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And now without interrupting...

CHAPTER 3; a very peculiar afterlife, indeed.

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 in fact..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," only for Lucy to give 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. 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 very moment, she could feel a spark of something new, though she could not put a name for what it was. Maybe whatever this.. kind of afterlife was, wouldn't be so bad after all. 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 you're stuffing me into a dress!"

"But you would look really good in one, I swear!" Lucy said.

"No way! " She said again, holding her hands up. "I know that there's a very real chance am going crazy, but not that crazy! Yet."

"Well, alright 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 she didn't think she knew anymore. She could gaze right back at her reflection. She was dressed in denim shorts for the summer with a tank top and a plaid shirt over it, she almost winced as she recalled her interaction with Lucy's brother. No wonder he had flirted with her.. going from Lucy's tale they were from a whole different time and Aline could only wonder what he had thought of her..

She tucked the emerald charm around her neck, under the collar of her shirt lost in thought, as if 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 pushed her hair aside, wincing as she did so at the sharp pain that coursed through her at that small action. There was a large wound, though not a trace of even old blood matted in her tangled hair which only led to the conclusion that someone- or something, her mind annoyingly supplied- at the Beaver's had already tended to it. The only reason the huge gash had gone unnoticed so far was her thick hair covering it and Aline found solace in that very fact. She did not, for some reason find the idea of Edmund, or any of his siblings knowing of it.

With that her thoughts began to wander to exactly the point that had led to this drastic turn of events. Am I dead? Aline couldn't help but question herself. She sure did not feel dead. In fact Aline never felt more alive.. almost like it was something in the air, her breaths seemed to draw in more oxygen than it used to and her vision seemed to have grown much more clearer that throwing open her windows to marvel at the city below Aline felt she could make out each individual sunbeam glow down on the quaint town.

If this was the afterlife, Aline sure wasn't complaining at all.

"Ed?" Peter called at his younger brother. "Edmund?" No response.

"EDMUND PEVENSIE!" he yelled.

"Jeez! Pete, I am listening, did you really need to yell like that?" the Just King asked.

"Yeah," Peter replied sarcastically, "you sure were listening."

Edmund rolled his eyes. "Okay, so what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that the Council was not pleased by her appearance." By her, here he meant Aline.

"That was expected."

"Well," Peter said, "you know what this means right?"

"I know, Pete, but you just can't do that." he said.

"Do what?" the High King asked.

"Just give her in the hands of the Council. Who knows what they would do to her?"

The High Kings face was grim. "That was what they wanted. They think she's a threat. What with the attacks on the villages and rumors.." he trailed on.

Edmund knew just how serious things were. The Forsaken hadn't been spotted in Narnia long before the White Witch, and they were still believed to be more of a forgotten myth, as long as most Narnians were concerned at least.

And though there were rumors of them on the very edges of the land, he was yet to meet one which did not help his skeptical thoughts that.. maybe it was some rogue giant dabbling in magic or some amateur witch. Either way, he planned to investigate. Peter had already too much to worry about, of the proposed treaty with the Northern Giants, and his sisters needn't need to know of this, at least not yet.

"But why would Aslan bring her here, if she really is a threat?" Edmund demanded.

Peter put his head in his hands, being High King was frustrating sometimes.

"Yeah, try telling that to the Council, Ed." he replied to his brother.

"Peter," Edmund said. "It was Aslan who crowned you High King, not those old dolts in the Council."

"I know," he just replied.

"So, tell me," the High King said. "How is she?"

The question caught Edmund by surprise. "Why don't you go see for yourself?" he asked.

"I meant to do that first thing morning," Peter said, "but circumstances called."

Edmund smirked, "Don't worry, I'm sure our 'all- too- courteous' sisters, already have her occupied."

"Oh no, Poor girl!" Peter said, remembering their sisters' excitement at the new arrival. The two brothers shared a laugh.

The Just King got up, "I'd better get going," he said. "maybe I'd be able to find something useful this time." refering to the work Peter had given him, finding any prophecy relating to a new Daughter of Eve. After all their arrival here was prophesied a millennia before their arrival here and the course of their actions pre-determined, if he could only find something of the sort regarding this girl, Aline it would go a long way to integrating her into Narnia without the Council proving to be much of a problem.

The King made his way to the archives deep in thought. Thankfully it was empty as usual. He paused a moment, letting the familiar sight of the floor to ceiling shelves soothe his senses. The perfect place to relax after a hectic day of work.

Edmund piled up a set of books, all of them ancient, and some with such boring titles that he would never even have dreamed of opening under a different circumstance.

And that was when he noticed that he wasn't as lonely as he thought, for sitting by the window overlooking the lush gardens, someone else was seated, exactly where he was planning to.

It took him a moment to realize who it was, for though the person was dressed in trousers and a tunic, their figure seemed extremely feminine and that wavy hair most certainly did not belong to any of the old Lords. Edmund smirked at the thought of a certain Lord he did not favour well, with wavy hair. Then he saw whom it was, Aline.

She didn't hear him approach, her nose buried in a book. He quietly pulled the couch opposite her, not wanting to disturb her from her 'book trance', setting down the pile of books, as quietly as possible.

Opening the top-most of his list, Edmund began to read to only come to realise that maybe sitting in front of her may not be that good of an idea. As much as he focused on the book lying open in front of him, he couldn't help but stare at the way she was leaning forward into her read, her lashes long and curly and tendrils of hair framing her face in a messy manner. Her lips were slightly parted and a gentle smile seemed to reside on them as she clearly read something that caused her amusement. What was he doing? Edmund froze. Of course she was pretty, but he was staring! Edmund Pevensie never stared at women, in fact women stared at him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, besides he had much more important stuff to tend to and he was going to do just that.

It wasn't long before the King got vexed though. He had spent the whole of last night, and even now, he couldn't find anything worth even from the oldest book! Well, he knew it wasn't easy searching all the books in the archives. There were just too many, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but yet, a man could hope.

He put the book down with a thud, sighing, as Aline looked up suddenly from her book, noticing for the first time of the boy in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you were here." she said beginning to rise up.

"No, no." he said. "It's alright actually I didn't want to disturb you."

"Oh," she said sitting back down as she bit her lip. "Erm, I am really sorry if my behaviour was out of line yesterday. But, I thought it was a dream or something like that. You must understand this is all very new to me."

"It's alright," he said a smile stretching on his face for no reason, "at least I didn't have to knock you out."

She smiled, and the Just King couldn't help noticing how green her eyes were, just like the leaves of the Eastern woods.

But then, just as abruptly as it came, the smile disappeared, and she buried her head back into the book, leaving him wondering what just happened.

And that was when he noticed the title of the book she was reading, It was 'A Complete Narnian History : The Beginning of time to the Fall of the White Witch' He felt his blood run cold.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"It's the Narnian history, figured out that at least if I'm stuck in this place, at least I'd learn its history."

"You cant read that."

She looked confused, "Why?"

"Because," he said as if it was the most obvious thing, "I just told you not to."

"Since when was it a crime to read the history of the land you were stuck in, until some Lion King sees fit to let you go?" she was bewildered.

Edmund bothered not to grace her with an answer, instead he only stood up, and to Aline's utter surprise, just snatched the book away from her hands. "By the way, nice attire." and he left, just like that.

Edmund heard her mutter something like 'moron' but he didn't care. He couldn't let her read that, no matter what. He couldn't have her know about the things he had done. He might act like he didn't care, and they may act like it mattered no more, but deep down he knew, the Narnians never really forgot, what he'd done. How could they? He sold his own family after all, for...Turkish Delight.

No, she needn't know of that.

And he didn't even know why he cared, what she thought about him, and that was what scared him the most.

Aline watched bewildered, swearing under her breath as Edmund walked away, the book she was just reading, tucked under his arm.

Seriously? she thought to herself, who did he think he was, to tell her what and what not to read? Well, he may be a freaking King of a magical land where beavers spoke and mythical creatures she'd grown up reading roamed the land, but yet, he had no right whatsoever, over her!

For a while, he seemed alright, and then he seemed to revert right back to total-jerk mode but Aline had not long to ponder on it for just then, the archive doors flung open, and in walked the Gentle Queen.

"Oh Aline! Here you are! It's almost time for breakfast. Ive been searching for you everywhere!" Susan shrieked, and not even giving the other girl time to respond, Susan linked her hand through hers pulling her away.

Aline wondered if the two Queens were always this courteous, or was it because she was from err,home?

Then she found herself wondering about the other Pevensie brother, deciding if he was anything like his younger brother she'd just met, she wasn't going to like him much.

They passed through many passages, that Aline began wondering how Susan found her way through this maze. And when she asked, the Queen just responded, "Oh! You'll get used to it!"

The dining room, was just as big and majestic as you would expect a castle to be, and so was the dining table and the various delicacies on it.

At the head of the table sat whom, Aline assumed as High King Peter.He has the markings of a King, she thought, very much unlike another certain King she knew.

Lucy grinned catching her eye. Peter just smiled, and if he found her attire surprising he didn't give it away, "Apologies, my lady that I couldn't meet you anytime sooner, I was indeed looking forward to meet you. Anyways I trust my siblings have kept you good company?"

She smiled, deciding she liked him infinitely better than his younger sibling. "Indeed they did." And Susan proceeded to introduce the young boy next to Lucy, as Prince Corin, of Archenland- where ever in the world that was.

"Hello" he said an impish grin on his face, as he took her hand, kissing it gently, leaving her blushing furiously.

She sat down, noticing with a start that Edmund was nowjere to be seen only for her to shake her head with a mental smack, 'Why must she care wherever he was?'

"So Aline?" Corin called, "You're from the Spare Oom?"

"Spare Oom?" she asked blankly.

"Corin," Susan called sounding almost exasperated, as if they'd gone through this conversation a lot of times before, "Its, a place called 'London' not 'Spare Oom'"

"Hey, but that's what Mr. Tumnus said!" the boy protested.

"Actually, I'm from America." Aline said.

"America? Like the United States of America?" Peter asked, just as Corin said, "Amri-what?"

She nodded as to reply. "Oh, and Pete?" Lucy said. "Aline is actually from the future!" the little girl exclaimed.

Alright, now this was getting awkward. Lucy made her sound like she was some time travelling, super hero.

The others looked at her skeptically, and she felt uncomfortable, with all their gazes on her. She'd never been a fan of the spotlight. "Erm, actually I'm from the year 2014."

Peter looked quite surprised, "Well, then who won the war?" he asked

"What war?" she asked blankly. She was aware of a war going on somewhere in the Middle East, but she had a suspicion he wasn't asking her about it. "The last big war?" Peter said.

"Oh! You mean the 2nd World War?" He nodded. "We won, I guess." she shrugged it off never one to pay too much attention in history class.

High King Peter, whooped, a very unkingly thing to do which only earnined a disapproving look from his sister. "Come on Su! Were allowed to be ourselves sometimes right?"

Susan was about to say something back in return, but just about then the door flung open, and in walked the Just King. He just walked over pulled a chair and sat, unfortunately just opposite to her, and began digging into his food, ignoring the questioning looks the others were giving him.

"Dare I say, my royal brother is always like that," Lucy whispered, at the bewildered look on Aline's face.Gosh! The way he ate!Aline thought.

"Edmund," Susan called, to which he looked up. "You're foods not going anywhere."

He looked at her skeptically, "Yeah Su, I'm well aware that my foods going nowhere, but you know, I'm not as free as you are to spend lavish amounts of my precious time either eating, or planning balls." he said, and with that he stood up leaving. The food on his plate already gone.

A look of hurt cut through the Gentle Queen's carefully composed expression if only for a second before she shrugged it off indifferently, "Well, that was strange." Aline decided.

"It is strange," Peter replied, "He is strange indeed but that's our younger brother, Edmund Pevensie to you."

This was a very peculiar sort of afterlife, indeed.

A/N : Thank you for reading, following and reviewing! Love you if u do..

~NarnianFairy

Edited : Small changes :)