randomosity | [For Caspian] A Single Question, Two Little Words

Anne had adjusted rather well in her opinion. The Narnian courtiers didn't seem to resent her so much now, though the women still gave her looks whenever Caspian was seen in her company. But that suited her well enough, she didn't need to have them around anyway - she'd dealt with enough venomous women in the Tudor court to last a lifetime.

But she was spending more time in the open, particularly outside now that the weather had warmed up significantly. The threat of ocean storms had been infrequent enough that Anne often sat outside in the courtyard with a book from the vast library to read, as she was doing now.

Her fingers brushed over the pages of the book in her hand, detailing the different plants and where they could be found in Narnia. Anne found the Fire Flower to be particularly lovely, and lamented that she could not have one herself to keep forever. But she soon found herself distracted by the view of the sea just beyond.

A slow smile broke across her face as she looked to the pristine water. No enemy ships had dared return since Caspian's miraculous escape from a watery grave, for which Anne was very grateful. She could easily see why Caspian was so enamored by the ocean. It was indeed beautiful no matter the time of day or the weather.

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He had long since been accustomed to following her lead. He chuckled now, just a bit sheepish, as he allowed himself to be brought close to the fire.

"It's nothing-- terrible. Drinian got in a good blow; it must just have nicked me slightly."

The light would reveal the stain of blood across his side. Getting his tunic off would reveal a very shallow wound along the edge of his lowest rib.

Anne helped to remove his armor and get his tunic off to examine his wound. It wasn't bad, like he said. It would only need a little bandaging - and in the morning before the ceremony he could be mended. Anne reached to the blanket and tore a few strips of cloth from it.

"Leave it to Drinian to land a proper blow," Anne chuckled. "Let's get you bandaged for now, keep the sand and elements out of the wound until you can be properly mended in the morning."

Anne then began tying the strips of cloth around his wound to bandage him up, letting her fingers play gently against his skin. As always she enjoyed the feeling of his heat beneath her fingers.

There couldn't help but be a faint twist of a smile. Drinian had always been like a brother--and, the older they got, somewhere closer half the time to a surrogate for the father he had long since lost. It was wonderful to know his wife shared the same high opinion of him.

It was wonderful even above that to know Anne was truly his wife.

"You look like you've done this before."

Anne shook her head gently as she finished tying off his bandages.

"No, not really. I was never so intimately involved with anyone who ever needed patching up like that. I think I mended my brother's wrist once but...that was some time ago," Anne tried to remember if there actually was a time that she had done this for anyone else in her adult life, and came up empty. "But, it doesn't matter - all finished now, my love."

Anne smiled and settled on the blanket, glancing up to the stars and marveling at the constellations. The smell of the salt from the sea was heartwarming and comforting.

This was always where she'd been meant to be.

"Incredible.."

It wasn't the same as being wrapped up efficiently by one of the healers, but he doesn't mind it at all. Tonight, he'd much rather have Anne's fingers moving slowly than anything else.

He shifted carefully to settle beside her, attention flicking up to the sky with hers. "It is incredible. And it's yours now, Anne. Not just your home-- your kingdom."

Anne smiled as he settled next to her and spoke. She turned to face him and leaned towards him. One hand came up, cupping his jaw, feeling the scratch of his beard beneath her fingertips.

"I need no kingdom, I need only you, my love," Anne whispered before leaning in and kissing him softly. "So long as I have you, I have everything."

Kissing her felt just as wonderful now as it had all along, of course, but he couldn't help imagining that it also felt slightly more pleasant. There had long since stopped being any doubt in his mind that Anne loved him and wished to stay by his side--but there was something even more wonderful about knowing no one else could object to it either.

They hadn't changed by becoming man and wife, no, but the world had let them settle that much more easily into it. He couldn't help being entirely pleased about that.

"You do have me, Anne."

Anne chuckled as she nuzzled her nose against his. "Then I have everything."

Suddenly she felt butterflies in her stomach being so near him. Slowly she leaned towards him, her eyes locking with his as she looked up. This was real, not some elaborate dream. He was hers, she was his - bound as husband and wife.

"Tonight you're mine, that's what you said, yes?" Anne brought one hand up to gently cup his jaw.

He was always entirely pleased to lean into her touch. He was always pleased to be alone happily with Anne--with his wife.

"I am. I promise you."

Anne leaned more towards him, bringing that hand at his jaw to run through his hair. Her eyes flickered down to his lips and back up to his gaze.

"Then will you take me here? This night, on the beach, beneath the stars with the sounds of the sea ringing around us?"

For a moment, his breath came short. It had always been the intention of the evening, but hearing her actually articulate it still sent an entirely pleased tremble through his entire being.

"If it pleases you, my love."

She didn't respond with words - words would come tomorrow, in front of the kingdom and the nobles. Tonight was for contact. Anne leaned forward and kissed him softly, leaning a little against him and letting her hands press to his chest. One hand slid down, careful of his wound. The chilly air of the sea had taken over his skin, but she could still feel the heat of his body. Anne would be pleased just being in his presence in general - but the moment was so romantic it would be a shame not to use the opportunity. Besides, was this not essentially their first night as wedded lovers?

Her lips and fingers felt incredibly warm in contrast with the night air. It stopped his breath short just for a moment before he could properly return in kind.

She looked beautiful in this dress. It would be a shame to ruin it. That knowledge, however, didn't stop him from reaching to tug her down properly into the sand. He would apologize later, but for now, it was wonderful to press her down with kisses and feel himself surrounded only by Anne and the sound of the waves.

Anne yelped in surprise and gave a flurry of laughter as he pulled her down. The sand felt strangely soft beneath her. Anne would gladly abandon any dress for the pleasure of Caspian's touch - so she wasn't altogether that upset about it.

Her arms wrapped around him, her fingers pressing into his back as she leaned up to kiss him. It felt too good to have his body pressed to hers. Especially now that he was truly and solely hers.

Her laughter was above and beyond his favourite thing in the world. Kissing laughter off her lips was beyond intoxicating, and doing so with Anne as his wife?

His entire body was shaking with the absolute joy of it.

"I love you."

The words fell again and again from his lips between kisses, fingers scrambling to find the clasps of this unknown dress.

Anne let her fingers slide down to tug gently at his trousers while he worked at the clasps and laces of her dress. As she felt him fumbling in the dark she reached up to guide his hands to where the proper laces and clasps were - it would come undone rather easily if he would just undo those.

"I love you too."

She returned the phrase in soft gasps as she kissed him back. Again her fingers came to his trousers to undo the laces and pull them down. Anne wanted nothing but the chill of the ocean air and his skin against hers.

[For Caspian] A Single Question, Two Little Words

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