[au] an early snow

[the_seafarer]

It's only mid-autumn, as the Bar-year reckons, but one morning Caspian wakes early to find that the light coming through his window has that particular muted quality to it that only comes from sifting through clouds and a veil of snow.

And snow it is indeed, when he comes outside: it crunches pleasantly beneath his boots as his breath freezes in the air and his cheeks turn pink with the cold. Snow; and still it falls, silent and light.

He heads to the stables with the intention of finishing his chores quickly so he can let the horses out to frolic in it, whistling as he goes.

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[sai_delgado]

She’d watched the snow fall through her window for a while, say true, before making her way outdoors through it. Susan discovers by the time she reaches the stable that she’ll need to find much warmer clothing for the winter here, and takes several moments to rub some warmth into her cold fingers before she even tries to tend the horses.

[the_seafarer]

There's a blast of cold air as the door opens, and then: "Good morning!" comes Caspian's cheerful voice. He stomps snow off his boots and ruffles snow out of his hair with fingers covered in woolen gloves, smiling and bright and pleased as a small child.

He takes the gloves off and sticks them haphazardly in a pocket as he comes towards her, enjoying the warmth of the stables, the sweet scent of hay before he notices her rubbing at her hands. "Cold?" he asks, even as he takes her hands between his warm ones, gently rubbing her chilly fingers.

[sai_delgado]

“Aye. I’m not used to it,” she admits, sheepishly. “But oh, Caspian, it’s so pretty!”

[the_seafarer]

"Aye, isn't it grand?"

But he looks a little concerned as he works warmth back into her hands. "Shall I run and get you some warmer things?"

[sai_delgado]

“I’d not be a bother to thee,” she says, hesitantly. There’s no question she needs them, although she’d thought to dress in a couple of layers, but she doesn’t want to cause Caspian trouble.

“I could go back in—“

[the_seafarer]

"Not without a warmer coat," he says, sensibly, and leans to kiss her forehead. "Stay here and get warm. I'll be back in a tick."

He gives her no time to argue before he's squeezed her hands, let go, and headed back for the door, pulling his own gloves back on as he does.

[sai_delgado]

Susan looks after him, blinking with slight surprise, before she shakes herself free of her bemusement and sets about her morning chores.

[the_seafarer]

When Caspian returns, he's laden with several articles of clothing: a warm barn jacket for Susan, lined winter boots, a pair of woolen fingerless gloves with mitten tops which button back, a scarf, and a knitted hat which he pulls snugly down over her golden hair, tugging it to her ears.

"There," he says, and offers her the rest.

[sai_delgado]

By the time he fills her arms with clothing, Susan’s laughing, bright and cheerful.

“I’m sure to be warm with all this,” she teases. “Mayhap too wrapped up to move, but warm.”

[the_seafarer]

"None of it's too bulky," he protests, undeterred. "The hat and scarf and gloves are for outside; you oughtn't need them in here."

[sai_delgado]

She sets everything aside on a hay bale for the moment and goes to him, linking her arms around his shoulders as she stretches up to give him a quick kiss.

“Thankee-sai,” she says, sweetly. “It’s dear of thee, say true.”

[the_seafarer]

He puts his arms around her waist and kisses her back, smiling.

"Well," he says, innocent as the newly fallen snow still collecting outside, "I may have had an ulterior motive."

[sai_delgado]

She shakes her head at him. “Thee mischief. What motive?”

[the_seafarer]

"Come take a ride with me after we've finished morning chores," he wheedles.

"The woods are lovely with the fresh-fallen snow."

[sai_delgado]

She pretends to consider, but the delight in her smile and the laughter in her eyes gives her away.

“An’ye would, I will, and gladly. Once we’ve finished.”

[the_seafarer]

He leans down to kiss her, gentle but lingering.

"Then we'd better get started, I suppose," he says, a laugh in his voice.

[sai_delgado]

“I already have,” she points out, pertly, then ducks out of his reach and goes to shrug into the warm things he’s brought.

“It’ll not take us long, I wot. Do’ee think they’ll like being turned out in this? Not all the paddock shelters are finished.”

[the_seafarer]

"If they're anything like the horses I've known before, they will," he promises with a laugh, and goes to fork down some hay from the loft, filling the stable with its sweet grassy scent.

[sai_delgado]

By now they’ve managed a good routine to their work, and a comfortable one. It makes the tasks go more quickly.

“Aye, well, Alain kens snow too, so if aught goes amiss while we’re gone he’s well able to handle it,” she muses, as she moves from stall to stall.

[the_seafarer]

"Undoubtedly," he grins. Caspian whistles to himself as he works, mucking out stalls and readying tack and thinking about the day to come. It's pleasant to work in the warm stables, and pleasanter still to work side by side with Susan.

He takes a moment to check on the Hope snug in her strange berth, and reminds himself to spend more time working on his newest project – he'll need to, if he wants it to be ready in time for the real snows.

[sai_delgado]

She checks over the tack and supplies as she works, making note of anything that needs repair or restocking, and goes back and forth from stall to stall with the water bucket.

"Is yer Hope doing well so?" she asks. "The weather change so sudden's not harmed her under shelter as she is, aye?"

Susan shakes her head. "I'd not thought it'd snow so early. It's not even R-- Reap-tide yet." She shivers unconsciously at the thought, and works more briskly to throw it off.

[the_seafarer]

"Not a bit," Caspian assures her. "If she were in the water, perhaps, but she's as snug and safe in here as any of the horses."

He covers the hull of the boat once more with the tarp, leaving it looking rather like a large, awkward turtle. "Odd, isn't it? We sometimes had these early snows in Narnia. They never lasted long, but it was a sign of things to come."

[sai_delgado]

"If it's so here too," she says, practically, "then we're in for a long winter, I wot."

Once the horses have finished their morning feed, she starts at the far end and begins leading them out for turnout. "Which would thee want to ride?" she calls back over her shoulder.

[the_seafarer]

"I'll borrow Corella today," Caspian decides.

Meanwhile, the usually solemn Duncan, confronted with the light, cold fluff on the ground of the paddock, snuffs at it for a moment before breaking into a series of coltish capers, apparently delighted at the sensation.

[sai_delgado]

Susan leaves Corella in the stable for now, and considers the others. "Ghost hasn't had a good long ride in a while," she says, and eyes Corella. "It's late enough in the year that she'd not be close to being in season. Aye, I'll take him."