Caspian X | at the stables, in the bar

[the_seafarer]

It has been some time since his last sojourn here at the end of the Universe, but when Caspian enters from his cabin on the Princess Royal, the place looks quite the same as ever. 

A few new faces, and the lack of some old ones, but that same warm feeling is as present as he recalls.

And it's spring – better still. Moments after he arrives, he makes his way to the stables, where he spends a good deal of time cosseting his old friends. Who is managing the place now, he's not certain, but the horses and creatures seem well cared for. It gives him a pang to see Susan Allgood's once bustling stables so quiet and still, though, and he makes himself a promise that he'll come back more frequently to care for them as they deserve.

The horses he turns out, letting them stretch their legs in the warm spring sun as they frolic around the paddocks. Once they're set, he turns his attention to the problem of the Hope, waiting patiently in the stall where he'd set her to winter. The little boat needs plenty of work, but it'll be hard work to move it out into the fresh air by himself. He draws open the stable doors as wide as they can go, then begins setting wooden rollers on the ground.

Later, towards the evening, he may be found at the bar proper, a cup of tea at hand as he pens a letter.

... it is passing strange, to look about this place and not see those I expect. It feels rather as though they are simply just out of the corner of my eye, waiting for me to look at them so they can tease me for my long absence. And, of course, it is not the same without my raven girl, wind in her hair and the spring sun shining down upon her. The wildflowers are blooming, Marian. I wish you were here to see them.

Do come say hello.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sounds good," Bucky says. "I'll keep checking her over."

[the_seafarer]

"Jolly good." Caspian dusts off his hands and strides quickly back to the bar. It's a few moments before he's back, his hands full of sandpaper on blocks and soft cloth and two glasses of cold water. "Here," he says, offering one to Bucky on his return.

"That sun is warmer than it seems."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky blinks in visible surprise, but accepts one of the glasses with his right hand. "Thanks."

He moves to take some of the sandpaper and cloth as well.

[the_seafarer]

Caspian sips at his own water, then sets to work on the brightwork along the gunwale, whistling softly beneath his breath.

"Have you ever been sailing?" he asks. "On a boat like this, or any other?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Not for fun," Bucky says, focusing on that first spot on the other side that he'd found. "Ferries across channels, that kind of thing. A few ocean trips for business."

[the_seafarer]

"That does sound rather dull," Caspian admits. "I suppose you never came across any sea monsters at all."

He sounds perfectly serious.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky gives him a curious look. "No, no sea monsters. I missed the Chitauri attack on New York too; that'd have been a sky monster."

[the_seafarer]

"A sky monster?"

Caspian frowns at him. "Do you mean something like a dragon?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Something like, but it wasn't a dragon. Not exactly," Bucky says. "A giant alien serpent."

[the_seafarer]

"Serpents I know, and dragons also," Caspian says, scrubbing at a rough patch on the brightwork.

"Alien; I've heard the term here, but we had nothing of the sort in Narnia."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I mean, it's a little complicated in a place like this, when it's just basically a creature from another world," Bucky admits. "But a giant flying serpent's a giant serpent no matter what."

[the_seafarer]

Caspian laughs. "You have a point," he agrees.

"That must have been quite a sight for those who were there."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sure was," Bucky agrees. He stops scrubbing for a moment to check the surface, then goes back to it. "My best friend was one of those in the city. From what I heard it was pretty wild."

[the_seafarer]

"If it's anything like the world the Pevensies are from, I expect the people there would be quite alarmed at the sight of an enormous flying serpent," Caspian says, reasonably.

[nerves_of_ice]

"You'd be right," Bucky agrees. "But I guess all's well that ends well."

He gives the other man a curious look. "You asked about sea monsters. That a common thing where you're from?"

[the_seafarer]

"Heavens, no," Caspian says. "Thank the Lion. I ran afoul of one in my youth and did my best to avoid any others afterwards. Nasty, vicious things; that one was quite intelligent, too. It very nearly sank us."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky eyes him with interest. "In your youth, huh?"

He shakes his head. "I hope your boat was bigger than this one."

[the_seafarer]

"Bigger," Caspian assures him. "But not big enough. The serpent must have been, oh, three times as long as the Treader and quite thick around."

At the other question, he shrugs, very slightly. "A long while ago, now, though I know it doesn't look it."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Oh, don't worry," Bucky says, dryly. "I know a fair bit about what that's like, too."

He shifts position to start sanding another patch on the hull.

"How'd you deal with the serpent?"

[the_seafarer]

"Do you?"

It's Caspian's turn to study the other man, before he turns his attention to the question. "Well, the beast was looping itself around the ship, like so – "

He demonstrates by holding out one arm and miming the serpent as it dived over the deck, then came up under the keel and over once more. "And was starting to squeeze, planning to smash us to kindling and pluck us from the water at its leisure, no doubt. And its scales were far too thick to cut through; we broke sword after sword on them. But one of my knights had the idea to push, rather than attack."

He draws the one arm slowly over the other, showing how they managed it. "We all lined up and pushed, to a man. We lost a bit of railing, but in the end we freed ourselves and left the creature behind."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Pretty smart knight," Bucky observes. "That was a good idea."

He gives his attention to the spot he's working on, making sure he doesn't take too much off. "And yeah, I do. I'm a hundred years old," he says, matter-of-factly. "Although, like you said, I know it doesn't look it."

[the_seafarer]

"Indeed it does not," Caspian agrees. "I would have assumed you were still quite a young man."

Although there's that shadow in the man's eyes that seems a good deal older than his features. Caspian shakes his head and moves on to another spot along the gunwale. "I myself am on my second time around, a miracle wrought by Aslan at the end of my life."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Aslan?" he asks. "Some miracle."

Bucky shrugs, keeping his attention on his work. "Yeah, it can take some getting used to. Which you know, sounds like?"

[the_seafarer]

"The Lion," he says. It's a simple word, but beneath his easy tone is a deep well of faith and wonder and awe and love. "Narnia's creator... and its destroyer, in the end. As all things must end."

He pauses in his work and looks out over the green grass toward the sun sparkling off the calm waters of the lake. "I suppose. I died and was reborn, brought back to youth and vigor by His kindness. I am grateful, more than anything. A chance at a new life is a rare gift."

[nerves_of_ice]

He's not one to hold much of an opinion about different deities, not with everything he's seen both here and back in his world, so Bucky just nods, listening ... until Caspian makes his final observation, that is, at which point shocked resonance jerks him upright as though lightning's sizzled along his spine.

A rare gift. It is, it really is, and he's not sure if he's heard anyone articulate it so well before.

"You're right about that," he says, very softly.