The war ended and everyone could breathe again. Peter had finished University but still lived close to home. Susan hadn't attended University. She had a steady beau, whom her siblings tolerated with different levels of grace. Edmund planned on pursuing a law degree, which surprised my wife and I, though not Peter and Lucy. Although Susan had drifted continuously further away, the other three remained as close as ever. As the children grew up, I expected them to grow apart, or return to him, but neither happened. Peter's word was still obeyed. Even their cousin Eustace began to follow him after Lucy and Edmund stayed with him.

We took a weekend in Bristol while Edmund and Lucy stayed with Peter. We were on the train home, pulling into the station, when there was a loud screech. The train lurched sideways and then there was only black.

After a couple of moments I blinked and opened my eyes to the countryside. Dazed, I sat up and turned to my wife who was just opening her eyes. I stood and helped her to her feet. Weren't we just on a train? There was that lurch, and... "Are we dead?"

"You are, son of Adam," came a voice from behind us.

We both spun around, and my mouth gaped open in astonishment, for before us stood a lion. For a long moment nothing was said. Then my wife dropped into a curtsy. "My lord -"

"Aslan" the lion cut in.

"Aslan," she continued, "where are we? What happened?"

I did not hear the answer. All I could hear was the name Aslan ringing through my head. I felt loyalty and pride and humility. When I was able to concentrate once more, I heard "...you need but move higher up and farther in," and with that, Aslan turned and bounded away.

I turned to my wife, "What just happened?"

"Did you hear any of that?"

"No, I just..." I trailed off, unable to explain.

Luckily, she seemed to understand. "We're dead, darling. This is the Real England, as far as I understand it. We're to move higher up and farther in. And look!"

She pointed, and I focused in that direction. My view seemed to telescope forward until I could see Peter, Edmund, and Lucy looking more real than I had ever seen them. I turned to my wife, and my vision snapped back to normal. "But how?"

She laughed, and for the first time I realized that she was not as she had been on the train. This was my wife as she was on the day I married her. I found myself laughing as well, and the two of us began speeding forward. At last we reached a set of golden gates, and we stopped. As we looked hesitantly ahead, the gates suddenly swung open, and we walked forward hand-in-hand. At length, we regained our confidence and sped onward until we reached a clearing filled with people, animals, and creatures of fantasy all watching a grand ceremony.

We felt drawn forward, and so we walked through the crowd until we stood at the very edge of the raised platform. A procession of royalty was presenting themselves to a seated couple and then to a man who stood beside Aslan. The next figure approached the seated couple. "King Frank, Queen Helen, I am Caspian X, son of Caspian IX."

"Caspian X, son of Caspian IX, we bid thee welcome," said King Frank.

Caspian then kneeled before the man. Aslan spoke, "Do you, Caspian X, swear to take up your crown once more? Will you rule under Us and under the High King?"

He answered, "I so swear."

The man spoke for the first time, "Rise, King Caspian X of Narnia."

Caspian rose and looked solemnly ahead for a moment, before the man extended his arm. They clasped forearms. Caspian then moved to take his place in line. The ceremony continued as they watched, slightly confused but respectful nonetheless. Finally a young woman stepped up, smiling. My wife clutched my hand, and a moment later I understood as the woman introduced herself as Lucy the Valiant. This was our little girl? But there could be no mistake. This was Lucy as she was meant to be. She knelt before the man with an impish smile. She swore her oath. As before, the man bid her to rise, Queen of Narnia once more. However, this time, he pulled her near and kissed her forehead before sending her to his place.

The next figure caused both of us to gasp. He stood tall and proud. Edmund. We watched with confused pride as he was announced as King Edmund the Just. The man once again pulled him in for a kiss on the forehead. Could it be Peter? He was the only one to whom Edmund would allow that gesture. We realized it at the same time. Peter was the High King? I felt that I should be more surprised, but it somehow fit. This was Peter after all. The next figure was a man. Where was Susan?

Gradually, the line of waiting kings and queens dwindled until Frank and Helen swore their oaths. Only Peter was left standing. He knelt before Aslan. "Do you, Peter the Magnificent, swear to take up your crown once more? Will you rule under us?"

"I so swear."

"Then rise, High King Peter, king of kings of Narnia."

He rose and simply looked at Aslan. For a moment, the entire world was still. Then Aslan butted his head against Peter's chest. The entire valley erupted into applause. A line formed to greet their kings and queens.

We reached the front and were suddenly nervous. These were not the children we had raised. These were kings and a queen. I bowed as my wife dropped into a curtsy. Lucy laughed gently. We had so many questions, but the first that tumbled out was, "Where's Susan?"

The siblings faces grew troubled. Peter spoke, "She forgot and lost faith. She is no longer a friend of Narnia."

"But is there hope for her?" my wife asked fearfully.

Peter and Lucy glanced at Edmund who replied fiercely, "There is always hope for redemption."

"Now," Lucy spoke into the hesitant silence, "I am certain you have questions. We shall endeavor to answer them."

We moved off the platform and wandered towards a private area of the valley. As we walked through the crowd, we watched as the Narnians parted in obvious deference. The siblings merely smiled gracefully.

We reached our destination and settled down. Although both boy took up positions so as to be able to see any approach, the children had never looked so relaxed. I was about to ask my first question when Peter raised his hand. I immediately fell silent. "I beg thee, before any questions, allow me to tell a story. The discovery of Narnia in a cupboard."

Lucy and Edmund smiled and settled down even further. Peter began, "It was 1940 in England. Four children were sent to the countryside for their safety."

And so he told us of their first journey into Narnia, the defeat of Jadis, and their fifteen years of rule. Their accidental way out, and the long-awaited trip back to Narnia when they helped Caspian. At the conclusion of their first adventure with Caspian, Peter fell silent. Without hesitation, Edmund took up the story of his and Lucy's voyage on the Dawn Treader. Finally, he too fell silent.

Throughout the entire narrative, we made no noise, save for the occasional gasp of surprise or worry. At the conclusion of the story, we sat in silence, trying to absorb all we had been told. Peter smiled broadly. "We shall leave you. I understand this has been a lengthy tale. If you have questions or simply wish to find us once more, ask any Narnian."

With that, he rose, Edmund and Lucy silently following suit, and wandered away – Lucy between the two men. For a long while, we sat quietly. Eventually, I shook myself and rose, offering a hand to my wife. "Shall we find them again?"

She agreed, and we set off. We must have appeared lost or confused, because they were soon addressed by a voice, "May I help you in any way?"

They looked down, and a mouse stood gazing up at them. I was speechless, but luckily my wife kept her wits about her. "We're searching for Peter – excuse me, High King Peter, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy."

"Follow me, my lady."

He turned and ran through the grass, my wife and I close behind him. We stopped in a large clearing holding a gathering of people and creatures. Our children seemed to be holding court. They sat on a platform in three thrones, while a fourth throne sat beside them – unoccupied. Susan's. We stopped to take in the scene for a moment. I suddenly felt unworthy to approach them. The blinders before my eyes had slowly been falling away, but now they crashed down. Any lingering jealousy I held that Peter was their true parent dissolved as I watched him gracefully comfort and greet his people. He was their king. Who was I to compare?

As if she read my thoughts, my wife gripped my hand tightly. "Excuse me sir..."

"Reepicheep," the mouse supplied.

"Sir Reepicheep, may we approach them?" she asked shyly.

"Of course, my lady. All may approach the Kings and Queens. If you have no evil in your hearts, you have nothing to fear."

With trepidation, our small party approached the seated royalty. However, my fears soon melted into thin air, for Lucy's face broke into a sweet smile as soon as she noticed our approached. "Mother! Father! And dear Reep."

Reepicheep swept a respectful bow before he turned to us. "You are the parents of our Kings and Queens?"

To my astonishment, he swept us a bow as well. "No- I mean, thank you of course, but- That is-" I did not know how to explain.

Edmund smiled. "Reep, they are our parents, but not a king and queen. Still, I would hope them to be Friends of Narnia."

"Your highness," said the mouse in return and bowed himself out.

Peter, Edmund, and Lucy gazed at us, as we stared in amazement. After a long moment, my wife dropped into a curtsy, and I into a bow a half-second later. Peter chuckled. "Rise. We have much to discuss and many stories to tell – not all of them pleasant. We must greet Our subjects, but then we may sit and pass the time in closer company."

After gaping a moment at hearing my son use such courtly language, I escorted my wife to the side. I had only discovered Narnia that day, but it was already my country. And so I watched as my daughter, my Queen, greeted everyone with joy and laughter. As my son, my King, listened fairly and treated everyone equally. As my eldest, my High King, ruled his people with dignity and with compassion.