This is the first book of Eleanor in Narnia series which I do recommend to read first.

Chapter 1

I sat on the edge of my bed sliding my slippers on as I got ready for the day. In my drawers I pulled out one of the two outfits that I had putting on my stockings and my dress. Then stood in front of my mirror, braiding my hair into two parts. I sighed looking at my reflection, there stood a skinny, bone faced girl, with dirt on her face and stains on her outfit.

"Eleanor! Get down here immediately!" Mrs. Jenette called.

I ran down the stairs still strapping my shoes on and slowed down as I got to the kitchen where Mrs. Jenette was waiting.

"There you are! Why haven't you started breakfast?!"

"I'm sorry, I'll start now," I said walking past her and going over to cut up some of the vegetables to go along with the eggs. Ever since father went off to war when I was fourteen, Mum and I had been on our own but when she died I was left all alone. Since there was no one to take care of me I was sent to live with Mrs. Jenette and wait for father to return but it has been two years and there has been no sign of him.

"Are you done yet?" Mrs. Jenette snapped as I woke up from day dreaming.

"Uh, yes ma'am," I said putting breakfast on the plates and bringing it over to her.

"Boys! Breakfast!" She yelled.

Mrs. Jenette had three younger sons who were always rude and impolite to me. They all came dashing down the stairs and I had just jumped out of the way in time to keep them from trampling over me.

"That's all I need of you Eleanor," she said.

"Yes ma'am," I said bowing my head. I turned to go make some of my own breakfast.

"Oh, but Eleanor," Mrs. Jenette said before I could leave, "The boys bedroom floors need to be washed, I need the front room dusted and laundry hung on the clothes line before the end of the day."

And there it was, "Yes ma'am," I answered leaving the room. I sighed grabbing a few apples from the basket on the table and went to the supply closet putting on my apron and grabbing a mop and bucket. Knowing the boys their room was normally disgusting so I was probably going to have to clean that too before I could even wash the floors. I climbed the stairs and opened the door. My prediction was right, I'm not sure who in their right mind would think it would be a good idea to have three boys all in one room and not think they would make a mess. There were clothes everywhere and toys all throughout the room. I sighed and put the mop against the wall and started cleaning. I folded all the clothes and put them back in the drawers and all the toys in their toy trunk. After making the beds and everything was in its place I started mopping. As I finished I soon heard the boys running up the stairs coming this way. The door flung open and I held my hand up to stop them, "If you take one step into this room with those muddy shoes on I will hang you buy your toes from the chandelier."

"You can't tell us what to do!" Clyde the oldest said.

"But do you really want to chance it?" I asked walking beside them knowing I scared them enough that they weren't going to go into their room. Next was dusting the front room, after cleaning the mop and putting the bucket away I grabbed the duster and dusted everything in the front room down to the last trinket. By the time I was finished it was lunch time so I had to make lunch for the boys. I ended up just making them sandwiches before going and washing some of the laundry in the backyard hanging some on the clothes line.

"Hey Ellie!"

I clipped on one of the boys shirts before turning to find Emma who lives down the road from us. "Hey Emma," I smiled. She was my only friend since I moved here. Emma would come and visit me every other day or so and we would talk.

"I brought you the book I was talking about last week," she said as I finished the laundry.

"Thank you!" I said as we walked over to a tree that over looked the pond in Mrs. Jenette's backyard.

"You're welcome, once you finish it I can give you the next book," Emma answered as we sat in the shade of the tree.

"That would be great!" I smiled. We sat and talked she asked me about the little monsters, meaning the boys and then she would tell me about the town not too far from here. I never got to go there; Mrs. Jenette wouldn't let me off the property.

"Well I have to get going. Mum wants me to go to piano practice today," Emma sighed.

"I would do anything to come with you," I answered. It felt like here even though we lived in the middle of nowhere on a huge estate I never felt more caged in.

"I'll take you someday, Ellie. I promise," Emma said hugging me before she left.

"Eleanor!" Mrs. Jenette yelled.

"I have to go," I said to Emma. She left and I headed back for the house when I saw one of the shirts being pulled lose from the clothing line by the wind. It became detached and started rolling across the lawn headed for the pond.

"Eleanor!"

"Just a minute!" I yelled before running after the shirt. I tried to reach for it but the wind blew it harder. It got closer to the pond and just as I almost caught it, the shirt landed in the pond. I tried reaching for it when I fell into the pond. The cold water surrounded me and I thrashed around trying to get out for air but everything was dark. The water closed in around me and I thought I wasn't going to make until I saw a small light. I swam towards it pulling myself out of the water.

"Who are you?"