Chapter Eleven
Tumnus slowly opened his eyes when he heard someone softly humming and yawned. He felt someone stroking his hair when he looked up and his eyes widened, seeing the third female faun smiling at down at him.
"Get away from me!" Tumnus said as he tried to sit up, but the room titled around him and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to make the room stop spinning.
"I am so sorry," she whispered as he held her and she rocked him back and forth.
"You tried to kill me!"
"No, what I did was give you something that slowed your heartbeat to the point of death. That allowed you to visit the spirit world and communicate with your mother and brothers. You were in no danger," she said as he opened his eyes then looked deeply into her eyes and she stroked his back.
"I remember," he whispered as he felt his mind fuzzing over with sleep and sighed, half closing his eyes.
"What do you remember?"
"I remember my mother," he said as he opened his eyes again and noticed that she had lowered her hood. His eyes flickered opened a little wider as she smiled down at him and he snuggled closer, placing his arm around her waist. 'You look like her."
"Well, that's because she is my niece," she said and he gave her a puzzled look. "Do you remember when I said it wasn't good to keep secrets from one's parents or keep things from one's father?"
"Yes," he said with a nod of his head.
"When I was picked to become an elder, my father and mother refused. My father stated that the Elders were nothing, but evil creatures and I wasn't going with them. The day I was supposed to leave with the Elders, I…"
"You told your father you were going somewhere else and secretly left with the Elders?"
"Yes," she said as he sadly smiled at her and she brushed the hair from his eyes. "I lost everything and everyone I loved, but they did let me observe my family from time to time. I watched my niece grow and become a wife and mother, but I was unable to save her when the wolves attacked."
"I see. Uh, I have noticed something. Before I did the first test, I dreamt about the day I met Tinkleberry and how I had to kill the spider that was going to eat her. Before I did the second test, I dreamt about when I nearly drowned in a stream when I was small. And now, before you nearly killed me…" he said and she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Sorry. Anyway, I was dreaming about my brothers and how much I missed my mother. All three tests were based on those dreams. How did you do that?"
"We can enter someone's mind while they're sleeping and see their memories, fears and dreams. It isn't something we do on a regular basis, but it does come in handy."
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"
"My name is Tyra."
"So, uh, I passed the test then?"
"Yes, you did," Tyra said as he tried to sit up, but she gently pulled him back against her and rocked him back and forth. "But I don't think you should try to sit up. The potion I gave you will take time to wear off."
Nodding his head, he yawned then closed his eyes as she softly hummed in his ear and he slowly drifted back to sleep.
The door opened while Aryana, Orin, Brock and Tinkleberry stood in front of the large, stone alter when the Elders led Tumnus into the room and Tinkleberry ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she hugged him. He hugged back then let go when he walked to Arayna and she took his hands, locking eyes with him while he smiled sweetly at her.
"Hello," Arayna whispered as he glanced over at the Elders then gently kissed her lips and brushed the hair behind her left ear. They watched the Elders walking closer when he turned and saw something in the first female faun's hands. The dim light from the ceiling shimmered on the white orb as it sparkled in its own light and the first female faun looked at Tumnus.
"Seeing that you have survived the tests, I give you The Eye of The Moon," the first female faun said as he held his hands out and she placed the white orb in his hands. He felt the power pulsating from the white orb as Tumnus tilted his head to one side and smiled.
"Thank you," Tumnus said, slightly nodding his head.
"I must tell you that the Eye of the Moon is very powerful. Many have tried to harness the power, but none have," the second female faun and Tumnus looked at the white orb while the white light swirled behind the glass.
"I guess you will be leaving now," Tyra said as he looked at her and saw the sadness in her eyes.
"Yes," Tumnus said while he barely nodded his head while Tinkleberry thought of something and walked to Tumnus then placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I just thought of something. How do we get home?" Tinkleberry asked and the first female faun smiled.
"All you have to do is think of home and it will take you there," the first female faun said as Tumnus looked at the white orb then closed his eyes. Orin and Brock stood next to Aryna and Tinkleberry as a white light spread out from the white orb and they closed their eyes. The white light flared as the runes on the marble columns shimmered in a gold light then the white light died down as the Elders turned and left the cavern while the doors closed slowly behind them.
The door to Tumnus' home lay on the ground as the white light flared then faded while Tumnus opened his eyes and held Arayna against his side. Sniffing the air, Brock walked to them when it sat on the ground next to them then laid on the ground, placing its chin on top of its paws.
"This isn't home," Brock growled as Tumnus looked down at Brock then looked at the doorway to his former home and sighed.
"This is, um, this is my home," Tumnus said as they walked closer and Arayna looked at the door lying on the ground. Suddenly the white orb started glowing as the white light swirled under the glass and Tumnus felt the heat coming off of the glass. The white orb floated into the air when the white orb sailed over the door and swirled around in a circle. They watched as the door slowly floated into the air when the white orb sailed inside, the door slowly floated back to the opening.
"Um, what is it doing?" Tinkleberry asked as she stood next to Tumnus and he shrugged a shoulder. They watched as lights sparked from behind the glass of the windows after the glass reformed when the door opened and the white orb floated out, landing in Tumnus' hands. They slowly walked to the doorway then went inside as they stood on the top of the stairs and Tumnus nearly dropped the orb.
"Oh my word," Miser Tumnus whispered when he handed the white orb to Tinkleberry then carefully walked down the stairs and the tears trickled down his cheeks. He walked to the kitchen area when he opened the cupboard and took down one of the china teacups, looking at the blue swirls on the sides of the teacup. He placed the teacup back onto the shelf as he touched the little stove and picked up the teakettle. He saw his face shining in the surface of the teakettle as he smiled and placed the teakettle on the little stove. He walked around the room while they watched from the top of the stairs and he wiped the tears from his eyes. "It fixed and replaced everything. Even the things that were destroyed when the wolves attacked and the things I had to sell."
They watched Tumnus walk to the bookcase when he moved his finger along the spines of the books then reached up, picking the little, wooden centaur off the shelf. He held the little, wooden centaur to his chest as he smiled then blinked the tears from his eyes and placed the little, wooden centaur back on the shelf. Aryana walked down the stairs while he walked to the wooden table when he looked at the picture of his father and picked up the frame. Lucy had told him that his father had a nice face and he realized just how much he did look like him.
"Who is this?" Arayna asked as she pointed to the other frame as he looked at the picture and picked up the frame.
"That is my mother," Tumnus said softly as she placed her hand on his shoulder and he sighed, placing the frame back on the wooden table.
"She is very pretty," she said as he nodded and Tinkleberry, Orin and Brock walked down the stairs.
"Who's this?" Tinkleberry asked when she brought over the frame she found on the mantel and Tumnus looked at the picture while a stunned look appeared on his face.
"Oh my word, this is me and my brothers! But that can't be! I tossed this into the fire when I got mad about something!" Tumnus said as he handed the frame to her and looked at the white orb in his hand. "Just how powerful is this thing?"
After handing the white orb to Arayna, they watched while Tumnus walked to the stairs then went upstairs, walking around the small room. He looked at the straw mats when he saw the wooden cradle sitting in the corner and he walked to the small cradle. He knelt down when he saw the blanket inside the small cradle and picked up the blanket. He sniffed the blanket when he smelt something familiar and smiled, tears trickling down his cheeks. It was his mother's scent and he placed the blanket back in the cradle when he stood up and walked back down the stairs. Tumnus walked to the stairs then went up the stairs while they followed him and he opened the door, going outside. A short time later they arrived at the lamppost when he stopped and watched the flame flickering behind the glass.
"Now this is interesting," he said as he looked at the green leaves and the white orb shimmered in Tinkleberry's hands and he placed his hand on the lamppost. "The leaves are green."
"But how can that be? It's late autumn/early winter," Arayna said as he nodded and Tinkleberry handed Tumnus the white orb.
"What do you think happened?" she asked when the white orb started glowing and Orin and Brock walked closer, standing next to them. Before they could move, the white light increased then flared as they vanished and the flame flickered softly behind the glass.
The throne room was quiet as Lucy, Susan, Edmund and Peter sat on the thrones and Lucy picked at the arm of the throne. Suddenly the doors opened when Tilnus, Aranno and Oreius came inside and Peter lifted his head, looking at them.
"Have the search parties returned?" Peter asked as Tilnus, Aranno and Oreius stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at them.
"Yes, but they report there's still not sign of them," Oreius said and Peter sighed, brushing the hair out of his eyes.
"They couldn't have just disappeared," Edmund said when a white light appeared behind Oreius, Aranno and Tilnus and Lucy stood up, walking to the top of the stairs.
"What is that?" Lucy shouted when the white light died down and her eyes went wide then she ran down the stairs, passed Oreius, Aranno and Tilnus and hugged Tumnus.
"Hello," Tumnus said as Peter, Susan and Edmund ran down the stairs and he noticed the angry look in his father's eyes.
"Where have you been?" Peter asked with an angry tone in his voice and Tumnus sighed, looking down at his hooves.
"Well, um, ah..." Tumnus said as he told them what had happened when Tilnus walked closer and gently smiled at Arayna, who smiled back and slid her hand into Tumnus' hand.
"Thanking for saving my son," Tilnus said as she nodded her head then he looked at Tinkleberry and she looked down at the floor. "There is no need to be ashamed. None of us blame you for what happened." He then turned to Tumnus and sighed, rolling his eyes. "As for you, what have I told you about that stream?"
"I am not supposed to go near it," Tumnus said while rolling his eyes and Tilnus gave him a stern looked then smiled, hugging him.
"What I don't understand is how it can be spring. It should be late autumn/early winter," Aryana said,
"Is it possible that the orb sent you back in time?" Peter asked.
"When it comes to this thing, I wouldn't be surprised," Tumnus said.
"Are you going to keep it?" Lucy asked as she looked at the white orb and the white orb shimmered in Tinkleberry's hands. Before Tumnus could answer her, the white orb rose up and floated into the air. They watched as the white orb sailed out of the throne room and they left the room while the doors slowly closed behind them. They went up the stairs when the white orb sailed down the hallway and went into Tumnus' room. A few moments later the white orb sailed out of the room as the white orb returned to Tumnus' hand and the white light softly pulsated under the glass. Walking to the doorway, Tumnus placed his hand on the door when he walked inside the room and his eyes widened, seeing that the room, like his house, had been repaired.
"Oh my," Tumnus whispered as he walked to the small, wooden stool and saw his red, woolen scarf folded neatly on the small, wooden stool and the dark green scarf with the white lining and the golden fringe on the ends was on the stand in the corner. He walked to the stand when he touched the dark green scarf then walked to the bed and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at the rainbow flowers as he breathed in the scented air then jumped, seeing Arayna standing in front of him.
"Are these rainbow flowers?" Arayna asked while she walked closer and sniffed one of the rainbow flowers.
"Yes," Tumnus said softly and she smiled when Tinkleberry walked to the wooden table and her eyes went wide.
"My house!" Tinkleberry said as they turned and watched her change size and vanish into the small house.
"Someone is happy to be home," Arayna teased as Tumnus nodded his head and his fingers gently brushed against hers.
"If you don't mind me asking, are you staying now that your room has been repaired?" Lucy asked as Tumnus got up, walked to her and sighed, placing the white orb on his red, woolen scarf.
"I don't know," he sighed when Lucy looked at Peter and Tumnus scratched the back of his head.
"Peter, please tell him that he has to stay!" Lucy said as tears prickled the corners of her eyes and Tumnus took her hand, swinging her hand back and forth.
"Lucy, as much as I'd like to stay, you have to remember that there are fauns here that want to kill me," Tumnus said while Tinkleberry came out of the small house then changed shape, standing next to him.
"Maybe if you talked to them they would leave you alone," Lucy said as he looked at her then thought for a few moments and sighed.
"Well, I did want to speak with them."
"Then come," she said as she half dragged him to the door while Peter slightly smiled and Tinkleberry picked up the white orb. The door closed behind them as they headed down the hallway and Tumnus felt his stomach tightening. Thinking about what he had learned, he balled his hand into a fist and the sound of their footsteps echoed down the hallway.