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[called_lioness]

She's in the stables, humming, and brushing Corella very carefully.

"How's my pretty girl?" softly, resting her forehead against her mare's. "Oh, I'm fine, yes."

Yes, Lucy is, in fact, holding a conversation with her horse.

It's totally normal, when you spent 15 years in a place where at least some of the horses do talk back.

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[the_seafarer]

It's almost time to feed the horses.

Caspian heads towards the stables, whistling merrily, his hands in his pockets. He blames Peter for that particular posture.

The stable hands don't often see each other, say true, and he's not used to seeing other people in the stable, so he comes in and looks to Kiseki, who has bumped him impatiently.

"Aye, you mischief, I'll get to you in a mome--why, Lu!"

He looks momentarily taken aback.

[called_lioness]

She blinks, looking over Corella's head, and then smiling. "Hullo, Caspian."

[the_seafarer]

For some reason, he only stares at her for a moment, and then smiles back.

"Come to spoil your horse some more, I see. As if she doesn't get enough of that already."

[called_lioness]

"Oh, but she deserves it all," grinning at him, before dropping a kiss to Corella's neck. "My sweetheart, aren't you?"

Corella says nothing. This is not surprising.

"And you spoil her just as much, I'm sure."

[the_seafarer]

He adopts a mock guilty expression.

"Well, of course. And now my plots are for naught, because how can I sneak her this if you're here keeping an eye on me?"

He shows her the apple he's brought from the Bar.

"Now she'll never like me best."

[called_lioness]

"I'm sure she'll love you well enough, either way," lightly, around a laugh.

[the_seafarer]

"Aye, she does seem to be that sort of creature, doesn't she."

He puts the apple carefully out of reach of Kiseki, and starts pouring measures of grain into the feed troughs.

After a moment: "You've been well, I hope?"

[called_lioness]

"I have, yes. And you?" still brushing.

[the_seafarer]

He pours a measure carefully for Duncan.

"Quite well. But busy. A friend of mine had a baby earlier this week. It was, shall we say, an exciting evening."

[called_lioness]

"--I imagine it would be. Are she and the child both alright?"

[the_seafarer]

He frowns a little.

"Yes, quite alright. It was--a worrying experience, however. I'd forgotten."

[called_lioness]

"I haven't been around a birth for...several years. But yes, it's worrying."

[the_seafarer]

"I hadn't been near one since Rilian was born, and that was a good thirty years ago, now. And even then, I wasn't anywhere near the actual birth, you know. Instead, I was pacing up and down the hall, annoying everyone who had to get by."

He laughs.

[called_lioness]

She smiles, a bit. "I helped, a bit, when some of the members of the court had children. And I doubt you annoyed anyone. After all, your wife was having your son. I think you're allowed to pace at moments like that."

[the_seafarer]

He grins.

"I suppose if there's any time to be pacing, then that would it, yes."

But now he looks curious. "Did you? Now there's something that hadn't ever gotten passed down in the stories."

[called_lioness]

"There's nothing very glamorous about giving birth, so I doubt there's much to tell stories about. It was never my child, after all." She shrugs, a bit. "It was mostly due to my cordial. Should the birth go wrong, it might help mother or child or both."

[the_seafarer]

"Or perhaps you are a healer," he says simply. "Cordial or not."

[called_lioness]

"I was never really anything in particular," she corrects. "You know full well that any court is full of games and politics, and ours was no different. Peter was the High King, which was something unto itself, Susan the beauty, the charmer, while Edmund was the diplomat and the closest to being a true politician out of any of us. I was friendly. Valiant, perhaps, but friendly, and it served us well, for I could associate with anyone, and slip in, and it reminded them that the kings and queens cared about them, particularly."

[the_seafarer]

He doesn't say anything for a moment, apparently busy with keeping Kiseki out of the bucket he is using to pour the feed.

"I'd say that was the most important," he says, quietly. "what good are politics and charm and power if your people don't love you? And you are the Queen they love."

[called_lioness]

Lucy smiles, a little, and is silent for almost a full minute before speaking. "I liked to hope so, anyway. I did love them."

[the_seafarer]

"Then let me lay any fears you may have at rest," he says, with a slight smile. "For the memory of Queen Lucy is still dear among the people of Narnia."

[called_lioness]

"You are sweet, dear Caspian," leaning over and kissing his cheek. "And I thank you."

[the_seafarer]

He looks startled, and then colors.

"You are welcome indeed, although what credit I may take for speaking simple truth is likely enough not mine to take."

[called_lioness]

"Enough credit that it's truth you choose to speak, and that says more of you than any pretty words might," firmly, and then she smiles. "I think you're blushing."

Teasing? Lucy? Never.

[the_seafarer]

He blushes harder.

"Pretty words for a fair lady, I think. Though you've ever been able to see through them, and not always to my advantage."

He grins, wryly.

"You Pevensies have rather a perceptive streak. It's quite terrifying, actually."

And no, he doesn't mention the blushing. Though it's rather worse.