[AU] to find all you seek

[the_seafarer]

It is hardly unusual that the door opens. 

It is slightly unusual, perhaps, that it opens seemingly on its own, onto a warm green land bordered by a calm, gleaming sea that smells of salt and something like lilies.

With such a view, anyone glancing out the door might be forgiven if they did not see the individual for whom it opened – not unless they glanced down.

And then down some more, where a mouse – a Mouse – stands on its back legs, studying the room before it with a soldier's practiced eye. It is about a foot high, darkly furred, and a scarlet feather nods rakishly from a golden circlet it wears about one ear. 

Apparently making up its mind, the Mouse enters, and the door closes. 

(One story ends, and another begins.)

The Mouse scurries – er, climbs – to the top of a seat at the Bar and lifts its small, impatient voice. "Hey there!" it calls. "Who is master of this alehouse?"

Comments

[sai_delgado]

"Aye, well, then mayhap his time as a dragon helped his good sense," Susan says. "For there's more to the use of a gun than just having it, and far more than the having that makes a gunslinger, do'ee ken?"

A faint shudder runs through her at the memories that attempt to intrude. Susan pushes them away, trying to hide her reaction, and knows from the look in Cuthbert's eyes that she hasn't been entirely successful... and that he's guessed the direction of her thoughts, as well.

"Susan's right," he says, and oh, it's almost impossibly gentle as his glance meets hers for a moment before he looks back at Reepicheep. Cuthbert sits forward in his chair and touches the grips of his guns, deliberately drawing their attention away from her. "But as for the weapon itself, here."

Moving with care so that there's no confusion, he draws one and holds it so that the others can see, although he makes no offer to let them take it. "Bullets go in the chamber here, and fire through the barrel with a speed that's faster than an arrow and goes much, much further."

[the_seafarer]

He doesn't know what causes Susan's shiver or the understanding glance Cuthbert sends her; all he can do for the moment is squeeze her hand as Reepicheep leaps nimbly from chair to tabletop so he can peer more closely at the gun, looking at it with interest. He is careful not to come too close or to touch it, instead linking his paws behind his back just as a man might to thoughtfully peer at a piece of art hanging on a wall.

"It seems a fine piece of worksmanship, Son of Adam," he says, "though unfamiliar to me. Is it Dwarf-forged?"

[sai_delgado]

She twines her fingers with Caspian's and leans a little against his shoulder as she listens to 'Bert and Reepicheep talk, attempting to give comfort at the same time she allows herself also to draw it.

"Nay," Cuthbert says, "or at least I doubt it. We've no stories of dwarven forging in Arthur Eld's time, and these were passed down the generations between. Twenty-nine of them."

[the_seafarer]

Reepicheep looks impressed, though his understanding of twenty-nine generations is a good deal shorter than that of the humans here.

"Like Rhindon, Reep," Caspian says, referring to the sword of High King Peter, which the High King had gifted to him on his coronation day. "This would be like having something passed down in your family from the Golden Age to yours and mine."

"A treasure indeed," Reepicheep says. "And in fine condition still."

[sai_delgado]

Cuthbert nods. "They'd better be," he says, a little dry. "We're taught the care of them as part of our training."

[the_seafarer]

"As is only proper," Reepicheep says, approvingly. "One ought to care for one's weapon as though it were part of themself."

He gestures to his empty sword-belt. "I am present unarmed, but His Majesty believes I will find a suitable blade here."

"Gimli the dwarf has his forge out by the stables," Caspian tells Cuthbert. "He made my own blade. I think he would be up for the challenge."

The requirements of a blade to be worn by a Mouse being, after all, somewhat different to those for a Man.

[sai_delgado]

"Yar," Cuthbert agrees, holstering the gun with unthinking ease and sitting back. "He likely would. He's the one made the horses' new shoes, aye, Sue? I've seen him working on much more besides."

Susan nods. "I were that grateful for it," she says. "But it's not his greatest skill, I ken, although he took pride in doing a good job of it all the same. Swords he does, aye, and gold-craft too."

[the_seafarer]

"His work is both beautiful and functional," Caspian agrees. "He manages some very fine filigree work, especially when working with a particular type of silver from his own world."

"I shall look forward to meeting him, Sire," says Reepicheep. "I have missed the company of our dwarf friends a great deal."

[sai_delgado]

"Gold-work, hm?" The shadows have faded from Susan's gray eyes, but her smile's not as bright as he'd prefer, and thus Cuthbert falls back on a ka-mai's bag of tricks and teasing. With near-uncanny speed, he snatches a straw plait from her workbasket and coils it around his fingers to examine it with overly-attentive focus. "Looks like ye could teach him a thing or two yerself, mayhap."

"Oh, stop it," Susan scolds, and leans forward to try to reclaim her braidwork. He holds it out of her reach, laughter in his eyes. "Give it back, 'Bert, I've not sewn the ends yet."

[the_seafarer]

Reepicheep frowns. "Kindly return the lady's property, sir," he says, in his chirruping voice, and Caspian grimaces, very slightly.

"It's all right, Reep, he's only teasing."

"Be that as it may," Reepicheep says, stern. "I'd expect any knight – though they may not use that exact title – to treat a lady with the respect to which she is due."

[sai_delgado]

"Oh, believe me, I am," Cuthbert says, even as his eyebrows rise at the mouse's demand.

Susan huffs an exasperated breath at him. "Keep it up and see if I don't swat ye with yer own hat next," she warns, and sits back against the couch. "Sir Reepicheep, there's naught to be concerned over, say true."

[the_seafarer]

Reepicheep bows to Susan, though he keeps one bright eye on Cuthbert. "If you wish, madam," he says, a little stiffly.

Caspian, familiar with the frown on the Mouse's face, glances around the room before interjecting. "You needn't fear, Reep; 'Bert and Susan are old friends. She's used to his teasing."

Reepicheep looks unconvinced that any teasing ought to happen at all, but subsides.

[sai_delgado]

Cuthbert's eyebrows are even higher than before, and temper of his own snaps in his glance - well-controlled, but there, as he looks back and forth between the Narnians. "You're not seriously implying I'd mean Susan insult? Or hurt her in any way?"

"Of course thee wouldn't, 'Bert," Susan interjects, trying to soothe any and all ruffled feathers now. "Mayhap it's only that he's not met a ka-mai before." She looks back to the Mouse, golden hair shifting around her like a cloud with how quick she turns.

"It's all right, say true," she promises. "It were kind of ye to be concerned, but 'Bert would never seek to upset me, never in life."

(we'd all protect her if we could)

"It's a ka-mai's way to tease so and make others laugh."

[the_seafarer]

"I certainly hope not," Reepicheep says, bristling slightly. "Though I fail to see the respect in petty theft and teasing."

One paw settles at his empty swordbelt, and Caspian, keen both to keep Reepicheep from getting in trouble on his first day and not to lose what small ground he may have made with Cuthbert, breathes out through his nose before he speaks. "Reepicheep!" he says, sharply. His expression is stern, and that faint ring of command from earlier by the shore is clearer now.

The knight snaps to attention, both eyes fixed on his king. "Your valiance does you credit, but you will kindly not pick a fight with our friend Cuthbert, please," says Caspian, stern. "Particularly not over so small a thing."

"But, Sire – "

"Peace! There's no insult here. You do not know him yet and so I forgive your ignorance, but there is no one here more devoted to this lady than he. Am I quite clear?"

Reepicheep, somewhat forlorn, nods and turns to Cuthbert, squaring his small shoulders. "My apologies, good sir knight. This place and its patrons are still strange to me."

[sai_delgado]

Susan looks completely startled by all of this, and sits very still, fog-gray eyes wide and uncertain as she watches.

Cuthbert gives Caspian a very sharp, searching look indeed before nodding to the mouse.

"Other worlds than these," he says, easily enough. "I've seen worse trouble from people while they're getting used to the bar. Apology accepted."

[the_seafarer]

Caspian relaxes slightly and glances at Susan, smiling slightly as he squeezes her fingers to reassure her.

"I wish you could meet Glenstorm the centaur, Cuthbert," he says. "Now there's a fellow who would prove a challenge even for a ka-mai such as yourself. I don't think I saw him laugh even once in all our long years together."

[sai_delgado]

Now Cuthbert's the one to laugh.

"Did ye ever meet Roland Deschain?"

[the_seafarer]

"Never, more's the pity," Caspian says, smiling.

"I suppose he was the same way?"

[sai_delgado]

"Well, Roland had 'Bert and Eddie, thee ken," Susan says, practically. "So he laughed sometimes."

"Some few times," Cuthbert corrects.

To Reepicheep, Susan adds, "Eddie - Eddie Dean - he's a bartender here. Ye'll meet him soon, most likely."

[the_seafarer]

"I'll look forward to making his acquaintance," Reepicheep tells her, while Caspian chuckles.

"Glenstorm sometimes seemed to be carved out of stone," he says, and even Reepicheep relaxes enough to smile slightly.

"He never relented, Sire?"

"Well," Caspian admits. "He had a soft spot for Rilian. But then, so did most of the court."

[sai_delgado]

"Rilian?" Cuthbert asks.

"Caspian's son, who were king after him," Susan tells him, and Cuthbert blinks, and looks at Caspian.

[the_seafarer]

"The very same," he says, lightly.

He has the solace, at least, of knowing that Rilian did return – he remembers it. The last thing he saw before awakening again in Aslan's Country: Rilian's face above his.

[sai_delgado]

"Ye're older than ye look," Cuthbert observes, and Susan shoves her toes against his ankle. "'Bert," she warns.

"Look, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, I'm just noticing," he argues, reasonably.

[the_seafarer]

"You're right, I am," Caspian says, peaceably.

"You don't look a day older than the last time I saw you, aboard the Dawn Treader, Sire," says Reepicheep, and Caspian nods.

"Aslan was kind and granted me my youth once more when I awoke in his country."

[sai_delgado]

Cuthbert pulls out a pack of handrolled cigarettes and offers them to both Reepicheep and Caspian before taking one for himself.

"The Dawn Treader," he repeats. "That'd be yer ship, I'm guessing."

Susan gives him a look, and he returns a winning smile.