₁.₀ YES TO HEAVEN; peter pevensie

004.

Birdie hasn't really got a lot of sleep last night, and it shows.

(Such a strange dream she's had, all the images vivid in her mind the moment she woke up. She was a little girl once again, her teeth sinking into the flesh of a strangely delicious apple. And next to her was Uncle Andrew, still alive and wrinkled like a raisin, saying something about 'a dem fine woman'... A memory, almost.)

Even though there is quite a lot - more than usual, that is - on her mind right now, she cannot escape the tiredness. With her chin resting on top op her folded arm, she can feel her eyes growing more and more heavy with each passing second; sometimes the contours of various objects become blurry, as though there was a veil separating them from her.

To find herself in a situation that demands a lot of thought is surely among the best things that could happen to her. All that tale about the youngest Pevensie sibling coming across a magical land hidden inside a wardrobe, in the place that should be occupied by long unused coats, sounded rather ridiculous. Truly impossible, that is the conclusion that comes to mind without one having to dwell on the subject. Yet, now that Birdie's thinking about it, it would be a lie to say that it haven't ignited a spark of curiosity inside her. The Professor's way of conducting himself yesterday night was just the excuse she needed to start a little investigation of her own. After all, Birdie likes a challenge.

And a challenge it is.

Honestly, it didn't really surprise her that the Professor hadn't cast away the possibility of Lucy Pevensie telling the truth. He's a great scholar, after all, and considering all that there is to consider is among his usual ways of conducting research... Just like he said last night, sometimes the least realistic answer turns out to be the right one after you rejecting all the others. That's what he's always used to remind her of when she would grow too frustrated with her own studies, and Birdie supposes it remains true to this day.

So, it wasn't the Professor's logic, however ridiculous may that sound, that caught her attention. No, it was the fact that he truly did seem as though he believed it with all his heart. As though he wanted it to be true, the urgency in his voice a product of a deep sense of longing for something long lost...

And it started as soon as Susan mentioned the upstairs wardrobe.

A frustrated groan escapes her lips as Birdie moves to stand up from her position on the floor. For the past half an hour, at least, she's been lying on her stomach on the carpet in the Professor's study. She first came here with the intention of keeping an eye on the man, searching for any clues that may unveil a little bit of the whole wardrobe mystery. And she just decided to stay when it turned out that the room is empty, coming to the conclusion that he must have left for a stroll in the park.

Now she feels a sharp pain in her lower back, and Birdie almost regrets not choosing the sofa instead. At the time, it didn't really seem like the most appealing idea - she's too tall now to be able to stretch out on it, and she would have to endure her feet dangling off the armrest. And, today, Birdie just wanted space, so that her mind can wander freely.

Now, though, it's time for her body to wander. The girl just hopes she's not wrong in her opinion on where the Professor must currently be, because she would hate to stumble upon him when she goes to the upstairs room to explore. Even though he's always encouraged her to follow her curiosity, this time it's different. This time it-

All of a sudden, there's a sound of glass shattering. Birdie barely has time to close her eyes and rise her arms, trying to cover her face, when it's followed by a much louder noise; the armour standing by the coffee table comes crumbling onto the floor.

As she dares to peer her eyes open once again, she notices countless colourful shards at her feet. There's a spot of warm light on the carpet, rays of sun quick to enter the room. Rising her gaze to the window, Birdie sees that the glass has been broken right where a crest should still be.