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

[aella_irene]

"Which king?"

*

"--Dicky?"

*

It takes them two days to get back to Arn Abedin. They double-ride, some of the time. They're both lean.

[bedlamsbard]

"Well, I doubt the High King will be happy, but I meant King Eian."

*

He looks shifty.

*

They get back around dusk.

[aella_irene]

"No. What will he think about Victoria?"

*

"Lucinde married the Tisroc," Helen said slowly. "So--"

"They were divorced. And he fell in love with Cosetta."

*

They're greeted by an anxious watchman, who stares at Jack.

[bedlamsbard]

"Damned if I know."

*

"But the Calormenes don't allow divorce. Not unless --"

"Pauli kidnapped her," Richard says, and coughs. "On the way back from Jack's funeral."

*

"Here to see my brother," Edmund says shortly.

[aella_irene]

"Oh dear."

*

Helen makes an irritated noise.

*

"Who's he?"

[bedlamsbard]

"Well, he's an Archenlander. What do you expect?"

*

"It was arranged," Richard adds. "But I don't know what happened after --"

*

"My nephew. Do you mind?"

[aella_irene]

Jill sighs.

*

"Well," Peter says. "Having established that we are related to all the players in this drama--"

*

The watchman gets out of the way.

[bedlamsbard]

She goes back to talk to Susan.

*

"Very distantly," Helen points out. "So probably no chance of calling on latent family feeling."

*

Peter comes out to meet him.

[aella_irene]

Victoria is sleeping, restless.

*

"Well, that's a blow," Peter says drily.

*

"Jack," he breathes.

[bedlamsbard]

Susan is sitting by her.

*

"It would be like trying to prove you were related to Constantine," Eustace says, eyeing him.

*

"Papa?" Jack says, bewildered.

[aella_irene]

Every so often, she strokes Victoria's hair.

*

"Well--"

*

"Jack, oh, gods, Jack--" Peter hugs him.

[bedlamsbard]

Susan looks up as she comes in. "What did you find?"

*

"Who's Constantine?"

*

"Papa," Jack says, and clutches at him.

[aella_irene]

"A lot of dead villagers. Graynor says Calormenes."

*

"A long dead Emperor from our world," Peter says.

*

"Jack," Peter breathes again, and holds on as tightly as Jack is holding onto him.

[bedlamsbard]

"They're not supposed to be here," Susan says, frowning. "I'll speak to King Eian when we get back to Anvard."

*

He changes the subject. "You were with Helen, Richard?"

*

Richard and Helen emerge to see what the fuss is about.

[aella_irene]

"You'll have to explain all this, won't you?"

*

"I started off with the Black Fleet."

*

"Jack," says Helen, and runs, Richard on her heels.

[bedlamsbard]

"All of -- oh, you mean Victoria."

*

Peter blinks. "That's quite a ways away."

*

She nearly bowls him over.

[aella_irene]

"Yes."

*

"They sailed in to Cair Paravel, to treat with Confesor."

*

He holds onto her like he'd hold a piece of glass.

[bedlamsbard]

Susan waves a hand. "He'll deal."

*

"Ah."

*

"Helen?"

[aella_irene]

"If you say so."

*

"Yes. It's me. I'm here."

[bedlamsbard]

Jill eyes Victoria dubiously. Asleep, she looks harmless enough.

*

She hangs onto him.

[aella_irene]

"She was fifteen," Susan says. "The last time I saw her. But she's still my baby."

*

He kisses her hair, soft, and then looks up, at Richard.

[bedlamsbard]

"I didn't know you had children in Narnia," Jill says eventually, neutrally.

*

Richard steps forward towards him. "You --"

[aella_irene]

"Yes. We all did. Peter and I, and Ed had four, and Lu had four as well." She strokes Victoria's hair again. "I had granchildren. Alambil and Eddard and Cottia and Piotr."

*

"Dicky," Jack says softly.

[bedlamsbard]

"You and Peter," Jill says awkwardly. The words are sour on her tongue; she doesn't want to think about it.

*

"Jack," Richard says, and crushes him in a hug.

Edmund tugs Peter aside. "There's something you should know," he says softly.

[aella_irene]

"And Helen, Dicky and Jack. It was-- different then. We were all-- Peter had seven fiancees, by the time we married."

*

"What?" Peter asks, tensing up, looking over at his children.