Hello all! Welcome to the first story in The Guardian's Legendarium. This story is called "Discovering Their Guardian" and is a rewrite/revision of the first version of this story. This story will be a revision of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It will be based on the movie, with some added elements from the books. This story will hopefully be of decent length, including both original content and chapters based off the movie. The pairing for the original version of this story was going to be Caspian/OC, but I've decided to change it. This time, the pairing will be Peter/OC, though for the majority of this story they will only be friends.

My OC is a 17-year-old girl named Julianna Styles, though she goes by the nickname "Jules." She is short, but well-built with long, dark brown curly hair, tanned skin, and dark jade colored eyes that are considered unusual. She has a birthmark on the side of her neck that people usually brush off as a patch of dirt. Jules has lived in Narnia for several years of her life, but now has returned to the human world, right before the Blitz. More details on her life and how she got to Narnia will come later ;)

"italics" will be communication in a language other than English, to be revealed later

~)8(~ is a scene break

This story will be told in 3rd person POV

Disclaimer: I do not own The Chronicles of Narnia

"Oft hope is born when all is forlorn."

JRR Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring

Chapter 1: The Blitz, the Evacuation, and the Macready

When Jules landed in the human world, the first thing she did was snatch a newspaper from a nearby bin. She'd nearly had a heart attack when she saw the headline and date. Wednesday, December 20, 1939. "NAZIS SCUTTLE LINER". Jules had quickly dropped the newspaper (Daily Herald) and ducked into an alley to hyperventilate. 1939. It was a far cry from 2014, the year Jules was from.

At least Aslan had dumped her in London, the city where she'd grown up.

Now, it was deep into 1940 and Jules felt like she was living two very different lives. The life where she was just a normal human girl living in poverty, and the life where she was a Narnian leader desperately searching for the kings and queens. Jules knew they had to be in the area, or else Aslan wouldn't have sent her to post-imperial London.

At least, she hoped that was the case.

Jules remembered her first week back in the human world. Christmas came and went. Jules hadn't really paid attention. The first week in London she hadn't slept. At all. Every night she'd sat on the ground, hidden somewhere, sobbing her little heart out. Or pacing. Or sitting in silence. Or all three. Eventually she'd become so tired that she'd simply passed out from exhaustion. After that, she'd picked herself up focused on her duty. Leaving Narnia had been hard. It was her home. It had been for the years she had lived there. It was a major adjustment to be back in the human world. But every single night, she reminded herself that she was safe. The kings and queens were safe. Aslan knew what he was doing. But the Narnians… her people…

With Jadis in power, they certainly weren't safe. That's why she had to find the kings and queens… fast.

For the first few months in the human world, Jules had been slumming it. She trusted absolutely no one and knew how to remain hidden. She stayed away from the few people she knew from this time, knowing they would have no idea who she was until they met her in the future. So she spent her days scouring for scraps and the occasional night in a shelter when she was desperate. She tried hard to find work and eventually found it with a woman named Carolyn Ghest.

Mrs. Ghest was a widow who was getting on in age and was looking for help around the house. She abhorred how expensive cleaning companies and services were, especially during wartime, so she hired Jules when she showed interest. The pay wasn't very good, but it was more than Jules had before. Eventually, Mrs. Ghest offered Jules her spare bedroom. Jules had been hesitant, but accepted after some consideration. Now, Jules spent her days cleaning and tidying, shopping and cooking, and her nights in a warm bed. Sundays she had off. Jules spent them scanning the yellow pages and scouting neighborhoods, searching for the kings and queens.

Despite her clear curiosity, Mrs. Ghest never really asked what Jules did on her one day off. Maybe she just assumed Jules was exploring the city.

Jules was grateful to Mrs. Ghest for taking her in. And she was especially grateful to the woman when she kept her safe in the increasingly dangerous city. World War II was raging like a wildfire across Europe. Jules knew it would be another yet before America got involved, so for now, Britain and France were on their own. And if her memory from old history lessons served, London was about to get even more dangerous. If she remembered correctly, Jules knew London would soon come under almost constant air fire and bombings from the Nazis. The Blitz was approaching. And soon, that time came.

The first night had been terrifying.

Jules couldn't remember being more afraid in her entire life than that first night when bombs began to rain on London. Knowing she could've been blown to bits at any time was enough to send Jules into a panic attack. Mrs. Ghest had thankfully kept her head about her and calmed Jules down before they ran to the bomb shelter in the backyard.

Despite being a seasoned warrior, Jules was not used to this type of warfare. Bombs, planes, sirens, rationing, enlistment, nameless, faceless enemies. Jules couldn't handle it.

It wasn't long after the Blitz began that Mrs. Ghest began discussing sending Jules away to the country. Nevermind that Jules had a job to do (one Mrs. Ghest knew nothing of). All Mrs. Ghest knew was that Jules was a minor living in a dangerous city. She was under her care, and she needed protection. So eventually, the decision was made. Jules was to be evacuated.

The morning Jules was due to leave was a bit chillier than normal.

"Have you got everything?" Mrs. Ghest asked as Jules came down the stairs. The teen set down the small, battered suitcase Mrs. Ghest had given her and smoothed her skirt. Jules wore a simple white blouse tucked into a grey skirt with tall grey socks and black slip-on leather shoes.

"Yes," Jules answered simply. She shrugged on her old, donated coat and pulled her braid over her shoulder. Jules looked up at Mrs. Ghest, not quite sure what to say. Words didn't possess the power or emotion needed to convey how grateful Jules was. She would've been a goner out on the streets is not for Mrs. Ghest, and for that, Jules could never repay her. Thankfully, Mrs. Ghest seemed to understand Jules' intentions and smiled gently. Jules lurched forward and hugged the woman tight.

Mrs. Ghest was surprised. She and Jules had hugged before, but the girl was never the one to initiate contact. So when Jules hugged her, Mrs. Ghest's smile widened and she wrapped her arms around the girl in return.

"Don't get emotional on me now," Mrs. Ghest teased. Jules' shoulders shook with light laughter, but she did not pull away. Finally, when the hug broke, Jules blinked furiously to clear her eyes of the wetness that had appeared there uninvited. Mrs. Ghest rifled through her handbag a bit before withdrawing some notes from her wallet. Jules' eyes widened.

"Mrs. Ghest —"

"Don't argue," Mrs. Ghest cut off firmly, but kindly. Jules knew the look in her eyes. She wouldn't take no for an answer. So Jules silently took the money and tucked it into a small pocket on the inside of her coat. Then, with one last hug, Jules grasped her case and set off for the train station.

King's Cross train station was familiar to Jules. She felt some comfort upon seeing that it hadn't changed much between 1940 and 2014. Her eyes lingered on the sign that directed a traveler towards platforms 9 and 10. The train she took to school was always on those platforms. But with a shake of her head, Jules turned on her heel and went the opposite direction.

When Jules arrived, the platform was already crowded and busy with soldiers, evacuation staff, children, and mothers. There were check-in stations for those being evacuated. There, Jules picked up her pre-paid train ticket and label. She barely glanced at it before pinning it to her person. According to the label, she was getting off at Coombe Halt Station. With that knowledge, Jules moved to get in line to board the train. However, a young boy suddenly rammed right into her. Years of battle experience ensured that neither of them went tumbling to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Jules immediately asked, always a worrier. Jules gently grasped his shoulder in order to steady him and paused when his gaze met hers. The boy of maybe six years had big blue eyes that shone with tears.

"Tommy!" Jules looked up at the frantic scream of a woman, but quickly looked down when the boy, Tommy, latched onto her and began to cry. A mother clutching the hand of a girl around 10 broke through the crowd. She halted upon seeing her son clinging to Jules. The teenager sent the woman a soothing smile before kneeling before the boy, breaking his grasp on her very gently.

"Are you frightened?" she asked Tommy. Despite his tears and flushed cheeks, Tommy shook his head. Jules smiled a little bit and said, "I am."

Tommy's eyes were wide.

"R-really?" he sniffed.

"Mhmm," Jules admitted, drying his tears with an old handkerchief. "But you're being very brave, Tommy. Do you mind if I sit with you on the train? I want to be brave like you." Tommy's eyes were still wet, but Jules' words seemed to have comforted him. He nodded at her question. Jules smiled, standing and holding out a hand.

"Let's say goodbye to your mum, okay?" Tommy sniffed and nodded, taking Jules' hand. His mother looked relieved that Tommy was no longer crying. But Jules also saw the anxiousness, the fear of being separated from her children. Jules and Tommy walked to his mother and Tommy almost immediately ran into her arms. Jules looked away, letting the family have a moment to themselves. She was, after all, a stranger. Eventually, Tommy's mother let go of him and he came to Jules' side. He took her offered hand once more. Tommy's sister, Juliet, came to Jules' other side.

"I'll make sure they get to where they're going safely, ma'am," Jules assured. The mother looked like she might cry at Jules' words, and nodded with a shaky smile. The woman handed Jules her children's train tickets, and with a lingering look, allowed Jules to lead the children onto the train.

Once inside, Jules ushered them all into the first empty compartment they came across and took care of loading the suitcases onto the overhead rack while Tommy and Juliet opened the compartment window to wave goodbye to their mother. Within minutes, train whistles screamed throughout the station and stewards began closing the train doors. Tommy and Juliet were crying, waving frantically to their mother amongst the fray of women on the platform. The sight made Jules ache with the pain of not seeing her parents in many years. She missed them. She missed them more than words could possibly convey.

Evacuation staff kept the women and mothers from getting too close to the train as it began to pull away from the station. Within minutes, London was disappearing rapidly from sight. Tommy and Juliet sat on one side of the large compartment while Jules sat on the other side. Tommy looked like he might say something to her, but before he could, the compartment door opened.

Jules, Tommy, and Juliet looked up to see a group of four siblings come into the compartment. The first to walk in was the youngest sibling, a girl. Her hair was brown and chopped short underneath her hat. Her skin was pale and dotted with light freckles. Her eldest brother walked in next, helping the young girl lift her case onto the overhead rack. He was tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes that shone with nothing but love for his littlest sister. The next sibling was the second youngest, another boy. His dark hair was stark against his pale skin and his eyes were even darker. He looked sour, and shook off his brother's help before lifting his case onto the rack. The last sibling was the second eldest, another girl. She was a young beauty with freckles, pale skin, and long dark hair.

Jules' eyes imperceptibly narrowed. Something about these siblings…

Jolting out of it, Jules noticed the younger boy eyeing her as he moved to sit. She realized he had been hoping for a window seat. Biting back a small, knowing smile, Jules swiftly stood and pretended to retrieve something from her case. The boy was taken aback, but quickly sat where she had been and leaned against the window, watching the land go by. His sisters sat beside him and the older boy sat on the far end of the bench on the side with Tommy and Juliet. When Jules finished with her case, she felt a tug on her skirt.

"Yes, Juliet?" The girl asked her question shyly.

"Can you braid my hair?" she asked. She looked down, sad. "Mum usually does, but we didn't have time this morning." Jules was saddened by this, and it showed some in her answering smile.

"Of course." Juliet shifted over, making room for Jules beside her and then turned to face away from her. Jules sat and began to work the girl's blonde hair into two French braids. Juliet seemed soothed by the hair-play. Once Jules finished the braids, she pinned the ends up, creating two looped pigtails. Once that was finished, Jules gently adjusted Juliet's hat back on her head.

"Thanks," she said, smiling genuinely. Jules nodded, smiling as well. Then, she felt a tug on her sleeve.

"Yes, Tommy?"

"I'm sleepy," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Jules wasn't surprised. He'd gone through a very emotional ordeal this morning.

"Come here," she murmured, opening her arms. Tommy climbed into her lap and leaned his head on her shoulder, tucking his face into her neck.

"Do you think we'll see mummy and daddy again?" he mumbled. Jules froze.

"I hope so, Tommy." He didn't respond, already passed out. Jules wrapped an arm around him, holding him to her. With a look at Juliet, Jules could tell the girl was tired as well. Jules held out her arm. Juliet hesitated, but eventually scooted closer, leaning her head on the older girl's shoulder. Jules wrapped her arm around her. Within five minutes, the young girl was asleep, too. Jules glanced at their labels, wanting to know when their stop was so they wouldn't miss it. With a furrowed glance, Jules noted that while their stop was the same, the families taking them in weren't. Jules pursed her lips.

Tommy and Juliet were being separated.

While the two slept, the train wove its way north to Oxford, where many children got off. Then, the train curved southwest. A bit outside Oxford, over two hours after they'd departed from London, the train was pulling into Goosey Station.

Gently, Jules woke the sleeping children and fetched them their suitcases. Jules knelt before them, straightening their coats and smoothing Tommy's hair.

"Be brave," she whispered. Tommy immediately hugged Jules tight. She returned it, squeezing her eyes shut. Juliet hugged her as well, whispering a quiet "thank you" in her ear. Then, together, the two siblings stepped off the train.

Jules knew instantly that she would never see them again.

"You're not going with them?" Jules glanced over to the dark-haired boy. He seemed shocked at his own question, like he hadn't actually meant to ask it aloud. Jules murmured her answer as she turned to the window.

"I'm not their sister."

Jules watched with clenched fists and distraught eyes as Tommy was ushered away with a no-nonsense older man and as Juliet left beside a stern-looking woman who didn't possess a single ounce of patience. The four siblings in the compartment watched as well. The older boy looked sad, but not necessarily surprised. The older girl seemed as frustrated as Jules. The youngest girl looked like she might cry and visibly clutched her sister's hand. And the younger boy… he looked like he received a shock. Jules could tell the moment she saw him that he was not particularly fond of his siblings, but despite that, it seemed he had never considered he might be separated from them.

For his sake, Jules hoped he wouldn't be.

Jules sat down across from him and leaned against the window, suddenly exhausted.

Hours passed. Jules found herself dozing as the siblings did their own thing. The dark-haired boy simply gazed out the window. The older boy passed the time by reading. The older girl played with her sister a bit.

At one point, Jules found the younger girl looking at her.

"What's his name?" she asked. Jules' eyes narrowed in confusion before following her gaze. The girl was looking at her small handbag, or more importantly, what was poking out of it. It was a small stuffed lion. Jules smiled a bit and grasped the toy.

"Aslan." Jules kindly offered the toy to the girl and she smiled happily before beginning to play. The older boy looked at Jules, thankful for her gesture. The older girl seemed appreciative as well. The dark-haired boy simply ignored them. However, after a few minutes, he eyed Jules and her small suitcase.

"Why do you have so little things?"

"Edmund!" the older girl scolded. She turned to Jules. "Sorry about that. I'm Susan, this is Lucy, Peter, and Edmund." Lucy beamed at Jules, while Peter glanced up from his book to give her a polite smile. Edmund didn't say anything, scowling a bit.

"I'm Jules," she introduced. "And Edmund," he turned to her, "you'd be surprised how much I have stuffed in there." Lucy giggled, and Edmund turned away before Jules could see his smile. She winked at Lucy, the girl's giggles continuing.

Truthfully, despite her joke, Jules didn't have a lot. But it was still more than enough. She was sure that what she didn't have would be provided by the people she was going to live with. Food, a warm bed, and a roof over her head, and the occasional cup of tea.

"Do you want to play, Jules?" Lucy suddenly asked. Peter seemed ready to scold her for asking, but Jules immediately smiled.

"I would love to." Lucy brightened and for the remainder of the train ride, she and Jules sat on the floor of the compartment playing with the toy Aslan and Lucy's own toy dog. But eventually, Coombe Halt Station rolled into view and the five of them began to gather their things. No sooner had the five stepped onto the platform did the train speed off, leaving them behind.

Jules glanced around. Coombe Halt was less of a train station and more of a wooden platform where trains happened to stop. Around them was nothing more than trees and rolling green hills for miles.

None of them could say anything before they heard the sound of a car engine. Simultaneously, the five grasped their cases and rushed to greet their family. Jules had noted from their labels that the five of them were meant to stay with a Professor Kirke. However, when the five got down the platform, the car simply sped by. The driver didn't so much as glance at them. Jules and Susan shared a look.

"The professor knew we were coming," Susan said.

"Perhaps, we've been incorrectly labeled," Edmund replied, studying his own label.

"All five of us being incorrectly labeled is unlikely," Jules reasoned, "but it's definitely possible," she acquiesced. Edmund looked pleased that she hadn't outright said he was wrong.

Seconds after Jules spoke, the five heard the snap of a riding whip and the tell-tale sound of a horse's hooves. Up the road came a strict-looking woman driving a large cart. The woman slowed the horse, glancing at the five children with sharp eyes.

"Mrs. Macready?" Peter hesitantly asked, knowing this woman was probably Professor Kirke's housekeeper.

"I'm afraid so," she seemed to lament.

"She looks pleasant," Jules muttered sarcastically to herself. Edmund covered his snort of laughter with a cough.

"Is this it, then?" Mrs. Macready seemed displeased with the small amount of things all of them had. "Haven't you brought anything else?"

"No, ma'am," Peter replied. "It's just us."

"Small favors." With a jerk of her head, Mrs. Macready gestured for them to get in the cart. However, her sharp gaze halted Jules.

"Miss Julianna Styles?" she asked. Jules swallowed, but nodded firmly. Jules waited for Mrs. Macready to say something else, but the woman seemed to study her instead, as if looking for something. When her eyes darkened, Jules knew she hadn't found it. With another jerk of the housekeeper's head, Jules climbed into the cart, sitting beside Peter.

Mrs. Macready set off, driving the cart further and further into the countryside. The ride was uncomfortably bumpy against the unpaved roads and barely-there tracks in the fields, but none of them complained or even spoke. Maybe they were afraid Mrs. Macready would tell them to shut up. Regardless, the cart soon pulled over a hill and all five children were surprised at what they saw.

Professor Kirke's large, secluded manor seemed to loom over them.

Mrs. Macready pulled the cart into the stable, working on releasing the horse and leading it back into its corral. The five children then piled out of the cart and followed Mrs. Macready into the manor.

"Professor Kirke is not accustomed to having children in this house," the housekeeper began. Her voice was strict, with no room for comment of any kind. However, the five of them barely paid attention, instead staring at the beautiful interior of the home and the luxuries it contained. "And, as such, there are a few rules we need to follow." Mrs. Macready started up the stairs. "There will be no shouting. Or running. No improper use of the dumbwaiter. NO-" all of them started, "-touching of the historical artifacts!" Susan withdrew her hand quickly from when she had gone to admire a marble bust. Mrs. Macready came to stand before a dark, wooden door and lowered her voice. "And above all, there will be no disturbing of the professor."

The five children exchanged looks before following Mrs. Macready further into the house. Lucy and Jules paused at the door, Lucy gasping when she saw the shadow from beneath it. Jules still paused a bit, but eventually followed the others.

Mrs. Macready quickly showed the five to their rooms. Peter and Edmund would be sharing. The room across from theirs was Susan and Lucy's. Jules got a room to herself next to the other girls. Jules made to get settled in, but Mrs. Macready lingered.

"Professor Kirke wishes for you to join him tomorrow in his study for afternoon tea," she sniffed, as if unable to comprehend why the professor would wish such a thing. Jules, confused, felt similarly, but nodded in acceptance. "Don't be late." With that, Jules was left to get settled in.

~)8(~

That night, Peter stood in Susan and Lucy's bedroom, the radio crackling with the sad news of the night raids in London. With a huff, Susan turned off the radio. Peter glanced at her, ready to protest, but her look at Lucy made him swallow it. He heard Lucy sniffling.

"The sheets feel scratchy," Lucy said as Peter and Susan turned to her.

"Wars don't last forever, Lucy," Susan assured her. Peter sat at the foot of her bed and patted her leg gently. "We'll be home soon."

"Yeah, if home's still there." That was Edmund. He strode into the room, wearing his robe and a discontented look. Susan sighed.

"Isn't it time you were in bed?" she asked.

"Yes, mum!"

"Ed!" Peter scolded. The boy fell silent, angry at his older brother for yelling, but knowing not to push it. Peter turned back to Lucy.

"You saw outside," he began. "This place is huge. We can do whatever we want here." Lucy looked down, still upset. "And Jules is here," Peter added. "She seems nice." Lucy perked up a little at the reminder of the girl who had played with her on the train.

"Yeah," Lucy agreed, a small smile finally appearing on her young face.

"Tomorrow's going to be great," Peter promised. "Really."

Hello all! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! If you've read the first version of this story, you can already see there are going to be a lot of changes, though the overall plot will remain the same. Let me know what you all think!

Reviews

Qoheleth: Thank you for your review :) To answer your question, Jules is originally from the 21st century. When I first created her as a character, I knew I wanted her to be from modern times. And while I know in the books, Narnia and Earth have not synced, per se, but linked timelines, this is fanfiction and I decided I wanted her to be from the 21st century. So the nickname wasn't an issue when she was growing up. How, exactly, she got into Narnia will be explained soon. Though the name "Jules" specifically was around in the 19th century (Jules Verne), so for the people she met in London 1940, I imagined it wasn't too odd to have her using it. Hope this answers your question :)

Sammiemoosam