Nota Bene: See the bottom for ages and characters.
The Ship and the Letter
Richard and Dorthea Callum or (since they were not in trouble), Dick and Dot sat together watching the countryside flash by. More accurately Dot was staring absently at the countryside while Dick had his nose buried in Sailing by E.F. Knight.
Since he and Dot were finally going to own their own vessel he thought it only fitting that he learned everything that he could. What Captain would not want to do his best by his ship?
Dot, while she was excited and eager didn't take the whole owning a ship business quite as seriously. Her head was in that peculiar state commonly known as daydreaming. She had been working on a chapter of The Outlaw of the Broads but her pen had stilled and her mind had wandered into strange un-charted territory full of lions and knights and a beautiful castle by the sea.
It was such a lovely daydream that it took Dick two or three minutes to get her attention.
"Dot!"
"Hmmmm"
"Dot!"
"Mphfff"
"Dorthea Callum!"
Dot jumped about two feet into the air and Dick grinned.
"What is it?" she asked rather miffed. Usually it was Dick that succumbed to absent-mindedness and Dot who was the voice of reason.
"We are here!" said Dick hastily, "I can see red caps. The Amazons will be here in a minute." And Dot noticed for the first time that they had stopped.
Squashy Hat also known as Timothy-who-was-not-an-armadillo was there too to Dick's delight. Everyone else grinned when the two began a technical conversation concerning quantitative analyses otherwise known (to Nancy) as "stinks".
The others (Nancy, Peggy and Dot) finally managed to drag Dick away from his engrossing discussion so that they could catch the bus. It was a close thing though and he and Timothy still managed to block out everyone else around them on the way to the landing stage.
There to the relief of Dot who was more inclined towards adventures and daring rescues than assays and analyses they parted, the four explorers and pirates in the Amazon and Timothy in Captain Flint's old rowboat.
Their first stop was at the shed that currently housed the Scarab until her paint finished drying and her rigging was complete. `
Old Bob the boatbuilder led them to her cheerfully enough at which point Dick and Dot felt more than a little inclined to stare.
They looked her over ecstatically, she was up-side down and the varnish was still drying but to them there could be no more beautiful sight in the world. She was the Scarab, their Scarab.
"She is lovely!" breathed Dot dreamily turning a brilliant smile on the old boatbuilder.
"That she is" said old Bob, "One of the best I have ever had a hand in making, very like your Amazon Nancy. I dare say you'll be racing."
"Oh, yes!" said Peggy, Nancy and Dot together. Dick said nothing.
"Dick?" asked Dot looking about for her brother.
"I say!" came an awed voice from across the shed, "Dot, Nancy, Peggy! You have to see her!"
"Dick?" repeated his sister as they raced across the shed, "What is…oh…"
"Golly!"
Nancy whistled.
"The Cair Paravel" read Dot softly, "It sounds like something from a fairy tale"
"Ah, the Cair" said Bob, "Best bit of shipbuilding I have ever done. Strange folk that ordered her though, an old fellow, Professor Kirke his name was had her made for friends of his who are coming for the summer, a pack of kids like you lot."
Nancy scowled, fierce pirates, explorers and adventurers were not a "pack of kids". Old Bob was nice for boatbuilding and a mine of information when needed but he could be quite native on occasion.
"I have never seen a design quite like that" said Peggy "What is it modeled after?"
"I couldn't be sure" said old Bob, "He sent a lot of drawings and measurements down but he never said where they came from."
"How many kids?" asked Nancy suddenly.
"How'd I know?" said Bob, "I don't go about asking personal questions from everyone that has a boat built. I'd say four or five by the look of her."
"It couldn't be the Swallows could it?" wondered Peggy.
"Do you know their name?" she asked the old boatbuilder, "Was it Walker?"
"Nay, it wasn't any I've heard before" said Bob good-naturedly, "Pevensie or some such name."
-o-O-o-
Unfortunately the jolly mood only lasted about a day. Despite the fact that Mrs. Blackett and Uncle Jim as Captain Flint was known to the natives were gone and piracy and camping were on a hold until their return and the arrival of the Swallows they had been having a good time.
Nancy and Peggy had made a flagstaff and flag (respectively) for the Scarab and they had even laughed over the telegram that Nancy had sent to the fearsome Great Aunt when she had telegraphed complaining about them being left behind with only Cook for company.
And then as they were standing outside admiring the rose trellis (which was better for climbing than for roses) the lightning struck leaving chaos and misery in its wake.
The postman had a letter addressed to Miss Ruth Blackett, which could only mean one thing. The G.A. was the only one to write letters to Nancy under her native name.
Nancy summoned up the courage to open the G. A.'s letter, mostly because Dick and Dot were watching and what sort of pirate is afraid of a letter? Even a letter from the dreaded G.A.?
My dear Ruth,
Nancy snorted.
I have just learnt with surprise that your mother has chosen this time to go abroad with your Uncle James. Neither of them has thought it fit to let me know of their intentions. I am horrified at the thought that you and Margaret are alone in the house. I cannot consider Cook a sufficient guardian in your mother's absence…
Nancy grimaced.
…Inconvenient as it is for me to disarrange my plans, I cannot permit you two children to be thus abandoned to your own devices…
"Oh no!" gasped Peggy
…am coming to Beckfoot to-morrow to take charge of the house until the eve of your mother's return, when I shall leave you to prepare for the arrival of a friend at Harrogate. I am also pleased to say…
"She can't!" said Nancy passionately, "She is just finding an excuse to complain to mother."
"What is she pleased about?" asked Dot apprehensively. She had heard stories of the dreaded G.A. and she was sure that anything that pleased her would not please them in the least.
…due to the request of an old friend I am bringing four children to keep you company…
Chaos broke loose.
"No!"
"Barbequed Billygoats!"
"Four!"
"How dare she!"
...I believe that they will be a good influence on you being exceedingly well-behaved and altogether charming, quite unlike those Walker children who were always making you late for meals. Have Cook air out the spare rooms, there are two boys and two girls and they will staying with me at Beckfoot until my old friend Digory can make it down and watch them.
"Beast! Beast! Beast!" said Nancy.
…expect me at Beckfoot between six thirty and seven o'clock.
Believe me, my dear niece
Your affectionate Aunt,
Maria Turner
I am know I am playing fast and loose with respective ages and the right decades and that this story is definitely AU but those are the only things that I am changing. Everyone's characters will (hopefully) be unchanged. I am not British and I did not live in the thirties and forties, if you notice mistakes in those areas please don't hesitate to let me know.
It is set during The Picts and the Martyrs for the Swallows/ Amazons/ D's and after Voyage of the Dawn Treader for the Pevensies. Susan is still a friend of Narnia.
Characters (since not everyone is familiar with both fandoms)
The Amazons: Nancy (Ruth - 15 1/2) and Peggy (Margaret - 14 1/2) Blackett - Owners of the Amazon, daughters of Mrs. Blackett (widow).
The Swallows: John (15) , Susan (13 1/2), Titty (11 1/2) and Roger (10) Walker - Crew of the Swallow and friends of the Blackett sisters
The D's: Dick (11 1/2) and Dot (13 1/2) Callum - Friends of both the Swallows and the Amazons and proud new owners of the Scarab
The Pevensies: Peter (16), Susan (15), Edmund (14) and Lucy (13) ( I know my take on their ages is a little different) - Kings and Queens of Narnia as well as English school children. Actual ages according to a thirty year Golden Age, Peter (46), Susan (45), Edmund (44) and Lucy (43) (The air of Narnia is good for slow aging and youthful vigor)
Captain Flint: Nancy and Peggy's "pirate" Uncle Jim, brother of Mrs. Blackett
G.A. - Mrs. Blackett and Captain Flint's fearsome and disapproving aunt.
Digory Kirke (70) - The "Professor" and "friend" of G.A. (she once tried to get him to marry her with little success).
Polly Plummer (69) - Friend of Digory (both she and Digory saw the creation of Narnia)
Eustace Clarence Scrubb (12) - The Pevensies' Un-dragoned and reformed Cousin.
Shire Rose