|When two worlds collide - Book I

~Meeting the Beavers~

Lucy led them through the woods, the snow fell and it got colder with each minute. Eventually they found themselves in a little valley where they soon found the very door of Mr. Tumnus's cave. But as they approached the door, a terrible surprise awaited them. The door had been wrenched of its hinges and broken to bits. As they looked inside, it was dark and cold it looked as it had not been lived in for several days. They all walked inside to see the mess that had been made. Terrified that something horrible must of happened to the faun, Lucy's eyes started to squint to keep tears from seeping out. Miriam walked closer to Lucy to remind the little girl that she was there in case she needed her. On the floor next to their feet laid a picture of Mr. Tumnus's father that had been slashed into shreds with a knife.

"This is a pretty good wash-out. Not much good coming here." Edmund commented as he looked around the tattered place.

"What is this?" Asked Peter, ignoring his brother. He stooped down and picked up a piece of paper which had been nailed through the carpet on the floor.

"Is there anything written on it?" Miriam asked as she walked up behind Peter to get a better look at the paper.

"Yes, I think there is. But I can't read it in this light. Let's get out into the open air." Miriam grabbed Lucy's small hand and they all went out in the daylight and crowded round Peter as he read the paper out loud.

"The former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is hereby charged with High Treason against her Imperial Majesty Jadis Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, for comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans. Signed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. LONG LIVE THE QUEEN." They all stared at each other. Lucy's hand gripped tighter around Miriam's and Miriam looked down to see the anguish in Lucy's eyes. She drew the girl closer to her body and held her protectively.

"I don't know that I'm going to like this place after all." Susan said.

"Who's this Queen, Lu? Do you know anything about her?" Peter asked worriedly.

"She isn't a real Queen, but a horrible witch. The White Witch. Everyone hates her and she's made an enchantment over the whole country so that it's always winter here but never Christmas." Lucy said.

"I...I wonder if there's any point in going on. I mean, it doesn't seem particularly safe here and it looks as if it won't be much fun either." Susan remarked.

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy asked.

"If he was arrested just for being with a human, I don't think there's much we can do." Susan answered.

"You don't understand, do you? I'm the human! She must have found out he helped me." Lucy explained.

"Maybe we could call the police." Peter suggested.

"These are the police." Susan said as she looked at him.

"Don't worry, Lucy. We'll think of something." Miriam assured Lucy as she crouched down to meet the girl's eyes. She took both of Lucy's hands in hers and squeezed them tight before looking at the other's for confirmation.

"Why? I mean, he's a criminal!" Edmund said and they all looked at him in shock.

"What if Lucy's right? As much as I don't want to go a step further and I wish we'd never come, I think we need to trust Lucy and find a way to help Mr. Tumnus." Susan said which shocked Miriam a bit. A few moments ago, Susan had been against the whole thing, believing they should abandon the place and go back home, but after hearing Lucy's explanation for Mr. Tumnus's arrest, Susan seemed to have changed her mind and were now willing to go against all her beliefs to help her sister and her new friend.