It was indeed indescribable to ride through the pass after so many centuries. Caspian rode at the head of the entourage but the Pevensies rode beside Corin, reminding each other in rambling stories about the fun little boy they’d known and loved.
“There it is!” Lucy’s breathless gasp recalled her siblings to the present, pointing ahead as the neat little castle came into view and bells began tolling a lively welcome, “Oh, it’s just how I remember it!”
“I’m definitely feeling the irony of the time difference right now.” Edmund gritted his teeth as they cantered towards it.
“Shut up, Ed.” Susan hissed, “That’s the worst of coming back. I hate it. I just-I just—”
“Susan…” Edmund’s face flamed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean— Of course, it’s—”
“We’ll talk later.” Peter gruffly stopped the argument, worry lines etching his face as they slowed to a trot and enter the gate; he managed to angle closer to his older little sister and gripped her arm, “We’ll get through this, Susan. The four of us together.”
“Always.” Edmund agreed, angling up on the other side.
“Absolutely.” Lucy pulled up on the other side of the younger King as they reined the horses in to watch Caspian greet King Nain.
“Welcome to Anvard, King Caspian!” the tall portly man enthused, bowing with a twinkle in his eyes, “I’ve longed for the day when Narnia and Archenland would break bread together here in friendship again.” Glancing behind him, he waved a beautiful woman and two adorable young children out of the crowd of courtiers, “This is my queen, Selene, and my son and daughter, Prince Lake and Princess Lark.”
“Thank you, King Nain.” Caspian dismounted and returned the bow, “Thank you for Archenland’s steadfast friendship to Narnia, even if you’ve had little opportunity to share it.” He grinned as he gained confidence, “And, may I add that your shipbuilders and your crew are second to none.” He gestured at the tetrarchs behind him, “These four have regaled me with all sorts of stories about King Lune’s men teaching them to sail and I look forward to having the same opportunity.”
Nain roared with laughter, “That makes my day! Well said!” He was still chuckling as his eyes focused on the Pevensies and suddenly he was dead sober.
“Welcome back to Anvard, good kings and queens.” he and his whole court dropped to their knees, “All of Archenland rejoices that you’ve returned to this world and we thank you most heartily for returning our beloved Prince Corin Thunder-fist to his homeland.”
The tetrarchs dismounted but before they could get a word in edgewise Nain bounded forward and embraced each one tightly.
“Forgive me, your majesties…” he blushed deeply, after realizing what he’d done, “I-I don’t know what came over me! That is to say—”
“There is nothing to forgive!” Susan suddenly broke into giggles, “Dear King Lune would have done the same thing! Oh, you brought back the most wonderful memory just now!” Extending her arms toward the queen, she kissed the woman on both cheeks and curtsied deeply, “Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“My sister is right!” Peter agreed warmly as he and the younger King and Queen joined in the greetings; they were all relieved that Susan had bounced back so quickly, “We’re beyond words to see this wonderful place again.”
Lucy beamed as she kissed the children’s cheeks, “I believe I was just about your age when I first came to Narnia.”
“Welcome, Queen Lucy.” the murmured with shy formality, “Welcome, Queen Susan. Welcome, High King Peter. Welcome, King Edmund. Welcome King Caspain. We’re pleased that you would come and stay with us.”
“Well, come in, come in,” Nain waved them towards the castle after they saw Corin laid in a place of honor with a twenty-four hour guard, “I’m sure you could use a bite to eat. Everything has been prepared. The service will be in the morning, but there is much to talk over before then.”
“Indeed there is!” Edmund’s eyes lit up.
“Nain, if I may ask…” Lucy looked almost hesitant, “could I possibly stay in my old guest room? I did love it so!”
“You may indeed!” Nain beamed, “I didn’t have much time to prepare but I set right to work ever since I heard that the four of you would come. You may all stay in your old rooms…I-I hope you will find things…quite familiar.” His eyes twinkled as they came through the door, “Dinner will be served in an hour and I’m ready to talk.”
“That, sir.” Peter nodded, “Makes six of us.”
“Don’t you feel like you’re in a time warp?” Edmund muttered once they were alone, moving down the familiar old hallways as if in a dream, “I’d swear I was here just—”
“Yes!” There was a note of bitterness in Susan’s voice, “It-it’s all so insane and yet—so wonderful. Why do you suppose Aslan is doing all this?” She cut her siblings a pained look, “And don’t say—”
“But it’s the only answer, Su…” Lucy pointed out gently, “I certainly don’t know what it’s all about. We’re sort of all just along for the ride, aren’t we? What are you going to ask Nain about?”
“Well, I for one an interested in how the little rascal became known as Corin Thunder-fist.” Peter recognized her idea to steer the conversation in a different direction.
“Oh, me too!” Edmund’s eyes lit up, “It sounds perfect for him though, doesn’t it?”
“It does.” Susan snickered despite herself as they came to their rooms and she was smiling again as she disappeared through her door.
An hour later, they rejoined Caspian and Nain’s family for a quiet informal dinner on the lawn. It was a crisp cool evening in the mountainous country and Queen Selene had rightly taken advantage.
“My wife thought a private dinner would be better than all the trappings of a state visit for the talking that needs doing tonight and I know better than to disagree.” Nain explained, looking earnest, “Ask anything you wish, your majesties. I-I’ll do my best to provide an answer.”
“Thank you for your openness.” Peter took the lead, the food all but forgotten, “The time difference between this world and ours has made things very trying for us, as you might imagine. We left about a year after Prince Cor returned from Calormen. The boys were still quite young, of course…”
“King Cor.” Nain corrected, smiling, “and Queen Aravis.”
“Oh, so they did marry!” Lucy gasped, a radiant smile lighting her face, “We almost knew they would, even for how short a time we really knew them.”
“Yes, yes,” Nain’s smile widened, “Their son, King Ram, sat on the throne during the darkest days of the Telmarine invasion.” He paused to smile kindly at Caspian, then forged ahead, “King Cor and Queen Aravis were felled in a bitter battle but young Ram rallied us and the Telmarines were repulsed. He is called King Ram the Great for keeping our little land free against such overwhelming odds.”
“We know a little about overwhelming odds.” Edmund sighed grimly, “from a war in our own world.” He nodded knowingly, “That sounds just like Cor and Aravis.”
“But what of Corin?” Susan was anxious.
“The king’s brother was heartbroken when his twin and sister-in-law were felled. He loved them dearly and I suspect he might have always felt a little cheated out of not having his brother around when they were young.”
Nain sighed then continued, “But as much as he grieved for them, I think it may have been worse when Narnia was in danger of falling. He remembered visiting your great house and he couldn’t stand to sit by while your kingdom tore itself apart. So, he obtained leave from his nephew and entered service with the good Narnians.”
Nain paused again, drawing a deep breath, “For a time, King Ram received word as to his uncle’s welfare and the goings-on of the effort, but then all communication was lost and the situation did not allow for the expectation of a truthful answer. It is only now that…”
“Please…” Lucy spoke after a long pause, wanting to talk on a lighter subject, “You called him Corin Thunder-fist? I can well imagine he would approve of such a name, but how…”
“Ahh, that’s a rather grand story, your majesty.” Nain smiled, “It happened at the very beginning of the Telmarine invasion of Narnia, before anyone truly recognized the threat they posed. A Talking Bear on the Narnian side of Stormness lapsed into living as a dumb Beast.”
“I don’t pretend to know his motives or condone his actions.” he continued as the Pevensies stiffened, “but Prince Corin found out about it and would have none. He climbed Stromness in the dead of winter and boxed the Bear thirty-three rounds without a time-keeper to teach him a lesson and, I daresay, the Bear was quite reformed after that.”
For a moment silence reigned, then everyone burst out laughing.
“Oh, that does sound like him!” Susan had tears in her eyes, “Oh, bless him—oh my—”
“By, golly, it does!” Peter agreed, “I’m proud of him though.”
“Me too!” Edmund, clapped.
“Absolutely!” Lucy nodded, “He saved that Bear’s life—I wonder though…why in the world…?”
“Unfortunately,” Caspain’s voice was soft but it drew everyone’s attention, “My ancestors probably promoted such a thing, especially in the early days. As Trumpkin told you, if a Beast were found able to talk, his life was in danger. Many Narnians lived a dumb life in order to just live.” He frowned, then added, “My own tutor, Dr. Cornelius, comes from the union of a man and his enslaved Dwarf.”
“Well,” Peter said, after a few moments of silence, picking up his fork and stabbing the roast on his plate, “at least that time is over now.”
The others quickly followed his example, all knowing that tomorrow would be very difficult.