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]

[Lucy has never let her fears dominate her.

But Lucy has never been afraid like this. That George deserves more than she can give him. He deserves a whole family. She is selfish for keeping him; she knows it. She puts her arms around him.]

Are you afraid?

[curlytop]

Yes. [His answer is whispered into her hair.

He never learned the Fearless rune, but somehow he thinks even it wouldn't help him here.]

Are you?

[illuminescent]

Yes.

[She says it with a breath. She doesn’t know what she’ll do if she is, and if she isn’t. Both-

-both make her fear.]

I want a child. But-

[She has a responsibility. There is succession to think of.]

[curlytop]

Yes, but.

[He huffs out a breath, ruffling her hair. Now that the possibility exists, he'd be devastated to lose it.]

What...what do you think your brothers would do.

[illuminescent]

I cannot say.

Edmund would be cross. Peter would-

[She goes very quiet.]

Susan might understand. I think Peter would, the High King would say we should send it away for fostering.

[curlytop]

Aye, and me along with it.

[That's his real fear. If there's a child, it will be sent away, and George will have to go as well. Or at the very least have to choose between Lucy and their child.]

[illuminescent]

Perhaps.

[Her heart beats a little faster.{

I think he knows that would kill me. To lose both my lover and my child.

[curlytop]

[His arms tighten around her unconsciously.]

How could we send our child away on its own?

[He thinks of the tiny baby left on the Academy's steps, and it feels a dozen lifetimes ago.]

[illuminescent]

[Oh.

Oh, that's it.

She bursts into tears, sobbing against his chest.]

What do I do?

[curlytop]

[George chokes back his own tears as he holds her, but his voice breaks a little.]

Well...first we have to...find out if you really are pregnant, eh?

[Narnia, he suspects, does not have pregnancy tests you can pick up at the corner store.]

[illuminescent]

[She holds onto him as she cries some, because she needs to get this out, first.

And after a few moments, she takes a breath.]

I will find a physician I can trust.

[curlytop]

[He holds her through it, arms tight around her, like he could protect her from any pain that way.]

How...um...how long has it been since you've...you know...bled?

[He doesn't even know how to talk about this sort of thing at home, let alone here.]

[illuminescent]

[He asks a good question, and she is quiet, and she shakes her head.]

Weeks, I think. Certainly, it has been a time.

[She's due any day, if she isn't pregnant.]

[curlytop]

[George frowns as he nods.]

Okay. Well...okay. We'll find you a physician, then, and...

[He trails off because he doesn't have an answer for what they'll do.]

And whatever happens, we'll handle it together.

[illuminescent]

[She wants to kiss him, only she doesn't. She closes her eyes and stays close for another moment.]

I will not let them send you away. I promise.

[curlytop]

I know.

[He pulls back slightly to look at her, cupping her face in both hands.]

I love you, Lucy, baby or no, and we'll work this out together.

[illuminescent]

[She looks at him for a moment, and clutches his hands to her cheeks.]

My lord.

[She's never called him that before.]

[curlytop]

[That doesn't escape his notice, though he's not sure what to make of it.]

Mo chridhe?

[He kisses her forehead.]

[illuminescent]

If I am-

If we are to have a child-

Then we must marry.

[If they marry, then no one can separate them, not even Aslan.]

[curlytop]

Oh.

[Hope flutters in his chest, so much of his worry could be alleviated if they were married.]

Must we? [He wants to, certainly, but he's afraid to let himself think that.]

[illuminescent]

They cannot separate us. Even the High King cannot undo that bond.

[Her hands catch his, and she kisses them, one at at time.]

[curlytop]

[He searches her face intently, though he's not sure what he's looking for.]

Then we should marry.

[illuminescent]

You're certain?

I am.

[She doesn't want him to do this if he's not perfectly certain.]

[curlytop]

Yes. Yes, I'm certain.

[He wanted to marry her anyway, only it hadn't seemed like it would change anything, but this...this is a reason he can't deny.]

You know I want to stay with you forever. Anything we can do to ensure that...I will do. We must do.

[illuminescent]

[She takes a breath, thinking.]

If we leave soon - tomorrow, perhaps, if I feel well enough, we can go to Telmar. They'll marry us there, I think, without much fuss. And they will not recognize me. I have never been to Telmar.