Ummm... Chocolate?
Peter opened the door to the shelter and pulled the girl in "What are you doing outside at this time?" Helen, or as we shall call her Mrs. Pevensie, exclaimed upon seeing a girl of 8-9 with ink black hair, strawberry shaped chin, face paled with fright, and blue-green eyes. A slightly familiar face to Mrs. Pevensie though she didn't know why. The girl was wearing a grey coat and holding a package. "I I was on an errand for the headmistress " Maria stammered out. "How long have you been out there?" This time it was Susan asking. Maria paled even more "Since it started" They blinked at her. "Sit down then ..." Mrs. Pevensie paused "What's your name?" "Maria, Ma'am, Maria Bureford" Helen thought it sounded familiar to her, she'd think about it later. "Sit down Maria, you must have been scared to death" "Nearly was ma'am " Maria said "Nearly was." She said while sitting.
A crackle cane from her coat pocket and she looked up here face brightening. "Chocolate?" She offered the bar that came from her pocket to Peter."I got it from the salesgirl at the grocery" by way of explanation. Taking the bar and breaking a piece of he passed it on to Susan who did the same until everybody had a piece. As they chewed their pieces, the bar only had six pieces, Susan wondered if Maria was like the orphans they had heard about. What they might have heard is that orphans were thieving children, the kind in Charles Dickens story 'Oliver Twist'. Peter broke the silence by asking "Is the orphanage as bad as I've heard?" Maria blinked at him before thoughtfully chewing her chocolate she answered. "It could have been worse I suppose." She paused "Or better."
"What do you mean? Could have been worse, could have been better?" Susan asked studying her. "What I mean is everyday I find something to be thankful in. So that's what I mean by could have been worse, better because the plumbing sure could have used some fixing." She frowned as she remembered their plumbing, the plumbers had all been drafted.
"What were you doing outside at this time?" Mrs. Pevensie asked. "Oh, I was on an errand to get some groceries," She looked at the bundle in her arms. A smile crept up her face "The Ella May sure couldn't be refused." Her smile grew wider as she remembered Ella.
"Here you must have a bite you're thin enough as it is" "Oh, no I'm still full." Protests were useless against her. "A snack then, just a tiny snack." ... Afterwards as she was leaving. "Oh and take this. Thrusting the bar of chocolate into Maria's hands. "But Ella!" "No, no you must, an emphasis on must, take it a friend gave it to me from his rations. Now no dawdling it's late run alone by now."
Mrs. Pevensie's voice broke her memory. "Ay, you cant leave the shop without buying something." The Pevensies looked at her her face was different when she smiled.
A silence round them fell not the uneasy silence where you grope around for words but the comfortable silence. It was here in the silence Maria Bureford surveyed the scene around her. The boy who had pulled her in was probably the eldest sibling, he had sandy blond hair with blue eyes. The girl who had spoken was probably next she had bright blue eyes black hair that curled near the ends of her hair. "A beauty" she thought. There was also a boy with black hair clutching a frame with broken glass. Inside the frame was a photo of a man in an uniform "They're father" she thought glancing at the woman. She had dark brown hair cropped to her shoulders she definitely had a well shaped nose. The youngest had dark brown hair also with a cute chubby face and a button nose that was adorable. She and Ryda would probably get along together.
"Cmon kids to sleep" Mrs. Pevensie was met by a chorus of groans including the girl Maria. "Here Maria you take my bed, I won't be able to sleep anyways" Seeing she couldn't protest she took the bed. She hasn't really noticed the beds. "Their air raid shelter sure was cozy" she thought "ma'am" answered with a hmm? "Can you wake me up please when it's over, I don't want Ryda to worry."
"Don't worry Maria, don't worry" was her answer.
With the children finally asleep Mrs. Pevensie could think why the orphan was so familiar in the way she looked and talked. The conversation a while ago resurfaced "Ella May couldn't be refused." She felt like smacking her head. Of course Ella had talked to her about the orphanage several times.
"See that girl, she's the errand runner of the orphanage."
She had seen Maria a few times without knowing it that explained the familiarity but something still nagged at her. Dismissing it for worry for husband she thought about other things.
She'd have to send the children away that she was sure. It was to dangerous for them to stay any longer. They'd enjoy the countryside , Peter would go exploring and that would be safe. Yes, she'd do that tomorrow first thing in the morning.
She gently woke up Maria early in the morning.
Just before stepping out Maria had asked her name and her name, Helen Pevensie, seemed to start her but Mrs. Pevensie dismissed it as her imagination.
Maria ran out clutching the bundle of groceries to her chest as she ran back the orphanage. She ran nimbly along the destruction that the bombs had thrown in their wake. Buildings seemingly eaten away, rubble was everywhere. She was lucky she hadn't been hit last night.
"There you are Maria, Ryda was worried its a wonder she managed to calm down Bert. Where were you last night?"
"l sought safety with a family" was her reply "And yes, Headmistress I thanked them. Where is Ryda?"
Pointed in Ryda's direction she started toward her. Looking around she saw that the orphanage was nearly destroyed.
"Maria wait! The groceries." Sheepishly handing the groceries she saw Ryda.
"Ryda! Wait" Maria called running towards a girl of 4-5 with a dog on a leash.
"Maria!" Ryda called and started running towards her. "Where were you Maria? I was so frightened."
"I'm safe, Ryda I'm alright." Pausing to catch her breath the older girl began questioning the younger. " What happened with you Ryda, you didn't get hurt or anything?"
Now readers while Ryda and Maria fill in with each other I will insert this note. Be patient while waiting for Maria's background and what connection sort of connection that she has with the story. But Author, you ask, what does Ryda have to do with the story? You might ask. Well Ryda is the daughter of a friend of the Headmistress. Okay then you say but what is the Headmistress then? The Headmistress is the one who is in charge of the orphanage. Ah it seems the Headmistress is calling for order.
"Children, it has been decided you will all be sent away to the countryside. However you will be sent for your own good as you can see" here the Headmistress points to the damaged building "as you are no longer safe here. You will be go in pairs or alone or with other children." She was met with silence. "You will be sent away an several weeks. For now we will help with the buildings and rubble."
"Maria?" Ryda and Maria had been working together for a long time now.
"Yes?" "Will we be together?" Ryda asked fearfully.
"I don't know, Ryda, I don't know." was Maria's truthful answer. She didn't want to think about it. Bert nosed at her. "Oh Bert over the attention seeker eh?" Turning around and giving Bert the attention he needed she went back to her work pulling at rubble and dragging it away. As she worked Maria thought about last night.
When she had fallen asleep she had dreamed of her Father they were back in Narnia, they're last day there. Her parents had been fighting a foe and all she could do was sit. She remembered the screams of , My Lady's stay here. She remembered Father coming
"We're not safe here any longer, child we have to go." Father's voice weary
"But Inay" She protested
"She will be safe child" Aslan's voice comforting and then Aslan blew on them sending them away. She was only two at the time. Only when she was five or so when Father had told her the story of why they had to go.
"Come child, I have a tale to tell" And he had told her the happenings of that day.
"You know child that we both fought wars that day and you know of the tree. The tree that withered and died. The tree had a reason to be there, Juliet, a reason. It was planted there at the beginning of time to keep the White Witch away. The day when the tree died was the day the White Witch set foot in Narnia. She had gathered an army to fight us. She fought with a wand, oh child, that wand could turn you to stone!" Here he shivered. "At the same time an army of deformed creatures attacked someplace else in Narnia. By the time your Mother got there she and the Narnians were tired and weary. A great battle was waged so much blood of the Narnians spilled. We lost."
"But, Father what about Inay?"
"She was wounded by one of here own kind."
"What! But..." Maria stared at him
"I know Maria, you see the other person was jealous. that she was given the power and not herself. The other one Therlan, must have wanted to see Katherine fall so Therlan joined with the White Witch. Katherine was wounded so badly that Aslan sent her to another place to heal. Katherine drove out Therlan but what happens to them I do not know. We failed Narnia, I failed.
"Do not blame yourself Father but Father? What will become of Narnia?"
"I do not know how much time has passed there but there was a legend made a long long time ago. I have forgotten how it goes but it has the words 'Adam' and 'Eve' that I remember."
She was startled out of her reverie by the Writing Mistress.
Peter and his three other siblings were walking around seeing if they could be of any help.
"Susan," it was Lucy "whats that crowd of kids over there?
They turned around and saw a crowd or groups of children pulling at the rubble in front of a ruined building.
"That must be the orphanage." Peter decided.
"Do you think Maria might be there?"
Susan shrugged "Maybe"
Just then a woman called out "Maria" a girl with a grey coat, almost invisible, raised her hand. Peter noticed that she had a girl of 4-5 beside her and a dog.
"You, Ryda, and Bert look around and see if we can be of any help anywhere else."
The Maria took the younger girls hand in her own, whistled and called "Here Bert come here."
With Bert following them the duo set out towards the place near the market. Peter boldly walked forward and asked "Can we be of any help here?" to the woman that had ordered Maria.
"No child but thank you we have enough hands here." The woman smiled kindly at Peter before going on with her work.
"I did not expect you to do that." Susan stared at him in disbelief at him.
"Well, Mum said to see if we could be of any help."
The Pevensies had been out on orders to help others. After being told at breakfast that they would be sent to the countryside for they're own safety. They hadn't taken well to the news, but Mrs. Pevensie was firm that they would go. Immedently after breakfast she had gone put to see to it and told them to go outside and see if they could be of any help to anyone.
"Wait child" It was the woman, "If you really want to help go with them" She pointed to a group of kids. "They're going around to see if they can be of any help."
The Pevensies joined the group, though not without a grumble from Edmund, and set to work.
That was long. I didn't notice that I named the dog Bert after one of the trolls in 'The Hobbit' Anyway hope you enjoyed it. And do you know where to get a Beta?