Okay, once Big Brother was finished, I needed another story about the "Little Pevensies" to replace it. I wasn't very sure what I would write, but then Princess Lucy made a request of me. This story is what came of it. I didn't actually do much with the request in this first chapter, but there is a bit of sibling fluff that I couldn't resist putting in! Enjoy!
"Mum!" Peter yelled from his room. "Where's my new book from Grandfather?"
"I saw Susan and Lucy looking at it earlier, dear," Annaleigh called back.
There was a pitter-patter of bare feet on the hardwood floor as Peter ran down the hall. He paused at the kitchen door, peering in at Annaleigh as she chopped carrots in preparation for the evening meal.
"Where are they?" he asked his mother.
"Try the sunroom, darling. Peter," she continued, causing her eldest son to stop mid-step as he prepared to run back down the hallway. "Are you all packed?"
The young boy bounced in place as he answered. "Almost, Mum. I need the book, though. I want to show it to Bernie."
"Alright, dear. Run and get it. Just be nice to your sisters as you do so," she said with a pointed look.
"I will, Mum."
Annaleigh smiled as Peter barreled back down the hall at full speed, making a beeline for the sunroom. Her high energy seven-and-a-half-year-old was more antsy than was usually the case at this time of day, due to the fact that the fast-approaching night would bring the grand occasion of his first sleepover. Peter had, in the past year, become good friends with a neighbor boy (the afore-mentioned "Bernie") and the child's mother, a kind, jolly sort of woman named Lucinda Chesterton, had recently expressed to Annaleigh her son's desire to have Peter spend the night. After speaking with George and carefully considering the matter with him, Annaleigh spoke with Bernie's mother and the two arranged a date for Peter to stay at the Chesterton house overnight.
As she was pondering all of this, Annaleigh found her thoughts suddenly interrupted by a loud squeal coming from the direction of the sunroom, followed by various grunts, yells, and thumps. She hastily dropped her chopping knife on the kitchen counter and rushed down the hall.
"Peter," she said as she neared the sunroom door. "I thought I told you to be nice to your sisters!"
But when she entered the room, she saw that it was not Susan or Lucy that was now pinned under Peter and screaming. With angry tears running down his red cheeks, Edmund flailed his arms and legs, trying to escape from the weight of his older brother, but to no avail. Peter ignored him as he carefully examined every page of the large, beautiful book that he now held in his hands.
"Peter!" Annaleigh gasped as she rushed into the room and pulled him from where he sat on Edmund. "What are you doing?"
Peter, his own face red from anger, glared at Edmund as Annaleigh tugged the three-year-old off the floor. "He was about to color in my book!" Peter grabbed a blue crayon off the floor and jabbed it in the direction of his brother. "He already scribbled all over the cover! See?" He held the book up to Annaleigh.
She took the book in her hands and saw that, indeed, the cover had been colored all over in crayon. An indecipherable mosaic of mixed colors now decorated the front and back of Peter's new book. It was a shame, really; the book had been a very nice gift from Grandfather Pevensie to Peter two weeks ago, when the aging man had noticed his grandson's emerging interest in medieval weapons, royalty, and knights. Peter had been thrilled with the gift and had kept it in excellent condition; until, of course, now, when Edmund got his hands on the book and a set of crayons at the same time.
Peter hadn't been the only one thrilled with his gift. When he had shown the beautiful, full-color pictures in the book to his younger siblings, Susan and Lucy had been instantly enthralled by the lovely ladies and princesses (and yes, queens) that many of the pages portrayed. As a result, they had several times carried the book off to gaze at the pictures without permission (this was why Annaleigh had warned Peter to be nice to them earlier). Edmund had also shown interest in the volume, but only because his siblings did.
"Edmund," Annaleigh said, turning to her youngest son. "Why did you color on your brother's book?"
The little boy's eyes refused to meet his mother's as he answered. "I didn't have any paper," he mumbled.
"Why didn't you ask Mummy for some?"
"'Cause I didn't wanna," came the reply.
Annaleigh sighed. "Edmund, you know better than to color on books. That book is Peter's, and you had no right to even touch it without his permission."
Edmund finally looked at Annaleigh. "But Susy and Lucy were looking at it," he said, trying to draw his mother's attention away from himself.
"Susan and Lucy have nothing to do with you coloring on the book," answered Annaleigh, not to be fooled.
"Besides, I told Susan this morning that she can look at it whenever she wants, as long as she puts it back in my room when she's done with it," Peter said.
Edmund looked from Annaleigh to Peter, and then to the ruined book before he decided he was fighting a losing battle. "I'm sorry, Peter," he said, moving over to his brother and hugging him. He did this cautiously, for Peter's face still had an angry look to it.
Peter's anger, however, left him in a rush when he saw Edmund look up at him with a sincere apology in his eyes. Grudgingly, he returned the hug and said with a smirk, "I suppose I must forgive you when you look at me like that."
Edmund grinned back, dimples appearing in his chubby cheeks.
Annaleigh wasn't finished disciplining her youngest son, however. "Just because you apologized doesn't mean you're off the hook, young man." She took Edmund by the hand and began leading him from the room. "You're going to sit on a chair in the kitchen until your father gets home."
"Mum," Peter called as the two left the room. "Do you think there's any way to fix it?"
Annaleigh turned and looked to where Peter stood, holding his book dejectedly. "I'm sure there is, dear," she said hopefully. "Perhaps when your grandfather visits again he'll know what to do."
"Alright," Peter answered. Then, content for the moment, he hurried off to his room to cloister the book safely in his overnight bag while Annaleigh returned to the kitchen, towing Edmund reluctantly behind.
That evening, after a delicious meal, Peter stood by the door ready to leave as Annaleigh finished cleaning up the kitchen. Susan wandered out of the kitchen munching on a cookie, and seeing Peter, walked down the hallway to him. Lucy followed closely behind, her own chubby hand tightly clutching a half-eaten cookie.
"What are you doing, Peter?" Susan asked between bites.
"What're 'oo doing, Petey?" Lucy mimicked her big sister.
"I'm getting ready to go to Bernie's," he answered them.
Susan scrunched her nose. "Why? It's almost dark out."
"I'm sleeping over there tonight." Peter stated proudly. "Mum's walking me over as soon as she's done in the kitchen."
"Oh," was Susan's reply. "Are you coming back tomorrow?"
"Yes,"
"Good. I want to-"
Susan was cut off abruptly by Lucy loudly proclaiming, "I'm goin' wit 'oo, Petey!"
Peter smiled at his two-year-old sister. "No, you can't come with me this time, Lucy."
"But I wanna go wit 'oo!" Lucy cried. "Pwease, Petey?"
"I'm sorry, Lucy, this is for boys only."
"I wanna hab a sweepover wit 'oo!"
"Lucy," Susan cut in. "Peter will be back tomorrow. Maybe Mum will let you sleep in his room sometime if you're good."
Peter looked at Susan gratefully and wrapped Lucy in a hug. As she returned it, he said, "Don't worry, Lu. You'll have your own sleepover someday."
Lucy patted Peter's face with her crumb-covered hand as they ended their hug. "I wuve 'oo, Petey."
Peter grinned at Lucy's sweet face. "I love you too, Lu."
Annaleigh came into the hall just in time to witness Peter hug Susan goodbye and goodnight. "Are you ready to go, darling?"
"Yes, Mum," Peter answered, picking up his bag.
"You nearly forgot your pillow." Annaleigh waved the sleeping cushion briefly at her son before tucking it under her arm. "I'll carry it for you."
"Goodbye, son!" called George, sticking his head around the kitchen door. "Behave yourself like a gentleman while you're gone."
"Yes, Dad."
After final goodbyes and goodnights, Peter and Annaleigh were finally out the door and down the sidewalk to the neighbors'. Peter could barely keep from running in his growing excitement.
As they mounted the steps to the Chestertons' house, Annaleigh gave Peter last-minute instructions. "Make sure you help Mrs. Chesterton if she needs it, and obey her and Mr. Chesterton. Don't eat too many sweets, and don't forget to brush your teeth."
"Yes, Mum," said Peter dutifully.
"And remember," Annaleigh added, her hand on the doorknocker. "Your father and I are right next door if you need us. We love you, dear." She put an arm around Peter and pressed a kiss to his golden head.
"I love you too, Mum," Peter said as Annaleigh raised the doorknocker and let it drop.
The doorknob soon turned, and Lucinda's smiling face appeared. "Come in, come in. Bernie, Peter's here!"
Peter only paused for a second on the threshold, glancing back behind him toward the darkening street as night fell. He shivered, then turned his back and followed Annaleigh indoors to Lucinda Chesterton's warmly lit living room, eager to see Bernie. The sleepover had finally arrived!
So...what'd ya think? Review, please! The more reviews I receive, the more motivated I feel to continue a story in a timely manner! :) (Oh, and I hope you guys were able to understand "Little Lucy" speech...I'm pretty sure it's clear enough, but if you need a translation, let me know!)