the_seafarer | (no subject)

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It was a very fine party, but someone must be sure the horses are fed and watered and that all is set in the stables for chores tomorrow, and so Caspian moves quietly from stall to stall, whispering low words into this flickering ear or running a hand fondly down a rough mane.

It's hazy and warm and the wide doors to the stables have been pushed open to let in some air. It's the sort of night where everything feels a little dreamlike. It reminds him of Narnia, and he smiles to himself.

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Kiseki's quiet nickers don't cover the sound of a dress sweeping against floor, or the crackle of someone sitting on hay, and Caspian smiles, too, though he is still facing the horse.

It's a moment, then, before he turns around, and when he does, it's with a smile that is very warm indeed.

"Have a nice time at the party tonight?"

Well, it's a very long dress.

"I did," she says. "It went . . . perfectly. Did you?"

"It was marvelous. You did a perfectly wonderful job with it."

Leaving Kiseki for the moment, he steps out of the stall and comes to sit next to her on the hay bale, looking at her with something like amusement and with a great deal of fondness.

"I suppose he went ahead and asked, did he?"

Amy nods. "He did. Yes."

Even if it was, as royal proposals go, rather unorthodox.

"Ah, excellent," says Caspian, pleased. "Glad to see he doesn't beat about the bush."

His tone is amused, though when he looks over at Amy in the dim half-light of the stable, there's something rueful in his expression.

"I suppose this means you'll be leaving?"

"I need to go home, Caspian," she says. "And . . . "

She hestitates, because not having told him this earlier does feel rather like having lied to him.

"And the door to Ambergeldar came back the same day Mrs. Rowlands did."

"Of course you have to go home," he tells her, gently, and reaches out to take her hand. "But I hope I am still allowed to miss you, while you are gone. As I most surely will."

Amy looks at him, a little puzzled. "'Allowed'? Whyever wouldn't you be allowed? I'll miss you, and I'll be back, and you're coming to the wedding because I'm not getting married unless you're there and that's all there is to it."

"Of course I'm coming to the wedding!"

He grins at her, and shakes his head.

"I wouldn't miss it for all the worlds there are. Although I imagine it won't be for some time yet, will it?"

These royal weddings are such hassles.

"Well, you know what ages they take arranging things and fussing over royal weddings. So months and months, most likely."

She gives him a rather amused smile.

"Besides, I'm not even officially engaged yet."

Though the chances of her father not giving his permission are virtually nonexistant.

"That is true," he concedes.

"Well, I'm certain Perry will see to it that everything is arranged. Or, rather, his Council will. They seem to be a rather excitable lot, don't they? Besides," he smiles, "perhaps I should come and meet the rest of your family before simply showing up at the wedding as your brother."

"Well, when you can't have a Council made up of bears who suck their paws at state dinners, you tend to wind up with excitable lots," says Amy, knowingly.

"And I'd like that. You should meet my parents, and you can't properly meet anyone at a wedding. There's too much going on.

"Do you really want to meet all six of my sisters? I could just introduce you to one of them six times, you know. It would be the same thing."

"If any of them are about, I should certainly be pleased to meet her," he laughs, "although perhaps not six times. That seems a bit unnecessary, and might confuse her. And you know I would be very pleased to meet your parents. I only hope they will approve of me."

He is not seriously doubting that they will. He's rather relieved, in fact, that Amy's six sisters have all been married off already.

Safely married, and (at least as far as appearances go) all too old for him. So he should have to contend with a minimum of simpering.

"They will," she says, firmly. "They'll adore you. After all, you've taken very good care of their daughter for the last eight months or so."

"I've tried," he says, simply, and puts an arm around her. "For she has taken very good care of me in that time, as well."

"Well, that's what siblings do. And we chose each other well.

"You'll look after Dar for me, right? Until I get back?"

"Of course."

He looks over at the brown mare, who is moving sleepily in her stall.

"Shall I continue her training, as well? Or will you wait until you return?"

Amy laughs. "As amusing as the idea of your trying to ride sidesaddle is . . . I think her training, at as far the basic for saddle and bridle are concerned, is pretty much done," says Amy. "She'll need to be exercised, of course, but I think she's . . . trained. Which means we need to go riding before I leave."

"Aye, we do."

He glances out the doors to the dim, dreamy evening.

"We could even go now, if you'd like."

Amy glances down at her ballgown and laughs. "I'm not exactly dressed for it . . . but I think I can manage."

"Shall we, then?"

He grins at her and gets up, holding a hand to help her up from her seat.

"For it is a fine night, and early yet. We'll give Dar and Rachat, mayhap, or Tequila, some excercise so they'll sleep well tonight."

She takes his hand.

"A very fine night, indeed. And think that sounds an excellent plan, and a rather perfect ending to a rather perfect day."

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