Tales of Lucy Pevensie

Tale 2 - As Protector & Friend

Summary: in which Lucy saves a Faun who aims to repay her in any way he can. Featuring Sirs Rinassa and Easlmus!

"Now, dear girl, there are others to attend to," Aslan said, when Edmund was sitting up and colour returning to his face. "We must not tarry... Others depend on you." Lucy picked up her cordial, gazing at it for a moment, before she leapt to her feet, running around Susan and Edmund and going to the first that required her attention.

When Edmund was able to get to his feet, he, Peter and Susan helped, going to others and waiting with them till Lucy could get to them. It was tiring; a few hours had passed, and Lucy felt as though her little feet could run no more.

Many were standing and walking about, and it seemed as though everyone had been saved. Aslan had breathed on those who had been turned to stone, and now the four Pevensie's stood together "I believe that's everyone, Lu. Good work," Peter congratulated his sister, moving to hug her tightly.

She grinned widely up at him, hugging him back, before going to put her cordial away. She was about to close the little flap when she heard the sound of approaching hooves, and looked up to see a Faun with reddish brown hair, bronze armour and peculiar blue eyes rushing toward her, looking frantic.

"I apologise, your Majesty," he gasped, hastily bowing, "But it is my brother. He is gravely injured. When he fell, I pulled him from the fighting. I guess it was far out for you. Please, your Majesty, he's my only brother!" he explained, and Lucy had her cordial out in an instant.

"Show me," she told him, and he wasted no time in turning and rushing off. The others watched as Lucy quickly followed him, running around rocks and a few of the White Witch's minions. He soon stopped outside an overhanging rock.

Lucy felt her heart patter nervously when he ducked inside. Swallowing her fear, she followed him, almost gasping aloud when she saw a Faun lying on the ground, gasping, and his eyes were closed. Unlike his brother, this one had no facial hair, and his hair was wild and dark brown. Lucy quickly knelt beside him.

"Easlmus," the older Faun said, kneeling beside his brother. "Easy, it'll be ok now. I have Queen Lucy here. Please, hang in there, brother." Lucy watched as he applied pressure to the younger Faun's... Easlmus?... wound, and she opened her cordial.

The older Faun placed his thumb and forefinger on Easlmus's cheeks, opening his mouth. Easlmus gasped, choking a little, and Lucy quickly held the cordial over his mouth, dropping a single drop in. She sat back, placing the lid back on the cordial.

They waited, Easlmus seemingly having difficulty breathing. Lucy looked up to see the older Faun grasping his horns, shaking his head. "No, no, Easy, Easlmus, you can't die! Please don't die!" He gasped when Easlmus stopped choking, and stopped moving all together.

The older Faun looked as though he were about to cry. Lucy waited, though. This had happened with Edmund. This young Faun couldn't die now. He couldn't... could he?

Lucy let out a happy sigh of relief when Easlmus coughed, his eyes fluttering open. He had the same peculiar blue eyes as his brother. Still coughing, the older Faun helped Easlmus to sit up, and he placed his hand over his chest.

Easlmus blinked a few times before looking up at Lucy. "Rinassa... what happened?" he asked shakily, moving his hand to his head, and the older Faun - Rinassa - beamed. "I found Queen Lucy. She saved you, brother." Not caring that Lucy was there, Rinassa embraced his brother tightly, and Lucy found tears coming to her eyes.

It was like Edmund all over again. It made her feel warm inside that she was able to prevent families from being taken away from one another.

Easlmus looked at her, still massaging his chest. "Your Majesty... I can't thank you enough. I swear... I will repay you. I'll figure something out," he decided, right then and there, and Lucy couldn't help a giggle escaping.

"I'm just glad to help. Please, do not hesitate to ask should you ever need it again," Lucy told the two brothers, and they nodded. Smiling, Lucy stood. "I'm sorry, but I must be getting back to my family. I hope to see you both again soon!" Giving them a wave, Lucy left and rejoined her family.

As she headed to Cair Paravel, walking beside Mr Tumnus who was chattering excitedly, Lucy found herself thinking about those Faun brothers. Easlmus and Rinassa... She hadn't quite met anyone with a bond like theirs. It was different to the one Peter and Edmund now had.

Shaking her head, Lucy decided she would think about them later.

She spent many an hour and a day getting ready for her coronation; the whole thing made her heart beat in her chest. But the feeling of that dainty tiara on her head, the smiles from Mr Tumnus, the Beavers and Laeil, the Naiad she and Susan had saved, made her heart warm.

Yet she wondered where those two Faun brothers were.

She was joined by Mr Tumnus when Aslan left, and Mr Tumnus returned her handkerchief, with the words, "You need it more than I do." He left her to think on the balcony, and once again her thoughts trailed to the Faun brothers. Were they at the celebration?

As these thoughts entered her mind, she heard hooves against stone behind her, and turned to see Rinassa and Easlmus standing behind her, a little breathless, but glad to see her nonetheless.

"Your Majesty!" they both said, bowing, and Lucy let out a laugh.

"I was wondering where you two were. I'm glad you're here," she told them, and Easlmus held his hand out for her. Hesitantly, Lucy stepped forward and took it, and when she did the two Fauns both fell into a kneel, their heads bowed.

"Queen Lucy the Valiant," Rinassa spoke first, lifting his head so they could meet eye-to-eye. "On the field of Beruna, you saved many lives. You saved the life of my brother. And he said he would repay you." He dropped his head as Easlmus raised his.

"And repay you I will. Your Majesty... My brother and I offer ourselves as your guard, to be there at your every call. To act as friend or protector. As... Queensguard, per say," Easlmus told Lucy.

She stared at them for a few moments, her mouth open slightly. They... what? They would be her personal guard... her Queensguard? In return for saving Easlmus's life?

At first, she wanted to say no. But as she thought about it, she realised these two would be in her life. And not only could they be friend and protector to her, she could be friend and protector to them. It was what she wanted... wholeheartedly.

Smiling at them, Lucy held her hand out to Rinassa. He looked a little surprised, before taking her hand gently. The two brothers stood, still holding her hands, and Lucy smiled at them. Tears were forming in her eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I want you to be my... Queensguard, was the word you used? I like it," Lucy said, releasing Rinassa's hand for a second to stop a tear from trickling down her cheek. "It's not every day I save someone they want to protect me."

Rinassa and Easlmus laughed. "We'll be whatever you want us to be... protector and friend wise," they smiled, and a cheeky grin crept onto Lucy's face.

"Ok then...." she said slowly. "You said anything, so right now... I want you two to be my dance partners." Turning back to the balcony to take up her handkerchief, Lucy led the two Fauns into the hall. She danced the night away with the two, introducing the two to her family, Mr Tumnus, and Laeil.

Now all she had to figure out was how to explain to Peter how she ended up with two guards before she even held court for the first time. That would be a tale to tell... and it was one she would be telling for a very long time.