Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.
Summary: A sorcerer challenged by Aslan. Love and friendship alike are tested by his presence. And the Gentle Queen faces her own challenge when the sorcerer's true colors are unveiled.
A/N: If you have not read the first eight stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, and Veiled), I highly recommend you do so for the full experience. However, I have included a quick summary of the previous stories so if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.
What's Gone on Before
Shot entering a courthouse in our world, a stranger comes to Narnia one year into the Pevensies' reign. This stranger, Katerina Alambiel, gains the trust of young Queen Lucy even though others suspect she might be a witch. Still, she is allowed to remain in Cair Paravel as a guest. Oreius begins to earn her trust as she earns his. When the evil sorcerer, Jannes, takes Lucy, Katerina Alambiel is accused of being an accomplice even as she crafts a plan to rescue the Valiant Queen. Infiltrating the sorcerer's lair, Katerina Alambiel leaves a trail for Oreius and the Kings allowing them to rescue Lucy. Katerina Alambiel pursues and kills Jannes with Oreius' aid (Full story: Awakened).
After six months of finding a niche in the daily life and routine of Cair Paravel (Full story: Shields), Katerina Alambiel is counted as a friend rather than a guest by the Four and by General Oreius. She accompanies High King Peter and Queen Susan on a trip, unaware that another sorcerer intends to frame her as the High King's assassin. Just before parting ways with Susan, dark secrets in Katerina Alambiel's past are revealed. A pair of assassins frames Katerina Alambiel in two attacks on the High King's life before she and a badly wounded Peter are captured by the sorcerer, Jambres. As he tortures them, Jambres reveals that Katerina Alambiel is part Human and part Narnian. Katerina Alambiel interferes with Jambres' attempt to kill Peter, taking the brunt of the spell herself before Oreius and the other Narnians rescue them. Aslan confirms to Katerina Alambiel that she is both Human and Narnian, and that her Narnian heritage is that of Nymph and Centaur due to her mother being the Nymph daughter of a Centaur, before charging her with the task of searching for the identity of her birth family, thereby unlocking the forgotten memories of her early childhood. Katerina Alambiel survives the spell with the addition of two white streaks in the front of her hair as souvenirs and Peter decides to knight her into his chivalric order for her actions (Full story: Shadowed).
Two years after being knighted Dame Sepphora of the Most Noble Order of the Lion, Katerina Alambiel is nearing the end of her search for the identity of her Narnian birth family. While her long-forgotten memories begin to resurface, she runs afoul of Count Hendrik of Sisemaal, one of Narnia's allies. Afterwards, Katerina Alambiel discovers that she was born Alambiel, daughter of Lew the last King of Narnia, and the only survivor of Jadis' massacre of the original royal family. Before Katerina Alambiel can decide how to handle the information, she and King Edmund go on a border patrol but are captured by the vengeful disgraced Count Hendrik and his cousin, Heikki, who leads a group of mercenaries employed by the Witch Medea. As Peter and Oreius lead a huge rescue party to find them, Edmund and Katerina Alambiel are tormented by Medea. Peter and Oreius rescue them just after Medea turns Katerina Alambiel over to Heikki and Hendrik and prepares to kill Edmund. Medea is defeated and her forces routed and scattered. Katerina Alambiel swears Oreius and the four other Narnians who know the truth of her identity to secrecy (Full story: Revealed).
Two and a half years after the incident with Medea and the Sisemaalian mercenaries, Werewolves and Hags plot to resurrect Jadis through the sacrifice of royal blood. While General Oreius and the Kings are on a diplomatic journey to Archenland, Oreius is forced to reexamine his feelings for Katerina Alambiel. In the absence of the General and the Kings, Katerina Alambiel and Queen Susan are ambushed by Werewolves and Susan is spirited away to be the sacrifice. Katerina Alambiel and her small party pursue the Werewolves but without the aid of the soldiers led by General Oreius and the Kings, Katerina Alambiel offers herself as a trade. With Katerina Alambiel now prisoner of the Fell, the remaining soldiers and Susan finally meet up with the Kings and Oreius. While the injured Susan is rushed back to the Cair and the healing power of Lucy's cordial, Oreius and the Kings seek to rescue Katerina Alambiel before the Fell ceremony on Winter Solstice and the truth of Katerina Alambiel's royal heritage is revealed to the Four. Oreius and the Kings disrupt the ceremony and aid in Katerina Alambiel's escape. Upon returning to the Cair, Katerina Alambiel presents the Four with an edict resolving many potential issues concerning her heritage, which is now common knowledge, but Oreius waits for a better time to reveal to Katerina Alambiel that he cares for her as more than a friend (Full Story: Concealed).
Almost six months after having her royal heritage become common knowledge, Katerina Alambiel travels as the Princess Royal with General Oreius on a diplomatic mission to the country of Zelaia. On their last night in Zelaia, Katerina Alambiel comes to the realization that she loves Oreius. However, before either one speaks up, they are captured by slavers and sold into the underground world of the Blood Games. Forced to fight by the man who bought them, Katerina Alambiel and Oreius teeter on the brink of despair. They finally escape with another fighter and return to Narnia. Once they recover from their wounds, Oreius and Katerina Alambiel confess their love to each other and are now courting in secret (Full Story: Rekindled).
A little over five months after Katerina Alambiel and Oreius return to Narnia, they travel with Peter on a diplomatic trip to Telmar. However, due to treachery on part of one of the Lords of the Council of Telmar, the three are forced to end negotiations early and attempt to leave Telmar. Before they can cross the border, mercenaries attack them. Oreius stays behind, allowing Peter and a wounded Katerina Alambiel to escape. Once Katerina Alambiel is in the care of healers, Peter sneaks back into Telmar to discover Oreius' fate. When he finally finds the mercenaries though, he is captured. Tormented by the mercenary leader, Peter is then forced to fight for his and Oreius' freedom. After winning their freedom, the mercenaries once again ambush Peter and Oreius but the fight ends with the mercenary leader dead and Peter gravely wounded. Receiving guidance from an unexpected source, Oreius carries the wounded and, at times, delirious Peter through Telmar and the Western Wilds until they finally return to Narnia. Once he receives the cordial, Peter becomes betrothed to the Beech Nymph, Thalia, whom he's been courting for some time (Full Story: Lion and Flower), while Oreius and Katerina Alambiel choose to wait to announce their courtship until Peter and Thalia's wedding (Full Story: Refracted).
A month after Peter and Oreius' return to Narnia, a diplomatic party sets sail for the Seven Isles to represent Narnia at the wedding of the Governor's son. Soon Edmund, Lucy, and Tarrin Peridanson are separated from the rest of their party including Oreius and Katerina Alambiel who are still courting in secret. The search for their missing charges leads them through storms and into the company of a questionable character. Meanwhile, Edmund, Tarrin, and Lucy are unaware that their situation is not all that it seems. When Lucy discovers the truth, matters take a deadly turn and it is a race against time to defeat their hidden enemy. Tarrin Peridanson sacrifices himself to save his King and Queen, but is revived by the cordial upon their return to Narnia. Oreius and Katerina Alambiel's courtship is forced into the open and then Tarrin Peridanson is knighted Sir Delos of the Most Noble Order of the Table (Full Story: Reflected).
A little under three months after Oreius and Katerina Alambiel's courtship becomes common knowledge, Katerina Alambiel is discovered unconscious and tormented almost to the point of death on Narnia's northern border. When she wakes with no memory, not even of Oreius and their love, the mystery surrounding her abduction deepens while Narnia's enemies plot to use her as the linchpin to destroy Narnia. Oreius and the Kings race to discover what happened to Katerina Alambiel and whether she can still be trusted when she cannot remember them. Oreius also makes the painful decision to conceal the evidence of his and Alambiel's relationship even to the point of letting her go entirely. Eventually Alambiel's memory returns and they rekindle their romance. (Full Story: Veiled).
A Light in the Darkness: Unveiled
Chapter One: The Blinding
20 Greenroof 1009
It was chaos, utter chaos. Edmund tightened his grip on his twin blades as he braced for another attack. The Fell troops attacking the western border were more numerous than their scouts had reported, far more numerous. In the thick of fighting, he had lost sight of Philip and his Wolves. Peter. Where was Peter?
An Ogre charged at him, swinging a huge mace. Edmund dodged to the left but he felt one of the mace's spikes catch on his tabard, yanking him back just as he slashed at the Ogre's knee. The Ogre roared in pain as his right leg crumpled. Edmund rolled out of the way just as he toppled to the ground.
Peter's concerned face was peering down at him even as his brother freed Rhindon from the Ogre's upper back. "All right?"
Edmund nodded once. "You?"
Peter gave a curt nod then pushed his visor down as he turned to face the other Fell creatures. "Ready?"
Edmund raised his swords in silent answer as he stepped up next to his brother. The brothers exchanged determined looks then raised their swords and shouted in unison, "For Narnia and for Aslan!"
They charged the Fell. Ogres, Goblins, Ghouls, and the rest of the Fell hesitated as the two kings rallied their troops. Edmund stayed with Peter, fighting back to back and side to side, trusting that the rest of the army fought on. Then the atmosphere of the battlefield changed. The Hag Edmund had mortally wounded but a moment beforehand let out a shrill laugh and pointed a talon-tipped finger at him. "He comes! He comes for you! Your Great Cat won't be able to save you now!" She laughed again until it became her death rattle and her arm fell limp as her head rolled back, large eyes now filmed in death.
"Edmund!"
Edmund whirled, tense and with his weapons at the ready, but there was no one close to him. The Fell had abruptly pulled back to form a staggered circle. Had they acquired a champion? Peter was just on the other side of the circle, struggling to fight his way through. Then the Fell to Peter's immediate left moved. A flash of red. Peter raised his shield and a ball formed of unnatural red flames slammed against it, knocking his brother to the ground.
"Nooooo!" Edmund charged for his brother but he was too late. An Ogre raised his war hammer, aiming for Peter's head. "For Aslan!"
Shafhelm sliced through the Ogre's arm and the creature howled in pain then kicked Peter in the head with his iron-toed boot. Edmund buried his secondary sword between the Ogre's ribs then moved to stand protectively over his brother's limp form. "Peter. Peter, get up, you great lummox. We don't have time for you to be a layabout." Peter didn't stir or even groan. Oh please, Alsan, let the helmet have saved him from anything too serious.
A low, taunting laugh filled the air. "He cannot protect His chosen anymore! I will change my fate!"
Edmund looked up. A stranger was approaching. A tall man, almost as tall as Oreius, dark haired and swarthy. His eyes blazed with the same unnatural red glow as surrounded his bare hands. The man raised his hands and the red flames licking their way up them leapt into the space between, joining together to form another ball of fire. Edmund automatically raised his left arm in defense as the fireball hurtled toward him.
A hoarse scream of pain escaped him as the fireball engulfed his sword in flame, burning his hand and forearm. Edmund flung the sword away just as another fireball hit him in the chest, knocking him off his feet. Air escaped his lungs in a rush and the heat permeating his mail made him gasp all the more. Peter. He had to get back up. But his limbs betrayed him.
Then he heard it. A roar that at once terrified and encouraged him shook the air. Aslan.
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Markus raised his hands, already calling to mind the killing spell. He would rid himself of the kings now. He would take back his fate. The younger king lay gasping on the ground a few yards away from his unconscious brother. He would kill him first otherwise the boy would likely get up and make a nuisance of himself again.
He focused on the king. He need only say one word to finish the killing spell. He opened his mouth but the word froze on his tongue. A roar shook the air and cast him to the ground. All around him the Fell were either clinging to the ground in fear or fleeing the battlefield. Markus shakily rose and turned back to the kings. He needed to-
A large golden Lion now stood between Markus and the Narnian Kings. Solemn gold eyes watched him, pierced him unto his very soul. He remembered looking into those eyes last Yule when he should have died. "Markus, Markus, why do you hunt Me?"
"You? I do not hunt You. I want…I want only to change my fate."
The low growl that filled the air was almost enough to make him fall at the Lion's feet and beg for mercy. But he could not do that. He was His enemy. The Lion's golden gaze became unbearable and Markus looked away but he could see nothing of the battlefield due to the light emanating from and surrounding the Great Lion. Aslan's voice filled his ears as unescapable as it had been when He had come to him in the caves as he lay dying. "Markus of the Fell, once of another world, the time and place of your final choice is at hand."
"My choice was made for me."
The Lion's golden eyes bore into him, seeing all the dark things he had done, seeing all that he was and all that he had failed to be. "You hunt those who are Mine, therefore, you hunt Me. The time and place of your final choice is at hand. Choose wisely, Markus."
The Lion vanished.
Markus was still next to the kings. He should… He should continue with his mission, free himself of that unwanted fate. Raising his hand, he spoke the killing curse. Nothing happened. Markus stared at his hands. There was no hint of magic. The flames, which usually caressed his skin unless he willed them away, were gone. He willed them to flare up. They did not.
No. The Great Cat had blinded him. His magic was gone as if it had never existed. He couldn't even feel its dormant presence anymore. No. Finish the mission and your magic will return. The thought was desperate but he had to try. Unsheathing his katana, Markus raised it high. The Just King stared up at him without fear, even knowing death was to come.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! So here's the opening of the ninth entry into the main A Light in the Darkness series! This is my 200th story and I'm posting it exactly three years after I first posted A Light in the Darkness: Awakened.
A/N2: Due to Real Life and the huge NaNo project I took on, the updates will be slow for a while, at least until December but don't worry I have this one planned out enough that updates should flow fairly quickly then.
A/N3: Aslan's warning/question to Markus is drawn directly from Saul/Paul's encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus in Acts 9 where Jesus asks him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?"
