" Helen asks, gripping Peter's arm.

"I'm not sure," he says.

The light fades away and reveals a breathtaking landscape. There are trees, flowers, waterfalls, and nature as far as the eye can see.

"Is this Narnia?" Lucy asks, tears of joy filling her eyes.

Suddenly we all feel a jolt. Not a painful one, but certainly shocking enough to make us jump. There is a gust of wind and Aslan (the lion) materializes in front of us.

"Aslan!" Peter, Lucy, Edmund, and I shout in unison.

He smiles and we all rush to hug his great mane. Helen doesn't know how to react.

"Mum," Lucy says, taking her hand and bringing her over, "This is Aslan."

"I thought Aslan was your cat?" she says to me, "Is this where the name came from?"

I nod, still in disbelief that I'm back in my country. However, something seems a bit off. If Narnia was still going through dark days, why would everything look so perfect?

"Why are we here?" Peter asks. Thank Aslan he asked before I did.

"If I'm not mistaken," Aslan says, "You all felt a jolt moments ago, is that right?"

"Yes," I say, "But I thought that was because you arrived."

"Partially, yes," Aslan says, "However, it was also because of the train crash."

"Train crash?" Helen asks.

"I'm sorry to tell you this," Aslan says, "I know you were all going somewhere important, but I can assure you everything back on Earth is going to be just fine."

"You mean...," Lucy's voice trails off, "We're dead?"

"In your world, yes," Aslan says, "But did you notice where you are?"

I step back and look around. I see everyone I knew from Narnia; Caspian, Doctor Cornelius, Reepicheep, Lilliandil, Zada and her family, Ivy, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, Gael. I don't even feel sad or anxious anymore, everything feels like it was meant to end up this way. We're in Aslan's Country.

"Melanie?" Caspian squints, "It is her! Melanie, I was so worried about you!"

"Caspian!" I squeal. We rush to each other and hug for the longest time. "I thought you hated me."

"No, not at all," he shakes his head, "I hated myself for neglecting you, but you turned out just fine. I'm so proud of you."

"Peter, look!" Lucy shouts, "It's Mr. Tumnus!"

I don't feel the need to recreate every single one of these teary reunions for you, but I'm sure they were just as sweet as you imagined them to be. And for those of you wondering about Edmund and I, we never officially got married, nor did we start a family as I had always wanted to, but we are still just as in love as we were at sixteen to this day.

Everything starts with a dream. I never would've thought I'd become queen of Narnia and eventually leave the kingdom in a desperate attempt to stay true to myself. Lucy Pevensie, at nine years old, never thought she'd discover an entire world through the door of a wardrobe, but we both had dreams. Dreams that were often suppressed by the people around us.

Although I despised them growing up, I truly hope my parents found peace, wherever they went when they died.

Love; an intense feeling of deep affection

This was one of the many things that kept me going through troubling times. Whether it's from family, friends, significant others, teachers, or even stubborn dwarves, love always stems from the same place and has the same intention; to heal, to protect, to cherish.

Sometimes dying seems like a scary thing, and believe me, it is scary to think about. It's so looming and ominous, nobody truly knows what happens when a person or creature dies. Although all of these things are true, I can tell you that dying does not mean the end. My adventures in Narnia and in this world may be over, but this is just the beginning of even more adventures that will last forever. Lucy, Edmund, Peter, Helen, and I are beginning chapter one of a new story, in which every chapter is better than the one before. Even though you won't be able to read about these adventures, I hope you can take comfort in the fact that they are always going on, and I am no longer hurting or feeling any sort of emotional pain. One day Susan will join me here, and so will Eustace and Jill. I often miss those still living on Earth, but I feel satisfied knowing that I made the impact that I did on their lives. Maybe my story didn't turn out the way you thought it would, but I can't say I thought it would end up this way either. If there is one thing I learned from my short life, it is this; wherever you are is exactly where you're meant to be.

Epilogue:

    Narnia fell soon after the Pevensies and Melanie arrived due to an overthrow by the demon called Tash. All creatures lived on in Aslan's Country in peace and harmony. Jadis was never heard from again.

Susan Pevensie was married to Samuel Barnes in March of 1951, and went on to become a successful businesswoman with her husband in New York City. She raised two boys called Benjamin and William, and periodically visited her hometown of Finchley.

Eustace Scrubb went to Oxford University, following in the footsteps of his cousin Peter. He later married Jill Pole in 1956, when he was twenty-three years old. They grew old together and eventually joined the rest of the group in Aslan's Country, as did Susan, Polly Plummer, and Mr. Pevensie. Alberta and Harold Scrubb, however, did not. They were always kept in the hearts and minds of their loved ones who resided there.

As for Melanie's story, it was published in a wildly popular book series in the 1950s, although some details were understandably lost in translation. But, as she requested, Doctor Clive Staples Lewis left her character out and had to write around it. It was a difficult task, but nonetheless, the books were successful. In fact, you yourself might even know them as The Chronicles of Narnia.