Chapter Three: Meeting Mr. Tumnus

I fell into a snowy winter wonderland—just like that carol Susan likes to hum around Christmas—and saw a bright light suspended in midair through a misty film of evergreen branches. I move cautiously through it, pushing a few of the prickly branches to the side. It appears to be a lamppost in the middle of the woods. I walk quickly to it and am about to touch the frosted metal post when a…a…thing turns the corner!

I scream and duck behind the thickest part of the lamppost only to see the creature—that looked like a half man, half goat, do the same. What is he? I wrack my brain, trying to think of the name. I peek cautiously to the side and see that the goat-man had dropped several packages in his haste to hide. I walk slowly over and pick them up, saying,

"Hullo, my name's Lucy Pevensie. Who are you?" thinking that this sounds a bit more polite than "What are you?"

The creature—Faun, I remember now—stutters "Tu—tumnus, and are you a Daughter of Eve?"

This is puzzling. Mum's name is Helen, not Eve, but then I think about it and realize that he means a girl.

So I smile and say "Yes, I am! Are you a Faun?" The poor thing turns pale from the shock.

After a lot more stuttering, I end up going to tea with Mr. Tumnus in his cave. We eat toast with honey, toast with sardines, and eggs, and tea with real sugar. While I'm sipping my tea Mr. Tumnus begins to play his pipes and the flames make pictures—little Fauns dancing in a circle, Centaurs, and all sorts of Creatures. I nod off for a bit and wake up to a dark cave. Mr. Tumnus is on the ground, weeping.

"Mr. Tumnus?" I ask cautiously as I hand him my hankie. "What's the matter?"

"I'm such a bad Faun!" He wails. "Can you imagine a Faun so bad that he would kidnap a girl?" he moans piteously before blowing his nose. It starts to hit me. Oh no….

"Mr. Tumnus, you wouldn't do that to me, would you?" I ask quickly. He weeps for a few more minutes before straightening.

"No, no I won't! I won't!" he cries fiercely. He leaps up, dries his face quickly, and pulls me through the forest while telling me to be careful—the Trees have ears.

I slip back through the wardrobe and run to find Susan to tell her I'm back.

"I'm back, I'm back, it's alright, I'm back!" I shout running back to the curtain Edmund is hiding behind. He pokes his head out, looking confused.

"What are you doing, Lu?" he asks. This brings me up short.

"I've been gone for hours, in Narnia. Haven't you missed me yet?" I query. Ed merely looks confused.

As he opens his mouth to answer Peter bounds up the stairs.

"I don't think you two have quite got the hang of this yet." He laughs.

"But, Peter, I went to Narnia." I explain. Susan comes into the room.

"Does this mean I win, then?" she asks. After another explanation, we head to the wardrobe. Oddly enough, the back is solid wood and I can't get through. Peter begins to lecture me about growing up and not playing games like this—the nerve of him! I'm ready to slap him when Edmund speaks up.

"I don't see why you don't believe Lucy." He says angrily. Peter and Susan just stare.

Ed continues, "Susan, you said that she has always been honorable and tells the truth, but now you do not believe her! I've known Lucy less than a week and I believe her!" he yells.

I look at him, shocked, before I run and hug him.

"Thank you Eddie." I mumble, laying my head against his chest.

"You're welcome." He whispers, ignoring the fact that I called him Eddie, a name I don't think he really likes.

Peter is red with anger. He strides across the room, pulling me off Edmund, before yelling about how he shouldn't encourage me. Ed grows steadily angrier, but leaves the room without a word when Peter yells,

"Dad would be so disappointed in you!" Furious, I march over and slap him as hard as I can. It makes a satisfying sound as Peter's hand flies up to cradle his cheek.

"I cannot believe you just said that to Edmund! He's your brother!" I shriek before running to find Edmund. He is sitting on his bed, looking very pale.

"Edmund?" I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed. He doesn't look up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you into a fight. If it helps, I did slap Peter. Hard." His head shoots up at this. His dark, chocolaty eyes are amused now.

"Really?" He snorts when I nod.

"I'll show you Narnia next time I try to go in." I whisper. His arms wrap around my waist as he whispers,

"Thanks."

We spend the rest of the afternoon in his room. I show him how I draw—which just about makes his jaw hit the ground—and we talk as I sketch him.

At dinner, no one comments on the bruise on Peter's face, but Edmund and I do share a small, secret smirk at the sight.

That night, I slide out of bed, grab my little candle, and creep into Edmund's room. I sit on the edge of the bed and shake him awake. He stirs his chocolate brown eyes full of sleep.

"Edmund, would you like to go to Narnia?" I whisper. He shoots straight up.

"Of course I do!" he hisses. Taking him by the hand I lead him to the wardrobe and pull him into the world where Aslan shakes his mane.

(A.N. Isn't Lucy cute? I made her older than in canon. She's 12 now. Edmund is 13, Susan 15, and Peter 16. Therefore she is more mature and that is why she slaps Peter—a nine year old would be more likely to cry, I think.)