The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Missing Queen

Chapter Eight

Mr Tumnus's house was completely destroyed. Glass and shards of wood were scattered everywhere from broken pictures and furniture. Pots and pans were on the floor, chairs had been thrown across the room. The hole place was messed up.

Lucy was on the verge of tears. "Who would do something like this?" She said. I had a guess. The White Witch who I ran from in the woods when Mr Tumnus saved me. 

There was a note stuck to a column in the middle of the room. Peter took it off and read it out loud. It read: 'The faun Tumnus is hereby charged with high treason against against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, for comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans. Signed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen.'

Edmund turned pale. Something was definately wrong. Susan snatched the paper out of Peter's hand. "Now we really should get back." She said.

"But what about Mr Tumnus?" Lucy asked.

"We can't just leave him." I added.

"If he was arrested just for being with humans I don't think there's much we can do."

"You don't understand do you? We're the humans!" Lucy said. I turned red. I hadn't told the others about this yet. "She must have found out he helped us."

"Wait, Ivy, you've been to Narnia?" Peter asked. I nodded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I came this morning. You wouldn't have believed me anyway."

"What happened?"

"I came through the wardrobe and the Queen's sleigh came past. They chased me but Mr Tumnus hid me." Lucy was starting to get upset.

"Don't worry Lu. We'll think of something."

"Why?" Edmund asked. That was the first thing he had said in a while. "I mean, he's a criminal."

Just as Edmund spoke, something made a 'psst' noise at us. It was a bird on a tree close to the house. "Did that bird just psst us?" Susan questioned. We stepped outside to see the bird but it flew away just as a twig somewhere snapped. Then came rustling in the bushes. We were all worried about what could pop out at any moment. We gathered in a huddle, except for Edmund, watching every corner.  I stood behind Lucy with my hand on her shoulder. Nothing came out but we could still hear rustling. Then a beaver came up a small hill and we all took a sigh of relief.

"It's a beaver." Lucy said in confusion.

"That must have been what was making the noises." I added. Peter crouched down and started clicking his tounge, trying to get the beaver to come closer. He held his hand out to the beaver. Then the beaver spoke. "I ain't gonna smell it if that's what you want." Our eyes widened and Peter stepped back. Me and Lucy giggled. "Lucy Pevensie?" The beaver asked. Lucy stopped giggling. She stepped towards the beaver and said, "Yes?" The beaver pulled out a hankerchief and handed it to her. "That's the hankie I gave to Mr Tum-"

"Tumnus. He got it to me just before they took him."

"Is he alright?" The beaver looked around."

"Further in." He then ran off.

Lucy, Peter and I began to follow him when Susan grabbed mine and Peter's shoulders. "What are you doing?" She asked strictly.

"She's right." Edmund said. "How do we know we can trust him."

"He seems nice enough." I said. "He's only a beaver."

"Plus, he said he knows the faun." Peter added.

"He's a beaver. He shouldn't be saying anything!" Susan shouted. The beaver reappeared.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes. We were just talking." Peter said.

"That's better left for safer quarters." He disappeared again.

"He means the trees." Lucy whispered. We followed the beaver this time.