milliways_bar | (no subject)

"I've dealt with worse things without running away." Quietly. "I should be allowed an exception once or twice." She rests her head on Archie's shoulder.

He's quiet for a moment, stroking her hair softly.

"Perhaps you are right, sweetest, perhaps you are right. Where would you like to go?"

"... I don't know." She bites her lip, looking up at Archie.

"I never thought of just- just picking a place to go. I usually went with someone else-" The rest of the thought catches, and she falls silent.

"War, a wedding, another war, a hen's night, healing a friend that had been kidnapped, and Florence. Am I missing any?"

He sighs.

"I don't know any place other than my version of earth to go, and somehow I don't think they'd take it well if I showed back up there."

"Florence, Vegas, Nevada, New York... all on earth, yes." Svava nods slowly.

Most any other time she'd be able to find something there to gently tease him about. Insted, she just squeezes Archie's hand.

"Doesn't have to be there. All sorts of worlds to choose from, really."

"And every time we'd have to find someone to take us there... Perhaps we could find out way back to Narnia. It was lovely there.

His expression darkens slightly.

"Except for the part about cleaning out owl towers."

Svava tilts her head, looking at Archie, puzzled.

"... owl towers?"

"When we went to Narnia. We had to get a talking owl to give us a flight feather. Great, huge owls. Big enough to cary us to their tower to talk with them. And in repayment for the feather we had to clean out the bottom of the tower."

He shudders slightly.

".... when was the last time someone cleaned out the tower?"

Though Svava has an idea, and she shudders as well.

"Quite some time, by the looks of it. And as I said, these were great huge owls."

He gestures in a vague measure of vast wingspan.

"Oh dear. I'm sorry." She's trying to be sympathetic. Pay no attention to that hint of amusement.

He smiles gently at her and leans forward to place a light kiss on her temple.

"See? It was fortunate indeed that you had already gone to bed when we got back... I smelled awful."

"I could imagine. ... Or rather I can't, and for which I'm quite grateful." She shakes her head, bemused.

"Mmm... you ought to be..."

He settles her more comfortably against his chest, resting his cheek on her hair.

"But other than that it was a fantastic place. One that I would not hesitate to visit agan."

A content, quiet sigh, and she closes her eyes.

"What was it like? The rest of this Narnia?"

"Beautiful."

He sighs wistfully, holding her to him.

"It was alive and vibrant. There were shades of colors I've never seen. There were talking animals, and forests and meadows, and I even caught a glimpse of the sea."

"The sea. Somewhere with the sea." She smiles faintly.

"The ocean and cliffs and woods and the clear air all over it. And nothing but the sound of the waves and wind."

"God, I miss it so."

Archie finds it slightly ironic that the only one he's managed to speak of the sea in those terms with was Arithon. Sailors never loose their love for the sea.

Svava glances up at Archie, a million thoughts in her eyes. She does settle on one, and she brushes her fingers against his cheek.

"So... we'll find a way to go see it. Specially with a ship to sail."

He leans down and catches her lips oh, so gently.

"That would be... beyond wonderful, Svava lady. Though I do think you might first want to learn to swim better."

A gentle kiss back, finger tips through his hair.

"... I'd need lessons."

"That can be arranged..."

A gentle murmur against her lips.

"Though I wonder where we could possibly find a teacher..."

"I could ask Indy, maybe."

She's not grinning. Not at all.

"Hmm... No, he'll never do. Too much of a scholar. I wouldn't think he's ever swum a stroke in his life. No, best it's the squid, I think."

Svava blinks, and stares at Archie for a long moment, before trying to muffle a quiet laugh.