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

[curlytop]

[George's arms curl around her immediately, and he feels tension easing out of his muscles.]

Hello, mo chridhe.

Are you all right?

[illuminescent]

I am so tired.

[She presses against him.]

I am so tired, and I love you so.

And you?

[curlytop]

Aye, that about covers it.

[He holds her firmly, bending to rest his cheek against her hair.]

I'm sorry.

[illuminescent]

Why are you sorry?

[She asks, and her brow furrows a little.]

You did nothing wrong.

[curlytop]

No, but if I had never come here, you wouldn't be hearing such things.

[He looks down at her, his lips twitching upward.]

And selfishly, I'd come anyway.

[illuminescent]

What were you meant to do?

Your queen was going. Of course you should come too.

[She presses her head against his chest, which is, incidentally, where the top of her head lands.]

There was jealousy there, I think. Why should I love this man, they ask.

[curlytop]

I mean to Narnia. If I'd never come to Narnia, you wouldn't have to handle any of this.

[He keeps his arms wrapped around her at her shoulders.]

No, I think the question they ask is, who does he think he is.

[illuminescent]

I would not have a world where you were not in it.

[She reaches up, and she's on her toes, but he's still so tall. She puts her arms over his shoulders and tugs a little.]

Pick me up, dearest.

You are my sweetest and most devoted love.

[curlytop]

[George dips to lift her off her feet.]

Don't worry, my queen. I know who I am.

[He kisses the corner of her mouth sweetly.]

[illuminescent]

They have never taken a sword for me.

And I have never raced for them.

[She holds onto him.]

I never told you. That day, I was so afraid. That I would lose. That he would keep you.

[curlytop]

[He holds her tighter, burying his face in the crook of her neck a moment.]

But you didn't. You won, and now you keep me.

[illuminescent]

[She presses a kiss to his cheek.]

You may set me down now.

[She wants to take his hand.]

[curlytop]

[He gives a soft laugh and sets her on her feet.]

Yes, majesty.

Do you feel any better?

[illuminescent]

Certainly more myself.

[She's even smiling, now.]

But you. Do you?

[curlytop]

I feel calmer.

[There are things he's not hopeful about, but he's not going to focus on them right now.]

Do you want to walk more?

[illuminescent]

I wish to hold your hand more.

And kiss you if you should let me.

And not return to the world again, not yet.

[curlytop]

[He smiles, then, and touches her cheek.]

Then let's walk and hold hands and kiss, my queen.

[illuminescent]

[Like they are normal lovers. As though this isn't a secret, as if they could do this in a town square, and just be two people, two young lovers together.

Lucy knows it's not possible. But it's nice to imagine, a little.]

Perhaps I will take you with me somewhere where no one knows what I look like, and we can be together as any pair could.

[curlytop]

[George smiles faintly and takes her hand.]

Where can you go that they don't know your face, majesty?

[illuminescent]

Telmar.

[She presses against him, and her hand tightens against his.]

We could go to Telmar and-

-be normal. For just a time.

[curlytop]

[Not for the first time, George thinks about what it would be like if they'd met in his world. If he could take Lucy out to see a film or go to the pub or just have dinner with his family. Or hers.]

I will follow you anywhere in this world or any other, majesty.

[He brushes her cheek with his free hand.]

But I don't know that we could ever be normal.

[illuminescent]

I know you would.

[She says and it means a lot that he would say that, that he would mean it. She wraps her arms around his waist, and her ear is against his heart.]

No.

I do not think we will ever be normal.

[curlytop]

[George holds her close against him and huffs out a laugh.]

You know, before I left home, all I wanted was to be something more than just ordinary. Now, I wish I could be ordinary again.

[illuminescent]

What would we do, if we were ordinary?

[Lucy knows here, in Narnia; they would marry, simply. They would have a life together. They would have children together.

But she wants to know what George would say.]

[curlytop]

In my home?

[He pauses a moment. It's difficult to think about home sometimes. He wouldn't go back, if given the chance--not without Lucy, and he knows she wouldn't leave her kingdom behind. But he still misses it.]

We'd have met at school. Or maybe university, if we were both ordinary. And I'd take you out sometimes. We'd go see...a play. Or a concert. We could hold hands and kiss and no one would care or even notice mostly.

We'd get married, and have kids, and...all that.