The Guardian of Narnia

II

It was raining. Hard. The five children were all bored. Lucy was looking out at the pelting rain, Edmund was fiddling with the bottom of one of the chairs, Elvira was reading silently and Susan had grabbed a dictionary and was reading out names for the others to guess the translation and which language it was. It was a frightfully tedious "game".

"Gastrovascular," Susan read. Peter was quietly almost falling asleep as he laid on the sofa, staring into space. His head landed on Elvira's shoulder and he jumped back up again. He apologised quietly and Elvira chuckled at him.

"Come on, Peter. Gastrovascular," Susan pushed.

"Is it Latin?" he answered, sighing.

"Yes," she said.

"Is it Latin for 'worse game ever invented'?" Edmund interrupted, causing everyone to cover up their laughter. Susan huffed and closed the book. Lucy came down from the window.

"We could play hide and seek," she said. Elvira looked up from her book. Peter looked at Susan.

"But we're already having so much fun," he said sarcastically. Susan smiled back at him sarcastically.

"Come on, Peter, please! Pretty please?" Lucy said, giving her irresistible puppy eyes to Peter.

"One, two, three, four," Peter began. Lucy grinned and grabbed her hand and pulled me out of the room.

"Come on! You know this place well. Where's a good spot to hide?" she asked her excitedly. She smiled. This could be a time to test her theory. Elvira took her hand firmly in her grasp.

"This way!" she said. She pulled her along through the twisting, turning tunnel-like passages. Elvira and Lucy finally reached the closed door and opened it to reveal a room holding the wardrobe, cloaked in a white garb. Elvira walked up to it and pulled down the cloth to reveal the mahogany wooden wardrobe. She opened the door and beckoned Lucy. Lucy walked forward and clambered in. Elvira leapt in too and left the door slightly open because everyone knows it is extremely foolish to close a wardrobe on the inside. Even supposed magical ones.

Elvira stood forward and walked towards the back of the wardrobe. After about a minute, they still had not found the back. Elvira smiled. She began to walk very briskly, Lucy following, looking very confused. Soon, instead of the soft furs brushing against Elvira, she felt spiky pines. She held one up to the light. Light? She looked up and a small cold something landed on her face. Snow! Elvira bounded forward.

"Narnia!" she said. Lucy walked slowly into the snow covered world. Elvira ran to one of the pines and touched it gently. It did not answer her touch. She frowned. The White Witch must still be in power. She turned to Lucy.

"Lucy..." she began, wondering how best to place her sentence, "Do not, umm... 'freak out', to coin a phrase." Lucy looked at her, completely perplexed, and began walking towards her. Elvire held up her hand as a sign for her to stay in her place. Elvire began to shift. She fell onto all fours and felt fur grow all over her body, covering her clothes. Her hair plastered itself along her back and changed colour. It became a fair colour. Her nails grew out and became long, sharp claws. At the bottom of her spine, she felt a long tail grow out and flick around. Lucy gasped at Elvira's new body.

"Lucy," she purred, "It is only me." Lucy walked forward and gently patted her head. She purred and she hugged her.

"Vira!" she said.

"I should explain," Elvira said, "I am the Guardian of Narnia. This is my true form and I will only be recognised in this form. Narnia is the place you are in. Come. I will introduce you to someone." Lucy hesitated. Elvire knelt down a little and she climbed onto her back. She began padding swiftly towards Tumnus' home. Elvire knelt down again for Lucy to get off and Lucy knocked on the door. The door opened a crack.