**I DON'T OWN ANY CHARACTERS FROM THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. THEY BELONG TO C.S. LEWIS.**

Thank you, AnnCann, for being my beta and helping me with my story. I couldn't do it without you.

Peter and Edmund had been gone for three days. We received a letter (one letter addressed to me, Susan and Lucy), saying that they were okay, but they had yet to figure out just what was going on. They also said that if they couldn't get any information by the next day, that they should be home by the end of the week. The end of the week! That seemed like forever. I had to do something to distract myself. I couldn't push the feeling of loneliness away, or was it that I was missing a certain someone? It was the beginning of May and things were starting to bloom. Brushing my emotions away, I walked in the gardens when I saw a bush full of gardenias.

How lovely. I have to pick some for my room.

I didn't have any sheers and I wasn't wearing gardening clothes, so I decided that I was going to pick one and place it in my hair. I picked a flower and brought it to my nose. Just as I was about to smell it, I threw the flower on the ground and let out a yelp. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not scared of spiders but I do have a problem when they are close to my personal space.

To kill or not to kill, that is the question?

Since being in Narnia I had learned that you have to be careful about which animals are talking and which are not. I was told that certain things like bugs, snakes and spiders couldn't talk so there would be no harm done. I picked my foot up and was about to step on the spider when I realized that it was a black widow. Okay, so I know that you are thinking kill it! But for some reason I couldn't. I had never seen one in real life and they were beautiful creatures (even though they were deadly). I was weighing my choices trying to figure out what to do, when the weirdest thing happened. It began to move one of its legs, like it was waving or something. The thought to suddenly smash the spider with my shoe was an option; the spider was too close for me to feel comfortable. I shook my head with a frown.

No, that's not possible. It's just moving its leg because it's about to run.

"Hello!" I heard a tiny voice say.

I looked around to see who called me, but couldn't see any one.

"No, down here!" I heard the voice say again. Persistent little creature!

I looked down to see that the spider was staring at me (how I could tell I'm not sure).

"Uhhh," I said confused.

I continued to look at the spider shaking my head in disbelief.

No it's not possible. I was told that spiders couldn't talk. Then again this is Narnia so any thing is possible. I am so glad I didn't smash him.

"Are you the one talking?" I asked the spider confused.

"Indeed," came the answer.

I hesitantly bent down to talk to the spider.

"May I came closer? I promise I won't hurt you," said the spider.

Yes it may have been a talking spider, but it was still a black widow after all. On the other hand even if I did get bit, it's not like there wasn't any one around that couldn't cure me.

"Uh sure,..." I said placing my hand on the ground.

The spider began to crawl into my hand, and I must say that I was a little freaked out by the fact that I was holding a black widow. I brought my hand closer to my face so that I could talk more easily to the spider. This seemed a risky, and I, a large human being, was at the mercy of a tiny, but deadly spider.

"I'm sorry to have scared you earlier," she said with a sympathetic tone.

"No, that's okay. I didn't mean to pick the flower that you were on," I said forcing a chuckle from my lips. I am so glad she doesn't know I was thinking of stepping on her...

"There is nothing to worry about, dear. I won't hurt you," she said in a soft voice.

She must have read my mind.

"I know, it's just weird. I mean, here I am holding a killer. No offense," I said sheepishly.

She chuckled a little before replying.

"None taken, though I must tell you that the Dumb black widows do kill. We talking ones can control our bit."

I was very glad to hear that. "So," I asked, "there are more talking black widows?"

"My dear," said the spider, "not just talking black widows. There are other talking spiders that are a different species."

"Oh!" was all I could say.

"Erm," I managed to choke out, after an awkward silence. "May I ask you something?"

"You may."

"Well, it's just weird that I am holding you and talking to you, when I don't even know your name."

"Oh yes," she said. "My name is Soudrina."

"What a lovely name!" I smiled. "Pleased to meet you Soudrina, and my name is Annala."

"Thank you," said Soudrina, "and nice to meet you as well."

After the incident in the garden, Soudrina began to stay with me in my room. Chestnut and Runcas were a little hesitant about it, but I was able to reassure them. As for Susan and Lucy, well what they don't know, won't hurt them. I was in bed, when someone slammed my door open.

"Ann! Ann! Wake up!" Someone shouted.

I groaned and threw my feather pillow over my face. Chestnut growled as he yawned and Runcas screeched. They were just as annoyed as I was.

"Come on, wake up!"

"Oof," I groaned as Lucy jumped on my stomach.

"Come on, get up!" Lucy shouted jumping up and down.

"Lu, please get off, you're heavy." I sighed as Lucy slid off of me.

"What's the big deal anyway?" I asked through a yawn.

"Peter and Edmund are back!" Lucy said excitedly.

My eyes widened.

"Lu, why didn't you say something?"

I threw my blanket off of me and slipped on my slippers.

"Well for one, I was trying to get you up," she said with an eye roll.

Lucy grabbed my hand and we ran out the door to greet Peter and Edmund. As we got closer to the end of the hall, Lucy let go of my hand and ran ahead of me. When we rounded the corner I saw Lucy throw herself on Edmund and Peter at the same time.

For such a young girl, she's strong.

I stayed back and let the family have their moment.

"Well, look who just got up!" Edmund said sounding amused as he walked over to me.

I looked down and sure enough, I was still in my nightgown. I looked back up to see Edmund staring at me.

"Ed," I said crossing my arms. "You've been gone for a week and that's all you can say to me? No 'I missed you,' or anything?"

Edmund chuckled and soon enough we were wrapped in a hug.

"I missed you," he said in my hair.

"Missed you more, bestie," I said.

Edmund and I were still wrapped in a hug when I heard someone say "Sheesh, I see how much you missed me."

I unhooked myself from Edmund to look at Peter.

"Pete, would you like a welcome home hug?"

Peter pretended to give me puppy dog eyes and extended his lower lip. Was he jealous, or was he just playing?

"Pretty please?" His blue eyes twinkled and he extended his arms to me.

I laughed and threw myself into his arms. He lifted me off the ground in a huge embrace.

"Glad you have you back," I whispered into his ear.

"Glad to be back," he whispered back, holding me close.

We pulled away and just smiled at each other.