The Bee Tree
Tumnus was inspecting the blackberries near the cave when a shriek caused him to jump out of his skin.
When he realized it was Lucy, he went running as fast as his hooves could carry him, terrified something had happened to her on his watch.
She was clutching at her hand, tears pouring down her face, when he found her.
"Lucy!" He cried, looking distressed to see her so upset. "What's happened?"
Lucy didn't reply; only threw herself into his waiting arms. He caught her and he felt her relax all over, muscles drooping soft. He sighed and cradled her close.
"I swear, sometimes I think you're eight years old again," he teased her, and she laughed sheepishly when she looked up at him. "What happened?"
"I wanted to get some honeycomb," she said in a whisper, looking embarrassed. "I forgot that I should have used smoke to get the bees to sleep, first." He picked up her hand to inspect it; it was indeed covered in angry red welts.
"Oh, Lucy," he sighed. "Did you just stick your hand in there?"
"I forgot," she says guiltily. "Honest, I didn't do it on purpose. It's been so long since last summer."
"Not that long," he replied, and she took her hand back. "D'you want me to go back to the cave and get you some ointment?"
"No," she said, "just kiss it and I'll be fine."
He looked confused, then embarrassed.
"I'm afraid I don't know at all what you mean," he said, flustered.
"Oh, it's something my mum used to do when we were little," Lucy explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She ignored or did not notice Tumnus' red cheeks. "It makes it feel better."
He looked skeptical. "Really?"
"Really."
"I think that's silly."
"I'll prove it." She got the look in her eyes he was so familiar with; determined and curious and he knew she would do whatever it took to prove him wrong. He swallowed nervously. "What on you hurts?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, come on," she pouted. "Something has to."
"Oh, all right," he sighed, trying to please her. "My ear."
She leaned up and kissed the tip of his ear, and her breath made him tremble.
"What else?" She demanded, and he shivered at her voice.
"My…my arm," he mumbled, and she grabbed his forearm and kissed the crook of his elbow.
"What else?" She asked, but something in her face looked different now; as if she, too, felt the change in the air between them and was growing shy.
"My stomach." She kissed her fingertips and pressed them against his stomach, right over his belly button. His skin shivered, not in his control. She giggled and the awkwardness was smoothed over.
"Feel better?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"Good." She smiled, and he kissed the back of her hand for her, turned it over, kissed the palm. He kissed the ridge of her wrist; he kissed the veins where hand met arm; he kissed each fingerprint and inhaled the wild-rose smell that seemed to cling to her at all times. He cupped her small hand against his cheek.
"Better?" He asked her, and she was pink and hesitant but she said "yes." She turned her back on him, to inspect berries nearby, her green dress rich in the dappled light of the forest.
"Lucy!" he cried suddenly, unsure of what he wanted. She turned to him, blue eyes curious. "My…" he hesitated, but desire overwhelmed him—and something else; a delicate love, creeping from all the years between them. "My heart hurts."
"Why?" She asked, returning to him. He studied the smooth lines of her cheekbones.
"I don't know," he murmured. "Can you fix it?"
She kissed the palm of her hand and laid it on his chest. His heart beat strong under her hand and he caught her wrist, held her hand against his chest. She stood before him, her long hair golden in the warm late-summer light.
"Better?" She asked, voice pure.
"Yes," he said, "but my lips hurt now."
"I don't know if I can fix that," she whispered, but she leaned up, tentatively, and he helped her by closing the space between them.
They stood together, meshed and perfect, for a long moment. Her lips were softer than rain.
They broke apart, her round mouth pink and swollen. Looking up, blue eyes large, she asked with a nervous laugh, "Better?"
He leaned down again, and before their lips met, he answered "Yes."