The two most pertinent memories Aurora had of Moira James both could be linked back to fire in some way. It was the constantly recurring theme floating around Aurora's existence. She was told she was passionate and that somehow transpired into being called a fiery spirit. It all came back to her quick temper and how much of herself Aurora devoted to what she was attempting to do. Whether it was school work or a game, Aurora was constantly in it 110%. Of course having that much dedication often left her feeling quite burnt out.
Moira James had led her daughter to believe that she and Professor Kirke had been close friends for ages. When Aurora would ask Digory about her mother, he would act quite oddly and avoid her question completely and just tell Aurora that she looked a great deal like her mother. It was comforting to hear, even if it wasn't the kind of comfort Aurora had been seeking, because Aurora had rapidly began forgetting what her mother looked like and how her voice sounded when she told bed time stories.
It was also quite a compliment to be told that she looked like her mother. Her mother had been a beautiful woman, even if Aurora couldn't remember her face clearly, that she knew for sure. Men often followed her down the street with their eyes. She wasn't particularly beautiful, nothing like a model or actress, but she was different and that somehow made her alluring. Often plain girls from other places in the world can go somewhere and have all eyes on them because they're exotic and new. That's the kind of attraction Aurora's mother had, the kind she had inherited. It was an unearthly kind of beautiful that only came from being from a place so unknown that the mystery enraptured any who dare take a glance at her.
Nightmares that held the quality of truth and memories to them often drove Aurora to the mirror to examine her appearance. The dreams always reminded her how fast she was forgetting the details of her mother. Each time she tried to remember the fire she found the details were becoming more blurred. It started off in a nightmare in a nightmare, Aurora remembered that clearly. There was the suffocating feeling of being afraid that came with having a nightmare. She no longer knew what horrors her subconscious had created, only that when her eyes bolted open she was staring into her mother's terrified eyes. Then the flames jumped into her line of sight, the suffocating feeling was from the smoke and the heat was causing beads of sweat to form on Aurora's brow.
The details got foggy after that, she remembered her mother getting her out of the house by breaking open a window. Aurora screamed as her eyes caught sight of the sleeves on her nightgown, they were alight with flames, burning away at the fabric and still continuing on to eat at Aurora's skin. She fell to the cement and rolled, like her mother had told her to do. She expected Moira to be there when she got the flames out or for her to arrived and help extinguish the fire. It never happened; Moira never came out of that building.
When the fire was extinguished, firefighters discovered that Aurora's mother had been pinned to the floor by a fallen support beam. Of course, by then Aurora hadn't been on the scene. The daughter of Moira James just seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Rumour has it that she died in the fire, though a body had never been recovered from the wreckage. Where else could a little girl have gone to? She had no other family that anyone knew of, she hadn't sought salvation anywhere. The simplest explanation (which was usually the correct one) was that she perished. In this case, this theory was incorrect. Aurora James was very much alive and thriving in the country with her mother's old friend Professor Kirke.
Whenever things were bad or something weird happened, Aurora's mother took her to the country where Professor Kirke lived. Moira had forced Aurora to memorize the Professor's phone number and so when Aurora had ended up at the train station she had told the man at the counter that she needed to go to the Professor's house. Of course when a young child says they need to go to someone the person they are asking will usually ask where their parents are. When Aurora had told the person at the ticket counter that her mother was involved in a fire, the man asked her for the phone number of someone that could help her.
She gave him Professor Kirke's phone number and within the hour was on a train to the Professor's home.
Aurora's second most prominent memory of her mother didn't have much to do with her mother at all. Ingrained into her memory was a unique bedtime story that no other child was told. Aurora could remember it word for word and how Moira's voice sounded at certain parts. Her voice was wistful, somber and a kind of sad that Aurora could never understand.
The story starts off in a land of make believe (for this is what Aurora had always believed the story to be, make believe) called Narnia. In this land lived a beautiful woman of noble descent. The description of this woman always sounded like Moira, though Aurora never realized that until she was older. Moira, like the lady in the story, had beautiful white skin and light blue eyes with beautiful wavy brown hair, a dainty figure that danced through the forests barefoot and had a singing voice sweeter than the sweetest tasting candy.
This maiden of a land inhabited by sons of Adam and daughters of Eve was well loved and had many admirers, none of which seemed to be able to hold her affections. She would rather run through open fields than listen to men dribble on about politics even though it was a privilege to be in such a high class and have regular meals with the king. The lady, who never was given a name other than lady or girl in the bed time story, loved to read in the forest and it worried her father. For he wished his daughter to find a suitable noble to enter courtship with and spending her time reading in the forest was not helping her achieve anything close to that.
In the forest there was peace in the noises animals made, and sometimes the lady conversed with the talking animals or fauns and sometimes if she were really lucky a centaur or a dwarf. They were all friendly creatures and pleasant to meet, but there was one creature that the lady had never spoken to but this creature knew the lady well for he observed her every time she entered in the forest. It was the most unlikely of creatures, a phoenix, and the most gorgeous creature the lady had ever seen. Its plumage shimmered in the lights, it was undeniably the most handsome bird and it watched her in silence. This phoenix fell in love with the lady and knew it could never be for he could not find the courage to talk to her and he knew the love could never progress. He was a phoenix and she was a human, it was impossible.
But love brings people to do the impossible. There was a legend of a white stag and if it were caught it would grant you three wishes. The phoenix sought this Stag for weeks upon weeks, flying through the woods and coming upon many creatures but not the legendary white stag. His spirits were not dampened because he knew that their love was meant to be. He had never spoken to the lady but he had seen her admire him whenever he was brave enough to show himself and he had heard her speaking to all the creatures and knew she was kind.
He had great faith in his love and so his motivation and determination never dwindled, he never slowed and eventually his persistence paid off. On the fourth week of his search he found the stag tearing through the woods and he landed upon its back easily, the stag froze and craned its neck to peer down at the fiery bird.
"You are the white stag they speak of, the one that grants wishes, correct?" The bird asked in his prideful and noble speech.
"Yes, and I assume that you have come to collect. I will give you three wishes if you turn me loose, choose them carefully for sometimes wishes are more than we bargained for." Replied the white stag warily.
"I wish to be transformed into a son of Adam," said the phoenix without pause.
"So it shall be done." And suddenly the phoenix was no more, and a man sat bereft of any clothing on the back of the stag, with fiery red hair that was shiny and vibrant as the former birds plumage had been. The phoenix inspected his ten fingers and his ten toes, and his tanned skin, he wanted to move to the nearest stream to see his face, but he didn't want the stag to leave without granting him his other two wishes.
"My second wish is that of a set of appropriate clothing one might wear when addressing a lady on matters of the heart." Spoke the phoenix proudly, for now he was quite excited to speak with the lady he was irrevocably in love with.
"So it shall be done." The stag replied, and hanging from the nearest tree were a set of fine garments, breeches of the finest material money could buy and a red tunic along with comfortable under clothes with socks and a pair of shoes. Also there was a belt with a sword sheath and a sword, a traveling cloak, a complete set of clothing for the former bird of flame.
The phoenix did not dress; he did not even dismount the stag.
"My third wish is to have a valiant horse to take me to the maiden I seek in the far corners of this forest." Spoke the phoenix with certainty.
"So it shall be done." And from the trees came a sturdy white horse, bereft of saddle or any other riding materials. The horse was beautiful and the phoenix admired it with open mouth a clear sign that he was awestruck. "Now, our agreement was that you were to turn me loose."
"Why, of course." Replied the phoenix, waking up from his daze, he dismounted the stag and without any warning it took off into the trees with a speed unrivalled by any other horse, centaur or cheetah. The phoenix dressed quickly, watching the valiant horse as it grazed but did not wander from its rider. When Phoenix had dressed he tried to mount his horse, finding it difficult though he had seen the lady mount a horse many times. It took several tries before the phoenix had mounted his horse, and he promptly fell when his horse began to trot.
The phoenix fell many times on his journey to the lady, and had rumpled his clothes and attained various bruises from the rough landings. This did not faze him in the least, he just had to remember the lady dancing in the forest in her bare feet and he got right back up again. It took many days to reach the wood where the lady frequently read, and in those days the phoenix came upon a stream and took in his foreign reflection. He had a tan face, dark eyes that smouldered at him, a sharp nose and a full mouth with straight white teeth and few freckles dotting along his nose.
At last the phoenix arrived to her favourite spot in the woods, deep enough not to be seen and yet not far enough to be seriously dangerous. The phoenix watched her for a moment before attempting a graceful dismount from his steed. Of course he was less than graceful and all but fell on his bottom in front of the lady.
"My good sir, are you alright?" The lady asked, for the man was greatly rumpled from all his falling.
"Yes, my lady, now I am perfectly content." And he introduced himself to her as Phoenix and he told her the truth of who he was and what he went through to be with her. The lady was immensely flattered by his honesty. Phoenix asked her noble father permission to propose and her father said no, and told his daughter that if she married Phoenix she would be no daughter of his. For love they ran away and were wed deep in the Narnian forest. Phoenix built them a small house with the help of fauns, dwarfs and centaurs and they conceived their daughter in that very home.
One day Phoenix was fishing in a nearby stream when he saw something gold reflected on the calm surface. When he looked up it was to see the great lion Aslan staring at him with loving eyes.
"Young fire bird, were you not happy as I made you?" The great lion asked Phoenix and he sounded sad when he asked in his deep magnificent voice.
"No your greatness, I was very happy as a phoenix," answered Phoenix quickly to appease the sad lion.
"Then why did you seek the white stag to change your form?" Asked Aslan, he sounded not angry but curious and Phoenix had the distinct idea that he already knew the answer.
"Because I fell in love with a lady of the court," answered the Phoenix without shame.
"And together you had a daughter, a daughter of Eve. Phoenix, the wish of the white stag is wearing off and in three days time you will be as you were and no longer able to rise from your ashes." Aslan informed Phoenix with sad eyes full of sympathy.
"Why? I do not understand why this is happening?" Phoenix asked, his eyes shining with tears. He could not fathom the idea of not being able to hold his love, to not be able to kiss her and to die and not be reborn. He wept at the idea of not seeing his daughter grow up.
"The white stag was generous with your time as a Son of Adam. You did not say you wanted to be a Son of Adam for the rest of your life and so the white stag gave you a year with your lady." Aslan told him, eyes still shining with sympathy.
"Is there nothing that can be done?" Phoenix asked in desperation.
"Nay, my son, I cannot alter the path you have chosen but I can promise you that when your flame burns out for the last time I will comfort your wife and daughter. They may no longer reside in Narnia when you are gone, for your daughter is extraordinarily gifted and will be needed a long time from now to help defend Narnia from approaching evil. Your wife may never return to Narnia, but your daughter will return to save this world. Be proud, father of the fire child." Aslan's words comforted Phoenix greatly.
"Thank you, your highness." Phoenix said with perfect sincerity. "But what shall I tell my wife when I return home?"
"Tell her nothing yet, when the sun is about to set for the third time, tell her that you will become as you were but not to fear. Tell her to have faith and everything will be alright." Aslan instructed, and Phoenix knew that everything really would be alright. Phoenix looked to the stream before looking back up to Aslan only to see that the greatest lion of all time had gone already.
Each day Phoenix spent with his family was treasured and the night of the third sunset he told his wife of the change to come and he told her with complete confidence that everything would be alright. When his wife inquired as to how he knew that he said that the great lion Aslan told him so and that she would be better off to have faith. One of the reasons Phoenix loved his lady was because of her faith in all people and creatures alike. The next afternoon at the exact time that Phoenix had fallen off of his horse in front of his lady, he was aflame once more. Not too long after that Phoenix found himself in terrible health and knew his last pile of ash was upon him. He had been eager, for it was torture being so close to his family and only being able to watch and talk and not be able to feel their soft skin, to not be able to hold his daughter when she cried.
Not even an hour had passed after Phoenix had become ash did Aslan walk out of the forest and sat in front of Phoenix's wife as she mourned over the pile of ashes with her daughter clutched to her breast.
"Child, do not weep for Phoenix is in a better place and will be waiting for your arrival. He loved you dearly and would not want your face marred by tears; dear one I need you to be valiant for me. You need to be strong for your daughter, she needs you now. Your daughter is extraordinarily gifted, though her talents will not emerge for years to come. She is important to the survival of Narnia, but that is still a long time coming. Your love for Phoenix and his kin will be your strength and your greatest gift to your daughter. Daughter of Eve, I will come for you in three days time and you and your flesh and blood will leave Narnia. Child you will never return, but your daughter will come and complete a trying task for the defence of this world from great evil. Will you do everything in your power to protect your young one?" Aslan asked of the lady. She stared up at him with tears drying on her cheeks and pools of water in her eyes and Aslan looked back at her with sympathy and breathed on her, giving her a renewed sense of strength.
"Of course, Aslan, but I do not understand. What is my daughter to Narnia?"
"She is its greatest defence. Dear one, you and Phoenix have made something out of love that has never existed before and out of this love comes great strength. I will have more news for you in three days, but I must take my leave now to make the preparations." Aslan said solemnly, standing at his great height and licking the face of Phoenix's wife.
The lady waited for three days sitting in the window of her home, she was unable to sleep and she often found herself holding Phoenix's old tunics to her face and inhaling his warm scent. Aslan meanwhile spoke to an old friend in the realm of dreams; this friend had been there for the birth of Narnia and had a very big debt to Aslan, to explain what he needed of him. In three days Aslan appeared out of the forest and stood outside of the lady's home. She gathered her child into her arms and rushed outside to meet the great lion.
"Come, we must now take our leave. It will be faster if you ride on my back; I will go slow for the sake of your child and explain as we ride." Aslan lowered himself to the ground and allowed the lady to climb onto his back with her child in her arms. "Squeeze my sides with your knees as you would a horse." Aslan instructed, and the lady complied.
"Aslan, what is happening?" The lady asked as they took off at a quick walk. She clutched her sleeping daughter to her closely.
"You are taking leave of Narnia and entering a new world. I have secured you a place to stay for the time being until you adjust to all the changes. Professor Kirke is a fair man, when you find yourself in trouble you can always go to him for anything. For troubled times are soon to be pressed upon you and it is very important that your daughter learn to control her gift. I will be there to guide you, dear one. Though in this world I go by a different name, I will always be with you and your daughter." The lady felt no need to speak after that, she felt calm and assured.
Aslan sped past trees, streams and rocks with a grace that no other creature possessed. He was strong and magnificent as he traveled, the lady watched as everything blurred by. Nothing caught her interest until the lantern; it stood out amongst the trees and in Narnia as a whole. The lady had seen nothing like it before, it was here that Aslan stopped and moved lower to the ground.
"We have nearly arrived." He announced, and the lady climbed off of the great lion and stood facing him as he lay on the ground in front of her and stared at her with troubled eyes.
"Oh Aslan, what is it? What is this place?" The lady asked, worry coloring her tone.
"This place is called Lantern Waste and was not of my creation. I have to ask of you many things, you have already agreed to protect your child. Would you protect her with your very life?" Aslan asked, searching the lady's eyes for sincerity.
"Of course," she agreed. Aslan's eyes darkened because it seemed as though she were unaware to how serious the matter was.
"It may not seem it now, dear one, but protecting your child could prove to be a more dangerous task than you realize." He informed.
"I love my daughter with everything in me, I would rather die than see any harm come to her," vowed the lady. Aslan saw only love in her eyes when she spoke.
"I ask of you to tell your daughter of your story, every night before she sleeps." The lady looked into Aslan's golden eyes with confusion.
"What story?"
"Tell her your story, the story of the phoenix that fell in love with a lady of Cair Paravel."
"Oh Aslan, I will," cried the lady. As she threw an arm around the great lion's neck and rubbed her face in his mane while she cried.
"Child, I ask of you three more things," Aslan began when she pulled away from him, "I ask you to let your daughter go when the time comes. To teach her to love with a pure heart and that you may teach her the importance of love in life. For without love, where would the world be?"
"Of course Aslan," the lady stated, bowing her head with respect.
"Now follow me dear one, we are nearly there." The lady followed Aslan until they came upon a very strange sight. It was a kind of cave that the lady had never seen before, hidden behind some trees. The cave was not made of rock and seemed to exist without a mountain, and in it hung the strangest things. They looked like animals without faces, and seemed to hang in thin air.
"What is this place?" The lady asked again, for she had never been to this part of Narnia.
"This is a gateway created from the wood of an apple tree from Narnia connecting our world to the world of Professor Kirke. This is the door in which your daughter will pass through many times. It is where you will go and never return." Suddenly the lady was not so brave.
"I-I'm afraid." She admitted to the great lion. He turned his golden eyes to her and let his warm breath fan her face.
"Be not afraid child, I will be with you." The lady nodded and crouched down, shuffling through the hanging animals with no faces until she came to a wooden structure. She looked behind her for one last glimpse of Narnia and Aslan and saw nothing but a wood backing behind her. Panic rose in her chest, she was trapped; she began to knock on the solid sides and cry out for help.
Immediately a door opened, and light poured into the cave, a hand reached out to help the lady and she was pulled into a spare room in an extraordinary house owned by Professor Kirke. The lady took her first look at England and knew that this was where her child would grow up.
Aurora had believed this story to be nothing but a silly little fairy tale. She had no idea that it was her mother's biography and that she belonged to a whole other world. The realization would come soon, in due time. Aurora felt it in her heart as she sat out on the many acres of land the Professor possessed and watched the strange occurrences in the sky. There looked to be fireworks and shooting stars quite a ways off.
The air raids were commencing and the Pevensie's were in the cross fire.