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...
Summary: The encounter at the cove was the beginning of their journey.
A/N: This story was requested by quarterhorseranch who suggested I build a story using Cove, Alithia, and Fear and is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe. Enjoy!
Cove
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The castle was large, imposing, and so terribly empty. Alithia gazed up at Cair Paravel in silence before she shook herself. She needed to concentrate. If her sire learned what she was doing, he wouldn't let her leave their herd without escort for decades. But, she needed to find the cheristhyll and it only grew along Narnia's beaches.
A blast of icy wind swept down and she pulled her cloak closer, shuddering. Aslan, please let it be here. Mama and so many others will die if I can't find it. She would start looking near the rocks.
Picking her way down the snowy path, Alithia risked another glance at the castle and its high imposing walls. She wondered if the Cair's healers had grown cheristhyll in the conservatories but she wasn't desperate enough to risk the Witch's death sentence for any who entered or inhabited Cair Paravel. Not yet. She focused on studying the rocks, searching for the sturdy little plant that Basilius had sworn could be found even in the midst of this forever winter. Root, leaf, and bloom could all be used to prepare a cure for the pestilence that was striking down so many across Narnia. There. A sturdy flower with a dab of dark blue tinting the rounded tips of its white petals. She had found it. Thank Aslan, she had found it.
She knelt and dug by hand through the blanket of snow to the point where the stalk met a mix of sand and soil. The wind whipped her hood back and stung her face but she ignored the discomfort. She had to get as much of cheristhyll as she could. Even through her gloves, her fingers grew cold and heavy. Twice she dropped a precious plant but the snow kept them from being damaged. Finally, she moved to the second reason she had risked coming here. Removing two burlap squares, she carefully dug out two more plants then wrapped their dirt-covered roots in the burlap and stowed them carefully inside the basket.
Her legs were stiff from the cold and wet but she had accomplished her tasks. She had the cure and if she could transplant the cheristhyll blooms into the healers' greenhouse for her village, the cure would remain close. Thank Aslan. Now she only needed to get the plants home.
A howl rose from somewhere behind her. Alithia stiffened but then she forced herself to walk back down the beach. She had not entered Cair Paravel itself nor attempted to open the large gates. The falling snow had probably already covered her earlier tracks but the Wolves should be able to tell that she had not approached the gates. But would they care?
Another howl and then another, each cutting through the frosty air. Then she heard it. A low snarl. She looked over her shoulder in time to see a large black Wolf racing for her. He was already angling himself to bite her legs. Fear sank its claws into her and Alithia leapt forward. She didn't dare fight back, not now when her family and so many others needed the cure. Instead, she galloped through the snow and sand.
A new bloodthirsty joy entered the pack's song as more Wolves joined the chase. She could hear their rough chuckles whenever one of them came close, snapping at her legs, forcing her to gallop faster. If she knew the area, maybe she would have had the chance to outrun them. But she had never been to Cair Paravel before… She still had to try.
He came out of nowhere. Large and dark save for his gleaming metal-tipped horns. He slammed the length of a battle-axe into her side, knocking her clean off her hooves. An involuntary cry of pain escaped her as she landed heavily on her side but her main concern was the basketful of cheristhyll. The Minotaur bull was young still but she knew him, knew how vicious and cruel he was. Otmin, the one who had murdered his own father at Jadis' bidding not even a fortnight past.
Scrambling to her feet, Alithia darted forward, seeking escape. Otmin let her go. That alone should have warned her but she did not lose hope until she ran into the cove. Snowy cliffs rose in front of her and to her left. The dark sea was to her right but it was too cold and she would have to swim too deep to try to escape. And Otmin and the Wolves were behind her.
Alithia turned. How could she get out of this? How could she escape without losing the one thing she needed? Her duty as a healer wouldn't allow her to leave the basket. There was no hope of escape on her own. Aslan, please. Great Lion, help me!
Otmin raised his battle-axe. "What sort of spy or smuggler are you supposed to be, filly?"
The black Wolf snarled. "Who cares? She's a Centaur and she was lurking in Cair Paravel's shadow. We should kill her and send what's left to her herd."
Fear made her heart thunder but she kept her voice steady and soft. "Please let me go. I am an apprentice healer. There is a pestilence plaguing my herd. I only came here because we need cheristhyll. I am not a spy or a smuggler. I will swear it if you wish."
She didn't say by Whose Name she would swear it. Otmin was well-known to be fanatical about imprisoning or killing anyone who spoke the Name of Aslan. She would never deny Him but she had to be wise. She had to be careful. Her herd needed her to be careful.
The Minotaur snorted, large white puffs filling the air. "Why should I take the word of a rabble-rousing Centauress? Cair Paravel is forbidden to all Narnians. There is no hope inside those walls. Perhaps I should allow Fenris Ulf to have his way."
The black Wolf stepped forward, snarling and baring his fangs. "We haven't eaten a Centaur in a long while. And the last one was a stallion."
Alithia swallowed a cry of revulsion and condemnation at this creature's callous depravity. Eating another Narnian. Murder and cannibalism. A shout rang out from somewhere above and just to her right. "There you are, filly!"
She looked up to see five Centaurs ranged on the cliffs overlooking the cove. It took a moment but she recognized them. The sons of Cephas. She had helped the youngest, Ardon, along with Oreius during the training in healing arts Cadfael had ordered for all involved in the resistance. The eldest of his brothers spoke again, this time addressing Otmin, "You have our thanks for leading us to her otherwise we might have been searching for hours."
They could not have brought weapons such as the claymores, which were forbidden. But three of the brothers carried large smithy hammers braced against a shoulder and the other two carried bows. Otmin snorted. "You have no business here either, Centaur."
"We are here because the coast is the easiest way to fetch supplies for our smithy. And since the filly is ready for us to escort her back to her herd, we should be going." The eldest son of Cephas looked at his brothers. "Kamen, Ardon, escort the filly back to the sled and help her settle the basket. If you agree, of course, Otmin. None of us have entered the Cair as the Wolves must attest and gathering herbs is not yet forbidden."
Otmin snorted. "Do not think your herds are more powerful than the Queen." But he still stepped aside, forcing the Wolves to give way.
Alithia couldn't bring herself to move until the two large Centaurs had joined her. Ardon shifted his hammer to his right shoulder and then cupped her elbow, urging her forward. When Fenris Ulf snapped at her hooves, Ardon's grip tightened but the brothers kept their pace. The other three Centaurs joined them, encircling Alithia and the canvas-covered sled protectively. Ardon took the basket and settled it carefully near the front of the sled then secured it. Kamen set his hammer in the sled then grabbed the long poles. "We better get out of here before the Minotaur changes his mind."
"Agreed." The eldest brother looked at her solemnly for a moment. "Ardon, make sure she keeps up. Come on."
The ache in Alithia's side and legs grew as she struggled to keep up with the stallions' longer strides. They passed a grove of pine trees but no one was there.
"Who was your guide?"
She started slightly then peeked around the edge of her hood to gaze up at Ardon. "I… Nemus volunteered."
"Nemus? No wonder Otmin and the Wolves found you." The Centaur shook his head. "Nemus has been behind a number of disappearances this last year. He's guiding innocents to places that Jadis has forbidden and leaving them there before contacting Otmin and the Secret Police." He glanced at the approaching trees and lowered his voice, "What did you pay him, Alithia?"
"I didn't have any coin to give him and he refused the herbs I offered." She sighed as she recalled the difficult choice she had been forced into by the Satyr's bargaining. "I had to bring him the only valuables that were truly mine."
"Jewels?"
She gave a little nod. "My grandam's betrothal necklace. It was passed down to me when I came of age. The silver and sapphires made it worth his while."
Ardon huffed but didn't say anything else about Nemus or the loss of the sole heirloom Alithia had of her paternal grandam. "Are your injuries troubling you?"
"I am bruised and cold but I can survive." She smiled at him. "I'm tougher than I look as my brother can attest."
"You were brave, coming to Cair Paravel to find those plants."
"Only until I must face my sire, I assure you."
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Six days later, Alithia pressed a cool cloth against her dam's forehead. The cheristhyll tea she had made was helping since her dam's fever was down. "Mama? How do you feel?"
The Centauress sighed then opened her eyes. "Better."
"Good then our daughter's foolishness was worth the risk."
Alithia ducked her head, cheeks warming, as her sire entered the room. Mama sighed, "She's like you. Headstrong and determined. Four days is enough time to punish her."
Da cupped her cheek. "So you say, my dear. However, our filly has received a gift from some colt and that is another matter entirely."
"Which colt?"
"One of Cephas' sons. Cephas only said that his son wished the package to be delivered to our Alithia." Da glanced at her then pressed a kiss against her dam's hair. "Rest now. When you are stronger, you will have all the time you want to press her on the matter of which colt."
As her dam's eyelids fluttered close again, Alithia followed her sire out. They stood in the hallway for a moment before he said softly, "I know this is not a courtship gift because the colt would have approached me for my blessing and you would not make such a decision without informing your dam and me. The package is in your room."
Alithia nodded then walked to her room. Just as her hand touched the door, Da added gruffly, "I am proud of you and I am thankful that you found the cure to save your mother along with many others. Thank you, Alithia."
She smiled at him. "Thank you, Da." Entering her room, she quickly found the package waiting on the table she used to hold her healing supplies. It was only a small square and wrapped plainly, but then she opened it. Tears filled her eyes when she saw the silver and sapphire necklace. She blinked them back in order to read the note resting atop her grandam's necklace. This is the sort of heritage that shouldn't be lost if it can be helped.
It was unsigned but she knew which son of Cephas had done this for her. Ardon, it had to be Ardon because he was the only one who knew of the necklace. She would have to thank him as soon as Da lifted his restriction on leaving their herd except when she was accompanying Tuulea in her role as apprentice healer.
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A/N: Please Read and Review!