[au] Narnia and the North

[the_seafarer]

There's a chill bite to the air, these days. The horses have been growing out their winter coats, and they look shaggy and plump as Caspian turns them out into the paddocks. Behind the stables, in the makeshift woodshop he'd cobbled together, the sleigh from his drawings is starting to come together. 

He hopes he'll have it finished by Christmas. With a little luck, and maybe some assistance, he thinks it should be possible. The tack, he's largely left up to Susan's devices, though he'd commission Gimli the dwarf for the various buckles and other metal pieces they'll need.

Once the horses are turned out, he gets to his other morning chores with a will, whistling cheerfully as he does. The stable stays strangely quiet around him. It takes him the better part of an hour to realize the strangeness is because he's become accustomed to Susan's cheerful presence working alongside him, talking or humming or simply working in companionable silence. 

Caspian pauses in his task – refilling the grain chest – and looks around. Susan's nowhere to be seen, and when he later wanders through the stables, checking each stall and outside, he can't find her there, either.

Comments

[the_seafarer]

He ducks his head to let her tidy his hair as she will, feeling a little thrill as he remembers how she'd clenched her fingers in it the night before. "As you will," he says, happy enough to let her choose.

His grin shines again as he reaches to tug at the nightshirt. "Though you look very sweet in my borrowed clothing, I must say."

[sai_delgado]

Susan laughs. "Well, then, if thee has a shirt thee'd want me to wear, I'd not mind it," she offers.

[the_seafarer]

He chuckles and kisses her fondly. "That might raise more questions than you want to answer today," he points out. "So I think I'll escort you to your room, instead."

[sai_delgado]

She wrinkles her nose at him, but he's right and she'll not argue it. Susan stretches up to kiss him back.

"Just let me get my things," she says, practically, once the kiss breaks. "And then I'll be out of yer way while thee gets ready."

[the_seafarer]

"Go on, then," he tells her, though it's hard enough to let her go. And he's happy to tease her a little, to win as many of her smiles as he can today, on a day when he has no doubt they'll be in short supply.

But if he can offer her a little safety and comfort and happiness – well, one never knows what might do the trick, at balancing out the call.

So he holds onto her just long enough to show he's teasing at not letting her go, then releases her to do as she wishes.

[sai_delgado]

She beams a bright smile at him, and ducks into the bathroom to collect the little bundle of her things she'd made the night before. Susan carries it with her back out into his room and over to the end of the bed. "Go on, then," she tells him, as she lays out her clothing.

[the_seafarer]

He hadn't had the chance to wash up the night before after all, so he has a bit more to do this morning. Still, he does so quickly, and is out again, towel-drying his damp hair, in as few minutes as he can manage.

Retrieving clean clothes of his own, he dresses and finger-combs his hair into something resembling neatness, then comes back to her, taking in the color of the shirt she'd worn yesterday. "That really is a lovely color on you, Su."

[sai_delgado]

She finishes smoothing the bed-linens into place, the bed neatly made now and set to rights as best she can manage it. At its foot, the clothes he'd worn the night before are neatly folded and stacked on the corner, with the nightshirt she'd borrowed likewise folded atop them.

Susan straightens and turns to him as he comes to her, and looks down at the wild-rose color of her shirt then back up to him with a warm smile. "It's the color of the wild roses that grew on the Drop," she tells him. "I were always fond of it."

And it's a far, far better shade of pink than the poisonous glow of Rhea's glam, as far as she's concerned.

[the_seafarer]

"It's lovely," he tells her again. "And so are you."

Caspian holds out his hand to her, smiling as he sees how she's set his room to rights. "Shall we?"

[sai_delgado]

She gives him a sweet smile at the compliment and twines her fingers with his. "Best begun's soonest done."

As she pulls the door open with her free hand, Susan thinks to add, "I'll not mind it the way I did last night, I expect. 'Twere silly of me to do so in the first place."

[the_seafarer]

"Not at all," Caspian says, as he walks by her side and closes the door behind them both. "Better not to have forced yourself inside, I think. Otherwise perhaps those rooms wouldn't have lost their horror for you. A little space was probably just right."

[sai_delgado]

"Mayhap," she says, a little doubtful but willing to entertain the idea. "It were only the dreams, and when I woke, I could hear the thinny laughing, as though it were right outside the window."

[the_seafarer]

"No thinny now," Caspian observes. "But, as you learned from Reepicheep, I know well the power dreams may have."

[sai_delgado]

"Aye." She squeezes his hand and looks up at him. "I'm glad thee hadn't yet come when the Dream-lord were ill."

[the_seafarer]

"So am I," he admits. "I don't mind admitting that adventure scared me as deeply as I've ever been scared of anything."

As they come up to her room, he steps forward to open the door for her.

[sai_delgado]

She gives him a little smile in thanks and steps inside, and as she does she's relieved to find that the terrors of the dark hold sway over her no longer - here, at least. Susan lets out a breath and crosses to her chest of drawers, where she searches amid her things. Joanie's pen stands empty and silent atop it.

"I'll not be long," she promises.

[the_seafarer]

"Take your time."

He steps over to the window, looking out over the Milliways grounds as he waits for her, thinking over all they might need. Blankets, food and water – something warm to drink. The Pevensies had those marvelous flasks that could keep coffee and tea hot for hours, didn't they?

[sai_delgado]

As she'd promised, it doesn't take her long. Susan comes back out of the bathroom with her hair brushed to a shine and wearing a clean pair of jeans and her boots as usual, but with a deep navy-blue shirt layered under an oversized flannel shirt with blues and grays woven amid the cream of it.

She's rolling up a sleeve as she crosses over to join him by the window. "What are thee looking at?"

[the_seafarer]

"Nothing of particular note."

He turns to her and smiles, reaching to fold her collar a little more smoothly. "Now, how about that breakfast?"

[sai_delgado]

"A bit of coffee'd be welcome, any road." She's practical enough to know that she'll need the awareness the bitter stuff brings. "As for the rest, whatever thee'll have will serve me well enough."

Susan glances around the room, checking to make sure all's as it should be, and gives him a nod. "Let's go."

[the_seafarer]

The Bar's been decorated, he sees, as they leave the staff hall and step into the main room. He's not familiar with all of the things he sees – there are quite a lot of large orange gourds – but it's enough for him to remember that this is a Harvest festival.

[sai_delgado]

At Caspian's side, Susan Delgado goes very still.

(life to the crop)

Her glance travels over the arrangements of colorful ears of corn in their shucks and stalks, taking in the melons and gourds and hay-bales stacked, the few cheerful stuffy-guys in farmers' clothing with straw at their wrists and smiles painted on their faces.

(death to you)

After a moment that feels far, far too long, she makes herself draw a harsh, shuddering breath. She lets it out in turn like a sigh as she straightens her shoulders.

"If ever I were doubting before, I'd no longer," she says, a little dryly. "It's Reaping-Day today for certain."

(come, Reap)

[the_seafarer]

"Aye." He sounds chagrined. Caspian turns to her, searching her face, keeping his hand warm and steady in hers.

"Shall we take our breakfast at the stable, instead of here in the bar?"

[sai_delgado]

"Mayhap that's best." She sounds just as rueful as he. "I'd not want to worry anyone, and not all ken why I'd be a bit strained."

[the_seafarer]

He nods agreement, and laces their fingers together. "I expect we both only want something light, anyway."

Fortunately, it's still early yet, and there aren't many patrons out and about just yet. Caspian gives the bowls of brightly wrapped sweets on the bartop a curious glance as they come to it, but otherwise ignores the decorations. "Good morning," he tells the bar, politely. "May we have a little breakfast to take out to the stables? Some coffee and tea and..."

He looks over at Susan, trying to think of what she might be able to stomach. "Perhaps some porridge?"