Chapter One

The pain moved up and down his legs as he watched Lucy taking care of the others Jadis the Witch had turned to statues then felt someone gently bump into him and he felt his heart catch in his chest. Turning around, he looked behind him while a cool shiver moved through him and looked down at his hooves.

"Aslan," Tumnus whispered and Aslan titled his head to one side.

"How are you feeling?" Aslan asked and Tumnus slowly raised his head, looking into the golden eyes.

"Well, other than my legs hurting, I'm fine."

"I am pleased to hear that," Aslan said as he watched Tumnus half limp toward the door and Aslan followed, walking closely beside him. "Where are you going?"

"I am going home. I'm no fighter," Tumnus said when Aslan walked in front of him and gave him a serious look.

"No, I can't allow you to go home."

"Am I your prisoner then?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, after what I have done…."

"If I thought that you had done anything evil, I would not have brought you back to life."

"But I'm no hero."

"You are braver than you think," Aslan said and Tumnus saw the truth in Aslan's eyes. "Now come. We have to hurry."

Tumnus followed as they left Jadis' castle and Susan and Lucy helped Tumnus walk down the twisting paths.

He couldn't believe the carnage when they had arrived on the battlefield and watched Peter and Edmund battling Jadis and her army. The others that Aslan had brought back to life charged down the hillside as Tumnus sighed then ran, crashing into one of the ogres. He stopped halfway down the hill when his legs gave out and he fell onto the ground, lying down on his back. He frowned when Lucy gave him some of the potion she had given those that had been injured and he looked up at the sky, feeling more of a traitor and a coward than a hero and closed his eyes.

The flap of the tent allowed light to come into the tent as he opened his eyes and heard the sounds of hooves coming closer. Closing his eyes again, he felt arms sliding under him when someone lifted him off the cot he was lying on and Tumnus half opened his eyes, seeing Oreius the centaur smiling down at him. He was amazed that Oreius could walk because Lucy had told him that Oreius had been changed into a statue as well.

"Where are we going?" Tumnus asked.

"We are going to Cair Paravel," Oreius said as they left the tent and Tumnus softly sighed, closing his eyes. The last thing Tumnus felt before drifting off to sleep was being laid on something soft and the gently rocking as his mind slowly faded into darkness.

"He is very handsome, don't you think?" a female's voice whispered and the soft sound of laughter filled his ears.

"Be quiet. We will be in trouble if we wake him," the other female's voice whispered when Tumnus slowly opened his eyes and looked at the two females kneeling near the couch he was lying on. He noticed they were nymphs and one of the nymphs had long, light blue hair and sea green eyes. The other nymph had long, dark purple hair and bright violet eyes and both of them had pointy ears, beautiful faces and thin, flawless bodies. Both of them were dressed in white tunics and skirts and golden sandals were on their feet.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, who are you?" he asked and they gasped, looking at him.

"Oh, we woke him up," the first nymph said as the second nymph nodded her head and Tumnus softly smiled at them.

"Who are you?" he repeated and the nymphs looked at each other.

"I am Aquanna and this is Nari," Aquanna said.

"I see. Well, I am Tumnus," he said and they smiled. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"We are here to prepare you," she said and Tumnus' eyes went wide.

"Prepare me for what?" he asked while a cool chill of panic moved through his heart.

"There is no need to fear. You need to be bathed, groomed and dressed for the coronation," Nari said and he gave them a confused look.

"I'm going to the coronation?"

"Oh yes! And it would be shameful for the High Advisor to go to the coronation looking like he had just been run over by a centaur," Aquanna said and they softly giggled.

"The High Advisor?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes. Didn't anyone tell you that High King Peter, High Queen Susan, King Edmund and Queen Lucy have appointed you the High Advisor of Cair Paravel?" she asked and Tumnus's eyes widened.

"No, no one told me," he said and the nymphs gasped.

"Well, please rise. Your bath awaits," Nari said when they helped him stand and led him to the other room. At the center of the room was a marble bathtub with clawed feet and a gold faucet and steam slowly rose into the air. The nymph led him to the bathtub when the nymphs sat on the edge of the bathtub and he suddenly felt completely vulnerable.

"Please get in the water," Nari said while he walked closer and looked at the water. Carefully getting into the warm water, Tumnus sat down while he bent his legs up and the nymphs smiled at him. Blushing, he watched while the nymphs washed him and their touch felt wonderful. Closing his eyes, he felt them washing his hair while he breathed in the scented water and his muscles slowly began to relax. He did hear the soft sound of giggling as his mind drifted into darkness and he smiled, laying the back of his head against the cool marble.

The towels felt soft and were warm while the nymphs dried him and Tumnus sighed. The nymphs laughed as they placed the towels on the edge of the bathtub and Nari picked up a silver brush and started brushing the fur on his chest, back, arms, stomach, legs and tail.

"Ah!" Tumnus said when he looked down and Nari smiled and a blush moved over his skin. Shrugging, Tumnus balanced on one hoof while Nari polished his hoof and she placed his hoof down, starting to polish the other hoof. Standing up, she held her hand out as he took her hand and she led him to the couch near the vanity table.

"Please sit," Aquanna said while Tumnus sat down on the couch and she carefully brushed his hair. Nari started buffing his nails while he watched then the nymphs stood back and he carefully stood up. Nari smoothed down some of the fur then stood back and Aquanna walked to a stand near the door, removing the scarf off the stand. Walking back to him, she gently wrapped the scarf around his neck and shoulders and he looked down at the scarf. "Queen Lucy wishes you to accept this gift."

"Oh, I can't…" he started to say when she gently placed her fingers against his lips and shook her head.

"Come. It is time for the coronation," Nari said when they left the room and headed for the throne room. With his stomach in knots, Tumnus stood proudly while watching the coronation and Lucy smiled at him when he walked closer, placing the crown on Lucy's head then Edmund's head then Susan's head then finally Peter's head and he shyly smiled back. He bowed at the end of the coronation and joined Lucy on the balcony while she watched Aslan leaving. He never felt so proud yet guilty as he held her hand and…

The sound of voices shouting woke him when Tumnus opened his eyes and sat up on the bed. The fire from the fireplace lit the room in a dim light while he watched four shadowy figures fighting and three of the figures appeared to be fauns. He watched the middle figure swing a long blade sword as the faun on the left screamed then fell to the floor and the light from the fireplace lit up the middle figure's face.

Some of the long, white hair had fallen into the ice blue eyes as the middle figure fought the fauns and his eyes widened as the fauns fell lifeless to the floor. He jumped when the door to his room slammed open and three centaurs, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, Susan and Tumnus' father, Tilnus came into the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tilnus bellowed as the figure looked at them and placed the long blade sword in the scabbard. Before anyone could move, the figure vanished and Tumnus got out of bed, a look of puzzlement appeared on his face.

"Long, white hair and ice blue eyes," he whispered while Lucy looked at him and tilted her head to one side.

"Pardon?" she asked as he held up a finger while his hooves clicked on the wooden floor and he walked to the small, wooden table. Leaning on the small, wooden table, he looked at the small house sitting at the center of the table and peeked in one of the windows.

"Tinkleberry?" Tumnus asked as he watched something moving inside the small house and he softly smiled. "Please come out."

Holding out his right hand with the palm up, he watched the tiny door open when a tiny fairy came out of the small house and walked onto his hand. He carefully stood up while she sat with her legs bent up and curled her arms around her legs. Her tiny, gossamer wings flapped softly as he gently lifted her chin with his finger and saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Did you do this?" he asked when he showed her the dead bodies on the floor and the puddles of blood sparkled in the firelight. Tinkleberry looked down as Tumnus lightly patted the top of her head and she sighed, looking up at him.

"Yesyesyesyes," she said while nodding her head and Tilnus walked closer, looking at them.

"Wait, she did this?" he asked and Tumnus held his hand close his chest, protecting Tinkleberry from his father. "Easy, Little One, I wasn't going to hurt her."

"But how could she do all this? She's just a fairy," Lucy said when Tumnus lowered his hand and Tinkleberry flew into the air. Stunned, they watched while Tinkleberry started growing until she stood five feet and ten inches in height and had a thin, muscular build. She wore a thin, gossamer gown and her hair floated gently around her shoulders.

"Tinkleberry?" Tumnus whispered while she walked closer and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hello," she said and brushed the hair from his eyes.

"Uh, um, hello," he said as she turned and looked at the others.

"Tinkleberry, is that really you?" Edmund asked.

"Yes," she said and Lucy looked at Edmund with a blank on her face.

"Didn't you know that fey can change their size?" Lucy asked, sarcastically.

"No," Edmund said while Peter walked closer and looked at Tinkleberry.

"Tinkleberry, please, tell us what happened," Peter said while she blinked her eyes a few times then sighed, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"I was sleeping when I woke to the sound of the door opening and someone came in the room. I could see that they were armed and were heading toward the bed. Before they could do harm to Master Tumnus, I changed form and attacked them," she said and Tilnus frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.

"But you didn't have to kill them," Tilnus said.

"And it was alright for them to kill me?" Tumnus asked.

"Enough!" Susan said as she walked between them and Tumnus glared at his father.

"Your Highnesses, what do you wish us to do with the bodies?" the centaur asked as they looked at them and Peter sighed, looking at the bodies.

"Remove the bodies and clean this mess," Peter said as Tilnus left the room and Tumnus looked at the doorway, anger slowly bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

"Go," Tinkleberry whispered as he nodded then left the room and Tinkleberry looked at the others, lowered her head and sighed.