A/N: This came to me when I should have been studying for an exam. Funny how that always happens… Consider it an Easter present, if there is such a thing!
Disclaimer: It's not mine. Really.
Of Chocolate Eggs and Easter Bunnies
Lucy folded her hands on the white stone banister of Cair Paravel, looking over the orchard. Among the trees she could see many small animals – only babies, really – as well as young nymphs and Fauns. They were tumbling about on the mown grass, shrieking with laughter. They scampered about in groups or singly, letting out triumphant cries whenever a chocolate egg was found.
Lucy grinned to herself – they weren't really chocolate eggs. The palace cooks had created a large amount of chocolate for the occasion, slabs upon slabs of the stuff, which had been broken up into small chunks and wrapped in coloured paper. Lucy and several eager helpers had hidden them around the orchard the night before, and today was Narnia's first ever Easter Egg Hunt, to celebrate Lucy's first Easter in Narnia.
The Palace had been decorated accordingly, all in green and yellow, and the Dryads watching over the children had daffodils in their hair. The parents enjoyed tea and chocolate biscuits in the cool shade of the trees. Lucy herself had dressed for the occasion in a light-green frock embroidered with spring flowers.
She had just left the tea and climbed up the short flight of winding stairs in order to find Mr. Tumnus. But the adorable sight of romping baby animals, their play fuelled by sugary chocolate, had arrested her on the balcony. She grinned as she watched an infant fox wrestle with a young badger, surrounded by empty sweet-wrappers. Close by, three little chipmunks were swiftly demolishing their own pile of chocolate, stuffing as much as they could into their pouched cheeks.
The young Queen's reverie was interrupted by the soft clip-clop of hooves. Soon Mr. Tumnus was leaning on the banister at her side, watching the charming spectacle with a warm smile. He broke his piece of chocolate and offered half to Lucy, which she accepted with a grateful smile. She did not know why, but Narnian chocolate was the best that she had ever tasted. Maybe it had something to do with watching it actually being made… Lucy bit off a corner and let it melt on her tongue, while the Faun popped the entire piece into his mouth.
"So", Mr. Tumnus said, trying to sound business-like. The effect was rather spoilt by the fact that his mouth was full, and he swallowed the morsel of chocolate with immense difficulty. "So", he tried again, his brow furrowing with puzzlement, "Tell me what they are doing again?"
Lucy giggled. "They are looking for chocolate eggs, Mr. Tumnus", she explained patiently between nibbles. "Remember? We hid them around the orchard yesterday evening, and now the children get to find them."
"And what does that have to do with a rabbit?" the Faun pressed, trying to make sense of this whole baffling ritual. "You said something about a rabbit before."
"A bunny", Lucy corrected. "The Easter Bunny. It comes into your house during the night and hides chocolate eggs for you to find." She crammed the last bit of chocolate into her mouth, and licked her sticky fingers. If Susan spotted her, she would be remonstrated for not "acting like a proper Queen", but Lucy did not particularly care at the moment.
Tumnus scratched his curly head, looking out over the orchard. "We most certainly are not rabbits", he pointed out, completely mystified, "Yet wehid the chocolate last night. Hmm… I suppose that was because there are no – er – Easter Bunnies in Narnia? They are only found in Spare Oom?"
"Well, they are not found anywhere, really", Lucy sighed, licking the last trace of chocolate from her lips. "Parents make it up to tell their children." Her bright smile faded, and she twisted a ribbon on her dress in remembrance.
"And why would they do that?" the Faun demanded, his face flushing in righteous indignation. "Telling children about an enormous rabbit that can break into your house at nighttime! What horrid parents!"
Lucy could not help but laugh at the affronted expression on his face, which served to only confuse the poor Faun even more. "I apologize, Queen Lucy", he said humbly. "I am not very good at understanding any of these – ah – human things, even after all of the books I have read."
"That's all right", the young Queen said, patting his hand comfortingly. "I like explaining them to you." She thought for a moment, before saying, "In our world, parents hide chocolate eggs just like we did yesterday. And they tell their children stories about the Easter Bunny because… well, because the children have fun believing in it. And they have fun searching for the hidden sweets, like treasure. It's all about imagination. Do you see?"
"I think so", Mr. Tumnus said dubiously, biting his lower lip. "But – forgive me for asking – why would the parents stop believing and searching?"
His words hung in the air, and Lucy blinked, unsure of precisely what to say. The Faun's wide brown eyes watched her expectantly. "Well, they – they just do", she replied slowly. "I suppose it's because adults have no imagination. Part of growing up, perhaps."
Tumnus grinned warmly. "Not here! In Narnia, stuffy old adults such as myself have more imagination than the children!" He seized her hand and bowed over it in a ridiculously formal gesture, causing Lucy to giggle. "Your Majesty", he said with exaggerated ceremony, "I would be honoured if you would join me in a – what is it? – an Easter Egg Hunt."
The Faun grinned impishly, and pulled the laughing young Queen down to the orchard to join the children in their search.
End.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Hope you all have a Happy Easter, and don't eat too much chocolate – you'll be sick. Reviews are always welcome!