The fog started to clear as the sun shone brightly on the surface of the deep blue sea, showing off the victory and achievements of the young king and queens against the centuries old of dark magic. The enchantment of the Emerald Enchantress was going to be destroyed completely as the sky grew brighter with the fall of the Dark Island. 

And there was one more change that was to be grateful for. "Hey! Hey! I'm down here!" The crew heard a very very familiar voice after a long time. "Lucy! Hey, Sophie! I'm in the water. Edmund!"

"Eustace!" Lucy exclaimed as she saw Eustace floating in the ocean. 

The boy that had been scared of water was now swimming with a big smile on his face. He didn't care that his clothes were torn or that his hair was wet. He was simply happy to be alive.

"I'm a boy again!"

"Eustace!" Reepicheep spoke with joy. "I see that your wings have been clipped." He jumped into the ocean, starting to sing. "Where the sky and the water meet. Where the waves grow ever sweet." The mouse noticed something different as he picked up the water in his paw and drank it. "It is sweet! It's sweet!"

"Look!" Someone from the crow's nest shouted and everyone turned to where he was pointing. In the wide blue ocean, there was a covering of white in the distance. 

"Lilies," whispered Sophie. 

What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?

"Aslan's country," acknowledged Caspian.

"Does that mean.....?" Lucy turned to her brother.

"I'm afraid that it does, Lu." He hugged her with one arm as she rested her head on his shoulder, holding back the silent tears that now crept upon her.

Caspian held Sophie's hand, making her look up at him. The voyage of the Dawn Treader was coming to an end, and that could mean several things. What if Aslan sent Sophie back to her world? How could Caspian say goodbye to her this time? Sophie squeezed his hand to let him know that she was with him then. And she was going to fight for him.

Eustace and Reepicheep were brought onboard and all of them changed into dry clothes, just as they had at the start of the journey. "We'll travel no further," Caspian informed Drinian. "Us six only."

"Certainly, Your Majesty." Drinian halted the ship until Caspian was to return. Maybe with his fiancee by his side, or without.

A boat was lowered from the main deck with the six of them - Caspian, Sophie, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace and Reepicheep on it as they journeyed towards the final part of the voyage of the Dawn Treader. 

Caspian and Edmund took to the oars and rowed towards the sea of lilies, knowing that at the end, someone was waiting for them.

"So, what was it like when Aslan turned you back?" Sophie asked Eustace. They had to keep a conversation going because those might have been their last for a really long time, maybe even forever.

Goodbyes were forever, but so was family.

"I collapsed onto an abandoned land and I didn't even realise it until I saw him standing in the distance. I couldn't pull the sword out by myself but Aslan could. It sort of hurt, but it was a good pain - like pulling a thorn out." The lilies covered the ocean for miles and miles but that just made it better for us to have longer conversations. "Being a dragon wasn't all bad. Perhaps I was a better dragon than I was a boy." He shrugged. "I'm so sorry for being such a pain."

"It's okay, Eustace." Edmund grinned.

"You did save us." Caspian pointed out.

Sophie punched his arm softly. "You're a hero."

"And like we already knew before," Lucy spoke. "You are a good person." She placed a hand on her cousin's shoulder.

Eustace took a breath of relief. "Thank you."

"My friends, we have arrived," Reepicheep informed and when they looked at what was waiting for them, they were in awe.

A huge wave stood in front of them, the only one that mattered and was a wall between two worlds. It was frozen in its position but was still moving, as if to say that even if we want our life to stop for a moment of breather, life would go on as it would. The six of them could hear the sound of the wave from afar and it was truly a beautiful sight. The boat got itself onto the shores and they hopped off, mesmerized by the wave. No one had ever seen anything like it but they had gotten the privilege to do so that afternoon.

As they walked forward and their shadows followed them, the one that Sophie was most eager to meet ever since she found herself in Narnia walked beside them. "Aslan," Eustace spoke softly.

"Welcome children," Aslan greeted them as He stood in front of them. "You have done well. Very well indeed." Aslan was exactly like Sophie had seen Him in her dream. He had a golden aura around Him and His voice was truly soothing. "You have come far and now, your journey is at its end."

"Is this your country?" 

"No." Aslan shook His head. "My country lies beyond." He beckoned to the wave.

"Are our parents in your country?" Caspian asked, holding Sophie's hand.

"You can find that out for yourself, my son. In time."

Caspian looked at Sophie, who smiled and nodded to assure him that she would always be with him, no matter what. "I have spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given," Caspian continued. "I was given a kingdom. People. Sophie." He stood in front of Aslan and promised to be a better King.

"You already are," Aslan told him. "Sophie Adams." He addressed her next.

"Aslan." A smile spread across her face as she was finally meeting Him. 

No dreams. No metaphors. No tricks.

"You have done very well, my child. You were taken away from your home and it was time to bring you back," he said. "You've learnt everything that you need to and now, you have a new journey to begin."

"Does that mean....?"

"You can stay. Narnia is your country and your home."

"Thank you, Aslan. For everything."

"Your Eminence," Reepicheep bowed down to Aslan. "Ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your country. I've had many great adventures in this world but now, the time has come to truly serve Narnia. I know that I am hardly worthy. But with your permission, I will lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes."

"My country was made for noble hearts such as yours, no matter how small their bearers be"

"Your Majesty." Reepicheep bowed down once again.

"No one could be more deserving," said Caspian. 

"Well, I....."

"It's true," said Edmund and the two bowed to each other.

Sophie was trying not to let her feelings get the best of her. "Thank you, Reep."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." They bowed down to each other next.

Sophie wanted to tell him a lot of things and they had a lot of adventures that they could have done but they knew that they didn't have time. They had always known that. Reepicheep had saved her life before and he was a part of saving Narnia as well. He had saved her life.

Lucy walked to him and sat down on her knees. "May I?"

"Well, I suppose....." Lucy picked him up and they hugged each other.

But in the end, watching Eustace say his goodbyes to Reepicheep was the most heart-breaking. They were such good friends because in the words of Sophie's dear friends Cassie and Melody, real friendship is unexpected.

Reepicheep rushed towards the wave where a coracle waited for him after he had said his goodbyes. He left his rapier behind before rowing towards his dream, saving Narnia once again and leaving everyone behind. This was what Lilliandil had meant, but no one had been ready for it.

Aslan told Lucy and Edmund that they were getting old, just like Peter and Susan and that they had to learn his name in the other world. He roared at the wave and a path opened up. The five of them now stood in a circle and Sophie spoke up. "You are the closest thing that I've got to family." She said once again, looking at everyone. "Here." She handed them the vial that Lilliandil told her was inside the dial.

"What is this?" Eustace asked.

"It's a Fever Draught. It will help Mr. and Mrs. Scrubb forget that I ever existed."

"You're removing yourself from our lives?" Lucy asked.

"That will depend on who drinks it."

It was up to them. They could forget Sophie if they wanted to but the looks on their faces assured her that they wouldn't. Of course, they wouldn't! Sophie was a sister to Eustace, Edmund and Lucy. They would not dare to forget her because she had a legacy that she needed to part and they would always carry her in their hearts.

Lucy turned to face Sophie once again, perhaps for the last time. "I guess this is goodbye."

Sophie and Lucy hugged. She hugged Edmund and Eustace next but couldn't thank them for everything or to tell them to take care. Lucy rubbed her face against Aslan's mane before the three of them rushed to the portal, knowing that they wouldn't be able to bring themselves to leave if they stayed any longer.

Before the portal closed, the three looked back at Sophie and Caspian, standing hand in hand and waved at them. Edmund was smiling and so was Eustace. But the wave closed, and that was the last time they would be seeing each other.

*****

Why do I ALWAYS cry for this scene?

Someone pass a tissue *sniffs*