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: Sweethearts and sweetings. He was certain he had the best of both.

A/N: This story is the sequel to Christmas Surprise, which is on the fringe of my A Light in the Darkness universe and is officially AU to the main series. Enjoy!

Sweethearts and Sweetings

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14 Snowbrice 1012

A thin wail pierced the silence and pulled me out of my dreams. The wailing gained strength and I opened my eyes just as Alambiel jerked her head off my chest and then clambered over me to get out of bed. I watched her disappear into the nursery and then the little filly's cries began to taper off under her dam's care. Yawning, I draped my forearm over my eyes. Alambiel's low lullaby drifted to me and I imagined that she would settle the foal soon.

Why our daughter suddenly decided she could only sleep in two-hour intervals I did not know. Oriana was not yet two months old but she certainly seemed to be crying more at night. Alambiel thought it might be because we had moved her into the nursery proper after she spent the first four weeks of her life in her cradle beside our bed. I was not so convinced but arguing with a new mother who knew where all the weapons in our quarters were was not the course any wise Centaur would take. I was tired but I was not unwise.

I had almost fallen asleep again when Oriana gave her loudest scream yet. Flinging the coverlet back, I quickly gained my hooves then lunged across the room and pushed the nursery door open. Alambiel was leaning over the little one's crib while the foal continued crying in earnest. My wife didn't even look up as I approached. All her attention was on our daughter. "Shh, Oriana, shh. It's all right. Mama's here. Oh please don't cry, baby." She reached down and scooped the little one up, holding her close as she gently swayed. The foal continued crying.

Approaching them, I rested one hand on Alambiel's shoulder and placed the other on the little filly's back, covering her dam's hand. "What is wrong?"

As soon as Alambiel looked up at me with tears in her eyes, I knew I should not have asked that question. She simply shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know why she's crying. She's not hungry. I checked her nappy, she wasn't wet. And I have tried everything to calm her down but she just-" She winced as Oriana gave a particularly loud and very unhappy shriek. "She just keeps screaming. I don't know what to do."

"Give her to me." The surprised look Alambiel graced me with was not the most encouraging response. I huffed and held out my hands. "Give me the foal, Wife."

The reluctance with which she relinquished Oriana was both amusing and insulting. I was not that terrible at tending to the little one. Oriana's face remained scrunched as she continued crying while I gathered her close to my chest and rumbled, "Now, you sweetheart shall go to bed while I take care of our daughter."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

I bounced Oriana gently. "We will be fine. You are tired and need to rest. Go back to bed, love. I will take good care of her."

I was more surprised that Alambiel walked as far as the nursery door than when she stopped and turned back to us, her eyes on the foal. "Maybe I should stay in here."

"If you stay, I will be forced to console you both. Go to bed. Rest."

She nodded but did not move. "What if she needs to be changed?"

I stared at Alambiel. "Sweetheart, I know how to change a nappy."

"But, last week-"

"Was last week. I have improved." Crossing the room, I noticed that Oriana's cries were beginning to taper off, but I said nothing about that when I reached her dam. Alambiel's emotions were still so volatile that she would either burst into tears or stab me. Or both. Cupping her arm, I gently propelled her through the door. "You need sleep and our fierce little filly needs to spend time with her da."

Alambiel still looked unsure but she finally climbed into bed. I had almost reached the nursery when she called, "What about when she gets hungry?"

"When she is hungry, I will have to bring her to you but I can tend to all her other needs. I promise." My wife nodded once, looking uncertain but her weariness was gaining the upper hand now that she was back in our soft bed. I offered her a brief smile then walked into the nursery, closing the door behind me.

Oriana whimpered and I rocked her. "Hush now, little one, Da has you." She mewed in response and I carried her further away from the door, rumbling, "Now, Oriana, your mama needs her rest. You're all right. Da has you." I pet her head, feeling the fine hair that was growing thicker by the day and still promised to be as fair as her dam's. She mewed once more then quieted as I continued, "Now why is Da's little sweeting so unhappy about having to sleep, hmm? Maybe you have been missing Da's stories about the stars. When you are older, Da will teach you how to read them properly."

I smiled down at my little filly as she gazed up at me most solemnly, my heart swelling with pride and wonder. It had been almost two months but I was still awed by the precious gift Aslan had seen fit to grant Alambiel and me. Lifting her a little closer, I kissed her brow. "Da loves you, Oriana."

After stealing a glance at the nursery door, I carried her toward the window and pulled the thick drape back. I carefully raised her up to show her the stars. "A brief lesson tonight since it is very late. Look there. Do you see the small blue star? She speaks of foals' laughter and a beautiful spring full of life. And there above her and to the left. That is Spearhead. His gaze is unfailing and he never blinks or moves from his post. No matter where you are, Oriana, if you look to Spearhead, he will guide you home. And if you need Spearhead's help in finding the way home before you are at least twenty and four years of age, you will be in more trouble than it is worth." I looked down at the foal and chuckled as her little rosebud mouth formed a smile. "So be a good filly, eh?" Lowering my voice to a whisper, I added, "Da can only handle one of your mama."

I chuckled again as the little filly blinked at me. Then I pointed to one more star. "Look, sweeting, that is Alambil, Lady of Peace. Your mama is named after her and, though you may find this hard to believe as you grow old enough to notice Mama's peculiar habits, she is also a lady of peace. She merely prefers to keep the peace with a sharp blade. But, Mama loves you so much. You must be very good for her whenever Da has to leave."

I tugged the drapes closed and then simply enjoyed spending time with my little filly. The Giants were stirring to the north and soon I would have to join one of the patrols to inspect the northern border. I should have joined them a fortnight past but I was not ready to leave my little herd yet. Oriana fell asleep as I hummed the lullaby favored by my people, her soft breathing tickling my chest. I should have put her down in the crib but I continued to gently pace around the nursery with her.

It had not been so long ago that I had been uncertain of whether I could raise a filly as well as a colt. Now, though. I smiled down at the little one and gently stroked her cheek. Now I would not trade my precious Oriana for any colt. The filly stirred, turning her face more firmly against my chest, nuzzling. Then she mewed and rubbed her nose against my skin once before turning her face away. She wrinkled her little nose and mewed again, louder now and I knew it wouldn't take much before the mew turned into a cry.

A quick glance at the water clock set in the corner of the nursery proved I had been with the little filly for a little over two hours. She let out another mew and I whispered, "Patience, little one, patience."

Oriana opened her eyes in response and then she let out an unhappy cry. I rumbled to her, jiggling her carefully, as I carried her out of the nursery. Alambiel was still sleeping and the dark shadows under her eyes made me wish our daughter's needs were such that I could tend to them myself. "Alambiel."

She didn't stir at first then our daughter let out another, much louder cry. Alambiel sat up and started to toss the coverlet back. I touched her shoulder. "Wait. She's right here."

After a moment, Alambiel blinked at me and then held out her arms. "Gimme."

I set Oriana in her dam's arms then stepped back as the foal immediately made her need clear. Alambiel yawned then murmured, "Patience, patience." I leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head then slipped out of the room while she tended the filly.

The errand did not take long and Oriana was still nursing when I returned. Alambiel looked up when I opened the door then offered a weary smile. "Did she sleep at all?"

"She did. Almost as long as you did, actually. My little sweeting was merely missing her da."

"I'm sure she did. You had a long meeting yesterday." She yawned again then asked, "And are you going to be busy today too?"

"Extremely."

Alambiel looked down but not before I caught the disappointment in her eyes. "Oh. May I ask what you'll be doing?"

I shifted, holding out the rose I had been concealing behind my back, and smiled. "I will be spending today with my sweetheart and my sweeting. It is Sweethearts' Day, after all."

She laughed softly as she accepted the rose. "You remembered." She smiled down at our daughter. "Married six years and he still surprises me."

Deciding it was the appropriate moment to enact the next part of my plan, I fetched the hooded cradle from the nursery and set it down next to the bed. At Alambiel's surprised look, I shrugged. "Perhaps you are correct that Oriana is still too young for us to move her into the nursery. We can transition her into the nursery in a fortnight."

She laughed softly then looked down at the filly who now drowsed in her arms. "Da's being lenient for you, sweetie."

I harrumphed at that assessment. "Don't be bearing tales to the army that I have grown soft, Sepphora."

"You are a softie, Oreius." Alambiel grinned at me, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "I have heard you talk to Oriana before and after she was born. Don't worry no one would believe me if I told them." She tucked the blankets more snuggly around the filly then added, "Are you going to tell me what you have planned for our Sweethearts' Day?"

Instead of answering, I leaned down and gently took Oriana. I pressed a kiss to my sweeting's little brow and then placed her in the cradle. Alambiel and I both tensed as Oriana stirred but then she gave a little sigh and stilled. Only once I was certain that the filly was asleep did I return my attention to my wife. Holding out my hand, I waited for her to take it then I tugged her up and out of the bed. "Oreius," she hissed, laughter lurking in her voice, "what are you doing?"

I led her a little further away from the cradle and our sleeping daughter then I placed one hand on her waist. "We might not be able to go to the Sweethearts' Day ball tonight but I am determined to have at least one dance with my beautiful sweetheart today."

She shook her head. "And you want to dance at fifth hour when I'm a sleep-deprived mess?"

"It is sixth hour." My gaze swept over her and I tugged her little closer, smiling. "And you are the most beautiful wife and mama in all Narnia." I stole a kiss then breathed in her ear, "Dance with me, Sweetheart."

"Just one."

And so we danced. But I coaxed my sweetheart into dancing more than once before our sweeting woke again. I was the most blessed of Centaurs to have such beautiful fillies. And I thanked Aslan for them every day.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! So, this was originally going to be a Sweethearts' Day fic . . . it's a little late but here it is. This is still AU! Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.