I own nothing, except Ester.
Susan walked beside Lucy listening to her go on and on about the wonderful things they will do today. Edmund kept to himself but kept looking over the trees while following his sisters. Peter and Ester however were talking about Polly Plummer, Ester's grandmother.
"So, she told you stories of this place?" Peter asked as Ester grip on his hand tightened as another breeze rolled past.
"Yeah," Ester bit her lip and glanced at Peter before quickly looking back to where she was walking. "I was stunned when Lucy said the name of this place. I have no idea how my gran knew about this place, I always they believed they were just bedtime stories."
"This is no story." Peter said and sped up a little as Lucy came to a stop.
The door on Mr. Tumnus house was broken and hanging by one door hinge. Lucy quickly ran forward and Susan kept right on her heel. Edmund seemed distant and he bit his lip while looking at the door. Ester pulled Peter behind her towards the house and he didn't complain about the tight grip Ester had on him. When Ester reached the door behind Susan she cautiously made her way inside. Ester pushed a small end table away with her foot and almost instantly Lucy flew over to Ester and wrapped her arms around Esters stomach.
Peter then released her hand and walked over to the middle of the room which had a piece of paper that was nailed to the old wooden support, and he read it silently. That's when Edmund finally walked into the room and he looked around with raised eyebrows.
"Who would do something like this?" Lucy asked up as Ester crouched down in front of Lucy. Ester shrugged sadly and held Lucy tightly.
Everyone heard a snap and saw that Edmund had stepped on a picture unknowingly. He picked it up and saw a faun and asked Lucy if that was Tumnus.
"It's his father." Ester replied and he nodded setting it on the table.
"Peter, what's that on the wall?" Susan asked noticing what Peter was reading. Peter ripped off the paper and read it aloud.
"The Former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, also to comforting her said Majesty's enemies, harbouring spies and fraternizing with Humans. Signed Maugrim, captain of the Secret Police, Long live the Queen." Peter finished handing it over to Susan who looked very frightened.
"Now we should really go." Susan said dropping the paper to the floor and looking at her siblings.
"But we have to help him!" Lucy stated letting go of Ester and Ester stood up again.
"It's out of our hands now Lu." Peter smiled sympathetically and Ester raised her eyebrows.
"You don't get it do you?" Ester asked crossing her arms. "Lucy's the human. He helped her, and socialized with me."
"Maybe we should call the police?" Peter offered and Susan scoffed rolling er eyes.
"These are the police!" Susan cried unhappily.
"Beside, he's a criminal!" Edmund yelled and Lucy glared at him harshly.
"Don't worry Lucy, we'll think of something." Peter said to Lucy but looked at Ester to reassure her as well.
Then they heard a 'psst' come fro one of the trees and Susan looked indescribably shocked. There was a robin sitting on the tree that was hoping from side to side on the tree slowly.
"Did that robin just 'psst' us?" Susan asked with wide eyes.
The group walked outside cautiously and the robin flew away from the branch. Susan claimed it must have been a strange noise in the wind. Then they heard a snap come from a bush right near the entrance to Tumnus' house. Peter ushered them all behind him and Edmund of course refused. Peter smiled and chuckled at his worry when a beaver popped out from behind the small bush.
"It's a beaver." Lucy said smiling slightly at it.
"Here, boy." Peter crouched down and held out his hand making a clicking sound. "Come here." Peter said in a quiet tone making a few more clicking sounds.
"Well, I ain't gonna smell it if that's what you want!" The beaver claimed standing up on it's hind legs and patting the ground twice with his tail.
"It's a talking beaver!" Edmund shouted stating the obvious.
"Lucy Pevensie?" The beaver asked looking between the girls.
"Yes?" Lucy asked stepping closer to it despite Susan's protests. The beaver handed her a small white handkerchief. "This is the handkerchief I gave to Mr-"
"Tumnus." The beaver finished for him. "He gave it to me just before they took him."
"Is he alright?" Lucy asked suddenly looking hopeful.
"Further in." The beaver uttered scurrying off into the trees. Peter began to follow but Susan grabbed his sleeve.
"Peter, we don't know what your doing." Susan stated and Peter turned to face her.
"She's right. How do we know we can trust this beaver?" Edmund stated crossing his arms not wanting to agree with Susan but he'd rather that than follow Peter.
"He says he knows the faun." Peter answered shrugging and Ester nodded agree with him.
"He's a beaver." Susan said pausing between each word. "He shouldn't be saying anything!"
"Is everything alright?" The beaver asked popping out from the spot were he left.
"Yes, we were just talking." Peter turned to look down at the brown mammal.
"That's better left for safer corners." The beaver whispered looking around before scurrying off again. Lucy followed behind quickly and Ester slowly followed but turned to the confused three first.
"He means the trees." Ester looked around and grabbed Peter's sleeve making him begin walking before she dropped it.
They all walked silently following the beaver. They walked out of the forest and between to very large cliffs that made Ester feel so small. They were underneath a bridge of some sort when they caught sight of the dam. It was seemingly perfect to Ester. Lucy must of had the same thought.
"There is home sweet home." Mr. Beaver said not pausing to look but instead just kept walking.
"Oh, what a beautiful dam, Mr. Beaver." Lucy complimented making both Ester and Peter smile.
"Merely a trifle." Mr. Beaver said modestly and Ester believed that if animals blushed, he would.
Beaver led them towards the dam and when they were a few feet away another beaver walked around from behind it and started speaking before they were in her sights.
"Is that you Beaver? I find out you've been out with Badger again I'll... oh, they're not badgers. I never thoguht I would see this day." Mrs. Beaver spoke gently as she looked at Beaver. "You couldn't give me ten minutes warning? Look at this fur." She complained trying to quickly run her hands over it.
"I would've given you a week if I thought it would help." Mr. Beaver chuckled at his own joke and everyone else but Edmund and Mrs. Beaver cracked a smile.
"Well you must be cold," Mrs. Beaver paused. "And hungry. Let's get you inside for some food and civilized conversation."
Everyone followed Mrs. Beaver into the house and Peter looked around asking where Ed is but moments later Mr. Beaver returned with Ed. Mrs. Beaver instructed everyone to take a seat and they did happily not wanting to hunch over anymore in the short dam.
"Fish and sticks, dear." Mrs. Beaver smiled placing the tray of food onto the centre of the table.
"Is there nothing we can do about Mr. Tumnus?" Peter asked looking between the two beavers while everyone else got some food.
"Well... there's hope!" Mrs. Beaver claimed turning on a kettle.
"There's a load full of hope." Mr. Beaver waved them all in closer. "Aslan, is on the move." He whispered and waited for a happy reaction.
"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asked sitting by the door eating a chip.
Mr. Beaver began laughing and everyone just looked at him and Mrs. Beaver put her hand on his furry arm.
"Aslan, you silly little blighter." Mr. Beaver looked at Edmund who had raised one eyebrow in confusion. "You don't know do you?"
"Well we haven't actually been here very long." Peter informed him and Ester covered her mouth trying to chew her fish and swallow faster so she could speak.
"He's the great lion, right?" Ester asked looking at Mrs. Beaver who nodded.
"He's not jut that, he's the true king of Narnia... and he's waiting for you!" Mr. Beaver explained and everyone just looked even more confused.
"Waiting for us?" Lucy asked what everyone else had been thinking.
"You got to be joking!" Mr. Beaver proclaimed getting seemingly frustrated. "Look, Aslan's return, Tumnus' arrest.. the secret police! They're all happening because of you!"
"You're blaming us?" Susan asked sounding insulted and Mrs. Beaver shook her head quickly.
"Not blaming you dear, thanking you." She clarified.
"There's a prophecy, when Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits in in Cair Paravel in throne the evil is over and done." Mr. Beaver recited looking to each person sitting in the little dam.
"You know that doesn't really rhyme." Susan muttered looking at Mr. Beaver.
"I know, but you're kind of missing the point." Mr. Beaver sighed looking at Susan.
"It's long been told that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will appear to defeat the White Witch, and restore peace to Narnia."
"See? You're wrong. There's three girls." Susan said looking at them accusingly.
"Mr. Beaver..." Mrs. Beaver went quiet but Ester frowned.
"I'm not actually related to them. I can go..." Ester mumbled awkwardly and everyone looked at her.
"See?" Mr. Beaver mocked Susan and looked at Ester. "Two of each."
"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asked looking at the beavers.
"You better be, Aslan's already fitted out your army!" Mr. Beaver said shocking everyone.
"I think you've made a mistake; we're not heroes!" Peter said raising his voice trying to make them understand.
"We're from Finchley!" Susan said loudly as if that mattered.
"I think it's time we were going." Peter declared standing up from his seat hitting his head on the roof making Ester chuckled despite the situation.
"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy asked frowning.
"Sorry Lucy." Peter looked seriously at her. "It's out of our hands."
"Thank you for your hospitality." Susan stood up slowly and smiled politely.
"Ed, time to go." Peter looked around the room and called his name again. When he realized that Ed wasn't here he turned to face Susan. "I'm going to kill him."
"You may not have to." Mr. Beaver looked to Lucy specifically. "Has Edmund been to Narnia before?
Lucy nodded and Mr. Beaver sighed. He instructed they all follow him outside and they did. Edmund could be mistaken for a tree but the movement was clear as day. There was a small black spec of a shape moving towards a grand castle that Ester would have loved seeing had there not been a very evil witch residing there. Peter began to ran, yelling for the others to hurry up. They began running up a hill and they lost sight of Ed. Peter made it to the top first and stopped. Ester was the second last to reach the top and she turned to offer her hand to Lucy who kept slipping in the snow.
When Ester had pulled Lucy up she turned and saw what everyone else did. Edmund walk through the grand doors of the castle.