"Gwendolyn? Are you alright?"
Gwen snapped out of her daze, looking over at her uncle. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Uncle. My mind is just wandering."
"What's troubling you?" he asked.
"I...I have such a strong feeling that today is the day. The day that we're leaving. I don't want to leave. I have you now and C--I...I don't want to leave you behind."
Trumpkin took her hand. "Is there someone else you're going to miss? Why did you start saying a 'C'?"
Gwen looked down, blushing. "I...I--Uncle--"
He smiled. "You don't have to say anything. I can see it."
Gwen looked at him. "Is it that obvious?"
"As the sun in the sky. You fit well together."
"If only..." Gwen gazed toward the castle.
"Maybe you can speak with Aslan and he will allow you to stay."
Gwen sighed. "I thought about it, but I don't think he will allow it."
Trumpkin sighed. "I don't either."
Gwen took a breath. "Well, I know one thing. I'm so glad to have met you. I finally feel I have someone who...loves me and..." Gwen struggled to retain her composure. "I don't feel so alone anymore."
Trumpkin sadly smiled. "I wish I could do more."
"You've already done more than enough."
A throat was cleared and Gwen turned to see Caspian. Her heart flipped again.
"Everyone has assembled for the gathering. I was wondering if I could escort Gwen." He turned to Trumpkin.
He held his hands out. "By all means, Your Majesty."
Gwen withheld a grin as she took Caspian's arm and he led her to the square. They arrived and Gwen took a place beside Edmund.
Peter leaned across. "Why were you with him?"
Gwen rolled her eyes. "He offered to escort me."
Peter sighed defeatedly. "You two look good together, I will admit it."
Gwen smiled. "Thank you."
A hush came over the crowd as Caspian began to speak.
"Narnia belongs to the Narnians, just as it does to man," Caspian projected. "Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."
"It's been generations since we left Telmar," a Telmarine said from the crowd.
"We're not referring to Telmar," Aslan said. "Your ancestors were seafaring brigands. Pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world. The same world as our kings and queens. It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."
No voice spoke to accept Aslan's offer.
Then, a man stepped forward.
"I will go," he said. "I will accept the offer."
"So will we." A woman stepped forward; Gwen recognized her as Caspian's aunt. His aunt held her child in her arms as she came forward, another man trailing behind her.
"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good," Aslan said. Then, he breathed on them.
Suddenly, the tree that stood behind Aslan began to unravel its twisted trunk and open into a doorway.
The crowd gasped and the Pevensies along with Gwen all looked at each other. Caspian stumbled backward as he watched it. Murmuring ensued from the crowd.
"How do we know he is not leading us to our death?" a man shouted.
"Sire, if my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay," Reepicheep said.
Gwen noticed Peter and Susan sharing a look.
"We'll go." Peter stepped forward.
"We will?" Edmund asked.
"Come on. Our time's up," Peter said.
Gwen looked straight to Caspian, her heart thudding. He shared a look of heartbreak with Gwen, who was now holding her trembling lip between her teeth. She knew this moment had to come, and she knew it was going to come soon. Nevertheless, she still wasn't prepared.
"After all," Peter approached Caspian, handing him his sword, "we're not really needed here anymore."
Caspian grasped it, a determined look changing his features. "I will look after it until you return."
"I'm afraid that's just it," Susan spoke up. "We're not coming back."
"We're not?" Lucy asked, fright filling her voice.
"You two are." Peter went to Lucy and Edmund. Then he turned to Gwen. "And, so are you. At least, I think he means you three." He turned back to Aslan.
Gwen took a relieved breath. She may be able to see Caspian again after all. But, then she remembered the number of years that had passed since the Pevensies left. How many would pass while they were all gone?
Gwen swiped away a tear.
"But why?" Lucy asked Aslan. "Did they do something wrong?"
"Quite the opposite, dear one. But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."
"It's all right, Lu." Peter stepped in front of Lucy. "It's not how I thought it would be, but it's all right. One day you'll see too. Come on." He offered Lucy his hand and she grasped it.
"Gwendolyn, you will be leaving after the Kings and Queens leave. Say your goodbyes, dear child." Aslan spoke.
Gwen rushed to her friends as they all formed a group hug.
"I love you all so dearly." Gwen choked. "I'm so glad I lived this adventure with you. I'll see you soon."
"We love you too," Lucy said.
"We'll reach out as soon as we can," Susan said.
Then, they all pulled apart and Gwen watched through teary eyes as the Pevensies said goodbye to their new friends and fellow warriors.
Caspian watched too, only wishing he could comfort Gwen who seemed to be nearly breaking down. He couldn't imagine the goodbye that would happen between Gwen and her uncle. His heart lurched.
Then with glances across their shoulders, the Pevensies were gone.
"Gwendolyn,"
Gwen looked up at Aslan through tears.
"It's time."
She nodded and took a breath, trying to compose herself. She wiped away any tears that were left and made her way to the warriors.
"It was such a pleasure to meet every single one of you. I wish every single one of you the very best that life has to offer." She nodded her head toward them and they returned it.
When she came to Trumpkin, she fell to her knees so she could fully embrace her uncle. The one she had come to love so dearly through the short time she had known him.
"I love you, girl,"
"I love you too, Uncle."
Gwen rose and took a breath. This was going to be her hardest goodbye.
She approached Caspian, curtsying before him. "King Caspian. You're going...to be...a wonderful ruler." Gwen sniffed.
He took Gwen's hands in his, kissing them. She could have melted. She pressed her lips together.
"I'm going to miss you dearly," he whispered, his voice seeming to break.
Gwen fought to hold back her tears. She stood on her tiptoes and reaching up, she pecked Caspian's cheek. "Goodbye...Caspian," she said in a tearful voice.
If not for the grief of the situation, Caspian would have startled at Gwen finally using his first name with no title in front. "Goodbye, Gwendolyn."
She pulled her hands out of his grasp and turned away. She swatted at the hot tears running down her cheeks and made her way to the tree.
One final glance over her shoulder at the boy that had succeeded in capturing her heart. At the uncle she had only known for a few days that had shown her more love and compassion than those who helped raise her. At the land and its people she had come to love.
Then, she stepped through.
~~~
Later
Gwen thought of Caspian so much, often seemed to be an understatement. He was present in her mind daily.
Gwen's dorm mate sat at her desk, writing out her weekly letters to home, and Gwen did the same, but only wrote to the Pevensies, who wrote back.
"So, Gwendolyn, I've seen some of the letters you've written," her dorm mate, Dorcas, said. "I've seen one addressed to a boy. Is he your beau?"
Gwen sadly smiled. "No, no, not at all. Peter is like a brother."
"Well, do you have one then? Mine's planning to go into Her Majesty's army."
Gwen sat for a second. "No, I don't. But there's one I wish could be my beau."
Dorcas squealed as she plopped down onto her bed, head resting on her palms. "Well? You can't just leave off right there!"
Gwen smiled. "His name is Caspian. He's nineteen. He has the most beautiful dark eyes and hair that matches them." Gwen blushed as she and Dorcas shared a laugh. "He's a foot taller than me. He's the...kindest, most gentlemanly boy I've ever met."
"When did you meet him?"
"Five months ago." Gwen lowered her head.
"Does he fancy you?"
"Yes. Or at least I think he does. But there wasn't enough time for us to act before I had to leave."
"Did you meet him on holiday?"
Gwen gazed out of the window. "Something like that."