the_seafarer | [AU] to find all you seek

“Thankee-sai,” she says, sincerely pleased. Susan casts a teasing glance at Caspian and adds, “I’d listen to all ye’d tell, say true.”

She shifts, then, preparing to rise. “But I’ve not - ye’re only just arrived, and I brought ye here without ye having a chance to arrange yer lodging, or anything. Will’ee let me see to it for ye, while the two of ye catch up?”

Caspian gives her a rueful glance, but the Mouse appears delighted.

"That is very gracious, Daughter of Eve," he says. "I thank you for your kindness."

Caspian, giving up, nods. "That would be lovely, Su," he says. "Shall we join you later?"

“Whenever thee like,” she tells him. “Thee’ll find me as usual—-“

She turns to Reepicheep. “—and I’ll have what ye need ready for ye there.”

"Very well; we'll met you inside soon, then," Caspian tells her, and smiles a little crookedly.

"In the meantime, I'll try to explain this place to Reep as best I can."

There’s something very understanding in the fog-gray eyes as she nods. “Take yer time,” she murmurs. “I kennit, from when Alain came.”

Susan gets to her feet and gives a small curtsey, then heads inside to see to matters for the new arrival, finish her letter to Bernard, and eventually settle in on the couch by the fireplace with her work basket - having placed an advance order with the waitrats, as well.

Evening has settled by the time the lake door opens and Caspian enters, a small furry figure at his side. Reepicheep, it seems, is still full of questions, and he answers in a warm low voice as he looks around, before he brightens and ushers the Mouse over toward the couch.

"Here we are," he says, taking the seat right by Susan – he's grown somewhat accustomed to it – while Reepicheep perches in a too-large chair by the fire. "I tried to explain everything I could think of, but this place has mysteries I may never understand."

“If there’s aught I can answer, I will,” she offers, as she sets her straw-plait aside and digs in the work basket for a packet made of a bit of parchment that unfolds to show a drawing as well as a scrollwork key.

Susan slides from her seat and brings it to Reepicheep before settling back beside Caspian. “It’s a key to a room upstairs for ye,” she tells him, “And a bit of a map to guide ye through the halls to find it, when ye’re ready to rest.”

The key is perfectly sized for the Mouse's claws; he studies the parchment for a moment before tucking it and the key both into his swordbelt.

"I am grateful, Susan, Daughter of Eve," he says. His eyes brighten as Caspian shifts beside her and puts his arm about her back, but his manners overcome his curiosity. "This is a strange sort of place where both those who live and those who have passed on may mingle. My king assures me it is not part of Aslan's Country, but what else could explain such a thing?"

She leans just slightly into the curve of Caspian’s arm as she nods to Reepicheep. “More of a place that’s betwixt and between, from what I’m told,” she says. “What ye call Aslan’s Country, we call the clearing at the end of the path. This is a - a waystation, to the side, on the way to the clearing, do’ee ken? It’s how the alive and dead can both be here.”

A faint squeak draws her attention and she beckons to someone across the room. A waitrat hurries over, carrying a tray with a full dinner service - bread and cheese and a large mixed plate of fruit, a savory dish of baked grains and nuts, water and a sparkling golden wine with glasses for both Caspian and Reepicheep and a cup of cocoa for Susan herself.

“Sir Reepicheep, please let me introduce ye to Holly, of the waitstaff here. She’s not a talking Rat as ye are a Mouse, exactly, but as smart as any and kind as well.”

The waitrat stands twice or a little more as large as Reepicheep himself, but the Mouse leaps lightly from his seat and sweeps a bow. "Madam," he says, and Holly squeaks at him in surprise.

If Reepicheep is let down by her lack of speech, he shows no sign of it, only courteously clears a place on the table for Holly to set the tray. "A feast," he says, "to rival that at Ramandu's Island. Your thoughtfulness, Lady Delgado, knows no bounds."

"It's lovely," Caspian agrees. "Thank you, Su."

“Oh, let me be just Susan to ye, I pray,” she says. “And I were glad to see to it, say true.”

Reepicheep glances from her to Caspian, who nods, and back to her once more. "As you will," he says, in a way that makes Caspian think it won't be the last time he tries to bestow a title on her.

It's well-meaning, at least. Caspian takes his arm back from around Susan to reach for her hot chocolate and offer it to her, before he passes the small glass of wine to Reepicheep and retrieves his own. "To reunions," he says, lifting his glass. "With dear old friends."

She raises her cup in turn, and sips after they do, then settles back against the couch again.

“Truly something to celebrate,” she agrees. “I remember what it were like to see Alain and ‘Bert again. I’m glad ye have that joy.”

"And I," says Reepicheep. "Though to think time has passed so strangely! How could it have so many years since I saw you last, enough time for a full life, while it felt like so little to me?"

"Did it truly?" Caspian asks, sipping at his wine. "Has it seemed so few days?"

Reepicheep shakes his head. "Perhaps. It is hard to say. All times are soon to Him, after all."

“Time is a face on the water,” Susan murmurs. “It were one night for me, and ten years for Alain and ‘Bert, and many and many-a year for Roland, to be met here once more. Mayhap it’s like that for ye, too.”

She shrugs, and leaves it at that.

"It is not for a simple Mouse like myself to question the nature of the universe so," Reepicheep says. "I am only satisfied to be back by my King's side, for as long as he will have me."

Caspian nods to him. "As long as you'd like to stay, Reep," he says. "And should you wish to go back through the door, I'd not stop you."

The faintest chill runs through her, and Susan wraps her hands around the mug to draw in its warmth.

(come, Reap)

She nods in support of Caspian’s words, but says nothing.

It's possible Reepicheep can go back and forth between the bar and Aslan's Country, as he can, but that will need to be something they discuss later, he thinks.

For now, he gestures for the Mouse to eat if he will, and Reepicheep falls to with a will. "Thank you, Sire," he says. "And you, La – Susan. It is so strange – there is food enough and more in His country, but I never feel all that hungry, unless I wish to eat. And when I do, it is like the waters of the Last Sea, leaving me utterly sated. And yet here, I am ravenous."

"Eat, then, good Mouse," Caspian says, smiling as the small knight neatly devours some bread and cheese. "I promise that the food here is as fine as the company."

Caspian seems so pleased to have his friend here, and Susan's delighted for his sake, and equally so by Reepicheep himself. "Ye can get almost anything from Bar," she explains. "The bar, but it's more than that, so she's called Bar as her name, too. Magic, I'm told --"

And oh, she realizes, she's not certain if the Mouse would be wary of such, and hastens to explain.

"-- but not of the evil sort, do'ee ken? Nymphadora tried to explain how the spell worked, but I wager no one truly expected what came of it in the end."

"Ah," says the Mouse, in the ones of one who now understands. "Like the magic that keeps the table at Ramandu's island filled, I suppose."

"Not quite," says Caspian, "but I suppose you could think of it that way. Certainly it is a kind and well-meaning sort of magic."

"If you say it is no threat, Sire, and you, Daughter of Eve, I trust your word," Reepicheep says. "I suppose that is the only explanation for finding Archenland wine beyond the edge of the world."

Caspian laughs. "Archenland wine and much more," he promises.

"No threat," she promises, firmly. "Nymphadora - ye'll kennit, when ye meet her, she has pink hair - she's sai Bernard's lady, and a witch, but one of those who works to protect others," Susan clarifies, as best she can.

"She's to be trusted, ye've my watch and warrant on it." And a promise from Pat Delgado's daughter isn't to be taken lightly, not that Reepicheep would have any way of knowing that, and this one the more so for offering faith in a witch. "She were telling me that the one who cast the spell to begin with were from her world, years ago. She knew him, before."

"I've never heard of a 'good' witch before," Reepicheep says, doubtful, but it's against his nature to question the word of a lady.

"But protective magic; that I know. Wasn't it that which brought the Kings and Queens of Old back to us in our hour of need."

"It was indeed," Caspian says, and smiles at Susan. "When I winded Queen Susan's horn and called them back to Narnia."

"I hadn't either, until I came here," Susan agrees. "Most aren't. But Nymphadora is."

She smiles back at Caspian, bright and shining. "All four of them, thee said."

"Yes; all four."

"If I remember correctly, your Majesty's tutor dabbled a little in magic," Reepicheep says, and Caspian nods.

"You remember rightly, good Mouse. Doctor Cornelius did a little magic, as a sort of hobby, but nothing anyone might call a working of any real power."

Fog-gray eyes widen at that.

"Did he teach thee?"

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