Narnia and Beyond

Chapter 1

Clare Miller was an average 17-year-old girl. She was average height, average clothes, and average family. The one thing that was special about her, or so she thought, was her facial appearance. She had soft, bleach-blonde hair that went about halfway down her back, ice-blue eyes that were warm and full of laughter, a nice smile with soft, pink lips, and a nose that just made her look sweeter than she already was. Clare really loved to do two things. She loved to laugh, and she loved to sing. Her laugh just made you laugh every time you heard it. That's what her friends loved to do, make Clare laugh. It was so full of happiness, that it would cheer you up even if you've had the most horrible day. And when she sang, oh. She lived to sing, she sang almost every day. She has the most beautiful voice, everyone would try to walk by her or near her just to hear her sing. At annual holiday concerts, Clare would do solos, and nobody wanted her to stop. They would clap and cheer, even record her so they could hear her at home if they couldn't hear her in person. At least, until the war, that is.

World War II, 1939, England had just entered, and everybody was scared. The parents were shipping off their children, for their safety of course. They would send them off to a relative, or someone who could keep them safe. Clare's father and two brothers had enlisted, and she was scared for them. She didn't exactly know what they were going to do, or what they would have to do, but she did know that people die, a lot of people die. When that happened, she stopped singing. Her mother, Mary, was sending her off to her Aunt Polly's, to stay until the war ended. She lived in the country, not in a small house but not in a mansion either. Her house was big, I can't deny that. It had three stories to it, and it was wide. No wonder why she lived in the country, she needed a lot of room!

When she said her goodbyes and got on the train, she was watching her feet while she was walking, and so she didn't see a boy walking towards her. He didn't seem to notice her either, because he was busy trying to lead his siblings to a compartment further down the hallway.

"Woah! I am so sorry! I honestly didn't see you there! Let me help you! I'm really sorry!" Clare apologized profusely.

"Oh no, it's my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going." The boy said, bending down to pick up his luggage. "It's quite alright, Miss, don't worry." Clare bent down to help him, and when they stood up, she noticed that he had very deep blue eyes. The boy stuck out his hand.

"I'm Peter Pevensie. Pleased to meet you. I'm on here with my brother and two sisters. We're going to a house in the country with a professor, for a while 'til this war ends. How about you, Miss?" Clare seemed to like this boy. He had very good manners, and Clare appreciated that a lot. She stuck out her hand to shake his.

"I'm Clare Miller, I'm on here by myself, and I'm also going to a house in the country until the war ends, but not with a professor." Clare finished the sentence with a smile, which she often did.

Peter noticed that Clare said she was by herself, and asked, "Would you like to come sit with us? I'm sure there's plenty of room."

Clare wanted to, but she thought it was best not to intrude. Besides, when Clare sits with people for a long time, she gets sort of attached to them, like she can't let them go, because once Clare meets you, she never forgets you. That's another gift she has. Once she meets you, and you leave, she feels sad, and wonders what you are doing, if you remember her like she remembers you. It's kind of a nice gift, but sometimes it makes her a little melancholy.

"Thank you, it's very nice of you, but I can't. I have to go find my luggage and then my stop should be coming up shortly after. Thank you again, though." Clare smiled a soft smile, because she wanted to sit with him, but she didn't want to get any more attached to him than she already was.

"Well, alright then. Once again, I'm sorry, and it was a pleasure meeting you. Good luck, and I hope we meet again sometime, in a happier environment." Peter smiled and continued to walk down the hallway, to the compartment his siblings were in.

Clare watched him walk, and she thought to herself, "Me too, Peter. I hope to see you again too." And she walked off.

When she got to Aunt Polly's, Clare immediately told her about Peter, and how nice he was. "Do you fancy him?" Aunt Polly asked, interest on her face.

"Aunt Polly! I only met him this once!" Clare said, and she laughed at her aunt's comment.

"It only takes one time to fall in love, dear, if it's the right person!" Aunt Polly called from the kitchen. "Now, I bet you're hungry. Have some food and then off to bed."

After dinner, Clare went upstairs to wash up, and then got into bed. She had the strangest dream, of a forest, and woodland creatures, and a castle on the sea. All of the sudden, the face of a lion jumped into her head and roared, as if to tell her something. Clare woke with a start, covered in a light sweat. The strange thing was, she was the one walking in the forest, and seeing the woodland creatures, and finding the castle on the sea. When she got to the doors of the castle, she saw four people standing there. She couldn't tell if they were male or female, but two looked taller than the others. Probably the older ones taller than the younger. When they saw her, they waved, as if welcoming her inside. That's when she saw His face. Peter. She saw Peter's face on one of the people, and he had a crown on his head, as if he were a king or prince. That's when she saw the lion's face. In her dream, the lion spoke to her, and she could only understand it in her dream. He said to her, "Find this place, and you be filled with happiness again, as you once were before the war. You will find completeness here. Love, laughter, and happiness." And then he vanished.

Clare was confused. Even though she couldn't understand it if she tried to, she just knew what the lion said. Where was that place and why did she have to find it? Why wasn't she happy here? Clare knew that even though she thought she was happy, or she tried to look happy, she wasn't fully. Ever since the war, she was never completely happy. She wouldn't laugh as much, or sing as much, but when she met Peter that day, she was happy. She had felt happier than she had in weeks. Maybe that's what the lion meant. Find Peter, and she would be happy. But how?