Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belongs to C.S. Lewis.
Author's Note: Like most people, I decided to go with the whole winter/snow idea. I actually had a really hard time with this prompt and story. So if it sucks as much as I think it does, I'm super sorry. I think my teeth are about to rot out from all the fluff I've been writing recently. I swear that I'm going to write something angsty for this couple one day.
Written in response to the weekly drabble challenge week 3: white at the susancaspian community at livejournal.
Also for those who read A Little Incentive, two more possible (one for sure and the other I'm still deciding if I can/want to write it) chapters will be added to that but any other stories I write will be posted as seperate stories.
Hope you enjoy this! 8D
The first thing that Susan noticed as she softly closed the door behind her was the cold. It seeped through the openings in her jacket and spread throughout her body, filling her veins with ice and for a second she questioned if this was really worth it.
Sucking in a deep breath of winter night air that burned more than helped her lungs, she turned down the path leading to the gardens. Puffs of cold white air appeared before her vision with each breath she exhaled and Susan's hand found its way into her pocket to grip the note stashed away there, drawing silent strength from its promise.
Narnian winters had always been particularly bad and Susan knew that she should be used to this by now. She did rule for many years here before she was sent back to England that first time and even back home the winters there weren't exactly known for being pleasant. Yet, she couldn't suppress the familiar shiver of cold that snaked its way down her spine as she made her way further down the path.
"Now what is a Queen of Narnia doing out in the gardens in the middle of the night?" a deep voice rumbled as a pair of gloved hands reached around and covered Susan's eyes, the cold chill against her back replaced with the subtle warmth of a nearby body.
A knowing smirk slowly spread across Susan's features as she recognized the familiar accent and tone, "Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing, King Caspian?"
His chest rumbled against her back as he laughed and spun her around to face him. Feeling that Caspian had removed his hands, Susan opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Even after months of spending every available moment together, Susan could still not get used to how breathtakingly handsome he was. The moonlight played against his features, highlighting his high cheekbones and shimmering in the depths of his eyes. Small white snowflakes stood out against the dark brown of his hair and cloak as more continued to fall around them.
Snapping out of her trance, Susan turned her back to him and put some distance between herself and the warm comfort of his arms, "So what did you want me to meet you out here for anyway?"
"I want to show you something," Caspian answered simply and walked up behind her, careful to keep a respectable distance after Susan had walked away.
She spun around to face him again, arms crossed against her chest and an eyebrow quirked up in suspicion, "Oh and this couldn't have waited until, say, tomorrow?"
Caspian looked down at his hands clasped in front of him and let out another small chuckle which only proceeded to irk the Queen of Narnia even more. "Well for one thing this can only be seen at night," he replied as he lifted his head back up to look at her. He stretched out a hand towards her, "And well… sneaking out just isn't as fun during the day as it is at night. Wouldn't you agree?"
Susan looked down at his hand then slowly back up to the small grin spread across his face and hopeful glimmer in his eyes before sighing and taking his hand, all the tension rushing out of her body at the small contact. "This had better be good," she warned as Caspian spun her around and back into his embrace.
"I promise that it will," he replied and Susan shivered, though this time it had little to do with the freezing cold and more to do with the warm puffs of breath against the back of her neck.
"Now close your eyes," Caspian whispered, lips brushing against the shell of her ear and causing her world to tilt slightly as she obeyed. The warmth against her back disappeared but his hand stayed in hers and tugged her lightly to follow him to wherever this great surprise was.
The snow crunched under her feet and threatened to soak into the soft, worn leather of her boots as the cold night wind whistled in her ears and bit against her cheeks. It really was too cold for this but Susan made no protest and allowed herself continue to be lead through the gardens.
Soon the soft thumps of boots against cobblestone faded and Susan felt the once smooth ground shift to the familiar uneven terrain of grass under her feet, "Caspian… where are you taking me exactly?"
"I told you, it's a surprise. Don't worry, we're almost there," Caspian's reassuring voice reached her ears and the tugging on her hand slacked off a bit. They took a few more steps then finally drew to a stop and Susan felt her hand drop back to her side before Caspian's familiar warmth appeared at her back again.
Susan felt his smile grow against her neck, "Okay now open them."
Slowly Susan obeyed and blinked wearily to adjust her eyes but gasped as they finally focused upon the sight before her.
The light of the full moon stretched across the entire 'field', tinting the snow that covered every inch to a light blue instead of the pure white it should've been. In the middle rested a small pond. Little waves lapped against the shore as the moon reflected against the surface, shimmering slightly with each diamond crested wave. Susan slowly walked up to the pond, leaned down, and stuck her hand in as if it to test that this was real and not part of some dream. Ripples surrounded her hand and spread out into the pond as the cold water bit into her hand, a tingling sensation running up and down her fingers.
Susan spun back around to face him, confusion written in her eyes, "Caspian… where are we?"
He gave her a small smile and walked over to stand by her side, "It was my mother's. She always used to bring me out here on the first snowfall when I was younger." He looked away from the pond and turned his attention back to her before continuing, a hesitant tone coating his voice, "It was also where my father proposed to my mother."
Surprise shot up her spine as she watched him reach for her hand and drop to one knee.
"Susan… will you marry me?" he asked, hope and fear swirling in the brown depths of his eyes as he looked up at her, her hand in his and the ring glinting in the moonlight in his other.
Tears began to spring from her eyes, leaving salty ice cold tracks against her cheek but she couldn't bring herself to wipe them away. The words formed a ball at the back of her throat but Susan managed to get out a very teary yet enthusiastic yes out before she was swept up into Caspian's arms.
And as the snow began to fall again and the temperature dropped, Susan found she didn't mind the cold nearly as much as before.
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