Narnia:

When Children Cry

My first phanphic, so be merciful, I beg of you!

SUMMARY:

Part One: Basically, Tumnus' story of his friendship with Lucy.

Part Two: Their friendship after Lucy becomes Queen Lucy the Valiant of Narnia.

Part Three: Lucy and Tumnus reunite many years later, and how their friendship progresses into love.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lucy, Tumnus, or anything, really, in Part One. Especially this chapter, I have way too much word-for-word stuff going ton. I get to own more as the book progresses... but for now, I own nothing; I am simply a phanphiction hobo.

Chapter Eight

How the Statues Became Free

. . . The feeling was comforting and was the color of amber . . . It felt something like the breath of wind or a baby's laugh. It soaked into his body, melting away the Witch's magic. He became more aware to time. His thoughts were becoming increasingly controlled by his own mind, and not the stone void. Sunlight was shining on him in golden music as he became reacquainted with life and warmth and felicity.

In seconds (they truly were seconds, he now could sense time) he was standing, blinking, in the Witch's cold hallway. But . . . she'd just been in front of him seconds before, where had she gone?

'Mr Tumnus?'

The awakened faun's movements were sharp, but not angry, as he searched his still foggy vision for the familiar voice's source. 'Lucy?' he called out weakly, hoping she'd answer.

'I'm here, Mr Tumnus.' And he felt something undoubtedly solid collide with his midriff and wrap its arms around him. Tumnus bent down cautiously and dared bring a hand to touch the blurry mass that he hoped was her face. 'Oh, Lucy!' He hugged the little girl with binding strength.

'Mr Tumnus, it's all right.' Lucy stepped out of the embrace and gingerly touched his cheek in childish console. The faun only then realised the leak of tears trickling down his face, and it brought back such thoughts and memories. He remembered the Witch's hostility to him, and he remembered Lucy comforting him when he'd first betrayed her. Tumnus concealed his wet face with his hands and sobbed out loud.

But Lucy was there, as she had been before, to clear away the clouds and let summer illuminate through him again. The little girl held out her handkerchief.

'Mr Beaver gave it back to me,' she said softly. 'But I still think you need it more. And I do hope you wash it soon, it'll have been well-used by now.'

A brief, shaking laugh flared from his mouth and he took her offering in his hands, then to his eyes. Yes, he had forgotten that he gave Mr Beaver the handkerchief. Tumnus was just too paranoid after Lucy's first visit. . . And he'd had a right to be.

When the handkerchief left its roost at his tears, his sight had cleared considerably and Tumnus returned the handkerchief to Lucy. 'No, love. It's yours.'

Lucy only smiled at Mr Tumnus. Tumnus smiled back, and they kept on smiling and being ever so happy that it was starting when Lucy spoke again.

'Oh, Mr Tumnus, I need to introduce you to . . . This is Susan, my sister.' Susan smiled and asked 'How do you do?' Tumnus supposed it was another greeting from Lucy's world and didn't ask 'Do what?', but he'd get Lucy to explain later. He instead proffered a quaking smile and shifted his gaze to the second figure in the room, and his heart froze in his throat. He didn't need Lucy's commentary to recognise the valiant animal before him.

'Aslan,' breathed Tumnus, and threw himself to the ground, kissing the Lion's paws. Aslan did nothing but stand patiently, for He was Patience. Tumnus sat up and looked into the Lion's eyes, although it scared him nearly to death. The way Aslan's gaze bore into his skull, Tumnus knew what he needed to say.

'Please, Aslan, I know I've done wrong. I should not have taken Lucy, and I should not have succumbed to the demands of Jadis. Please, Aslan, forgive me.' Tumnus bent down his head, not chancing to let the great King's gentle eyes lead to harsh words.

But that did not happen. 'It is not uncommon for fear to lead all other actions,' rumbled the Lion, and Tumnus felt sure that his legs would have given way, had he not been already kneeling. 'However, you seem to have discovered such things yourself, and you've renounced Jadis and all her doings. Love teaches us many things, and you've been brave, faun. I have seen your resistance to all of her evil, and by that, Tumnus, you've shown loyalty to Me and to Narnia. Your father, truly, would be proud.' A tremendous paw lifted off the stone floor and rested on the faun's head. 'You are forgiven, Tumnus, by Me, by yourself, and by all Narnia.' That gentle paw brushed off his head. 'And you must know by now, faun, that the Daughter of Eve has indeed forgiven you as well.'

Tumnus's eyes darted up to the great Lion, but He was padding away and meant for them to follow. And they did, with the girl and faun laughing and dancing together as only friends do.

There was an intoxicating scent on the air as his hoofs clipped on the stone floor. The sweet smell was streaming in ribbons of flowers and fruit and grass and tree-bark and warm air as it swam around the new Tumnus and sang to him a pretty tune . . .

'Lucy,' gasped he in amazement. 'It's summer.'

And summer it was! for the snow had vanished on the lush courtyards of the Witch's castle and there was a ring of golden chimes buzzing through the friendly breezes. When Tumnus emerged from the cold castle, he found himself in the lively yard of Jadis, which had only just previously held a multitude of statues. Now, summer had really come, for there were no statues and grey lingering, but a throng of colourful Talking Beasts and dwarfs and fauns and centaurs and unicorns and griffyns, all shouting and being merry. It was quite clear that they were all free . . . yet still jailed by the gates of the castle. It was all very well that Aslan, Lucy, and Susan had gotten in, (Lucy had just recently explained the ride on Aslan's back and how he'd entered on a leap over the gate) but how was everyone to get out?

Tumnus expressed his concern to Aslan, and the Lion let loose a gentle growl that could have been a chuckle. 'That'll be all right,' said Aslan; and perched on His hind legs. He roared up to the sole giant in the grassy yard, 'Oi! You up there! What is you're name?' Tumnus thought it a trifle risky having a giant abouts, but then Aslan was at ease, and that was surely a promise of safety. The giant replied that his name was Giant Rumblebuffin, and touched his cap in salute. A relief washed over Tumnus. All the Buffin giants were quite friendly, if not the brightest of creatures.

It was quite a shock, then, when Rumblefuffin brought out a massive club and began beating down the doors.

The giant kept at that for a good ten minutes, and when he'd finally stopped for a rest, there was a great haze of dust blocking the view. When it head cleared, it revealed paradise:

Narnia.

The grasses were nothing but the truest green, the sky sparkling and adorned with billowing white clouds, and the air drifting in through the fallen gates was sweet and pure.

The giant gasped. 'Blowed if I ain't all in a muck sweat,' puffed he in roughly uneducated tones. 'Comes of bein' out o' condition. I suppose neither of you young ladies here has such a thing as a pocket-handkerchee, has you?'

Lucy, who had pocketed the handkerchief when Mr Tumnus gave it back to her, held it up and stood on tiptoe. 'Yes, I have,' proffered the child.

'Much thanks, Missie,' said Giant Rumblebuffin, and stooped down low to pick it up. But in a flash, Lucy was up in the air between the giant's fingers.

At this time, Tmnus was quite angry, defencive, and not in a sort of mood you'd want to find a faun at-all, at-all. What in the Lion's Mane was this brute going to do with her? He started yelling things at that giant which were none in his favour and not at all the sort of things you'd expect him to say. Rumblebuffin, at such a height, of course heard none of this. But he did exclaim, 'Bless me! I've picked up the little girl instead! I beg your pardon, Missie, I thought you was the handkerchee!'

'No, no,' laughed Lucy. 'Here it is!' And she held it out for him again. But Giant Rumblebuffin looked sadly at the handkerchief, for it was not at all the correct size for a giant like him (although it was a lovely size for the young Daughter of Eve). Lucy realised this as he stared at it and said, 'I'm afraid it's not much use to you, Mr Rumblebuffin.'

But the giant was not at all fazed at this. 'Not at all, not at all,' the giant said, quite politely indeed. 'Never met a nicer handkerchee. So fine, so handy. So – I don't know who to describe it!' With that, he lowered Lucy rather gently to the ground. The little girl was smiling, rather as if she hadn't just been dangling a hundred feet off the ground, although she was flushed to show for it. Tumnus came rushing to her in all of a flutter and was about to just give her a huge hug when Lucy laughed out loud and said, 'Why, what a nice giant he is!' Then they were back to laughing and celebrating with the rest of the freed statues.

However, the celebration was soon to end, for Aslan has spoken:

'Our day's work is not yet over, and if the Witch is to be finally defeated before bedtime, we must find the battle at once. Now,' he began. 'Hose who can't keep up – that is, children, dwarfs, and small animals – must ride on the backs of those who can – that is, lions, centaurs, unicorns, horses, giants, and eagles.'

As everyone sorted themselves out, Tumnus found himself not where he wanted to be at all, because Lucy was far up in the front, poised on Aslan's back, while he was here, quite close to the rear of the throng. But he had little time to mourn, for the group lurched forward, and Tumnus found himself running into the last place he expected himself to be: battle.