A/N: I don't even leave this over a weekend, and I get 8 reviews? You guys rock! Okay, I meant at first to write 6 chapters, but this one just wouldn't wrap up (stupid Muse!). So now the story will be (insert drum roll…) 8 chapters long! And yes, the Queen's throne was the Silver Chair: Robin and jasonc65 get ham sandwiches! How could the Witch sit in it and remained unharmed? Either she is unaffected by her own magic, or the throne is normal now and was enchanted afterwards.
Disclaimer: Although I dream about owning Narnia, such a ridiculous thing would never come to pass.
A Faun's Tale
Chapter Six: Such a lovely sight
A sense of warmth – a lovely golden smell – sounds rising out of nothingness. Mr. Tumnus was gradually regaining his senses, and he had never been more confused.
The Queen had raised her wand – she had said terrible things – but where was she now? He couldn't see… but he could feel a pleasant tingling starting in his hooves and spreading all the way up to his horns. And he could hear chaotic noises all around him, voices and bustle like he hadn't heard since the pandemonium surrounding his nephew's sixth birthday.
The blackness that cloaked his eyes was slowly fading into blurred shapes, which sharpened as he kept looking at them. Mr. Tumnus shook his curly head in an attempt to clear it, and once his vision had finally been regained, he doubted whether or not he was truly awake. Or even sane.
He was standing in what he eventually realized was the hall of the White Witch's House. However, it had been unrecognizable at first glance due to the present occupants. There were beings of all shapes and sizes rushing about everywhere: centaurs, dogs, nymphs, birds, winged horses, and even a kangaroo. Mr. Tumnus scrubbed at his eyes, but the large, laughing, shouting crowd remained, very out of place in the gloom and dust that surrounded them.
"Oh, Mr. Tumnus!"
The little Faun turned, and his eyes alighted upon a small figure standing next to him. The corners of his mouth curled up into a wide smile. Laughing, he took Lucy by the hands, and they danced for sheer joy of seeing one another again.
"Mr. Tumnus, you're all right!" Lucy piped, her face flushed with excitement.
"Perfectly", the Faun assured her. Indeed, he couldn't remember a time when he felt better.
Lucy tugged eagerly at his hand. "Mr. Tumnus, I want you to meet my sister. This is Susan."
The Faun smiled at the older girl and gave a little bow. "Pleased to meet you, I'm sure", he said, then glanced about the bustling hall. "But – forgive me – how did all of this happen?"
He listened open-mouthed as Lucy and Susan began to relate all that had befallen them, and their brothers, since the four children had tumbled into Narnia. They had just reached the part when Aslan's people had rescued Edmund, when they were interrupted by someone's approach.
It was the Lion himself.
Mr. Tumnus was so overwhelmed that he threw himself to his knees, completely startling Lucy and Susan. "My Lord", he gasped, looking up into those large, bright eyes. Aslan merely looked back at him, his expression unspeakably gentle. Soon the little Faun, who was already a nervous wreck, could stand it no longer. "I'm so – so sorry, Aslan!" he cried, "I've done terrible, terrible things, and – and – and –" Quite overcome, the poor Faun burst into noisy tears.
"Why, Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy exclaimed, "You did nothing wrong. You helped me, you silly, dear old Faun." The Faun only sobbed even harder, wiping his eyes with the end of his tail, which was becoming quite bedraggled.
"The child is right", Aslan rumbled, and Mr. Tumnus hiccupped in surprise as he attempted to compose himself. "For the evils you imagine yourself to have committed, I forgive you. And for the good you do not imagine to have done, I commend you."
The Faun stared up at the golden Lion, a little confused, yet overcome with gratitude. Lucy beamed at him fondly, and the doubt and guilt that had shrouded Mr. Tumnus' mind for many years finally thawed and melted away. If only his father could see him now, kneeling before Aslan, beside two Daughters of Eve! It was like one of the tales of old; Limnus would barely recognize his own son. The Faun felt himself glow with pride. "I will never doubt you again, Aslan", he said fervently, and as he said the words he knew them to be true.
Soon the happy, chattering throng of creatures had spilled out into the wide stone courtyard. Mr. Tumnus glanced up at the high gates of the Witch's House, and some of his euphoria faded. "But how are we going to get out?" he asked, looking around wildly for perhaps an open doorway or a ladder. Neither appeared.
"That'll be all right", Aslan said, and in no time at all Giant Rumblebuffin had been called upon.
"Stand well back from the gate, all you little 'uns", the giant grunted. Mr. Tumnus seized Lucy and Susan by their hands and hurried to take shelter behind a large centaur. As Rumblebuffin moved to attack the gates with his club, the Faun covered his eyes – a giant wielding a club is a fearsome sight to behold, even if he is a Buffin. After three loud crashes the door was in ruins, and Giant Rumblebuffin started on the towers. Soon the courtyard was full of people wheezing and coughing from the dust stirred up by falling rubble.
When the air had finally cleared, a solemn silence descended on the crowd. The Narnians gazed, awestruck, out at the verdant world that awaited them.
Mr. Tumnus was breathless with wonder; all of his life his home had been a bleak, cruel, snow-covered land frozen for a hundred years. He had never before seen such a lovely sight. The little Faun stared at the swaying trees, the glistening streams, and the azure hills that rose off in the distance. He had seen these things before in pictures and heard about them in stories, but it was a thousand times better to actually be in a land so green and fresh. Most glorious of all was the sky, no longer a thick dull-grey wash, but now bluer than sapphire and twice as clear. He sniffed the new, clean air perfumed by fragrant flowers, and revelled in the warmth of the radiant sun on his cheek. Something else was different, too… it took the Faun a few minutes to realize that it was birdsong, the tunes so joyous and heartfelt that he hadn't known them for what they were.
"What is it?" a young dog, no more than a puppy, asked. He was wriggling with excitement, tail wagging frantically.
A nymph answered, her melodious voice reverent: "It's Spring."
Mr. Tumnus was so enchanted, that he was only torn away from the sight when Rumblebuffin, mistaking Lucy for a handkerchief, plucked the girl from his side.
At length, Aslan clapped his large paws together. "Our day's work is not yet over", he announced, looking over the cheery multitude. "And if the Witch is to be finally defeated before bedtime we must find the battle at once."
Battle? Mr. Tumnus gulped and stared open-mouthed at Aslan.
"And join in, I hope, sir!" exclaimed the large centaur that Mr. Tumnus and the girls had harboured behind only minutes before.
"Of course", said Aslan.
Mr. Tumnus did not hear the rest of the Lion's words – he was too busy worrying about what was going to happen. Who had said anything about a battle? Perhaps Lucy hadn't explained that part to him yet. He looked dazedly at the sheepdog who was rushing around, nudging people into position, and allowed himself to be steered away. The Faun watched Lucy clamber up onto Aslan's back with her sister, and wondered how she could be taking it so well.
"A battle!" Mr. Tumnus said to himself, "Oh, dear…"
A/N: I'd like to encourage everyone to check out some fanfics. First: Greenbean347's "Your Freedom Lies North", which is great if you don't mind OC's. Then read the sequel "The Last Castle" and join me in harassing Greenbean347 for more chapters! And for those who like philosophical (yet humorous) narratives, jasonc65 has written two of them in the Narnia genre: "If You Give a Witch a Cookie" and "The Fake Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". If any of you would like me to read one of your stories, leave a message with your review!
If you don't know where to find my C2 archive, just click on "Books", then "C.S. Lewis". In the top-right corner of the screen you will see "C2 Communities" with a number beside it. Click on that number, and select "Fun With Fauns".
By the way, did anyone pick up on the movie reference? Whoever did gets a bottle of Lucy's healing cordial! (Much better than the last prize)…