An Audience with the Faun (Indira, Tumnus)

[wally]

((If Indira has more to say to Wally in the other thread, feel free, but felt in case I was stalling/holding up the getting to Tumnus I'd post this...and if that's too hasty just let me know))

For all his uncertainty before, Wally hoped he made up for it in steadfastly knowing the way to the faun's quarters previously pointed out through his questioning of the servant.

"And here we should be" he said with a smile back to his companion.

This was still her business with the faun and Wally had no desire to overstep that, yet in keeping with his helping/escort duty, and being the member of the Castle guards to have lead her here, he felt it his duty to introduce the situation at least.

Unconsciously pulling himself to the proper height and stance of a guard, as if he would have lost such, Wally gave a rap upon the door.

"Mr. Tumnus" he half nodded half bowed, as anyone as within the monarch's inner circle as it were of advisers and such as the faun was deserved, when it was answered, "I hope I haven't disturbed you but a friend of King Edmund's requested I bring her up to speak with you, Sir".

Wally almost added that he believed it was important, but that was sort of not needed and after his nod of introduction to Indira, his part in all this was over for the moment and she really could and should take it from here.

Subsequently to that aim, Wally even took a slight step aside allowing Indira approach. Yet he kept alert to if he would need to arrange a quick saddle of horses or such, given the tense nature such could be needed, though it remained to be seen.

[Tumnus]

((ooc: not sure if I was supposed to wait for Indira, but I don't think she would enter without Tumnus' permission, so here is an intro))

Tumnus had been rather preoccupied as of late - well, he always was, but even more so than usual. He wrung his hands in anxiety as he paced his room. He had been waiting for what felt like hours to hear any news of what had happened. All morning there had been rumors floating around the castle, rumors which he both wanted and did not want to hear confirmed. Though he had been expecting to hear something eventually, when the knock finally came to his door, sharp and frighteningly official, his heart began to race all the same. Whatever happened had already happened, and there was nothing he could do to change things, whatever had happened, but he was still nervous for whatever reason. It was simply his nature. He tottered over to the door of his room and opened it hastily, fumbling with the knob for a moment before he managed to turn it properly. Then he stood face to face with a young guard. He swallowed thickly, and looked into the boy's face, searching for an inclination of emotion, but there was none conclusive. He asked if he was being disturbed and he couldn't even shake his head, he was so frozen.

"Not at all," he said quickly, stepping forward quickly and almost forgetting to incline his head in a respectful greeting to the escort. He had seen the young man around the castle a few times and thought him nice enough even though they had not really ever spoken. Tumnus forgot that he ranked higher than most other creatures in the castle because he was still as humble a creature as he had been when he was living alone in his little cottage in the woods of Narnia, and felt rude that he did not have to bow like the others did. However, now was not at all the time to think on such seeming frivolities. He would hope the boy would not think him rude, for certainly he did not think the boy rude for interrupting - the only thing that had been interrupted was his nervous pacing. He had been waiting all day for news but had thought it inappropriate to leave his room in such a tense time. He would have just gotten in the way. And honestly, he didn't even know what was going on; rumors had been rampant and obviously ludicrous due to their sheer numbers alone. None of them were good, but one of them had to be true. They all seemed so impossibly horrible.

But it didn't matter what he thought or what he had heard - he wanted to find out what was truly going on, no matter how much it would pain him. He had to know. "By all means, let her in," he said, backing up again to permit entrance to his guest, whoever they were. He could not think of any female friends of Edmund's off the top of his head - servants, perhaps, but not friends - but perhaps it was his nerves that had robbed him of his memory. It was a bad sign indeed that Edmund had come himself. Tumnus was not presumptuous enough to think himself deserving of an audience with His Majesty, especially since the two of them were not as close as he and Lucy were after the incident of the betrayal and the dungeon three years ago (it was still, understandably, a sensitive issue, especially now that Jadis had returned) - but most of the time if something was wrong, he was close enough to the kings and queens that they would tell him personally. Lucy, if she was privvy to the problem (often-times Peter tried to shelter her), often talked to him about things, so why wasn't she here? He felt his mouth going dry, and his body going cold with fear, and he had not even heard anything yet.

[/blockquote]

[bella]

((no, she most definitely would not.))

"Thank you again," Indira said to Wally when he looked back at her. He had been helpful no doubt. She imagined if she had just wondered around in search of him herself people would start asking questions. Not to mention it would have taken forever. Though most people didn't really question her for being at Cair Paravel, some of them watched her carefully. Indira didn't mind though, she completely understood, especially with the knowledge of what had just occurred. She probably wouldn't have trusted strangers who came and went as quietly and often as she did either.

Indira waited patiently for the faun to answer his door. The last time that she had seen Mr. Tumnus it was a rather similar situation. She had only just met Lucy and was in search of the young queen. Indi wished it was something that simple this time. It wasn't though, people were in danger this time and something had do to be done. Her heart beat quickened at the mention of Edmund - she really hoped that he was all right - but she was put at ease when she saw Mr. Tumnus. At least now she knew she had someone who would help her. If there was a more loyal friend then Mr. Tumnus, Indira wasn't sure she knew them.

" 'Ello Mr. Tumnus," she said stepping forward, now standing next to Wally. Indi curtsied politely, after all he was a man of great importance. "I am afraid sir, that I come bearing horrible news," she said rather quietly. More so because she was ashamed to admit it then that it was her usual demeanor. Though Cain was not her friend, nor one of her kind, he still came from her land. He had come in search of Evelyn and she had let him out of her sight. Indira had refused to help and because of it, she felt entirely responsible for what happened to Peter and Lucy.

[Tumnus]

((ooc: I sent you a PM but I’m just gonna go ahead and reply, assuming Wally just needed to give an intro/show Indi the way there and doesn’t need to say anything else))

Tumnus swallowed quickly when Indira curtsied, and ducked his head in a hasty bow, unable to remember whether or not he had already done so. As was usually the case with him whenever he was particularly nervous about something, which seemed unfortunately common lately, all rational thought seemed to have fled from him. At least he didn’t have to do the full, complete bow, since he was of relatively high stature, strange as it was to think about it. He wished they could forget such formalities, as they were altogether unnecessary and particularly embarrassing for a creature as humble as himself, and seemed to waste time in such times as these.

He wished he could have been as calmed by Indira’s presence as she, without his knowledge, was calmed by his. In fact he only worried more. He had met Indira a time or two before, but it had just been casual, showing her the way to find Lucy or something of the sort. They hadn’t really been terribly close, though he considered her a nice girl. He had heard some rumors among the valets – who were strictly forbid to gossip, but sometimes did anyway – that she had caught King Edmund’s eye, but Tumnus knew nothing about that. She was a pretty girl, and seemed very nice, but whether Edmund thought more so than anyone else, he had no clue.

His fears were confirmed when she said she brought horrible news – not just bad but horrible. “Oh, tell me at once, please! I cannot bear to wait if it is as horrible as you say,” he cried. He didn’t even have time to wonder exactly what had happened. Somehow, deep in his bones, he knew that it was as Indira said. And he had a growing suspicion that it had happened to one of his dearest friends, if she had come in their stead. “Lucy…” he whispered, his goat legs trembling beneath him, a question he could not bring himself to ask dying on his lips.