A/N: Big thanks to everyone who reviewed! This new chapter was a lot of fun to write, and I really don't know why. Maybe I just take pleasure in tormenting poor innocent little Narnians. Hmm…
Disclaimer: You know, the mere act of typing the word "disclaimer" tells you clever readers that I do not in fact own any of C. S. Lewis' works. So… "Disclaimer"!
Chapter 5: The White Hall…
…in which Tumnus sees Another Astonishing Sight, and experiences a Severe Sense of Guilt.
In the early dawn of the next morning, Tumnus was awoken by a loud commotion. Panicked voices floated up to his room, but he could not make out the words.
He grumbled and rolled over, muffling his ears with a pillow. Then the rational part of his mind decided to speak up, speculating that the fuss simply had to be about the Kings and Queens. At this sudden thought, Tumnus tried to leap out of bed. His hoof caught on the blankets and he was sent sprawling to the floor. A minor tussle with the bedding ensued, with neither side showing any promise of victory, and it was quite a while before the Faun managed to extricate himself. Wrapping his patched red muffler haphazardly about his neck, he scurried down the hall, hooves clicking on the marble floors.
He had not slept very well, and was still feeling very disoriented. Rubbing sleep blearily from reddened eyes, the Faun managed to find his way down to the main hall without too much trouble. He made as if to enter, but stopped still in the entranceway: The room was full of Narnians, all arguing, sobbing, or simply staring at nothing in mute shock.
"What in the world is going on?" he demanded, very alarmed. This could definitely not be good. He had to repeat his question several times, yet remained unheard amongst all the tumult. Finally losing his temper completely, the Faun threw his muffler to the ground and stomped on it, bellowing, "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"
Everybody stopped and turned to stare at him. The echoes of his yells were still ringing through the white hall. Tumnus fixed his face into a frown and glared about the room, but most of the Narnians avoided his gaze. Those who managed to meet his eyes simply looked at him sadly, and nobody would say a word. The Faun was beginning to get extremely annoyed with the lot of them. What did they not want to tell him?
Finally, one of the Naiads waved a silvery arm at the front of the Hall, and two large centaurs moved out of the way so that Tumnus could get a clear view. The Faun's brown eyes shot open, and he gave a great cry of surprise.
The four thrones had vanished.
"Th – they're – they're gone!" he stammered, looking about wildly as if expecting to see the thrones leaning against the wall somewhere. But they were nowhere to be found. He was half-hoping that one of the centaurs would start laughing and explain that they were merely playing a joke – a very cruel joke – but of course no such thing happened. "The thrones have gone", he repeated weakly into the silence. His knees were trembling, and he had to put a hand on a table to steady himself. If there had been a mirror nearby, Tumnus would have seen that he was now wearing the same expression of utter shock that was present on everybody's face.
"Oh, who could have taken them?" a Hedgehog wailed suddenly, causing everyone to jump about a foot into the air. She buried her face in her spotted apron, shoulders heaving with noisy sobs. "The brutes – the brutes!" she howled. Everybody else shuffled their feet and looked uncomfortable.
A Dwarf patted her gingerly on the back, careful of her spikes. "Nobody took them, Daisy", he said gruffly, dabbing at his own tears with his hood. "They simply… disappeared during the night."
"Aslan took them", a hushed voice said. Tumnus turned to see Lord Peridan, who he had not noticed was present before. The young lord was leaning heavily against one of the pillars, arms crossed tightly over his chest as though he felt cold. "Aslan took the thrones", he repeated quietly. "That is the only explanation. Their Majesties will not be returning."
"Rubbish!" said a Pelican stoutly, clacking his yellow beak. He ruffled his white feathers to express his indignation. "They would not have gone just like that! They would have left word, or Aslan would have said something."
"Do you remember how they came to Narnia?" a Unicorn spoke up. She tossed her head, sunlight gleaming on her spiralled horn. "It was as if they had fallen out of the sky. What makes you think they could not have departed thus?"
"They may yet come back", quavered an old Tortoise hopefully.
One of the Dryads shook her head, long willowy hair swishing. "Those thrones have been sitting there, empty, since the prophecy was made. If they are gone now…" She turned away, unable to complete the thought.
Sallowpad the Raven blinked his beady eyes. "It is an old saying: fear can hold you prisoner, but hope can set you free. We must keep faith, and hope that their Majesties will be returning." The room fell silent, apart from Daisy's muffled sobs, as everyone pondered Sallowpad's words.
It was the Unicorn who voiced the question that was on everybody's mind: "And if they do not return?"
The Raven stretched his wings in an uncharacteristically hopeless shrug. "What does Master Tumnus say?" he croaked.
"Wha – er – pardon?" the Faun asked distractedly. He had hardly listened to the debate; his eyes had been fixed on the empty dais at the head of the room.
"What are your thoughts, Master Tumnus?" Peridan repeated gently, and the rest of the Narnians watched the Faun, expressions of curiosity, hope, dread, and longing on their faces.
Tumnus turned his eyes back to the empty place where the four thrones had once stood. That sight, more than anything, told him he would never see his friends again. Sunlight streamed through the windows and the breeze came fresh off the sea, but the Faun's little heart was on the verge of breaking. He hung his curly head, and tears trickled silently down his cheeks.
"It is finished", he said into the silence.
The Golden Age of Narnia had ended.
And Tumnus the Faun, lowly servant to Cair Paravel, faithful Narnian, and dear friend to the Kings and Queens, knew that he was the one responsible for this.
A/N: Before you all go rushing to dab Mr. Tumnus' perfect tears from his little cheeks, let me remind you that there is an epilogue coming up! Yay! All right, I'm done reminding, so pull out your hankies and dab away. Poor Tumnus; this is the second consecutive chapter that he ended in tears… do you see a pattern? Oh, and if you leave a review by the way, I will be Very Happy.
