A Change

Part 1

Helen Pevensie stood waiting for the train to arrive. This was no ordinary train today. This was the train that would return her children from the countryside. While she knew that it had been wise to send them away- especially when the house down the road got hit with a bomb… but still, she had still missed them terribly. Uncomfortably she shifted her sleeve to cover her arm despite the unusual heat of the May day. Slowly she watched as the black train made its way to the platform. Only this time the black train didn't seem as depressing as it had nearly nine months ago, rather it seemed promising to her.

She watched and waited as some soldiers got off first. She was reminded how her husband still was not returning. She waited and waited for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she watched as her children exited the train. Each of them was smiling in an actual joyous way and she wasn't sure if it was the light from the small window above them, but there was a brief second when she actually thought them to be glowing.

There was something else too. Something other than just the way the smiled at one another, and gladly helped carry their things; even more than the fact that they weren't fighting. They seemed older to her somehow. Not like they had grown while they were gone so much as the light in their eyes seemed to say they had seen things and done things that children wouldn't begin to dream of. Edmund was the most remarkably different. He seemed much less sullen and much more respectful, and even the way he looked at her held a new love to it. She wondered for a moment if these really were her children at all.

"Hello Mum." Peter spoke first. Even the way he said that simple phrase sounded as though it wanted to lilt in a different tone than his native one altogether. She smiled and hugged him.

Next she turned to Susan whose smile seemed so much brighter than before. "Hello." She said and the two hugged.

Turning to Edmund she was surprised when he didn't say anything, just reached in to hug her. She cupped his face and looked deep in his eyes searching for that child she had sent away to the country side. His eyes looked more like their father's than they had ever looked; the same dark glance and loving expression marking them where they hadn't been before.

Lastly she turned to her sweet Lucy who followed her brother in not speaking. But as she hugged her little girl she saw even Lucy seemed so much older. Her smile was still as full of joy as it had been but there was no more fear and it seemed that she had a wisdom about her now that was beyond that of any eight year old. Helen blinked away the thought as she looked once more at her children.

"What happened to your arm?" Peter finally asked looking at where he sleeve had pulled up slightly.

She rubbed it carefully. "Just got caught in a little fire's all." She quickly pulled her sleeve back over the top of the pinkish mark.

"Oh I wish I had my-" Lucy started to speak, but then her eyes widened and she looked to the ground.

"Your what, sweetheart?" Helen tried to catch her youngest child's eyes.

"Lucy just meant that she wished she had the recipe for the salve the Professor told us was supposed help with scars." Susan interrupted looking to Lucy. "I think I might remember how to make it." Something was off with their explanation but Helen felt it best not to push.

"Well that's alright dear." She said grabbing Lucy's bag. "Now, I've had to find us a much smaller place, part of the old house collapsed." She half explained expecting them to groan or complain. Instead they seemed almost relieved to know that for a time the four of them and their mother would be sharing a room. It was all very strange but something held back in her. Helen wasn't sure if this was just a shock from coming home or if there was really a change in them but she determined she would watch for a while to make sure…