A/N: Okay. Here we start to see some action. You will notice that this pretty much follows the movie in this chapter. I borrowed lines from the movie, so of course I don't own them. Enjoy chapter 4!
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The sun was shinning brightly outside. It promised to be a warm day. Aubrey let out a soft sigh as she got out of the Pevensie's car. They had arrived at the train station and were now unloading their luggage. Aubrey heard a small sniffle and looked over at Lucy. The always cheerful girl was very somber at the moment. Aubrey walked over to her and grabbed her lose hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Lucy looked up at her a gave her a small smile.
"Okay kids. Follow me." Mrs. Pevensie called from the front of the group. She was walking with Susan. Edmund walked behind them, but at a small distance. Aubrey and Lucy were a bit behind Edmund and Peter was following behind the two girls. As they entered the train station, Lucy stopped to stare at a giant bronze lion. Aubrey gave her arm a light tug.
"Come on Lucy. No time for daydreaming." She told the young girl quietly. Lucky shook her head and followed Aubrey into the train station.
Aubrey walked through the crowded platform, holding tightly onto Lucy's hand so the little girl wouldn't get lost. Smoke was billowing from the trains sitting at the platforms. A large group of people came pushing past and knocked into Aubrey.
"Hey!" She yelled to their retreating backs. She felt a warm hand press onto her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to look into Peter's clear blue eyes. With his hand on her back, he gently pushed her toward the train Mrs. Pevensie was leading them toward. When they reached their train, Mrs. Pevensie turned to say goodbye to the children.
She turned first to Lucy. She tried to smile at the young girl. "You warm enough?" She asked. Lucy nodded somberly. Mrs. Pevensie started to fuss with the nametag attached to Lucy. "Now honey, you have to keep this on you. Be sure to keep this on." She said, giving Lucy one last hug and kiss on the head.
She turned toward Edmund. He had been in a foul mood all week and it was driving the rest crazy. As his mother turned towards him, he decided to speak his mind.
"If Dad were here . . ." He said angrily with a scowl on his face.
"If Dad were here, the war would be over and we wouldn't have to go." Peter called from behind Aubrey, his anger matching that of his brothers. Mrs. Pevensie looked between her two sons and decided to stop any kind of fight that may have been started. She turned back toward Edmund.
"You will listen to your brother, won't you Edmund?" Mrs. Pevensie asked. Edmund didn't answer her. She sighed and tried to give him a kiss. He turned away. A hurt look quickly passed across Mrs. Pevensie's face, she gave Edmund a one armed hug and a kiss on the cheek.
She then turned to Peter. She handed him papers bound together. "It's not for very long." She gave him a tight hug which he eagerly returned. "Promise me you will take care of the others."
Peter looked at her sadly. "I promise."
Susan stepped forward and gave her mother a hug, Tears were silently pouring down her face. Mrs. Pevensie let out a sob and hugged her back.
"Be a good girl Susan." She said into her hair. Susan nodded her head and stepped back with the others. Mrs. Pevensie turned to face Aubrey. One look into the older woman's eyes sent chills down her spine. She let out a small wail and ran to hug the closest thing she had to a mother since Sally left. Mrs. Pevensie returned the hug and had tears of her own running down her cheeks. They pulled away from each other. Peter grabbed onto Aubrey's hand, Susan now held Lucy's firmly, and led her toward the train. They got in line behind a bunch of other children being ushered onto the train.
Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw a group of soldiers walking along the platform. One boy in the front looked not much older than Peter and the oldest boy wanted nothing more at that moment to join the war and fight. He wanted to help end this suffering. The suffering that his best friend felt every day of her life. He looked down at the small girl next to him. He felt so horrible for her, losing both her parents.
"Peter!" Susan hissed, pinching his arm. He looked at the grumpy man in front of him and handed him the bundle of papers. The man looked at each of the children then nodded his head. The five children pushed through and went onto the train. They searched for an empty compartment that would fit them all.
"Here is as good as anywhere." Susan called. The filed into a compartment that was empty, save for two other children. Peter walked in and put his luggage above the rack. He then took Aubrey's from her hand and put it above, Aubrey sat on the seat next to the window and stared glumly out of it. Peter put Susan and Lucy's things with his own and the two girls sat down across from Aubrey. Peter went to help Edmund with his but the younger boy snatched his luggage out of Peter's hand.
"I can do it myself." He hissed. Peter glared at his brother and sat down next to Aubrey. Lucy sniffled. Peter looked at her worriedly and extended his hand toward her. Lucy grabbed it and Peter pulled her into the seat next to him. He put his arms around her shoulders and held her close. Edmund took the now empty seat next to Susan and stared at the floor.
Aubrey watched as the train pulled away from the station. She watched the scenery fly by her window. She felt her eyes drooping and before she new it, she was fast asleep.
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Aubrey awoke suddenly, the jolt of the train waking her up. She looked at the empty seats across from her.
"Ours is the next stop." Peter said from next to her. Aubrey nodded her head silently.
Peter started to grab their bags from the luggage rack and pass them around. They left their compartment and headed for the doors. Once the train stopped, they exited onto an empty platform. The train pulled away and left the Pevensie's and Aubrey with a breathtaking sight. All around them were big green hills. Out in the distance they could see trees and the beginning of a forest. Edmund looked around the platform curiously. Susan stepped off the platform to look down the dirt road.
"The professor knew we were coming, right?" She asked, looking at Peter.
"Perhaps," Edmund said slowly, "we have been incorrectly labeled?" He looked down at his nametag attached to his shirt.
Suddenly the children could hear the sound of hooves. The rest ran down the platform steps to join Susan at the road. Aubrey put her hands up to shield her eyes from the suns bright rays. Just over the hill, she could see an old woman driving a horse pulled carriage. The woman stopped right in front of the children.
"Pevensie's and Butler?" She asked them sternly.
"Yes ma'am." Peter called up to her. She looked them all over.
"Is this it then? Haven't you brought anything else?" She peered down at Susan who only had a small bag clutched in one hand. Susan looked down at the ground.
"No ma'am." Peter said again. "It's just us." He said looking around at the rest.
"Very well then." The stern lady said. "I am Mrs. Macready, the Professors housekeeper. Load your things on quickly. I have a schedule to keep too."
Edmund and Peter helped the girls load their luggage into the carriage and then helped them in. Once everyone was in, Mrs. Macready gave a click of her tongue and the horses were off. They road through the beautiful countryside. Aubrey was amazed at all the beautiful flowers she saw and couldn't wait until they could go outside so she could pick a bouquet. It wasn't long until they got the fist glimpse of the Professors house. Aubrey's mouth dropped open in surprise at the size of it. Before them stood a three story house, Mansion more like, Aubrey thought to herself, covered in stone with beautiful stained glass windows. Aubrey had never seen a more beautiful house in all her life.
The buggy pulled onto a small dirt path that led straight to the house. Mrs. Macready stopped the horses right outside the front door. The children hopped off the back and grabbed their luggage. When they were all ready, Mrs. Macready lead them all inside. She led them up a marvelous staircase that must have connected each corridor. As she was walking, she was giving the children the rules of the house.
"There will be no shouting or running. No sliding on the banisters. No improper use of the dumb-waiter . . .," Susan reached her hand out to touch one of the many statues on the newest landing. Mrs. Macready seeing this, stopped and quickly faced Susan.
"And NO," She emphasized the no, "touching of the historical artifacts." She gave Susan one last stern look and turned to face the large door in front of them.
"And above all, there will be no disturbing of the Professor." She turned down the hallway and led the children to two rooms.
"These are your rooms." She said, facing them, pointing to her left and right.
"The girls sleep here." She pointed to the right.
"The boys sleep here." She pointed to the left.
"Dinner is served at five and no later. Be there or miss supper. Good day." With those last words, she turned on her heel and headed toward the main staircase.
Susan and Lucy were already entering the room when Aubrey turned around. Only she and Peter were left in the hallway. She shrugged her shoulders and followed the girls into their rooms.
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Later that night, everyone was gathered in the girls' room. Lucy was already in bed, Peter sitting next to her. Susan and Aubrey were sitting on Susan's bed, listening to Peter talk to Lucy. Edmund was sitting quietly on the chair facing the beds, listening once again to the radio.
'German aircraft carried out several attacks on Great Britain last night . . .' the man on the radio was reporting. Lucy let out a small sniffle and Peter jumped off the bed and turned the radio off. Edmund glared at him and slumped down in the chair. Peter joined Lucy at her bed again.
"The sheets feel scratchy." Lucy said quietly, playing with the sheets, a small pout on her face.
Susan looked at her sister sympathetically. "Wars don't last forever Lu." She told her, trying to cheer her up. "We'll be home soon."
"Yeah," Edmund scowled from his chair, "if home is even there."
Aubrey looked at him shocked. "Ed!" she hissed at him. Looking over at Lucy, she noticed tears in her eyes.
"Isn't it time you were in bed?" Susan said angrily.
"Yes mum." He replied, giving Susan a reproachful look.
"Ed." Peter yelled at him. Turning his attention back to Lucy he said, "You saw the outside. This place is huge. We'll be able to do whatever we want. You'll see," he said, hugging Lucy goodnight. He walked to the door and motioned for Edmund to follow him. "Tomorrow will be great." He added, giving Susan and Aubrey a smile.
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The next day, the Pevensie's and Aubrey woke up to the sound of heavy rain pounding against the windows. After breakfast, the five children gathered in one of the studies and lounged around, not doing anything in particular. Peter settled down on one of the comfy armchairs facing the center of the room. Aubrey and Lucy took the couch that faced the fireplace. Edmund, for reasons unknown to the others, settled himself under the coffee table nearest to the door. Susan entered the room and grabbed an encyclopedia off one of the shelves and settled herself on the floor. She started to flip through it lazily.
Lucy laid her head on her arm in a bored way as Aubrey stared off into the empty fireplace. After a few minutes, Susan called out to the room.
"Let's play a game. Try and guess the origin of the word I read." She smiled at the others, expecting them to be excited that she found a game for them. She sighed when no one answered her. She flipped to a random page and turned to Peter.
"Alright Pete. How about you go first?"
Peter looked at her lazily and rolled his eyes. He then sat up straighter in his chair.
"Ok." Susan said, searching the page. "Here we go, Gas-tro-vas-cu-lar." She said the word slowly, pronouncing each syllable. "Gastrovascular." She said again. She looked up at Peter expectantly.
Peter slumped back down in his chair, boredom written all over his face. Susan got annoyed.
"C'mon Peter." She said. "Gastrovascular." She looked at him pleadingly.
He sighed, "Is it Latin?"
"Yes." Susan said happily. She looked back down into the book to find another word.
"Is it Latin for worst game ever played?" Edmund asked as he pulled himself out from under the table. Aubrey tried to hold her chuckle in but it escaped in the form of a loud snort. Lucy also couldn't hold back her smile. Susan glared angrily at the two girls and slammed the book shut. Lucy suddenly turned toward the others.
"We could play hide-and-seek." She said eagerly. Aubrey turned around also, smile dancing on her face.
"The house is big enough. There will be plenty of hiding places." Aubrey added eagerly. Peter sighed.
"C'mon Pete." Lucy pleaded, coming up to stand next to Peter. She grabbed his hand. "Please?" She added, giving him the puppy dog face. Aubrey knew that if anyone could persuade Peter to do something he didn't want to do, it was Lucy and her puppy dog eyes. Those eyes would make even the coldest heart melt. Peter sighed again, but this time a smile started to grow and Aubrey new at once that he had given in.
"One . . . two . . . three," he said slowly, looking Lucy in the eyes. The small girl gave a bright smile and ran from the room. Susan followed closely behind her, smile also on her face. Aubrey ran and grabbed Edmunds hand. He seemed to be the only one still not happy. Once they were out in the hall, Aubrey let go of Edmund and winked at him. She took off down the hallway, Peter's voice following her wherever she went.
"Twenty-six . . . twenty-seven . . . twenty-eight," Aubrey ran down the hallway. She saw Susan slip into a trunk up ahead. She paused to think of a place to hide. She saw Lucy run ahead of her and decided to follow her. Out of a hallway just ahead of them, they saw Edmund appear. He darted for a large curtain in front of him that Lucy was also running to. Being bigger, he beat Lucy to it.
"I saw it first." He called out to her. Lucy gave him a sour look and continued running. Aubrey right behind her.
"Seventy-one . . . seventy-two . . . seventy-three," Peter's voice could still be heard as if he stood next to them. Aubrey saw Lucy run up and small row of steps and down a hallway with no end. By the time Aubrey reached this hallway, the small girl had disappeared. Aubrey looked around at the three doors in the hallway. She opened the first door and was met with another small library.
"Ninety-eight . . . ninety-nine . . . one hundred. Ready or not. Here I come." She heard Peter yell. She quickly ducked behind the piano at the other end of the room before he found her. Not two seconds later, she heard Lucy yelling from the room next to her.
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A/N: Wow that was a long one. Okay. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will pick up where this one left off. Please leave a review! =)