Only the Beginning of the Adventure [Narnia Book One]

Chapter 2: Magic is Real

Upon entering a snowy forest, Lucy and I walked up to a lamp post. We admired it and then heard what sounded like scurrying about. While Lucy ducked behind the lamp post, I hid behind a tree. A creature with a red scarf carrying parcels appeared. Both he and Lucy screamed and the creature dropped his parcels.

Moments later, the three of us walked back towards the lamp post. "Were you hiding from us?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Huh, um, n...n...no. I didn't want to scare either of you." The creature said.

I raised an eyebrow as Lucy again questioned, "If you don't mind me asking, what are you?"

He looked shocked that Lucy didn't know what he was. "Why, I'm a faun! And you two must be some kind of beardless dwarves?"

"We're not dwarves!" Lucy cried. "We're girls! And actually, I'm tallest in my class."

The faun remained confused. "But you're saying you're daughters of Eve?"

Lucy frowned. "Well, my mum's name is Helen..."

I kept quiet, curious as to what he'd say. "Yes, but you two are in fact, human."

We nodded and the faun asked, "What are you doing here?"

Glancing back, I finally spoke. "Well, we came from the wardrobe in the spare room, and..."

"Spare Oom." The faun interrupted.

"Spare room." Lucy repeated before asking, "Is that in Narnia?"

The faun seemed confused. "No. This is Narnia. Everything from this lamp post to Cair Paravel on the Eastern ocean, every stick and stone, every icicle is Narnia."

"This is an awfully big wardrobe." Lucy muttered quietly.

The faun turned his gaze to her. "Wardrobe? I'm sorry, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."

Lucy smiled and extended her hand. "Glad to meet you, Mr. Tumnus. I'm Lucy Pevensie. This is Neila Kirke." Tumnus stared at the our hands.

"Oh. You shake it." Lucy stated.

Mr. Tumnus frowned. "Why?"

Lucy thought for a moment. "I--I don't know. People do it when they meet each other."

Mr. Tumnus shook our hands. "Well then Lucy Pevensie, Neila Kirke, from the shining city of War Drobe in the wondrous land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you two came and had tea with me?"

Lucy glanced at the wardrobe. "Oh, well, thank you very much, but we probably should be getting back..."

"Yes, but it's only just around the corner. And there'll be a glorious fire. And toast and cakes. And maybe...we'll even break into the sardines."

"Well, I don't know..."

"Oh, come on. It's not everyday I get to make new friends."

Lucy glanced at me with a small grimace on her face. "Well, maybe for just a little while...if you have sardines."

"By the bucket load." Mr. Tumnus answered with a small smile. "Come along."

We followed the faun to his house. When we arrived, Lucy asked, "Can we help you?"

Mr. Tumnus nodded and we each took a couple of parcels and Lucy opened the door. "Why, thank you!"

We put the parcels down and began examining the pictures. Mr. Tumnus noticed what we were doing. "Oh...that is my father."

"He has a nice face." Lucy said with a smile. "You look just like him."

Mr. Tumnus's face changed almost instantly. "No, I'm not very much like him at all really."