Twelve Years Later.
"Miranda," a voice shouted through the main hall, and a young man stepped out of the shadows.
"Where is that girl?" he muttered to himself.
The golden haired man raced down to the throne room, still searching.
"For goodness sakes, where is she?"
He looked in her room, in the gardens, and finally headed toward the library.
He burst through the doors, and found who he was looking for. Miranda sat in a chair, sleeping. Her hair was in a long braid that reached down to the bottom of her back, and her sword rested on her lap as her head rolled to the side. Smiling, the young man came forward and shook her slightly.
"What have I told you about waking me up Peter?" she murmured sleepily, opening her eyes.
"To not to," Peter replied, his smile glistening under his beard.
"Oh, what is it?" she yawned.
"Word has been sent that the White Stag has been seen near the Western Wood, heading towards Lantern Waste. My brother, sisters, and I are going to try and hunt it down. Edmund wondered if you would care to join us."
Miranda smiled sleepily, and said;
"Peter, as much as I would like to, I doubt that I would stay awake. Orieus awoke me at midnight to hunt something else down. You go with your siblings, and just stay out of trouble."
Peter laughed and ran out the door, shouting;
"Don't worry; we'll stay out of trouble."
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"Quickly!" Miranda heard the words shouted from the courtyard. "Gather together searching parties and look in all directions! The kings and queens are missing!"
Miranda raced to the courtyard. Centaurs, fauns, and satyrs were racing everywhere.
"What happened?" Miranda shouted.
"Their highnesses are missing!" Orieus replied. "The horses say that they went into a deeper part of the forest and never came out."
"That is strange," Miranda said to herself. Racing to the stables, her mind went a thousand different directions. The horn had never been sounded, the weather had remained the same; What was going on?
Miranda did not need an answer to that one.
Arriving at the stables, she headed for Onyx's stall. His coal black head peered out, and Miranda saw a spark go through him.
"Oh, am I to join in the search?" he asked excitedly.
"No Onyx. Neither of us is going," she said sadly. "I need you to take me to the Stone Table."
Miranda could feel Onyx tense.
"What is wrong warrior?"
"I'll tell you when we are out of the castle."
Miranda led Onyx out, taking neither bridle nor saddle. She mounted her steed, and Onyx raced as fast as he could out of Cair Paravel. Racing towards the Stone Table.
"Now," Onyx said, slowing down enough to talk, "What is wrong?"
"There is no need to search for the kings and queens Onyx. I know where they are."
"Well then, by all means," Onyx said, turning around, "We must tell the others."
"No Onyx," Miranda sighed, turning him around, "It is not the kind of news that would make one glad. Aslan has sent them back to our world."
Onyx neighed nervously.
"How do you know?!" he demanded.
"Because there was no sign of their disappearance. The sky is clear, the sun shines bright, the sea is still, and the woods are silent. Aslan once told me that this day would come. I had just hoped that it would not be as soon as this."
"But why are we going to the Stone Table?" Onyx questioned, but he already had a feeling that he would know the answer.
"Aslan will send me back too Onyx. My time here is up."
As they were talking, they noticed suddenly that they were at the steps that led to the Stone Table.
"Onyx."
"Yes Miranda."
"Could you do me a favor?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Tell Hunta and Orieus. Tell them thank you. Tell them they were the best of friends a person could have."
"That warrior, I can do."
Miranda dismounted her horse one last time, and Onyx pushed his face to her chest.
"I don't want to say good-bye," he whispered.
"Onyx, never was there a horse better than you. Serve Narnia well, and may you be blessed."
Onyx raised his face to look her in the eye.
"Never before and never again will there be a warrior like you Miranda. Thank you for choosing me as your steed, and letting me fight your battles with you."
"And thank you for bearing me. For always being there to carry me on. I could not have chosen better."
Onyx backed away from Miranda's chest, and she took her arms off of his neck.
"Then farewell, warrior." And with that, Onyx turned around, and ran back to Cair Paravel. Miranda heard from the distance, a lone, high neigh.
"Farewell most noble steed."
Then, Miranda turned, and raced up the stairs to the Stone Table.
As she reached the top, a figure as golden as the sun appeared before her.
"Aslan!" she shouted. Running towards him, she threw her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his golden mane. She could hear him purring, and felt his warm tongue kiss her cheek.
"It is alright to cry young one. It is alright to cry."
"I am not crying because I must leave Narnia. It is leaving you. I can bear without Narnia, but not you," she sobbed.
"Hush dear one," Aslan purred, "I have a name in your world as well, and you must come to know me through that name." Gently, but firmly, he pulled himself from Miranda's arms.
"It is time to go now," he whispered. "Give me your sword warrior."
Miranda took the beautiful sword from its sheath, and held it before Aslan.
"Push it to the ground," he ordered.
Miranda pointed the blade to the earth as Aslan said. Suddenly, a vine sprung up, and curved itself around the sword, holding it in place.
"Only a true warrior of Narnia will ever put hands on this sword," Aslan whispered. Then, his golden eyes looking to Miranda, he said;
"Good-bye my dear child." He opened his mouth and breathed on her.
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Miranda sat straight up in her bed. Wait a minute, her bed?!
Yes, Miranda was back home, in her room, on her bed. She ran down the hall to the bathroom, and saw a 14 year old girl with pale skin and thin hair looking back. Gone was the 29 year old woman that had rescued Narnia, with thick long hair and dark skin. It was all gone.
Miranda went back to her room and sat on her bed. What had it gotten her? What had it all been for? Then she saw the bible on her nightstand again. Curious now, she turned the pages, and stopped at a verse;
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Miranda's head suddenly went reeling. Wasn't that what Aslan had done for Edmund? Died in his place so that he could live? And Aslan's father, the Emperor beyond the Sea, hadn't stopped it. He could have, but he didn't.
Miranda raced to the small kitchen, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.
"Hello," a voice said at the other end.
"Pastor Richard, this is Miranda."
"Oh. Hi Miranda. Is everything alright?"
"Actually I have a few questions if it's okay."
She asked about the verse. She asked about Jesus. She asked about sin and the cross. And every answer that he gave cleared her eyes.
"This is it," shethought, "This is his name!"
"Miranda?"
"Yes, Pastor Richard."
"Do you want to pray?"
Miranda took no time to answer.
"Yes, yes I do."
"Alright then."
And she prayed.