Annabelle's POV

I sat at Peter's desk in his chambers, writing out a list of various noble women living in distant countries. Peter paced behind me, only offering small "hmm's" whenever I suggested another suitor. His 30th birthday was just around the corner and I was in charge of finding him a suitable wife before that time. 

"How about the Lady Marta of Galma. I believe she has attended one or two of Susan's birthdays in these last few years." I suggested, flipping through old invitations and letters. 

"She has gone through six husbands just this year." Peter reminded me in a curt voice.

"I'll put her down anyways."

"Fine. Is that enough?" 

"I've only written down three. All of which you have already said no to." I responded, to which Peter groaned. "Perhaps you could help instead of standing there and grumbling." I suggested. 

"Enough with these suitors. Enough with these invitations and banquets. Enough, Anna." Peter snapped. I looked over to him in shock. I set down the quill I had been writing with a turned around in my chair to face the High King.

"What is with you lately, Peter?"

"Shouldn't Aslan show me which woman I am to wed?" He asked.

"Good luck with that! You have rejected every Duchess, Princess, and Lady in every bordering country! There's no one left for Aslan to choose." I shot back.

"Except one." He muttered, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms. I watched him closely.

"And that one is the one you want to marry?" I asked slowly. He nodded.

"Yes. I suppose so." I sat up straight and turned around, readying my quill once again.

"Perfect! What's her name? I'll send a letter immediately."

"Anna."

"Oh come on, Pete. Just give me a name."

"Annabelle." I turned around to see he was mere inches from my face. I dropped the quill in shock and stood up, stepping away from him.

"Your highness, I don't think-"

"Why marry a stranger from some distant land, when I could marry my best friend?" He asked.

"Peter, I-"

"What could you possibly say, Anna? Give me one good excuse why we cannot marry."

"I took an vow to serve you and your family as an adviser, a friend. We...we can't, Peter."

"Nowhere in that vow does it say we cannot wed." He pointed out.

"I-I..."

"Then just say you don't love me, and I'll choose one of your suitors." I opened my mouth to say just that, but closed it again. I tried again, but still no words came. Peter watched me closely. I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes.

"I can't." I whispered. Peter stepped forward, pulling me into his arms. His breath was warm against cheek as his face inched closer to mine. Our lips brushed together and he captured me into a kiss. I kissed back hesitantly, grabbing hold of his arms to solidify the fact that this was all real. One of his rough hands cradled my face gently, his beard tickling my chin and nose. I pulled away, breathless as he rested his forehead against mine. 

"I cannot die, Peter." I whispered.

"What?" He asked. I stepped out of his embrace, letting my hands fall to my sides.

"That vow bound me to this life, to immortality, to be the Seer for all of time after you. We cannot wed, because watching you die as a friend will already be too hard to bear." I felt tears come to my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. 

"We could do something! Ask Aslan to give your mortality back. Or...or something!" Peter objected.

"It is not that simple, Peter. The gift of a Seer is a rare one. And not one given lightly."

"Surely Aslan would understand."

"He does not do things without cause. You know this. He knows the future even before I see it. There is a purpose for my immortality. One that I cannot yet foresee."

Peter opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden sharp pain ran through my body. I let out a gasp, putting a hand to my head.

"No..no, not now." I whispered, as the pain worsened. I stumbled forward, Peter catching me in his arms. He lowered me gently into the ground.

"What is it? Anna?" I felt my body go stiff and my vision blurred. I struggled to respond to Peter. 

"Visions," was all I could get out before I let my dreams take me. 

The first thing I saw was the White Stag. 

Peter's POV

Annabelle fell limp in my arms, her eyes already moving rapidly underneath her eyelids as her mind filled with countless dreams of the future. 

This could not have happened at a worse time. I thought bitterly, but my bitterness immediately disappeared when Annabelle cried out in her sleep. I picked her up, getting to my feet. I hurried out of the room, running down the hall towards her chambers. I then found the Castle physician and informed her of Annabelle's current condition. 

She had not had one of these incidents in over seven months, since right before Edmund's birthday. She was asleep for two weeks and the celebrations for Edmund's birthday were moved by his own request until Annabelle woke up. These 'Vision Trances' as we had come to call them over the years left her sickly and weak for days after, but they were necessary in order for Annabelle to foresee the coming years.  

I suppose it is better than her shifting in and out of visions in the waking world. I thought, as I made my way back to my chambers, remembering our early years in Narnia when Annabelle would drift off in the middle of conversation and come back with a prophecy. It effected every aspect of her life and she then decided to try holding the visions at bay until absolutely necessary. 

Two days passed before Annabelle showed signs of improvement. 

Annabelle's POV

My eyes flickered open to see Peter sitting next to me. He sat up when he noticed I was awake.

"Hey, how're you feeling?" He asked, though I knew what question he was really asking. I thought for a moment.

"Narnia will remain a peaceful place for as long as you reign." I said. Peter sighed, his shoulders relaxing.

"I really did want to know how you were feeling though." He responded.

"As good as one can be." I said, sitting up.

"I'm glad." Silence fell between us as I recalled the last moments we had been together before I had fallen asleep. Peter, too, seemed to be reliving it as he suddenly cleared his throat and stood up. 

"Get some rest, Anna." He instructed before leaving the room. 

It wasn't until the next day that the physician allowed me to leave my chambers, venturing outside to the horse stables. I enjoyed spending my time with the horses when I was recovering from a vision trance. Opening up the book I had brought with me, I began reading. I had barely finished the first chapter when Edmund, Susan, and Lucy came bursting in, racing to saddle their horses. 

"Where are you going?" I asked, looking up from my book.

"The white stag was spotted!" Lucy said excitedly. I froze, my eyes widening.

No. I thought I had more time.

"You girls stay back here, I'll catch the stag myself." Edmund said proudly, tightening the saddle on his horse, Philip.

"Not if I find it first!" Susan called, having already swung up onto horse and strapped her quiver to her back. I set my book down and hopped up, ignoring the pounding headache against my skull.

"Well wait up for me then." I moved to grab my own saddle when a hand on my waist stopped me.

"Woah, what do you think you're doing?" I turned to see Peter.

"Coming with you guys."

"I don't think so, Anna. You just woke up not one day ago... You and I both know that you're not well enough."

"I'm fine." I grumbled, pulling away from him. I whipped around, the movement making my head spin and I collapsed to the floor.

"Anna!" Susan exclaimed. In an instant, all four Pevensie's were surrounding her.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked. I nodded, trying to stand, but Peter held me down.

"You're not going anywhere. Lu, go find the physician." Lucy stood up and rushed out of the stables.

"Please let me come with you!" I begged.

"What's wrong?" Edmund asked.

"Nothing." I snapped. Peter nodded to both Susan and Edmund and they stood up, walking outside. Peter looked back at me.

"You saw something... Didn't you?" His blue eyes bore into my own eyes.

"I can't say." I murmured.

"I am your King, Anna. Don't make me command you." He said, though there was still a joking light in his eyes.

"You're going to leave me."

"What do you mean?"

"You and your family are going to be sent back."

"Back where?"

"Home."

"But we are are home." Peter said with a laugh.

"No I mean back through the wardrobe. To the professors." I pressed. Peter's eyes were still shrouded in confusion, but he smiled.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten." I whispered. 

"I promise I won't leave. I'll come back here, tonight." He moved to stand up, but I grabbed hold of his tunic, pulling his lips to mine. He kissed back immediately, wrapping his arms around me.

"I love you." I murmured against his mouth. Peter pulled away, his eyes wide.

"What?"

"I love you, Peter. Please, don't leave me behind." Peter smiled and kissed my forehead.

"I could never leave you." He murmured before standing up and doing just that. The physician came rushing in, pushing passed Peter. She fused over me as I watched Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy mount their horses just outside of the stables. And as they rode off, tears streamed down my face as I knew it would be the last time I saw them. 

I paced back and forth in my chambers through out the whole morning, waiting to hear word that the kings and queens were gone. But as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, I felt my body begin to change. Rushing to the mirror, I watched myself age backwards before my eyes. Suddenly, rather than a 29 year old woman, I stared at a mere 14 year old girl in the mirror, with the eyes of an adult. In that exact moment, Orieus burst into the room. 

"The Kings and Queens are missing!" But the general faltered as I turned to face him, "my Lady... you're..."

"I know." I whispered. 

"What happened?" 

"I think you'll find that this and the disappearance of our Kings and Queens are related. Mr. Tumnus and Mr. Beaver to a meeting in the throne room." 

"Yes, my Lady." Orieus bowed his head and left the room. I looked back at my reflection, noticing that the only thing that hadn't changed was the obvious age in my eyes. Nothing could reverse the memories that now swam behind my eyes. 

By the time night had fallen, the alarm bell sounded, announcing the disappearance of the kings and queens. Orieus, Mr. Beaver, and Mr. Tumnus stood in the throne room with me, arguing over the next step of action. 

"The Calomene must be responsible. This means war." Orieus grumbled, one hand on his sword.

"We can't be sure, Orieus. We should send word to our allies before we declare war without our kings and queens." Mr. Tumnus suggested.

"I just don't understand how they could have just disappeared. Their horses said they dismounted and ran off into the woods. Maybe they're looking for their horses now. Perhaps they are lost rather than missing." Mr. Beaver said.

"They know Narnia like the back of their hands." Orieus cut in. "I am going to speak to their horses again. See if I can't get more out of them."  

"They are not missing. Nor are they lost." I spoke up, turning away from the balcony. "they've just gone away."

"Then perhaps it is time you explain your sudden change of age." Orieus demanded. I folded my hands together and looked over the friends in hand made over the past fifteen years. 

"I age with the Kings and Queens." I said simply. Confusion clouded the faces of my friends. My eyes landed on the Faun. He was always closest to Lucy. "Mr. Tumnus, when Lucy encountered you all those years ago, where did she say she was from?" He thought for a moment.

"Spare Oom. I believe it was, my Lady."

"Spare Room." I corrected. "when we first entered into Narina, it was through a grand wardrobe in the spare room of a mansion we had been staying. That is where they have gone. Home."

"But this is their home!" Orieus exclaimed.

"It was, temporarily... But Aslan saw fit to send them back to their world. And when they went back, they returned to the age they were when they first came to Narnia. Which is why I, too, have gotten younger." The three were no less confused, but Orieus crossed an arm over his chest and bowed low. 

"Then it is you who must take their place."

"No, I cannot." I protested.

"Without an heir from King Peter, or Aslan here to choose a new ruler, you are our only hope." Mr. Beaver pressed.

"Aslan never meant for me to rule. This is all wrong. I saw another Son of Adam, a Prince of Narnia, taking the throne after our Kings and Queens. I thought... I thought he would be here." I turned back to the balcony, laying my hands over the railing. It seemed like only yesterday, I was standing here with Lucy and Susan on the day of their coronation, watching Aslan fade from sight. I hadn't seen the great lion since then. Mr. Tumnus walked up next to me, holding out a white handkerchief. In the corner, the letters 'LP' were stitched in light blue thread.

"You need it more than I do." He murmured. Only then did I realize that tears were streaming down my face. I took the handkerchief from his outstretched hand, muttering a 'thank you.' I patted the tears from my cheeks.

"You are our queen now." Mr. Tumnus whispered, "don't leave us as well."

I let out a sigh and turned back towards the others. My eyes drifted over to the four golden thrones.

"Then so be it."