After a few hours' sleep, Nimueh collected a plate of toast from the food tent, trudged over to where three of the Pevensies sat eating and placed the plate on the small table.

"Have you had lunch yet?" Lucy asked.

"I just woke up. I'll eat something in a little while."

"Won't you sit with us?" Nimueh cocked her head at the little girl. "Mrs Beaver said you're a great warrior. I want to get to know you."

Nimueh gave her a small smile, the innocence of the youngest of the Pevensies softening her a little. "Alright." She sat down at the empty space at the table. "What do you want to know?"

"You are human, aren't you?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm not a Daughter of Eve, if that's what you mean. See, I'm not from your world."

"So, you're not from our world and you're not from Narnia. Where are you from then?

"I'm from an island right in the middle of a huge ocean. I believe that the people from my world likely evolved from the same creatures as the people from your world did. The climate is far hotter and more humid than it is here, so natural selection has moved us further away from the creatures you know as humans. That's why we're so thin, and why most of the Elites are so tall. I imagine the climate in your world is similar to that of Narnia." The Pevensies nodded. "The colours are much brighter there too. It's actually a relief to the eyes to have a duller landscape," Nimueh mused. She pulled a piece of fabric from her pocket. "See, do you recognize this?"

"It's a patch of material." Susan seemed confused.

"No, I mean the colour."

"It's orange, of course."

"You recognize it? Well, we don't have this colour where I could from. Whenever I come here, I like to carry something orange with me wherever I go, like a lucky charm of sorts." She smiled fondly. "It's such a beautiful colour."

"That's so cute," Lucy giggled.

"If it's so hot there," Susan frowned, "why are you so pale?"

"You have a Sun in your world, don't you? I suppose our Sun is different, but the People don't get as advanced an education as the Elites, so I'm not sure."

"How did you get from the island to here?" Lucy stopped eating and turned her full attention to Nimueh.

"I came from the water. You remember seeing the sea? That's how I got in this time. But I usually come up from the lakes or rivers."

"So that's why your name is Nimueh," Susan mused. Nimueh frowned. "From Arthurian legend, the Lady of the Lake was called Nimueh."

"Oh, I've never heard of her."

"It suits you," Susan smiled. "She was thought to be very beautiful too."

"You think that I'm beautiful?" Nimueh was taken aback, almost offended by such a notion.

"You don't see it?"

"Well, because of my hair and my eyes, I'm a beastly-looking thing who should be kept well hidden from the eyes of the Elites."

"You're joking, right?" Peter wandered over from where he had been standing, to join the conversation. "You can't possibly think that you could ever be considered ugly."

Nimueh frown at Peter as he sat down across from her. "Where I come from, brown is considered a very ugly, and sometimes offensive, colour. Those whose skin was darker than was considered accepted were methodically hunted and slaughtered in the earlier days of my world, which must only have been a few hundred years ago as it is fairly young. Those with brown hair or eyes are made to cover their faces or hair when in the presence of Elites. Most act as servants to the Elites, but amongst the People the discrimination isn't as bad because most of us are cursed. The Elites don't think we're stupid or incapable, just ugly. I have been cursed with the unfortunate fate of having brown hair, and eyes that are not quite green enough. That would explain why I'm not yet married, and at my age, I might as well give up!"

Lucy began to giggle again, whilst the other Pevensies looked bewildered. "What's wrong with not being married?"

"Well, most of the Elites have had marriages arranged from birth, but commoners' parents have them engaged from around ten, and are wed at thirteen. I'm fifteen and have no suitors. I'd blame my parents for giving me such unfortunate genes but…I can't bring myself to."

"Come to our world; you'll have people throwing themselves at your feet," Edmund said.

She laughed lightly. "You really think so?"

"Of course, I mean Peter's already halfway there." Peter smacked Edmund on the back of the head, looking furiously flustered. Of course, Nimueh didn't understand his meaning. But the look on the eldest Pevensie's face was enough to make her laugh, hiding away the little pinkness that rose to her cheeks.

"Well, it's very kind of you say so. And I can only hope you'll never find yourself in my world; you'd all be commoners like me."

"What about Peter?" Lucy pointed at her brother's fairer hair.

"His eyes are fine, but I'm not even sure what colour your hair is?"

"It's blonde," Peter looked confused, fluffing his locks.

Nimueh shook her head. "Blonde is a white-silvery colour, as least where I come from. If your hair isn't blonde or black, and your eyes are brown, you're doomed to be a servant of the Elites – that's where most of the work is – or to live in the People's villages. I'm actually quite lucky, when I…when I think about it." She trailed off a little towards the end. She shouldn't be thinking about her life back there, not when she was in the place she loved most.

"Are you alright?" Susan touched her arm.

Shaking her head a little, Nimueh forced a smile. "Yes. Yes, of course. I was just thinking."

"Is it really awful?" Peter asked.

"No, I mean, like I said, I'm actually quite lucky considering. But enough about that; what is it like where you come from?"

"It's not so great either. There's a war going on, and we were sent away from home so that we could be safe." Peter blinked a couple of times, looking away from Nimueh, as though he had just been hit with a realization. "Which reminds me, you'll need to pack up some food for the journey back."

"What?" Lucy frowned.

"Back where?" Nimueh mimicked the little girl's confusion.

"To the wardrobe, back to the Professor's house."

"You're not seriously still considering leaving us, not now." Nimueh tried not to raise her voice. "You know that's not fair, after staying so long."

"I'll be staying behind to do what I can, but the rest of you need to go back. I promised Mum that I'd keep you all safe." Peter stood up and walked to where he had been leaning before.

"Do you not understand? We need all four of you to fulfil the prophecy." Nimueh followed Peter over the rocks. "You don't have to do this by yourself, you can't." Peter turned back to her, looking solemn. She knew he didn't like it, but there was nothing he could do.

Susan got to her feet. "Well, I suppose if we are staying, I might as well get in some practice."

"Do you want me to give you hand?" Nimueh asked.

"Something tells me that I'll be alright."

"It's just as well, I suppose. I've seen Peter waving that sword of his around." She smirked at Peter, who blushed and dropped his eyes to the ground. "He needs all the help he can get."