Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the films, or any of Lewis' work. I hope only to pay him tribute with my small meaningless attempts to appease my obsession. Narnia writers...I salute you!

Author: Lady Elora (aka: Allora)

Extended Summary: Sharon Wilkins has grown up in a time of turmoil. Her twin brothers and her father are off fighting in a grown-up's war that never seems to end. They lie all the time, telling her that they are winning and that it will be over soon- while her mother and younger still seem to hide daily in their bomb shelter and letters from her father and brothers stopped coming even before the Germans began to bomb London. The Government decides Sharon and her sister, Sara's fate, and they are sent off to the countryside for protection as are hundreds of children. What Sharon doesn't realize however, is that when she meets a special family called the Pevensies, that her life has only just begun.

Genre: Romance/Action Adventure/ Tragedy/Angst

Rating: K+ - T For action related violence.

Chapter One

Tears

"Mummy...I don't like the bombs."

I shuddered as the ground shook once more. Impossible...could it still be going on? When would it stop? The Germans had to run out of bombs eventually didn't they? I watched my mother caress the shaking body of my younger sister, Sara.

"It will be all over soon my darling. The bombs will stop, and soon the war will be over. And then your Papa and your brothers will come home and everything will be all right again, just you wait and see." Mama's voice was soft...wispy, just like herself.

Sara shuddered as the ground shook once more. I knew we would be safe in our bomb shelter, I knew nothing could get us in here...that's what the grown ups were always telling us. And they had to be right...hadn't they? I was sitting in a corner of the cramped room, by our food supply. Sara was laying on one of the beds with Mama at her side. We would be safe in here, I just knew we would...but then why was I so scared?

My hazel eyes glanced nervously at the door, wondering how long the war would really last. I mean, grown-ups usually tell the truth...but it was grown-ups who were fighting this war. And they had been saying that it would be over for a long time now...how long would the bombing last? I wondered how long it would be before we could go back inside the house. And I wondered again how much longer this war would be. I glanced around, my gaze resting on Sara, and then on the thin frame of my mother. What was to become of us...of me? A perpetual prayer for the war to end so that Papa and my brothers, Taylor and Thomas, could come home?

I didn't want it to be like that.

Mama's navy robes were tied tightly around her sickly frame, an attempt to keep the chill out of her bones. Mama was always sick lately, and Sara was getting sick again too. Though Sara had always been a weak child, I hated the thought of her being so helpless...especially in times like these. Her skin was so pale, and her large brown eyes were staring into Mama's as if to make the confident and reassuring look in Mama's eyes reappear. But I knew, as Sara did, that Mama was just as afraid as us.

"Sing me a lullaby Mama." Sara whispered pleadingly.

Mama's face blanched, she smiled sadly, quickly recovering herself and hugged my sister close. "I don't think a lullaby would be such a good idea right now sweetheart."

"Please Mama?" Sara's dark eyes were hopeful, begging Mama to sing the sweet melodies that she used to and to make us forget about the war and the bombing outside.

"Oh...all right." Mama said, and I heard her swallow hard before she sang.

Mama had a pretty voice, but she was always too ill to use it. Often times I knew she was right. The war had been hard on all of us, but on Mama most of all. She hated to see her family torn apart by all the fighting, though she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Sara's eyes began to slowly shut as I stared on, watching Mama's sickly face trying to hold onto what bravery she had left.

Mama was so weak now, so tired, and I wanted to be brave for her. I hugged my knees to my chest and rocked back and forth, back and forth, watching her. I wanted to be able to let her cry if she needed to- but that's what Mama's were suppose to do...wasn't it? And I was still a little girl, a little girl who had just only turned thirteen. I wasn't ready to be a Mama yet. But Mama's eyes began to water and she gazed down at Sara, who was now sleeping contentedly, oblivious to the ground shaking all around us, while tears ran down Mama's cheeks.

She whispered Papa's name,"Peter...Peter..." As if it would somehow bring him home...but it didn't...and it wouldn't. Mama's tears came down harder and she tried so hard to hold them back...but she just couldn't. Our shelter rocked again from another explosion and Mama let out a soft moan.

I stood, pushing the stray locks of my straight, brown hair out of my eyes and putting on the bravest face I could muster and I walked over to her. I stood in front of her and I took her hand. "Mama...your hands are so cold!" I exclaimed in surprise, hastening to warm them.

She smiled through her tears, "I'm all right Sharon." She said. "Don't worry."

But I did worry, because I saw the sickness in her face where she did not and I saw the grey lines in her hair and I saw how scared she was. "I'm not worried Mama, I'll take care of you. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

Mama's lips trembled and she pulled me into a tight embrace. I clung to her thin, sobbing body as she cried. I liked it when Mama took care of me...she was good at it. But sometimes, it was Mama who needed to be taken care of. I thought of my brothers, and of my Papa, out fighting somewhere. I would be brave for them. I knew I could never cry. I could never cry because I had to be brave...brave for Mama.

The war still hadn't ended as soon as everyone had hoped. A short time later, as Mama grew steadily weaker, we were told that Sara and I had to travel out to the country to get away from London, which was under constant vigilance by the enemy now. I hated leaving Mama all alone...for who would look after her when I was gone? But she wouldn't hear any of it...and neither would our government.

"You'll like the countryside," She said cheerfully as we waited for the train at the station. "They'll be all sorts of lovely things for you to do."

Sara was still crying at the thought of being separated from Mama, but she suddenly seemed to have remembered something and she turned her thin, pale face up to Mama's. "And no bombs?" she asked eagerly.

Mama smiled, planting a kiss on her forehead. "And no bombs my dear."

Sara's face brightened considerably and she smiled, looking quite ready to leave as soon as it was time. But Sara didn't understand...she didn't know. I searching Mama's eyes, hazel...like mine, as she turned to me. "You'll be a good girl and look after your sister, won't you Sharon?"

"Yes Mama." I said softly, gazing into her pale face and seeking answers I knew I would not find. I shifted uneasily on my feet, I did not like the idea of leaving Mama behind...I did not like it at all. My bony, gangly frame, so like Mama's, shuddered at the thought of her being ill without anyone to take care of her. Being all alone as the bombs fell down from the German planes like rain.

"Such a brave girl." Mama whispered.

I looked up into her face and I shuddered suddenly. It was impossible...but I had a feeling...like I was never going to see her again. I wrapped my arms tightly around her frail body and she around mine. She kissed my forehead and I could feel her tears falling into my hair.

"You'll take care of Sara and you'll be back sooner then you know it." Mama said, smiling encouragingly at me. I wasn't reading to go, but the train-men were blowing their whistles and the other children were starting to file onto the train. I smiled bravely at Mama and pulled apart and she looked at me and Sara.

"You both be good girls now, you hear? The war will be over soon and you'll all come home."

"Good-bye Mama." Sara said, her brown eyes were bright with excitement and her golden curls bouncing as we reached up and planted a kiss on Mama's cheek. Mama hugged us both, told us how much she loved us, and how she would wait for us eagerly until we returned.

I put on my brave face, for I was very good at pretending, and I took Sara's hand. We boarded the train and we looked back at Mama, standing alone in the crowd, tears streaming down her cheeks as her sickly body shook with sobs. We waved good-bye as the train began to move and we watched Mama until she, and all the other mothers on the platform were out of sight.

"It'll be fun...won't it Sharon?" Asked Sara as we turned away from the window. "And soon the war will be over and we'll go home."

I put my smile back on, determined not to show Sara my fears. "Of course. Yes, it shall be all over soon. Come on...lets go find some seats."

Sara brightened at this prospect and led the way, glancing from compartment to compartment for the proper seat. But the pretend smile had faded from my lips and I angrily swatted away my tears. The war will be over soon...all the grown-ups said it. The problem with grown-ups is though that you can never really be sure when they're telling the truth.

And as I followed Sara, carting our suitcase in my hand, I had never felt so alone.

And it was cold.

A/N: And thus starts my latest fic, Amid the Burning Plains. I was going to wait to post this until I finished my other works, but I just got too excited. :) As many of you may (or may not) already know, I have a really bad crush on Peter Pevensie played by William Moseley in the new Narnia film, hence my desire to finally write a Narnia fic.

To all my old reviewers, I won't forget my old works, I'm just exploring new territory. Its quite common actually for me to have four or five stories going on at once...it keeps my mind constantly occupied. :) And to any new reviewers, my updates are always erratic so don't plan on them being weekly or anything like that. I post a new chapter once its completed which can take anywhere from two days to a month. Just felt I should warn you. :)

Also, I will be posting another Narnia fic sometime in the near future which is more of a comedy then anything else. Look for it! And I will do my best to respond to any of your questions or comments, so don't hesitate to leave me a review:)

All errors are mine and I apologize for them and Merry Christmas all!

TO BE CONTINUED...