Disclaimer: Anybody and anything you recognise belongs to C.S. Lewis.

A/N: Thanks very much for the reviews so far! I hope you like the Pevensies in this one -- I adore writing about them. 3

Jill and Scrubb were sat opposite one another on the steam train in a comfortable silence, looking out of the windows to watch the countryside dashing past them. They were both eagerly waiting for their journey to end.

Jill couldn't believe her luck. By some sad twist of fate, she had never been to London before. Now, not only was she going to the capital of her country, but she was going to meet the Pevensies. She didn't know quite why it meant so much to meet them. But once Scrubb had explained all about the 'Golden Age' they'd ruled, in Narnia, and ever since she had been fascinated.

Narnia. She had missed it so much. It had stirred change in her. She had felt like a different person when she had come back from it. Not only that,but the change in Scrubb, from one term to the next, had really come clear to her now.

She stole a glance at him. In looks, he hadn't changed much. His hair was dark brown and brushed neatly. His eyes were hazel. But in spirit he had changed - he was a little more brave, noble and had lost his pretentious need for making others feel inferior. When they'd first met, she'd hated him. A spoilt little boy, with an annoying need to prove everybody else wrong, and a little tag along of them. Yet now, he was quite possibly her best friend.

"We should be there in about ten minutes," he spoke up, looking away from the window. She started; she had been daydreaming. Beaming excitedly, she stretched, and shook her hair from her eyes. The train seats were not the most comfortable, but luckily it had been a fairly short journey.

"You're sure they won't mind me going though, Scrubb?" she ventured. "I really do feel like I'm forcing -"

"Oh, don't start that again! You know perfectly well that I invited you, and that I told the Pevensie lot that as well. You can be so paranoid."

Jill sighed, tapping her fingers against the windowsill. "I don't mean to be. But your cousins all sound so wonderful. I don't want to go around making an ass of myself, and I'm certain I will. After all, they're -"

"Pole!" Scrubb cut through her, sounding annoyed. "They're not perfect. Why should you give two hoots what they think of you?"

"They're Kings and Queens of Narnia," she whispered, looking around and leaning closer to him. No one else, luckily, was in the carriage, but she still spoke in a hushed voice. "They're the closest to royalty I'll ever meet. Why shouldn't I want to make a good impression?"

"Don't harp on about that, for goodness sake. They were royalty in Narnia, but they're just normal kids in this world. Anyway, I can't imagine why they wouldn't like you just the way you are."

Jill laughed, resting back again. "I'm sorry, I'm acting like a fool. But do tell me about them again. I don't want to miss anything and ask all the wrong questions."

Sighing heavily, Scrubb simply glared at her. "You know it all, Pole. I'm fed up with singing my cousins praises."

Jill - quite understandably - had been rather fixated with the fact that Eustace's cousins actually got to rule over a kingdom for years and years. She was also a little jealous that others had gotten the chance. She didn't bear the Pevensies any ill will or anything of the sort. But it was as it is when you imagine a person who has got something you'd really like to have, or that is better than what you have; you don't blame the person, but you desperately want the privilege they have. After all - most, if not all, girls would have loved to have the chance that Susan and Lucy Pevensie had.

"I'm not asking you to sing them any praises. I just want to hear more about -"

"Oh, do hush up! We're slowing down! We're here!"

A small thrill sparked inside of her. She had been ready to shout at her companion at being told to 'hush up', but forgot all about it, standing up hurriedly and grabbing her suitcase. Out of the windows, the scenery came to a halt and the platform was filled with waiting people. Her eyes scanned them. Some of them would be the Pevensies. Scrubb casually and calmly stood up, stretching and yawning.

"Come on, Scrubb! Get your suitcase and let's be off. I say, it is nice to be out of Cambridge."

Two minutes later, they were off the train and searching for the Pevensies. The station was hectic and busy, so Scrubb had grabbed Jill's hand, pulling her along after him. Jill resented this mollycoddling slightly, but allowed it, as it was thanks to her friend she was even in London.

Then he stopped, causing her to bang in to him. Releasing his hand immediately, she pushed him in the back, though softly. He didn't seem to notice. Instead he was waving to someone, and greeting them. He turned his head to smile at her. "There you go. The High King Peter has come to drive us to his castle."

He was there indeed, Jill found. Leant against the wall was a young man of about twenty, smiling at them in welcome. He wore a light brown tweed suit, freshly polished brown shoes, fingerless driving gloves and a small cap on his sandy hair. He walked over to them, whistling cheerily, before extending a hand. Scrubb took it.

"It's good to see you again, Eustace," Peter smiled, shaking it. Then he turned to Jill. She felt suddenly shy. It must have shown on her face, for the expression on Peter's face grew slightly concerned. "You must be Jill Pole. We've heard ever such a lot about you. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"H-hello," she smiled, nervously. Her voice - much to her dismay - had gone rather shriller and whinier than usual. "It's nice to meet you too."

"You're driving us, then?" Eustace asked, as Peter led them out of the station.

"Yes. Mother and Father are at the shop, they're going to buy dinner for tonight. Everyone else is at home. Lucy begged to come, but there wouldn't have been room for anyone else in the car, what with your suitcases and such."

The two boys began to talk of things, such as dinner that night and sleeping arrangements, but Jill hardly listened. She was in awe. They had left the station now, and were walking up a busy London street to where the car was parked. London. The people seemed more alive, the streets vibrant and the laughter louder here. Shop windows were fascinating - mugs and such with royal faces on them, flags, expensive dresses that Jill would do anything for. And this was just one street.

"Here we are," Peter's voice came, making her look up. There was a small car parked neatly by the road. They climbed in, realising that Peter had been right. The suitcases took up a whole chair in the car with only four seats. Jill had been given the front seat next to Peter, whilst Eustace sat in the back with their belongings.

"What do you think of London so far, Jill?" Peter asked, as they set out down the busy street.

"It's - it's brilliant," she said, eyes on the passing scenery. "I've never been before, you see. It's a lovely change from Cambridge."

"I am glad you like it, but you'll see - you'll get bored of this place soon enough."

"Oh, I doubt I will," Jill replied, surprised. "I've spent my entire life in Cambridge, aside a holiday to the sea now and then. It is lovely to spend the summer anywhere different. I'm very grateful to you and your family for letting me stay."

"We're all very happy that you're staying with us. As I said, we've heard a lot about you. Eustace talks of you very often."

"Well," piped up Scrubb from the back of the car, indignantly, "I wouldn't say very often."

"Oh, of course not," Peter replied in a soothing voice. But he caught Jill's eye and winked. She went slightly pink, smiling shyly back at him. Confusion had come over her - what had that meant? Did Scrubb really go on about her all the time? Why did he deny it? Why did Peter evidently find it so amusing? But, most importantly, why was she making such a big deal it to herself?

"How are the others then?" Scrubb asked, after a few minutes silence.

"Mother and Father are alright. Lucy is as cheery as always - she's very excited that you're both coming. Ed's been surprisingly happy recently, probably because school is over. Susan - well - I barely see anything of her these days."

"How do you mean?"

"Hmm," Peter seemed to be thinking of how to best reply to his cousin. "There's a different party every night. Or she's out shopping. Or with a boy. It's hard to know what she's thinking any more. She's distant from the lot of us, even Mother. Any conversation we do have is hurried and of no meaning. I suppose it's all part of a girl growing up."

"Hardly," Jill said, louder and more defensively than she'd intended. Peter looked at her in surprise. "I mean - I'm sorry - all I meant was I can't imagine doing all that."

"Perhaps not," Peter frowned. "I can't see Lucy acting that way either. Everyone has always called Susan the pretty one of the family. I'm guessing that's played a part in how she's turned out."

"Bother that," Scrubb sighed, sounding frustrated. "Susan's always wanted to be all girly and silly."

"Let's not speak of it any more," Peter said, quickly and rather sternly. Jill guessed that the subject of his sister was a rather sensitive subject; that he cared for her deeply and that losing her like this had hurt him. She felt furious at Scrubb for causing such a bad, miserable air to enter the car.

The rest of the journey was spent in an uncomfortable silence, occasionally broken by small attempts at conversation (that all failed). So it was with some relief that the three of them left the car twenty minutes later, Jill now even more worried about meeting Susan. She was anxious to make a good impression on all the Pevensies - but especially the girls. After all, from experience she knew that girls could be much more judgemental at first meetings.

They had parked outside a fairly large and respectable house, on a quiet suburban street. The house looked friendly and inviting, the front garden leading up to it carefully decorated in colourful flowers and cut grass. Jill thought it a lovely place, and told Peter so. He thanked her, but she was sure she had heard Scrubb mutter something like "trying to act grown up" about her compliment.

"Eustace!" came a thrilled, loud female voice, and a pretty girl came running down the garden towards them. She had fair hair to her shoulders, large brown eyes and the most genuinely happy face Jill had ever seen. She seemed only about sixteen but, like Peter, had a grace and charm about her that suggested far more experience than her few years.

"Hello Lucy," Scrubb smiled in reply, but was suddenly scowling as his cousin threw her arms tightly around him and kissed his face. He pulled himself from her, rubbing his cheeks in embarrassment. "Yes, hello, I said. Calm down. This is Jill Pole."

At these last words he motioned to Jill, who was smiling despite herself. It was hard not to in the presence of the older girl. Lucy turned to Jill and immediately swooped, kissing her on both her cheeks and hugging her too. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jill! I've been looking forward to it for such a long time, after hearing about you from Eustace. Do come in, there's no point us standing out here any longer."

She dragged Jill by the hand up the twisting garden path and through the front door. "But my luggage is still in the car," Jill explained, though she was ecstatic at this warm and comfortable welcome.

"Never mind about that," Lucy dismissed it, cheerily. "Peter will bring it in. Here, I'll find Ed for you. Susan's just getting changed for some dance - I think - but once she's finished you simply must meet her too."

At the word dance, Lucy sounded slightly disgusted, but her tone soon returned to it's normal laughter-filled call. The hall was bright and neat - Jill got the impression that the Pevensies were a very happy, close few, and that they were all very much about 'family', thank you very much. It was a stark contrast to her own home life - a workaholic father, a rather fussing mother and an older sister who couldn't care less who her relations were, provided they didn't cut off her allowance.

They went into a small, cosy room, with a bookshelf almost spilling with dust volumes, two invitingly soft-seeming settees and a boy of around seventeen sitting at a small chessboard, drumming his fingers on the black and white squares. He had blonde hair, a sprinkling of freckles over his nose and green eyes. Like his siblings, he seemed old beyond his years. It was something about the eyes. He looked up as the two girls entered and grinned.

"Hullo! So, Lu, you've returned to be beaten, have you?" he asked, as his sister took a seat opposite him, eyes darting over the chessboard for her next move. "And you're Jill, of course. It's nice to meet you. I hope Eustace has been in one of his more agreeable moods.""

Scrubb, who was just innocently trundling after Lucy and Jill, entered the room to hear these words and laughed. "I've not been here two minutes, and you're already picking on me."

"Some things never change," came Peter's voice, as he popped his head into the room, causing everyone to chuckle. "Jill, I've dropped your suitcases in your room. Eustace, you can help me carry your things. They're almost as heavy as the car itself."

Scrubb, not without a grumble or two, consented, and left with his eldest cousin. Jill sat down at the nearest sofa, and watched with interest as Edmund and Lucy continued their chess match. Lucy, tongue between her teeth with concentration as she scanned the board, was beating her brother. Edmund, seemingly to distract himself from the losing battle, glanced over at their guest. "Seriously though, Eustace has been behaving himself? He can get in to frightful moods."

"Yes, don't worry," Jill said in reply. "He's been fine so far. Of course, it can change at any moment with him, but so far so good!"

"Oh, Ed, how can you say a thing about anybody else's moods? You're not famed as being grumpy for nothing," Lucy giggled, after another well placed move caused Edmund to curse softly. "By the way, Jill, I'm going shopping tomorrow in town. You're welcome to join me. I had invited Susan, but she has plans."

"What a shock," Edmund murmured, scrutinising his chess pieces, as if it were their fault he was losing.

"I'd love to!" Jill enthused, already feeling as though she'd known the Pevensies forever. Each of them so far had so subtly made her feel so welcome. They'd made an effort to be kind to her, without being patronising and going overboard. She had no idea why Scrubb's mother (her friend had confessed the conversation they'd had in the kitchen) didn't appear to like the Pevensies that much. As far as Jill had seen, they were wonderful.

"Good," Lucy nodded, pushing the hair from her eyes. "We shall leave at eleven and then we can be back by dinner at three. I haven't been shopping for the longest time, and I've been looking forward to going since summer began. I am glad you're here, Jill."

"As am I. I've got some birthday money from yesterday, and I've no idea what to spend it on. I was thinking Scrubb's present - it's his birthday next month - but it seems odd to spend a money that was a present on somebody else. Do you think -"

"Lucy," came a female voice, from out of the room. "Are Eustace and his friend here yet?"

Lucy rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Yes, Susan. Do come in - Jill's in here with Ed and I."

Light, graceful step could be heard down a staircase, and then a young woman entered the room. Jill's eyebrows raised against her will. The girl was evidently in the flower of her youth. Thick black hair hung sleek and ever-so-slightly wavy down her back, her face was perfectly shaped and symmetrical with one or two freckles on her small, dainty nose. She held herself with more grace than her younger sister, but lacked the warmth of Lucy. Not that Susan seemed particularly cold - just more reserved and refined.

"Jill," she smiled. It was one of the prettiest smiles Jill had ever seen. "It's lovely to meet you. I hope you're well?"

"Yes, thanks."

"Your journey wasn't troublesome?"

"No, it was fine, thank you."

"I'm glad," she smiled again, before turning to her brother and sister. "Have you shown dear Jill her bedroom yet? I'm sure you haven't - the only person who's been upstairs is Peter with a couple of suitcases. You should have, instead of playing games."

"Well, dear Susan" Edmund began, doing a brilliant impression of his elder sister's voice, "if you didn't insist on being so like -"

"What our dear brother is trying to say," Lucy cut in hastily, for Susan looked rather affronted at the mockery, "is that we are about to."

"Good," Susan graced them all with one last smile, before turning and leaving the room, calling over her shoulder, "I probably won't see you again tonight. I might be back from my dancing after you've gone to bed."

A solemn air entered the room after that, not broken until Peter and Eustace came back and rejoined them. They had a pleasant day together, in which they played catch and the girls collected flowers to decorate the house in. After an evening of meeting Mr and Mrs Pevensie - who were both kind and welcoming - and eating a nice dinner, Jill was rather sad when she lay down in her room that night. She had had a lovely time so far, enjoying the presence of everybody she'd met. But she couldn't shake off the ill-boding feeling that Susan had caused a strain through her siblings that ran deeper and further than Jill had yet seen.

A/N: Thaaaaaaaaaank you for reading! :) I hope you liked the chapter. x