Spring 1943:

A group of first and second-years sit on the grass under a big, shady tree in the courtyard. I nudge Susan on the arm and point toward the flock of underclassmen.

"Is that Lucy?"

A short girl stands in front of all the others, speaking with animation in her eyes. Her auburn braids bounce on her shoulders as she make motions with her arms. Everyone in the assembly watches her eagerly in complete awe.

"Yes," Susan replies nonchalantly. "You know how she is, always in imagination land. She's always making up these tales and she loves sharing them with others." Susan switches her suitcase to the opposite hand and moves towards the dorms. "Let's go. I need to do some research for the history paper."

"It's not my fault you decided to do it at the last minute!" I affirm. "Besides, it's about the American Civil War; I'll help you out. I can probably tell you more than that British textbook! C'mon!" I whine as I tug on the hem of her blazer. "I wanna hear your sister's story!" Susan lets out a sigh and I drag her toward the tree.

I sit down cross-legged, Susan with her legs to the side and leaning on her left arm. Lucy gives us a quick smile and continues with her story.

"Then the great lion lead the monarchs through the city of Telmar, the citizens welcomed them with much exuberance and glee. The prince called for everyone to form and said that the Narnians and Telmarines would exist together peacefully. Everyone cheered and they had a grand ball. The great lion allowed the Patterson siblings to stay and help the new king. He even allowed them to rule too, just as they had all those years ago. Paul even got to stay High King! The crowd burst into applause and shouted: 'Long live High King Paul! Long live King Elliot! Long live Queen Sarah! Long live Queen Lillian!' And so Queen Sarah and the handsome new king married, much to High King Paul's dismay." The children laugh and I smile. "The five of them reigned for a long time and they all lived ever after."

I clap as do all the others. A blonde girl shoots her hand up in the air and says, "You never told us, what's the prince's name?"

Lucy looks up at the sky and thinks for a moment. "Caspian. Yes, his name was Caspian." The crowd disperses, going off in their own direction. The blonde girl whispers something into Lucy's ear and Lucy nods to her. "Yes, tomorrow again if you'd like." She waves and runs to catch up to her group of friends.

"Did you hear the words she used? She sounded so mature! Your sister's great!" I turn to Susan and find her standing up and fixing her uniform.

"Yeah," she says in a shaky voice. "Just wonderful."

I get up and walk to Lucy, Susan walking close behind. I envelope Lucy in a hug from behind and she whirls around in my arms to return it. "How was it? What did you think?" she buzzes.

"Superb," I proclaim. "Right, Susan?"

"Mhmm..."Susan wipes the corner of her eyes and turns on her heel, making her exit.

Lucy looks up at me and grimaces. "She probably didn't enjoy this version very much. I tweaked it so Queen Sarah had a happy ending. I think Susan would much prefer me to stick to the original."

I rub her back and give her a confused look. "So what originally happened?"

She sighs and lowers her eyes. "The Patterson family had to leave Narnia. Queen Sarah and High King Paul learned they would not return to their beloved land. Right before they returned to their world, Susan and Caspian shared a kiss, even though they knew they would never meet again.

My eyes grow in interest. "Susan?" I look Lucy straight in the eye and hold her at arms length. "Tell me, Lu. Honestly. What exactly is..Narnia? It always seems to be a pretty popular subject in your family discussions. You're always...talking about it so quietly. Like it's some..."

"Oh!" Lucy shrieks in realization. "I should go and start on my homework. See you, Lynn!" I release her from my hold and she picks up her suitcase next to the tree. She gives me a small, silly salute and sprints down the courtyard.

Summer 1943:

"Oh," Edmund pouts as he answers the front door. "It's you."

"Lovely as always, aren't we Ed?" I tease. "Could you let me in? I'm freezing from the rain."

He smirks and gestures for me to come in. I stomp on the welcome mat and enter the house. "SUSANN! NEW YORKER IS AT THE DOOR!" I prepare my hands to punch Edmund as Susan and Peter rush down the stairs.

"Su," Peter begins in a pleading manner. "All I'm asking is that you hear me out!" Susan takes an umbrella that stands against the wall and gives it a little shake.

"I have to go. It's Lynn's first Summer holiday in Finchley. I promised her I'd take her around town."

"But it's pouring," Peter says sourly.

"We'll stay in the shops all afternoon, won't we Lynn?" I slowly nod to play along and look at the wooden floor.

"You've been going out a lot lately. Maybe you and Lynn should stay in for today. It's just the start of the holiday, you can show her around some other time."

She gingerly sets the umbrella back against the wall. "I don't want to be stuck with children all afternoon."

My jaw drops and I look at Peter. He's shaking his head, completely flabbergasted. "You're 15, Susan! You're more of a child than I am!"

"Yes," she spits. "But I don't pretend to be a king of some absurd, imagined world." Someone gasps and we all turn to find Lucy on the stairs, gaping at Susan. Lucy gives her older sister a broken-hearted glance and hurries back up to her room.

Edmund puts his hand on my shoulder and I look at him. "Come with me," he mouths. I nod gratefully and I follow him up the stairs to comfort Lucy. Without even knocking, he enters the girl's room and sits himself beside his younger sister on her bed. He wraps his arm around Lucy and she cries into his shoulder. I turn away from the private moment and stand awkwardly in the doorway.

"Do you even realize what you're doing?" We hear Peter roar. "Are you happy with yourself?" Lucy cringes from her older brother's raised voice and I close her door. I walk down the hall and look over the railing to where the two siblings argue.

"TELL ME WHAT I'M DOING PETER! I'D LOOVVEE TO HEAR WHAT HIS MAJESTY HAD TO SAY!"

Peter looks at her in complete disgust and loses it. "YOU'VE COMPLETELY TURNED YOUR BACK ON US, SUSAN. ON NARNIA! MY GOD, I CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND WHY ASLAN WOULD EVEN ALLOW YOU TO COME INTO NARNIA IN THE FIRST PLACE!" I watch as my bestfriend's brother accuses her of abandoning "Narnia," the word their family always seems to talk about in hushed whispers. Susan starts to weep and Peter starts to break down a little. "Su, I'm sorry. I know I'm being harsh but I'm sure if you let..."

In a breath of a second, Susan slaps her older brother across the cheek with a bold clap. I look in horror as Peter's face begins to redden in anger and Susan lets her tears free fall.

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