~

The conversation was still replaying itself in Adeline's mind the next morning. Even after breakfast and her chores, she would refer back to it, scanning it for bits and clues about her mother. 

This day was a bit breezier so after her work was done, Adeline changed into a white wool turtleneck and an emerald green skirt with pockets that went a little past her knees. She pinned back one side of her hair and tried to smoothen out the waves.

Writing usually kept her mind off of things that were troubling her so she slipped her journal and pencil into a pocket. Lucy Pevensie was currently on her mind. The little girl was quiet at breakfast and wouldn't even talk to her siblings which was concerning since Lucy is very expressive.

Adeline headed outside to where she knew the children were. Sure enough, Peter, Susan, and Edmund seemed to be playing some sort of game with a bat and ball that Adeline knew would take her ages to understand. Lucy was reading under the willow tree that Adeline had been under the day the Pevensie's first arrived.

Gently she approached the girl, "Hello there."

Lucy looked up from her book with a frown but seeing that it was Adeline it was quickly replaced with a smile, "Hello."

"Do you mind?" Adeline gestured to the ground beside her.

She shook her head and scooted over a little, allowing the older girl to sit beside her. Adeline pulled out her journal and opened it to the last story she had been working on.

She rested her pencil on the page and hesitated, the face of the girl beside her from last night still nagging at her mind.

"Lucy," she said getting her attention. Her hair bobbed as she looked up, "I want to apologize about last night. I know it was hard and I just want to say I'm sorry I didn't help you."

Lucy nodded and took Adeline's hand. Her small fingers were soft and warm and Adeline squeezed them tightly. 

"It's alright," she said, "it wasn't your fault."

Adeline said, "That's no excuse. We shouldn't have treated you like that."

Lucy squeezed Adeline's hand, "I forgive you." 

Adeline smiled sadly and slipped her hand out of Lucy's. She tucked a short strand behind the little girl's ear and gave her a small kiss on the head, which the girl giggled at. 

"And really," Lucy started, "It was mostly Edmund." She hid her mischievous smile in her book as if Edmund himself had heard it.

Adeline snorted and picked up her pencil again, "He was being an arse."

Both girls laughed at the comment and Adeline was happy they had smoothed things over. Lucy was like the little sister she never had and Adeline truly didn't want to mess anything up.

Adeline scribbled down a couple of sentences, her mind wandering around and her ears landing on the conversation the other children were having. Edmund saying how he wanted to play hide and seek and Peter reprimanding him. Adeline wasn't one to hold a grudge but Edmund was getting on her nerves. She tried very hard to like him and his sarcastic comments were funny at times, but he was rude and mean to everyone. He was doing it on purpose and it was affecting his family. How she wished she could knock some sense into that boy.

A series of loud crashes brought her back to the real world. She looked up to see the horrified faces of the three children playing ball. They were looking up at the house where there was a hole in one of the stained glass windows.

Adeline gasped and Lucy whipped her head towards her, her mouth hanging open.

"Oh no." Adeline groaned. She stuffed her journal and pencil in the pocket of her skirt, stood up and sprinted towards the house, the thumping of feet behind her telling her the others were following close behind. 

She twisted and turned through the halls and up the stairs until she reached a small sitting room. There lying on the floor was an entire suit of armor surrounded by shards of glass and one rubber ball.

A hand flew up to her mouth as she thought of what Mrs. Macready was going to do to her know. 

The four children caught up to her and stared down at the mess.

"Well done Ed!" Peter's voice rose.

The younger boy retorted back, "You bowled it!"

"What are we going to do?" Susan asked Adeline her eyes revealing the panic she was trying to keep in.

"I-I don't know." She stuttered, her mind going blank, "this has never happened before."

Her heart was beating faster and her breaths were quick and shallow. What was she going to do now? Macready would have her head and her grandfather would be very displeased.

A loud shout echoed down the halls and upon recognizing the voice all the children looked at each other in panic.

"The Macready!" Susan said.

Peter began to run the other way down the hall, "Come on!"

As they ran through the halls, Adeline noticed the strangest thing happening. Whenever they thought they were safe Macready seemed to be right behind or right in front of them. They could hear her heels clicking as they ran, shooting confused looks at each other. The footsteps chased them down a hallway and into the wardrobe room, where all of them except Edmund froze.

Adeline could feel her magic stirring again and a small rush of panic shot through her.

"Come on!" Edmund shouted as he opened the door.

Susan huffed, "You've got to be joking." Before running and jumping in. Lucy followed suit but Adeline couldn't seem to move.

Gentle fingers brushed against her hand and she looked up to see Peter smiling softly as he gave her hand a small squeeze, "It's going to be alright." he said as if he could read her thoughts, or perhaps he saw the worried look that was so evident on her face.

Her grandfather's words came back to her. She needed to find the truth about her powers herself and she couldn't just sit around and wait for the answers to come to her. This was her decision and it was now or never.

Making her choice she smiled at Peter and they both ran into the wardrobe hand in hand. The darkness enveloped them as Peter shit the door. Fur brushed up against her arms and face and she could feel someone beside her. 

Someone stepped on her foot as she was pushed back, "Ow!" 

Shouts erupted in the small space and Adeline felt someone pushing up against her and another persons arm shoving her back.

"Get back!" Peter shouted.

"Ow, my arm!" 

"Move!" Through the chaos, Adeline spotted a light and figured the wardrobe door had been opened. She headed towards it but was suddenly shoved onto the ground. Something poked her cheek and shock ran through her as she realized it was pine. Coldness seeped through the bottom of her skirt and her hands and she looked down to see snow.

At that moment, Peter and Susan fell down beside her and all three children were frozen. Confusion rippled through Adeline until she turned around and it was replaced by wonder. Ahead of them was an entire forest, filled with pine trees and covered with pure white snow. 

Adeline stood up and held out her hand, not believing if this was real. The cold snowflakes fell onto her hand and her mouth gaped in wonder.

Susan gasped, "Impossible." 

Adeline nodded in agreement as she let out a laugh in shock.

"Don't worry," Lucy said tauntingly, "I'm sure it's just your imagination." 

Adeline snorted at the comment, "Hilarious."

"I don't suppose saying we're sorry would quite cover it." Peter piped up from beside her.

"No, it wouldn't," Lucy said right before chucking a snowball at Peter's face, some of it hitting Adeline as well who let out a shriek of laughter, "But this might!"

Adeline bent down and scooped up some snow as well, throwing it back at the little girl. Susan and Peter joined in as well and the air was full of flying snowballs and cries of laughter.

"Ow!" a shout interrupts them. Edmund rubs his shoulder with a scowl, "Stop it!" The mood in the air changed as Adeline realized that he had lied to all of them.

"You little liar!" Peter accused, and Adeline reached out a hand, realizing what was going to happen.

"Peter," she said.

Edmund backed up, trying to defend himself, "You didn't believe her either!"

"Apologize to Lucy." Peter said, pointing to his little sister. Adeline came up behind the little girl and put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Say you're sorry!" He shouted.

"Alright!" Edmund cried, clearly scared of Peter, "I'm sorry." he said to Lucy.

Lucy spoke up, "That's alright, some little children just don't know when to stop pretending." she says smugly.

"Very funny," Edmund muttered.

Susan who had been quiet until now said, "Maybe we should head back."

Adeline furrowed her brows, "Now? But we just arrived."

Edmund, to her surprise, backed her up, "Can't we at least take a look around?"

"I think Lucy should decide," Peter said, playing peacemaker.

The little girl brightened up, making Adeline giggle, "I want you all to meet Mr. Tumnus!" 

"Mr. Tumnus it is." Peter said, heading back into the wardrobe.

Susan, still trying to get them to go back said, "Well we can't walk around in these clothes." she rubbed her arms.

Peter came back out with several fur coats draping over his arms. He passed them around, giving her a soft chocolate brown one that when she put it on, came all the way to her feet. 

"No," Peter said, "But I'm sure that the professor wouldn't mind if we used these. Anyway, if you think about it logically, " he said pointedly at Susan, "we're not even taking them out of the wardrobe."

He handed Edmund a grey coat.

"But that's a girls coat." the brunette said.

Peter shrugged, "I know." He shoved the coat into Edmund's arms and put his own on.

Lucy who had her coat on headed down a path that seemed like it had been used before, "This way, follow me."

Her three siblings followed her and Adeline was about to as well when she stopped in her tracks, a strange sensation running through her. She spotted blue wisps appearing at her fingers and she pushed it down. However, the strange thing was that this time it was much harder to push it down as if she was a pot boiling over. Her magic was trying to get out and Adeline rubbed her forehead, forcing it all down. 

"Are you alright?" Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He had a hand held out as if he was ready to catch her if she were to fall

Adeline blinked, "Uh... yes." she lied quickly, "Let's go." She trudged past him, hoping he wouldn't see her worried look. However, judging by his raised brow, she wasn't so sure that he believed her.

Whatever it was, it had something to do with this place, her magic reacted differently here and she wasn't sure what to make of it.

It scared her.

~

Hi, I know it's been a while but I'm back!

I thought with this whole quarantine thing I would have less homework and more free time but unfortunately, my teachers have no mercy and I feel like I'm getting more work now that I'm home.

I'm also going a little crazy from sitting at home all day and I feel as if I'm wasting my time even though I'm being productive. April felt like it was so long but also just passed by very quickly if that makes sense.

Anyways, I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter and I hope my teachers will pity us and not assign us three essays a week.

Question of the day:

~If you could be friends with anyone from Narnia (any of the books or movies), who would it be?~

Please stay safe and limit contact with others.

Until next time,

StoryTeller5678