A Game of Chess

Disclaimer: I own naught. CS Lewis, his Estate, and Disney are the correct and rightful owners of Narnia and all her people.

Author's N: I humbly beg my readers' forgiveness. I have no idea where this little one shot came from; I can only say it was my attempt to force through a rather irritating barricade of writer's block. All the same, as always, reviews, thoughts, criticism... all is much appreciated.

"He has never quite forgiven me,"

The comment caused me to look up from the game of chess I was losing so spectacularly to my younger brother, watching as his eyes followed the form of Tumnus, our sister's dearest friend in all of Narnia. I frowned. The conduct of the Faun toward Edmund had been noted by many, and frowned upon by Susan and I. Lucy seemed forever oblivious – but then I doubted she would ever note any sense of a slight aimed at her friend.

"You have done all you can to make amends, Ed." I moved a chess piece forward tentatively, half an eye on the game, half a mind on my brother. "It is Tumnus' own fault if he cannot accept the many apologies you've offered."

"Orieus believes that to forget the past one must put to rest the present," he replied, turning his attention back to our game, as the Faun in question and our sister exited the room, arms linked.

"And yet, brother, some might caution against forgetting the past completely," I moved a knight safe from harm, glancing at him. He frowned in brief concentration before moving his horse with a decisive move, striking my knight from his spot. "Aslan forgave us all sin when he crowned us within Cair Paravel's walls, Ed. "I believe it is time that we forgive ourselves."

"You three had done nothing wrong when Aslan crowned you," he protested.

"Nay, brother." I argued, sighing in frustration; for this was an old debate not worth the rehash my brother constantly dealt it. "Su herself has agreed to being rather... bossy, and I am far too..."

"stubborn?" he interjected, smiling as he knocked my queen from her spot. "Check, Peter."

"Blast..." I studied the table, shrugging. "It is all Greek to me in any case." I admitted, turning my gaze to him after moving my king to a safe place. "If you would listen to my advice, for what its worth... Tumnus is more to blame than you are for his conduct in the Witch's reign. And yet not one has contested it,"

"aside from yourself,"

"True," I admitted. "Other than myself, those we call friends have rather easily forgiven him... unless you count Beaver..." I added with a moment's thought, mindlessly moving a pawn a square forward, in hope of winning my queen back. Edmund gave a soft laugh, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Ed...?"

"Nothing, Peter. Except that you are about to concede this game to me," he added, with a nod toward the chess table.

I sighed. "This game, aye." I met his eyes. "Edmund, let the past begone. If Faun Tumnus cannot accept that you are truly sorry for what had passed before we were crowned, then it is on his conscious, and not yours. Think no more of his conduct toward you, think only of those that look to you to lead and be the Just that you were crowned."

"That is rather a tall order, O King,"

"Especially as you are still so terribly short," I agreed with a smile. He rolled his eyes, wincing at the pun. A glance at the table turned his wince into a smug smile as his knight charged forward.

"Check mate."

"Damn."

Finis.