Beginnings and Ends - for canttakeabreath

[nfe-gremlin.livejournal.com]

Title: Beginnings and Ends
Author: october_26
Recipient: canttakeabreath
Rating: PG
Summary: A friendship at the beginning and the end of the Golden Age.


Beginnings and Ends

I. Beginnings

It was the first birthday banquet for Narnia's new kings and queens, celebrated in honor of Queen Lucy's ninth year. All of Narnia had been invited to come. Green fields had been cleared outside the gates of Cair Paravel, every sapling and young three rooted there gently herded away for the occasion by elderly oaks and gnarly firs. The dwarves had lead the effort to build tables and chairs for all that might come and all creatures that dwelled in the places where flowers grow brought garlands and bouquets to show their love for their young queen. It was an occasion of much joy and great affection for Narnians and their regents alike.

Queen Lucy sat at the place of honor of course, her head crowned by white and pink flowers woven together so closely that you could nary see a stray stem. Everyone who came to wish her luck and happiness thought that she might very well be the most beautiful child they had seen, and when she laughed and thanked them for even the smallest gift they were quite sure that they were right. For Mr. Tumnus, seated by her side at her own request, this was no surprise of course. Lucy had always been the most remarkable creature in his eyes and all of Narnia would be put hard at work to ever make it not be so.

"Mr. Tumnus," she said as she returned a small rabbit to its mother, having kissed the pink, wriggly nose, "wouldn't you agree that the most grand present of all would be if we could stay like this forever, happy and always together?"

Mr. Tumnus smiled at the thought that only a child would entertain and could only hope that the innocence that would give birth to such an idea would stay longer than it had for him and many other Narnian children. "A wonderful present indeed," he said, "but I fear that we soon would forget what true happiness is if we lived it every day."

Lucy looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "You're right." She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently for all that her short fingers couldn't quite reach all the way around his. "But I wish that you at least stay with me, as you're my dearest, dearest friend and I've missed you frightfully."

A bit embarrassed by the way his heart warmed at her gesture, Mr. Tumnus cleared his throat. "If that is your wish, then I'll stay. After all, today is your birthday and I have yet to give you my gift."

Mr. Tumnus meant for that to be his cue to produce the small package in his frock coat (sewn by the lovely Mrs. Beaver for the occasion, as she firmly believed that it was only courteous to dress up in some small way for a celebration and Mr. Tumnus's favored scarves were all too warm for this time of the year), but he was forestalled as Lucy scrambled out of her seat and threw herself into his arms as she cried: "Oh, thank you, Mr. Tumnus! That is the best present you could ever give me!"

This would not, of course, be proper at any other day or time, but as it was the young queen's birthday, all that might have witnessed the display of affection turned their gazes elsewhere -- some of them might even have smiled. As for Mr. Tumnus... Well, he found that he was more content than he had been in a very long time.




II. Ends

The morning after a great autumn storm Queen Lucy and her guard walked down to their practice field to find the Great Oak felled by the winds. Her passing had been long in coming, her branches growing creakier with every year even as her mind stayed young and alive. Queen Lucy fell to her knees by the hollow she had often sat within and placed her hand on the no longer living wood.

"Rest well," she said, "for you were greatly loved in life and so you shall remain even now." Then she rose to her feet and turned to her entourage. "I fear that today's practice will have to be postponed in favor of a Planting for our friend."

"I will go tell the garden mistress," her youngest page squeaked, his whiskers twitching. It would be his first Planting and he still found the concept rather frightening.

"Run by the dryads by the pond as well," Queen Lucy requested. "I believe they might want to organize something special. Mistress Oak was a dear friend of us all."

The news had already spread as they returned to Cair Paravel and Queen Lucy was met at the stairs by Tumnus, steadied at the elbow by his apprentice. When Queen Lucy caught sight of them, she cried out and hurried to take his elbow in his apprentice's stead.

"But Tumnus!" she admonished. "You know the stairs are much too steep for you to walk!"

Tumnus raised his hand and brushed away a tear still clinging to the side of Lucy's cheek. "I won't stay inside when you're hurting, my dear," he said. "These old legs still have enough strength to come when you have need of me."

Lucy sighed, but it could not be denied that there was a hint of gratefulness in the sound. "Once again you prove that the student never surpasses the teacher." She turned them about, steering gently towards the sitting room just off the main hall as she knew that no matter what Tumnus professed, his knees would be quite painful after such a walk. There, they sat down by the fire that was warming the yet chilly castle and drank the tea served to them by a somber kitchen najad.

"I wish that Mistress Oak would have lived a little longer," Lucy confessed as the najad left the room. She leaned her head on Tumnus's shoulder and let the warmth of his arm give her the strength she needed for the Planting. "There was so much more we could have learned from her."

"All things die, my dear," Tumnus said, "even those we love."

They did not talk about Tumnus's old age or the fact that even he must die. Maybe they both thought that it would be long in coming or they both knew that there was no point in fearing something you can't know the date and time of. Instead they sat together, warmed by the flickering fire, and enjoyed each other's company. There was still time to live and they wouldn't give that up for anything.

Original Prompt that we sent you:
What I Want: Lucy/Tumnus (friendship or romance or even character centric fic!). A story about them growing up together--interpet that as you like!
Prompt words/objects/quotes/whatever: feel free to use as many or as few of these! i just hope they're helpful!

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Comments

[lady_songsmith]

Oh, how marvelous! This really tugs at the heart - I think I need a tissue.

[angel-in-tears.livejournal.com]

That is so beautiful and heartwarming :) Perfect! ♥

[the_rck]

The relationship between Lucy and Tumnus is sweet. I like the two snapshots so separated in time.

Thanks for writing!

[elfgirljen.livejournal.com]

Aww that was lovely!

[edenfalling]

*sniffles quietly* Oh, that was lovely. I especially like how Lucy assumes that Tumnus's promise to stay at Cair Paravel is her present -- and she's not exactly wrong, is she, even if it wasn't the gift he'd intended to bring -- and how they retain every bit of that closeness fifteen years later though the caring is a bit the other way around, with Lucy worrying about Tumnus's knees instead of him gently guiding a child to her own understanding of the world. Also the way Lucy so clearly loves and is beloved by all of Narnia is heartwarming.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

A lovely story. I especially liked the image of the Mistress Oak finally being felled and dying, for that is what happens to trees and Trees in great storms. The bookended story of Lucy and Tumnus was so well done, with him being very caring of her when she is young and she being so caring of him when he is older and a terrific and close friendship in between. This is a lovely story and thank you.

[ceitfianna]

Oh my, Tumnus and Lucy are perhaps my favorites in all of Narnia and you've captured them beautifully. His old legs and his awareness of her child's wish and finding the spots between. I love the moments you chose and the quietness of them that are about them.

[canttakeabreath.livejournal.com]

oh this was absolutely fantastic. like, exactly what i'd wanted--i love how beautifully this reads, phrases like "nary a stray" just bringing me right back into cs lewis' winding narrative. i love

This would not, of course, be proper at any other day or time, but as it was the young queen's birthday, all that might have witnessed the display of affection turned their gazes elsewhere -- some of them might even have smiled. As for Mr. Tumnus... Well, he found that he was more content than he had been in a very long time.

i mean this is just so generally fabulously done. but that paragraph tugged at my heartstrings--i really adore the way lucy is allowed to be a child with mr tumnus, and i love that he lets her. i love that--in those quiet moments --she's not queen lucy--she's just lucy (lucy of spare oom).

i especially especially love the ending. so bittersweet, so painful. lucy is older and knows about death in this story,but she also knows about life.

♥♥♥ seriously thank you so much! i'm so glad you filled this so beautifully--it was everything i could have possibly wanted and i'm just jumping up for joy because of how fabulous this turned out. thank you so much for all the time you spent on it!

[lauraandrews.livejournal.com]

This is the best one of the Exchanges so far :) I loved how quiet it was, and how in-character Tumnus and Lucy were. It also makes me kind of sad because their time together was nearing its end. Good job!

[amine-eyes.livejournal.com]

Oh this was beautiful :) So gentle, but felt like a perfect part of C.S.Lewis' stories :)

[ilysia-039.livejournal.com]

Oh, beautiful! Thank you for highlighting such a beautiful friendship.

[(Anonymous)]

I liked their tacit acceptance of Tumnus' approaching death, and how they weren't going to waste the time they had together... very calm and lovely. Oh, and how the springlike flower-filled first part is matched by the surviving autumnal storms in the second part.
Heliopause.

[snacky]

Oh this was so lovely! I especially loved how Lucy thought Tumnus' gift to her was to stay with her. And even if it wasn't the gift he intended, it truly was the best present.

And the ending, with Lucy saying farewell to the Oak, and the hint of the Planting ceremony to come, then Lucy caring for Tumnus! And so bittersweet, with the knowledge that they would be separated soon. *sniff*

Very well done!

[animus-wyrmis.livejournal.com]

This was lovely!

[linneasr.livejournal.com]

Very nice. I like the introduction of natural endings to Narnia, as canon always seems to have them magically-imposed. And, it is sweet that the White Stag will be arriving around the time the Four return through the wardrobe. Congratulations!