Ok, just to clear up a few points from the reviews I've been getting... In this story I've taken Narnia to bea real place where the children actually visited and so in my opinion, in this story, the Chronicles of Narnia were not written, but really happened. Therefore Emma would not have read about them, as the books never happened. Bit of a complex idea, but I've tried to explain it as best I can, hope you understand :S. And about the World War II thing... Emma's a bit dazed and confused at this point seeing as she's just crash landed in a different world (and also for another reason which won't emerge until... i think about chapter 14 or 15...) So I'd guess she'd be a bit puzzled. And yes time does stop when they go into Narnia... but hey, its magical! Right, that's done... so erm, chapter 5 it is then :D

Emma looked out over the sea from her balcony. Her long blonde wavy hair, freshly washed, trailed across her back, just finishing drying in the warm sunbeam falling down on her. The sea danced and she was sure she'd seen dolphins jumping around.

She'd taken herself back to her room when Peter had begun accusing her of being mad. That had been nearly two hours ago by her reckoning.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Emma called. She was surprised, and more than a little scared, when Edmund came in. She wondered if she should curtsey or not. She attempted one hesitantly.

"You can spare the bowing and scraping," he said, smiling slightly. "Is it okay if I come in?"

"Of course. It's your castle after all."

He joined her out on the balcony. "It's a lovely view from this side of the castle," he said wistfully. "My room only looks out over the land. It's lovely but it's not quite this."

"Surely you can have whatever room you want," Emma suggested. "Being king and all. Why don't you have this room?"

"We agreed when we first came here," Edmund explained. "Peter would keep an eye out over the sea, and I would keep an eye out over the land. A safety thing."

Emma nodded. "I saw dolphins out there."

"Keep your eyes peeled and you might see the mermaids," Edmund replied. "It's a nice day, they'll probably be out and about."

"Sorry?" Emma looked at him in shock. "Mermaids? You're not serious?"

"You met a talking unicorn yesterday, and you think I'm joking about mermaids?" Edmund laughed. "You really aren't from Narnia, are you?"

Emma suddenly looked up at him very seriously from her green eyes. "You do believe me, don't you? I'm not mad, I do come from your world only… from a very different time from you."

"It's… it's a bit odd," Edmund admitted. "I mean, time-travelling and all that. It's a bit…"

"Magical?" Emma suggested. "And yet you think it's perfectly normal to travel to a different world?" She had a sudden thought. "Look, I can prove I come from London!" she said, crossing the room and rifling through yesterday's clothes. Finally she found what she was looking for and produced it triumphantly.

"A train ticket," Edmund said, looking at her uncertainly.

"For Victoria." Emma nodded eagerly. "Look at the date, that's yesterday's date! June 24th 2004, I'm not making it up, Edmund! I really do come from your world but in the future."

Edmund looked up at her slowly. He took a deep breath. "I believe you, Emma. I mean, you don't look like anything but a human, you're too real to be a nymph or dryad. But I just don't understand…"

"Me neither." Emma shook her head. "But it is, that's the main thing! I'm not mad!"

"I know," Edmund agreed. "Can I take this?" He gestured towards the train ticket.

"Of course." Emma nodded.

"Now all I have to do is convince Peter." Edmund smiled. "And work out why you're here."

A few days passed. Emma slowly adjusted to the way things were done in Narnia. Susan was often preoccupied, receiving messages from dozens of suitors. Lucy was tied up organising this banquet, and though Emma tried to help, it was much more complex than the few house parties she'd organised back home. Peter was avoiding her, or so it seemed; too embarrassed by his misconception of her to even look at her. Edmund was nice enough when he had time, but a dispute between two tribes of dwarves was keeping him busy. So she was left to her own devices, whilst the others were supposedly trying to figure out how she'd got here and why.

The days were gloriously warm, and Emma was soon attracted to the garden, after exhausting the many corridors in the castle. It was while she was out there one day that she came across the snake.

Emma had noticed a change in her since she'd arrived in Narnia. Never a wallflower, she was suddenly even more gutsy than usual, and she didn't bat an eyelid when the snake slithered down out of a tree to meet her.

"So you must be the daughter of Eve everyone is talking about," the snake hissed. It wasn't a very bad sound, Emma thought, quite pleasant actually, with the background of birdsong.

"I suppose," she agreed. "Though I do prefer the name Emma."

"Of course," the snake drawled. "You've caused quite a stir among us all, you know. People were beginning to wonder if it would ever happen."

"If what would ever happen?" Emma looked at the snake, frowning.

"Well, I shouldn't say anything." The snake looked embarrassed, if that's possible. "I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises."

"What surprises?" Emma was getting more and more mystified by this animal. "If you're on about the big banquet, I know about that."

"No." The snake coiled itself up in a warm spot. "It doesn't matter, forget I ever mentioned it."

Emma smiled and shook her head. "Well now you've got me interested," she said. "You can't just say that and not carry on, what is it?"

"Well," the snake said slowly. "Rumour has it that at least one human here in Narnia is in great danger of falling in love with you… And probably more than one."

"What?" Emma laughed. "Don't be stupid!"

"I'm only saying what they're all saying," the snake insisted. "But if you're going to be so rude…" It made to slither away.

"Wait!" Emma said suddenly. "Which humans?" she asked after a long hesitation.

"Ah, so you are interested!" the snake said in a mildly amused voice.

"Only out of interest," Emma said as nonchalantly as she could. "I like a bit of gossip as much as the next person. Or creature, obviously."

"Obviously." The snake sounded utterly enthralled by her. "I'm sure it's not beyond you to work it out for yourself. There aren't many humans to choose from here."

Emma was suddenly jolted into recognition. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes.' The snake nodded.

"But… they could have anybody they wanted!" Emma exclaimed incredulously. "They're kings!"

"Hush!" the snake said, sounding slightly worried. "You're disturbing the birds. They may be kings, but they're only human… and you're the only human girl here."

Emma frowned. "So I'm the best of a poor bunch, is that what you're saying?"

"Of course not!" the snake protested. "I'm saying… well, think about it. No king, no matter how magnificent or just he is can live forever. And who will take over then if he has no son or heir?" The snake drew closer to her. "Imagine being married to a king, Emma. Imagine being a king's mother. And imagine two kings fighting over you for that honour."

Emma could imagine it. Back in London, she would have died for even one boy to even notice her. Here, she could have two kings fighting for her hand in marriage! That would knock the spots off any of Amber's recent conquests. She'd be queen of this fantastic land.

"Are you sure about this?" Emma looked doubtfully at the snake.

"Certain!" the snake replied, drawing even closer. "You could be queen, Emma, of this whole land. All you need to do is what I tell you…" And the snake proceeded to tell her.