~ by Cassandra Tkaczow
When he felt the Lion’s breath come over him, it was hard to believe. It was hard to believe he was feeling anything at all! He didn’t know how long the Darkness had surrounded him, but once he felt the Light take over, instant relief filled his entire being. The Darkness gradually faded away, being replaced with the Light. His senses started to return gradually. Once the last bit of Jadis’ magic had been dispersed from his being, Tumnus let out a gasp and felt his legs give out under him.
But he didn’t hit the stone floor.
A small pair of arms supported him, and he looked up to see Lucy’s gaze meeting his. Both of them started laughing, knowing that the other one was safe. He watched her turn toward a girl a few years older than she was.
“Susan, this is—”
“Mr. Tumnus!” she finished.
He recalled now that Lucy had told him about her sister when she last visited him.
The older Pevensie joined the pair in a hug, nearly toppling them all over. The group hug didn’t last, for the forceful, but gentle tone of Aslan’s voice filled the courtyard.
“Come,” he began as several soldiers came back to this World, “we must search the castle. Peter will need everyone we can find.”
The three nodded, and the two Pevensies dashed through the doors to help aid in the search. Mr. Tumnus followed, but at a slower pace. He heard both Lucy and Susan calling the Lion’s name as they searched the other end of the hallway.
Mr. Tumnus entered the nearest room and saw another frozen Narnian standing before him. In fact, it was another Faun. The disturbing part of it was that it looked eerily like him. Then, Tumnus realized who in fact he was seeing.
Despite the several decades that had passed since he first received the news, Tumnus remembered it as if it were yesterday. He was never given any details on how his father died, only that he had gone during battle. But now as he looked into the Faun’s stone eyes, he knew.
His father was standing right in front of him.
A cold feeling of guilt spread over him. Here, his father had died to protect Narnia from her, and what did he do? Joined her cause, no matter how much he may have hated it.
The sound of padded footsteps came in from behind him. “Do not feel guilty, Tumnus. You turned against her, even though you knew it could mean your end,” the Lion spoke.
The Faun looked at the ground. “I cannot help but feel so… I helped the very enemy he was trying to drive out of our home.”
“You found a way out before things could turn bitter. You have redeemed yourself in my eyes; you are forgiven, my son.”
Tumnus nodded, then looked back up at the statue. “But would he feel the same way?”
“Yes,” Aslan replied as he breathed upon the frozen Faun.
Life was restored within moments, and after Tumnus’ father shook his hoofs, he looked up at his son. No words were spoken between the two, but a warm feeling entered Tumnus’ heart.
“Come. Peter awaits us.”