"I hope so."
"Until then... dear one." The White Witch drove off and Edmund was left alone.
"Edmund? Oh Edmund!!!!" Lucy called, hugging her brother. "I saw Mr. Tumnus again and he's fine!!! The White Witch hasn't found out about him helping me!"
"The White Witch?" Edmund questioned. "
"She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't. Edmund? Are you okay? You look awful."
"Well what do you expect! It's freezing! How do we get out of here?"
"Come on... this way." She led him back.
ENGLAND
Peter awoke to Lucy shaking him. "Peter, Peter, wake up! It's there, it's really there!"
Peter rolled over, still mostly asleep. "Lucy, what are you talking about?"
"Narnia! It's all in the wardrobe, like I told you!"
Susan walked into the room and said, "Lucy, you've been dreaming."
Lucy frowned. "I wasn't. I went and saw Mr. Tumnus again. And this time, Edmund went too."
Peter looked at Edmund. "You -- you saw the faun?"
Lucy cocked her head. "Well, he didn't actually go there with me. What were you doing, Edmund?"
Edmund stumbled over his words. "I-I was playing along. I'm sorry, guys. I shouldn't have encouraged her. You know what little children are like these days. They just don't know when to stop pretending."
He smiled smugly at his little sister and she burst into tears. She ran out of the room and as Peter stood, he shoved Edmund to the ground.
Susan and Peter followed Lucy and stopped abruptly, seeing that she'd run into the professor. Andrew emerged from his room with a frown. Mrs. McCready appeared moments later and gave them an angry look. "You children are one shenanigan shy of sleeping in the stable. Oh, Professor, I'm sorry. I told them that you were not to be disturbed."
The professor looked down at Lucy. "Oh, it's all right, Mrs. Macready. I'm sure there's an explanation. But first of all, I think this one is in need of some hot chocolate."
"Yes, Professor. Come along, dear."
Lucy followed Mrs. Macready to the kitchen. Susan and Peter started walking away, but were stopped by the professor. They stood in the room, alongside Andrew who stood near the door, and he lit his pipe before saying, "You seem to have upset the delicate internal balance of my housekeeper."
"We're very sorry, sir," Peter apologised. "It won't happen again." He grabbed Susan's arm, trying to get get to leave.
"It's our sister, sir," Susan said.
"The weeping girl," the professor recalled.
Susan nodded. "Yes, sir, she's upset."
"Hence the weeping."
Peter grabbed Susan's sleeve in an attempt to get her to be quiet. "It's nothing. We can handle it."
"Oh, I can see that."
Susan sighed. "She thinks she's found a magical land... in the upstairs wardrobe."
The professor suddenly seemed interested. "What did you say?"
"The wardrobe upstairs," Peter repeated. "Lucy thinks she's found a forest inside."
"She won't stop going on about it," Susan added.
"What was it like?" the professor asked.
"Like talking to a lunatic!"
"No, no, no. Not her, the forest!"
Peter frowned. "You're not saying you actually believe her?"
Susan rolled her eyes. "Well, logically, it couldn't be possible!"
Andrew walked forward. "Trust me, it is possible. The forest is very real. My grandfather's seen it."
The professor scoffed and muttered, "What do they teach you at these schools? Andrew is right."
"Edmund said she was only pretending," Peter explained.
"And he's the more truthful one, is he?"
"No. This would be the first time."
"Well then, if your sister is not lying and isn't mad, then logically, you must assume she's telling the truth. She's your sister, isn't she? You're a family! You might try acting like one!"
With that, the three were sent to bed.
The next morning, after breakfast, they all went outside to play. Susan, Edmund and Peter were playing cricket. Lucy had chosen to sit at a tree with a book. Andrew was standing nearby, tossing an extra cricket ball between his hands.
Peter pulled his club back. "Peter winds up for the bowl!"
Peter hit the ball and it hit the back of Edmund's leg. "Ow!"
His outburst caused Peter to smirk lightly. "Whoops. Wake up, Dolly Daydream."
"Can't we play hide and seek again?"
Peter looked at Edmund in confusion. "I thought you said it was a kid's game."
Susan shrugged. "Besides; we could all use the fresh air."
"It's not like there isn't air inside," Edmund muttered.
Peter swung his arm back and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Are you?" Edmund replied, as he hit his bat on the ground. He raised it and prepared to swing.
Peter pitched the ball as hard as he could and Edmund swung. He hit the ball, the ball flew through the glass, and they all heard metal crashing to the ground. The five ran upstairs to see a suit of armour on the ground.
"Well done, Ed!" Peter cried.
"You bowled it!" Edmund returned.
The sound of marching feet caught their attention.
"Listen, McCready is coming," Susan and Andrew warned.
YOU ARE READING
Bravely Gentle
FantasyThe Pevensies are sent to the countryside to escape the devastation and danger of the Blitz. There, they meet three they'll be living with for the foreseeable future. When one discovers an enchanted land, a journey beyond imagination sets to unfol...