Narnia fic: "These Little Girls"
Jul. 17th, 2008 08:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedlamsbardTitle: These Little Girls
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bedlamsbard
Fandom: Chronicles of Narnia
Rating: G
Summary: “Oh, this is going to be good,” Susan mutters, because she knows the sound of those horns. How Peter's fifth fiancee came to be his fifth ex-fiancee.
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia and its characters, settings, situations, etc., belong to C.S. Lewis.
Author's Note: Forsgriobadh.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” Susan mutters, because she knows the sound of those horns. She puts aside the reports she’s been reading – who knew that becoming queen of Narnia would involve so much reading? – and gets up to go downstairs into the courtyard.
Princess Rinee is sniffling and soaking wet – Susan is rapidly becoming so, as well; it’s the rainy season – but Susan ignores that as Ziazan and his second Isenial bow to her. All of Zohar’s troop is here; Narnia is having bandit trouble, which is where Edmund and Lucy are right now, while Peter takes care of the problem at its source. It’s not safe for Rinee to travel alone – not that Peter would have let her anyway; this is his idea of courtesy.
“My queen, it is good to look upon your face again,” Ziazan says solemnly. He’s a High Reaches centaur, accustomed to the ponderous and elaborate manners of High Court formality – the oldest of Narnian customs that still remains after the Long Winter. “I apologize for my brevity, but we have orders to return to the army of the High King as soon as we have done this duty. By the word of the High King, I deliver unto your hands Princess Rinee of Natare, the betrothed of Peter, High King of Narnia.”
Not for long, Susan thinks meanly. “In the name of the High King, I thank you for this, and discharge you from this duty. Return to my brother and bring unto him my good will and honest wish for a quick victory.”
“It will be done with all speed, my queen,” Ziazan says, and bows again before turning away. The centaur troop rides out through the gates, leaving the courtyard empty except for Susan, Rinee, and the two members of the royal guard that have followed Susan out.
Peter really hadn’t been thinking, because he should have sent an escort of the guard with Rinee as well. It’s an insult not too, unless he’d been trying to send her a message, and Peter usually isn’t that subtle when it comes to things unrelated to battle. Vatusia and Tiaret, otherwise unmoving except for their tails, are clearly aware of this too; Susan had seen the looks they’d given each other as they’d come out and it became clear that no, there weren’t any other members of the guard with Rinee.
Rinee, visibly drooping, gets off her horse. She’s been riding sidesaddle, of all ridiculous things. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asks Susan.
Under the tenets of High Court manners, which Ziazan, as Peter’s agent, has established and Susan, as queen, could technically override since Peter’s conveniently absent – Peter actually likes High Court when he’s not disregarding formality altogether – Susan can ignore her if she wants. This is why Peter likes High Court. Susan toys with the idea of doing so – Rinee will just follow her into the castle anyway – but discards it, because that’s the small, petty sort of thing Peter would do.
“Certainly,” Susan says graciously. “Of course, you won’t be staying long.”
Predictably, that makes Rinee perk up. “You’re giving me an escort so I can accompany the High King?” she asks brightly, like that’s actually a possibility.
“No,” Susan says. “I will give you an escort to take you back to the Natarene border, though. After that, I’m afraid you’ll be on your own.”
Vatusia snorts. Susan pretends to ignore her, but she hears the leopard tell Tiaret indignantly, “I sneezed! Really, I sneezed!”
“Yes, of course you did,” Tiaret returns. “So like a leopard.”
“Oh, like cougars are any better.”
“I don’t understand,” Rinee says, staring at Susan with huge eyes. She’s pretty. There’s not a brain in her head, or Susan wouldn’t be doing this. “Why are you sending me back to Natare?”
“I’m cancelling the engagement,” Susan tells her. “I’m sure Peter will understand. Normally, I’d send Edmund or Lucy with you, but under the circumstances that’s an impossibility. I’m sure you understand, of course. You’ll want to get all your things together.”
“But –” Rinee says. “You can’t do that! You’re not the sovereign!”
“For which I am eternally grateful,” Susan says sedately. “Let’s get in out of the rain, shall we? I suppose I shall have to write to your father explaining the change in plans.”
Rinee sputters indignantly, but Susan ignores her, Vatusia and Tiaret rising to take their places at her side as she goes in. Rinee hurries to follow before the doors close.
Author:
bedlamsbardFandom: Chronicles of Narnia
Rating: G
Summary: “Oh, this is going to be good,” Susan mutters, because she knows the sound of those horns. How Peter's fifth fiancee came to be his fifth ex-fiancee.
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia and its characters, settings, situations, etc., belong to C.S. Lewis.
Author's Note: For
sgriobadh.“Oh, this is going to be good,” Susan mutters, because she knows the sound of those horns. She puts aside the reports she’s been reading – who knew that becoming queen of Narnia would involve so much reading? – and gets up to go downstairs into the courtyard.
Princess Rinee is sniffling and soaking wet – Susan is rapidly becoming so, as well; it’s the rainy season – but Susan ignores that as Ziazan and his second Isenial bow to her. All of Zohar’s troop is here; Narnia is having bandit trouble, which is where Edmund and Lucy are right now, while Peter takes care of the problem at its source. It’s not safe for Rinee to travel alone – not that Peter would have let her anyway; this is his idea of courtesy.
“My queen, it is good to look upon your face again,” Ziazan says solemnly. He’s a High Reaches centaur, accustomed to the ponderous and elaborate manners of High Court formality – the oldest of Narnian customs that still remains after the Long Winter. “I apologize for my brevity, but we have orders to return to the army of the High King as soon as we have done this duty. By the word of the High King, I deliver unto your hands Princess Rinee of Natare, the betrothed of Peter, High King of Narnia.”
Not for long, Susan thinks meanly. “In the name of the High King, I thank you for this, and discharge you from this duty. Return to my brother and bring unto him my good will and honest wish for a quick victory.”
“It will be done with all speed, my queen,” Ziazan says, and bows again before turning away. The centaur troop rides out through the gates, leaving the courtyard empty except for Susan, Rinee, and the two members of the royal guard that have followed Susan out.
Peter really hadn’t been thinking, because he should have sent an escort of the guard with Rinee as well. It’s an insult not too, unless he’d been trying to send her a message, and Peter usually isn’t that subtle when it comes to things unrelated to battle. Vatusia and Tiaret, otherwise unmoving except for their tails, are clearly aware of this too; Susan had seen the looks they’d given each other as they’d come out and it became clear that no, there weren’t any other members of the guard with Rinee.
Rinee, visibly drooping, gets off her horse. She’s been riding sidesaddle, of all ridiculous things. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asks Susan.
Under the tenets of High Court manners, which Ziazan, as Peter’s agent, has established and Susan, as queen, could technically override since Peter’s conveniently absent – Peter actually likes High Court when he’s not disregarding formality altogether – Susan can ignore her if she wants. This is why Peter likes High Court. Susan toys with the idea of doing so – Rinee will just follow her into the castle anyway – but discards it, because that’s the small, petty sort of thing Peter would do.
“Certainly,” Susan says graciously. “Of course, you won’t be staying long.”
Predictably, that makes Rinee perk up. “You’re giving me an escort so I can accompany the High King?” she asks brightly, like that’s actually a possibility.
“No,” Susan says. “I will give you an escort to take you back to the Natarene border, though. After that, I’m afraid you’ll be on your own.”
Vatusia snorts. Susan pretends to ignore her, but she hears the leopard tell Tiaret indignantly, “I sneezed! Really, I sneezed!”
“Yes, of course you did,” Tiaret returns. “So like a leopard.”
“Oh, like cougars are any better.”
“I don’t understand,” Rinee says, staring at Susan with huge eyes. She’s pretty. There’s not a brain in her head, or Susan wouldn’t be doing this. “Why are you sending me back to Natare?”
“I’m cancelling the engagement,” Susan tells her. “I’m sure Peter will understand. Normally, I’d send Edmund or Lucy with you, but under the circumstances that’s an impossibility. I’m sure you understand, of course. You’ll want to get all your things together.”
“But –” Rinee says. “You can’t do that! You’re not the sovereign!”
“For which I am eternally grateful,” Susan says sedately. “Let’s get in out of the rain, shall we? I suppose I shall have to write to your father explaining the change in plans.”
Rinee sputters indignantly, but Susan ignores her, Vatusia and Tiaret rising to take their places at her side as she goes in. Rinee hurries to follow before the doors close.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 03:43 am (UTC)....Wait, there were so many fiancees, I forgot why Susan didn't like this one. XD
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 07:04 am (UTC)when he ran away from her, got sent back, fell in a ditch, got rescued by centaurs, and then got escorted back to Cair Paravel, where Susan promptly realized, "Oh my God, if Peter marries her he'll never be home. Also, I may accidently shoot her myself." Except for the political ramifications, one of his more painless dis-engagements. No one tried to kill him this time; it's a step forward. *grin*(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 02:16 pm (UTC)Weepy, and extremely rude to boot. Who actually asks a monarch of higher rank (because she's a Princess or something like that, right?) if he or she is going to invite them in? *rolls eyes at her weirdness* BUT IT WAS A GREAT FIC. THE FIANCEE WAS JUST ANNOYING. XD
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 08:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 08:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 09:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 01:39 pm (UTC)Poor Peter.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 08:03 pm (UTC)I can almost believe that Peter started the war just to get away from Rinee. A lifetime of misery indeed.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 02:19 pm (UTC)I have to admit that I'm not terribly fond of Susan, I don't really like her. But she seems to sensible and wonderful in this story that I'm really warming up to her. She seems a bit sneaky and definitely cunning, calculated in a warm kind of way.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-18 08:04 pm (UTC)