January 14th, 1940

London

~oOo~

The London Boarding School for Young Women really was a dreadful place. Morning rain, breakfast, school, dinner, more rain, sleep, repeat. Day's were like this for three straight year's, the time I had been here.

My name is Evangelica Winters, and I'm sixteen going on seventeen year's old. My guardian, Joanne Kinney had sent me here before the war started, and I haven't heard from her since. Joanne had taken me in when I was barely a foot long, since she was probably the only sane person who knew my parent's. At eight month's old, I don't remember much.

Joanne had known my parent's before they disappeared. She told me that she was related to my mother. She also told me that my parent's were a 'wild couple'. Yes, that's the word she used, Wild. Before I was born, my parent's spent their life at sea, hunting history, to find treasure. They're last search party was located near the Bahamas', around America, looking for a ship that had held the ancient Spanish Queen's Dowry, a ship they called The Aurelia. They never found it of course, but the rest of the search party never found them. And then there I was, with some British friend's of theirs, waiting for the search party came back. I was tossed around from them, to the British Court, to a temporary orphanage, then into the safe haven in Joanne's hand's.

I look at old wedding picture's of my mother and father and notice every appearance. My father had slick black hair and green eye's. My mother was a red headed, hazel eyed beauty, but I looked nothing like them. Both their skin was a dark tan, nothing like mine. I was so pale, my skin was almost a glowing white. Joanne said they both had raspy voices from smoking. I don't know why she told me that, but I never have a response other than a blank face.

Joanne had homeschooled me until I was thirteen. By then, without any time to myself, and all education, I was already taking college courses when I came to London. Putting me ahead of all the other girl's, it singled me out, and now the only joyful company I have is of my two roommates, who keep me busy, trust me.

Spring is coming, and the school has decided to assign us with hosted homes for us to stay in for the next few season's, since those blasted German's are nearing the border's of the country's surrounding neighbor's. The Yankee's have been talking on the radio, and news is Nazi's are threatening with nuclear weapon's. And that sure get's everyone going.

I can't help but worry. I don't know where I'm going. Nobody knows where their going. Everybody has family, and I have Joanne. Who am I kidding? But I can't help but worry.

What am I going to do?

I look out the fogged window, into a pouring war of water sent by the black cloud's above. I sigh as my face pushes against the cold glass in misery. It never snow's. It just rain's.

I hear a girlish yawn, and turn to see my roommate Sophia, awakening from her fifteen hour sleep. I smile at her bed head.

"Good morning. I suggest we hurry, huh?" I ask with a smile.

"Mm-hmm. I woke her up last time, and I got a fist in my face. It's you're turn to wake the beast." she giggles, and I groan.

She hop's out of bed and turn's to my in her purple silk night gown. "Oh Winter's, you have a terrible habit of slouching. Stop moping and race me!" She run's to her closet and dig's her uniform out.

My mouth form's a tight frown as I get up, and my step's quicken as I race toward my wardrobe, pulling out my school outfit, but still, Sophia beat's me to the changing room. My cheek's brighten in annoyance. Thank God, Holly, our other roommate is still sleeping. I pull of my no sleeve lace night gown, and I stand in my under garment's. I slip on my red knee length skirt and zip it halfway. I throw on my snow white long sleeve button up shirt, straightening the collar, and leave it unbuttoned right above my mid chest, and tuck the end of my shirt into my skirt, and finish zipping it up. I'm luckier than most girl's. Other than my head and eyebrow's, I have no hair on my body neck down. So my skin is silk smooth.

I slip on stocking's and my black loafer's, and tie my hair up into a tight French braid, slipping it around my shoulder. I turn to the bed at the end of the room. Time to wake her up!

I shake her shoulder for two second's until I hear, "You have five second's to back away before I kill you."

"That's a little harsh, Holly. We're in the middle of a war." I respond back with a kind voice, which I know bug's her. She shrug's me off. "Come on, we have to pack. Ms. Pisciotta will have a fit if we're late for the train station." I warn her.

At the mention of our head mistress, she pout's as she get's up and pushes her glasses on. She look's up at me as I smile.

"You smile too much." She adds darkly. "Nobody is that nice."

"You don't smile enough. You should try being nice. Or your approximation of nice, then you'd be beautiful on the inside too." I keep my grin up, and she throw's her hand's up in the air.

"Again, with the compliment's!" she groan's, and I giggle.

By the time Sophia is out of the dressing room, we're all fully clothed, and all our possession's are sprawled across our bed's. Joanne fund's a bill that allows me to get new clothes every year, and I donate every piece of clothing that doesn't fit me anymore, and give the clothing in best condition to the school for newcomer's without uniform's. So I have five pair's of everything, shirt's and skirt's, I have 3 pair's of short's, and two pair's of pant's, one being jean's. I have 3 pair's of shoes. I like everything neat so I fold and tuck my clothing into the smallest volume I can fold them into, that way everything fit's into my bag. I have a picture of Joanne holding me when I was a toddler. It was spring, and we were sitting under a cherry blossom tree, the morning sun illuminating us. I'm in a white summer dress, and I'm smiling as Joanne rest's her chin on my head. I grin at the sight and kiss the picture frame, before slipping it between my softest sweater's.

There's just one thing left.

I bend down and reach in between my mattress, and pull out a pure silver keep safe box. I sit down on my bed and smile sadly as I open it. Inside are purple, pink, and blue seashell's, a collection of pearl's, the only thing's I have left of the family. At the bottom of the box, wrapped in white lace, is a silver chain necklace, holding a blue crystal shaped like a heart. Somehow holding it eases my jitter's, so I clip it around my neck and hold it in my finger tips. I think of the sea, the crashing waves. Of golden light shining through crystal clear water. Of a golden palace sitting on the ocean floor. And a vision of a stone castle looking off the edge of a cliff facing the shore. Then out of no where, a voice say's 'Cair Paravel, Eye Of Atlantis'.

"Huh?" I look to Holly, and she say's, "Huh?"

"This is for circulation," I see Sophia raising her hand's above her head, the bending down so low, her head is in between her leg's. "And this is for wrinkles."

"What on earth are you talking about? That's not scientifically proven." I ask bewildered at the sight.

"Your far to young to have wrinkles, Sophia. If anything, that'll give you a bloody nose." Holly smirks.

Sophia scowl's. "We're almost of marrying age. Ever thought of that?" No. I haven't. I stay still wondering what she'll say next. "I want to stay looking young for a while if you ask me. Which is why I look like me, and you look like..." she stop's as she look's at me. Obviously there's not a word to describe me because she doesn't continue.

"Actually, you're quite beautiful. Thin nose, fine bone structure, full lip's, blue eye's, a burnt, Colombian, reddish-" she makes hand movement's as she explains me, "-colored hair. Fair, pale, skin." She narrow's her eye's at me, as if she's wondering what's my secret.

"And a big chest too." Holly adds cheerfully. I throw my pillow at her and try not to scream as they laugh.

"Hey, you're lucky. Most of us lot get some awful genes." Sophia point's to her hair. "I've got a frizzy mess of blonde fuzz because of all this humidity. Other than that, I'm flawless." We look to Holly and she wiggled her finger's.

"I've got man hand's." She shrug's. Sophia begins to chuckle but they she chokes on her Wriggley's gum. That just send's us into a fit.

The intercom in the hallway sound's off as I open my eye's.

"All student's, report to the bus port immediately. I repeat, all student's report to the bus port immediately."

I jump up and slip my keep safe box into my luggage bag, and put my school hat on. "Say goodbye, girl's. We're never seeing this room again." I sigh.

My roommates join my side next to the door and take one last look. "You know, we made a lot of memories here. Even though I hate this school." Holly put's her hand to her heart, as her lip's form as if she tasted something sour. I throw my bag over my shoulder and put my arm's around their neck's. "Someone open the door before I cry." Sophia say's.

"Come on..." Holly say's with a sad smile as we file out the door into a crowd of girl's. Holding hand's we walk down the filled hall's and stare into classroom's that are empty, and teacher's packing up old test's and grades from us student's. The solemn look on Mr. Tweetys face reminds us all of reality. What our families are going through, what refugee's are dealing with. We had it good. And unlike the Jew's, and protester's, and people, we're being sent to safety. Because we're under twenty year's the crowd of girl's I couldn't see through the double door's, and as we got closer I could see the grey busses lined up in the turn around.

"Come on now, girl's. Run under the parama, so you don't get wet." Ms. Pisciotta waves the groups of student's to the first bus.

We stand there, shivering slightly. "I can't wait to get out of London." I mutter. Rain patter's on top of the metal covering, and dumps a waterfall on top of the street drainage system. With the sky covered with an unending mass of grey, the sun seem's like a silver oyster, barely giving light to the road's below.

Once the first group is loaded, Sophia, Holly, and I are loaded into the second bus. They sqeal as they run under the rain, but I grin as the cold water splashes on me. As I step in, I realize that it's no warmer in here than the cold outside. You would think all the donation's would be enough to provide heating. Sliding in next to Holly, I sigh and lean my head back against the seat. Staring up at the ceiling, I drift away from the lines of bolt's, and peak out the window. I see Ms. Piscoitta waving her hand of fake nails, and wrinkled knuckles, at Lydia Pomper, who still has her tape set blared on high into her ear's. I look below the two, and notice if Ms. Piscoitta steps any closer, she'll step into a puddle of water. I look above and wish that metal would twist and dump a bucket load on top of that woman.

I blow air on the bus window, blocking view, and the ice on the outside crackles as effect. "Lord help me." I say as I turn away, because the thought makes me laugh, but a shriek cut me off. A whoosh fills the air, as every student stand up, and stick their heads out of their windows, to see our headmistress soaked head to toe, her mascara dripping down her face, and finger's blue with frost. She must be having a hard time believing what just happened, because she scream's again.

A burst of laughter escapes the door's of each bus, as every girl either giggles, snorts, or claps like a retarded seal. And all I can manage is a very feeble, "No kidding..." as my mouth form's an open smirk.

The ride to the Moskovsky Vokzal train station was filled with whispers in the silence, and an occasional boom from the thunder.

All the boarding school's are scheduled for the train's before the city children, because our parents aren't here. Another thing that bugged me, is that here we are, being sent away to safety, and some of the girls are flirting with the boy's from New Bloomsburry Early Colledge. I get a lot of stares as I walk with Sophia and Holly down the railing. Holly's like a overprotective sister, and Sophia wants the attention on her sparkly sweater, so they join my side. "Thank you.." I squeak as I look down at my black loafer's, surrounded by grey pavement.

"Oh, Angel, you're just the cutest thing when you're like that." Sophia giggles, and then waves at one of the boy's. Holly and I ask, "Like what?" me out of confusion, and Holly growling like a Doberman.

"You're embarrassed by all the attention you're getting. You may not want it, but I do." She sounded a little arrogant, but she must have noticed too, because she sends me a small smile to assure me.

Quickening our step's, we run to Mr. Safin to receive our name tags, tickets, and destination list. Sophia nodded her head, scanning the far end of the corridor where a group of girls were standing around a large bulletin board. Hanging back, I wait to look for my name on the list.

"Oh, I've got Saint Thomas Chapel, in England. A chapel. Why me?" Holly grunt's. I speak up, "Look on the bright side. God's house are holy places. Devil can't touch you there." We both smile.

"Typical! I've got the good luck, St. Petersburg!" Sophia shout's and raises her arm's in victory. I push my way through the crowd and scan with my index finger down the W's.

And there I see it.

Winters, Evangelica - East Finley - Digory Kirke, MaCready

"I've got Finley." I say duly. I wasn't expecting anything, and I wasn't disappointed either. I was taken by the name Digory Kirke. And MaCready? Is that the estate?

"I hear Finley's absolutely beautiful after Winter." Sophia says dreamily.

"6204, All Aboard!" A man call's, leaning out of the train car. Holly's eye's widen.

"Angel, that's you! Already?" she reads my destination card. "Oh, goodbye!" they hug me as the whistle blows.

A boy grabs my arm saying, "Come on! Finley train's gonna leave!" grabbing my bag, and dragging me away.

I finally found a free window seat where I could look for my friend's. I looked out, and was quickly joined by a group of younger girls, and older boy's looking for their friends. I quickly spotted them, and began yelling and frantically waving, along with all the other children who were yelling their farewell's.

"Goodluck Winters!" Sophia yelled, and Holly screamed "You'd better write!"

"I will!" I yell back, my eyes getting watery.

The train slowly started moving, and all too soon, I lost sight of the girls who had been with me for three years. The train picked up speed and I decided it a good time to start searching for a compartment for myself. I found one that was almost empty, other than two children who looked a bit of 8 years old. I put away my luggage, and helped the older child with their luggage on the rack above us, and sat down. I sat with the two, and the younger one lay his head on my shoulder, as I wrapped my arm around him, as he stopped crying. The ride was very long, and my stop happened to be one of the very last ones. I watched from the compartment window, as the two kids I had shared it with were taken off to wherever they had been assigned to stay in West Finley. I moved across the room, and sat where I could see where the train was headed, and I remained silent the rest of the way, helping my mind to wonder what the future held for me, and thinking of what my new home would be like.

I loved how riding out of Wintry London led to a blooming countryside. But a solemness took over and I looked gloomily out the window of blurring scenery of the night.

I playing with my necklace. Humming, I pick up a tune. I've always believed in magic, in faith, and in trust.

I remember one night, I was wearing my necklace, and sang in the living room of Joanne's condo. I was young, but I remember somehow I blew on the material, and the balcony curtain's caught on fire. Magic or not, something's got my back.

I sing softly. Looking down, my hand is glowing a dim red, light from my palm. I put it to my heart.

But everything faded as the night came.

I stand facing the drowning sun. My head lined with a gold head dress trailing behind my head, and a flowing white gown, fading into an ocean blue and the end soaks in the sea water. Looking to my side, my hand rests on the head of a Lion who breathes in deeply.

"Everything is going to change, young Lioness. Have faith, and never forget your true home." his voice is like a soft thunder, and he looks to me.

"Why... how?" I ask in confusion. He chuckles, and turns back to the sinking sun.

"Your heart of Atlantis, my Queen. Trust it. And have faith in your family forever." he says nodding to the water. I follow his eye's, and a large wave comes crashing down in front of us. A sudden light flashes in the water, and a smiling siren reaches out and bow's. Two others, a male and female stand in light, while the water surges around them. The woman smiles and beckons for me to grab her hand.

I turn to the Lion, and he pushes me forward with his nose, purring. Stepping barefoot into the wave, I grab the woman's hand, and as I step into the light, the people are no longer made of water. In a stunning pearl white dress,the woman is adorned with violet pearls and a golden coral crown, and silver strings flowing in her glowing auburn hair framing her pale skin. And right when I look into her eye's...

SLAM! The conductor slides the train car door open.

"I COULDN'T SEE WHO IT WAS!" I roared as I buried my face into my hand's, groaning from the morning sunlight.

"West Finley. Here we are!" He yells, with his black mustache curled around his jolly grin. I let out a short whine, as I hop up and straighten my skirt. The conductor help's me with me bag, and lead me out the train, into the burning ray's of sunlights before a scene of bottlebrush trees and...

My stop was at a station that, wasn't really a station. There was only a wooden stand in the middle of... well, nowhere. A dirt road was next to it. I was the only one here surprisingly, though it didn't look like there were mainly any places around here for people to stay.

Here we go.

An hour later, I hear a train horn blaring. It was coming from the same direction as my train. It's probably carrying the city kid's. The train comes to a screeching halt, and a few minutes later, four kids come marching out. Wait, recount.

Four kids. Four?! I wasn't even expecting two. This house must be huge. The conductor usher's them out, just like the other one, and they all face away from me, back towards me, watching the train roll away.

I do to, and I don't even notice the youngest girl walk up to me. She look's about 9 year's old, she has short brown hair, and hazel eye's. Her freckles make her look even cuter. She smiles as she reaches her hand out, and I shake it.

"I'm Lucy Pevensie, London. What's your name?" she asks shyly.

"Evangelica Winters, I'm from London too." I say, and her face brightens.

One of the boy's speaks up. "This Digory Kirke hasn't shown yet? How long have you been here?" He asks not rudely, but without a proper introduction. I raise my eyebrows. He chuckles slightly, his blonde hair falling in his eye's. Shaking my hand, "Peter Pevensie, Eldest Pevensie." I nod, smiling, as I now stand.

"To answer your question, I've been here well over an hour. Nobody's shown yet." I shrug. The youngest, Lucy, tug's on my sleeve.

"May I call you Vana?" she squints as she looks up at me.

"Of course. I do agree, my name is a bit of a mouth full." I laugh. The eldest girl, a little younger than me, 15 maybe, laughs as well. "Susan. And the moping boy is Edmund." She nods to the child behind them. He has black hair, and looks upset. I'm guessing he's about 12 year's old.

I smile reluctantly. "How do you do?" The boy looks taken aback, as if he doesn't believe I'm talking to him. "Swell..." he stutters for a moment, and looks at his shoes, shrugging.

The sound of on and off coming car's met out ear's so we raced down the steps of the platform, believing it was whoever was to meet us. This so called Ms. Macready.

We waited another few moments to see if any of us could hear anything, but only silence filled our ears.

"The professor knew we were coming," Susan stated in confusion.

Edmund then picked up his name tag, and inspected it. "Perhaps we have been incorrectly labeled..."

At that we heard the sound of a woman's voice which appeared to be encouraging a... horse? I was correct, as second's later, a woman rounded the corner in a large cart being drawn by a greyish horse.

The woman had a strict atmosphere around her, causing me to become weary, knowing she wasn't a person to be crossed. She gazed down at us in, if I had to name it, disinterest. I unconsciously took a step back, as did Lucy. Peter and Susan shared a look of disbelief before looking up at the woman.

"Ms. Macready?" asked Peter, hesitantly.

The woman replied, "I'm afraid so." Lucy looked up at me and I smiled reassuringly down at her, and then she spun back around.

"Is this it then? Haven't you brought anything else?" Ms. Macready asked us.

Peter replied, "No Ma'am. It's just us." Lucy nodded with him in agreement.

"Small favours." She remarked before gesturing with her head for us to get into the cart. And we quickly did so, afraid she would leave us behind if we didn't hurry.

The ride wasn't very long, but the area we rode through was beyond beautiful. It was simply breathtaking. There were large grounds filled with plants and trees surrounding the large manor.

It was an enormous house made of red brick, and appeared to be quite old.

The inside of the house was much bright in spirit, but darker in others. Yes, it was quite a beautiful house, but it seemed rather large for an one older man and his caretaker.

Ms. Macready turned to us sharply and we all stopped abruptly, banging into each other slightly.

"Proffesor Kirk is not accustomed to havin' children in this house," she remarked, "and as such, there'll be a few rules you will need to follow; there will be no shoutin' or runnin'." She then began to make her way up the stairs, and we followed dumbly. "There'll be no misuse of the dumb-waiter and NO touchin' of the historical artifact's." The woman had turned sharply to see Susan just ready to touch a white stone bust, but stopped at her words, and gulped loudly.

We were all quiet as she led us up the rest of the staircase, and stopped in front of a large wooden door. "And above all, there'll be no disturbin' the professor."

With that, she led us to our room, and left us to fend. When we heard her step's faint away, we all released the breath we didn't know we had been holding. Lucy let out a small giggle.

It soon became dark once we unpacked, and it was time for bed. I slept in the bed farthest from them, not wanting to invade their family pack, but I was surprisingly welcomed into any discussion. Lucy had been tucked in by Peter, Susan, and I, but she still couldn't find it in herself to go to sleep. Peter sat on a cushioned flat bench that was in the wall, and fastened below the window, which he gazed out of into the darkness. I sat on Lucy's bed, reading a fairytale to her, trying to get her to doze off. Out of my word's, I could hear the radio spokesman begin to tell of the war. We all fell quiet. Susan walked over to it and turned it off. We didn't need to be reminded of the trouble.

I gave up on reading to Lucy, and slapped the book shut with a sigh, as the older sibling's walked over to us and sat down.

"These sheets feel scratchy..." Lucy mumbled to us.

"War's don't last forever, Lucy. We'll be home soon." Susan reassured. Lucia looked to be, and I nodded in agreement. Edmund chose to saunter in, "Yeah, if home is still there." I felt Lucy tense. I rolled my eye's at his word's. Now, he wasn't helping the matter.

"Isn't it time you were in bed?" complained Susan. Edmund had always been rather childish, and they often wondered if he was ever going to grow up, as he still looked like a child instead of a 13 year old boy. I learned that much listening to Peter while he explained the story of how they got here.

"Yes, Mum." Edmund remarked sarcastically. I shared a look with Susan and we both shook our heads. "Edmund!" warned Peter, and Edmund finally stayed silent. We turned to the other siblings. "You saw outside, this place is huge! We can do whatever we want here! Tomorrow is going to be great. I know it." we said together. I looked to Peter in shock and laughed. I found out he was the same age as me, and we were both interested in politics and fencing. Especially history in the fifteenth century.

Peter gave us a smile, and Lucy gave a laugh.

"Sing for me, Vana." Lucy tugged on my night dress. "Um..." I hesitate.

Susan put her hand on my shoulder. "I'll help you out. You know the Hebrew song, Ashira? She loves that one." I nod and motion for her to start singing.

Susan's voice is strict, and high pitched, but flow's perfectly.

"Many nights we've prayed, with no proof anyone could hear. In our hearts a hopeful song, we barely understood... Now we are not afraid, although we know there's much to fear... We were moving mountains long before we knew we could..." She pauses. "There can be miracles, when you believe... Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill... Who know's what miracles you can achieve, when you believe, somehow you will... You will when you believe."

Susan finishes the chorus and I start. My voice pours over the lyrics, and I remember Joanne singing it to me when I was young.

"In this time of fear, when prayer so often proved in vain... When hope seems like the summer birds, too swiftly flown now I'm standing here..." Susan begins singing with me and our voices blend into the chorus. "With a heart so full, I can't explain. Seeking faith, and Speaking words I'd never thought I would say..."

"There can be miracles, when you believe, when you believe, though hope is frail, it's hard to kill, it's hard to kill. Who knows what miracles you can achieve, you can achieve, when you believe. Somehow you will... You will when you believe." We fade out as Lucy jumps in her bed, singing in hebrew, and we all laugh.

"Ashira a nota nye, heronye. Ashira a nota nye, heronye. Ne amucabye ah ne Ah deni. NeAhocame atoura aboura. Netitrah avasta ma untu harbaca, Ashira Netitrah avasta ma untu harbaca. Ashira Ashira Ashira!" Edmund and Peter join in, followed by Susan and I, and we're all singing in the launguage, laughing.

"NeAhocame atoura aboura! Netitrah avasta ma untu harbaca, Ashira Netitrah avasta ma untu harbaca! Ashira! Ashira! Ashirah!"

"There can be miracles, when you believe... Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill... Who know's what miracles you can achieve, When you believe! Somehow you will... Somehow you will... You will when you believe...!"

I finish off breathing out, "You will when you believe..."

"That was wonderful, children. Now go to bed!" We hear Ms. MaCready yell from downstair's.

We all start giggling, and Peter puts his hands on Susan and I's back. "She's right. We ought to get to bed. It's awfully late." We all hug, and I motion Edmund in. "Come on." I put my arm around his shoulders and kiss his head, in a sisterly way.

Blowing out the candles, Lucy looks to me.

"Goodnight Vana." I kiss her forehead. "Sweet dream's, Lucy."

She turns to Peter. "Goodnight Peter. Goodnight Susan. Goodnight Edmund. Goodnight Angel's. Goodnight God. Goodnight Mum, and Dad. Goodni-"

"Lucy. We all love you, okay?" Susan groans, and I chuckle as I slip under the cover's.

Not even ten seconds later, Lucy scream's. "GOODNIGHT MS. MACREADY!"

We ended the day with a smile on all our faces.

Songs ~ When You Believe ~ Prince Of Egypt Soundtrack