This is the prologue for Choices. At first, I thought about making it a prequel to Dear One, but then I figured Dear One has run its course. Oh, and so you're not confused, here are the ages of the characters.
Caspian – 21
Lucy – 15
Edmund – 17
Eustace – 13
Tristan – 19
As you may notice, the prologue is exactly like the beginning of VODT, but don't worry, it'll change in the first chapter. I own nothing, the characters and all belong to C.S. Lewis, and the company and all that jazz. So enjoy!
LUCY'S POV
It was a sunny, normal, boring day in Cambridge, England. I was in the market, and Edmund was supposed to be helping me buy food, but he was nowhere to be seen. I sighed and bought the food before picking up the bag and heading to the building where men were enlisting in the army. I walked to the door and looked in.
"Alberta Scrubb?" the man at the desk inquired. I knew my brother's answer; he'd tried enlisting before.
"It's a typographical error," Edmund insisted. "It's supposed to be Albert A. Scrubb."
"Edmund," I called, exasperated. He turned and sighed when he saw me. "You're supposed to be helping me with the groceries," I reminded him. It was about time we were getting home. I still needed to cook dinner. The men standing in line behind my brother laughed.
"Better luck next time, eh squirt?" the one directly behind Edmund mocked. As we walked out of the building and to the bicycle we brought, I could feel my brother's anger rolling off of him in waves. I knew part of it was due to the fact that I'd interrupted right when he was about to be accepted.
"Squirt?" he scoffed. I knew that the other part was due to the man mocking him. I was glad it wasn't all my fault. "He barely had two years on me! I'm a king! I've fought wars, and I've led armies!" I knew what he meant. I was tired of being treated like a child as well. But we had to remember where we were.
"Not in this world," I reminded him.
"No," Edmund went on. "Instead I'm stuck here, doing battle with Eustace Clarence Scrubb." As he was speaking, a soldier flirting with a pretty blonde girl caught my eye. She flirtatiously pushed her hair behind her ear, and I mimicked her actions. I couldn't help but think I wished I was as pretty as she was. Then I caught the look my brother was giving me.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Nothing!" I answered quickly. "Come on!" When we got back to the house, I caught the familiar sight of my Uncle Harold sitting in his chair reading the newspaper.
"We're back," I announced. "I tried to get carrots at the market but all they had were turnips again. You'd better freshen up for dinner." I walked out of the kitchen to see he'd completely ignored me. "Uncle Harold," I scolded, walking back into the kitchen to look at the mail. I saw a letter from my sister and smiled.
"Edmund!" I called, walking once more out of the kitchen, holding up the letter. "It's from Susan!"
We headed upstairs to the room I had to myself and I read the letter aloud. I let out an exasperated sigh when I reached the part about spending more time in Cambridge.
"Another few months? How will we survive?"
"You're lucky," Edmund said, rolling his eyes. "At least you have a room to yourself." He lay back on my bed as he spoke.
"Peter and Susan are the lucky ones," I corrected. "Off on adventures…." I stood and crossed the tiny room to the mirror and stared at my reflection. "Do you think I look anything like Susan?" I asked. But as soon as I said it, I knew it was pointless. Edmund didn't care.
"Lucy," my brother began, standing from the bed and walking to the painting on my wall, "have you seen this ship before?" I turned and smiled.
"Yes. It's very Narnian-looking, isn't it?"
"There once were two orphans who wasted their time," came Eustace's voice from the doorway, startling me, "believing in Narnian nursery rhyme."
"Please let me hit him," Edmund said, turning and starting towards our cousin. I grabbed his arm.
"No!"
"Don't you ever knock?" Edmund continued, this time talking to Eustace before turning back to the painting.
"It's my house. I'll do as I please," Eustace said in a snarky tone, moving to sit on my bed. "You're just guests." He paused for a second before adding, "What's so fascinating about that picture, anyway? It's hideous."
"You won't see it from the other side of the door," Edmund argued.
"Edmund, it looks like the water's actually moving," I commented lazily, smiling.
"What rubbish!" Eustace scoffed. "See? That's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels of yours."
"There once was a boy called Eustace, who read books full of facts that were useless." I couldn't help but giggle at my brother.
"People who read fairytales only become a hideous burden to people like me, who read books of real information." I sighed and rolled my eyes at Eustace's immaturity.
"Hideous burden?" my brother demanded. "I haven't seen you lift a finger since you've been here." I tuned him out when the painting started…leaking…water.
"Edmund, the painting!" I exclaimed, but he wasn't listening. In fact, it wasn't until sea spray blasted out—hitting me square in the face—that the two boys even noticed what was happening.
"What's going on?" Eustace demanded. He went on ranting in a panicked voice as water started pouring out. Finally he ran to the picture and took it off the wall.
"Eustace, don't!" I heard Edmund yell, and we both ran to get the painting from it. It was dropped to the floor, water gushing out relentlessly. Eustace was the first to slip underwater, followed by Edmund. I looked around for a sign of either of them, but saw nothing and started worrying about myself when I felt something pulling me. With a short scream, I fell under.
Dun dun duuuuhhhhh! Apparently I'm notorious for my cliffhangers now! Hope you enjoyed! Review for me, plleeeeeaaassseeee!
