January 2012 Featured RP: Christmas Cheer

Tumnus' Home
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You find yourself standing in a little, dry, clean cave of reddish stone with
a carpet on the floor and two little chairs and a table and a dresser and a
mantlepiece over the fire and above that a picture of an old Faun with a grey
beard. In one corner there is a door which must lead to a bedroom, and on one
wall there is a shelf full of books.

A small cavern opening leads out to the rocky valley in Lantern Waste.
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Contents:
Tea Service

Tumnus is bustling around, toasting bread until it is nicely browned, melting creamy butter on top, and setting out enough tea things for quite a lot of guests.

Petraverd pokes his head through the ajar door, letting out a low whinny to make his presence known.

Tumnus turns at the sound. "Ah! Do come in--that is, make yourself comfortable!"

Petraverd chuckles, making his way in through the door. He blinks a bit as his eyes adjust to the shift in lighting. "That should be relatively easy, by the looks of it. Hello, Tumnus."

Applebud peeks in. "Hello?"

Tumnus pulls the kettle off of the fire as it begins to whistle. "Good day, Petraverd--again, of course." He turns to wave the squirrel in as well. "And you, yes, do take a seat and stay for tea!"

Petraverd says, "Awfully kind of you to open your home up like this. It's a very cosy way to spend the afternoon."

Applebud bounces in happily. "Thank you!"

Tumnus pours the hot water into the teapot sitting on the silver service. "Of course, of course! It's Christmas, after all." He fills a plate with various kinds of toast and offers it to both of them.

Petraverd nods his thanks as he accepts a slice. "And I can hardly think of a better way to enjoy the season."

Applebud takes a slice as well. "Oh thank you! Thank you!"

Tumnus places the plate of toast on the tea service and pulls more chairs up to the fire.

Petraverd munches on his slice of toast, settling in while simultaneously trying to keep out of the way - quite the trick for a creature as large as a unicorn.

Tumnus takes a seat near the tea service. "Now then! What do you say to some tea?"

Applebud exclaims, "I would very much! .....uh Please. "

Petraverd chuckles. "I say it sounds like a very fine idea."

Tumnus says, "Very good!" He places a cup and saucer before each of them and carefully pours the freshly steeped tea. "There. Do you take cream, or perhaps sugar?"

Applebud says, "Cream please. No sugar, thank you. Mother says I'm already hyper enough as it is."

Petraverd says, "Just a little sugar with mine, please."

Tumnus puts cream in the squirrel's tea, sugar in the unicorn's, and a little bit of both in his own. "Now! That will keep us quite warm while we have a nice chat, I think."

Petraverd nods his agreement with a grin. "Between the tea and the fire, I'd have to agree."

Tumnus takes a sip of his tea and sits back in his chair. "Yes, that's a very good cup of tea, if I may say so. You know, when I was a very young faun, before the winter lasted all year round, we would all sit by the fire quite like this, and have tea, and my father would tell stories." He nods to the portrait above the mantlepiece. "That's him of course. He told very nice stories."

Petraverd looks to said portrait, tilting his head a little as he flicks an ear. "He looks like the sort with many to tell."

Glyn pokes his head quietly and cautiously around the door to peer inside, giving his eyes time to adjust to the darkness.

Applebud says, "I can't imagine winter all year. Mother and father don't like to talk much about it. I love spring and apples. I can't imagine no spring or apples. I might go crazy, though my brother says I'm crazy already." She realizes she's forgotten herself again and blushes, hiding her face in a sip of tea.

Tumnus nods to Petraverd's words. "Indeed, indeed." He smiles at Applebud and sits forward with bright eyes. "But perhaps that will make you lucky one day! My favorite story of my father's was of the otter who everyone thought was quite mad, only to learn one day that they were quite mistaken." Here he looks up, catching the door's movement and the wolf's appearance.

Petraverd also looks to the door, and smiles a bit. He gestures a bit with his horn, his way of beckoning the wolf over.

Glyn recognises enough of the attendees to see that guests appear to be welcome. He glides around the door to come and sit with the other Beasts. He dips his head politely to the Curiate. "Good evening, sir. Is your invitation still open?"

Kahris sticks her head through the opening, a bit more hesitant than usual, and examines the people inside, eyes rather wide.

Tumnus gestures to the group of chairs drawn up to the fire. "Come in! Indeed it is. Come in and get warm. Would you care for some tea?"

Petraverd shifts a bit, making more room for Glyn, or at least attempting to.

Glyn sniffs at a chair uncertainly, and instead makes himself comfortable on a patch of floor that's close both to the unicorn and the roar of the fire. He tilts his head curiously at Tumnus at the mention of tea. "No. No, thank-you. I think that rum was enough adventure for one day." His manner is a little peaky.

Kahris takes a few quiet steps farther inside, blinking at the faun with something akin to awe in her eyes. She glances over at the others and relaxes a bit as she notices a few she knows.

Tumnus chuckles. "Perhaps a boiled egg then, or some toast? I have some very nice sardines to go with it, you know." He looks back up at the door, waving the weasel inside as well. "Ah, and you must have some tea as well, or perhaps cocoa, if you would rather, for I don't believe I know your name, and that will not do at all."

Petraverd attempts to hide a smirk at Glyn's comment with a sip of his own tea. Considering the size of his smirk in relation to the size of his cup... it doesn't work very well at all.

Glyn's eyes narrow as he notices the weasel's presence for the first time. "Her name is Kahris," he supplies quietly.

Kahris, who had opened her mouth to respond, shoots Glyn an annoyed look. "Yes, I'm Kahris. And... and cocoa sounds nice."

Glyn turns away from Kahris and dips his head politely in thanks to the Curiate.

Tumnus glances between Glyn and Kahris as he pours the requested hot cocoa and pushes the plate of food closer to the wolf. "Indeed? Well, do come in, Kahris. My name is Tumnus." He resumes his seat and his cup of tea. "We were just having a nice chat."

Kahris takes the tea in her front paws and scrambles onto one of the chairs where she goes quiet again, looking around.

Petraverd regards Kahris with a small nod, then looks back to Tumnus. "Yes, you were telling us about your father's favorite story."

Glyn's ear pricks at the unicorn's words, and he turns to regard the Curiate.

Tumnus says, "Ah, yes, yes. The otter who everyone thought was mad! Now, let me think." He sips his tea. "That was before the Winter, of course, when none of the rivers were frozen and anyone could swim about as he pleased."

Applebud listens quitely with a "Wow!" expression on her face.

Kahris curls up on the chair comfortably, cup resting between and tipping her ears forward, listening eagerly.

Petraverd lowers his head a little as he settles in, flicking an ear.

Glyn seems fascinated about a tale from before the Great Winter.

Tumnus says, "This particular otter had a great fondness for the little pebbles one finds at the bottom of a stream. He would dive in and out of the river near his holt all day long, bringing the pebbles back and keeping them in his tunnels." He pauses to take a bite of toast.

Glyn folds his ears in confusion. "What would he use them for?"

Kahris shoots Glyn an almost-glare, perhaps because he asked the question before she could.

Tumnus exclaims, "Nothing at all, and that was why everyone thought him quite mad! He just went on filling his little home in the riverbank with more and more pebbles every day--ah, yes, but he only cared for the blue ones! The rest he would leave quite alone."

Petraverd tilts his head, expression questioning, but he remains silent.

Applebud takes a sip and awaits eagerly.

Glyn frowns, struggling to imagine what one would do with blue pebbles.

Kahris blinks, drinking some cocoa and getting some on her whiskers and nose.

Tumnus continues, "One day, he discovered the holt was so full that he couldn't fit any guests for tea, but still he brought more and more of the little blue stones and took his tea with his neighbors instead. And then they thought him even madder than before, of course."

Glyn glances up at Petraverd, to see if he understands any more than he does.

Petraverd flicks an ear again, saying, "I'd be at least confused, myself..."

Kahris wrinkles her nose, then notices the milk droplets and wipes them away quickly. "I think red would have been better than blue."

Tumnus nods, sipping his tea again. "Indeed, indeed. And he never told anyone why it must be blue. It went on and on that way until one day, a Son of Adam--all the way from Archenland, or maybe even farther--came along in a boat from somewhere upriver and told all of the neighbors that he was searching for those little blue stones, and willing to pay a pretty penny for them, too."

Applebud exclaims, "I knew he had to have a reason!"

Glyn snorts. "Or humans can be just as mad as otters."

Petraverd gives his tail a small swish as he remarks, "Or there were more to these stones than meets the eye."

Kahris mutters quietly, "Aren't all pennies pretty?" and looks back at the faun with wide eyes.

Tumnus nods in response to Petraverd. "Indeed! The pebbles were just the right sort to make into jewellery and other trinkets and take far away into the Lone Islands and Calormen to sell." He turns to Kahris. "They are, quite! But the otter had very little use for coins, except for a few of the shiniest ones, of course. So the Son of Adam brought him all of the nicest fish and clams from far-off places as payment--fresh ones for every day of the year. And of course the there were also teas and cakes and odd, sweet fruits to serve to his neighbors when they came to tea."

Petraverd chuckles. "So not only did he get quite the reward, so did all his friends."

Kahris's eyes open even wider and she stays silent.

Glyn looks quite confused. "All for a lot of pretty stones? Such a small thing to pay so much for, and to come all that way too."

Applebud says, "I would love jewelry with pretty stones."

Tumnus nods, nibbling at his toast. "And in that way, you might have the truth of it--the Man may have been quite as mad as the otter! But after that the other beasts did not think him nearly as odd, or if they did, they did not mind it much at all. And so you see, his madness made him very lucky in the end!"

Glyn looks thoughtful. "I suppose lots of Beasts would be on the lookout for pretty stones now. It's not unusual to see Sons of Adam in Narnia these days."

Kahris gets a rather thoughtful look in her eyes.

Applebud says, "Once I saw a daughter of Eve. She was very dirty and had a hat pulled over her eyes. She said she'd love and apple so I brought her one. She said she hadn't had one in a long time"

Petraverd flicks an ear. "I suppose there's a good lesson in there as well. What might seem worthless to one may turn out to be quite valuable to another. It's all in how you look at it."

Tumnus replies to Glyn, "Yes, though before the Witch came to Narnia there were Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve in Narnia as well. Of course, there have never been as many here in Lantern Waste as there are in Cair Paravel." He nods again toward Petraverd.

Glyn nods. "There have been a few that I've met in the Waste, even so. I've still not had the fortune to see Cair Paravel."

Kahris takes another few sips of her cocoa.

Petraverd returns to his tea, swishing his tail again.

Tumnus nods to Glyn, moving from his chair by the fire to refresh everyone's tea or cocoa. "It is a very fine sight, though not many Beasts that I have known choose to stay there when they could be in their homes in the forests or rivers."

Petraverd lifts his head from his tea to nod his agreement. "Makes for a nice visit... but there's nothing like the Lantern Waste."

Applebud asks, "Do you have any other stories, Mr. Tumnus?" She bounces. "I love stories!"

Glyn glances at Applebud and can't suppress a small chuckle.

There is a firm knock on the door.

Kahris looks at the squirrel and back at Mr. Tumnus with some hope, then jumps at the knock.

Tumnus pours the tea. "Of course, a great many! What--" He breaks off at the knock and turns toward the door. "Do come in!"

Glyn sits straighter as he turns to regard the door.

Lucy opens the door and enters with a beaming smile. "Merry Christmas, dear Tumnus! I am terribly sorry for arriving so late. I hope you don't mind overly..." It's then that she notices the company with him and nods her greeting to them, with a cheerful smile. "And Merry Christmas, my fellow Narnians." A faun page in royal livery behind her carries a few parcels of what can be assumed to be small gifts.

Kahris's eyes open very, very wide and she sits up quickly.

Tumnus's expression lights up happily, and he sets down the teapot. "Queen Lucy!" He makes a little bow. "Come in, come in! I feared you would not be able to come at all, yet here you are!"

Glyn's eyes widen a fraction at the mention of the Queen's name, and he bows his head quickly. "Good evening, Your Majesty..."

Petraverd blinks once, smiling as he gets to his hooves to dip a proper equine bow toward the Queen as she comes in. "The same to you, Your Majesty."

Virika scratches lightly at the door outside to announce her presence, but not hard enough to cause damage to the door.

Lucy giggles and comes further into the room and removes her cape to reveal a festive emerald dress. She drapes it over her arm, at a loss of where to stow it. "Well, I do not know how much my elder brother explained this morning, but I'm afraid it was rather my fault. Something had slipped my mind in the excitement of coming here and I needed to remedy it before I left Cair Paravel. While I was at it, I brought some extra tea and sugar cubes. I thought you might have need of it in case you had more visitors." With the last sentence, she gestures to the page carrying packages. "And so you do." She smiles. "Good evening to you all and again, a Merry Christmas."

Applebud squeaks, "Queen Lucy! Queen Lucy.... Merry Christmas!"

Tumnus reaches out to take Lucy's cape. "Ah, I see. Quite right of you, Your Majesty--quite right. And tea and sugar, too! We will indeed be glad of that. Here, pull up a chair by the fire." He does not yet note the wolf standing in the doorway, though the door is still quite wide open, should she wish to enter.

Glyn stands and looks about to see plenty of open chairs left, and so settles back down again. "Merry Christmas to you as well. You should make yourself comfortable. The Curiate had just finished telling a story, and I think he might be about to start another."

Virika sees the others inside and pads in, moving to join her brother.

Petraverd settles back down himself, greeting Virika with a light whinny as she pads over.

Kahris looks at the new wolf and then back at the Queen, still very straight in her seat.

Lucy releases her cape to Tumnus and gracefully has a seat where indicated. She asks those at table with a hint of mischief in her smile, "Have you been good Narnians this year? I hear tale that Father Christmas is nearby."

Glyn's ears lift at the sight of Virika, and he shifts over to share some of his room by the fire.

Virika looks grateful as she sits, shivering a little.

Applebud exclaims, "I have! I have! Or at least I've tried," in answer to Queen Lucy's question.

Petraverd nods a bit. "He has indeed been around, Your Majesty."

Kahris looks down at her empty cup with a smile that almost is a smirk, and doesn't comment.

Tumnus pushes the door closed against the cold air and helps the Queen's attendant put away all of the packages. He fetches the teapot again and begins to serve refreshments to all of the new arrivals. "I have not seen him yet, but I do believe it is true!"

Glyn nods in answer to the Queen's question. "I've seen Father Christmas in the gathering circle many times today. I'm not sure if he's there now."

Virika chuckles softly, bowing deeply to the Queen as she answers, "I have heard him and caught his scent often but not yet chanced upon him Your Majesty." She offers a nod to Petraverd and another shorter bow of the head to the Curiate. She glances at her brother, "I always seem to miss him."

Lucy giggles a little at the squirrel's enthusiasm. "Indeed. His reindeer and sleigh tracks have been spotted all over Narnia. I would not be too surprised if he were here in the waste now with so many Narnians about." She nods her sincere thanks to Tumnus for the tea and helping the page. The page settles in an empty seat, also enjoying tea, but with an eye to Queen Lucy should she need him.

Tumnus sits comfortably back in his own chair with a second slice of toast once all of his guests have gotten seats and something good to eat and drink.

Applebud looks positively brimming with excitement at being in the same room as Queen Lucy.

Glyn grins at his sister. "We'll have to make a proper hunt for him later, then."

Petraverd smirks a bit as he looks to the wolves. "Although something tells me your quarry won't mind being found as much as your usual might."

Lucy adds sugar lumps to her tea and drinks some tea with satisfaction. She sets her tea down on the saucer and cups her hands around it, presumably to warm them. "Some of you seem familiar from my last visit to the Waste with King Edmund, while others of you I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting." she notes. "May I ask your names to refresh my memory?"

Glyn dips his head to the Queen. "I am Glyn, of Ulfden pack, Your Majesty."

Kahris looks up, a few cake crumbs on her whiskers. "My name's Kahris, Queen Lucy."

Applebud exclaims, "I'm Applebud!"

Petraverd lowers his head a little as he says, "Petraverd of Un'aireken, Your Majesty."

Tumnus holds his hooves a little closer to the fire, sipping his tea and nibbling at his toast as he watches the Queen speak with her Lantern Waste subjects.

Virika bows her head, "Virika, my Queen, hunter of Ulfden."

Lucy nods to each as she says the names in order, "Well met Glyn, Kahris, and Applebud. It is nice to see you from the last visit, Petraverd and Virika. Please send my greetings to your herd and your pack. It is unfortunate that distance keeps us, royals, from visiting our dear Narnians in the waste as often as we would like."

Kahris brushes the crumbs off her whiskers and nods, then slips off her chair. "Please excuse me, Queen Lucy and everyone else, I need to be going."

Applebud waves bye.

Virika smiles at Lucy, her eyes brightening. Her tail gives the fainest wag. "Well, we certainly appreciate it when you are able to visit, Your Majesty."

Kahris sets down her cup and walks to the door, quickly vanishing outside.

Lucy waves goodbye to Kahris.

Petraverd smiles and nods his agreement with Virika. "It is nice to see you as well, Your Majesty - it is always a pleasure."

Glyn glances at Virika in mild surprise for a moment, but matches her smile. "Indeed. I missed one opportunity to meet you already, Your Majesty, and so it is good to catch this one."

Toodly walks up to the entrance of the cavern. "Well I do believe this is the place." He reaches out a paw and gently knocks on the door.

Tumnus bids Kahris farewell and clears away her tea things. When the knock comes at the door, he trots over and opens it.

Lucy looks up at the door in bright expectation.

Applebud looks up as well.

Glyn tilts his head as he looks at the door.

Virika turns to the door at the sound of the knock, her half ear lifting.

Toodly nods his head low to the faun that opened the door. "Greetings my dear Faun. I was told that there was some tea and storytelling going on here. Did I hear right?"

Tumnus steps back, welcoming the newcomer inside with a gesture of his arm and a little sweep of his tail. "Ah, good evening, friend Fox! Indeed you did! Come in, come in, and have a seat by the fire." He indicates a group of Narnian creatures and one Daughter of Eve who sit on chairs or the floor around the hearth.

Virika noses her brother and edges over a bit to provide a spot closer to the fire for the fox.

Glyn stands up at the unexpected movement, but shifts over contentedly enough. When his eyes land on the fox, he calls out in a friendly voice, "Ah, you did decide to come! Well met."

Applebud waves.

Petraverd gives the fox a pleasant whinny as he enters, shifting over a bit himself (being on Glyn's other side and all).

Lucy nods a greeting to the fox. "Merry Christmas. What would be your name, friend fox?" As Glyn is close enough now, she turns her head, murmuring something to him in not wishing to disturb the general flow of conversation.
Lucy mumbles "The last time my brother ... ... ... ... ... because the ... waranted it. ... It ... ... fault of ... that you ... not ... ... greet us. ...", to Glyn.

Toodly's mouth widens in a smile as he steps in and past the faun. "Thank you, friend," he says as he dips his head in thanks. He takes a seat near the wolf with half a left ear and sits near the fire. He smiles and nods towards Glyn, "Greetings, friend Wolf." His golden eyes then fall on the daughter of Eve and widen. He hastily bows and says, "Me-merry Christmas, your Majessty," the fox greets. "My name is Toodly."

Virika nods to the fox with a smile. "Welcome."

Lucy smiles at the fox, "Well-met, Toodly. As you seem to have already guessed, I am Queen Lucy."

Glyn smiles and bows his head to Queen Lucy in acknowledgement of her murmured words. When the fox announces his name, Glyn's ears perk up and he turns to regard him once more.

Tumnus shuts the door again and returns to the fire. "Welcome indeed! My name is Tumnus--I don't believe we have met before." He holds up a teacup. "Tea, perhaps?"

Toodly smiles and nods its head to all. "Oh yes, please," he says to Tumnus.

Glyn starts nosing about at the tea services as his stomach becomes louder in its growling.

Tumnus pours him a piping hot cup of tea and sits back down by the fire, nibbling at his toast. "Are you a visitor to Lantern Waste for Christmas, then, my dear Fox?"

Lucy takes a bite of her toast with sardines with obvious delight.

Toodly takes a sip of his tea. "I am, friend Tumnus. I came all the way from Fallen Oak in Sted Cair to take part in the Chritmas festivities."

Lucy ahs quietly at the mention of Fallen Oak, Sted Cair. "I know of the place. That is quite a distance to travel."

Glyn chuckles. "And even farther than one might think," he adds, "as when I first met this fox he was by the western cliffs."

Tumnus exclaims, "Indeed? Delighted, then! Delighted to have you here!"

Virika listens quietly, smiling.

Toodly nods, "It is indeed, your Majesty, but I have always wanted to see more of Narnia. What better time than at Christmas! I was at the western cliffs as I wandered too far when I was hunting." The fox beams at the faun.

Petraverd chuckles. "Now there's a sentiment I can relate to."

Glyn turns to his sister for a quiet word.
Glyn mumbles "... ... you have ... ... ... ... ... ... word in ...", to Virika.

Virika nods to her brother, half ear swiveling up.

Tumnus continues to refill teacups and saucers until all of the tea things are quite gone, chatting pleasantly with his guests all the while. As night falls, he says, "I believe that some of the other fauns--our friends from Bergdale, of course--and the dryads were planning to make a good fire and some music and dancing this evening. Shall we go and see what they are about?"

Virika grins, looking to Tumnus. "I think that sounds good."

Lucy stands and stretches her arms. "That sounds lovely."

Petraverd gets to his hooves, waving first one forehoof and then the other to stretch his legs out a bit. Giving his tail an enthusiastic sort of flick, he grins. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Toodly finishes his tea and stands up. "Sounds like it will be a wonderfully charming time."

Glyn rouses himself from the soporific fire and hauls himself to his feet, saying, "I've been looking forward to this."

Applebud exclaims, "A dance? I've never seen a dance before!"

Tumnus claps his hands together and gets up from his seat. "Then you are indeed in for a treat, friend Squirrel! Come, let us be off! The washing up can wait until later."

The faun page wearing royal livery finishes his toast and tea, also getting to his hooves. He moves to one side of his Queen with a friendly nod to those around her and whispers in her ear. She nods to his whispered question and he leaves first, closing the door behind him.

Applebud stands up a little taller in her chair. "Queen Lucy? It was sure a plea-pleasure meeting you."

Lucy smiles, "Likewise, Applebud."

Tumnus leads the way outside.