The Untold Tales of Tumnus and Lucy

Part Six: Guilt

Notes: I own nothing. This was written because I just felt like it, really.

Something was different about Tumnus's cave. She could tell when she first came in. Things were not in their usual place, although after the refurnishing, she doubted it would ever look the same as it did when she first saw it. What really broke her heart was that the portrait of his father was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you moving?"

At first he didn't answer, he kept looking at her and then away as if he was surprised to have her sitting in front of him, much like he did when they had first met by the Lamppost.

"No, no just haven't gotten everything where I want it just yet." Again, he refused to meet her eyes as he draped a blanket over his arm. They were to be having lunch outside in celebration of a year since the spell had been broken.

Looking to the mantle, she frowned, not seeing the box that contained his flute. Thinking that he had already packed it for their picnic, she said nothing until they had finished their meal. Although they did talk, it seemed to Lucy that she was doing most of the work. The Faun would merely answer and give nothing else to the conversation.

"Won't you play your flute now?" She asked, having run out of topics.

He blinked before looking down to his hands, "I don't play it anymore."

Startled, she frowned, "But why?"

He stared straight ahead, "Because of what I almost did with it."

"What you…" Realization hit then and she almost laughed, "why, Mr. Tumnus, that's all been forgiven!" Placing a hand on his shoulder she gasped at the sudden look of deep sadness across his features. "Whatever is the matter?"

Giving a sniff, he shook his head, "I would ask the same of you, Lucy Pevensie, being friends with the one that almost turned you over to the Witch." Tears were falling by now and he gave a great sob, "Oh, that I had been left as stone and then Narnia would be a better place!"

Lucy, whose own tears were falling by now, stood, "Why are you saying such dreadful things? Don't you know that you are Narnia to me?"

Tumnus shrugged a bit, staying silent.

"Did Aslan forgive you?"

"Yes."

"Then as Queen I order you to forget all this and be glad that you still are in Narnia."

He turned his gaze to her, startled that she would give him an order. They stared at each other for a while until they both slowly smiled. "Who am I to say 'no' to a Queen?"

Grinning, she joined him again on the blanket, "Exactly."