Chapter 2
Lucy picked up her books from her bed. It was nearly time for study hall, which was two hours before curfew.
"Come on, Hannah, or we'll be late," Lucy urged her friend as they made their way down the stairs toward Room Five, which was where the the fourth form girls had study hall.
A seventh year student was usually in charge. Lucy and Hannah slipped into their seats, seeing that Katherine Swanson, a seventh year, was presiding.
"Sit down and no talking ," she ordered as the girls trickled in, talking and giggling.
Katherine was a no-nonsense sort of girl. The room grew quiet as the girls began their homework. Lucy found the work to be simple, having already learned it in Narnia under the finest tutors. She finished quickly and sat drawing.
Almost without thinking, she drew a picture of a naiad. Hannah leaned over to see and fell off her chair, and the girls shrieked with laughter. Lucy helped her up but Jessica leaned across her desk and snatched up Lucy's drawing.
"Look what Princess Lucy drew!" she cried, waving it around. The other girls clamored for a look, and they giggled as they saw the drawing. Lucy blushed, and Katherine stood up.
"All right, sit down, or I'll tell the headmistress," she ordered the girls, "Jessica, give me the drawing."
With a smug look, Jessica handed the drawing to the older girl.
"That was awful of Jessica to do that to you," Hannah said as she and Lucy headed back upstairs.
Lucy rubbed her nose and then said, " It doesn't matter, I could draw another one." She turned to Hannah. "How did your lessons with Susan go?" she asked.
Hannah frowned.
"Awful, I'm too clumsy. I spilled a glass of water on her. Lucy, where did you learn to be so graceful? I wish I was more like you or your sister."
Lucy bit her lip, she had been taught to always tell the truth, but Narnia was supposed to be a secret; on the other hand, Hannah was her best friend.
She sat up. "Do you promise, not to tell anyone?" she looked serious, and Hannah nodded.
"Cross my heart, hope to die."
Lucy came over, wrapping her blanket around her, the dorms were always cold.
"Last summer, we were staying at a professor's house and there was this wardrobe..." she told Hannah all about Narnia.
The girl's eyes grew bigger as Lucy related the story of how she and her older siblings fulfilled a prophecy and became kings and queens.
"An actual queen! Really! Oh Lucy, I do wish I could go there too, imagine the other girl's faces if they knew you had been a queen, especially Jessica - she'll be green with envy," Hannah giggled.
Lucy looked at her "No! you can't tell anyone, Hannah, you swore it! This is our secret, please!" She looked desparate.
Hannah nodded.
"Besides, they'll just think I'm making it up. Tell me more," she begged.
Lucy told her everything. When she was finished, Hannah asked, "Is this why you seem older than your age?"
Lucy nodded. "Remember, you promised."
She turned off the light and lay there in the darkness. Waiting until she was sure Hannah was asleep, she slipped out of bed and crossed the room to the window seat. Kneeling on the bench, she pushed open the window, and leaning out, she looked up at the stars. There were no constellations, and she missed the clear Narnian night sky and the moonlight walks she took with Mr. Tumnus.
There were things she didn't tell Hannah, things she'd never understand.
