𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇
⸻ Cordelia Winterbourne's ordinary life with her mother was shattered by the onset of war, prompting Cordelia's mother to make a gut-wrenching decision by sending her daughter away for a while to keep her safe.
However, fate had a di...
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The six children eyed me as I stood somewhat awkwardly in their compartment, a sense of uncertainty lingering in the air. Eventually, the oldest-looking among them, a blond-haired boy, took the initiative to break the silence.
"Hello there, do you need something?" he inquired, his tone polite and welcoming.
Caught slightly off guard, I blinked, gathering my thoughts before responding. "Oh, uh, I couldn't find an empty compartment. I hope you don't mind if I share?"
Anxiety crept in as I gently bit my lip, waiting for their response, hoping not to intrude.
"It's alright, we don't mind," reassured the girl with short hair, her face adorned with scattered freckles. Her warm smile offered me a sense of comfort.
"Thank you," I replied gratefully, returning her smile as I began stowing my luggage with the blond boy's assistance.
Settling between the two children and the blond boy, an awkward atmosphere lingered. Sensing the discomfort, I sought solace in my pocketbook, a familiar companion, and began reading, attempting to deflect their curious gazes and ease the unease hanging in the air.
As I sat there engrossed in my reading, it suddenly struck me that I still wore my hat, concealing my hair tied up in a bun and effectively obscuring my face from their view. The hat had inadvertently created a barrier between us.
Fighting against sleep deprivation, my tiredness began to overwhelm me. Surrendering to fatigue, I reclined my head and closed my eyes for what I thought would be a moment's rest. Yet, to my surprise, sleep claimed me without warning, pulling me into its embrace.
Startled awake by the sensation of the train halting, I turned to my right and realized that the two children who had shared the compartment with us had departed. The only ones remaining were the blond boy and me, situated on the other side of the seat, while his assumed siblings occupied the space in front of us. Confusion creased my face, and I furrowed my brows, leaning closer to the window in an attempt to get a clearer view of the unfolding situation.
Peering through the window, I spotted the two children who had been with us earlier, accompanied by two adults who were examining their tags before departing from the station.
Intrigued by curiosity, I stole a glance at the boy seated in front of me. To my surprise, I noticed a striking resemblance between him and the girl beside him. Both bore chocolate brown hair and a sprinkling of freckles across their features, igniting a realization of their likely sibling connection. The similarity in their noses served as an additional confirmation of their shared lineage, sparking an understanding of the familial tie between them.
As he leaned against the window, his hand propped against his chin, I noticed his inquisitive chocolate-brown eyes fixed directly onto mine. At that moment, an intense connection seemed to spark between us, his gaze holding a depth of curiosity that resonated, weaving an unspoken link between our eyes.
As the train lurched forward, the momentum broke our intense gaze, dispersing the connection that had briefly tethered us together.
Startled by a girl's voice, I lifted my eyes from the pages of my book. Her striking blue eyes carried a hint of relief as she spoke.
"You're heading to the same destination as us," she remarked, her voice tinged with a sense of hope.
"That's good to hear!" the little girl exclaimed, joy brimming in her voice.
"Yes," I murmured, accompanied by a faint smile.
"By the way, what's your name? It'd be nice to get acquainted since we'll be together for a while," the blond boy interjected.
"Cordelia, Cordelia Winterbourne, but you can call me Cora," I introduced myself, a slight smile gracing my lips.
"Your name's pretty," the girl with short hair spoke again as she complimented.
"I'm Peter Pevensie," he introduced himself.
As introductions continued, the boy in front of me seemed disinterested in engaging in the conversation.
"Don't mind him, he's always like that," Peter remarked, earning a glare from the boy in front of me.
It became apparent that a harmonious relationship wasn't shared between these two.
The journey continued until the train finally came to a stop, signaling our arrival at the destination.
Struggling with our bulky luggage, we disembarked from the train, finding ourselves at the station with a sign that read:
COOMBE halt.
Our attention suddenly turned to the sound of an approaching vehicle, our hopes rising that it might be the professor. However, our anticipation dwindled as the vehicle simply passed us by, leaving us disappointed.
"The professor knew we were coming," Susan remarked, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"Maybe we've been mislabeled," the boy with brown hair suggested, breaking his silence for the first time during the journey, his voice carrying a reserved tone.
Glancing to our right, we noticed an old woman steering a horse-drawn cart. Her piercing stare seemed to emanate an aura of intimidation, making us feel somewhat uneasy. Peter, being the eldest, reluctantly took the lead to address her.
"Mrs. Macready?" he questioned tentatively, a sense of apprehension lingering in his voice, dreading a potential scolding.
"I'm afraid so," she responded sternly. "Is this all? Haven't you brought anything else?"
"No, ma'am. It's just us," Peter replied respectfully.
"Very well," she said, gesturing for us to climb onto the cart. With Peter's assistance, we obediently complied.
As the cart began its journey, a mix of excitement and nervousness welled up within me. I hoped that this encounter marked the start of a deep and unbreakable bond with the Pevensies, anticipating the adventures and connections that awaited us in this new and mysterious place.
