A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part one)

148: Forgiveness

May 28th - Prompt: All that matters

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"Mr.Tumnus?" Edmund practically held his breath as the faun turned around, fiddling with the bottom of his silk tunic as his heart pounded in his chest.

Tumnus turned, and gave him a small smile. "Your Majesty." He said, bowing his head.

Edmund swallowed hard. "Edmund is fine." He murmured.

Tumnus stared at him. "Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked slowly.

Edmund hesitated, biting his lip. "Can I talk to you?" He said, voice quiet.

Tumnus nodded slowly, before turning back to face the ocean, as he was stood on the balcony. "Of course." He said.

Edmund wondered over, hands sweating as he rested them against the stone railing. "I-" He paused, before sighing. "I wanted to say I'm sorry." He whispered eventually, extreme hurt in his voice.

Tumnus was silent for a while before slowly nodding.

"I - It's my fault you were kidnapped and turned into stone." Edmund told him. "There's no excuse to what I did, and I'm sorry."

Tumnus said nothing for a while, before he took a deep breath. "I can't fully blame you." He said softly. "Not after hearing how she got you to do what she did."

Edmund licked his lips and swallowed hard. "I-"

"She gave you enchanted food." Tumnus cut him off. "Every Narnian knows the effects of that, therefore I cannot blame you."

"I still told her about you though." Edmund whispered. "She asked about something, and I just rambled on, I was nervous, and then she asked me to sit with her-"

"After you'd talked about me?" Tumnus said with a small frown.

Edmund frowned too, slowly nodding.

"So you didn't turn me in for sweets like she said?" Tumnus told him.

Edmund hesitated, thinking of this for a moment. "Well, I told her about you-"

"Before the sweets." Tumnus said. "So she lied."

"Believe it or not she does that a lot." Edmund whispered, voice slightly choked. "But it's still my fault."

"I will admit I feel better knowing you didn't exactly turn me in for sweets." Tumnus told him. "And the fact that you're having this conversation with me shows me how much you have changed, tells me you're not the same boy I met in those dungeons."

Edmund swallowed hard, turning quickly to the ocean, but he didnt say anything.

"Things happened, bad things we cannot change." Tumnus continued. "And whilst you had a small part in what happened to me, the only person I can really blame is the Witch herself. She's the one who tricked you, she's the one who kidnapped me, she's the one who turned me into stone, not you."

Edmund swallowed hard. "I'm still sorry." Hs murmured, almost desperately.

Tumnus smiled a little. "I know you are." He said softly. "And I do forgive you."

Edmunds heart leapt, but at the same time he felt suddenly very sick. "I don't deserve it." He choked.

"In that case then, I don't deserve forgiveness either." Tumnus said. "Or are you forgetting I was willing to hand over your sister to the witch, I myself was a traitor also."

Edmund sighed. "At least you didn't actually do it." He muttered.

"I almost did." Tumnus argued gently. "But I was forgiven by Lucy, so I'm returning to favour to you, I really do forgive you Edmund, I hope you believe that."

Edmund slowly turned to him, before taking a deep breath and smiling gently. "Thanks." He whispered.

Tumnus nodded, before nodding back into the ballroom. "You should head back inside." He told him. "Your siblings will wonder where you've gone."

Edmund nodded slowly. "Yeah." He breathed, before opening his mouth again.

"I know..." Tumnus spoke first, smiling. "I know."

Edmund swallowed hard and smiled, before walking slowly back into the room, so glad that a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

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Totally inspired by Jude so dedicated to her too 🥰 BooksandFireflies