Narnia: Gates Of Dawn

Chapter One

Chapter One
Old Friends and A New Ones.

"Come on Anne!" Called the woman of the house, "We're going to be late." Anne's mother was not one for tardiness, often trying to arrive ten minutes at least prior to the engagement.

"Coming Ma!" Yelled Anna from the top of the staircase, her brown pumps and long black skirt tucked by a her frilly dress shirt, overthrowing a trench coat on top.

Anne's mothers had a friend to which was hold a dinner tonight at their home, Anne never meet these folk before but often heard of the children that presided there.

"Anne Marie Stewart!" Yelled her mother once more, from the front door to which Anne's mother dressed her neck with a warm wooly scarf to match her red plump lips and long black dress.

"Here!" Anne skidded across the floor, coming to a halt as her mother looked at her and swung open the door to reveal the patted snow on the Finchley pavement.

Anne's personality wasn't bright nor dull, Anna played piano and was quiet good at drawing. Her relationship with her mother;  Carol Stewart blooming even more so after her late fathers passing in the war. Anne just turned 15 last Wednesday, her mother gave her a new leathery sketch book and pens. It should be known at arriving at Anne's mothers friends home it was much bigger than her own, and much nicer. Even though Anne's mother made a suitable income for an impressionable home it was much different. It seemed like a home and not a house.

"Now Anne when we arrive at The Pevensies home, you are too be on your best behaviour. And please socialise." Carol informed, knocking four times on their door.

"Ah Carol! How lovely of you too make it, and I see you brought Anne, come in!" Greeted a women she assumed was Helen.

"Thank you, I brought Bundt cake!" Carol smiled warmly as the two draped their coats over a hanger.
"How lovely, I'm sure it'll make a nice addition to dessert." Helen took the Bundt cake, calling out to her children who ran quickly down the staircase in a line.

A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, another with brown hair and brown eyes. Two girls whose hair was brown one light one dark. "Hi my name is Lucy, you must be Anne Marie." Lucy stuck up her hand, with a chipper smile. Lucy was pretty, Anne assumed that she was even prettier than herself.

"Oh, hello, you can just call me Anne."  Anne was unsure of herself but shook her hand regardless smiling,

"Oh an I am Susan." Susan's freckled face smiled on her, shaking her hand it was warm.

"I'm Peter, the oldest." Peter the blonde boy who looked sharp shook her hand firmly, smiling warmly. But the other boy, who seemed slightly distracted didn't introduce himself. She turned on her heels to face to young boy,

"That's Edmund, usually off it La-La Land." Lucy smirked watching her brother scrunch up his nose in annoyance.

"Shut up, am not." Anne bit her bottom lip feeling awkward,

"Don't mind him, he's just annoyed cause he didn't want to be here." Susan rolled her eyes, "But our mother told him he had too."

Edmund rolled his eyes in annoyance, folding his arms and looking at Anne. "Great first impression Ed, now she'll never want to come back." Peter huffed,

"It's fine." They want me to come back?

The children walked into the living room, were a fireplace was ablaze and their mothers deep in conversation. "So, Anne, your mother tells me you've a recital coming up, how exciting!" Helen smiled cheerfully, Anne sits next to her mother on the sofa.

"I suppose so." Anne agreed,
"What do you play?" Susan asked interested,
"I'm not very good, but Piano forte." Anne replied modestly,

Out the corner of Anne's eye she sighted a large white wooden piano. It was stunning, but now she wasn't too surprised if she was asked to play.

"Oh don'y be so modest, dear. You should play something."  Helen gestured,
"Oh, I didn't bring any sheet music with me or." Anne pulled subtly on her mothers dress, pleading for her rescue.

"Come on Anne, you don't need sheet music. You can play some Beethoven." Carol looked at Anne with pleading eyes and with one look Anne knew she'd give in. Making her way to the small stool,

Her fingers moved fluently playing the white and black keys, the piece was sad but it brought comfort to Anne especially in hard times.
"What's this piece?" Helen asked fondly,
"Beethoven Sonate 14, his 3rd Movement. Produced in 1801. Most famously known as Moonlight Sonata." Anne spoke wispy,
"Oh that's lovely, though it sounds a bit melancholy dear. Play something more upbeat." Carol requested, thought it actually slightly offended that her choice in music was upsetting.

However Anne changed her tone, Peter watched as did his siblings but often her eyes drifted to Edmund who seemed absent minded but none the less taken by the music.

Anne finished her music standing up she took a small curtesy and walked back to her mother. Everyone expect Edmund clapped vigorously, Carol pridefully watching her child in awe,

"Yes that's my Anne! Did you know her principal gave her a trophy for best musical piece in graduation last year." Carol hummed boastfully,
"Mama, please." Anne whined,

"Good for you. Anyway I am sure the roast is ready." Everyone took their places at the table, Helen at the head well Peter at the other end, Edmund sat next to Lucy who on sat right side to Susan, both the Stewart's sat opposed to the Pevensies siblings.

Eating the roast, it was quiet delicious. Anne relished herself in the mash and peas provided,
"So Susan." Carol started, "How is it going at that school of yours?" Saint Finbar, a Catholic school  one which Carol though sending Anne too after the school holidays.

"Quiet well." Susan spoke fondly, Carol looked at Lucy who smiled.

"Oh, it's good. Though mathematics is quiet a pain." Carol chuckled relating to the painful feeling.
"Any plans for college. A career path maybe?" Carol directed at the eldest siblings,

"Peter has a offer to go work as an aide to Professor Digory Kirke, As for myself I am not entirely sure." Susan answered plainly.

Anne's mother had already had place in her mind Anne's future. Her career and job. "Ah my dear Anne, when she goes to college, I'm aiming to apply for Oxford." Carol held her fork up, smiling as she swallowed her last mouthful before taking a sip on red wine.

"Oh, very intellectual!" Helen complimented, and it is as so that Anne had been a highlight of the evening. Through Piano Forte to Careers, Anne felt overwhelmed as though eyes heated down her.
Edmund rolled his eyes, chugging down whatever was in his cup,

"So Anne, what else do you do beside piano?" Lucy asked,

"Oh Anne loves to draw, don't you sweet heart. Oh an Sunday afternoons are baking." If it wasn't already obvious Carol was quiet forward in taking over as her daughter. Never letting Anne utter a word about herself, often it was misleading that Anne didn't have a voice at all.

This berated Anne. However mentally it caused some problems, to which Anne never fully recovered from. Relying on her mother wasn't easy nor was it hard. But Anne had no passion in Law, she wanted to be the next Ludwig Van Beethoven or Debussy.