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 laughs and kisses her, and for half a moment contemplates pushing her into the tub.]

Aye. So do you.

[Instead, he sweeps her off her feet and into his arms and steps into the tub to lower them both into the water.]

[illuminescent]

[The water is blessedly warm, and so is he. She reaches for the small cake of soap and laters it up a little, and then runs it over his chest.]

I do hope everyone is taking care, at home.

[curlytop]

[George sinks gratefully into the water. After days on horseback, the warmth feels heavenly on his sore muscles.]

I think everyone at home is more worried about you than themselves just now. Abducted by a savage with ignoble intentions.

[He reaches for her hair to let it down and untangle it as best he can.]

[illuminescent]

No one imagines you to be a savage.

[She helps him with her hair - it's been in braids since they left, getting messier, but it's still relatively clean and tangle-free, so his job is not too difficult.]

No one thinks you would ever hurt me.

[curlytop]

[He smiles as her hair falls around his fingers. It's such a simple thing, but something a queen and her lover never do.]

Perhaps they'd stopped thinking of me like that. Some of them will change their minds after this.

[He encourages her to lay back so he can work the soap through hair. It doesn't bother him to know that some of the Narnians will never look at him the same again. Not really. It's a worthwhile trade.]

Your brothers...I think they do trust me. I think they still will.

[illuminescent]

[She does as he tells her, and eases back against him. This is a luxury beyond words; and oh, how she loves him for this.]

I think so too.

My people-

If they love me, they will love you.

[curlytop]

[He likes to touch her like this, not sexual but sensual. He takes his time, massaging his fingertips against her scalp.]

I hope so, m'eudail.

[He does hope so. He's not sure how far that hope goes.]

[illuminescent]

[She rests against him, and takes his hands to lay them over her belly. Just so they're curled around each other. Just so George is holding her.]

They will.

[They have to.]

Do you wish to know a secret?

[curlytop]

[George lays his palm flat over her belly and keeps her cradled against him.]

I want to know all your secrets.

[illuminescent]

One at a time.

I think I fell in love with you when I first saw you smile.

[She means it.]

[curlytop]

[George smiles and kisses her temple.]

I think I fell in love with you as soon as I saw you.

[illuminescent]

But you would not let me have you.

You were as shy a maiden as any.

[She's laughing a little, but pressing into his body, not sexually, but because-

-because she can. Because this is a moment for them, where they can be close, in a place where no one will interrupt, where no one will know.]

[curlytop]

[He laughs as well, picking up the soap and washing her lazily.]

I wasn't shy. I was frightened.

[His voice is soft, and he kisses her shoulder, lips trailing over her skin.]

[illuminescent]

Of me?

[She knows what he was frightened of. She traces her fingers over his hand.]

I know I am terribly frightening. I am pleased you saw past it.

[curlytop]

You're surprisingly fierce for someone so small.

[It's one of the things he loves most about her.]

But you've a kind heart. That's what made me love you.

[illuminescent]

Oh yes.

[She agreed with that.]

I would do anything to protect those I love. And to protect us.

[curlytop]

[George's hand settles over her belly again.]

All of us, eh?

[illuminescent]

[She looks over at him.]

All of us.

[curlytop]

[He smiles and bends to kiss her.]

Then we'll all be just fine. No one I'd rather have protecting me.

[illuminescent]

[She beams; her smile is wide, and she kisses him again before she dips in the water, all the soap washing off her. It's George's turn, and she starts to clean him off with the kind of attention only a lover can give.]

I should say - no one will love you as I do, but that does not mean anything against you, for you are most lovely.

[curlytop]

[He touches her as she washes him, lazy caresses, and he smiles.]

No one could love me like you do, mo chridhe. No one else is you.

[illuminescent]

[She runs her hands through his curls, and scrubs them clean.]

Lovely.

[She kisses him.]

I hear that tomorrow, we will be married.

[curlytop]

[He laughs and leans toward her touches.]

I've heard that as well.

[It occurs to him that he doesn't know how they do weddings in Telmar.]

At home, it's bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding.

[illuminescent]

[She sits back just a little, just enough.]

Do you mean to tell me you wish to be blindfolded?

I will not leave your side, you know. You have a duty to protect me.

[That's not why she won't leave his side.]

[curlytop]

[George won't leave her side either. He smiles and kisses her.]

It would be difficult to get through the morning blindfolded, but I could probably manage.

Mostly...I wondered what weddings are like here.

[He saw a few in Calormen, but he knows they'll be different here.]