ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[charlotte eleanor vance]

There were some things in life that just needed questioning; like why flags did not blow straight and how many numbers there actually were in Pi. In this case, it was why there was a lamppost smack bam in the middle of a forest. Quite random, really. Or so thought Charlotte Vance. She stared at the lamppost in all it’s rusty glory, the light was dim enough as it was, shining through the dirty glass, but was blocked out completely by the creeping vines that snaked their way up the body of the lamp. Charlotte rose one eyebrow, her mouth open slightly in confusion, as she blinked at it. Completely oblivious as to how it came to be there.

In fact, most people were confused as to how the lamp got there, but in fact it had grown there. No, you heard correctly. Grown. When Narnia was first created by the song of the great lion Aslan, a shard of metal was thrown into the ground as everything else in this land was growing, and it suddenly grew into a complete lamp post, including a warm fire. As afore mentioned, Charlotte did not know this strange but true fact about the land of Narnia; in fact, she did not even that she was in Narnia. Charlotte was just standing in the middle of a forest staring at a lamppost.

Yes, she has considered therapy. But we’ll get to that later.

The young wolfess, deciding that the lamppost was getting boring, walked past the lamppost -- though still staring at it with the same expression on her face -- and disappeared into the forest. Despite the fact that it was rather dark out -- and being in the middle of a forest made it twice as dark (naturally) -- Charlotte could still see very well. Though she figured that a human (full human, that is) would find it rather difficult to navigate their way through the forest in this lighting. As much as Charlotte hated to admit it, there were some upsides to this werewolf thing,

[susan elinor pevensie]

The young queen had decided that she needed to take a breath of fresh air and get out of the castle, even if it was only for a day or so. She had, of course, not told too many people she was leaving, only her maid in point of fact. Susan did not like to advertise such outings because then she would have to take an chaperon and today she had not felt inclined to have to deal with those sorts of people. So, off Susan went to visit the Beavers, she decided.

She had arrived just in time for afternoon tea. The Beavers greeted her warmly, as ever, and she had a lovely afternoon with them. By the time any of them realised, the sun was down and Susan began to worry about the people back at the castle worrying about her. She thanked the Beavers graciously and insisted she leave. Begrudgingly, the Beavers waved her good bye and Susan began her steady walk back to the castle.

She got a little turned around though and before she knew it, she came to the clearing where the lamp post was. It was still a marvel for her, finding such a thing in a rich and thriving forest, but she didn't stop to think about it. She reorientated herself and walked in the direction that would lead her home. The moon sat high in the sky, a long silver slither in the sky and it gave some light, though in the thick underbrush little light got through.

As she trudged through, Susan did some introspection, thinking about this wedding proposal she recently got. Was she going to sacrifice her future happiness for an alliance that may or may not serve her country well? Susan thought she was a little young to be getting married, being only sixteen, but if it was expected of her would she conform?

The stillness of the darkened wood was soothing but there was a sound that didn't belong. Foot steps. There was someone else walking in the forest. Hitching up her skirt, Susan quickened her pace a little, taking wide strides. After a while of doing this, she stopped and still the foot steps persisted. Removing her bow from her back, Su slowly pulled out an arrow from the quiver on her back. She went no where without it. ' Hello? ' she said tentatively into the night. ' Is there someone there? '

[charlotte eleanor vance]

Charlotte couldn’t have been more confused at that moment, she walked swiftly through the trees but – despite her rather developed sense of direction – it was becoming increasingly annoying as she began to realize that all she was doing was walking in circles. Now, Charlie wasn’t one for horror movies, but the setting could not have fitted one better. A young girl, alone, walking a forest, alone, in the middle of the night, alone, confused, frightened, frustrated … and alone. Of course, Charlie was used to being alone. She cut herself off from company because she did not feel the need to punish others with her presence. Though this was not entirely the case, she still thought it was.

However, despite the fact that Charlie was often on her own, she was not completely alone (as she was now). Charlie knew full well that there were a few people whom she could talk to if she got increasingly lonely, though she was on her own she was not fully alone. Not like she was now. Now, Charlie was completely alone. In some strange forest with no where to go and no where to hide, the full moon on it’s way and Charlie wasn’t sure how long it would be before she would meet somebody ... if she would meet somebody at all. If she didn’t, then at least she would be a little less worried about changing into a werewolf with no security. But she’d still be sick with worry at what she might do when the wolf’s brain was in control.

That’s when she heard it – footsteps. The smell came soon after that. Charlie stood perfectly still, listening intently to the footsteps and the ragged breathing of whoever was attempting to sneak up on her. If her ear was physically able to twitch, it would have. She turned her head slowly and focused her gaze upon a spot next to a tree. And, as Charlie had predicated, a girl walked out front behind the tree very shortly afterwards. Charlie spun on the spot so as to face the girl, she raised her hands in the air, holding them either side of her head. It was a natural reaction when one was being threatened, and Charlie really did not like the threat. A bow and arrow, it was hardly modern, but it could still be lethal and the girl looked like she knew what she was doing.

'Hello? Is there someone there?

Charlie would have thought that the girl would have been able to see her just fine, but then she realized that it must have been the darkness and her eyes that restricted Charlie from being seen. All the same, Charlie answered, not really in the mood for running. “I don’t mean any harm,” Charlie said softly, honestly in her voice. “I’m lost, do you know where I am?” There was no point in being harsh, and it was not like Charlie to be harsh, anyway. “And I’d appreciate it if you could lower your … weapon.” Charlie added, feeling slightly awkward and vulnerable at that point. Could she take out her wand and use it for light? Was this girl a muggle? By the looks of it, she was. But Charlie could not be sure. But, it was best to be safe, so Charlie walked forwards a few steps, her hands still in the same position to show that she was not armed, though she really was. But this girl couldn’t know that a little stick could hurt someone, could it?

[susan elinor pevensie]

Susan had her moments of patience and it was in moments like these that it truly showed. She stood as still as she could, bow at the ready in her hands, and she waited, listening as best she could, through the sounds of the night creatures - like the owl that hooted a way off by the sounds of it - for any sign of the footsteps she had heard not a moment before. Just as Su had come to a stop they had died, what use was that?

The clouds in the stary sky shone brightly with the moon paling to its usual shine. It would be at least a fortnight before the next full moon and Su was pleased for it. The moon threw an eerie shine on everything that unnerved her out something awful. Su was always confident that she could defend herself from anything Narnia or the lands beyond could throw at her but the moon stole that confidence, odd as that may seem.

Tonight though it was different. The crescent moon sat high above Susan's head. Su turned her body to see around her, arrow at the ready but when a voice came to her out of the darkness Su snapped towards the person coming out of the trees. It was a girl, about her own age and she seemed to be slightly perplexed and confused. At her quick word's Su lowered her bow and placed it and the arrow back on her back.

"I'm sorry for that," Susan admitted, giving the girl a winning smile, "but the forest can be a dangerous place and I would rather be prepared, if you understand my meaning." Oh this was not starting well. Already the sixteen year old was babbling. She had caught herself though and stopped herself before she blurted out even more to frighten the poor girl further.

"You are, as I am, in the Western Woods," Su informed the girl with a small smile. It was true that they were in the Western Woods but if she had passed the Lamp it would have meant that she had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Oh dear. It suddenly occurred to Su, by the girl's non-Narnian dress, that she was clearly not from this world. Su's face lit up with delight and she took a few hasty steps towards the girl.

"You truly don't know where ..." she began before deciding that simply coming out with the true would be best. "This may sound a little strange, especially coming from a stranger but, you are in a land called Narnia. How did you get here? Do you know?" Susan could hardly contain herself. This would be the first person from her own world that she had met. She had heard tell of a few strange people appearing around Narnia but she had yet to meet one. With this girl she was certain she had.

[charlotte eleanor vance]

Charlotte sighed, wondering what she would do from now. She could just wander around in the forest and pretend like nothing had happened, or she could follow the girl and hope she wasn’t some murdering physcopath. Although, admittedly, she did not look like the murdering type. In fact, she was dressed very well, and she spoke very properly. Obviously from a different part of England than Charlie herself was from, but what part would that be exactly? Could Charlie be in England at that moment? She’d read the books in the library many times over, and knew full well that apparition, or disappariation, was not allowed within the Hogwarts ground. Any sort of teleportation, actually. Unless Dumbledore had lifted the charm momentarily to do some Headmaster-y thing. Perhaps not Dumbledore? Maybe another person? Charlie’s eyes widened as the next thought crossed her mind: What if the school was under attack? She needed to get back, and quickly. If that was the case. Though, Charlotte had no idea where she was. This was definitely no part of Hogwarts she had ever seen … so could she really be in Hogwarts? Could she even be anywhere in England? The forest didn’t look like any English forest she’d ever seen. Or even any Scottish forest she’d ever seen. It had a sort of magical quality to it. But not Hogwarts-magic, more of a … mysterious type of magic.

But, returning to the topic at hand, who was the girl? If they weren’t in England, then where the hell where they? The girl’s accent was definitely an English one, there was no doubt in Charlie’s mind about that. But she was still unsure as to what part of England, exactly. They could be here on a holiday. But who brought a bow and arrow with them on a holiday? And if she was on a holiday, she must’ve been with her family, but there was only here there. And she seemed much too young to be holidaying by herself. And if she was, in fact, on a holiday, then she’d obviously be in the forest for hiking. But who’d wear elaborate, silken clothing to go hiking? And who’d bring a bow and arrow hiking? Unless it was for self defense? Or, perhaps, she was hunting? Charlie was put off by that thought. But ruled it out, though she highly disapproved of hunting, she knew full well that camouflage-print clothing helped a lot when hunting.

"I'm sorry for that, but the forest can be a dangerous place and I would rather be prepared, if you understand my meaning."

Charlie blinked, pulled from her train of thought as the girl began speaking. Which was a rather good thing, really. When Charlotte began thinking too hard about something, she often came to wrong conclusions. Then it just got embarrassing, and Charlie didn’t handle embarrassing too well. “It’s alright, I suppose. If it’s dangerous in here …” Charlie suddenly seemed worried, she glanced over her shoulder and took a step closer to the girl, slightly paranoid.

"You are, as I am, in the Western Woods."

A small frown creased Charlie’s forehead as her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Oh.” She replied, trying to make it sound as if that explained everything, when it really didn’t. The Western Woods? Where was that? And, more importantly, west of where?

"You truly don't know where ... This may sound a little strange, especially coming from a stranger but, you are in a land called ‘Narnia’. How did you get here? Do you know?"

This news was both comforting and confusing at the same time, but then Charlie did what she often did and thought to hard about it, and was suddenly very uncomfortable. “Uh … I fell…” Charlie said, then turned her torso around to point in the direction she had come from. “Over there …” She added. Upon turning back the girl, Charlotte realised that this made no sense even to her own ears. She dropped her arm in defeat and sighed. “My name is Charlie, by the way,” she said, “Charlotte, but Charlie.”

[susan elinor pevensie]

It had turned into one strange night. Susan rarely got turned around in this forest and those she was sure there were dangerous creatures still roaming these parts they all knew who she was and so she knew that they wouldn't dare challenge her. That wasn't the strangest thing though: Susan didn't often get scared by the sounds in the forest, it just didn't happen. Yet she had pulled her bow the first chance she had gotten. If the girl had been a minotaur for example she would not have taken the pointed weapon very well and things could full well have gotten ugly. Susan berated herself for being so foolish but when the girl looked nervous at her words Susan simply smiled at her.

“Oh, don't worry though,” Susan tried to reassure her, “I am certain nothing will happen. It's not exactly dangerous, just unpredictable.” This might not have sounded how she would have liked it to after her previous statement. Truly the forest could be dangerous and she could not hide that, but was it something to dwell on? She certainly hope the girl would not, it would make conversing with her all the more difficult if she was looking over her shoulder every other minute. “I'm sorry to have distressed you.”

This surely was the way to welcome a new comer to the kingdom, wasn't it?

Oh! Lucy is so much better at this then I am, Susan thought, frowning slightly. The girl obviously didn't know how she got here, otherwise it would be simple to get her back, wouldn't it? It had been a silly thing to ask but she did find out that the girl, named Charlotte but sometimes Charlie, had not fallen far from where they were ... or at least that was what Su thought the vague pointing meant. The dark haired queen nodded in comprehension. “I'm Susan,” she said with another warm smile. “Queen Susan, but you can call me Susan.”

Susan thought it would be best to try and make everything clear so she took a deep breath before she began. “I am truly sorry to have startled you,” she said, “I was unprepared to meet someone else from back home tonight. Let me explain: you have, like so many others, been brought here, to Narnia-” and here Susan gave a swooping hand gesture to take in all the surroundings “- by what power, or whom I might add, is still a mystery but my brothers and sister and I are more then happy to give you a home until ... well, until we find out what is happening here. Narnia is a beautiful land, filled with many interesting talking beasts and places but it's all so different from Finchley.”

Susan took a few steps towards Charlotte so that she was standing mere feet away from her. “Would you care to come with me?” she asked tentatively. She knew she hadn't given her any reason to trust her. SO she added quickly, “You don't have to if you don't want to. It's just that it's getting late and I'm sure you could do with a warm meal and a bed for the night before we discuss what's going to happen.”