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WHEN SHE entered her the shared sleeping quarters that night, Cornelia was in bed with her back facing the open room. Lucy assumed that she was asleep. After changing into her nightclothes, she slid quietly into bed beside her friend and lay staring out at the darkness. She felt the stolen parchment poke at her oddly against her chest.
Unable to fight off her desire any longer, she soundlessly slid it out from where she'd tucked it into the top of her nightgown and unfolded it. In the dim lighting, it was hard to see the words or pictures but she knew the spell well enough. Before she could think about it anymore she quietly mumbled the words: "transform my reflection. Cast into perfection. Lashes, lips and complexion. Make me she. Who might agree. Holds more beauty over me."
During her recitation, she was oblivious to two tendrils of mist that entered the room; had she noticed them, she might have stopped her reading. As it was, Lucy prayed that the spell might work— that she could look as beautiful as Susan did. She hadn't forgotten the image of herself that had appeared in Coriakin's spell book and it had haunted her waking thoughts. Opening her eyes— she hadn't been aware that she'd closed them— Lucy was surprised to see sunlight pouring in through the window of the room instead of the storm.
Slowly, she rose out of bed and padded softly towards the mirror that sat next to the hearth and her mouth parted slightly in awe. The white nightgown was transforming before her eyes into a blue dress with white flowers and a dark blue ribbon wrapping around her waist. Her face seamlessly became Susan's with red lips and curled, glossy hair that sat just a at her shoulders. At the sight, she gave her mirror-self a breathtaking smile as she gently touched her face in awe.
Then, instinctively, she pushed on the glass mirror which swung open like a door to reveal a sunlit courtyard filled with people. Lucy stepped out onto the covered patio as everyone turned their attention to her and the announcer addressed the crowd, "ladies and gentlemen— Miss Pevensie!"
As she walked down the steps to the stone pathway, the audience gave murmurs of assent, "she's quite a looker, swell!"
Before she could take too many steps Lucy recognized her dark-haired brother, "Edmund!"
He approached her quickly and sent her a warm smile, "you look beautiful sister," he greeted her, linking their arms together.
"As always," her other brother's voice sounded next to her.
"Peter!" she exclaimed happily, beaming at them. It wasn't every day that they wore suits without complaining, after all.
They continued down the path which was lined with partygoers as they clapped and cheered for her to stop in front of a man who was setting up a camera, "excuse me, miss, can I get a photo?"
Nodding to him, she listened as Peter observed, "mother's going to love this. All her children in one picture."
"Smile!"
Lucy frowned, "hang on, where am I? I mean, where's Lucy?" she tried to pull away from them as a sudden sense of misgiving swept through her.
Edmund kept a smile on his face as he did his best to keep her in place, "Lucy? Who's Lucy?"
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, acting similarly.
"Come on now, miss. Nice big smile," the camera man said encouragingly.
"Edmund, I'm not sure about all this. I think I want to go back," she protested quietly, earning an odd look from her brother.
"Go back where?"
"To Narnia."
The dark-haired boy's expression indicated that he thought she was quite mad, "what on earth is Narnia?"
"What about Lia, Edmund? Cornelia?" she pressed, "she'll notice we're gone."
"Cornelia?" Edmund repeated, confused, "I've never met her. Besides, how do you know who my soulmate is? I haven't told anyone."
Lucy stared at him in horror, unable to comprehend that he hadn't met his soulmate— the love of his life. It was all her fault. Unable to bear it any longer, she threw up her hands to cover her face, "what's going on? Stop this!" she cried as guilt flooded through her.
And then it was over.
"Lucy."
At the familiar timbre, she looked into the mirror and saw her beloved Lion standing next to her, "Aslan?" she asked, her voice wobbly.
"What have you done, child?" he questioned her and she felt her eyes prick with tears.
"I don't know. That was awful."
"But you chose it, Lucy," He replied somberly and she could barely bring herself to meet His gaze.
"I didn't mean to choose all of that," she confessed quietly, "I just wanted to be beautiful like Susan. That's all."
"You wished yourself away and with it, much more. Your brothers and sister wouldn't know Narnia without you, Lucy," Aslan reminded her, "they would never have met their soulmates if it were not for you."
"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered, her throat closing as a tear slipped from her eye.
"You doubt your value," the Lion said, "don't run from who you are."
"Aslan!" she exclaimed, sitting up in bed with a jerk as thunder crashed overhead. She didn't expect an answer but she knew what to do.
Looking down at the paper in her hand, she stood and went over to the hearth. Crumpling the spell into a ball, she knelt next to the embers and threw it into the glowing flames. A Lion's roar echoed from it and the green mist retreated from the room.
It was then that she heard the soft sounds of crying— painful, heart-wrenching sobs that her chest ache. There were two other people in the room but she could see that Gael was sleeping peacefully (or as peacefully as one could in the middle of a storm) in the bay window. Concerned, she returned to the bed she shared with Cornelia and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. The sound was louder now and she could feel the other girl shuddered slightly underneath her touch.
Lucy then did what she thought best: she violently shook her friend awake, "Lia? Lia, wake up. Lia, you're crying."
Cornelia stared at the her uncomprehendingly, "Lu?"
"I'm right here," Lucy said reassuringly as she helped her sit up, "what were you dreaming about?"
Cornelia brushed her hands against her cheeks, "n—nothing," then, to her complete confusion, the blonde exclaimed, "oh, Lucy!" before throwing her arms around the her in a tight hug.
It did nothing to abate her worry about the older girl, though she returned the gesture readily. The fierce desperation of it startled but she did her best not to show it, "it's alright, Lia," she said, trying to hide her apprehension.
"Did you— did you have a nightmare too?" Cornelia asked her, their eyes meeting.
"I— yes," Lucy admitted somewhat guiltily, remembering how in her nightmare, Edmund hadn't known his soulmate, "I was going to check on the boys if you want to come with me."
At those words, Cornelia's eyes welled up as tears slipped down her cheeks, her answer coming out choked, "y—yes. Oh, Lucy."
