cribellate | narnia au;

[George pulls her close against him, dropping kisses on her forehead and temple and the top of her head.]

I love you, Lucy. I love you so much.

[She makes them stay that way for a long time.

The trip back to Narnia is an easy one, for all that it feels long. By the time they get to Cair Paravel, Lucy is herself again, bright and colored by the Narnian air and the Narnian soil, so when she bids George a quick goodbye she doesn't think that the person that would be the most interested in him would be Peter.

The High King asks George to come see him, as soon as Lucy is out of earshot. He's in the training court, with a sword, and he tells his steward to hand a sword to George. Just to see what you've got.

What Peter has is a determination to make George prove himself. He doesn't go easy on him, but after a long bout, he takes a breath and tells everyone to clear, clapping George on the back. I know you're in love with my sister, he says. More than that, I know she's in love with you, he adds.

He doesn't seem angry. Instead he's looking at George with an expression that suggests he's trying to puzzle out why he didn't see it before. Edmund is not the only one with spies. He tells him that he won't see his sister hurt, but ends with if you love her, you would die before you let anything hurt her. There is no harm there.

And he lets him go.

It's long past night when Lucy wakes from a nap, curled up in her bed.]

George?

[She says it and hopes he's there, nearby.]

You did not leave me, did you?

[George has spent the last year learning to pretend he is no more than human, and when Peter fights him, he still holds back, but it's difficult to hide that he's only barely breathing hard by the end.

He knows he's not a slave here in Narnia, but he is still a commoner who spends too much time among royals to be truly at liberty. Peter's words stick with him mostly because he doesn't feel free to answer them, to tell Peter he has only Lucy's best interest at heart, or that his intentions are honorable, or whatever it is he should be able to say to Lucy's brother.

There's also the bitterness that comes with the knowledge that nearly everyone knows about them already and still they have to hide.

He's brooding when Lucy wakes from her nap, but he appears at her side a moment after she speaks.]

Never, my queen.

[He's right there when she gets up.]

I hope you managed some sleep.

You are magical but you still need rest.

[And she reaches for him anyway, getting up.]

I've rested.

[He takes her hand and a deep breath.]

The high king wished to speak with me.

With-

[She looks startled a moment, and then sits up straight, and looks him in the eye.]

Whatever did Peter want?

[George's expression and his voice are both calm, deliberately so.]

To tell me that he knows we are in love.

[She goes still for a moment. She gets up, though, pulling a robe over her shoulders.]

I will go speak to him, I will make him understand.

[George reaches for her, catching her wrist to stop her.]

Lucy, stop. He wasn't angry.

[She looks at George again.]

No?

He will not ask me to send you away?

[She's moving to hold his hand in hers, tightly.]

[George tugs her closer.]

He will not. He doesn't want you to be hurt, but in that much we're agreed.

[Her arms go around him, but she still looks a little confused.]

Then why are you so solemn?

Because I don't like that we must hide, and the more people who know about us anyway, the more pointless it seems to hide.

[He presses a kiss to her cheek.]

There's nothing for you to fight against, my queen. Only my...melancholy.

Oh.

Oh.

[She says it carefully, and her fingers tug at his.]

If you wait for me to dress, we can wander away a bit. And be ourselves.

I would like that very much, my queen.

[He lifts her fingers to his lips and kisses the tips.]

But we can't run away every time I'm feeling a bit mopey, and you don't have to indulge me.

I'll learn to be content.

My love.

[He calls her my queen, and she calls him my love, so he remembers. They have different stations, but they are equals in so many things.]

I like to indulge you. I enjoy it. It makes me happy, to see you happy.

[He's glad of the reassurance, and he tugs her closer, holding her against his chest]

Then you may indulge me, and I will endeavor to be happy.

[She wraps her arms around his waist, and breathes him in.]

Give me a moment, then. I'll find something simple.

[She thinks she will be wearing a lot of simple clothing from now on - things she can manage herself, so George doesn't have to go anywhere.]

[He kisses the top of her head.]

Shall I call your maids?

No no.

[She nudges him a little and goes to the closet, taking her robe off to get dressed.]

You will have to learn to help me dress soon, I think.

[She's giggling a little.]

[He sits on her bed to watch.]

I'm happy to learn at any time you'll teach me. Unless you'd rather I asked your maids for lessons?

I think they would be too shocked to be of any help.

[She tugs her overdress on and starts tying up the laces of the bodice.]

No doubt the giggling would cause distractions.

Come here.

[He gestures her closer.]

I think I could manage that.

[She comes over to him, and she laughs a little, smiling as she hands the ends of her laces to him.]

They already like you. They would find you completely charming.

[George has tied many, many laces of several different kinds in his life. He's never taken as much care as he does with Lucy's.]

Would that all of Narnia were like your maids, he smiles at her, my love.

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