Royal Protector [Narnia]

Chapter III: The Cricket Ball

"I may have physical left Narnia, but my mind remains there reliving it over and over like a broken record."

Enzo stood idly spectating the Pevensie siblings participating in the small game of cricket decorating the large field of the Professors estate.

"Peter winds up, poised to take yet another wicket." The ball hits Edmund with an echoing thud, the preoccupied boy gazing into the distance negligent to the current participation of cricket that had blemished his leg harshly.

"Ow." Enzo chuckled observing, poised as a fielder in preparation for Edmunds first successful hit of the game.

"Whoops, wake up Dolly day dream." Edmund sighed rubbing the source of his discomfort,

"Why can't we play hide and seek again." Peter sighed returning to the bowler's quarters, the ball travelling between his hands,

"I thought you said it was a kids game." Enzo silently meandered toward the youngest Pevensie sibling, taking a seat harshly with a loud echo against a nearby tree.

"If it makes you feel any better Lucy, I believe you-" His words were interrupted by a loud smash echoing the estate loudly, Enzo's eyes trailing the broken glass.

They each ran toward the destruction arguing with malice whom should take the blame, Enzo volunteered amicably, enthusiastic to placate the arguing, but Susan sooner refused echoing the sentiment of responsibility toward her brothers.

Mrs. Macready's shrill voice pierced the idle panic lingering in the air, "Mrs. Macready."

Peters eyes bulged as he darted from the room,
"Come on." The siblings with the addition of Enzo all ran hurriedly through endless halls finally arriving at the wardrobe, Enzo placing his hand upon the wardrobe, Edmund encouraging them inside,

"Come on." Susan sighed loudly her eyes perplexed as she Enzo's encouragement,

"You've got to be joking." They rushed inside startled by the sound of footsteps approaching them.

It became a frenzy pushing each other as they made their way through the wardrobe, seemingly to no end.

Both eldest sibling collapsed against the harsh coldness of the snow, Enzo's eyes once more drawn to the serenity of the setting.

He remained unaware of the siblings' conversation until a snowball pelted itself against his chest, seemingly due to Susan's antics, he smiled widely returning the favour as Peter chastised Edmunds for his behaviour.

"Say your sorry." He ground his teeth livid at the actions of his younger brother,

"Alright I'm sorry." Enzo meandered toward Susan offering his blazer as a source of warmth to protect against the nipping chill of Narnia.

She accepted gracefully with rosy cheeks as she shrugged on the article of clothing, as well as wrapping Lucy in a fur coat, sensing the astonishment of her shivering.

Peter and Edmund soon rejoiced in the warmth of the fur coats, deducing the decision that they would travel toward the home of a kind fawn that Lucy had met not long prior.

He had declined the invitation for a similar coat insisting that he was fine, that his waistcoat and shirt provided enough warmth as they trudged through the snow.

Mr Tumnus' door lair barren, removed from its hinges revealing the desolate inside, Enzo's hand grasping the parchment nailed to a wall,
"The faun Tumnus is herby charged with high treason. Against her imperial majesty Jadis, for comforting her enemies and fraternising with humans. Sighed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen." He handed Susan the paper, her face taut in anxiousness,

"Alright now we really should go back." Lucy refuted the statement, devastation pulling at her lips,

"But what about Mr Tumnus?!" Susan sighed heavily leaning into Enzo's larger body.

"If he was arrested for just being with a human, I don't think there's much we can do." Enzo nodded slowly a comforting arm around Susan's back as she shivered,

"You don't understand do you? I'm the human, she must have found out he helped me." Enzo's eyes found Edmunds suspicious figure, observing him with a scrutinised glare, as Peter and Susan debated the best course of action.

"Did that bird just psst us?" Enzo chuckled meandering from the home,

"I don't know if it was the bird at all." The siblings observed Enzo cautiously, Susan and Lucy both clutching him scarce.

The watched, frightened, until a beaver revealed itself from the mountainous terrain of snow, "It's a beaver."

Peter leant down offering his hand, "Here boy."

Enzo chuckled deeply interrupting Peter and his human approach to animals, "I wouldn't do that if I were you Peter, your insulting his intelligence."

The beaver nodded slowly with a chuckle, "Your friends right." His gaze turned to Lucy
"Lucy Pevensie?" The young girl nodded venturing toward the beaver cautiously.

Susan's hand fell to Enzo's wrist in response, the sight of a talking animal prompting confusion and fear as they walked, fallowing the beaver dutifully. "Oh blimey, looks like the old girls got the kettle on, nice cup a rosy lee."

Enzo smiled at the architecture, the house impressive for that of a small woodland creature, "It's lovely mate." The beaver shook his head refuting the statement,

"Oh it's merely a truffle, y'know, still plenty to do, but it'll look the business when it is though." Enzo nodded walk-in step with the beaver, as a soft voice interrupted the silence,

"Beaver is that you? I've been worried sick, if I find out you've been out with badger again-" she interrupted her tirade, shock overcoming her at the sight of five humans trudging next to her husband.
"Oh, those aren't badgers, oh I never thought I'd live to see this day. Look at my fur, you couldn't have given me 10 minutes warning."

The beaver shrugged smiling at his wife, "I would have given you a week if I though it'd help." The humans laughed admiring the married couples dynamic,

"Oh come inside we'll see if we can get you something to eat, and some civilised company." The beaver laughed pointing at his wife laughing as she led them inside,

"Careful now, watch your step."