Prelude~

Morning came far too soon for Jessica Marie Ryan's liking, morning meant she would have to leave London for the countryside because of a war—a war that made her an orphan. Jessica's mother had died when she was only three years old, and now her father had died as a casualty of war serving his country. Jessica had been living with a neighbor while he was off fighting, so when they received the news she broke down devastated since she was no utterly alone in the world. The only family she had left was some great aunt named Polly Plummer who lived in the country, a woman whom with she had to live with now since she was being evacuated along with all the other children in London. As she lay in bed, her evergreen eyes staring up at the ceiling Jessica heard the woman who had taken her in, Mrs. Collins, come and knock on her door saying,

"Come on Jessica you're going to be late and might miss your train." this made her groan but she sat up on her elbows anyway, swinging her legs over the side of the bed as she stood to get dressed. Getting ready in a knee length navy blue skirt, cream colored blouse and matching sweater with silver buttons, Jessica braided her coppery hair before stepping out of her loaned bedroom to head downstairs. Mrs. Collins was an older woman without children of her own so she had given Jessica the guest bedroom, a room that smelt of moth balls and vinegar when she had first arrived. Appearing in the kitchen with her suitcase in hand, Jessica sat down at the table where she found oatmeal along with orange juice and an apple waiting for her.

"Here's your ticket to Coombe Halt Station." Mrs. Collins told her handing Jessica the piece of paper so that she could pin it to her sweater as she continued to eat mumbling a thanks. When she finished, Jessica wrapped the apple in her handkerchief before putting it into her suitcase as the two started for the car outside. It was not long before Jessica found herself in the train station saying goodbye to her only true known familiar person and for the first time felt—horribly sad. Seeing her tears, Mrs. Collins hugged her saying into her hair,

"Don't worry Jessica, everything will be alright—you'll see." then they heard her train being called and so Jessica tore out of the woman's hold and giving her a forced smile, started for the train. As she was getting in line to be processed, her ticket being read and suitcase checked, Jessica noticed a boy causing all sorts of problems and raised an eyebrow at him. Soon she was getting aboard the train and finding a compartment to sit in knowing it really was not worth waving goodbye to anyone here. Mrs. Collins was not going to pick her up on the other side—she was going to permanently go and live with this mysterious great aunt Polly. As the train began to take off Jessica leaned back in her seat and silently wept for herself, knowing that her whole old life was being forced behind her and that she was being thrust into a whole strange knew one. Whatever had happened—she must have fallen asleep because she woke to the announcer calling her stop for the last time and letting out a shriek, jumped to disembark. Quickly, she grabbed her things and managed to get off just before the train pulled away from the quiet, middle of nowhere land train station. Exhaling deeply, Jessica took a seat on the bench and waited all about five minutes before she heard the sound of a horse and carriage and so turned to see a small horse drawn buggy. Being pulled by a single chestnut brown horse, the driver was an older woman wearing a mauve dress with lace around the neckline and a matching hat with a cream ribbon. Her graying blond hair was in a bun behind her head as she smiled down at Jessica saying,

"Ah, little Jessica I have not seen you since you were just a wee babe!" Jessica bit her lip as the woman waved her hand over to the buggy explaining,

"Climb aboard then and we shall get going! Much to do before the night comes!" so Jessica complied and climbed aboard the buggy behind the woman who smiled brightly at her before starting the horse at a mild trot before going into a brisk canter. Soon they found themselves pulling into a pathway that curved around a grouping of thick trees where beyond Jessica actually found herself smiling. Beyond sat a cozy summertime cottage that appeared to be the color of cream, with light blue shutters on the windows and a matching door. On either side of the door were rose bushes of pale pink and Jessica could see a pen for the horse where a large stack of hay sat tied up in barrels.

"Come along Jessica!" the woman Polly called having pulled the buggy around and was now untacking the horse to bring him into his pen for the rest of the day. So Jessica followed her with suitcase in hand asking her,

"Do you need any help?"

"No that is quiet alright dearie, I have it all sorted but thank you. Now, come on in and I shall fetch you something to eat if you like. Or better yet I shall show you to your bedroom upstairs." the woman Polly stated opening the door so that Jessica smiled at the warmth and unbelievable homey feeling in the place. Everything felt—right—here, as she followed Polly up the single set of stairs to the attic bedroom where Jessica again could not stop the grin on her face. Though the bedroom only consisted of a twin bed, dresser, nightstand and lamp on said nightstand—Jessica had never felt more at home before.

"Settle in dear before coming on down." Polly explained having been keenly watching the young teen's reactions with joy as she headed on down herself planning on continuing with her day. So Jessica unpacked most of her things before going back downstairs and wandering into the kitchen to find her great aunt cooking and humming to herself.

"Can I help you?" Jessica asked so that she smiled and gave her small instructions as to how to help her make supper for the night.

"Now, my friend Diggory has four children at his mansion who you might be able to meet tomorrow," her great aunt began to explain so that Jessica perked up at this while she was setting the table for the two of them. As she sat down for supper on the tiny kitchen table she continued,

"Well, he said since it is supposed to be such a wonderful day outside that you all might want to play out behind his mansion. As I understand he has a meadow behind it." Jessica actually enjoyed the thought and so asked,

"What are their names?"

"I have no clue to be honest, never got the chance to ask but tomorrow you will find out I am sure." her great aunt said so that when supper was over it was decided she would bring Jessica over to her friend Diggory's mansion tomorrow. Jessica in one day had gone from heartbroken to extremely excited, getting to meet hopefully new friends and having an extremely nice caretaker it seems. That night when she went to bed she did something she rarely did, thanked the Lord, before going to sleep. When morning came Jessica woke and eagerly dressed in a knee length skirt of a berry color, a tan blouse with silver color buttons and a matching berry vest before going down for breakfast. The two chatted and laughed, planning their next few days ahead before it was time to take Jessica over to her great aunt's friend's mansion. After helping tack the horse onto the buggy, Jessica sat next to her great aunt as Polly drove it down the dirt street, for at least five miles, before coming up the drive of the large grand mansion and stopping to see a woman who greeted them.

"The Professor is busy at the moment, but he sends his well wishes as always." the woman, a strict scowling woman said so that Jessica watched as her great aunt puffed out air replying,

"He always says so Mrs. Macready! Anyway, I shall be back before dinner to pick her up I do believe." then turning to Jessica she said,

"Have a good time and play nice." nodding, Jessica watched her great aunt leave before hearing Mrs. Macready say,

"Now, come along child!" so that she followed inside just before it began to rain! After entering the woman scowled and shook her head saying with a hard frown,

"Seems you shalt be going outside today!" then she snorted before walking away so that Jessica assumed to follow her and once she did Mrs. Macready opened a door to find four children inside.

"Children, this is Jessica Ryan from Mrs. Plummer's next door. Hope you all can figure out something to do inside." then the next thing they all knew—she was gone. So Jessica stood awkwardly seeing the four; a boy about her age with sandy blond hair and dark blue eyes smiling at her as if to make her feel comfortable, a girl a year younger with dark brown hair and near matching eyes looking at her with weary eyes, a few years younger boy who had very much darker hair with eyes and a scowl on his face, and lastly a very young girl with light brown hair and eyes like her elder brother grinning.

"Uh, hi there my name is Jessica?" she said with a shrug of her shoulders so that the little girl giggled going over to her and smiling up at her saying,

"Hi! My name's Lucy Pevensies!" grinning down at her, Jessica looked up at the others to see the elder boy coming over to say holding a hand out,

"And my names Peter," then the other elder girl came over saying with a half-grin,

"And my names Susan, and that's Edmund." the boy named Edmund 'huffed' and crossed his arms before Jessica asked,

"So—um—what do we do now?" at this the children frowned, even young Lucy who seemed to deflate so that Susan said,

"I have an idea." and went over to a large bookcase before picking up a random book before taking a seat in one of the many chairs in the room. Looking at Peter and with nothing else to do, Jessica took a seat next to Susan as Lucy took a place by the window and Edmund carving something under a chair. Looking around, Jessica just hoped today would not be as boring as she thought it would be.