Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the original texts by C. S. Lewis. I do, however, own a few of the crazy ones I made up. Enjoy, my loves!

Dearly Beloved
"All that spirits desire, spirits attain."
Kahlil Gibran

Tumnus ran his hands haphazardly through his rumpled hair, scratching behind his ear momentarily. However, the sensation he experienced was one similar to the one caused by Lucy the night before as he tried his best to comfort the poor girl. His proverbial relaxing stroll was not having the initial impact he had intended, Tumnus thought with a sigh, rounding the hill near the falls. Maybe he'd have a nice swim instead.

Swimming. The stream. Lucy.

Everything seemed to remind him of spending time together. Why he had decided to feel this way now, Tumnus would never know. He had cared very deeply about Lucy for the past ten years, and not once in that decade had he ever felt anything remotely resembling romantic desire toward her.

But last night, as he watched her lower lip tremble with desperation, Tumnus could not help entertaining the thought of what it would be like to kiss her…

x0x

Lucy ran as fast as her legs would carry her down the moonlit path she knew all too well. Such a cumbersome dress had her tripping all over the place, over roots and rocks that seemed to jut out from the forest with the mal intent to deter her visit to the only person who could possibly help her.

There was very little light coming from inside the cave, though Lucy knew her dear friend would not mind in the least that she was paying him a visit so late in the evening. She raised a shaking hand to the doorknocker, banging it repeatedly against its pewter cradle.

"Mr. Tumnus?" she called breathlessly, the lump in her throat rapidly expanding causing her voice to come out quite thick. "Please," Lucy cried, letting go of the cold metal ring before wrapping her arms around her middle. She had felt sick all evening, the faces and names of the many men…her suitors…becoming one big blur.

He had been attempting all evening to sleep, even trying music and books to soothe his weary mind. Thoughts of Lucy had plagued him ever since they parted that afternoon, and now, he was imagining her voice outside his cave.

Suddenly, Tumnus jolted out of bed like a shot, racing to the door as he realized he was not dreaming.

As soon as he pushed open the door, Lucy gasped with relief and embraced him. She was clinging to him as if some invisible force were trying to pull her away. No such thing would happen, he vowed, rubbing her back in what he hoped were soothing motions.

"Shhh," he whispered to the trembling girl in his arms. "What is it? What's the matter, Lucy?" Tumnus inquired, only barely managing to keep from bursting into hysterics himself. Not once, in ten years, had he ever seen her this upset.

"Oh, Mr. Tumnus," Lucy sighed, her tears beginning to spill down her cheeks, "it's awful. They're forcing…Edmund and I have to…nothing can be done!"

The faun shook his head gently and kicked the door closed with his hoof. He led her inside gently, her face still buried in the crook of his neck., his skin now quite damp with her tears.

"No, no, dear girl," he said, sitting with her on the floor in front of the dying fire. "Slow down. Deep breaths," Tumnus coached her, pleased that her labored breathing finally slowed. "Now," he continued, pulling away to look at her fretful face. "Whatever could have made you so upset? Eyes like yours weren't meant to cry like this."

Truly, her bright green eyes shone from the glowing embers dying in the fireplace and the crystal tears coating their surface.

"Susan is betrothed to Prince Corin," Lucy said quietly, still not quite believing the news herself.

Tumnus shook his head, confused. "Is that all? Well, why aren't you happy?" The faun laughed, nudging Lucy in the side with his elbow. "You have always been close to Lady Aravis and the princes of Archenland, so I do not see why you should be so…Lucy?" he asked, inquiring as to why she looked more miserable at that moment than he had ever seen her.

"Edmund has a fortnight to choose a bride for himself, and then marry," she continued, repeating the words spoken by the High King himself not an hour ago.

"Oh, my," Tumnus mumbled, suddenly quite sympathetic for the boy. "And you are upset because of the--"

"I am upset," Lucy continued for him, searching his face for any sign of help he could offer, "because in three weeks' time, I will be married as well."

He fell silent, his eyes flashing with anger. He knew of the old laws; certainly, he had been around much longer than any of the Pevensie children, so their substantiality had been common knowledge to him for his entire life. But never, in a million years, did Tumnus believe that King Peter would enforce them.

Lucy sighed and wiped away the tears that streaked her face. "Apparently, something has been set forth into motion by Peter's impending marriage. Upon the eve of his wedding, Susan will have one week in which to make the preparations for her own. Ed will have until the week after that, and I will…well, save the best for last, right?" she joked, trying in vain to lift her spirits.

He could only nod despondently as she told him of the events of the evening, ranging from Hersilia insisting she wear her finest jewels and silk dress to the many men she had met that night, all apparently vying for her hand in marriage.

Tumnus' mouth was suddenly quite dry as he imagined the countless imbeciles who dared to deem themselves worthy of becoming his best friend's betrothed.

A strangled sob interrupted his inner rage, and suddenly everything was put into perspective.

Her happiness, her love, his Lucy…was all that mattered.

He let her cry. He let her scream at the top of her lungs. He held her tightly as she grew weak with the efforts put forth into grief, and just barely fought every internal urge to groan contentedly as she rubbed the back of his head with her fingertips before falling asleep in his arms.

But just barely.

x0x

Maybe Peter was right in deeming her ready to marry, Tumnus thought with a sneer, weaving through the many boulders that blocked his path to the rushing water. She was of age, after all. But a wedding in less than a month? A royal decree? Droves of suitors being ushered in from all over Aslan's kingdom?

He doubted she'd stay sane, cooped up in the palace with appointments and responsibilities and such.

He doubted he'd stay sane without her usually comforting presence at his side.

Lately, however, the mere thought of Lucy was unsettling to the faun. A lack of sleep was inevitable; whenever he closed his eyes, visions of unlacing that thing…a corset, she had told him it was called…and smelling her sweet scent would invade his senses.

Tumnus shook his head. He was supposed to be taking this time to clear his head and sort out his feelings. The cold water would chase away any unwelcome thoughts he was having.

He kept walking until the rippling waves were at his waist. Tumnus took a few deep breaths before diving in, head first. He swam until he grew tired, and then swam a bit longer for good measure. He was certain an hour had passed, just floating about in the pool under the falls. The sun would set soon, and Lucy would have already spent a full day with those who had come to woo her into their good graces.

The faun felt a sneer replace his neutral expression. The thought of all those faceless, nameless men leering at her as if she were a prize to be won made him sick to his stomach. It was his Lucy they were after, didn't they know? Didn't they know she liked two spoonfuls of honey in her tea? Didn't they know her favorite Narnian lullabies, and furthermore, how to play them? Didn't they know that it was he who was at her side day in and day out for the past ten years?

It might be high time they did, Tumnus resolved, both confused and enthralled at how much of a claim he felt he held over the young queen.

Then, as if someone were shaking him from a dream, he heard singing off in the distance. Neck deep in the deep waters, Tumnus looked around for the source of the angelic voice which had brought him out of his thinking. Possibly a dryad in the trees, he considered, looking to the treetops for the forest beings.

The melancholy song became louder, he noticed, treading water in a circle once more. A branch snapped off in the distance as a figure came into view at the edge of the clearing. A girl, Tumnus recognized with an sigh, wearing full skirts and shiny bobbles wrapped around her bare neck, ears, and wrists. Her face was tinted with the most unnatural colors, and…she had been crying, streaks of black tumbling down her red cheeks.

Lucy.

His Lucy.

The singing, Tumnus realized, had been no song at all. Her moans and sobbing had tricked his ears into believing the girl was actually happy, when she was, in fact, miserable. He ached to go to her, to hold her as he did the night before and tell her everything would be alright. But, if he were to be honest to himself, he was anything but certain that things would turn out for the best for his dear friend. Or, for that matter, for himself as well. Instead of reaching out to her in their mutual time of need, Tumnus remained hidden in the rushes in the deep water alongside the left bank.

If she truly was as distressed as she looked, he swore to himself, he would go to her in an instant.

She sniffled and reached up to unfasten the heavy jewels locked around her throat. Lucy took a labored breath and let the cool stones slip from her fingertips and fall to the ground with a thud. The matching earrings and bracelets came off next, leaving her feeling a bit less weighted down, though her heart was ten times as heavy as any mass of jewels.

"What am I to do?" she lamented softly to herself, wringing her pale hands together as she looked out over the waters. The lake, she had once believed, held all the secrets to life. It was her cure-all potion for practically every malady that would venture her way. She and Mr. Tumnus would sit against its shores and talk through any problem for hours until it was all sorted out.

The thought of her best friend made her shake with another round of sobs. "Tumnus," Lucy muttered under her quickening breath, wishing he were with her that very moment. She sank to her knees suddenly, feeling quite faint. Everything around her had gone dark, save for a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Tumnus," she whispered once more, her entire body going limp in the faun's strong arms.

x0x

Author's Note: Oh my goodness, you guys! I cannot believe just how many of you have been following this little story! It all came to me one day over a year ago, and I finally sat down and decided to write the words and scenes I had played with in my head for so long. Please, continue to review and make suggestions! Without your interest and support, I really do not think I would continue. You kids mean more to me than you'll ever know. :-D A BRAND NEW chapter is to come soon! Happy reading!