Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...
Summary: "You are very close to Queen Lucy."
"Yes, she is my dearest friend."
"You care for her."
"Yes."
"No. I mean," she hesitated then continued in a rush, "you are fond of her?"
Tumnus stared at her blankly then realization swept over him. "Oh, I see. Oh dear. Oh dear."
A/N: This story is a part of my A Light in the Darkness universe. Enjoy!
Oh Dear!
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"Oh, Mr. Tumnus, there you are!"
Tumnus bowed, his red scarf dangling, and then he grinned at his dear friend. "Queen Lucy."
Queen Lucy happily looped her arm through his and he allowed her to tug him in the opposite direction of his quarters. "I've been looking everywhere for you, sir." She grinned. "I heard you were already leaving. Won't you stay through Christmas, Mr. Tumnus? We love having you."
"Well, I was just thinking I should check on my cave."
"Mr. Tumnus, you only just arrived in Cair Paravel."
Tumnus smiled. "It has been over a fortnight, My Queen."
"You can't leave before Edmund's birthday, though." Queen Lucy peered at him, a considering light in her blue eyes. He wondered what she was going to ask him. Then she tugged at his arm. "Oh! You must see Edmund's present! No one will ever beat Kat for creative gifts but I think this one will be simply perfect for him. Won't you tell me if you agree or not?"
"Of course."
Two little words were all that was needed to bring a bright smile to the youngest royal's face. She laughed, clapped her hands, and then grasped his hands as she whirled around. "Oh thank you!"
Tumnus, being a Faun, chuckled then laughed as his little cloven hooves tapped a cheery rhythm as they spun in a circle. Queen Lucy was laughing and breathless by the time they stopped. Then she grasped Tumnus' hand tightly and pulled him along after her as she hurried off to one of the solariums, chattering all the while about what fun King Edmund's birthday party will be. And he was quite certain that she and Queen Susan had planned yet another enjoyable party for their youngest brother. They always did, after all.
A soft little gasp of surprise was the first warning as they burst through the solarium door. Tumnus looked up and then fidgeted with the fringe of his scarf as he met the wide, dark eyes of Harmonia. The pretty Apple Dryad looked from him to the queen and then bobbed a curtsey. "Queen Lucy, I've set up the tea as you asked."
"Oh thank you, Harmonia." Queen Lucy smiled prettily as she let go of Tumnus' hand to look at the tea tray. Then she frowned. "Oh dear." She smiled apologetically at Tumnus. "I forgot to bring Edmund's present in here." Then she turned the charming smile on Harmonia. "Would you mind keeping Mr. Tumnus company, Harmonia?"
"Of course not, Your Majesty." The Dryad darted him a cautious look then swept delicate fingers through her white hair, brushing over the pink-tinged apple blossoms woven into the pale locks. Tumnus sighed then blushed when the Dryad glanced his way again.
Queen Lucy did not seem to notice as she smiled. "Oh thank you! I shouldn't be long but please help yourselves to some tea!" Then she ran out in a swirl of red skirts.
Tumnus stole another glance at the Apple Dryad. She was looking at him. He quickly looked away, tugging on his scarf. Oh dear.
"You are very close to Queen Lucy."
Grateful for something to talk about than his own awkwardness (he had already tripped in front of Harmonia three different times as though his little cloven hooves were the great bulky hooves of a Centaur, how humiliating), Tumnus nodded with a little sigh. "Yes, she is my dearest friend."
"You care for her."
It sounded like a statement but Tumnus sensed it was also a question. "Yes."
He glanced at the Apple Dryad who was looking at him now, a delicate pink blush kissing the curves of her cheeks. "No. I mean," she hesitated then continued in a rush, "you are fond of her?"
Tumnus stared at her blankly then realization swept over him. "Oh, I see. Oh dear. Oh dear." He paced around the room, wringing his hands, and then he reached up to grasp his little horns and tugged on them. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear."
Oh dear. He had never expected anyone to think that, to assume that, oh it was just terrible! Oh dear. "Oh dear, oh dear!"
"Master Tumnus?"
He spun on his little cloven hooves to meet Harmonia's wide-eyed gaze. "Queen Lucy is the dearest friend I've ever had the good fortune to meet." He tugged at his scarf now. "And I do love her."
A soft little sigh carried to his ears and Harmonia looked away but still he thought he caught a glimpse of disappointment in her dark, luminous eyes. Oh dear. Tumnus tugged at his scarf again. "That is to say I love Queen Lucy."
The Apple Dryad nodded, her white hair sweeping forward to hide her pink cheeks as she turned away, hands reaching for the teapot. "I understand," she whispered."
"N-no, you see I love Queen Lucy because she is my dearest friend." Tumnus tugged at his horns, shaking his head. Oh this was not going well at all. "But I am not . . . I am not in love with our Valiant Queen. She is very dear, of course. Who in Narnia does not love her? But, she is just a child and Human. I'm a hundred and forty years old and it just . . ." He trailed off feeling all the fool.
"The love of a friend is a very precious gift." Harmonia held out a teacup, but this time her dark eyes were shining with, dare he assume, hope. "Then you love no one?"
"Oh no!" Tumnus frowned at the teacup. "Well, that is I do have feelings for . . . for someone."
The Apple Dryad drew back abruptly. "Oh."
"Oh?" He had done something wrong. What did he do wrong? Oh, his horns were liable to fall off! What should he do? What should he do? Tumnus reached up to grab his horns and tugged at them then froze at the sound of shattering china. "Oh dear! Oh dear!"
He knelt just as Harmonia dropped to her knees. Their heads knocked together. Tumnus sprang back up, his little cloven hooves tapping a nervous beat, as Harmonia placed a slender hand against her forehead. "Oh dear! I am so sorry! I should, I should get healers or just one healer!" He tugged at his horns as the reality of the situation set in. Oh this was simply disastrous! Why did Queen Lucy ever leave him alone? He headbutted a Dryad! What respectable Faun headbutted a Dryad? Oh he should have gone right back to his cave!
"Master Tumnus?" The soft call was followed by the lightest touch against his clenched fist.
He looked up to see Harmonia staring at him with sweet concern in her dark eyes. "Y-yes?"
"Are you all right?"
"I am. Are you well? I am so ashamed. Please tell me you are well." He blushed as he took her hand, clasping it between his own. He wagered she was the most graceful dancer. Would that he had his panpipes to play for her.
"I am. Please do not trouble yourself." They stared into each other's eyes for several moments then Harmonia whispered, "We should clean up the mess."
Tumnus nodded but didn't let go of her hand. It was so very soft and delicate. If he were a bold Faun, he'd try to nip one of her apple blossoms free of her white hair so he could add it to his scarf. But he wasn't. He was respectable. "Lady Harmonia? Would you? Could you? Ever, I mean? I'm not the best of Fauns but I try. Although I have made such a mess of things." He sighed, shoulders bowing as he realized he was probably acting like he was no better than the very bad Faun who met dear Queen Lucy not so long ago (by a Faun's reckoning, at least).
"Yes."
Tumnus looked up, startled. "Truly? You would?"
She nodded, the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen gracing her face. "I will be in Cair Paravel through the winter by Queen Susan's invitation. I'm to join her ladies-in-waiting, you see."
"Oh. Oh." Tumnus' mind was awhirl. "I- I also usually winter in Cair Paravel."
Harmonia looked at him from beneath her full lashes, apple pink blooming across her cheeks again. "Then we will see each other."
Tumnus nodded. "Often, I hope."
She smiled shyly then reached up and plucked an apple blossom from her hair. "Often," she repeated as she tucked the delicate bloom into the knot of his scarf. "Very often."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Sooo, Tumnus is finding love. Isn't he adorable? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.