C S Lewis is the proprietor of the whole World of Narnia, and the Reviewers of their statements. The only thing I can do is to thank all!
Will
Lantern Woods, 1111
-"How are you doing, Mr. Tumnus?"
Ah, it must be the nurse, coming to check out on me again. She came twice a day, cooked, saw to that I ate, gave me medicines. It must be the Regent in the Cair ordering it; I had not asked. Not that I did complain. It was a great reminder of what had been.
-"I am very well, thank you, Dear nurse." I had to slightly bite my own tongue, not to call her by the name of my favourite nurse and healer of all times.
Lucy, was that her name; or was it Rebecca? I have slight problems to remember now. Ruth? That might be more correct. Age? Yes, with age comes cripples; if you do not already get it when young, like the visitor boy from Spare Oom, who in Narnia was a knight while home being ill.
No, obviously, Dear nurse, standing in front of me with one of the many vials of herb infusions I have to take, obviously I am not well. I am old and cold and forgetting things and the Regent wills you, Dear nurse, whose name I have long forgotten, to take care of me, because it is not good, I say because I am not well.
But if you want, dear anonymous nurse, to play that game, why should I not attend? I am too old to quarrel, and you are to young and innocent to provoke the anger in any.
-"I brought you a note from the Head librarian of the Cair, sir. It arrived by owl this morning."
Strange. Not that it was sent, but that it was not addressed directly to my cave and sent here, but too my Nurse, for her delivery. Do they think I am getting senile? Loosing it all together?
-"How very nice. Did you bring it?"
-"No, it was marked Classified."
I see. News of further irregularities at the western mountain ridge?
-"What was it this time? Stray bandits sighted around here again? And the Regent sending notes for me to move out of my ancestor's home to the relative safety of Cair Paravel?"
-"With all due respect, sir, it was not about security; but in all kindness I ask permission to remind you that you have been attacked here before."
Ah, yes. The White Queen's secret police. After they had got to know how I had met a human, of all species, beside the iron Lamp post. And not being able to deliver her up to the usurper Queen.
Lucy Pevensie. The great Heart. Given a dagger and a healing cordial by Father Christmas. Only so many years later we got to know that another girl from the Pevensie's world had been instrumental in getting the essential ingredients to the healing juice in the cordial.
-"And may I ask you to drink this please?" She held out a small beaker with red juice. Obviously not the clear one from the Cordial. But had I not yet already swallowed it? No, that one was a blue. Nothing to do but obey.
Not that it was hard to obey a good heart, even when it is sternly ordering things.
Like Lucy demanding I quit brooding on the past. Adding what Aslan did on the stone Table. Kill the death, execute all bad deeds, wiping out all guilt and shame.
Or like any of the Kings; when preparing for battle, getting ready to sneak out of Tasbaan to save Queen Susan's life and honour; or chasing all of her future suitors off.
So, much interesting things had happened in Narnia while it was ruled by the Four. And it had been recorded, written down in many books; only one being to small to tell it all. It had been a nice series of volumes, the author must have been both writing well and had the best of sources, and sometimes being a real eye witness, so it seemed.
With a hilt of shame and guilt I realised I might be a bit biased in my evaluation; but of course it iss great that I like a book written by – myself!
-"So it was about my book, then, where I chronicle Narnia?"
The nurse only frowned in response.
-"Would you please just drink this?" She held out a vial with green content. It tasted as sweet as the red had been bitter and the blue salty. Or was it the other way around?
-"Your books were published and received with great esteem by public, parliament, council and the regent decades ago, Tumnus," she said sternly. You were awarded a Narnian medal, first class, for it, remember? She pointed me to a small glass cabinet, where in fact just such a medal resided on a velvet cushion.
I must have looked at least as confused as I actually was, due to the harsh measures taken as the nurse's response to our conversation.
-"Mr. Tumnus, it seems like you are getting tired. We both know that the medicines I bring to you from the Centaur Healers can have the side effect to make you tired. Maybe we should get you a lay down for a short nap?"
I knew resistance was futile. It was just to be heroic, allowed to get my dressing gown removed, and be tucked into bed like a small kid.
-"And regarding the message from the High Librarian, Mr. Tumnus, it was about your Last Will and Testament. It has been registered by the Royal Court Archives, and your Executor has been told. It is all ready to be done exactly as you wish."
-"My will? My Last Testament? What I wish?" I closed my eyes, exhausted and sad, knowing not what to say. Did I remember any will?
-"My Dear, of course you remember, " said a happy voice I surely recognised. But I seemed to be unable to move, it was hard for me to even open my eyes or smile to greet him.
-"We had a conversation eye to eye, you and I, two weeks ago. You had asked of my guidance for what should be done with your fortune after you arrived in my Country and did not need Narnian goods or gold any more."
This I remembered. I had wanted to found a school, where talented Narnian youth could learn the history and old tales being the very foundation of Narnian culture.
-"So, it was, my dear. And I liked the idea very much!"
And as a loving Lion and keeper of the Land, you had suggestion for improvemants.
-"I wish for the School to be keeper and teacher of The Original Book of Creation, so what ever hardships fall onto Narnia, my family living here will never forget me, nor my purpose for their lives; to love and worship my Father, the Emperor beyond the seas."
And thus I had also added a clause in my Will that a copy be paid for to reside in the Library of Cair Paravel.
-"I do remember, Sir, your most elevated interest in the matter – but you almost broke my heart by telling me the School I wanted to pay for could not be here in the West."
-"Very so true, my dear Tumnus, it cannot be here; because from the west will come the hardships worst yet for Narnia. And to keep the Book in existence and the memories of me alive; the School must be placed where it may be hidden by the dryads; moving their trees to the east."
And the less I wanted to agree, I had realised that the Lion was right. If an invasion came form the mountains, security for Narnian inheritance would best be found close to the sea; but not in the Cair that had to be brought down for any invasion to succeed.
-"So we agreed on a plot of land to be given by the Lord of an old Estate south of Glasswater."
-"Where I had brought a knight to defeat the darkness, I find it suitable that a beacon lighting up the future cultural darkness might be."
-"So we agree now, Lord Aslan, so we agreed back then." But how could it be that I could not now remember when this was – or even awake not remember even the agreement as such.?"
-"Worry not, my child, but rest now. All will be done as for the best of Narnia; your very generous donation included. Sleep now, have your liquids – and next time I come, I do that to bring you home to my Country and my Father's throne.
I could feel the Lion lick my forehead and breathe life into me; so much life that my body declined the need for a nap. If I had ever begun sleeping?
-"Did you sleep well, Mr. Tumnus?" It was the nurse greeting, and getting no answer from me she continued: "I am sure you did. You have smiled and mentioned Aslan's name several times. And now you look much younger and surrounded by a hint of golden light."
-"Ahem," said the teacher standing beside the small student's desk. Are we sure that we have not misunderstood the task ahead of us?
-"How so, madame?"
-"Was it not that the paper should be telling the Origins of Narnia? Was not that the assignment?"
-"Yes, of course, madame, I am writing about the Origins."
If the student had been older and more experienced, the kid had realised how hard it was for the normally stern teacher to stay serious.
-"I am writing about the famous book of Origins; and how it came to be kept here in Mr. Tumnus' School and therefore how I know the contents of it."
-"Hmm. And are you sure said Tumnus ever got that old? And felt that …?"
-"I can not be sure now, madame; not before I get aged and aged. But maybe my dearest of all the teachers here may advise me?"
To this the young teacher, knowing she was exactly four years older than the student and serving on her very first teaching position, suddenly looked like she was going to be sick and so less dignified than she wanted swiftly sprinted out of the room.
If the student had not been so caught up in essay writing, the poor kid might have worried. How good it did not worry, because what the teacher did in reality do, as soon as the door was closed behind her, was what we earthlings would call 'laughing her head off'