I neither own nor created Narnia, Telmar, Cair Paravel, The Four: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, nor Prince or King Caspian. I did create Kinsey, Suncrown, Silas, and Sapyra, but not Oreius. I don't know who created Oreius, but I am eternally grateful to them and C. S. Lewis for creating the others I have put into this piece.

This story is for entertainment purposes only, so please read and be entertained.

The Four sat in a circle along with Oreius, Kinsey, her mother Suncrown and father Silas, and Saphyra's herd comprised of herself, her husband Stormhoof, and their many foals. Lucy piped up first. "That's the end of the story?"

Kinsey smiled. She now had the appearance of either a very young woman or a very old child with blonde hair that fell to her feet and blue eyes the shade of the summer sky. "No, there is far more to any story as you know. We have only told you one retelling of how the true Narnia's shadow fell to the Telmarines in the shadowlands. As others do, this one then leads into a tale of how it rose again."

Oreius then picked up the thread of Kinsey's speech in his deep voice. "And they both tie into the tale of how a centaur devoted to doing justice came to know and practice the great mercy of Aslan as well."

Kinsey picked up the thread again with a wider smile, "Which leads into the tales of how still others came to do the same."

Peter nodded. "I see now why Aslan sent us away. I never would have left Narnia in her need. I instead could have fallen with her and you, my general. Then I would not been able to return to her a second time when she needed me again."

Edmund nodded gravely. "We all would have done and fared the same."

Susan nodded too. Her three siblings had refused to listen to this tale until she joined them. Then they'd continued to put it off after her arrival. There was so much to else to do. In fact there was everything good to do throughout never-ending time here. So it was easy to put things off, and yet, one always seemed to get around to them.

Now they had come as close to sadness as one could be in this place while hearing this darker tale from the now dark and frozen shadow-lands. She was not sorry though. Twas good to know how faithful their people had been in their sovereigns' absences. It was another good gift among all those she herself had betrayed by turning away from their memory in England. Only by Aslan's seeking mercy had she turned back. She too had come to know what it was to act traitor and return through mercy.

Lucy's blue eyes bored into the almost matching eyes in Kinsey's face. "But there must be more worth hearing to this story!"

Susan laughed beside her sister. Kinsey chuckled at them both. "You know some of the rest already. You were there for part of it. Aslan used even a Telmarine to give Narnians, both new and old, peace for generations after your brief return to them."

Susan smiled and cocked her head. "True, but I think you know a good story to continue with now."

Kinsey smiled back. A slight blush colored her cheeks, but she didn't look away from meeting the Gentle's gaze. "Perhaps that tale can be told another time."

Edmund grinned. "Does 'another time,' mean 'soon' then?"

Everyone laughed. Enough time had passed since anyone made that familiar jest for it to be funny again. Then all the members of the circle stood up to continue their walk through the continuous rings of bigger Narnias.

Another, who had drawn somewhat away from the others during the telling of this story, walked up to them. He began to stride at Kinsey's side. "Are you going to tell them our tale later then?"

Kinsey lifted her chin and tossed her hair. "When I feel like it."

The man took her hand in his and kissed it. "You have no idea, dear lady, how grateful I am the Lion wrote you into my story as well."

Kinsey's chin lowered, but smile widened. "Because it helped set you on the path to here, or because it caused us to walk together in the shadowlands as husband and wife for a time?"

"Both."

Behind the couple walked Oreius. Though he now dwelt in the same lands as Silas again, he still felt like another father to Kinsey. Silas only felt delight in that. Beside the centaur general walked the father of the man strolling at Kinsey's side. The latter spoke. "Did you ever suppose … when He ordered you not to kill me?"

Oreius shook his head. "No."

"Yet, you did not."

Oreius nodded.

"Why?"

The centaur smiled. Like jokes everyone knows, sometimes in Aslan's land questions are asked just to give others the joy of answering them again, and to gain the opposite pleasure of hearing them again. Oreius did not mind obliging his friend this time too. "Because that is the Lion's mercy shown to, and through, you and me."

I'm sorry this chapter took too long. I had another ending in mind and it refused to work. So, I wrote and posted this one instead. I hope it satisfies even as it sparks interest in a sequel series I hope to write, but perhaps only "soon" in the sense of what "soon" means here. I have other projects to work on first. Please forgive me for that and tell me what you think of this ending. Reviews are often read and responded to. Thank you in advance.

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes