So there's nothing I like better than going through old folders and finding old fanfics that I've stopped writing and suddenly have more inspiration for. This is one of them. It's my first go at a Chronicles of Narnia fic, but it was born from my love of Edmund Pevensie. It turns out I had like 15+ pages already written, so I thought I'd put the first chapter up on here to see if it was well liked. So please review and tell me what you think! Much love and happy reading!

Chapter One

The Arrival

The day Emma's life as she knew it changed forever was the day she heard the lions roar.

Logically, it made no sense. She'd been sitting on a beach, in Australia, reading a book when she heard the sound. There was no way there would be a lion on the beach. The noise was so loud that Emma had jumped and looked up from her book, startled (and anyone who knew Emma well knew that distracting her from a book was no mean feat). But no one else on the beach seemed to hear the roar or seemed remotely alarmed about anything.

Logically, there wasn't a roar at all. There couldn't be. But she did hear the sound and it did explain why the world around her seemed to warp and swirl, going out of focus. When her surroundings came completely back into focus, she conceded that although there couldn't possibly have been a lion on the beach, it coincidentally was linked to Emma finding herself sitting in a forest, up against a tree. Her warm, sunny beach was gone. The belonging she had strewn about her on the sand were gone. Even the book she'd been holding in her hands had disappeared. She suddenly found herself in a forest covered in snow, wearing nothing but her beach-appropriate denim short-shorts, a plain white singlet and thongs.

She stood, dazed and shivering, running a hand nervously through her long, dark brown hair. Where am I? She thought. What happened?

The disorientation she felt was taken over by panic. Where was she? What was going on? How did she get here?

"I'm dreaming," she comforted herself. "I'm definitely dreaming. I'm asleep on the sand. This is just a dream. A really vivid dream. I have to lay off the fantasy books. Oh wow, it's freezing!"

She kept up the inane babble to herself as she took in the wood around her. Hugging herself for warmth, she looked around, noticing that she was standing on the edge of a dirt road. It was covered in snow but she could see footprints and hoof marks in the ground. Where am I?! What is going on?!

Feeling hopeless, Emma collapsed on the cold ground, breaking down in sobs. This only served to make her feel worse, as she hated crying.

"I don't know where I am!" She sobbed. "I want to go home! I don't know where I am!"

Be at peace, Daughter of Eve. Help comes soon.

The voice sounded in her head. Emma gasped and looked around, but saw no one. The voice – decidedly male – comforted her, filling her was a sense of calm and love. She didn't know where the voice came from, hell, she might even be going crazy. But it gave her hope while she sat shivering in the cold.

"Maybe it means I'll wake up soon," she murmured, leaning back against the tree trunk. Emma tucked her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin of her keens; curling up as much as she could for warmth. "I'd like to wake up soon."

She lost track of how long she sat there. The hopefulness the voice's message gave her quickly gave way again to despair. She didn't know where she was, she didn't know what to do, she didn't know where to go. She was certain that if she went wandering in the words, she'd get lost. She wasn't too keen for that idea, or hiking in the snow. But if she stayed in the snow for much longer, she'd freeze.

I wonder how long I've been gone and if everyone back home knows I'm missing? They'd be worried out of their minds. She hugged herself tighter. I want my family. I want to go home.

Tears streamed down her face again and Emma let out a frustrated sob. Emma hated crying. She hated feeling weak. Crying only seemed to make her feel worse. "Somebody help me!" she cried out to the empty forest. She laid her head on her arms, blocking out the world around her as more tears fell.

Suddenly there was the sound of hooves pounding on dirt coming from along the road. Emma hurriedly sat up and wiped her eyes. Help comes soon, the voice had said. She hoped this was it. A man on a horse appeared, cantering. He was going so fast that Emma was worried he'd pass her and she drew breath to shout at him to stop. But the man had already noticed her and was saying "whoa, whoa" to his horse, coming to a stop in front of Emma and quickly dismounting.

"My lady," he said, "What's wrong? Why are you out dressed like that out in the cold? Are you alright? – You're crying! Please, my lady, talk to me. How can I help you?"

His voice sounded strangely formal, but kind. The part of her that wasn't scared, disoriented and freezing noticed that the man was quite handsome. He had dark hair, dark brown eyes and freckles were splashed along his nose. His expression was concerned. But it was the way he was dressed that shocked Emma. He looked like someone out of a medieval textbook: dark blue robes, breeches, boots and a billowing red cloak.

She disregarded this and stood. "P-please," she said, finding her voice and reaching out to him. "Please help me. I don't know where I am."

"It's alright," the man said, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around her. "Here, wear this. It will keep you warm."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. The cloak was soft and warm and it chased most of her cold away. "But please, can you tell me where I am?"

"You're in the Great Western Wood," he replied, frowning in confusion. "How can you not know where you are? And you're accent. You are not from Narnia."

"Narnia? Where's that? I'm Australian. I was sitting on a beach and then I heard a lion roar and then suddenly I'm here! Please, help me! I don't know where I am!"

She was getting more and more distressed as she spoke. The man simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Normally, Emma wasn't one for hugging strangers, but she was so distraught and tired that this embrace was welcome and comforting. The man pulled away and gave her a smile, "It is alright," he said. "You are clearly from Earth as I once was and Aslan has chosen you as one of his own. Come, my family would like to speak with you, and this is no environment to stay out in long." He turned to the horse, "Philip? Are you able to carry one more?"

Why is he talking to his ho-

"Don't insult me, sir. You know I can," replied the horse.

Emma gasped and took a step backwards, "The horse spoke!" She turned to the man to see if he had heard it, but he seemed entirely unsurprised and unalarmed. "He spoke – he – he-" But whatever else Emma was about to say was lost, as the events of the day proved too much and she collapsed. She had the vague sensation of being caught in the man's arms, then darkness overtook her and she knew nothing.

In her dream the lion came to her.

It was a great, majestic lion; Emma knew she ought to be scared, but it was impossible to feel that with this lion. Though she knew that the lion could also be vicious and terrifying if need be.

"Who – who are you?" She asked.

"I am Aslan," the lion spoke in the same voice as the one she'd heard in the forest. "I am the creator of Narnia and son of the Emporer-beyond-the-sea. I am the one who brought you to Narnia from your world."

"But I'm dreaming," Emma insisted.

"Why do you deny the truth, young one?"

"This – this can't be real."

"Narnia is as real a world as any other."

"But it can't be!"

"The books you read, the films you watch. The magic you embrace in those fictional worlds are the same as the ones in Narnia. Why do you deny their existence? For they are as real as you or I."

His words stumped Emma. "… This is real? N-Narnia is real?"

The Lion chuckled, evidently pleased she saw sense. "Yes, dear one."

"Why did you bring me here? Will I be able to go home?"

"All will be revealed, Daughter of Eve. Narnia has need of you yet."

"But why me?"

"Because you are worthy."

"But-"

"Be at peace, Emma Sutherland. Is it not yet time for your purpose here to be fulfilled. Rest. Train. Befriend the Kings and Queens, you will need each other as allies."

"Aslan, please-"

"Rest, dear one. May your dreams be peaceful."

Then the dream shifted, and the Great Lion was gone.

The first thing Emma became aware of when she woke was being in an exceedingly comfortable bed. Then her dream of the Lion came rushing back to her and she sat straight up. My dream – Aslan-

But her thought was cut off when her eyes finally focused and she took in the room around her. She was lying in the most extravagant four poster bed she'd ever seen, which matched perfectly with the chambers she was in. Yes, chambers. There was no other word for it. This wasn't simply a bedroom and it looked too old and regal to be a hotel suite. A roaring fire crackled in the fireplace at the centre of the room, surrounded by comfy looking armchairs and Emma could see a balcony leading outside. She had a room with a view, apparently. Emma could also see that night had fallen outside. However this all paled to insignificance when the sound of even breathing finally caught her attention and Emma snapped her head around to see the man she'd met in the forest dosing in a chair beside her bed.

"Oh my god!" She yelped in surprised and scrambled to the opposite side of the bed.

This was enough to wake the man and his hand went automatically to his hip, where Emma instinctively knew a sword would normally sit but she was relieved to see it wasn't there now. The man finally got his bearings and smiled at Emma. "You're awake! Good. Sorry, I dosed off myself there." He stood and stretched. He turned to the door, calling out: "Tumnor! If you would come in here a moment."

The door opened and a man walked in. Except Emma couldn't really call him a man because –

"You're a faun!" She exclaimed, a wide smile on her face.

The faun called Tumnor smiled kindly at her, "Why yes, my lady. I take it this pleases you?"

"Of course! It's Roman mythology brought to life! I've always loved mythology, you see and – just – oh my god! Aslan was right! This is all really real!"

Both the man and the faun stiffened in surprise at the mention of the Great Lion. Emma's delight at seeing Tumnor faded as she saw their expressions. "… I'm sorry if I have offended you," she began uncertainly.

The man waved away her concern. "It's nothing. Only that this is the second time I have heard you mention the Great King." He turned to the faun. "Tumnor, if you would please be so kind as to go and tell the Kings and Queens that our guest, the lady…" He trailed off, looking expectantly at Emma for a name.

"Emma," she supplied for him, "Emma Sutherland."

"The lady Emma has woken up and that we await them in her chambers," he finished.

"Of course, your Majesty." The faun bowed his head to both the man and Emma before leaving the room.

Emma's gaze followed the faun out the door, but her brain finally caught on to the last thing Tumnor had said before departing. She turned to the man who once again took his seat beside her. "… Majesty?" she asked hesitantly.

The man smiled warmly and held out his hand, "Where are my manners? I'm King Edmund, The Just."