The Jewel of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia) Complete

Chapter Two

The next day, the four siblings and Mara sat in one of the sitting rooms in the house. It was a rainy day and they couldn't go outside. Mara was reading her book in one of the love seats while Susan was trying to get Peter and Edmund to guess the word meant and Lucy sat in the window seat, watching the rain fall down. Susan was getting frustrated and slammed the book cover. Mara said to Susan, glancing up from her book, "Gosh, Susan. What did that book ever do to you?" Peter and Edmund snorted and began to laugh. Lucy said, coming up to where Peter sat, "We could play hide and seek." Peter glanced at Mara then back at his little sister and replied, sarcastically, "But we're already having so much fun." Susan let out a sigh of exasperation, causing Mara to giggle. Lucy said, as she grabbed Peter's arm, "Come on, Peter. Please...... Pretty please?" Peter just sighed and said, smirking, "One, two, three......" Mara, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy ran out of the room while Peter was counting. Susan turned to Mara and said to her, as they ran up the stairs, "You've lived here most of your life, Mara. Where are the best hiding spots?" Mara smirked and took Susan's hand, leading her into another hallway.

There were two chest underneath the two windows. Mara opened one of the chests and got in. Susan said to her friend, smiling, "Brilliant." Susan got in the other chest and the two girls closed the lids to the chest. Mara placed her hand over her mouth when she heard running footsteps go by the chests. She heard the sound of arguing and opened her chest, just as Susan did. The two girls followed the sounds of the arguing and found Peter and Edmund with Lucy. Susan said, placing her hand on Peter's shoulder, "Does this mean that Mara and I win?" Peter replied, turning to his sister and Mara, "I don't think that Lucy wants to play anymore." Lucy said, looking at them with confusion, "But, I've been gone for hours." Peter, Susan, and Edmund just stared at Lucy while Mara gave her a sad small smile. Mara replied to the young girl, "Lucy, we've only been hiding for less than a minute, sweetheart." Lucy just sighed in exasperation, crossing her arms.

That evening, the siblings and Mara were in their respective bedrooms, sleeping. Mara woke up to hear the sound of footsteps outside of her room. She slipped her slippers on then went to investigate. The girl stopped in her tracks when she found Lucy going into a room. She sighed in exasperation and whispered, "Oh, Lucy. What are you up to?" Deciding to not get involved, Mara went back to her bedroom to go back to bed. Just a few minutes later, Mara woke up to the sounds of arguing. She groaned, how many times was she going to have to deal with the siblings arguing? The blonde haired girl got out of bed and wrapped her robe around her then slipped her slippers on. She crossed her arms when she saw Peter gently talking to Lucy as tears were falling down the young girl's cheeks. The boy turned to see who had walked into the hallway and froze when he realized it was Mara. Susan and and Edmund then came to see the scene play itself. Mara turned to see her uncle coming into view, stepping aside.

Lucy turned to run then ran into the professor. She looked up at him then wrapped her arms around him. A voice said, grabbing the group's attention, "At this rate, your four are going to the stables." Mrs. McCready gasped when she saw the professor and said to him, "Oh, I'm so sorry, professor. I told them that you weren't to be disturbed." Professor Kirke replied, allowing Mrs. McCready to take Lucy, "It's quite alright, Mrs. McCready. I think this one is in need of a hot cocoa." Peter, Susan, and Mara turned to leave, hoping to avoid a conversation. The professor cleared his throat, causing Peter and Susan to stop but Mara kept going.

The professor nodded his head to his study. Peter and Susan sighed then walked into the study. The professor said, causing Mara to groan, "Mara, dear, you too." Mara sighed but followed after her uncle. The two siblings sat on the couch while Mara stood by the couch. Susan said, "We do apologize for Lucy's antics. She claims that she has found a magical land......" Peter said, nodding, "In the wardrobe upstairs." The professor looked up then glanced at Mara who crossed her arms. He said, "What did you say?" Peter replied, "The wardrobe, upstairs. Lucy thinks she found a forest inside." Susan said, sighing, "She won't stop going on about it." Mara said, grabbing her uncle's attention, "It's true, uncle." The professor said, "What was it like?" Susan replied, "Like talking to a lunatic." Mara said, gasping, "Susan!" The professor said, "No, no, no, no. Not her. The forest." Peter replied, looking at his sister then at Mara, "You're not saying you believe her?"

The professor said, "You don't?" Susan replied, shaking her head, "Of course not. I mean, logically, it's impossible." The professor said, looking at Mara, "What do they teach in school these days?" Mara shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Don't ask me, uncle. You always homeschooled me." Peter said, glancing at Susan, "Edmund said that they were pretending." The professor replied, almost sounding hopeful, "He's usually the truthful one, isn't he?" Peter said, "No, this would be the first time." The professor said, "Well, she's not mad and she's not lying. Then, logically, we must assume that she's telling the truth." Peter replied, "You're saying that we should just believe her?" Mara said, grabbing the two siblings' attention, "Peter, Susan. If my uncle strongly believes in something and that someone is truly telling the truth, you should listen to him." The professor said, nodding, "She's your sister, isn't she? You're a family. *Peter and Susan looked at each other* You might as well start acting like one." Mara nodded in agreement, that was one thing that she could agree with her uncle.