cribellate | narnia au;

Yes, but-

You ought to have a title. I ought to take your name.

[Lucy Lovelace. It seems - strange. But comfortable.]

I know you do not marry me for the prestige, or the gold, or the titles. Or land.

[That is why she is marrying him, after all.]

[George thinks Lucy Lovelace sounds lovely.]

You may give me whatever title you wish, but I don't need one. It's enough to know you'll be my…my wife.

[A smile creeps unbidden onto his face as he says the word.]

[She beams, and reaches for him, and kisses his face.]

Your wife. Yours, yours, yours.

[She laughs a little.]

My husband.

[He laughs under her kisses.]

That's all the title I need, mo chridhe.

[She presses her fingers to his temples.]

We should not linger. The trees will be calling for me, soon.

[But she wants another kiss.]

[He kisses her, lingering despite her warning.]

And there's miles to go before we sleep, aye.

[One more kiss, and then he pulls back.]

Come on, my love.

[She gets up, back on her horse, and they ride again.

It is not so short a ride across Narnia, but they reach Telmar in only days, their exhaustion forgotten by the determination. They are not pursued, but Lucy sees the dryads whispering to each other, and she knows they are sending word back to Cair Paravel.

Lucy has never crossed the border into Telmar, but their first night there they find an inn, clean, and well priced, and Lucy thinks that it is luck beyond measure that they have found even this.

She lets George handle the arrangements as she curiously looks around, as she tucks into his side. She is not afraid, but she does not know how to act. When they head up the stairs, she whispers:]

I have never been in an inn before.

[George is wary, across the border. Relations with Telmar are friendly enough, but with Calormen an enemy, he can't forget that he is still the queen's guard. However much Lucy may be dressed like a maid, she still carries herself like a queen, and George stands out wherever he goes.

The inn seems friendly enough, but he's glad to have Lucy tucked so close against him.]

Then it'll be an extra adventure for you. And we'll have a hot meal and a bath on top of it.

[It had been a bit more for the bath, but he suspects Lucy will appreciate it after days on horseback.]

[She presses right against him, until they're in a room, and it's clean and serviceable and simple, and Lucy already finds herself very fond of it. It reminds her of homes inside of Narnia - when Lucy travels, she doesn't stay at inns because the people of Narnia, the badgers, the beavers, the folk who live in the small towns - are always happy to open their homes, and Lucy can't bear to turn such generosity down.

She looks bright, pleased.]

Are you going to help me with this bath, then?

[She's laughing, giggling, even, pleased.]

[George takes a quick moment to check the security of the room before answering with a smile.]

In the absence of your maids, I think it falls to me, yes.

[She's so pleased, he can't help laughing a little as well.]

[She hums a little, and sits on the bed, cross-legged. She doesn't know what George said - if that he said they were already married, or something along those lines, but there is only one bed.]

You will have to take extra care with my hair.

[She's teasing, so she can't be at all uncomfortable.]

Should I then help you?

[He'd told them as little as possible and trusted there would be no questions.]

I will take extra care with all of you.

[He sits next to her on the bed, his arm around her waist.]

Is that a wifely duty? Helping your husband bathe?

I cannot say I know.

I have never had a husband.

[She tips her head at him.]

We can make many of our own rules.

Well, then, we can help each other bathe.

[He kisses her temple.]

And tonight we can sleep all night in this bed together, with no sneaking out at dawn.

[They'd slept together on the road, but it's something different to share a bed than a patch of forest.]

[She smiles then, and it's a little radiant.]

I can wake to you, and hold you, without hurry, without worry, without fear.

[She kisses him on the mouth this time, and presses him down to the bed.]

I can take you at my leisure, George.

[He loves to see her smile like that, and he lays down on the bed with a laugh, pulling her with.]

You can, my love.

[He curls a hand around the back of her head and leans up to kiss her.]

[She kisses him, and kisses him again. They're both tired, and a little sweaty, and just a bit filthy, but she doesn't care. She unties her bodice, which is simpler now, and her breasts ease a little. She reaches down to tug his shirt off, and spreads her hands over his chest and shoulders.]

And you can have me at yours.

[George hums into the kiss, his hands settling at Lucy's hips and then wandering up her bodice to her breasts.]

I may never let you leave our bed, mo chridhe.

Never?

[She leans down, and kisses him again.]

I would be very bored. How would you keep me entertained?

[He tugs down the front of her dress to free her breasts completely, covering one with a warm palm.]

Have I ever bored you in bed?

[She giggles a little.]

No.

You have always kept me most pleased.

[He reaches for her breast, and she hums in the sweet, warm pleasure of it. Her fingers catch and curl around his.]

[He laughs, warm and easy, and leans up to kiss her again.]

And I will endeavor to continue so.

Will you promise to keep me sated, no matter how long we are married?

[She's giggling, sweetly, and kissing him.]

Perhaps we should bathe first.

I will put it in our vows if you like.

[He kisses her again, and again, and once more.]

Either way, we'll need to be naked.

I like that, but I think it may be too shocking for the folk here in Telmar.

[She unties her skirt, and moves to stand, and she drops it. It's much brighter in this room than in their room, in the dark, back in Narnia; there is still sunlight out there, and the slats are good for privacy but they let through so much light.]

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