À Dieu

"To have seen you and your unforgotten face, Brave as a blast of trumpets for the fray; Pure as white lilies in a watery space; It were something, though you went from me to-day." A brief moment between Caspian and his Queen.

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"You are going to be late, Your Majesty."

King Caspian the tenth stood at the top of the small flight of steps into the castle still-room, watching as the Queen, already clad in her riding attire, hurried about, sorting, tidying, generally attending-to.

"It is the business of any wife to see that the day-to-day duties are done before going a-pleasuring," she protested, looking up at him.

"Ah, day-to-day duties." Caspian considered gravely. "Then was I only imagining I saw you earlier checking the winter clothes in the storage closets?"

The Queen blushed. "That was part of today's duty."

"Then I shall rest an easier man today, knowing that my winter cloaks are all in order." Caspian descended the steps and held out his hand. "I am sorry I can't come a-Maying with you today. But you will have the fairest and noblest knight in the land to defend your pleasure and your person."

"Bar one," said the Queen softly but firmly. She took Caspian's hand and reached up to brush back his hair. "Bar one," she repeated. "For my fairest and noblest knight of all is just starting to get grey strands among his blond curls – and that is not Rilian."

They stood in silence for a long moment, and then the King passed his hand over the Queen's head as if in blessing. "I have to go now – a kingdom can't run itself. Good-bye, my Queen. The Lion keep you."

"It's only a picnic!" the Queen scolded gently. "So solemn! You would think I was about to go away for years!"

At that, Caspian kissed her, not as a king on either cheek but as a man should his wife. "Don't you know I leave you in the Lion's Paws when I don't see you for even just five minutes, Heart-of-my-heart?"

The Queen returned his salutation. "I too. So we are always together, even when we are apart."

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A/N: Characters and situation belong to CS Lewis (don't blame me!); the summary is from 'The Great Minimum' by GK Chesterton; and no, the title is not a typo. Translate it out of the French and you'll see what I mean.