"Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss? Romantically she decided that love must surely reside in the gap between desire and fulfillment, in the lack, not the contentment. Love was the ache, the anticipation, the retreat, everything around it but the emotion itself"

The Inheritance of Loss

Kiran Desai

It was on a bright day that the Harrisons arrived at Professor's, and it seemed to contrast with the actual emotion of the nation, the emotion that can only be understood by those who experience the loss during war. They were a family of four. Orphaned due to the war, and having been living with a family friend, they had finally been sent here. The oldest was around 17, a silent dark haired girl-woman, whose maturity was shown in her silence, her distant eyes…the eyes of someone who has seen things no man or woman should ever see, let alone a child.

Next to her was a boy, around 15, who seemed rather jovial compared to his sister. His bright merry green eyes darted back and forth, his dark hair rakishly falling on his eyes. He held the hands of the two remaining Harrisons, twins.

The twins were 11, but despite being twins, they looked nothing alike. The girl had bright blue eyes, which contrasted with her elder sister's dull grayish blue eyes. Her hair was tied up, and she seemed quite happy. Her twin had dark hair too, but his bordered on rusty copper, like his elder brother's. His eyes were an elf green. Both obviously seemed to have been spoilt by their elder sister, as they seemed to have the souls of children, something quite rare in the time of war.

The housekeeper had told them that they would also be joined by another family, and they were forced to wait for their train to arrive before they left.

"Linda, stop that," said the elder boy, frowning at the younger girl disapprovingly.

Linda looked up and grinned, stopping her impatient shuffling.

"Well, I don't quite blame her. This is getting rather boring," said Linda's twin, Leonard.

"Neither do I, but it is a rather annoying sound," replied the older one, with a shrug.

"Leave her alone, Nathaniel," said the eldest. You could tell from her soft voice that she spoke very little, and only when necessary. But at the same time, her voice ordered obedience.

Nat grinned at her easily, but did as he was told. "So, May, when was their train supposed to arrive?"

She looked at him and said, "any time now. I'll just be back." With that, she disappeared.

"I hope she feels better here," said Linda quietly. Leo sighed.

"Looks like the train's come," said Nat, trying to change the subject. He knew Maybell had her ghosts, but she never really showed her pain. She dove directly into her responsibility as the head of the family. But the three of them knew how she felt. They never addressed it, they knew, and she knew they knew. But it was never spoken out loud. It was there. It would always be there. The past always remains, and sometimes, that can be the only thing you have.

-x-x-x-x-

The Pevensies saw that they had finally reached the station. It seemed that there would be one other family there, and when they got off (they were the only ones), they saw a group of three people roughly around their age.

"Hullo. You must be the Harrisons," said Peter, sticking out his hand. The Eldest boy, who seemed to be around Susan's age smiled and nodded, shaking his hand.

"Yes. This is Linda and Leonard. I'm Nathaniel. We're kind of missing our eldest. She just…" he started.

"…appeared," said Linda, smiling at the girl around Peter's age who was calmly walking towards them.

"Hullo. I'm Peter, and this is Susan, Edmund and Lucy," he said, nodding at the girl who had just appeared.

"Maybell," said the girl, so softly that if he hadn't seen her lips move, he wouldn't have heard her at all.

Then, quite suddenly, she offered them candy. "Wasn't sure how much longer your train would take, and Linda was getting restless. I took the liberty of buying some for you as well," she said, her voice still a mere whisper. Susan smiled brightly at her. "So, where's ?" she asked.

"Let's hope she's on her way," said Nat, looking out again.

Finally, the housekeeper arrived, and the whole way, she insisted on repeating the rules to the kids. Maybell obviously wasn't paying much attention, her eyes were glued on the giant house in front of them.

"19th century architecture?" she said, and Macready seemed to start at suddenly hearing her voice.

"Ah yes, you must be the Maybell the Professor's been waiting for. He's allowed you to use the library at will, even the rarer books. Do handle them with care," she said, and then continued her rant, not realizing that she hadn't answered the question.

"How come he's waiting for you?" Susan asked.

"She's finished her word quota for the day. She won't respond now," said Nat snickering, and May glared at him.

"God forbid I overuse my words," she replied sarcastically, causing him to laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "Excuse his behavior. I think my parents dropped him when he was born."

Susan giggled at her obvious disdain for her younger brother.

"I'm planning to be a history student after the war. I've gotten a scholarship to Oxford too. As long as I study, they'll withhold that place for me," she said, but Susan had to strain her ears to hear the words.

"That's quite interesting. What are you planning to take with history?" asked Susan.

"Susan, can't you see she's getting completely overpowered by your questions?" muttered Peter. Nat grinned.

"Its rather obvious, isn't it?" he said, chuckling to himself. "She's not one to be rude, so she won't say it. But talking, despite being her strong point, is also her weak point. She can convince ANYONE to do her bidding, but she never uses her words."

"That must be useful," said Peter.

"Well, it would be if she used it when she actually needs to," he replied, shrugging.

It seemed that Edmund was being broody again, and Leonard and Linda were having a great time with Lucy. They were telling each other wonderful stories. May had stopped talking and Susan had finally taken the hint and shut up. Every now and then, she look up and comment on whatever story Linda or Leonard would be narrating.

Peter sighed to himself. This would be a LOOOONG ride.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Finally, by 3 pm, the whole group had settled themselves in the library, unsure of what to do. May had disappeared shortly after their tour, and left Nat to care for the twins. Not that they needed a chaperone. The two were explaining the Odyssey to a curious Lucy.

"How in the world do they know that story?" said Peter, looking at Nat.

Nat chuckled. "May's favorite story. When we were younger, she'd read it to us. They can now quote it by heart," he said, and Susan and Peter both instinctively wondered why their parents wouldn't do that. Suddenly, the heard the distant sound of a grand piano. A soft haunting song could be heard (AN- All I Ask Of You, from Phantom of the Opera). Nat sighed.

"Looks like we'll have to drag her down again," said Leo, looking away from they're little story telling huddle. Edmund, who was slouching in a corner, seemed suddenly interested. Nat noticed this.

"Hey, Edmund. Why don't you go on up to her?" he said. Edmund seemed mildly confused.

"Tell her I said Chiron," he replied to the confused look, which only got more puzzled, but he shrugged and slunk off to find her.

"I can never get that boy to do anything I tell him to," muttered Peter.

"Well, he's at that age. May said that I was a right monster when I was his age. Apparently, I rejoiced in the misery of tabby cats," he said, and Susan suddenly felt that she did NOT want to know what he did with them.

Maybell had her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the cold keys under her fingers, rejoicing in the fact that she was, in fact, creating something. She heard someone slip inside, and turned to see Edmund, who looked quite shy.

"Hullo," she said softly. He smiled tentatively, and said, "Nat told me to tell you Chiron." May smiled, and then said, "Sit." She motioned to the remaining place on the seat she was seated in. "If you don't mind me asking, what did he mean?" Edmund asked, shyly.

"Chiron is our codeword for teacher. Basically, Nat realized you wanted me to teach you something, but you didn't want to say so in front of Peter and Susan," she said, her voice still really soft. Edmund was quiet for a moment, staring at the black and white keys. "Go on, tell me what kind of song you'd like to learn," she said, looking at him patiently.

Edmund now smiled a bit more confidently and they began.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Let's play hide and seek!" said Lucy, later that week. Peter had found that Maybell kept to herself a majority of the time, only speaking when spoken to and even then, it was minimal. He had also noticed that she never participated in their games. Not that she could be blamed. Why would anyone WANT to know the root of gastro vascular? He smiled at the girl and nodded. He too needed a break from Susan. Near the window Nat looked up, with a small smirk, as if he knew why Peter was so eager. Well, hats off to him. The boy had ended up getting every word right.

"We'll have to be quiet. I think May's studying," said Linda, getting up from the Loveseat she and her brother had managed to share.

"That girl needs to get away from her books," said Nat, rolling his eyes.

The game then commenced.

"3..2…1!" Peter said, and was about to start looking for the others when he heard Lucy say, "Ok! I'm back! I'm back!"

"The point of the game is to hide, you silly!" said Edmund, scowling.

"But… I was gone for ages!"

"Have you already tired of the game?" said Peter, confused. By now all the players were in the room.

"I was gone for ages! I had tea with Mr. Tumnus! And…" Lucy attempted to explain.

"Where?"

"In the cupboard!"

On inspection, the back of the door was solid. Just as Edmund cracked a joke at poor Lucy's expense, a rather annoyed Maybell walked in.

"Oh dear," muttered Nat, stepping behind Susan.

"Some man," said Susan at this behavior.

"No man can have the courage to stand up to May's rage. They are fools if they do," he said.

"I don't mean to interrupt this wonderful gathering, but I was trying to study," she said, and then saw Lucy.

"What happened?" she said, no longer looking annoyed but merely concerned.

"Lu thinks she saw a magical snow covered world in the back of the cupboard," said Edmund, before Peter could reply.

May raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, so?"

"That's not logical and the cupboard is completely solid!" said Susan.

"Busted!" sang Nat, Leo and Linda weakly.

"Susan, dear, were you ever a child?" said May, her eyes narrowing.

"Don't tell me you believe her!"

"And why not? Frankly, I'm pretty sure that children are the only ones who can see such things and its not because they have an over-active imagination. Its because inside they believe. Only believers can see such things, and if you don't believe, at least refrain from chastising Lucy. Its like how Hitler is chastising the Jews for practicing their religion," said Maybell, calmly, her eyes flashing.

"You can't possibly encourage this!" said Peter.

"Look, Peter. Your sister says she saw something. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. They're her eyes. Give her the benefit of doubt. Now, you're wasting my time with this entire Belief vs non-belief conversation, and I have work. So Lucy, you can come with me. Good day," she said, this time extremely cold, and Lucy followed her out.

"And that's why you don't piss her off," said Leonard, with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, by the way, Susan, Congrats on being compared to Hitler," said Nat, earning him a scowl from the girl.

"She's not really…friendly, is she?" Peter said, frowning slightly.

"She was forced to grow up fast to protect us, and ensure we had a chance at a normal life. That's why she pounced when you didn't believe Lucy. She…gets mildly emotional, and pushes people away. The logic is that if you're worth it, you'll take the effort to get to know her."

Peter's frown deepened. Something about that girl attracted him, but the moment she was actually in front of him, he couldn't see what was so attractive. He didn't understand her. She was an oddity, to say the least.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Maybell?" said Lucy, and May looked at her from her books.

"Yeah?"

" Do you really believe me?" she said, and May sighed, closing the thick volume she had been taking notes from.

"You've not really given me reason not to," she said, now turning completely to Lucy.

"I truly did see it, Maybell!"

"Call me May. And next time, take me along. God knows I need a break from this world," she said, and pulled out another book, and sat with Lucy on the couch.

"This is a book called A Midsummer's Night. By Shakespeare. It's a play actually. It's a comedy of errors. Its amusing and its about fairies and the like. I'll read it to you," said May.

"Oh no! You have to study, right?" said Lucy, looking embarrassed at pulling her away from her work.

"Ah, but this is also one of my texts. Come sit. We'll start," said May, and with that, the two of them immersed themselves in the world of Shakespeare.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"May! May!" Lucy said, and May looked up from her place in the library. Nat had threatened to flush all her books down the drain if she worked anymore, and so she and Lucy had spent a large amount of time reading through the fantasy section in the library.

"Yes Lucy?"

"We're playing Hide and seek," said Lucy brightly.

Peter looked rather surprised that May had joined them. As if she had seen the surprise, which she couldn't have since she wasn't even looking his way, she said, "Nat decided that he's going to flush my books down the toilet if I keep studying."

And so the game began.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

May muttered sleepily. She opened her eyes and found herself seated across Lucy, in a tree, next to a faun. "Oh, you've finally awoken, Miss Guardian. I'm afraid you can't go back with Lucy here. You see, You're a Guardian. When you come into Narnia, you cannot leave till your job here is complete," he said, smiling lightly.

"But…my siblings…"

"They'll come when the time is right. For now, I think we shall deposit Lucy near the Lamp post, and then send you off to a safe place."

"But…i…"

"I'm afaid you really can't return, dear. Come, my name is Tumnus. And you are May, as Lucy has informed me."

May mumbled. Just what she needed. She was now stuck in a permafrost magical world. She couldn't go home. And she had no clue what to do now.

YI-PEE-I-YAY.

Please note sarcasm.

AN

Yeah, so? Likey? It took me a REALLY long time to write this chapters. It being more than 2,600 words long and all that. And yes, I know I skipped the part where May ACTUALLy sees Narnia. I got bored of it. It wasn't really too important, so I just….skipped it.

Anywho, I'm probably gonna make this a saga of sorts, and it'll be one giant fic. Hopefully, I don't run out of patience. But I always have the movies to watch and the books to read. So yeah. The fic/saga won't really be just movie verse or book verse. I'm probably swaying somewhere in between. So don't really expect the characters to do something they did in the movie, because there's a chance that I merely stick to gist of conversations.

Also, just for reference, Peter and May are both 17. Ed, Linda and Leo are all 11, and Susan and Nat are 15. I know I mentioned my OC's ages, but just a reminder. Now, reviews are appreciated, because frankly I get kinda emotionally if my stories aren't reviewed enough. It's sorta a blow to my self esteem. So yeah. Help me here and deal with it. The story's only gonna get more interesting.

Anyway,

Toodles.