Chapter 4

A/N : Im really sorry for not updating for the last two weeks…But I really got caught up with studies and stuff. Im sorry, please bear with me..

CHAPTER 4

Aline woke up the next day morning, to the sweet chirping of birds and the sunlight streaming through an open window, bathing her face in rich Vitamin D. She pulled the covers up her face groaning, too comfortable to get out of bed, though too awake to go back to sleep again.

She grudgingly sat up, regarding the room she was in, realizing with a sinking feeling that yesterday wasn't a dream. Or perhaps she hadn't woken up still. A fact she didn't know whether to be happy or sad about.

Taking in the new surrounding, she realized that the room was bigger than she thought, with a king-size bed, like a royal suite, complete with a balcony.

Just then the door opened and in walked a girl. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and wore a gown, which made her look like she'd just stepped out from King Arthur's court, or perhaps she was dressed for a Halloween party as Cindrella, or some other cheesy Disney Princess', whose names Aline hadn't care to learn.

The girl stopped abruptly, noticing that the other had woken up.

"Hey, I didn't realize you were awake. I'm Lucy." she said. "Aline." she replied simply.

Lucy bit her lip as if she were nervous. "Um, I assumed you were hungry, so I brought you this." she said placing a bowl on the dresser beside the bed. And that was when Aline realized, exactly how hungry she was as her stomach rumbled. But no, she thought. I need answers first.

"Thank you, Lucy." she said, "but first, where in the world am I? What is this place? And who are you?" she asked stopping herself before more poured out.

Lucy pursued her lips, "As to answer your first two questions," she said, "You're in Narnia-" before she could continue, Aline interrupted, "I get that, everyone here just keeps on going about a Narnia, but what exactly in the world is that?"

Lucy smiled, "Narnia" she repeated slowly, "Narnia, is our home. Aline can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Sure,"

"Do you believe in magic?" Lucy asked.

"Like the magic, magic that so-called magicians tricksters do to rob you off your money? No, thank you."

"No," Lucy said, calmly, "not that magic, I mean, true magic."

Aline considered this before replying slowly, "I don't know, Lucy." she said, even as her conscience snickered at her. So what now? You're beginning to believe in magic?

"Well then," Lucy said. "I'm going to tell you a story."

And so did Lucy begin, telling the story of how she, and her siblings had first discovered, the magical world behind the wardrobe, and according to the old prophecy, overthrew the White Witch and how Aslan –the Lion King, Aline thought, with a laugh- crowned them Kings and Queens of the land.

Though Lucy tactfully avoided the part of Edmund, and when Aline asked, she just shook her head, "It isn't my place, nor story, to tell."

"Well Lucy," Aline said, hesitating a bit, on how to break the fact that she didn't believe anything the girl had just told her, while she could see the sparkle in her eyes that said, that Lucy believed in whatever lie she had been fed, clinging onto it with all her soul. "Although I must tell you that it was a real awesome story. But seriously, how do I know whether it is all true or not?"

Lucy's face fell. "I expected you wouldn't believe it. But, how else could you explain all this?" Lucy asked gesturing towards the room.

"Good point," she conceded. "But, I really wouldn't put it passed my own mind to conjure up some alternate reality, where Beavers spoke, and I get a royal suite free." or maybe I'm dead, and this is my personal hell. But for some reason she didn't want the girl to know what she suspected. That she was..dead. And at that moment, the word felt so heavy in her chest.

Dead. Though she'd actually given the word more thought in the past, suddenly the gravity of the word came crashing onto her shoulders, like a heavy burden. Dead. Death. The word echoed in her ears, like an echo to the beat of her own heart.

"Aline?" Lucy called tentatively. "Are you alright?

"Yeah," she replied, "Im fine."

Lucy gave her a kind, I- know- what- you're- going- through look.

"Alright, so let's say, despite my better judgment, I actually decide to believe you. If so, then how the hell am I supposed to get back?" she asked.

"You can't, Aline" Lucy said. "Not unless Aslan thinks so."

"Well, then take me to see this Aslan."

"I'm afraid, that's impossible, Aline. Aslan only shows himself when he wants to be seen."

For a moment, Aline was silent, not quite knowing how to process all this information. Finally she said, "This is madness, and I cant even believe that Im actually beginning to believe all this. Well, I must be an even bigger freak than I think I am."

Lucy smiled, "Well," she said, "aren't we all a little mad on the inside?"

Aline smiled as well. At that moment, she could feel a spark of something new, though she could not put a name for what it is. Maybe her stay here won't be bad as she first thought it would be. Maybe.

"Um, so if you guys are royalty, does it mean that I have to call you, 'Your Majesties'?" she asked.

Lucy face scrunched up, horrified at the thought, "Don't you even dare try!" she warned. "You have no idea how horrible it is, to not have a real friend to talk to, when the only ladies you meet are those all- too- posh, Calormene and Telmar ladies, who have no sense of humor at all! Actually," she said, "I'm glad Aslan send you here. Its like he heard my prayers."

"I am glad I came here too." Aline said I suppose, though she didn't have the heart to tell Lucy that.

"Well, you'd better have your breakfast then, and if you want to change, there are dresses in the wardrobe." Lucy said, pointing to the wardrobe.

"Hold on! Dresses, like in the ones you're wearing?" she asked.

"Yeah," Lucy said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"But, I don't wear dresses, they just look so ridiculous!" and then seeing the look on Lucy's face added, "not that it is on you though. I mean, its the 21st century, nobody wears dresses anymore!"

"21st century?" Lucy asked blankly.

"Yeah" she replied, "last time I checked it was 2014."

"No way!" Lucy yelled. "Well, it actually is," Aline assured but the girl didn't believe her. "Wait I'll show you." she said rummaging through her backpack till she found her IPod right at the bottom.

"Here," she said, showing Lucy the date and time. Lucy had a look that was between confused and awe. "That means its almost 70 years passed since we came here."

"That means, youre 70 years older than me!" Aline joked, and they both laughed.

"What is that?" Lucy asked pointing to the IPod. Aline smirked.

"And this, your majesty," she said in a mock voice, "is something of the likes you've never seen before. May I now present you, the 21st century's magic box?"

"Just kidding," she added at Lucy's startled expression. "Its just an IPod. You know, you can kinda like listen to songs, and watch videos and download apps and that sorta things."

Lucy just gave her a blank look, "Actually, I didn't even understand even half you just told me. Anyway, I guess that at least explains your clothes." Lucy said, eyeing her, "you know, it wasn't the height of fashion when we left."

"Oh!" Aline said, looking down at her tanktop, with the checked shirt she had on and the shorts she wore. She could only imagine what the '40s girl did think of her. Most importantly she wondered what Lucy's brother- what was his name, Edward?- thought of her. Aline shuddered at the very thought. "Well, you see, this is pretty much what everybody wears back there." she said her cheeks turning rouge from blushing.

"Aline, its alright. I get it" Lucy said with an understandig smile, and she relaxed. "but now speaking of clothes, there's just no way Im wearing a dress." she said.

"But you would look really good in a dress! I swear!" Lucy said.

"No way! " She said again, holding her hands up. "I know, that Im crazy, but seriously, Im not that crazy!"

"Well, ok, then, if you prefer, I could get you some men's clothes you know." Lucy said. "though I'd bet you'd look real gorgeous in a dress." Aline wrinkled her nose.

As Lucy left to get her the clothes, Aline swung herself from the bed, cringing as she took a look at her reflection that stared back at her from the mirror.

A pale, thin girl stared back at her. A girl scarred from her past, a girl whom Aline didn't think she knew anymore. She gazed at her reflection.

Glancing at herself in the mirror, she tucked the emerald charm around her neck, under the collar of her shirt, wincing as she did so, asif it burned just to touch the very thing. She dared not remove it, even though it hurt her, every single time, stirring up things she'd rather forget.

Aline winced, as the uncalled memory of a red stone, shattered, lying abandoned by a burnt tyre, flashed before her eyes.

"See, what I got us! Ruby for me, emerald for you! The lady at the antique shop said it was magical, she said as long as we both had one of this, we'd always be together, forever!" she said, as she pulled the charm around her neck.

"Really, Hannah? Magic? She probably told that just to trick you into buying it, though I have to admit it really is...enchanting."

The other girl snorted, "Magic is real Aline! Whether you wish to believe it or not."

"No it's not Han, though, you know, I believe in something else."

"What is that?"

"This," the little girl said, touching her heart, "best friends forever, from the bottom of our hearts."

"Best friends forever and ever." the other said, embracing her friend in a tight hug, an extravagant smile spread across her face.

A/N : So what do you guys think?! Thought of doing an Edmund POV in the next chap! What da think?

Please review, it's the only thing that encourages me.

~NarnianFairy

Edited : Typos, a tad bit more descriptive terms, and the memory behind Aline's emerald necklace. Recommended to read :) Reviews would be great too!