Tumbling Down
Chapter Nine
The Death of Me
The shrieks of mermen playing in the surf outside Lucy's windows were rather loud that morning, but they did not wake the two sleeping soundly in the Queen's deep bed.
The door rattled, but it disturbed neither Lucy nor Tumnus.
"Damn it," Peter swore, "she's locked the door against us."
"Maybe she doesn't want to be disturbed," Edmund said loudly at his side, bobbing beside him as Peter went to fetch the spare key. "Maybe you ought to respect her wishes."
"She's too young to have wishes," Peter said dismissively, finding the spare key in his bedside table and turning back to his sister's rooms.
"That's an awful thing to say," Edmund growled. "Let's at least ask Susan what she thinks." Edmund knew very well what they would find behind that door, and he couldn't let Peter see it. There was no telling what would happen to Lucy—not to mention the faun—if the High King found out what Lucy had done.
Edmund knew, of course. He'd known for years, but he recognized the look in his sister's eyes as they had spoken the day before, and he had crept out of his room after he heard the faun's hooves on the stone floor. He had heard the muffled words, the creaking of her bedstead. He had gone back to bed, pleased for Lucy but worried for the morning. Thank Aslan she had the foresight to lock the door.
"Susan!" Edmund yelled, banging on his sister's door. "Come out here for a moment, would you?"
Susan came out, looking sleepy, clutching a silk housecoat around herself. "What on earth's the matter, Ed?"
"Peter is trying to break into Lucy's rooms," Edmund explained quickly. "She's locked the door and he won't listen to me to let her alone."
"Oh, Peter, you mustn't go barging in there," Susan said disapprovingly. "She'll be so angry with you."
"She's too young to be locking her doors," Peter said sternly. "What has she got to hide? She's being childish."
"Respect her, Peter," Edmund said, voice a warning. "Or you'll regret it."
"Edmund is right, Peter," Susan said. "I can't imagine why her door's locked, but that's her business, not yours."
"I am her brother and I have to keep her safe." He was stubborn. "I'm going to open it."
"What's all this?" Came a groggy voice, and Noor came out of his room. There was a large welt on his forehead, and he looked rather green.
"Oh, Prince Noor, are you ill?" Susan cried, going to him and inspecting the mark on his head.
"Just fell last night, is all," Noor said gruffly. "Nothing to fret about. What's all the shouting about?"
"Lucy has locked the door to her room, and Peter wants to open it," Susan explained kindly, still worried about the state of his head.
"Well, of course he must!" Noor exclaimed. "What if she's fainted and needs help? What if a candle's fallen over and she's overwhelmed by the fumes? Is Queen Lucy known for locking her doors?"
"No, not at all," Susan said in a small voice.
"Well, King Peter," Noor said, gesturing towards Lucy's rooms, and the two started towards the end of the hall where the large white doors stood closed. Edmund drew Susan hard against him, and he whispered furiously in her ear:
"Lucy and Tumnus are in there—together—and Peter and Noor mustn't see," Edmund pulled back and Susan stood wide-eyed.
"Whatever do you mean, Edmund?"
"Lucy. Tumnus. Together." Edmund stressed the word. "Intimately."
"Oh!" Susan blushed, and then they both looked at Peter, who was fumbling with the key. "Oh, no!" Edmund took his sister's arm and they began running towards the two men. Edmund slammed into Peter's back, causing him to drop the key.
"Peter, stop it at once," Susan said, her color high, as Peter swore at Edmund and recovered the key. "I shall never speak to you again if you open that door."
"Shall we indulge your sister?" Noor said doubtfully, smiling fondly on Susan, but Peter was firm and irritated.
"I am High King, not you," Peter said with a scowl. "And I say you are all being foolish. Why are you so suspicious-acting, Edmund? She probably did it by mistake. I'm sure she'll be in the bath, or still sleeping."
"She's sleeping, all right," Edmund muttered, but Peter ignored him. He fitted the key into the lock and turned it. With a hiss and a metallic slide, the lock turned over, and Peter took hold of the doorknob and pushed the door open.
The three Pevensies and Noor squeezed into the room, and stopped in disbelief.
Sometime in the night, Lucy had kicked the covers off; she lay naked, her head pillowed on Tumnus' bare chest. Her hand was held in one of his; his other was tangled in her blonde hair. One of her pale legs was thrown out across his, crooked around his thigh, the sole of her foot flush against his hoof. He slept on his back, his breathing deep and even.
"What in the hell is this?" Peter bellowed, face red, starting Lucy and Tumnus out of sleep. They both panicked, Lucy snatching for the blankets, Tumnus trying to cover her up as well. Lucy grabbed the comforter and pulled it up over herself. The two sat trembling next to each other as Peter's face grew purple. Susan's mouth was agape, as though she didn't believe it though Edmund had told her; Edmund was calm, looking at Lucy with sympathy. Noor stood, shocked, trying to comprehend what was happening.
"I can explain, Peter," said Lucy, voice small.
"No," Peter shouted, choking on the words, "don't say a word."
"Peter, you mustn't," Susan pleaded, but finally Noor spoke up.
"Don't punish your sister, King Peter," Noor said coldly. A muscle in his jaw was twitching. "It's obvious what has happened here."
Peter glanced over at Noor. "Is it?"
"My poor Lucy," he said, pity in his voice. "This—this beast," Noor spat, looking with hatred at Tumnus. "He has clearly…well, one does not like to say it in front of ladies."
"Do explain yourself, Noor," Susan said icily.
"The creature has obviously seduced and violated Queen Lucy," Noor said plainly. "It is as clear as glass."
"You mean to say he raped her?" Edmund scoffed. "That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard suggested. I will tell you exactly what happened here—"
"That will keep, Edmund." Peter's voice was cold. "Is that what happened, Lucy?"
"No!" Lucy cried. "Peter, have you lost your mind? Mr. Tumnus would never do that!"
"He is a faun, my King," Noor said in a low voice, "creatures known for their violence and lust. He lured the Queen into his trust, and then took advantage of her sweet, caring nature."
"That's absurd," Tumnus said in a weak voice, but Peter looked at him with such hatred he stopped speaking.
"You will be quiet," Peter growled.
"What have you got against fauns?" Edmund asked, suspiciously.
"I've heard this beast boasting to others of his kind about how the Queen loved him," Noor sniffed, ignoring Edmund. "It was clear he hadn't any noble intentions."
"No!" Lucy cried again, standing up. She held the comforter around her like a dress. "Edmund, tell them—Edmund, he's lying!"
"I know," Edmund said grimly. "Peter, this Prince may be from Archenland and he may be a potential ally, but you would be a damned fool if you believed him. Everyone knows that Lucy and Tumnus have been close friends for years. Tumnus would never hurt her or take advantage of her. Do you honestly believe he would ever harm Lucy? He sacrificed himself to the Witch for her—something I did not. I am more likely to betray Lucy than he is. I already have, when he faced death to uphold her honor and safety. How can you believe some outsider over your own sister and her closest companion?"
"Honestly, Peter," Susan spoke up. "How can you be so dense?" She turned cold eyes on Noor. "And how dare you lie about the woman you plan to marry! Do you accuse her of having no judgment? Do you call her best friend a predator? Sir, you would do well to stop talking before I lose my temper completely with you." Noor looked at Susan in disbelief; the normally gentle Queen was livid.
"Lucy," Tumnus said weakly, getting out of the bed as well. She looked over at him, blue eyes frightened.
"Peter, you must believe me," Lucy said, turning again to her brother. "This was my choice. I had to talk Mr. Tumnus into it."
"I don't want to hear another word," Peter said in a dangerous whisper. "I want you to dress and come to the throne room in ten minutes. Your brother and sister and I will decide what to do with both of you." With that, Peter abruptly turned, herding the three others out of the room. The door slammed behind them.
Lucy began to cry.
Tumnus made his legs move and he went to her, drawing her against him from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, circling her tightly in his arms. She turned to his chest and wept.
"They'll do something awful to you," she wailed against him. He tried his best to hush her.
"Nothing can be as horrible as the Witch's rule," he said gently, rocking them in place, kissing her hair over and over. "We will be all right."
"That horrible Prince Noor," she said darkly. "How could he say such things about you?"
"Because he is jealous," Tumnus said, pushing back her hair. She looked up at him. "Now you must get dressed. We can't afford to anger Peter any more."
"Never leave me," she pleaded, gripping his hands hard in her own. He bent and kissed her, hard, her tears salty on her lips.
"Never," he promised.
They walked to the throne room holding hands. They went slowly, as though walking to their death.
Peter, Susan, and Edmund sat in their thrones. Noor stood between Susan and Peter. Peter had never looked so angry in his life.
"Explain yourself," he commanded, but he cut off Lucy when she began to speak. "Not you. The faun."
Tumnus opened his mouth to speak, but words did not come. He cleared his throat and tried again, his brown eyes meeting Peter's hard blue.
"I am in love with your sister," he said, and his confession did not change Peter's face. "I always have been. I have been waiting so long to see if she could possibly feel the same way. Last night, this man came to my rooms and threatened me if I was around your sister again. Do you see this?" He touched the long slash on his neck, scabbed over now. "He threatened my life. So I hit him over the head with the fireplace poker." Edmund laughed out loud, and didn't bother disguising it when Peter looked at him severely. Susan did not smile; she simply looked anxious.
"Lucy came to my rooms shortly after. I suppose she snuck out. We took him back to his rooms. And then she took me to hers, and I couldn't help it." He took a deep breath. "I couldn't help it, King Peter. She is too lovely—she is too good of a person."
"So you admit you took advantage of her," Peter said severely. Lucy looked at him in desperation.
"Mr. Tumnus, what are you—" but Tumnus shook his head at her. He would not allow her to get in trouble.
"I did not mean for her to fall in love with me," Tumnus said. "So I suppose I did. I knew what I was doing, and she was innocent. If that is considered a violation, then yes," he said, closing his eyes. It was so wrong to say it, but he could not bear Lucy being punished. "Yes. It is my fault."
"Mr. Tumnus," Lucy said hopelessly, but Tumnus shook his head again. He did not look at her. He couldn't bear to see her face.
"Very well," Peter said coldly. "I should have you put to death, faun."
"No!" Lucy, Susan, and Edmund all exclaimed. Noor looked smug and Lucy wanted to strike him dead.
"I don't see why you should be spared," Peter said, voice rising. "You raped a Queen of Narnia."
"Peter!" Lucy cried, and he finally looked at his sister. "If you execute Mr. Tumnus, please believe me when I tell you I will be dead before nightfall."
"I do believe she means it, Peter," Edmund muttered.
Peter sat in silence.
"Lucy, no," Tumnus whispered helplessly. "I'm not worth it."
"You promised you would never leave me," Lucy whispered back. "If you die, so do I."
Peter said, "Silence." The two clasped hands again, awaiting their fate.
"You will not die, faun. But you will leave Narnia, and you will not return."
"No!" Lucy whimpered, but a look from Peter silenced her.
"You will leave Cair Paravel and you will go west, beyond Lantern Waste. I do not care where you go beyond there. But you will never come back. Do you understand, faun?"
"My name," Tumnus said, looking Peter square in the eye, "is Tumnus."
"Go," Peter said, eyes furious. "At once."
Tumnus turned, looking piteously at Lucy as he did so. He dropped her hand reluctantly.
"Mr. Tumnus," Lucy whimpered, crying again. Susan had closed her eyes, refusing to watch her sister's heart break.
"I must go, my dear," he murmured. "I love you, you know."
Before Lucy could reply, he was gone.
Peter sighed, looking far less like a king and more like her brother. "You will wed tomorrow night," he said finally, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I will not marry that liar," Lucy hissed.
"I was trying to protect you!" Noor burst out, looking unhappy. "I was trying to make sure you didn't get hurt! Don't you think I haven't noticed you do not love me, Lucy? Do you imagine I do not feel pain? You are cruel but I cannot help love you. Please do not make this worse than it is."
Lucy could not respond. She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she had in a pocket. When she realized that now Mr. Tumnus had nothing of hers, she nearly broke down again.
"Tomorrow at sundown, then," Peter said.
"That is not very much time," Edmund said, but a look from Peter silenced him.
"You will stay in a guarded room tonight," Peter declared, eyes hard as he looked at Lucy. "Do you understand? You will be locked in. You will not be going anywhere." Lucy's eyes were dry as she defiantly returned Peter's glare.
"I hate you," she said finally, her words venom. "I never thought I would be able to hate you, Peter, but I hope you die painfully and alone, with all your sins and atrocities around you." She turned on her heel and stomped from the room.
"Oh, Lucy," Susan said with a small sigh, rushing after her sister.
Noor left without a word.
Edmund rose from his throne and looked severely at Peter.
"You're a bloody idiot, did you know?" Edmund said. Peter sighed.
"Not right now, Ed," he replied. "We're lucky that Noor will still consider the marriage, what with Lucy being damaged goods—"
"Damaged goods?" Edmund was shocked. "I ought to punch you in the face, you git. She's not damaged goods. She's in love, you wretch. Not like you'd know what that feels like. You're in love with power, Peter; you're in love with being the boss. You disgust me. What happened to my older brother? When did he become power-hungry and cruel? When did he lose his conscience?" Edmund spat on the floor at Peter's feet. "You are loathsome, Peter. I have no respect for you—and that is something I never thought would happen." Edmund left Peter quite alone.
Edmund found Susan knocking on Lucy's door. He caught her arm and said, in a low voice, "I will go to Tumnus tonight."
"You mustn't," Susan said, nearly in tears herself. "Peter will know."
"Fuck Peter," Edmund hissed, and Susan looked distraught at Edmund swearing so. "I am not letting Lucy marry that idiot."
"I will go," Susan said suddenly, voice strong. "He won't suspect me. I'm far too well-behaved." She grinned mirthlessly at Edmund, who was looking at her with respect. "It's too bad, that he's such trash. I quite fancied him." Susan unlocked Lucy's door with the spare key, and Edmund and she stood in the doorway.
"Please go away," Lucy whimpered, face hidden in the pillow on her bed. It smelled like Mr. Tumnus and she thought she might be sick.
"Don't worry, Lucy," Edmund's voice was strong. "Susan and I will fix everything."
"It's impossible," Lucy wailed. "Everything is broken."
Edmund looked at Susan, who nodded.
"Have faith, sister," Edmund said, before he and Susan left her to her sorrow.
"Go tonight," he instructed Susan, voice low. "I think I can manage it so Peter and Noor will sleep soundly."
In reply, Susan leaned up and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"I won't let you down," she promised.