~ 

Trudging through the wet snow was easier said than done. Adeline was wearing simple slippers and her toes were numb and cold. She tugged the sleeves of her white wool sweater, hidden underneath her brown fur coat over her frozen fingers, trying to get some feeling back.

A little way down the path they were going on they stopped in a small clearing, a lamp post taking residence there, the bright flame the only colorful thing in the wood.

She could hear Lucy explaining how she found it the first time she arrived but the rest of her words were blurred out as Adeline reached to touch the lamp post. She had a feeling she had been here before and her magic was responding to the cold metal as well, stirring inside of her.

"Come on Addy!" Lucy beckoned as they all left the lamp post behind to head to Mr. Tumnus' house. 

She shuffled near the end of the line with Susan who was admiring the scenery around her.

"It's quite beautiful isn't it." Adeline broke the silence.

"Yes," Susan chuckled, "If it weren't for the fact my toes were about to fall off I might say I would like to stay longer."

Both girls giggled and caught up to the rest of the group. They reached a slope where the ground went downhill. Ahead of her Peter ran down the hill and slid in the snow, laughing like a maniac. Adeline ran past the younger two and jumped in the pile of snow beside him, the adrenaline pounding in her ears as she let out a scream then a laugh.

She stared at Peter with wide eyes as he picked up a handful of snow and threw it at her. Adeline returned the favor and with the excitement getting to her, she tackled him to the ground. Both children laughing as snow went everywhere.

She looked down at Peter and blushed at their sudden proximity. His arms were wrapped around her waist and she could feel his breath on her cheeks. Adeline scrambled off him quickly, silently scolding herself for her foolishness. Instead of having a disapproving look as she expected him to have Peter had a stupid grin on his face as he stood up and held out a hand for her. She took it with as much grace as she could muster and let him help her up.

Susan and Lucy were giggling at the small scene and Adeline shot them a glare behind the boys' backs as they carried on.

This wasn't like her. Usually, she managed to keep her composure but something about this place was changing her. It felt as if her head was sharp and clear after being foggy for so many years like she was finally getting a breath of fresh air. Her magic was responding to this place and she felt free here. 

Adeline only realized she was starting to trail behind when Lucy took her hand, the small fingers wrapping around her own, and walked with her. 

"Peter seems to like you," Lucy remarked.

Adeline flushed and tucked a lock of stray hair behind her ear, "I thought you all did."

Lucy giggled and playfully shoved Adeline, "You know what I mean." 

The older girl squeezed the younger one's hand, "So, tell me about Mr. Tumnus. If we're going to meet him I want to make a good impression."

"Well," the little girl began energetically, "He's very nice and when we get to his home he'll make us tea and biscuits and-" She cut off and stared into the distance in shock. Adeline followed her gaze to see a broken down door in a carved out portion of a rocky hill. Lucy let out a sharp gasp and sprinted towards the door.

 "Lucy!" Peter shouted, running after her, the rest of the children right behind them. They all ran inside and Adeline had to hop over the broken pieces of wood in the doorway. The house was a mess, books and wood and glass was everywhere. Objects had been smashed beyond recognition and what once must have been an impressive book collection was nothing but shreds of paper on the floor. 

Lucy wandered in, Peter keeping close to her. Susan grabbed Adeline's arm as both girls clutched at each other trying not to trip or cut themselves. 

"Who would do something like this?" Lucy said, her voice breaking. Adeline caught up with the little girl and tucked a lock short hair behind her ear in comfort.

A crack was heard behind her and Adeline turned to see that Edmund had stepped on a clawed picture of an older man with a goatee and small horns on his head. He quickly shuffled away from it and Adeline shot him a frown, still a little upset at the fact that he had mistreated his little sister. 

She looked up around her, trying to find any clues, a little something she had picked up on when she had read Sherlock Holmes long ago when a yellow paper with inscription nailed to the wall caught her eye.

"What's that?" she broke the silence, pointing to what she was talking about. 

Peter reached over and tugged the paper off the wall. Adeline and Susan came up beside him leaning over to read along with him.

"Faun Tumnus," Peter read aloud, "Is hereby charged with high treason." Adeline and Peter shared a concerned look before reading on, "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."

A large portion of the paper was taken by a paw print that Adeline was sure had long sharp claws to accompany it. Susan snatched the paper and Adeline ran the events over her head. They had just come to visit Lucy's friend and now they were mixed up in some sort of legal matter.

"All right. Now we really should go back." Susan persisted.

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

Adeline spoke up, surprised, "We're not going to help him?"

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

"But there's still something," Adeline was almost shouting now, "We might not be able to help him but perhaps we can find someone who can." The newfound energy within this place was now stirring in Adeline.

"You don't understand, do you." Lucy said, her small face scrunched up with a frown, "I'm the human, she must have found out he helped me."

"Maybe we can call the police," Peter said. Adeline gave him a thankful smile, for at least trying to stay and her and Lucy's side.

"These are the police," Susan pointed out. If these were the police then who would they report it to? Adeline bit her lip as the situation went south, she didn't want this poor faun to suffer on their part but at the same time couldn't find a solution to their problem. She racked her brain, trying to come up with a plan of some sort from her knowledge of books. Sherlock Holmes would have already come up with a solution and would have been in the middle of executing it. Jo March would have stormed over to wherever Tumnus was being held and gotten him out herself. None of these options were good or helpful.

"Don't worry, Lu," Peter comforted his little sister, "We'll think of something."

Adeline tucked a lock of hair behind Lucy's ear, a developing habit, "We'll find a way to save him."

Susan glared at Adeline, and she could tell she was upset that they were giving Lucy false hope and making promises they wouldn't be able to keep. Adeline said nothing at that.

"Why?" a voice interrupted them. Adeline remembered Edmund was here too, although he was quite the whole time, "I mean, he's a criminal."

Adeline opened her mouth, about to say something in retort when a small 'psst' caught everyone's attention.

Outside, perched on a branch was a bright red bird, a sharp contrast against the white snow. 

Susan turned to the other, confused, "Did that bird just 'psst' us?"

Adeline nodded, not knowing what to say. This place was just getting stranger and stranger. First stumbling upon it through a wardrobe, then a faun, an arrest and now talking bird. What was next?

Adeline was the first to move, her curiosity getting the better of her. She headed outside, the others close behind her. The moment they stepped out of the cave, the bird fluttered away.

The crack of a branch was what set them all on edge. Something was there and Adeline could hear it shuffling about. 

"Adeline," Peter whispered, grabbing her hand and she realized she was about to walk in its direction.

He didn't let go as he stood beside her, Susan and Lucy stuck to him like glue. He placed himself in front of them so that if anything were to jump out, it wouldn't get the girls.

The shuffling moved to their left and Adeline clutched Peters hand even tighter. Concentrating, she made sure that if anything were to strike out, she could hit it with a blast of her powers in an instant. The magic stirred inside her, ready to move at her command.

The children froze, as the shuffling grew closer, but what popped up wasn't exactly what they were expecting. A large brown beaver came out from behind a rock and stood in front of them.

Adeline let out a breath, as did the others. They were expecting something bigger and thank God it wasn't. Adeline was ready to use her powers to protect them but her grandfather's warning echoed in her head, as she didn't know how the others would react to her having magic.

"It's a beaver," Lucy said, pointing out the obvious.

The beaver shuffled closer, sniffing the air as if it was looking for something. Peter let of her hand, the absence not going unnoticed, and stretched it out, snapping his fingers. "Here boy," he said, clicking his tongue.

He crouched down, getting close enough to almost pet it. The beaver looked at his hand like it was almost confused before opening its mouth, "Well I ain't gonna smell it if that's what you want."

Adeline's jaw dropped as Peter recoiled quickly to her side. Lucy let out a giggle and Adeline wanted to do the same. 

"Uh, sorry." Peter apologized. The wide-eyed look on his face made Adeline snort and she raised a hand to her mouth to keep from making more noise.

"Lucy Pevensie." the beaver said. Lucy's giggling stopped as she stared in attention. She approaches him as he pulled out what seemed to be a handkerchief.

Adeline stayed close behind the little girl and she plucked it out of the beaver's paw. Looking closely she saw the initials L.P. stitched onto the corner.

"This is the hankie I gave to Mr-"

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

"Is he alright?" Lucy questioned. 

"Not here." The beaver said, looking around cautiously. The beaver then turned his attention to Adeline for the first time. His eyes seemed to widen before he addressed her, "Quickly your majesty, the witch might be able to sense you."

For the second time in five minutes, Adeline was confused. What did he mean the witch could sense her and what was the royal title for? 

"I-I think you might be mistaken," she fumbled out, "I'm not royalty. I-"

"Shh." the beaver said fiercely, "Further in."

It scuttled away as the children remained in the same spots, Adeline still trying to process what was happening and what they should do next. Peter and Adeline looked at each other, as the oldest, they were expected to lead.

The curiosity was threatening to spill out of her. Did the beaver know something about her magic? Is that what he meant by sense. And what was the whole majesty business? One thing she knew for sure was that he wasn't dangerous, in fact, her magic seemed to have settled down when she saw him. Adeline guessed that was a good sign and her magic had never been wrong before.

 Without meaning to, Adeline began to follow the beaver Peter and Lucy did as well. 

"What are you doing?!" Susan demanded, grabbing her older brother's arm, catching Adeline's attention.

"She's right," Edmund said taking Susan's side, for once. "How do we know we can trust him?"

"He said he knows the faun," Peter said innocently, shrugging. The small action struck a chord in Adeline and she felt her face flush at how adorable he looked. 

Adeline crossed her arms, "And does he really look like the evil type to you?"

"He's a beaver," Susan's eyes lit up, "He shouldn't be saying anything."

Adeline huffed, "If you haven't noticed, Su, but I think a talking beaver should be the least of our problems. We just stumbled through a wardrobe and straight into another country and you're worried about talking beavers." 

Susan pursed her lips in displeasure. Adeline knew she was right about worrying but at this point how stranger could things get?

"Everything alright?" the beaver scurried back, with a twitch of his head.

"Yes." Peter immediately said. Adeline flashed him a smile that was a little too bright as she tried to pretend that they hadn't just been talking about him two seconds ago. 

"We were just talking." he covered up.

The beaver looked around again like something was going to attack them this instant if they weren't too careful, before he whispered, "That's better left for safe quarters."

Little Lucy, who had been quiet as the grown children argued, spoke as if she had the knowledge of one, "He means the trees."

The skin at the base of Adelines neck pickled as Lucy said that and she couldn't but help look around at the bare branches above them. Her magic tugged at her to follow the beaver, and since this place had begun to make her magic stronger, the feeling was less like a small tug and more like someone was trying to shove her.

"We might as well follow him," Adeline said, looking back at Peter, who still seemed a bit startled at what was happening, "I don't want to stand here and freeze."

Adeline turned, picked up the base of her dragging fur coat, and followed the beaver. The crunch of snow behind her indicating the others were following suite.

Whatever was happening to all of them seemed unreal, and yet was happening right before their eyes. She had always dreamed of adventure and yet now that it was happening she was terrified and yet a small part of her was still excited. Jo March managed to face her fears head-on, which is what Adeline vowed silently to do as she pushed past branch after branch.

Whatever was going to happen, Adeline hoped she wasn't about to lead them all straight into danger.

~

Hey guys, hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Quarantine is getting to me and I need to leave the house. I miss my friends but I definitely don't miss school. We're still getting the same amount if not more work and I'm starting to lose motivation to do any of it. 

Thank you all for over 200 reads!!! That's honestly amazing to me and I can't believe it.

Question of the day:

~ What song or songs remind you of the Narnia series. Either the characters, the stories or just Narnia in general. ~

Please stay safe, wash your hands and don't forget to vote and comment.

Until next time,

StoryTeller5678