THREE'S A CROWD

Another beautiful story, for my beautiful readers! Boy, I'm on a roll! Ideas have been pouring in like crazy, and it's hard to focus on just one at a time. But I can't complain.

Here, I present another Narnia story (I've been focusing a lot on Transformers and other stuff lately; I've kinda missed writing about Narnia), and of course, you all know Terence, my OC.

Hope that's okay with you. I intend to give Terence his own story, but it's fun to have him mingle with other characters. Did you know that I first got the idea for Terence in 2005, around the time the first Narnia movie came out? Talk about a coinky-dink! Read as many times as you please, and be so kind as to leave me with a bit of feedback.

Like I keep saying, no one's forced to review, but reviews do keep me and these stories going. And if you can't say something nice, if all you're gonna do is flame me, don't bother reviewing at all.

They say it's dangerous to play with fire, after all.

Terence and Story © unicorn-skydancer08

All rights reserved.

"I think you've had more than your fair share of wine, Tumnus," Lucy chuckled, after Tumnus had twirled her around in circles before bending her over backwards and kissing her soundly on the mouth. "Honestly, you're acting like a complete, lovestruck fool tonight!" Tumnus just laughed heartily, and she joined him, unable to help herself.

It was small wonder, really, that Tumnus was acting the way he was. He and Lucy were engaged to be married, and they only had one more day until the big day.

Everyone at the Cair had been working overtime. The cooks, in particular, had been slaving practically night and day in the kitchen for the last week; the smells that wafted out almost continuously were incredible. They'd had a wonderful dinner that evening, though it was not nearly as supreme as the wedding feast would be, for they would eat extravagantly.

Now, Tumnus was leading Lucy to her chambers for the night, and being playfully romantic about it.

Of course, Lucy didn't mind. She wished tomorrow were here already; she was so full of nerves, she wondered how she would ever get to sleep tonight.

It was amazing how much slower time seemed to crawl for special events like this.

Tumnus made a show of opening Lucy's door for her, sending her into another fit of giggles. But he was genuinely serious when he took his future bride into his arms and held her in a warm embrace, and kissed her once more. The girl's arms locked almost involuntarily around the faun's neck, and she kissed him back with every ounce of her heart.

When the kiss broke, Tumnus tucked a loose strand of Lucy's red-gold hair behind her ear, gazed solemnly into her eyes, and told her very softly, "Until tomorrow, dear heart."

"Until tomorrow," she echoed.

Tumnus let his large, strong hands slide tenderly down Lucy's thin shoulders and along her forearms, until he was holding her own slim, dainty hands. He lifted her hands, bent his head, and pressed one final kiss to her knuckles, before letting her go completely. Even then, his gaze lingered on her face a minute or so longer, his heart brimming with love, his mind brooding over how blessed he was to have this beautiful woman as his wife. Lucy smiled at him, and he sighed before offering a tentative smile in return.

Then Lucy silently turned and retreated into her room, while Tumnus went his own way.

As Tumnus strutted through the halls, listening to the echo of his own hoofbeats, he couldn't recall a time when he'd felt any more nervous…nor when he'd felt any more joyous. For the time being, nothing and nobody else in the whole world mattered. Tonight, here and now, he was the happiest, luckiest faun in Narnia.

But as Tumnus reached his own bedchamber, something made him stop and stand still.

He could hear a strange sound coming from the other side of the door.

Edging in closer, putting his ear to the door and listening very carefully, the faun realized someone else was already inside. It sounded almost as if they were—crying? Tumnus's brows furrowed in confusion and concern. Who in the world…? he wondered bewilderedly to himself. He dared to open the door all the way and steal a peek into the room.

As the hour was late, and there were no candles or lamps lit, the room was quite dark. But there was no mistaking the sound of sobbing, accompanied by a sort of muffled mewl. It was terrible, like the sound of a heart being torn right in two. Again, Tumnus wondered who in their right mind would be crying in his room, at this time of night.

Then, stepping a little further into the room, he got his answer.

There, on the floor in a lonely corner, half-illuminated by the silvery moon pouring through the window, sat a man with luminous white hair. It was Terence, Tumnus's best friend, a young unicorn turned human. Terence didn't seem aware of Tumnus, or of anyone for that matter, for his head rested on his arms, which were folded over his knees, which were drawn to his chest. Though Tumnus couldn't see his face, he was shaking all over with poignant sobs. Tumnus was startled at first, then his surprise immediately melted into heartache.

Oh, no, he thought.

He never hesitated to go to his mate, and he dropped to his knees beside Terence and touched the man's quivering shoulder to get his attention. "Terence?"

Though he spoke quite gently, Terence gave a terrific jump, giving a short, sharp cry. When Terence looked at Tumnus properly and recognized his face in the moonlight, his posture quickly slackened, and he dared to breathe once more. "Tumnus…don't ever do that to me again," he said weakly, his hand over his chest. "You just about gave me a heart attack."

"What are you doing in here, Terence?" Tumnus asked. "What's wrong?"

Wiping his eyes self-consciously on his sleeve, Terence murmured, "N-nothing is wrong."

Of course, Tumnus never bought that for a second.

"I don't believe you," the faun said incredulously. His hand came to rest on Terence's shoulder one more time. "Come on, mate, tell me. What is it?"

Terence didn't look at him, but simply rose to his feet, moving as smoothly as a cat. Having lived as a unicorn for a good number of years, he was always exceptionally graceful, more so than any man, or any faun. "I'm sorry," he said distractedly, "I know I shouldn't have come in here." He started to head for the door. "I'll go, now…"

Tumnus was on his own hooves in a flash, and he caught the youth fast by the elbow before he could get away.

"Oh, no, you don't," Tumnus said, in a gentle but firm tone. "You're not going anywhere, until you answer me properly." He led Terence over to the bed and made him sit down on the soft spread. Terence didn't try to resist, but he continued to ambivalently avoid Tumnus's eyes, and he leaned forward on the edge of the bed, letting his elbows rest on his knees, his hands and head hanging freely, his long white bangs trailing down like a curtain. Tumnus sat alongside him, putting his hand on the boy's hunched shoulder for the third time.

The faun repeated his question. "What's wrong, my friend?"

Terence said nothing, only held his tongue and kept his head down. The two friends sat like that for a good five minutes or so, and still Terence wouldn't speak.

"Please, Terence," Tumnus now pleaded, "tell me. At least say something, won't you?"

He moved his hand under Terence's chin and forced the young man to look at him properly. When at last their gazes met, Tumnus was taken aback at the unbelievable sorrow Terence's eyes held. Terence looked as if he'd just lost his best friend, or as if he never had a friend, in the whole world. The sight was enough to make Tumnus want to cry himself. "Whatever it is that's got you so upset," the faun said, speaking very softly and empathetically, "whatever is eating away at your soul, you know you can always tell me. I won't give it away."

Finally, Terence found his voice, and he spoke outright, though Tumnus could hardly hear him even with his keen ears: "It's you, Tumnus."

"Me?" Tumnus drew back slightly from the young man, knitting his brows in disbelief. "Why? What have I done?" The faun racked his brains, trying to recall anything he might have done or said to hurt Terence this badly, but there was nothing—at least, not of late. "I'm your friend, aren't I, Terence? I could never hurt you for all the world…"

"That's just it," Terence broke in, more audibly this time. "You're one of the very few friends I have in Narnia, Tumnus…and the very best friend I've had anywhere. You were always there for me. I swear, if I didn't have you and Lucy…" He didn't finish, but merely shook his head, as though it were something he couldn't bear to think about.

"But…?" Tumnus prompted gently, hoping that Terence would finish now that he'd started.

Terence gazed down miserably at his own empty, moon-whitened hands. "After tomorrow," he quavered, "you and Lucy will be husband and wife. You two will start a whole new life together…and I will lose you." His voice failed him altogether at that last bit, and he buried his face in his hands, but not before two or three fresh tears found their way to the floor.

If Tumnus was bewildered before, he was now truly stunned. "What did you say?"

When Terence managed to withdraw his hands in the end, and reveal his tear-streaked face once more, he half-croaked, "Now that you have Lucy, and Lucy has you, what need will you have of me? What reason will there be for me to stay around? Nothing will ever be the same between us again…most especially between you and I."

Tumnus opened his mouth, as if to protest, but Terence resolutely pressed on.

"It even says in the wedding vows that you must be a completely dedicated husband," said the dejected youth, "to 'cleave to your wife, forsaking all others'."

Tumnus shook his head unbelievingly, causing his untamed curls to bounce jauntily about. "Oh, Terence," the faun said, with a sound that was almost like a laugh, "surely you don't take those words literally, do you? Surely you don't truly think that means you and I can't be together anymore? That's only a promise of love and loyalty Lucy and I make to one another; we vow to always be true to one another. It doesn't mean we must sever our ties with the rest of the world. My marriage to Lucy shouldn't warrant the end of our friendship."

Terence didn't seem convinced.

"There are so many things you and Lucy want, and deserve," he said. "You have many dreams and bright hopes for the future. I'll only be in your way."

Shaking his head again, Tumnus chided, "Terence—you silly idiot! It shouldn't be all or nothing between us. That's not what friendship is about."

Terence merely looked at him with eyes brimming afresh, but the young man made no interruption.

"Just because I have one, I need not let go of the other." Tumnus now pulled Terence closer, and wrapped him in a gentle hug. "As dear as Lucy is to me, there's always a place in my heart for you." His voice dropped to a solemn whisper as he continued, "I love you, Terence. You're my brother, and I'll never leave you…not ever."

Those last words were all it took to melt Terence completely. Sagging slightly against Tumnus's chest, the young man clung fervently to him and let his head fall to rest in the crook of the faun's neck, while Tumnus held him and kissed him lightly. Along with the warm relief and reassurance, Terence felt a sharp stab of guilt for his foolish behavior.

"Forgive me, Tumnus," he humbly entreated the faun.

Tumnus drew back from the youth, and smiled. "There is nothing to forgive, dear friend," he answered very benevolently, gently massaging Terence's shoulders and back with one hand. "If anything, this shows how much you care about me, how much you value our friendship. It's always nice to know someone cares for you, don't you think?"

Terence managed a weak, watery smile. Yes, he thought, that much was true.

"I…I hope you and Lucy will be happy together," he said tentatively. "And…if any girl in this world deserves you, Lucy's the one."

Tumnus knew how much it must cost Terence to say that to his face, considering Terence once loved Lucy himself and harbored hopes for her.

"You can be assured Lucy and I will have plenty need for you, in the future," the faun said as he and Terence continued to sit there together. "For one thing, I'll need someone to be, as they say, my best man at the ceremony tomorrow. And furthermore," he added, with a touch of shrewdness, "we'll need help looking after the children."

"Children?" Terence echoed. He paused only a second before a grin a mile wide broke over his face, lighting up his eyes like the midday sun. "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"