Chapter Two
The Triumph of Elizabeth
Mr. Tumnus was apprehensive and whenever he was, he sought people out. Luckily for him, the person he wanted to see most was easy enough to find.
It was a week before Christmas and there had been a heavy snowfall the previous evening that coated the entire kingdom. This morning, however, the snowflakes were all falling lightly enough for Mr. Tumnus' pleasure. He had his umbrella over his head as he navigated through the ankle-deep snow. He found Lucy near the edge of the woods bordering Cair Paravel's grounds. She was in a thick blue coat and looked quite warm in contrast to her surroundings. She appeared to be talking to several trees that have yet to go on their winter nap.
Mr. Tumnus cleared his throat to announce his presence.
"Oh good morning, Mr. Tumnus," said Lucy. The trees echoed similar greetings though they did so with a yawn. "I was just saying goodnight to the trees. They're off to sleep now. What brings you here?"
Mr. Tumnus murmured a polite greeting to the trees though he was sure they could no longer hear him. They had probably gone to sleep. He turned to Lucy instead. "I'd like to have the pleasure of escorting a dear old friend to breakfast." he said.
Lucy brightened. "Only if we're having sardines," she said, using the old familiar offer to tempt her.
"I definitely heard the dwarfs are serving sardines this morning. It's an odd breakfast but they're rather used to our tastes by now."
"One of the benefits of being Queen, Mr. Tumnus," said Lucy as she gave him her arm and shared his umbrella. "Is that you can always demand whatever you want for breakfast." She gave a loving pat to the sleeping trees and they were soon off walking back towards the castle. Lucy began to hum a merry tune but Mr. Tumnus didn't join her.
"What's wrong Mr. Tumnus?" she asked.
"I've been meaning to ask you," he said. "About the Christmas party guest list. We seem to have a rather bigger number of people coming over this holiday and I know you always like to keep it intimate."
"We want a bigger party that's all," replied Lucy simply, but Mr. Tumnus could tell she was holding something back.
Mr. Tumnus stopped walking and decided head on to confront his closest friend. "Lucy, let me be frank with you. I know something's going on. You and your brothers and sister have been rather secretive about it since this autumn but I do notice things."
"What kind of things?" asked Lucy innocently. Mr. Tumnus admired how she could still pull off that smile even when she was grown up.
"Well the guest list for one," he said. "You've invited every single unmarried lord that has been to visit Queen Susan or offered a proposal to her. That has never happened before as I recall your brothers being quite annoyed with the presence of one suitor, let alone more than 200 of them are in the same room. For another, I happen to hear from the nymphs that your sister has recently ordered a white silk dress with elaborate trimmings. And then there are the dryads who were told they were to use their magic to preserve enough fresh orange blossoms through the winter to make a single bouquet…" He gave Lucy a knowing look.
Lucy however, merely shrugged. "Mr. Tumnus, I don't know what you're talking about."
Mr. Tumnus rounded on her. "Oh really Lucy, dear Lucy, I'm not so dim-witted I couldn't put it all together. Queen Susan is getting married, isn't she?"
Lucy continued to ignore him and pretended to be amused by a falling snowflake.
"Lucy," insisted Mr. Tumnus. "I'm supposed to be your friend. Tell me. Who is it?"
Lucy finally looked at him and she had a half-guilty, half-embarrassed expression. "I can't, I'm sworn to secrecy," she said in a small voice.
"Even with me?" asked Mr. Tumnus.
"Yes, oh I'm sorry Mr. Tumnus, but they made me swear. But don't worry, you'll find out on Christmas."
"Can you at least give me a clue?"
Lucy looked around and made sure there was no one around to overhear them. "Alright," she said. "We call it Operation Project Elizabeth, that's all I'm allowed to say."
Mr. Tumnus frowned. "But that doesn't make any sense at all."
"I'm really sorry. But Susan, Edmund and Peter made me swear, please don't ask me anymore," she begged in that awfully sweet way that Mr. Tumnus couldn't bear to make her feel distressed. They had reached the doors of Cair Paravel and there was no more talk of secrets. They spoke casually of other matters while they breakfasted on the sardines and fresh bread.
Mr. Tumnus' heart however, was just jumping up with excitement. Finally, Queen Susan will take a husband! Perhaps the wedding itself would take place on Christmas! Mr. Tumnus could just imagine how Narnia would rejoice at this and maybe a year later there will be a little one on the way. No more anxiety over the lack of an heir. Narnia's throne would be secure.
But there was one thing that puzzled him. Why invite all of Susan's suitors? Mr. Tumnus racked his brain for a possible reason and it suddenly hit him: What if Susan hadn't chosen a husband yet? What if she was aiming to choose among all her suitors? But how? Did she intend to pit them against each other in a contest? The romantic in Mr. Tumnus found such an idea rather thrilling.
When breakfast was over, Lucy got up to join her siblings in the throne room. Mr. Tumnus couldn't help himself and chased after her.
"She's giving a challenge to them, isn't she?" he said to Lucy. "Queen Susan's going to have the suitors fight for her hand in marriage."
Lucy turned to him with a confused expression. Mr. Tumnus was startled when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. It was Edmund who was looking rather amused.
"If she was planning that, it would have been called Project Penelope. Sorry, Mr. Tumnus, you're not even close."
He walked on and joined his sister, leaving Mr. Tumnus as puzzled as ever.
Mr. Tumnus was in a right state all week. He attempted to question Lucy every chance he got, but she stood firm on being mum regarding Susan's mysterious marriage. He got nowhere with her siblings too and no one in the entire kingdom seemed to have a firm idea of what exactly would take place on Christmas. The dominant rumour that spread was that Susan was putting up a challenge, but Mr. Tumnus knew Edmund wouldn't lie to him.
On Christmas morning, Mr. Tumnus was at his wits end. He was no closer to solving the secret and the arrival of visitors had added to his nerves. Never had Narnia seen so many ships docked at its port and carriages stop by its doors. Two hundred fifty suitors had accepted the invitation and they all came with their own courtiers, servants and body guards. Mr. Tumnus felt like they were caught in an invasion and immediately sought out Oreius at the end of the grand hall to assure him of Narnia's safety. He wasn't the only one. For he found the centaur general in the company of the Beavers, Sallowpad the Raven, three dwarfs, two foxes and Gryphon the griffin, all looking rather apprehensive.
"Feels rather stifling in here," muttered Sallowpad as he eyed the suitors and their entourages who littered the great hall.
Mrs. Beaver agreed. "You don't think any of them would do anything funny to harm us and our good Kings and Queens," she said while eyeing the suitors doubtfully. She hadn't found any of Susan's suitors to her liking, but like all the other Narnians, she supported their sentiment that their Queen should marry. "They all seemed so many and I think they brought their own men with them."
"Oh don't worry, Mrs. Beaver," assured Oreius. "The High King had us on high security alert. And no one will dare attack Narnia if they do not wish to severe good relations with our kingdom. These suitors have no quarrel with us and they would do well not to start one. These men the suitors have brought are just for show. Many of them have personal quarrels among themselves but they have been warned before hand that we do not tolerate violence. They are all unarmed."
"But I still do not understand why the High King had allowed all these men to come for Christmas in the first place," said Gryphon.
"I've heard Susan is setting a tournament for them to win her hand in marriage," offered Mr. Beaver. "You think Peter and Edmund would be in it. They are so good in the joust. I bet they'll best everyone else."
"On the contrary, no Mr. Beaver," corrected Mr. Tumnus. "I have asked that of Lucy and King Edmund said it wasn't so. Something else is afoot here. But I grant you, we'll have a marriage before the holiday is over."
Everyone else nodded. They all trusted their monarchs to pull off some grand plan. Susan's scheme to frighten away the Potens monarch years ago was already a famous story that attested her brilliance. No one doubted that she could pull off another.
A heralding trumpet quieted all conversation in the room. The doors opened and in came Peter followed by Edmund then Lucy attired in their usual holiday finery. They paraded regally until they reached their places on the throne.
"Where's Susan?" Mrs. Beaver whispered.
Her question was echoed everywhere else in the room in soft tones but these were hushed as Peter stood before them on the dais and gave his greetings to his subjects and his visitors.
"I know there are many questions that have been circulating around for weeks and I know you are all curious to know why I have sent this invitation," said Peter. "I shall not let you wait further. Queen Susan will happily answer everything."
A second trumpet sounded and the door opened once more. Everyone stepped aside to clear the aisle for her. Mr. Tumnus strained in to look and was surprised with what he saw:
Susan was in a gown of pure white. She had a veil on her head and a train that trailed on the floor. In her hands, she carried a bouquet of orange blossoms. She looked every inch a stunning bride. All the visitors and even the Narnians themselves looked startled at this appearance. Finally she came to stand by the dais, her siblings behind her.
"Good day to all of you, my loyal Narnians and greetings noble Lords," she began. "It has come to my attention that you have demanded for an answer to the question of my hand in marriage. Today, I choose my spouse and today I marry."
The room erupted with busy murmuring as all her suitors brushed themselves up and looked on hopefully.
"I knew it! I knew it!" exclaimed a young dwarf next to Mr. Tumnus. Everyone else near him made shushing sounds though they were all dying to shout out themselves.
"I have called you to witness this decision. It is my final word on this matter. Anyone who wishes to send me court after this I shall regard as an insult to my marital status and the spouse I choose shall regard it so. Make no mistake. Do you agree then, good lords?"
One by one the assent rose among her suitors.
"Will you swear by your honour and that of your countries that you respect my decision?" she asked.
Reluctantly, the men swore and Susan bid all the rest to be witnesses to this vow. Susan ordered it recorded on parchment by her ladies-in-waiting and every suitor was asked to sign. When it was done, she rose again to address them.
"Twelve years ago someone offered me a bride price. He has satisfied the conditions and now I am ready to fulfill my end of the deal."
Most of the suitors' faces fell. Few of them sought her hand as early as twelve years ago and almost all those that did had long given up and married others.
"Who is this man then, O Queen?" the Duke of Terebinthia asked rather irritably for he was among those who had courted her rather late. "And what has he offered that I or any of us could not possibly match?"
Mr. Tumnus was thinking hard. Who had offered Susan a bride price that long ago? Surely, such a price would be outstanding from among the others enough for him to remember. He noticed his companions were looking like they were trying to squeeze their own brains out to recover the memory as well.
"She can't mean that stupid King Ignavus?" whispered the fox. "Even if his father did give a rather generous offer then, he barely has a kingdom left and he isn't here, is he?"
"No, no, it can't be him," muttered Mr. Tumnus. "Queen Susan's no fool."
"Quiet," Oreius warned. "The Queen speaks."
Susan eyed them all warily. "Nothing any of you can afford. No gold, no jewels, no fine fabrics or tapestries, artworks or minerals, or even land can compare to it. It has no material value." She paused as the murmuring commenced and continued only when it quieted down. "He offered instead his trust, his respect, his counsel, his friendship and his unconditional love. He offered me the chance to enjoy the affection of his loyal subjects and my freedom to govern as high as a king. It is an offer I have not nor will ever refuse."
The murmuring among the suitors grew to a deafening pitch at this revelation. One suitor dared to stand out and be heard from the rest. "Such an offer is unheard of. To rule equal to a king? What man would make such an offer?"
"Peter, the High King of Narnia," Susan declared.
The noise in the hall came to a full stop. Even the great Eastern Ocean seemed to be as shocked as everyone else that it held back its waves from crashing into the beach, leaving no sound to be produced.
Mr. Tumnus stared at his Queen for a full minute before her words sank into his mind. When it did, he felt like he was punched in the stomach. He turned to his fellow Narnians and they were all wearing the same stunned expressions. He could tell Mrs. Beaver was close to fainting and her husband was frantically fanning her.
Eventually, Mr. Tumnus managed to find his voice.
"Er… if I may be permitted, your highnesses" he began uncomfortably, addressing Susan. "I know you come from a different world and I don't know much about how you do things there. But here… marrying your older brother…" He flushed a dark shade of purple. "It's not exactly the… er… acceptable norm."
Susan gave tiny laugh but in the silence of the hall it rang clear like a bell. "Oh Mr. Tumnus, that's ridiculous. I'm not marrying Peter."
Peter came forward to stand next to her. His eyes were dancing as merrily as Susan's laugh. He addressed the entire crowd. "I did not offer to be her husband." There was a noticeable sigh of relief from the entire room. "I offered that to her in behalf of another."
Mr. Tumnus wasn't among those who breathed with relief. His eyes immediately reverted to Edmund. Slowly, everyone except for the four Narnian monarchs seemed to have caught on and followed the faun's gaze.
Edmund blushed when he realized he was suddenly the object of everyone's attention. "She's not marrying me either!" he cried rather bluntly.
"Well then…" said Mr. Tumnus, who felt like he couldn't let go of his breath yet. "Who?"
Susan turned to face the crowd with a solemn expression.
"Narnia. I choose to marry myself to Narnia. As long as I am Queen, I take no man as my husband, but I embrace my country as my spouse. You have all given your word, good Lords. Now I bid you to honour it. Send me no more favors or entreaties for my hand. I am taken from this moment on."
"You have heard my sister," said King Peter, his voice booming in a way that made every single man in the room, except Edmund cower. "You have been warned. No man shall have her and if any insist to press their court on her, he will no longer gain good will with me, with my siblings or with Narnia." He looked at Susan with an expression of deep reverence. "She will always be my co-ruler, my equal along with King Edmund and Queen Lucy. I have sworn to protect her as she protects me, as she protects all of Narnia. I bid all of Narnia's subjects then to respect and defend the sanctity of this vow she has taken. She is your mother and your spouse for as long as she reigns as Queen."
Mr. Tumnus leaned against a pillar. He felt his hooves unable to support his body at the moment. The perfect picture in his head of a happily married Susan with a husband and a child by her side wearing Narnian crowns was crumbling like ice on a spring day. But as he watched Susan's siblings link their arms with her in a gesture of support, he could only see the happiness in her face that were mirrored on those of the three she held. In fact their joy seemed to radiate with an unusual light that was growing stronger by the minute. Suddenly he could make out from above their heads the outlines of a mane… a firm snout… and finally the kindest pair of eyes that looked upon the four monarchs with approval. Mr. Tumnus realized for a split-second what he was seeing before the vision vanished and he felt his eyes mist and his throat tighten.
He heard a sniffle and found the other Narnians near him were also in tears. He knew then that they had all seen the same vision but no one had dared to speak about it.
The rumbling of hundreds of feet made Mr. Tumnus and his party look up. All the suitors and their entourages were hurrying out the great doors as if they had seen something frightening. In a matter of minutes the great hall was empty of suitors and the only ones left were Narnians.
Peter cleared his throat and everyone turned back to him. "Now that the horde is gone," he said cheerfully. "We have one more issue to discuss. Our Christmas gift to all of Narnia." Edmund handed him a scroll that Peter unrolled for everyone to see.
"This is our will," said Peter. "We know of your apprehensions about the future of Narnia with regards to its heir. We have discussed this together and have come up with a solution. In the event that none of us will have children, we have willed that a council whose members we have selected representing each specie that walks this land will choose the next ruler befitting to them. We shall leave Narnia to be ruled by Narnians." Peter then read off the names of the members of the council and each one was met with applause. Mr. Tumnus was among them to represent the fauns and he found himself breaking into fresh tears at this great honour.
Someone passed him a handkerchief and he used it to blow his nose. When he turned to thank his giver he was surprised to see that all the Narnians seemed to be getting one as well. Mr. Tumnus traced the trail of white cloths that were currently being passed around and finally found the source. At a corner of the hall that he had missed the entire time stood a jolly big man in a bright red robe and a matching hood that everyone knew was Father Christmas. He had a large sack with him from where he was drawing out more handkerchiefs. Lucy, Edmund and Susan had all come down from the dais and were helping him pass them around. By then, everyone else had also noticed the special visitor and they all stared questioningly at Father Christmas and his rather strange gifts.
"Well," muttered Father Christmas when he realized he had caught everyone's attention. "Queen Lucy had written me before like she does every year to help me decide on gifts for you for Christmas. We figured you all needed some handkerchiefs for the occasion."
The room erupted with laughter and Mr. Tumnus finally gave a shout:
"Happy Christmas to all and three cheers for Queen Susan, the bride of Narnia!"
And all the creatures and magical beasts followed crying: "Hurrah! Hurrah for Queen Susan! Hail the bride of Narnia! Hail its loyal spouse!"
Susan bowed graciously to them and Mr. Tumnus could see nothing but love shinning in her eyes.
Lucy twirled in Mr. Tumnus' arm gracefully and was about to make another elegant spin away from him, when the faun pulled her quite violently back towards his arm. The reason for his sudden movement appeared a second later. Edmund and Susan had just pranced directly where Lucy was standing a moment ago. Her older siblings were again doing another one of their vigorous and rather creative dance routine that Lucy liked to call the "tsunami" (whenever they did it, they ate up dance floor space and forced people out of the way or else risk being caught in their tide of flying arms and legs). Lucy and Mr. Tumnus made a silent agreement to stop dancing and watch the pair instead. They always put up such an entertaining show.
"She seems to be enjoying herself," observed Mr. Tumnus as Susan's laugh rang across the room when Edmund spun her faster.
"Yes she is," agreed Lucy. "She just enjoys being here in Narnia and with the people she loves the most, now she's got her wish."
"Is that your wish too, Lucy?" asked Mr. Tumnus, rather apprehensively. "To be forever the unmarried queen of Narnia? Because truly, there are some decent chaps out there if you wait awhile. Prince Corin is quite taken with you, I've heard."
Lucy rounded on him. "Now don't start with me, Mr. Tumnus. I know I'm turning twenty five in January, but I have no intention of marrying anytime soon. Not even Corin. He's ten years younger than me, if you remember. And if you insist on pushing me to the marriage altar I'm going to have to commence phase two of Operation Project Elizabeth."
"I don't really understand why you call it Project Elizabeth. Who is Elizabeth?"
"A brilliant queen back in our world who married herself to her country," said Peter who came up behind them. "It's nice to know that those boring history lessons in school were worth something. It was good of Su to remember." He turned to the faun. "Mr. Tumnus, really if you insist on pestering any of us to be married after all this, I'm going to be forced to take drastic action against you."
"What action?" asked Mr. Tumnus rather nervously.
Peter turned to Lucy and gave her one of his sly smiles. "I'll find you a female faun and order you, with all my powers as High King, to marry her."
Mr. Tumnus looked perfectly petrified and Lucy couldn't help but laugh at him. She couldn't see his further reaction though for Peter had tugged at her arm.
"Dance with me," he said.
"Now?" said Lucy. She was eyeing the dancing tidal wave that was still dominating the floor.
"Yes," said Peter. "It's rather imperative that we do now."
"Why?"
"Because if you don't, I have to dance with one of them." Peter pointed behind him. Lucy saw six girls that she recognized were the women offered by Duke Venustus as Susan's bride price last month who had stayed on as part of the Narnian court.
"They won't leave me alone," complained Peter. "They insist on 'paying their respects to their king.' I actually regret letting them stay as part of the court. You know protocol demands I honour women of the court a dance if they wish it. If I do that, it's bound to be more than a dance. They've been hinting that for a fortnight and it's getting annoying."
"Alright then, I'll save you this time," laughed Lucy as she led Peter to the floor at a little distance from Edmund and Susan. "But really Peter, you ought to learn how to handle rejecting women gracefully."
"Oy, I know how to reject women. I'm not married yet, am I?"
Lucy rolled her eyes at him. "Running back to Narnia after getting a proposal abroad or using your sister as a distraction to avoid a flirtation isn't exactly a graceful form of rejection." They began to step together a little out of time with the fast music.
"As Magnificent as you are Peter," continued Lucy. "You still have a lot to learn. Try asking Edmund for tips, he's always the smoother one."
Peter frowned and mis-stepped to the beat. "Smoother one? What gave you that idea?"
Lucy led him back to his paces. "Ed handles it better. He knows how to say 'no' even in the most compromising situations. Remember the countess of Galma?"
Both of then smiled at the memory. That one was legendary. On a visit to Galma, the king's niece had sought to entrap Edmund into marriage by appearing naked at his feet when he woke up. She managed to get false witnesses for their "affair" and raised quite an outrage but Edmund somehow managed to worm his way out of it without creating a diplomatic nightmare. Peter had learned from that incident and ever since brought one of his siblings along to sleep next to him whenever he stayed overnight at any of the neighboring kingdoms. It was a rather prudent move as Susan had once caught strange girls trying to get into Peter's room at odd hours at night.
"Frankly Peter," said Lucy finally. "It's getting ridiculous chaperoning you. You're almost as bad Susan."
Peter scowled. "Fine then, we know what the solution is."
"Oy, Peter I'll trade you the bride for a dance with Lucy!" called Edmund. He spun Susan one last time then pushed her in Peter's direction while making a grab for his new partner.
"WHAT?" Lucy shouted back at Peter just as her younger brother dragged her away. Edmund spun her just in time to see an over eager Susan crashing directly into Peter and upsetting his balance. They tumbled together in an ungraceful heap on the floor
Edmund had his back turned to them and was too busy spinning Lucy around to notice his older siblings' predicament. He was still holding Susan's bouquet with one hand and he realized it was impeding his movement.
"Su, you can have this back."
He tossed the bouquet and it landed right on Peter's head which was currently tangled in Susan's veil. Peter reached for the offending article and emerged from the veil after a bit of a struggle. He stared at the clump of flowers in his hand then turned to grin at Lucy.
"I guess this means I'm getting married."
End
A/N: To those who were expecting Susan to marry Peter, sorry to disappoint you. I don't really write incest fics, but I like to tease (I'm evil, I know and you're welcome to flame me about it). I'm more of an advocate of "Power-to-Susan" plots. I like Susan very much and I'm waging my own war on C.S. Lewis who left her out in his stories by giving Susan the heroine role she deserves.
Thanks to all your support, I get so much inspiration to write whenever I get reviews. By the way, does any one care to read a story about the perils of "chaperoning Peter?" I have another plot bunny jumping in my head and if I get inspired again I might be able to write it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, all of its magical creatures or the Pevensies. They all belong to C.S. Lewis (who I still think did Susan great injustice). I also don't own the idea of a Queen marrying-her-country-to-keep-her-independence. I give credit for that to Queen Elizabeth I, who is just such an inspiration. The concept of getting suitors to vow to respect the decision of the chosen spouse comes from the story of Helen of Troy.