It was the perfect day for a picnic. The sun was high in the sky and it was long past the first signs of spring, with most of the trees in full greenery again and the flowers blooming. She'd often say that the thing she remembered the most about that day was how there didn't seem to be a single cloud in the sky. There was something about that day that could only be defined as "classically Narnian", and they were conditions that she never saw repeated.
"You know, I could carry the basket for a while..." Lucy said, watching as Tumnus attempted to drag the heavy basket all by himself. They had been walking for a good hour or so while the faun tried to find the perfect spot for their special lunch, but it was to no avail. She was actually beginning to worry that they had gotten lost.
"Oh, most certainly not!" He retorted, huffing and breathing loudly. "I... you know... I can handle it. It's not... too heavy..." That was, of course, the exact opposite of the truth. The basket was stuffed full of sweets and all the other items necessary for a picnic, all carefully packed by Susan. She had suggested that they take a horse along just to carry all of the stuff, but Tumnus refused. For some reason, that didn't seem very romantic to him.
"I really insist." She replied, not even bothering to listen to more excuses and instead just yanking it from his hands. "And do you have any idea at all as to where we are?" It wasn't like she didn't trust Tumnus, but being lost wasn't high on her list of to-dos.
"Well of course! We're going to be picnicking right... over there!" He said, pointing in a random direction as though he completely knew where he was going. Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes and just tried to relax- they couldn't be more than a mile from Cair Paravel. If anything went terribly wrong, Peter could always come out and fetch them.
It only took them another five minutes to emerge from the woods and out onto a grassy plain, topped off by a hill of a deep green color. Put together with the pristine weather conditions, and Lucy was simply amazed. Tumnus must have some sense of direction if he could find such a place.
"I believe this is just the spot." He said, taking the basket right out of her arms as she continued to gape. "Don't you agree?"
"I more than agree." She replied, still feeling slightly awestruck. The grass was grown up high enough so that she could touch it without bending down, and she was surprised by how soft it was. Once they were up on the hill and lunch had been assembled, she couldn't help but flop down in it. It tickled her cheeks and cast a deep contrast with her dark brown hair, causing her to look as though she'd just fallen out of the sky.
Tumnus couldn't help but stare. How could he concentrate on eating a pastry while she lay there before him like that? It was like he suddenly realized that she wasn't a little girl any longer- all of a sudden, she was a woman. A human woman. A very beautiful human woman.
But no, oh no. He couldn't be thinking such thoughts. Was it really only ten years ago that she'd come through the wardrobe in Spare 'Oom? She had been so little back then, but yet she understood so much of the world. Her brown eyes had looked into his very soul, and she had loved him like only a child could.
"Lucy...?" He said, an unasked question in his voice. "Lucy..."
She had found herself drifting off, due to the combination of the grass blanket and the lovely sun on her face. Upon opening her eyes, she was surprised once again to find Tumnus's face staring down into her's. She didn't even take a moment of thought before allowing her face to break out into a smile as she sat up and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Don't worry, Tumnus. I haven't really gone anywhere, just closed my eyes for a bit." She replied, her voice half-teasing. "I'll never leave you, just so that I can always stay close to catch you if you ever chance to fall."
"Ah, Lucy..." He said, one hand stroking her hair. "I already knew that."