Accidentally Falling | Narnia

03 | mysteries

WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE, Peter?" Mr. Tumnus asked the King of Narnia as he settled on the seat across from him.

"Aslan," Peter replied, sipping his tea. He had to admit, his friend the faun was really good at making one.

"He's in Cair Paravel?" the faun asked, surprised. Aslan rarely come to Narnia; only in hour of need.

"No," Peter replied, sensing the faun's tone of surprise. "Well, he was, last night. But if he left, I don't know. I left the castle early just before the break of dawn. He asked me to come here and bring you to Cair."

"Why?" Mr. Tumnus asked, although he had a hunch. Well, more than a hunch, actually. He knew it was because of those certain siblings that was out there in the woods right now.

Peter shrugged. "I don't know. He just said that he wanted to talk to you."

"And why would he ask you to come here yourself instead of sending other Narnians? Trumpkin would have no problem coming here. We're very good friends." Mr. Tumnus continued.

The young King chuckled at that. "Honestly Mr. Tumnus, I'm asking myself the same thing." He took another sip of his tea, savored the taste against his tongue, and asked, "Do you have any idea why Aslan wanted to talk to you?"

"About Lucy Pevensie, no doubt." Mr. Tumnus said quietly, fidgeting with the red scarf around his neck.

Peter scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Aslan told us nature spirits to be alert and keep a watch out for any humans wandering in the forest." the faun answered.

"Why?" the King asked.

"I don't know. He just said that it's important. And we should immediately tell him if there are any humans wandering in Narnia. Especially humans that are... strange." Mr. Tumnus could still remember the way Aslan had looked when he gave them the order. His catlike eyes were worried that if Mr. Tumnus hadn't known him as a powerful entity, second only to his own father the Emperor-over-the-sea, he could almost say that the Lion was terrified.

Peter stared at the faun, surprised. How come he didn't know this? Aslan didn't tell him anything. Then again, he hadn't seen Aslan for two years, not since when he crowned him and his brother as Kings of Narnia, until practically the night before when he requested him to personally escort Mr. Tumnus to Cair Paravel. He had been confused as to why Aslan would want him to go all the way to Lantern Waste to bring his friend to the castle. But he chose not to ask details. The Great Lion sounded so urgent that he decided not to press.

But what confused Peter more was why did Aslan tell Mr. Tumnus and other Narnians to keep watch for these humans but not him and Caspian?

Maybe Caspian knows, he thought. But his brother told him nothing, too. If Caspian knew about it, then he would surely tell him. The both of them agreed that they won't keep secrets from each other. They're brothers, bestfriends, comrades, and Kings of Narnia. They need to work together to run the kingdom they were given. Two years of being Kings had proven that.

"Why," Mr. Tumnus's voice shook Peter out of his reverie. "Didn't he tell you?"

The King shook his head.

"Well, there must be a reason why he hid this from you," Mr. Tumnus said. "Aslan always does things for a reason."

"Yeah, maybe," Peter nodded. "Anyway, what else did he say?"

Mr. Tumnus shrugged. "He just said that there would be three humans, and that it's important that we find them first before the others do."

"The others? The White Witch's minions?"

"Who else could it be? He said that these humans will be very important because the prophecy--"

Mr. Tumnus trailed off. He wasn't suppose to say that! Aslan gave them strict orders not to mention the prophecy to anyone! Anyone meaning the Kings of Narnia are not an exception. True, Aslan didn't tell them what it's about, but still, it must be really dangerous, considering the urgency on Aslan's face when he gave them the order.

Meanwhile, Peter's head snapped up at that.

"The prophecy?" he asked.

Not another prophecy, he grimaced. The last prophecy was a big one, involving him, his brother, the White Witch, and Narnia. And he had lost so much to that prophecy. Peter wasn't sure if he was quite ready to face another one two years later after fulfilling the first.

Mr. Tumnus had no choice but to nod. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could, a voice behind Peter interrupted, "What prophecy?"

The young King turned around to see the nightmare he met not an hour ago.

Susan Pevensie was standing by the door.