They Do Look A Little Funny…
There was an underlying feeling of excitement mingled with destiny unfolding buzzing through Aslan's Camp that morning. The trees had brought the tidings. Adam's flesh and bone were on their way. At their present pace, they should arrive sometime this morning.
Airn didn't know quite what to expect of them. Humans were creatures out of the mists of legend, strange and unknown. The Faun had never even seen a drawing of one. Would they have hooves like he did, or fur all over like a Talking Bear? Would they be as large as a giant or small as a squirrel? He was almost afraid to ask the other soldiers, thus revealing his ignorance.
Even more important than their looks were their destinies. The prophesy said that they would help Aslan defeat the White Witch and end the winter, and the vivid green growth around him proved that it had already started. Airn would never forget the first time he saw green grass instead of the endless fields of snow. He had already joined Aslan's troops at the time, and while the sight of Aslan, real and true, had filled his heart past bursting, it all seemed real as soon as the Faun had awoken two days ago to the sound of running water and the sight of new growth. He hadn't known what the strange green stuff was for a few moments, having been born well into the winter and never having known anything but snow. Once he did realize, he broke down and wept, while many of the other creatures shed joyful tears beside him. It was real. The winter was truly ending. There was hope.
He only wished that the rest of his family would have been able to see it too. His detestation of the Witch and all her followers started when the Wolves in the Secret Police had cornered his two elder sisters, then only children at the time, and tore them to pieces for sport alone. He had been the one to find the remains… He never would be able to burn the image of their mangled bodies from his mind. Their father had appealed to the Witch for retribution. His stone body now decorated the Witch's castle, and Airn's mother succumbed to grief shortly after.
All the soldiers had similar stories, though. Airn knew that he had no monopoly on tragedy. He had kept his rage in a silent burn for decades, afraid to stand alone against the power of the White Witch. But, it had taken no more than a second for him to make the decision to pack his things and leave for Aslan's army when the Talking Eagle who had been spreading the word told him where to go.
His first glimpse of Aslan had been unexpected. The Lion had been walking through the camp and Airn had been setting up the tent he was supposed to share with another two fauns and getting settled after having given his name and talents to the quartermaster, and having been issued his gear. After several disastrous attempts and the assistance of three nearby dwarves, he had managed to get his tent up and was putting his few possessions inside.
The Lion hadn't even actually walked past him, just through the adjoining row of tents. He hadn't stopped to talk to Airn, simply looked at him. But in that split second that their eyes met, Airn's world shifted. A feeling of utter love and peace came over him, and he knew that his world was complete, now that he had seen the Lion. Emotions started boiling through him, like storm clouds on a summer's afternoon. Joy, peace, excitement, awe, reverence, hope and love all raced through him one after the other, until he was nearly overwhelmed. Airn had to close his eyes and break the contact just to keep from dropping to his knees, stunned. When he opened them, Aslan had moved on.
Airn spent the rest of the day in almost complete silence. He got a few strange looks, but the simple explanation, "I saw Aslan", would bring a knowing look to his friends' faces and they would leave him alone with his thoughts. Everyone had had a similar experience and the wonder did take a day or so to lessen.
And now, the children were coming. Wonder after wonder coming right after each other, leaving almost no time for recovery in between.
A voice broke Airn out of his reverie. "Airn," called another soldier, Sumfor the Centaur. "I've lost a shoe, and Torin told me to fetch you to help."
Torin was Airn's commanding officer, and the best blacksmith in the camp. An order from him was to be obeyed. Airn quickly picked up his blacksmithing tools and followed his friend out to an open space along the main entry into the encampment. It was time to do his part. He couldn't help but breathe deeply as he went, with so many new scents filling the air. It was amazing, with every new moment bringing new experiences, fresh hope.
"Good. You're here," Torin said, getting right to business. "Have you ever put war shoes on a Centaur?"
Having never put 'war shoes' on anything, Airn had to confess his ignorance to his superior, who thankfully, didn't look annoyed.
"Eh, you'll watch then, and hand me things," Torin said, then filled his mouth with horseshoe nails and lifted Sumfor's back hoof into his hands.
A trumpet sounded in the valley, announcing new arrivals. Airn could hear a wave of excited whispers flow from the edge of the camp towards him. Could it be? Their future Kings and Queens had arrived?
Airn couldn't help the excited grin that spread across his face at his first sight of them. They were nothing like he would have expected, if he had expected anything at all. There were only three of them for one, and he could have sworn that there should have been four. All three of them were differing sizes and shapes, with two girls, and one older boy. Their ears were small and rounded, and he couldn't see any fur, just hair on their heads.
What really stood out though, were their smiles; nervous and excited, and he could see the older girl was blushing a little from all the attention.
Torin put Sumfor's hoof back down and stared at the new arrivals as well. Spitting out the nails, and without another word, the chief blacksmith merged into the flood of Narnians following the children to Aslan's tent, Sumfor and Airn at his side.
They were too far back to see or hear anything important, but they all knew that the entire story would be spread throughout the camp by the end of the hour.
After the crowd had dispersed and everyone got back to work, Sumfor turned to Torin and asked, "Well, what do you think of them?"
Torin gave a small shrug, but smiled as he replied, "They do look a little funny."
Airn shook his head, thinking of the children who probably didn't realize that they were the living embodiment of hope to an entire enslaved nation. "No, they look perfect."