Overprotective

Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia are the creation of C.S. Lewis. I own only the plot.

Chapter 2

As she rode the bus taking her into the centre of Finchley, Lucy found herself reflecting on how ironic her present situation was.

Things had been so much easier in Narnia! Of course Peter and Edmund had been just as overprotective, but paradoxically their position as kings limited what they could do. In Narnia most of her suitors had been princes or nobles or ambassadors, men of great importance in their own countries. So there was a limit to what her brothers could do without serious diplomatic repercussions. Lucy thought it rather odd than her brothers in some ways had more freedom of action as commoners in England than they did as kings in Narnia.

Her reflections were interrupted when the conductor called out her stop. Lucy hastily got off the bus and began the short walk to her destination.

Short as the distance was Lucy found herself getting increasingly nervous about putting her plan in to action. It was one thing to take revenge on her brothers directly, but to involve others as well? Was she really justified in doing that?

She had still not managed to resolve that dilemma when she found herself facing an imposing building with the legend 'Finchley Public Library' inscribed impressively over the entrance.

Taking a deep breath she walked up the steps and pushed open the glass double doors, then stepped inside.

Inside, the library was quiet and almost deserted. A couple of people were browsing through the stacks and at the far end an elderly man was sitting at a long table reading. There was no one else around apart from the young librarian seated behind the desk in the centre of the room. Lucy nodded in satisfaction; she had evidently chosen her time well.

Lucy studied the girl behind the desk carefully. She was, Lucy knew, two years older than her and was certainly a very attractive young woman, with shining auburn hair and she was fashionably but modestly dressed. Lucy couldn't help noticing though that the girl had been a little heavy handed with her lipstick and eye shadow.

"And Peter criticises me for wearing a bit of makeup!" Lucy thought indignantly. Outrage over her brother's hypocrisy filled her and Lucy felt her resolve harden.

"Excuse me," she began as she stepped up to the librarian's desk. "Caroline Meadows?"

"Yes?" The girl looked up, surprised at being addressed by name. "Have we met?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if you remember me," Lucy replied. "I'm Lucy Pevensie, Peter's sister."

"Oh yes of course," the girl said, smiling. "I remember we met at that Christmas party. And Peter is always talking about you!"

"That's nice!" Lucy said, as she stepped round the desk.

"Hold on, members of the public aren't allowed behind the desk!" The girl protested. "What are you doing? Let go of my arm! You're hurting me!"

"Now there's no need to make a fuss!" Lucy's tone was friendly and polite, but she held the older girl's arm in a grip of steel as she dragged her, still protesting, towards an unoccupied corner of the library. "Let's just go quietly out of the way over here then we can have a nice little chat about you and my brother!"