King Caspian X was a merry ruler. He of course was quite solemn when the
occasion called for it: important state dinners with important old men,
trade negotiations with the ambassadors of neighboring lands, and the dull
day-to-day matters that make kingliness a state less sought after than some
would think. Yet whenever he was able, and sometimes when he was not, there
was nothing that he loved so much as feasting, dancing, and joking with his
Cabinet. So he was dreadfully glad that Queen Lucy was aboard the Dawn
Treader. Of the four Kings and Queens that he met three years ago, she was
the most lighthearted, joyful, and cheery.
The first night the King and Queen were aboard, Caspian stayed up on deck with Drinian until the moon was high, drinking ale and pondering why the stars are set as they are, and what causes the tides to flow and ebb, and the current whereabouts of a certain redheaded taven girl that Drinian knew. When Drinian at last bid him goodnight, Caspian had been too tired and tipsy to think clearly, and so stumbled to his cabin and pushed the door open.
Queen Lucy sat before her mirror, her sunny hair loosed around her shoulders and a brush in her hand. And rather than reproach him, as a lady should when a thoughtless boor enters her chamber at night, she said, "Hello, Caspian. Care to keep me company while I do my hair?"
And the odd thing was, he did.
"Tell me how things are in Narnia since we left," she said, and he sat beside her and related everything that he could remember, not just shifting factions and new conquests, but the Lady Linden's tendency for Terebinthian chocolates, and the Lord Linden's growing resignation toward refitting his wife in a larger size every six moths. Lucy laughed brightly at that, and clapped a hand over her mouth, and to the politics she said, "Marvellous. I'm so glad things are going well-it always was a terrible effort to keep things running smoothly. Although not as difficult as it must be for you, with a civil war so recent."
Caspian grinned. "Surprisingly well, Majestly, indeed."
Lucy beamed and handed him the brush. "As you do so well with our kingdom, let's see you try my tangle. I can never do the back properly, myself."
Caspian made a face at her in the mirror, and she made one right back, screwing her nose up and sticking out her tongue. He laughed, surprised. "I wish there were more ladies like you at court," he said feelingly. "All the noblewomen care about there is finding a match for themselves and their daughters ("and chocolates," Lucy murmured), and cannot afford the luxury of smiling freely in my presence."
"Now," Lucy said, turning and smiling to his face, "surely it can't be as bad as all that."
"All that and more beside," Caspian sighed, "for I cannot seem to escape them even at sea. But no more of this talk, Majesty. Your presence serves to remind me that not all women are calculating shrews."
"A King of Narnia need not resort to flattery to gain favor," Lucy said solemnly, and laughed away Caspian's earnest protests. "Oh, Caspian, I'm only joking. You know I like you well enough."
"I should hope my lady likes me more than well enough, when I think of what we have experienced together," Caspian grinned.
"Of course I do," Lucy said, smiling cheerfully, and she stood. Caspian immediately stood as well, and set her brush on the table before the mirror. "I can tell you right now that I'm not going to be able to sleep a wink tonight," Lucy announced, "I'm too happy to be back in Narnia. And as we're both up, would you like to go up on deck and tell stories?"
"Nothing would please me more," Caspian said honestly.
So he softly opened her door, and held it as she stepped out, and together they climbed to the top deck and sat against the rail. They spun incredible yarns about their respective homelands, each trying to top the other, and eventually after a lovely time they fell asleep with the muted starlight and the rocking sea. The six o'clock watch found them like so: he with his arm around her, she with her head on his chest and her tangled hair blowing in his face.
The first night the King and Queen were aboard, Caspian stayed up on deck with Drinian until the moon was high, drinking ale and pondering why the stars are set as they are, and what causes the tides to flow and ebb, and the current whereabouts of a certain redheaded taven girl that Drinian knew. When Drinian at last bid him goodnight, Caspian had been too tired and tipsy to think clearly, and so stumbled to his cabin and pushed the door open.
Queen Lucy sat before her mirror, her sunny hair loosed around her shoulders and a brush in her hand. And rather than reproach him, as a lady should when a thoughtless boor enters her chamber at night, she said, "Hello, Caspian. Care to keep me company while I do my hair?"
And the odd thing was, he did.
"Tell me how things are in Narnia since we left," she said, and he sat beside her and related everything that he could remember, not just shifting factions and new conquests, but the Lady Linden's tendency for Terebinthian chocolates, and the Lord Linden's growing resignation toward refitting his wife in a larger size every six moths. Lucy laughed brightly at that, and clapped a hand over her mouth, and to the politics she said, "Marvellous. I'm so glad things are going well-it always was a terrible effort to keep things running smoothly. Although not as difficult as it must be for you, with a civil war so recent."
Caspian grinned. "Surprisingly well, Majestly, indeed."
Lucy beamed and handed him the brush. "As you do so well with our kingdom, let's see you try my tangle. I can never do the back properly, myself."
Caspian made a face at her in the mirror, and she made one right back, screwing her nose up and sticking out her tongue. He laughed, surprised. "I wish there were more ladies like you at court," he said feelingly. "All the noblewomen care about there is finding a match for themselves and their daughters ("and chocolates," Lucy murmured), and cannot afford the luxury of smiling freely in my presence."
"Now," Lucy said, turning and smiling to his face, "surely it can't be as bad as all that."
"All that and more beside," Caspian sighed, "for I cannot seem to escape them even at sea. But no more of this talk, Majesty. Your presence serves to remind me that not all women are calculating shrews."
"A King of Narnia need not resort to flattery to gain favor," Lucy said solemnly, and laughed away Caspian's earnest protests. "Oh, Caspian, I'm only joking. You know I like you well enough."
"I should hope my lady likes me more than well enough, when I think of what we have experienced together," Caspian grinned.
"Of course I do," Lucy said, smiling cheerfully, and she stood. Caspian immediately stood as well, and set her brush on the table before the mirror. "I can tell you right now that I'm not going to be able to sleep a wink tonight," Lucy announced, "I'm too happy to be back in Narnia. And as we're both up, would you like to go up on deck and tell stories?"
"Nothing would please me more," Caspian said honestly.
So he softly opened her door, and held it as she stepped out, and together they climbed to the top deck and sat against the rail. They spun incredible yarns about their respective homelands, each trying to top the other, and eventually after a lovely time they fell asleep with the muted starlight and the rocking sea. The six o'clock watch found them like so: he with his arm around her, she with her head on his chest and her tangled hair blowing in his face.