The Black River
Co-authored by AviorHyrax and AsterEris.
Anna and Wren, twins from the country around London, are Lucy Pevensie's cousins. They visit Lucy at her house in London, and somehow end up in Narnia. This takes place between Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Also, we're kind of basing it half on the books and half on the movie – the characters are the ones from the movie but it's going to be written like the books, and the stuff that was in the movie that wasn't in the books, didn't happen here. Kind of confusing, but I guess it doesn't really matter much anyway.
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"Is there a light?" asked Anna, as she closed the trapdoor above them.
"Yes," replied Lucy. A moment later, the basement was flooded with a watery light from a single light bulb on the ceiling.
The three girls, Lucy, Anna, and Wren had decided to explore Lucy's great big house in London. They had already peeked in all of the rooms, and had now moved on to the scarier places, like the cupboard under the stairs, and now the basement. Anna and Wren were cousins of Lucy's, come to stay for the holidays.
"Much better," Anna said, climbing down the ladder to the basement floor. Her dark hair bounced in front of her face as she hopped to the ground.
"This is the bomb shelter where we hid during the Blitz," Lucy commented as Wren and Anna turned around, slowly taking in their surroundings.
Wren knocked on the cement walls, and then jumped away as dust sprinkled on her head. "It's awful," she grumbled. "We didn't have bomb shelters in the country during the war. I suppose the Germans don't bother themselves with farms and things."
"We don't live on a farm, Wren," Anna said, tapping her sister on the shoulder.
"Well, I suppose there's nothing much more to see down here," Lucy said after they had all taken a good look at the dim room. "We'd better head back up for tea. Mother will throw a fit if we don't get back in time."
Wren nodded mutely and reached for the rickety ladder.
"Wait," said Lucy suddenly, pulling on Wren's skirt. "Does it feel…different, to you?"
Anna and Wren looked at each other (for Lucy had the queerest look on her face), and shook their heads. "No, not really, Lu," said Anna. "Why?"
"Well," muttered Lucy, "I just thought I felt something. Go on, Wren. Open the trapdoor."
Wren ascended the ladder quickly, and then reached up and shoved at the door. It didn't budge. "Oh dear! It's stuck! Oh, Lucy, whatever happened? It was fine on the way down."
"Calm down," Anna scolded. "Just push harder."
Wren knocked on the door a few times, and then battered at it, yelling, "Please! Oh please, someone open the door! We're stuck down here! Oh Anna, we'll die! Please open the door!"
"Oh shush, Wren! I'm trying to think," Anna grumbled. Wren fell silent, sniffing indignantly.
"Hang on," said Lucy after a long moment of waiting. "Do you hear something? I could swear I heard footsteps."
It was true – when all the girls stopped talking and listened, they heard the thump of someone walking above their heads. Plaster dropped from the ceiling, and one chunk nearly hit Anna on the head.
Then there was a sudden creak, and the trapdoor was flung wide, revealing a tiny little man with a bushy red beard, staring down at them through beady black eyes. He and Wren stared at each other for a moment, and then Wren let out a piercing shriek and toppled off the ladder, her arms waving furiously.
"What's going on?" Anna cried, trying to get a glimpse of the open door. But Lucy was already scaling the ladder, her face stretched in a wide grin.
"Dear little friend!" she exclaimed, tumbling out of the basement and throwing her arms around the strange creature.
"Queen Lucy!" he called out, surprise evident in his voice.
By this time, Anna had emerged from the dark room, pulling a struggling Wren behind her. "Lucy, what's all this? Where are we? Is this a trick? Who's that?" she demanded.
Lucy opened are mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Anna and Wren both let out little yelps of surprise, and jumped. For another creature had just arrived, and he was standing before them, waving a tiny rapier and squealing, "State your names, trespassers! I demand to know the nature of this intrusion!"
Anna recovered first, and stared at the mouse (for that is what it was), open mouthed. Wren stood behind her, gaping in shock.
"But, you're only a mouse!" They said in unison, staring at it.
"Again, Your Highness, your kind has no imagination whatsoever," muttered the mouse to Lucy, keeping his eyes on the twins. He sheathed his rapier after realizing that these girls must be friends of hers.
By this time, Lucy had finished greeting the dwarf, and she now turned to see to her cousins, who were clutching each other in fear. With a delighted smile, she hurried forward and said to the mouse, "Why, Reepicheep! Hello!" she cried, but she didn't hug the mouse. Reepicheep bowed to her, the red plume around his ear fluttering as he bent low to the ground.
"We have awaited meeting your majesty again with the utmost anticipation. But," he squeaked suddenly, straightening and looking around. "Where is the High King? And King Edmund, and Queen Susan? Have they come as well?"
Lucy frowned. "I don't think so. They're all away."
"What a shame. But it is good to see you again, to be sure. And pray, who are your…companions?" Reepicheep questioned, looking over Anna and Wren with calculating button eyes.
"These are my cousins, Wren and Anna. They're from the country, they've come to stay with us for a few weeks while their parents are on holiday."
Now that the excitement had died down, the girls were finally able to get a good look at their surroundings. They were in a small hallway, with a wide wooden door at the end. Reepicheep and the dwarf had been carrying baskets of scrolls – or rather, the dwarf had, for Reepicheep had only the strength to carry one.
"Say, Trumpkin - where have we come out?" Lucy asked the dwarf. Anna and Wren didn't quite understand this, but Trumpkin seemed to.
"We're in the west wing of the royal castle, your majesty. The King's holding a meeting with all his lords, trying to decide what to do about the famine, and the poisoned water supplies," replied Trumpkin gruffly. He had gathered all his scrolls again, and was setting off toward the door.
"Famine?" cried Lucy. "How horrible! Why, we really ought to help. Come on Anna, Wren. You can come and meet the King."
The twins remained where they were, staring at their younger cousin warily. "Come off it, Lucy," Wren said quietly. "What on earth is going on? Where are we?"
Lucy laughed and replied cheerfully, "Why, we're in Narnia!"
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