yeah

[bedlamsbard]

Seriously, after a year, Golden Age Narnia suddenly returns and says HI HI HI I DO IN FACT HAVE MORE STORIES TO TELL. I mean, it's lovely, don't get me wrong, I now want to write Peter/Osumare after this and Jaisen Ettore's origin story and fortunately that is all I know of right now, but this is on top of other parts of my brain going, "TWO MORE RILIAN STORIES" and also, "Aha, the third Jill story!" and also, "Now would be a great time to write that DVD commentary on The Land of Silent Seas!"

Look, brain, I appreciate the effort, but now is not actually a good time. I'm willing to reschedule for next week, though, and also, please let me know what's happening in the next chapter of Dust, as that appears to be the one thing you aren't plotbunnying wildly. Unless you count that JP thing, but I have no idea where that's going.

Comments

[bedlamsbard]

"Apparently," Jill says frostily.

*

"I don't know."

*

"Hey!"

[aella_irene]

Victoria shifts, snorting.

*

"I don't think Helen was very old. When she died."

*

"Cal! --but you're-- Cal!."

[bedlamsbard]

Susan strokes her hair.

*

"I haven't asked," Peter says softly.

*

"And you're Helen," he says, or tries to say, before she tackles him into a hug.

[aella_irene]

Jill watches them. Victoria twists, and says, "Oh, Iulius, my precious. Oh, Ala, my darling, no, don't--"

*

"We should. They've turned us into Gods, someone must know--"

*

Tirian and Peter arrive, attracted by the shouting, to find him in the middle of a pile of Helen, Jack, and Richard.

[bedlamsbard]

"Shh, darling," Susan breathes. "It's all right. Mama's here."

*

"Yes --"

*

"Ah," Peter says, sounding slightly surprised. "Cal?"

[aella_irene]

"Ala, oh, Ala, darling, no--"

*

"I'll find out," Edmund decides.

*

Cal turns, dislodging the others enough to kneel to Peter. "Your Majesty."

[bedlamsbard]

"Victoria, Victoria, sweetheart, it's me, you need to wake up --"

*

Peter nods, still looking worried.

*

"Cal," Peter says. He sounds a little odd, Tirian decides. "How did you get here?"

[aella_irene]

Victoria twists away.

*

Edmund claps him on the shoulder.

*

"I have a trustworthy face, apparently," Cal says.

[bedlamsbard]

Susan looks worried.

*

Peter blinks at him.

*

"But how --" Peter says, blinking.

[aella_irene]

"Ala!"

*

"It's going to be alright, Pete."

*

"No clue."

[bedlamsbard]

"Victoria, sweetheart, wake up --"

*

"How can it be all right? How can it be all right when we -- when --"

*

"It must be blood," Helen says, sitting up.

[aella_irene]

Victoria is weeping.

*

"We can't change that. But we can make it better."

*

"Helen--"

"It's what makes sense," she says.

Tirian is looking confused.

[bedlamsbard]

Susan touches her shoulder. "Darling --"

*

"What will happen when we leave this time?" he says shortly.

*

Peter looks pained.

[aella_irene]

Victoria screams.

*

"We won't."

*

"Can I get up?" Cal asks. "Or must I kneel in the mud forever? Very symbolic, I'm sure--"

[bedlamsbard]

Jill jerks back.

*

"We will. We'll have to."

*

Peter pulls him to his feet.

[aella_irene]

"Iulius, Iulius, no, please, Aslan no, why--"

*

"No."

*

Cal clasps his arm, a warrior clasp, and Peter gives into the urge to embrace him.

[bedlamsbard]

"Victoria, sweetheart --"

*

Peter just looks at him, tired.

*

"It's good to see you again," he says, soft.

[aella_irene]

"Nats, no, Nats--"

*

"We'll fix this. We're good at that."

*

"Forgive me for not returning the sentiment," Cal says, even softer, "But Narnia is invaded, and my wife and children have been dead for the last thousand years."

[bedlamsbard]

Susan shakes her shoulder. "Victoria!"

*

Peter nods, distant.

*

"I'm sorry," Peter says, because he doesn't know what else to say.

[aella_irene]

Victoria's crying, still asleep.

*

Edmund hugs him, clumsy.

*

Cal's mouth tightens, so like Fio's. "I'll manage."

[bedlamsbard]

"Darling, wake up!"

*

"It will be all right."

*

Peter nods. "Good lad. Cal -- this is King Tirian."

[aella_irene]

Victoria shakes her head.

*

Peter nods, slow.

*

"Your Majesty," says Cal, with a half bow. "Cathal Paolucci, last a Governor of the Alvedaran Islands, before that, a General of the Armies of Narnia under her Majesty Queen Helen, at your service."

[bedlamsbard]

Susan shakes her again.

*

"Just wait until the girls get back!"

*

"It's an honor to meet you, my lord," Tirian says.

[aella_irene]

Victoria wakes.

*

"Yes."

*

"A pleasure," Cal says shortly, "But-- Uncle, where are the others?"

[bedlamsbard]

She blinks at Susan, stiff. "Mama --"

*

Peter hangs onto that thought.

*

"As far as we can tell," Richard says, "it's just us. We think that Victoria has to be around somewhere --"

"She's with your mother," Peter says. "A bird came this morning -- apparently, she ended up in Archenland."