Chapter Text
Hundreds of bombs drop outside as homes are destroyed and lives are lost. Edmund Pevensie watches from the window of their home as his mother and sister run into the room.
"Edmund! Get away from there!" Elizabeth yells as she pulls Edmund away from the window.
"Peter!" Their mother calls for their older brother before grabbing Edmund. "What do you think you're doing?" Peter quickly runs into the room. "Peter, quickly, the shelter. Now!"
"Come on!" Peter says as he grabs Edmund.
"Wait..." Edmund says as he fights against Peter.
"Come on, leave it!" Peter argues with him as Elizabeth runs to find her sisters.
"Mommy!" The youngest, Lucy, calls from her bed.
"Lucy, come on! Come on, quickly!" Elizabeth says as she picks her sister up before checking to make sure Susan was with them.
"Run! Run! Hurry!" Their mother orders as she leads the way to the shelter. Elizabeth sets Lucy down as they reach the shelter before turning to make sure her younger siblings get in first.
"Wait! Dad!" Edmund yells as he wrestles free from Peter's grip and runs back towards the house.
"Ed!" Peter calls as he attempts to stop him.
"Edmund, no!" Their mother calls before Elizabeth takes off after her younger brother.
"I'll get him!" Elizabeth calls as she runs.
"Elizabeth, come back!" Her mother yells but her main focus is her little brother.
"Ed! Come here!" Elizabeth yells as she chases him through the house. "Edmund! Get down!" Elizabeth pushes Edmund down as a bomb explodes outside their home causing the window to bust. "Come on, you idiot, run!" Edmund grabs a picture frame as Elizabeth starts to pull him. "Get out!" Elizabeth pushes Edmund in front of her as they run back to the shelter.
"Come on! Hurry!" Their mother calls as she sees them and a plane flies overhead. Elizabeth pushes Edmund into the bunker before closing the door.
"Why can't you think of anyone but yourself? You're so selfish! You could've got us killed!" Peter yells at Edmund, who collapsed on one of the beds.
"Stop it!" Their mother yells at Peter before pulling Edmund into her arms.
"Why can't you just do as you're told?" Peter asks him before walking over to Elizabeth to make sure she is okay.
The next morning after everything was deemed safe, they made their way to the train station. Their mother was shipping them off to some professor's house out in the country. Though Elizabeth didn't want to leave her home, she was ready for a adventure.
"You need to keep this on, darling. All right?" Their mother tells Lucy as she pins their destination on her. "You warm enough? Good girl."
"If Dad were here, he wouldn't make us go," Edmund says as their mother does the same to him.
"If Dad were here, it'd mean the war was over and we wouldn't have to," Peter retorts causing Edmund to look down sadly.
"You will listen to your brother, won't you, Edmund?" Their mother asks. Their mother pulls Edmund into a hug and goes to kiss his cheek but he pulls away causing Elizabeth to frown. Their mother then pulls Peter into a hug as he hugs her back. "Promise me you'll look after the others."
"I will, Mum," Peter assures her.
"Good man," Their mother tells him.
"All aboard! All aboard!" A man calls as their mother turns to Susan and Elizabeth.
"Susan. Elizabeth," Their mother says before pulling them into a hug. "Be a big girls." Susan and Elizabeth nod in understanding as they pull away from their mother. "All right. Off you go." Elizabeth grabs Lucy's hand before they start making their way to the train. As they make it pass the crowd of people, Lucy tries to pull back towards their mother.
"Come on, Lucy. We have to stick together now. Everything's gonna be all right. It's gonna be fine," Elizabeth assures Lucy before they get on the train. Elizabeth, Lucy, and Peter find a window to look out of to look for their mother.
"Bye-bye, dear," Their mother says as she sees Elizabeth.
"Bye! We'll miss you! See you soon," Peter, Lucy, and Elizabeth call before the train takes off.
Their stop finally comes and they get off in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. They hear a car coming and quickly make their way off of the platform. The car drives right pass them, leaving them alone.
"The professor knew we were coming," Susan says.
"Perhaps we've been incorrectly labeled," Edmund suggests as he looks at his tag.
"Come on, hup!" Can be heard coming from the distance before they see a horse and buggy. "And whoa. Whoa." The lady stops beside them.
"Mrs. Macready?" Peter asks as the lady looks at them.
"I'm afraid so," Mrs. Macready answers causing Elizabeth and Susan to look at each other worried. "Is this it, then? Haven't you brought anything else?"
"No, ma'am. It's just us," Elizabeth answers her and Lucy nods.
"Small favors," Mrs. Macready says before they get into the buggy and head to their new home for the time being.
"Come on. Good girl. Come on. Come on." Mrs. Macready leads them into the huge house. "Professor Kirke is not accustomed to havin' children in this house. And, as such, there are a few rules we need to follow. There will no shoutin'. Or runnin'. No improper use of the dumbwaiter." Susan goes to touch a statue. "No touchin' of the historical artifacts!" Peter, Elizabeth, and Edmund hold back laughs at their sister getting in trouble. "And above all, there shall be no disturbin' of the professor.
That night Elizabeth is helping Lucy settle into bed while Peter looks out the window and Susan looks around the room.
"The sheets feel scratchy," Lucy complains as Peter and Susan join Elizabeth.
"Wars don't last forever, Lucy. We'll be home soon," Elizabeth tells her with a smile.
"Yeah, if home's still there," Edmund says as he walks into the room causing Elizabeth to frown.
"Isn't it time you were in bed?" Susan asks him.
"Yes, Mum," Edmund retorts.
"Ed!" Peter scolds before turning back to Lucy. "You saw outside. This place is huge. We can do whatever we want here. Tomorrow's going to be great. Really."
The next morning instead of the sunshine they were expecting, it was raining. They are currently cooped up in the library much to Elizabeth's disliking.
"'Gastrovascular.'" Susan says as she goes through the dictionary. "Come on, Peter. Gastrovascular."
"Is it Latin?" Peter asks her.
"Yes," Susan answers him.
"Is it Latin for 'worst game ever invented?'" Edmund asks causing Elizabeth to giggle before Susan slams the dictionary closed.
"We could play hide and seek," Lucy says excitedly as she walks over to Peter.
"But we're already having so much fun," Peter says sarcastically causing Susan to glare at him.
"Come on, Peter, please. Pretty please?" Lucy begs causing Peter to give in.
"One, two, three, four..." Peter starts counting causing Elizabeth to smile.
"What?" Edmund asks as Peter gets up and puts his head on the wall.
"five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven..." Peter continues to count as the others rush out of the room. Elizabeth follows after Lucy knowing she would need some help finding a good place to hide. "24, 25, 26..." Susan hides in a window seat. Lucy runs for some big curtains but Edmund pushes her out of the way.
"I was here first!" Edmund says as Lucy glares at him.
"Come on," Elizabeth says as she grabs Lucy's hand. They start trying doors to find the second one opened. Lucy and Elizabeth look in amazement as the only thing in the room is something covered by a sheet. Lucy and Elizabeth walk over and pull the sheet off to reveal a magnificent wardrobe.
"81, 82, 83," Peter counts as Elizabeth and Lucy hear him getting closer.
"You get in," Elizabeth tells Lucy before going over to the door to listen for Peter. Lucy gets into the wardrobe, peeping out the door until she hears Peter's voice. Lucy starts backing into the wardrobe before her hand touches something prickly. She turns around to find a snow covered tree. She walks out into the snow and looks around in amazement.