Author's Note: Sudden inspiration to start my newest Narnia fanfiction. I promise this one will be more like the first one and way better than the last one. Way more excitement, adventure, and romance. I'll be introducing a new character who is featured in one of the Narnia stories by C.S. Lewis. Enjoy reading. I'll try to keep updating as soon as possible. In all my fanfictions.

Part One: Two Years Later

Emma Dowers waited impatiently at the train station, tapping her saddle shoes against the concrete station platform. She kept glancing around, her sapphire eyes taking in every detail of the crowd that waited around her for the 4:00 train. It was summer break, and she was headed back home for two months. She was looking forward to seeing her family and exploring the new estate they had recently inherited from her grandfather. She'd been there a few times on visits when her grandparents were still alive, but she hardly remembered the place. Only that it was huge, ancient, and filled with places to explore. Even better, her parents had invited her best friend Iva to stay with them for the summer as Iva's parents were abroad and she cringed at the idea of staying with her stuffy aunt in Yorkshire.

Now Emma was waiting for Iva to make it to the train station. She had told her that the train left 4:00 sharp. Where was she? Just as Emma was about to give up, she heard the sound of running footsteps and heard a few people muttering about someone being rude. Sure enough, Iva pushed through the crowd of people to find Emma. Her cheeks were red, and she was dragging her red and black plaid duffle bag as if it weighed a ton.

"Emma, thank goodness. I didn't think I was going to make it on time. The bus was running so late because a little old woman dropped her groceries in the lane."

Emma grinned despite herself. It was difficult to stay mad at Iva for long. "That's alright," she said as the train whistle blew. "You just made it."

"All aboard!" cried out the conductor. Emma grabbed her dark blue duffle and led Iva onto the train. They found an empty compartment and stowed their luggage on the rack above their heads. Emma sighed a sigh of relief as the train began to move, heading them away from Saint Finbar's and back toward home.

"Glad to be going home?" Iva asked as if reading her mind.

"Yes, finals were horrid. I know I didn't do well on Mathematics. I think I did fine with Physics and English as well as World History."

"Speak for yourself, I couldn't remember who was king when and which one offed all his wives." While Emma usually got top marks, Iva passed with average grades. She didn't apply herself, Emma told her. Iva just shrugged whenever Emma said this.

"King Henry VIII," Emma said automatically.

"Whatever. Not important. I know what history I'd rather be studying," she said, leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially.

Emma nodded sadly. It had been two years since their journey to Narnia. Emma was beginning to wonder if they really would be going back. She missed it. She knew Iva did to. Real life didn't seem quite so interesting when you knew what lay beyond. She often dreamed of fauns and centaurs and Cair Paravel.

"Do you suppose we'll ever go back?" Iva asked, voicing Emma's worries.

"I don't know. I hope so. I thought so, but it's been so long. Or maybe it just seems like a long time."

"Both." Iva sighed, slouching back in the seat. Emma studied her friend. Two years before Iva had been a chubby bully with ratty red hair, bold freckles, and a scowl that could frighten a lion. Now she was slimmer, helped by her newfound love for cricket and fencing, her cheeks smoother and dappled with light freckles. She had cut her red hair and styled it in a bob to fit the newest fashion in London. She also smiled much more often. She never bullied anyone anymore and had started a group at school that advocated anti-bullying. She'd also become the most loyal friend Emma could ever ask for. Emma was excited to spend the summer exploring the estate with her friend. It would be a good distraction for them. They'd spent all of finals week half-joking about being whisked away on an adventure and not having to complete their tests.

"Only time pauses here, remember?" Emma had reminded Iva.

"Well, maybe something will go faulty and we'll just skip finals week," Iva had suggested hopefully.

No matter how much they hoped, nothing happened. They took their finals like the rest of their classmates and finished out their second year at Saint Finbar's. Emma loved school, she really did, but it was difficult to settle into such a life of being a student once exposed to another world filled with magical creatures and adventures. It was like being given a real pony for a few days and then having it replaced with a stuffed one. She'd tried to be strong, forget about what had happened, but that was impossible. Her desire to return was too strong. Somewhere deep inside of her there was a clock ticking off the seconds until her return. She just didn't know when it would happen. But it will, she kept telling herself. It has to.

…

The train ride was over two hours and it was dinnertime when they reached the stop. It was a small country stop, hardly more than a couple of benches and a sign indicating they were in St. Mosley Township. A country drive led away from the train tracks, and Emma started off that direction, lugging her bag with her.

"We have to walk all the way?" Iva asked indignantly, the old Iva coming back.

Emma had to agree. "I thought Father was going to come pick us up, but perhaps he got busy. He tends to do that when he's working on a case." Her father was a lawyer and often went away to London on business. Her mother had run a florist shop before they had moved. Now she spent time at the house, arranging matters with the staff and planning out dinner parties. What a bore, Emma thought. She missed their old flat in London, even if it had been a little on the small side. But the thought of exploring the mansion did excite her. The grounds were huge as well, and her father had bought some horses for hunting. Emma did not intend to go hunting with him and had put up quite a fuss when he had told her he intended to hunt this summer in his spare time, but she did mean to take advantage of the horses. They wouldn't be the same as Windflower or Kaspar and especially not Ethelas, but they would do.

"It's just around that bend," Emma assured her friend as they dragged their luggage onward, tiring under the warn sun. There was a hot wind too that tugged at their hair and made them sweat under their knit sweaters.

"That's it," Iva said, setting down her bag in the middle of the road and sending a puff of dust up. "I can't take this sun anymore." She tugged off her red cardigan that clashed violently with her red hair and tied it around her waist. Her short-sleeved blouse did look cooler. Emma did the same, tying off her navy blue cardigan and enjoying the refreshing breeze that tickled her bare arms.

The walk wasn't so bad after that. They made conversation to distract themselves, joking about the new French teacher at Saint Finbar who resembled a vulture and commenting on the scenery as they passed apple orchards and farmland. Finally, as Emma's stomach began to grumble, the tall mansion rose into sight. It looked even larger to Emma after not having set eyes on it for some years. A neat drive ran up to it, and the mansion itself was shaded by tall trees. The lawn was neatly trimmed, and the house kept clean with white paneling and shuttered windows.

"Wow." Iva had stopped in her tracks. "Is that your house?" she asked in astonishment. "That could fit my whole village in it!" Iva, who had grown up on a farm, had never seen such a grand estate. Emma felt embarrassed.

"Yeah. It seems a little ridiculous for three people to live there. Well, plus the staff."

"Staff?" Iva turned wide eyes to Emma.

"You know, kitchen help, maids, gardener," Emma rambled off, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Just to help keep the estate running."

"So you mean I won't have to do my own laundry or make my own bed?" Iva asked.

"Yeah, exactly."

"I can live with that." Iva grinned. "Race you!" She took off at an awkward pace due to her heavy duffle bag. Emma laughed, racing after her. They made good time, Emma passing Iva and reaching the door first. She hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" Iva asked, coming up behind her and panting.

"It's just… I haven't really lived here yet. It seems weird just walking in without knocking."

Iva rolled her eyes. "It's your house. I'd be weird to knock."

"You're right," Emma agreed, plucking up the nerve to open the door. They entered a grand foyer, both of their mouths opening in astonishment.

"Wow," Iva repeated.

Emma nodded mutely. No one came out to greet her, and she felt a little nervous. Had they gotten the right house? Just when she was about to head out the door and walk to the next house, she spotted a maid. As soon as the woman saw the two girls standing in the foyer, she rushed down the stairs.

"You must be Miss Emma and Miss Iva?" she half asked, half stated.

"Yes, I'm Emma."

"Welcome to Mosley House," the maid said, curtsying. Emma watched her awkwardly, wondering if she ought to curtsy back. "I'll take your bags and show you your rooms. Your mother and father thought you might want to pick out which room you'd like, so I'll show you a few choices," she said, taking their bags and lifting them with ease. She headed toward the staircase. "Just this way," she said, looking back.

The two girls exchanged a glance before following the maid up the stairs and down a long hallway.