~Author's Note and Warning~

Normally I don't do this, but I'm doing it because this chapter has strong Christian elements, mentions of God and Jesus Christ. Anyone who doesn't want to read about that, well, you don't have to, so don't feel obligated. If you don't like it, that's fine.

If you have problems with religion in Narnia, then I am not forcing you to read this, you can simply skim over Eustace's parts, as they are just fleshing out his character and not much else.

**I do not want to offend or anger anyone, I just want to forewarn them.** ~ W.H.1492

Chapter Eleven: Eustace Part 1.

{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}

~ Cambridge England ~

March 2nd, 1944.

I don't know how to start one of these, never having needed to myself, until now when I've discovered some news of the Horrible Kind. But before I go there, let me properly introduce myself, I am Eustace Clarence Scrubb. My parents call me "Eustace Clarence", and servants call me "Master Scrubb", and I'm sure that if I had any friends worth having, they would call me simply "Eustace". I live in Cambridge, in a lovely house close to town, with my mother and father, who I call Alberta and Harold, as calling one's parents "mum" or "dad" is simply old-fashioned, and not practical.

Now, to tell you about the Horrible News; see, I have an uncle, on my mother's side, his name is John Pevensie, everyone calls him "Jack", but usually I just call him Uncle John. He's Alberta's older brother. Well, he married a woman named Helen, and then they had fou-, excuse me, three children. I don't know why I almost wrote four. Peter's the oldest; he is always putting on airs, as if he's better than everyone else, almost as if he was some sort of royalty! Then there's Edmund, he's only a few years older than I am, but he acts as if I'm some sort of pest, then there's Lucy, she's also a few years older than I, I don't really dislike anything about her, except for the fact that she never seems to act her age.

I was told, only last Saturday, that these three would be coming to stay here while Uncle John and Aunt Helen go to America. Why they couldn't take my horrid cousins with them is beyond me. Alberta said it has something to do with money, and the fact that the crossing costs a great deal. That is the Horrible News. They're going to stay here. With me. Invading my house. Invading my life; with their silly ideals of magical lands and fairy stories. Well, that's all for today. If their telegram was on time, they should be here late tomorrow, Eustace.

March 4th, 1944

I hate cousin Edmund, he acts as if he's so much smarter than I am, but he's never been that good in school, nor has he read any of the right books a boy his age should be reading. He says he wants to be a lawyer, but I seriously doubt it, not with the work effort he puts out. Besides, he reads all those rubbish fairy tales. I fail to see how he'll ever be anything more than a janitor in some place or other.

At least Peter will only be staying two months, and then he's off to take some exam or course or something for college with some Professor Dirk or Murk no, wait I believe it's Kirke. I'll be glad to see him go; Peter's frightening in this really annoying way. Acting as if he's done something that's given him permission to behave as if he's forty years old instead of nineteen, and then he's protective of his siblings, as if I'd hurt them or something when he's got his back turned.

Then there's Lucy, always trying to get me involved in their silly games. Sometimes I pretend to join in, only to prove everything they say a total and utter falsehood. I mean really, a magical land in a wardrobe? I think Lucy's parents should have her head examined. But I don't dare mention it, Alberta would be angry if she found out that there are times when I almost like doing nothing of any value with the Pevensies.

There are those times when I wonder what it would be like to have siblings, but then I look at the Pevensies and how their parents practically left them on our doorstep while they waltz off to America, and think, no, it is far better being an only child, because my parents would never leave me with them. Changing topics; I would hate being under Peter's thumb, Edmund and Lucy don't seem to mind him bossing them around, but I won't let him do that to me.

I don't know why they keep going on about their silly game, it's embarrassing. They even talk about it in public sometimes. Someone says something, and Peter comments on what that random person said, then Edmund says something back to Peter and Lucy chimes in as she always does. Alberta and Harold never hear, because they're always walking ahead and talking about far more important things, but I have to hang back with the Pevensie brats, as if I'll be some sort of good influence on their already muddled, messed over lives, thanks to their parents' lack of interest in them.

Well, that's all for today, Eustace.

March 12th 1944

I hate having to share my things! If only I could treat my cousins as one treats insects, then I could simply put them in a jar or pin them to my wall when I grow tired of them. I suppose I shall have to soldier through it as Harold says. Oh but Peter is practically intolerable. No matter what I say, what I do, he never manages to loose his calm, while Edmund can be easily goaded. I hate how Peter tries to interest my parents in religion, as if God cares about us, as if God even exists. If there truly was a Greater Being, than he wouldn't have let this war happen, and he wouldn't have let me have to suffer coping with my stupid cousins.

Peter spends his free time, when he isn't studying for that exam thing, either reading this Bible he received in this creepy way for this random man on the street, (which by the way he believes was a sign from God that He cares or something) or talking about dumb Narnia with his siblings. He can go on and bloody on about God. (Narnia too, but not so much)

He talks about how he was at this low point in his life (didn't tell us how he got there exactly) and that he was aimlessly walking through the streets one day when a man came up to him and asked him if he was lost. The man then says he means "spiritually lost" whatever that means, and then they have this long talk in a hotel lounge, ending with the man leaving Peter a Bible, and telling him to seek God, and never stop pursuing a relationship with Him.

Peter says that God wants this in-depth, personal relationship with each of us, and that that's what we're missing. That everyone needs something and goes about life seeking after it, even if they don't know what it is they're seeking. He then goes on about how we have to find God here and now because someday God won't let us find him and our faith has to be strong in those times. Peter says those are the times God will test our faith, to see if it's solid, or hollow. I don't know how I personally feel about all this talk. There was that one time when I almost believed Peter about his depression, but I don't know now, the memory is slightly fuzzy.

I walked in to tell him something, (can't remember what, as I forgot it when I saw him) I don't believe I've ever seen someone look like they're in that much pain before. I actually thought he was crying at first, but he's far too proud to ever do that, I think. He covered it quickly though. Then there are those other times when he's staring out the open windows at the trees or sun, or nothing at all, just blindly staring, whispering something to himself. Sometimes he whispers in this weird foreign language, but other times it's in English, and only then do I realize its poetry.

Bloody weird poetry too. About far-off lands, wars, death, love, and other nonsense, rather like Shakespeare and Brooke I guess. I don't know where he found the time to memorize lines and lines of the stuff, I mean, seriously, he is only nineteen, and he can rattle off hundreds of verses. Some though, when he once caught me listening, he said are songs from this place he's been.

I really don't know what to make of Peter Pevensie. He's a puzzle, not that I'm curious about them or anything! But I mean, watching them does make one wonder at times. Well, that's all for today, Eustace

March 15th, 1944

I hate being made to feel imprisoned in my own house! I hate having to share a room with Edmund and I hate Peter! He's driving me off the blooming edge of my sanity with all this God talk! I wish he'd shut up and crawl into some dark hole to die, or, just leave me in peace! Why-oh-why can't their parents come back for some reason or other and take them away? Mainly my problem is Peter, but Edmund is a large part of it as well.

I am getting so sick about how "God will change me" "God wants me to love him" "God doesn't want me to spend my life uselessly without him" "God's son died for me, so I could be free of my sins" (as if I've committed any, I'm far too young) Peter talks about how he didn't think anything of God either but God knew he needed Him, and so He taught him some very important lessons about finding Him and looking for Him no matter what. I swear, it's almost as if I'm hounded by him all day long on the subject of God and my spiritual well-being!

Then there's Edmund. He's constantly going at me about how he was just like I was, and that I can change, I can be different, (as if I need to change. It's him who needs to change) that I need to grow up, but not "grow up into an adult" grow up, mentally, spiritually (there's that bloody word again) and that he wishes I'd either change or stay out of his way, or he'll do something I won't forget. You know he's threatened me a number of times if I don't stop annoying him. I keep up the nagging though because it's rather interesting to see how far I can go before he reacts.

Well, I guess that's all for today, Eustace

~|XX0o8o0XX|~

April 1st 1944

I feel horrible for abandoning you like that, sorry, but my life has been pretty busy, trying to keep those Pevensies in line and staying away from Peter and his lectures. I feel badly about not writing for so long, so I shall try to reinvent what has happened in my life as best I can. Well, last month…

~|X:o0o:X|~

{The evening of March 3rd, 1944}

Eustace scowled as he sat down to dinner, it was to be the Scrubb's first dinner with the Pevensies, and Eustace was not at all amused. He already disliked these brats. Why his uncle married Helen he would never understand. He almost wondered if Peter was even John's son, the older boy looked nothing like John, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. But, Eustace grudgingly admitted to himself sometime later, when Peter laughed about something Harold said, that the older boy did smile and laugh like John.

The conversation soon drifted into silence, Alberta and Harold not knowing anything more to talk about. After eating in the quiet for a while, Peter looked up. He placed his fork down on his plate and looked over in Harold's direction.

"Aunt Alberta, Uncle Harold, I have a question, and I hope not to sound very rude when I ask; do you believe in God?" Peter waited for them to respond. Alberta colored slightly and looked down at her lap, fiddling with the corner of her linen napkin. Harold looked rather shocked by such a blunt question, but composed himself faster than Alberta. Eustace was shocked that his cousin had the gall to ask such a question.

"Well, Peter, I suppose that every human believes in some Greater Being or Force in our lives, controlling the world and things around us. Some might not admit it, but everyone believes." Harold replied.

"No, that's not what I meant, I meant, do you believe in God, do you have a relationship with Him, I don't care about the rest of the world at the moment, I'm talking about you." Peter met Harold's gaze, wanting to have an answer.

"What have you been reading son? You sound like some religious hermit one might find in the recluses of the mountains!" Harold tried to laugh off Peter's question, make a joke of it, but Peter, seeing the need, seeing that his relatives needed something more in their lives, was not to be dissuaded. Everyone at the table laughed slightly, except for Lucy and Edmund, who knew how important this was to Peter.

"I've been reading nothing but God's word, not some fancy book on the ideals of religion. I have come to realize that all my life I've been searching for something, earnestly, doggedly, and finally, finally, I believe I've found a resting place at last. God is that resting place, He's the calm in the midst of this war-torn, shrapnel riddled country. He's my peace." Peter finished quietly, yet firmly. He reached for his glass while he waited for Harold or Alberta to say something.

Eustace slouched in his seat slightly, hiding his scowl in his napkin. He hated it when people tried to prove there was a Greater Being, or push their faith on others, especially on his family. He wasn't going to say anything – yet.

"Well, it's wonderful to know you found something that interests you Peter. Everyone deserves a calm spot, a "happy place" so-to-speak in their lives, I'm glad religion is the answer for you, just, don't go too far with it, not many people believe there is a God since this war." Harold replied dismissively, picking up his fork and resuming his meal. Edmund made an inaudible groan and put his hand over his face; no one ever did that to Peter and got away with it.

"I'm not talking about some Zen idea of a "happy place" Uncle. I'm talking about the relief, the freedom, the release one feels when they've given everything to the One who knows, and who understands, even when you don't. I'm not trying to spike an argument here, but what I'm saying is that once, I believed like every typical Christian. I went to church with my parents, I was taught that there was a God, and that His son died for others so that we might go to Heaven, but, until now, I never understood what that death on the cross was all about. God saved me, when I felt like there was nothing left; He literally, spiritually, mentally, physically, became my Savior. I'm not saying that now I'm perfect, I still have so much to work on, but I am saying I understand His death much more deeply than I ever have before."

"Peter, that is a wonderful argument, well, an intellectual one, but if there was a God, do you really think he would've let this happen? In the Bible, it says that "God is a God of love", now, would a God of love have let so many of England's sons die in this hellish war?" Harold said, looking over his gold spectacle rims at Peter pointedly. Eustace smiled slightly, thinking Peter was trapped.

"I may not understand much yet, about the world, politics, and Christianity," Peter paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. If they were in another situation, Edmund would've snickered at that statement; Peter was older than many of these people, spiritually and mentally.

"But, I believe that God doesn't just "let" any of these unfortunate circumstances happen to us for no understandable reason. If life was nothing but flowers, peace and love, wouldn't we fail to remember God, the "Greater Power" who created us? Wouldn't we soon become meaningless bodies, just existing until these forms give out? God, in my few experiences, allows us to experience the low points of life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way. Without all these things, we would have no need to discover the greatest secret in life, a lasting, eternal, relationship with God. I wish to pursue this one on one relationship until I can no longer go the distance, and I doubt if that time will ever come."

"Look, that is all fascinating, but perhaps you're reading far too much into the stories in the Bible. What if, Jesus of Nazareth was nothing but a moral teacher? Must one truly have such a fierce faith Peter, or are you just too enthusiastic over your new interest?" Harold tried to reason.

"Are you serious, a "moral teacher"? That is something he could never be. But, if you listened to Lewis, then you would know that." Peter smiled as if in on a massive secret.

"Lewis?" Alberta queried, trying to place the name.

"C.S. Lewis, a speaker on the radio." Peter clarified, once again reaching for his glass.

The discussion ended on that odd note, and everyone resumed eating, Alberta tried to keep the conversation from stalling by talking about nearly anything she could think of, so long as it would keep Peter from talking about religion, or, anything else for that matter. Eustace shot Peter looks of contempt that the young man missed, but Edmund saw, and would remember long after.

After dinner, while Alberta cleared the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, Eustace escorted the three Pevensies upstairs to their rooms. There were only four rooms in the house, two small guest rooms and the rooms that Eustace and his parents occupied. Peter and Edmund walked into the room that Peter would be staying to leave his bags. Edmund shifted, dropping one of Peter's suitcases, since the boys were holding all theirs, as well as some of Lucy's. Eustace leaned against the doorframe watching the three teenagers try to sort out the luggage. He hadn't bothered to ask if he could help, though he very well knew they needed it.

He then led Edmund to his room, and told him to drop the bags in the corner. Last and finally, he showed them to Lucy's room. They all looked around, and agreed silently, that, by far, this was the better of all the rooms. Yes, the room was rather plain with its white furnishings, but out the single east-facing window, one had an excellent view of the park slightly down the road. Though Peter didn't say anything at the time, the picture over the mantle was eye-catching. The boys left Lucy to unpack; promising to return after their own unpacking was done.

After Peter closed the door behind him, Lucy turned in a slow circle in the middle of the floor. A warm breeze that whispered of the coming English summer blew in from the open window; she smiled and walked over to it. Pushing aside the white lace curtains, she looked out into the fading light with a smile.

Never cease to look east.

~o0o~

Peter stopped at his door, and smiled at Edmund encouragingly. The other boy simply rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly in return. No matter what would ever happen, Peter would never stop being a protective, sometimes annoyingly so, oldest brother. He shook his head as he walked past and opened Eustace's bedroom door.

"Don't touch anything, I have it just the way it's supposed to be." Eustace muttered from where he sat at his desk, writing something down. Edmund knew better than to ask, knowing how it felt to have privacy invaded. The older boy tried to be understanding.

"I shall do my utmost best, but, if I may, where do I put my things?" Edmund looked around that room as he spoke.

"Things that need to be hung can go in the closet, things that don't, well, I've cleaned out the bottom drawer for you." Eustace pointed to the door of the closet and the drawer he spoke of with his pen, before returning to his writing.

"Thanks." Edmund said slowly, unpacking. The first thing he took out of one of his bags was the seven journals that he had no idea how to use. He stared down at the books in his hands for several seconds before standing and setting them down on top of the dresser. Eustace glanced up, curious against his will, trying to guess what sort of books they were.

"What sort of literature do you like to read?" The blonde boy asked abruptly, putting down his pen and closing the book he had been writing in.

"Well, that is a question. I like the law, but I also enjoy reading fictional works. It's rather difficult to pinpoint what exactly I like to read." Edmund replied, hanging up a few shirts in the closet, and putting the last suitcase on the high shelf.

"By fictional works you mean fairytales, don't you?" Eustace said, crossing his arms and raising a golden eyebrow, staring at Edmund with a bored, know-it-all look on his face.

"I suppose some of the things I read could be fairytales, but that's only if one's into labels." Edmund replied. Trying to ease off a subject that clearly Eustace liked to argue over, he pointed to the twin beds.

"So, which one is mine for the duration of my stay?"

"The one closest to the door." Eustace answered, pointing. Edmund nodded in thanks. "I'm going to go talk with Lucy and Peter, you don't mind, or, you don't want to go with me?" Edmund offered, not wanting to ask, but knowing it was the better thing, something Peter would do, to do.

"No, I don't think I shall." Eustace replied, turning back to his desk. Edmund shrugged as he left the room, turning back once more, he asked; "You're sure?"

"Very." Eustace returned. Edmund closed the door behind him.

~o0o~

Peter was already in Lucy's room, looking at the painting on the mantle, and talking with Lucy, when Edmund walked in. "What have I interrupted?" Edmund asked with a smile when his siblings stopped talking and turned to welcome him.

"Nothing, Peter was just talking about the painting, and how it reminded him of Narnia, and how he had wanted to try to sail to Aslan's Country in the Golden Age. Remember that? That was when things were starting to go back to normal after the Witch's reign. I'm glad Amalia and Susan put you off that idea Peter, you might've never come back to us if we had let you!" Lucy laughed.

"And still I shall always wonder what might have happened had I gone." Peter said with a gentle smile, a far off look in his blue eyes as his gaze returned to the framed picture.

Lucy's expression took on a look of chagrin when she realized she'd said mention of Amalia. "Oh, I'm sorry, for mentioning-"

"Don't be." Peter cut in quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. From Edmund's vantage point, he could tell that it still hurt his brother, but he was healing and time would only help. He silently resolved, walking over to join them. They soon relaxed and lounged around the room, Edmund reclining on the rug next to Lucy's bed, Lucy on the bed, and Peter was leaning against the mantle, every now and then glancing up at the painting.

"Well then, if I was so bad, remember when you nearly killed Caspian? No? I swear you would've if Lucy hadn't stopped you!" Edmund said, laughing up at his brother, Lucy giggling on the bed, tears in her eyes from laughing.

"I wasn't going to kill him Ed, just, scare him a bit." Peter weakly tried to defend himself.

"No, seriously, you would've hit him, or, something. I really thought he was not going to live another five seconds until Lucy ran out to stop you two, and then, there are times when I think that he might've managed to kill you if he had gotten to have a go with Rhindon." Edmund returned.

"Oh, when you said that you were the High King, I thought he was going to pass out from mortification right there. I know I almost did when he said he was Prince Caspian! I mean, we'd risked our lives traveling across hill and vale to find him, and he almost kills us, wouldn't you've wanted to just disappear if you had been in his place?" Lucy managed to get out between giggles.

"I suppose I might've. Though, all I could think of at that moment was that I had a lot to do if he was ever going to be worth anything as a king. I also was pretty blind to my own faults as well." Peter admitted, able to smile about it now.

"I suppose we all were rather bent on trying to live up to our reputations at that point. Though, I must admit, the only ones who really did that well were you girls. My idea of a castle raid didn't really fall through so well." Edmund commented, pulling at the fringe on the rug.

"Try, not, to mention that Ed, that is something I'm still rather sore about. That time, I was very close to having second thoughts about helping him. I'd rather we not go into that yet." Peter spoke up, frowning ever so slightly at the memory of that failed plan. He tried not to think of the plan that would've worked, but failed.

"Well, Susan was not so much the Queen that I remembered, I just naturally assumed that she'd turn him down as she had every other man ever to fall in love with her. It wasn't until the very end that I realized she also cared." Lucy stated thoughtfully. Edmund was about to reply, when the door was pushed inward and Eustace walked in.

The blonde boy had been in his room, wondering if perhaps he should find out if they were talking about him and his parents the way his parents and he talked about them. He thought that that was most likely what they were doing. Since Eustace and his family talked about people behind their backs, he just naturally assumed that that was something the rest of the world did.

He stood at the door of the guest bedroom that Lucy was staying in and tried to see if he could hear anything of their discussion. What he heard them talking about surprised him. They were talking about some place called "Narnia". He listened for awhile, but against his will, he wanted to know more.

So, when he heard a pause in their discussion, he opened the door and walked in. Ashamed at the idea that he felt left out, and that he wanted to join in on the laughter and fun the three Pevensies were so obviously having, he feigned disinterest, trying instead to pretend that he had merely decided to join them.

Peter, trying to be kind because he knew that with Eustace here they couldn't discuss Narnia any longer, smiled at the blonde boy and welcomed him in. "So you want to join us? We're just going over old times." The nineteen year old explained with a welcoming smile.

"I was just tired of being alone. Carry on with your conversation, I don't mind." Eustace muttered, sitting down against the wall with his arms crossed and a bored expression on his face. The Pevensies looked at one another with confusion, Peter shrugging nonchalantly when Edmund did a "what's with him" gesture.

"So where were we? Well, I hope Mum and Dad enjoy their trip. From what I understand on the radio is the Germans have been making the crossing difficult right now." Peter spoke up, drifting to a new topic for Eustace's sake.

"Well, I-"

"Oh bother this, you and I both know this is not what you three were discussing before I came in. Before I came in you were talking about some place called Narnia! I don't want to get in the way of that discussion, so carry bloody on with it! And I promise I won't intrude." Eustace's outburst was so uncharacteristic of him, and so unexpected, that Lucy never got around to finishing her sentence, instead she and Edmund looked to Peter for a lead on what to do next.

"Where do we start? I don't suppose you would want to hear of the second adventure when you haven't even heard the first. And I suppose you'll also be wanting to know where Narnia is as well." As Peter spoke, Edmund and Lucy held in their shock, why was he doing this? He knew what Eustace was like, so why was he giving the annoying boy more ammunition with which to mock them later?

"I should like to know, yes." The blonde boy replied quickly.

"Well, Narnia is past the sun and across the ocean, after the farthest star and beyond the land of dreams. And you can only get there when you're not looking for it. Lucy was the first, playing hide and seek. Edmund was next, merely trying to scare her. I was last, because I believed the least, but when I thought about it the most, it was there. But if not for Lucy, we never would've found the way." Peter smiled fleetingly at his little sister as he spoke, remembering that first great adventure.

Edmund and Lucy shared glances, recalling their first adventure in Narnia as well. Edmund still felt the gnaw of guilt, but it was very faint, he knew he'd been forgiven, and he had accepted the forgiveness, he had become a changed person because of that forgiveness, and he would not waste that second chance by feeling sorry for things he could not change. The one thing Peter's opening of their story recalled to Lucy was snow, pale morning light sifting through branches heavy with the stuff, a dear new friend and a white embroidered handkerchief.

Eustace's voice interrupted their thoughts. "If this place is past the sun and stars, how then can you get to it? And "beyond the land of dreams" is illogical because there's no such place. You had better start explaining this cousin."

"Very well, but mind, you might not ever understand the things I'm going to tell you, so, Don't. Try." Peter admonished Eustace kindly, before continuing.

"We got into Narnia the first time through Digory's, well, Mr. Kirke's wardrobe. Narnia had been enchanted by a witch to always be winter, but never Christmas. When we arrived, the land was in it's hundredth year of winter-"

"Well, that's all rot and nonsense! Just goes to show you you've let all those silly books go to your heads! A country in a wardrobe, what rubbish!" Eustace interrupted, standing abruptly as he did so.

The younger boy had never been told fairy tales, but what he had always been told about them was that that they were dull make-believe things for children who were stupid or who didn't want to believe in the real world, and Eustace was horrified when he realized that he liked Peter's fairy story, and a small part of him wanted desperately to believe in it. That little bit of him that wanted to hear the story soaked up Peter's words as a flower soaks up water and sunlight. But his human, logical side quickly squelched the feeling and stepped up to take the lead.

"I really can't believer you Peter, going on about all that nonsensical stuff, and I thought that you were nineteen! Aren't any of you ready to grow up and stop all this fairy world dreaming? You really must come off it before someone sees you as completely batty."

"Eustace, we have grown up, more so than you could understand. I for one, say that if in imaginary world is better than the real world, than stay in the imaginary world, because it has far more to offer than any real world I know. Perhaps during our stay here, you'll come to realize that, but, if not, than I can feel nothing but sorrow for you, because there is much you shall lose." As Peter spoke, Eustace stared at him, open mouthed with shock. He couldn't believe the audacity of his cousin. He sputtered several times, before he left, closing the door behind him.

"Why did you tell him about Narnia, and then just let him walk away like that? He doesn't deserve to know about Narnia, he doesn't believe in it! How Peter?" Edmund looked at his brother, confusion and disbelief in his brown eyes.

"Because Edmund, being Christian means I must try to forgive the inexcusable in him, as Aslan forgave the inexcusable in me, and believe me, it's not easy, but I have to try. For I was once just as bad as Eustace." Peter replied.

"You were never that bad, me, well that's another story, but you, you've never been anything but the best older brother, even when, at times I didn't realize it." Edmund contradicted Peter, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Ed, that's just your prejudice opinion, because your my brother. We're none of us perfect Ed, and I think you should know that better than any of us, now it's my turn to learn. As I said at dinner, Aslan allows us to experience the low points in life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way." The blonde young man rested his hand gently on the raven haired boy's shoulder, slowly - slowly - Edmund smiled.

Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable in others because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. C.S. Lewis

"God allows us to experience the low points in life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way." C.S. Lewis

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people most often say about Him [Jesus]: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil, you must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ~ C.S. Lewis

~Author's Note~

First, let me apologize to all those who have been waiting so long for this chapter! **I am so, so sorry!** But, in my defense, (I have no sleigh, so this will be different from Santa's apology) I have had really bad writer's block, and that has slowed me down extremely.

OK, moving on, what do you think of this chapter? I really enjoyed writing this, because I love writing diary-style (I keep a diary, so that wasn't all that hard, First Person POV is though) and I like entwining Lewis and his characters.

As you can see from the first two quotes at the end, those are what I largely based this chapter on. (the characters quote those quotes several times, well, ok, only Peter quotes them, but still, you get the idea)

(the third quote is from Lewis's "Mere Christianity" Which is an excellent book! That book, which by the way is a written record of his radio talks during the war, which Peter listens to)

Eustace has clearly met his cousins before, but after their first encounter with Narnia, as he says in his first entry that "Peter acts like royalty" hinting that he's never met Peter before their first Narnian adventure, (that he can recall) Also, this chapter is why Eustace says in chapter, I believe three of this story, "Still playing your old game?" because he's already heard them talking about Narnia in this chapter, which is the prequel to that chapter.

Also, Yay! Peter's first cameo appearance! (they'll be a few more and then Peter's chapter, then perhaps a bit more of him at the end. Sadly, nothing in-depth on him, at least until the fourth book in this quintet.

Ah, wait, one thing to settle first:

Peter is not as weird as Eustace makes him out to be, remember, Eustace is cynical and slightly brattish right now, so he paints things in a worse picture than they really are.

Peter, excited about his newfound faith, is like anyone who has his life changed in a miraculous way, he now sees the world through new eyes and only wants everyone else around him to see and believe in kind. He is enthusiastic and trying very hard to make this work, because he knows that with Aslan's help, he can.

Next order of business;

The third quote is what I largely based Alberta and Harold's characters and personalities on. I see them as these free-new-age-thinkers, who believe that religion is some sort of dark age, unmodern thing. I'm going to make them rather close-minded about religion right until the end pretty much. But to say anymore, well, that would be giving to story away...

Ah, yet another thing. Peter mentions that you only get to Narnia when you're not looking for it. I want to point out that whenever, movie-wise, they [Pevensies and Co] try to look for Narnia, she is nowhere to be found. But, running away, talking, and arguing, going about life, one soon finds themselves in Narnia. I rather like that.

Ah, and, still another thing, I like the idea that her [Lucy's] window faces east, foreshadowing the fact that that is the direction she will be going and that is why her room, instead of any other room in the house was chosen. Because, I mean really, Aslan doesn't need some painting to teleport them to Narnia, but he chose to use it as means to an end. (so to speak)

I like the idea that Peter was the one who pointed them to the painting in the first place, it's rather a neat idea.

Also, I am basing Peter's Christian character largely on my Dad. So, please remember that!

The Thing With Names.

"Jack" is typically a nickname for "John" so, I went with that, which is why Peter is rather surprised, [in Star~Crossed] that C.S. Lewis goes by Jack, because his father goes by that name as well.

It also seems that there will be far more chapters from Eustace's POV, as this chapter is less than one half of Eustace's first four diary entries.

By the way, when I do his diary entries, I'm going to do what I did in this first chapter starring him, put his POV and spin on things and the world around him first, then the way it really went. I think that will help you get a good picture of what goes on. I think about two, maybe three, more chapters of Eustace and then it's back to Narnia and regular POV.

Mainly because I know a lot of you would rather be there than having to go back through England's stay all over again. And besides that, all the Stars and what-not are staring over my shoulder, Arran is looking at me now in a rather reproachful manner, motioning for me to get on with it. Gavan's bemoaning his fate, Serene wants me to go back to the Dawn Treader where I left off, and all-in-all I have some very opinionated and wordy OCs that I've created!

But I have no one to blame but myself! lol.

ILoveFanfiction:

I promise I will explain that little detail that Serene mentioned about the first and last Guardian bit. It's rather complicated, but I'll get to it! (This is the problem with writing a parallel story along with the main story, so many questions and not enough answers)

I'm glad you approve of my idea on faith. I really think that faith is fundamental on Narnia, so I decided to do that, as it seemed a key thing in Narnia. Faith was such a big part of getting to Narnia, so I wanted to include that.

I'm so glad you like Arran, I don't know if it's bad that I like writing him, or good, but I'm leaning toward good. Yeah, the Lucy/Gavan romance...I's gonna be good!

Ah, by the way, in case you didn't see it, I wrote you an A/N in chapter10 about your review regarding the movies and those interesting details you noticed! I don't know it you saw it, so, if you didn't, then you can go back and read it, because I replied to all of your details and tidbits you noticed!

Well, my deepest apologies for this chapter being so late, I shall try to work harder so the next one will be up next weekend, I promise! (Though if my WB holds out it might be next week, but I'll just have to see!)

Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.

Happy reading, ~ W.H.