narnia au;

[illuminescent]

how did you get here? through a wardrobe, or through death, or maybe a portal gone terribly astray. a ring. the roar of a lion. in the bottom of a cup. because you were looking for something, or missing something. no matter how you got there, this is where you belong.

Comments

[illuminescent]

You are not-

[A pet.

She thinks he knows that.]

I am sorry. I do not like injustice when I see it.

Will you stay close to me while you are here?

[curlytop]

[He almost smiles then. There's a faint brightening to his expression. She cares so much it almost breaks his heart.]

If the prince and your sister allow it, I will.

[illuminescent]

You may know everything about the prince, but I gather you have never seen your prince on a diplomatic mission.

[She can almost see the smile, then, and it makes her wants to make him smile more.]

They will agree, if only to keep me from making their joy into misery.

[curlytop]

[He dips his head, his curls falling into his face.]

I can well believe it, majesty. You seem quite the force to reckon with.

[illuminescent]

Yes.

And I will make you smile, as well.

[She brushes his curls away from his face. She's very close to him, now.]

I promise.

[curlytop]

[She's too close, and he steps away. When the women of the court get too close to him, it never ends well.]

The prince doesn't like me to smile.

[illuminescent]

Never?

[She looks up at him.]

I suppose he wishes for you to intimidate.

[curlytop]

[George shrugs. He wants to smile for her, but he's a little afraid he'll get back into the habit.]

Aye, that's mostly it. I smiled too much, when he first got me.

[He shouldn't get used to this either, to talking about himself.]

[illuminescent]

But you do not have to intimidate me.

I am not afraid of you.

[She says it with care.]

[curlytop]

No, but if I smile for you here now, I may forget and smile for you another time, where he can see.

[Name of the Angel, how did he get to a place where he has to defend himself against smiling?]

[illuminescent]

Oh no.

I will not let you.

I will be most serious when he is about. I will scowl. Like this.

[She makes a terribly hilarious face, a scowl that no human would ever agree to.]

[curlytop]

[She's worse than the children in Tashbaan who make faces behind his back and scatter when he turns around. It catches him by surprise, and he snorts out a quick laugh before he can stop it.]

May you never come to Calormen, majesty. You'd put me out of a job.

[illuminescent]

[She laughs then, and claps her hands.]

Oh! I am so pleased!

[She's laughing again. His laugh is beautiful.]

You have a beautiful laugh.

[curlytop]

[He catches the laugh, but he's still smiling, if mildly. His gaze flicks back to the castle as though someone might be watching him from there.]

I haven't laughed in a very long time. Thank you.

[illuminescent]

You're welcome.

[The waves crash, and she's heading for the end of the bay. The party continues above them, but Lucy isn't going to go back right now. She doesn't want to go back, yet.]

You have accepted so much of what has been done to you.

[curlytop]

[George follows her but keeps a safe distance, close enough to protect, not so close as to be accused of anything improper.]

He didn't take me last week or anything. I fought it, at first.

[illuminescent]

Yes.

Anyone would.

[She watches him, carefully. No one would accuse him of impropriety out here, the distance he's keeping.]

And still my heart breaks.

[curlytop]

[The tarkaans are jealous of their women, and George might be a barbarian, but he's a beautiful one.]

I'm hardly the only slave in Calormen.

[illuminescent]

Yes.

I mislike it most greatly.

I have done my best to try and convince my council to place more pressure on Calormen to make it illegal, but we are a small country with little power in that regard.

[She lifts her skirts a little.]

Can you hold my elbow? I wish to wade into the ocean.

[curlytop]

[George pauses a moment, watching her, thinking about his life before Calormen, about sneaking out of a party with a girl to play in the ocean. He looks back toward the castle briefly, and he makes a decision.

Whatever reason Raziel sent him here, he is a Shadowhunter. Alone and cut off from the Clave maybe, but still a Shadowhunter. He steps forward, decisively, and takes hold of her elbow.]

Something tells me you don't need an escort to wade in the ocean.

[illuminescent]

[She laughs a little, and she lifts her skirts at she toes her shoes off, and lets the waves hit her toes.]

You are most right. I am quite capable on my own.

[She looks over at him, and maybe she's doing this on purpose.]

But I do like to have an escort. Everything is more fun with another person.

[curlytop]

[There's a faint gleam of mischief in George's eyes as he pulls off his soft leather boots to feel the wet sand beneath his bare feet. He sighs in satisfaction. The sand in Calormen is always hot, always dry.]

Fun. Is that a thing people still do?

[A tilt of his mouth upward is the only sign he's joking.]

[illuminescent]

[She's beaming now.]

Oh yes.

But it seems that they do not do it in Calormen. It is no wonder everyone in the prince's party looks so dour.

[She keeps her skirts up nice and high.]

[curlytop]

Everyone in the prince's party is worried the barbarian queen and her barbarian siblings will ensorcel [he holds up a hand and wiggles his fingers] the lot of them into talking bears.

[He rolls up the legs of his canvas breeches and steps out far enough for the waves to splash up to his knees.]

[illuminescent]

They should be so lucky to be talking bears.

[She laughs, though, at the thought of them being afraid of being turned into something like talking bears.]

You are not worried we will turn you into a speaking animal?