The First Day - for tantella

[nfe-gremlin.livejournal.com]

Title: The First Day
Author: lauraandrews
Recipient: tantella
Rating: K
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Spoilers for The Magicians Nephew.
Summary: Have you ever wondered what Frank and Helen did on their first day as King and Queen of Narnia? A short story, told from Helen's POV.
Author's Notes: This story DOES have HTML tags.




The First Day



Helen awoke from her slumber beneath the tangled bower that the elephants had made for her and Frank. She awoke to a world fresh as spring rain and as green as emeralds; the sky was a soft, robin's egg blue, and white clouds floated lazily along. The whole land was awash in a young sun's gentle glowing, nothing like the harsh glare Helen was used to. A breeze whispered secrets across the trees boughs and brushed the new queen's hair with a sigh before going on to waken the waters.


"Frank, come out and see! It's beautiful!" she said, rousing him with a shake.


A moment later they were standing hand in hand outside the bower, breathing deeply of the air, and with each breath feeling younger and stronger and more alive.


"Nellie, love," Frank said. "I don't know twopence about being king, and I never thought I should be one. If I had, maybe I would have studied a bit about it. Anyways, Aslan has made it as simple and plain as He could, I suppose, and hasn't set us to making laws right off or building armies. Apparently all we have to do is plant crops, not have favorites, and be brave."


Helen could have listened to Frank's new voice, his rich country voice, all day. It was even richer than it had been when she had first met him under the apple tree, before they had moved to dreadful, overcrowded, busy London. It was as rich as the soil beneath their feet, almost as rich as Aslan's mane.


"Well, Frank," she replied. "That's a lot to do, don't you think? And I'm sure we'll think of more as we go along."

He kissed her under the morning sun and laughed.
"This is where we're supposed to be, Nellie. I feel about like I felt when I met you for the first time. We'll figure it all out somehow; I don't think Aslan is going to leave us all alone, and we have animals that can talk and trees that are alive in more ways than one, and even the rivers are intelligent. Or at least, the spirits that live in them are."

"Then what do we do first?"


"I suppose that I will go and see about starting a corn field and planting apples or oranges or..."


"Frank, look!" gasped Helen, pointing not far off, to the place where they had both stood two days ago before Aslan.


Frank squinted, and then laughed.


"It's... it's a, what would you call it? A soap tree?"


They walked towards it, and saw a tree, no higher than Frank's chest, covered in translucent leaves. Beneath almost every leaf there was a cluster of something that looked very much like soap suds.


"It must have dripped off your hands when you landed there, after Aslan called you,"
Frank said. "This is the strangest, most wonderful place I have ever set eyes on!"


He plucked a sud-cluster off the tree and rubbed it between his hands. It was firm at first, but burst and lathered on his hands. It had a faint soap scent.


"Well," Helen said. "We don't have to worry about how we will wash now." She was grinning widely. It took them both several minutes to remember that they had been making plans for the future of their kingdom.


"I'll talk to the moles about planting," Frank said, as though he had never left off. "And I'll have the birds gather seeds. And what about you?"


"Oh, don't worry about me," Helen said. "I think I will go talk to the dwarfs. They seemed eager to talk to me last night."


"Then you do that, love. I feel a bit shy around them myself, to tell you the truth. I don't know why. I guess it'll wear off sooner or later."


He kissed her once more and was off. Helen went to a stream and tried to fix her hair a bit.


"I wish I had my cherry hat," she murmured. "Though, if I did, I would replace the cherries with violets or something."


A dripping head rose out of the water and bowed low, and she jumped back, startled.


"Fair queen," the stream nymph said, bowing low. "Is there anything you require?"


"Me? Oh, no thank you. I was just freshening up a bit."


The nymph sank to the bottom, but came up a moment later with a string of polished blue stones.


"For your hair, your majesty," she said, placing them on the bank and disappearing.


Astonished, Helen picked it up and looked at it in wonder. Each stone shone like a gem, and each had a faint hint of green or red or yellow in it. She put her hair up and wound them around it.


"Nellie Baxter," she said. "I think I am going to like being queen. Oh, beg pardon, your majesty. It's Helen now, isn't it? Queen Helen." She laughed and curtsied, feeling like a little girl but not caring.


She smoothed her dress and then looked around when she heard a bird singing. It was really singing, with words and a melody, sweet and lilting.


"I'm Dewdrop, your majesty," the little hummingbird chirped, hopping onto Helen's arm. "The dwarfs were asking about you and King Frank, and I told them I would find you. They are ever so eager to see you, you know. Now that that business with the Witch and the Neevil and all are over, they think it's high time to begin the business of helping you to become king and queen."


"Why, thank you, Dewdrop," Helen said. "Frank, King Frank that is, is busy with the moles and such, but I was just about to come find the dwarfs myself."


"Then I will lead you, your majesty," the hummingbird said, and away she flew, staying just in front of Helen's nose.





They did not go far; to Helen, it was not far enough. There was so much to see and to hear and smell, and she could not take it all in. But before long she felt a steady vibrating in the ground and not long afterwards a thrumming noise. Smoke rose from a large hole in the ground. Dewdrop flew straight in, and came back out with a very sooty Black dwarf.


"Your majesty!" he said. "What a pleasure."


He wiped his hands and bowed a great many times, then led her down into the mines.
The banging and clanging almost deafened her as they went deeper.


"Brothers!" cried the dwarf. "Our queen has come for a visit!"


They all stopped their work and crowded round, bowing and nodding and bobbing and cheering. Helen, who had never until the day before had so much attention on her at once, felt very nervous.


"Th-thank you," she stammered, smiling. "I... I have come to see your work and ask you some... questions."


"Ask away, majesty," grinned a smallish dwarf with a thick apron.


"Well," she said. "Frank and I, we don't know much about any of you. In our world, the animals don't talk, and dwarfs aren't like you, and the trees can't talk, either. And so... we need you to tell us what you're like, and what you need, and so on and so forth."





At the end of three hours, a great deal of planning had gone on, and they had learned a lot about each other. Helen emerged from the smoky depths of the mines and saw Frank coming towards her, led by a Buck who was talking gravely without letting the king get a word in edgewise.


"Nellie, my dear!" cried the king, halting the Buck's monologue. "Our good friend Brownfoot, here, has been instructing me in the Way in Which a Monarch Should Speak Among Those Outside His Family."


Brownfoot lowered his antlered head.


"It is true, Queen Helen. Aslan himself, before he departed, bade me teach you the way of proper speech, which He called Courtly. Otherwise I should not dare lift my humble voice in your ears in anything other than humble obeisance, for I am keenly aware that I am the least of your Majestys' servants. However, since the Great Lion has laid upon me a task I will endeavor to do my utmost to instruct you, who are already so great in learning, as much as I can with my own small wits."


Helen felt out of breath by the time this speech was over, but she curtsied and smiled at him.


"Thank you, Brownfoot. Maybe you could come tomorrow and teach us more? Right now I fear I must speak to my husband."


The Buck bowed again and was about to speak, but Frank took Helen's arm and they turned around and walked slowly away, already deep in conversation.


"It will be harder than I thought, Nellie," said Frank. "trying not to have favorites amongst the animals. Brownfoot is very trying to the patience."


"Ah," laughed Helen. "Aslan never told us it would be easy, did he? But we'll manage somehow. I know we will."


"Well, then," Frank said. "Tell me about your visit with the dwarfs. I trust they did not talk off your ears?"


"No, we had a pleasant time, though it was a bit smoky in there. I did not have to even mention our need for a house. They said that it would all be taken care of. But they said that if you like, they would teach you a bit of smithying."


"I already know a bit." Frank smiled. "At least, I made shoes for the horses, and repaired farm tools, back when I lived in the country. I would be obliged to them, though, if they taught me how to do silver and gold smithing."


At that moment two Beavers ambled up and bowed clumsily.


"Your majesties," said one (Helen could not tell whether it was the Mr. or the Mrs. who addressed them). "we would be honored if you would join us for tea. I don't suppose either of you have eaten yet?"


"I had a bite with the moles," said Frank. "But that was a few hours ago. We'll come."





During the excellent meal, which consisted of fruit and honey, berries, cakes, tea, and buttered bread, the beavers expressed their willingness to 'keep your majesties supplied with food' until Frank and Helen had a steady way of producing their own.


"And if ever you have a child, my queen," said Mrs. Beaver. "Which Aslan did seem to indicate you would, or else there'd be no continuance of your royal line. If you have a child, then I would be happy to be nurse or nanny or whatever you want to call it, and help you out with the care of him. Or her, as it may be."


"Thank you," Helen said, smiling graciously. "Oh, Frank, look!"


A great Eagle was descending in wide circles towards them. As he came nearer, he cried in his harsh voice,
"Hail, king and queen!"


"Greetings, friend!" Frank replied. "What is the happy circumstance that brings you hither?"


"I have surveyed the land, from border to border, and have drawn a map," the Eagle said, alighting on the grass and letting a piece of parchment fall from his talons.

He did not spend long pointing out the places which he had marked, for there were few and most were unnamed as yet. Frank thanked him and the Eagle flew away, calling out his farewell.





The rest of the day was spent with the dwarfs, choosing a spot for the house and taking a tour of the mines and talking. By evening, Helen was tired but happy. It was hard, in this land, to be exhausted too quickly, and easy to be merry, especially when one dined with Bacchus and drank of river water turned to wine.


As twilight turned softly to nightfall, the stars came out one by one, singing sweet songs in their high, cold voices. Frank sat beside Helen on the bank of a small stream; their arms were entwined together behind their backs as they watched the fauns dancing at the other side of the stream in the light of a bonfire.
Of a sudden, Aslan stood before them. The king and queen jumped to their feet and bowed.


"We thought you had gone away, sir," said Frank.


"In these first years I will not be long away," the Lion said. "I will come and go, teaching and guiding and helping you. And even when you are settled well and familiar with your duties I will continue to be here, for you are my beloved children, and this my beloved land."


"We will never be settled enough that we do not need you, sir," said Helen, shyly. "At least, I hope we never think we are."


"It is well and wisely spoken," Aslan said, lowering his great head and touching her forehead with his tongue. "Farewell for tonight, my children."

Finis

Original Prompt that we sent you: The Customs and Habits of Marsh-Wiggles; growing up in hiding in Miraz’s Narnia; a pre-conquest Narnian monarch who was less than honorable / effective; Helen’s first day as queen; Bism; Ramandu after the Dawn Treader leaves with his daughter; anything from Charn or Calormen; backstories of any minor character.

Comments

[pencildragon11.livejournal.com]

Yay, I'm the first commenter!

There are so many things to squeal over here. I love that Frank and Helen first met under an apple tree. I love the soap tree. I love Dewdrop and the Dwarfs and Brownfoot, who is Very Correct in the Way in Which One Should Speak, Forsooth. I like the Mrs. Beaver the First and the Eagle and the map (one should always, always have a map) and this:
"A breeze whispered secrets across the trees' boughs and brushed the new queen's hair with a sigh before going on to waken the waters."

Everything is fresh and new and young, and Aslan is never far away. It's lovely.

[ceitfianna]

Oh my, this is probably one of my favorites of the Narnia novels, its a hard choice and you captures Lewis' music. There are so many small moments in this where you see Frank and Helen finding their way and I'm in awe. The way the language flows from moment to moment and it feels like reading and being in amongst Narnia's history.

[edenfalling]

Oh, that's lovely! I really like that Helen's response to being told she and her husband are now in charge of a magical country is to ask the inhabitants what they want and need. That is a very sensible and fair way to go about things. Her joy in the freshness and beauty of Narnia -- and the way she and Frank seem renewed in their love after hard, gray years in London -- comes through clearly.

[amine-eyes.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD SOAP TREE :DDD

I love this, it feels like I'm reading the coda to the Magician's Nephew :D

[autumnia]

How lovely! I like seeing how things are in the first days of Narnia and from Helen's point of view here. There's so much to see and do and I think she and Frank are on their way to being a good king and queen, judging by their thoughts and actions to those who are now their subjects. And the soap free was a fun touch -- it's both unusual and very practical, as Helen immediately realizes. :-)

[(Anonymous)]

This is so wonderfully done and now I want a story about the Pevensies or one of the later generations coming across the soap tree and the type of legend that would survive about it.
Ruanchinxian

[tantella.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that it has taken me a day or two to read, but thank you so, so very much, mystery writer!! This story was very sweet, and I think you did a wonderful job capturing the newness and excitement of Helen's Narnia. Your first paragraph was absolutely lovely and probably my favorite part of all, and I loved the inclusion of the soapsud tree. I wonder what other sort of things grew up in those first few days that Lewis didn't have the time to tell us about?

I also loved that the Narnians themselves are teaching the new monarchs, though I don't envy them their time spent with Brownfoot :)

Thank you so much for a great response to my prompt!

[ilysia-039.livejournal.com]

I love this story. We see so very little of Frank and Helen, for all that they were among the first in Narnia. And they're so lovely here! I think you've hit the perfect tone with Helen- she doesn't know much, but she feels it and will know soon. Frank and Helen have so much to learn in their new world, but they will do well.

You've perfectly captured the gentle wonder of The Magician's Nephew. Bravo!

[the_rck]

I like your Frank and Helen, tending to practical matters first. I enjoyed them getting to know Narnia and their different subjects. Everyone takes such delight simply in being alive. I thought the soap tree was a particularly nice touch.

Thanks for writing!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

I adore the soap tree. This is a brilliant bit of worldbuilding and one of those things that makes you think, oh, but of course, because if coins, apples, toffee, and rods from lampposts grow, OF COURSE soap would grow. These are the delights of fan fiction as gap filler and also the joys of the NFE specifically, that is gives the opportunity, in writer and reader for a little bit of something lovely and brilliant that would otherwise mostly get lost on the bigger sites. Helen is gracious and practical; you capture her voice very well. We also see so clearly why she and Frank are able to found a line of wise and good leadership. (Also, it's fun to think about this story in contrast to the Helen story posted a few days later, where Lucy visits Helen's sister). Thank you!

[snacky]

This was such a sweet little story! I love how fresh and new Narnia is, and I love the touch of the soap tree. And I really like how you write all the Narnians - Dewdrop and the Dwarfs and Brownfoot and the Beavers - they are very well done!

[lady_songsmith]

Oh, the soap tree made me laugh! What a lovely detail! And Brownfoot teaching them courtly speech -- well, that had to come from somewhere, I can't imagine they'd have invented it themselves! I do love that Frank and Helen don't just jump into work but first go and ask everyone about things they don't know; that's lovely and shows why they were made king and queen.

[animus-wyrmis.livejournal.com]

I really liked this! It's not a part of narnian history that I think about much, so it was a lot of fun to see how Helen and Frank would have begun to manage.

[linneasr.livejournal.com]

Aw! This is so sweet! How else would they pass the first day, really? It's a lovely story, and thank you.