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: Oreius planned the perfect Christmas surprise for his wife, even if she was on bed rest.

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

Christmas Surprise

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The snow was falling in thick clumps that brought to mind balls of cotton when Oreius and Ardon returned to Cair Paravel, their burden balanced between them. Ardon grunted, "I thought you were going to choose the small one."

Oreius chuckled as he adjusted his grip on the tree. "This is the small one."

"It is taller than I am."

"A nine-foot-tall fir tree is small compared to the other options."

"Remind me, my friend, why I agreed to help you?"

Oreius nodded to the guards who opened the doors then answered simply, "Because Alambiel is restless and giving her a Christmas tree of her own will help, which means that your wife will no longer be more focused on keeping track of whether Alambiel is behaving herself than she is on you and your two foals."

Ardon's deep laugh echoed through the corridors, which were festooned with ribbons and holly boughs. "In that case, we should have dragged that twenty-footer the Beavers recommended in here after all."

Oreius snorted at the suggestion. He had no desire to give Alambiel a project so large that she overdid things. What she needed was a little distraction to alleviate the boredom of bed rest and that was all he intended to give her. Fortunately, they carried the tree into his quarters without any mishap. Even with the young Prince Corin underfoot this Yule.

Setting the tree up in the corner between the windows and the fireplace was an easy choice and there was enough room left that he could circle around. Oreius clasped Ardon's forearm before the other Centaur took his leave. No doubt it was spurred on by the fact his sons just raced past the open door. Oreius took care to hide his amusement. After all, Ardon would heckle him in kind when he experienced fatherhood.

Oreius opened the bedchamber door, smiling slightly to see Alambiel in the middle of their bed, curled on her side and currently fast asleep. She had had great difficulty sleeping the night before so he was pleased she'd gotten at least a little rest. Leeta rose from her chair and dipped a curtsey. "General."

"How is she?"

The Nymph glanced over at where his wife still slumbered then smiled at him. "She did not complain half as much as she did last week but I think she was very weary today. She didn't even manage to sew for more than a half hour. Tuulea said she is doing well, though."

"Good. Thank you, Leeta." Oreius inclined his head. "I will be able to stay with Alambiel through the end of the week, so you may enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas with your own family."

Leeta dipped another curtsey then gathered the basket of sewing, which had been resting next to her chair. "Of course, General. Good afternoon."

After he had shut the door behind the Nymph, Oreius hurried to the study and pulled out the boxes he had hidden here. Arranging them next to the tree, he surveyed the room. He walked back into the bedchamber after reassuring himself that he hadn't forgotten anything. Even a light repast had been set out per his earlier instructions. Now he just needed to see if Alambiel was indeed up to the afternoon's planned festivities.

She was still curled on her side and her breathing was even but this time she stirred when he approached the bed. Oreius bent down to press a kiss against her temple. "Do you feel up to a change of scenery, Wife?"

A somewhat sleepy smile was her answer as she shifted so she was laying on her back. Then the smile became slightly more mischievous. "Did Tuulea decide I could see someone other than you and Leeta today?"

He feigned a scowl. "What's this? Rebellion? And I was about to offer my service in carrying you into the sitting room so you might see my surprise for you."

Alambiel grinned as she pushed up to rest on her elbows. "A real change of scenery and a present? Has Christmas come early this Yule?"

A chuckle broke free and Oreius leaned down again to kiss her on the lips. "It is only two days until Christmas, sweet. And Tuulea only limited your guests this last week because you allowed my cousins to goad you into a spirited discussion, which was almost too spirited. I will speak to her so she will allow you to receive a greater variety of visitors on Christmas Day at least." He pulled the coverlet back and then carefully scooped her into his arms. "Now you must tell me if you feel any discomfort or if you need to go back to the bed, agreed?"

She sighed, looping her arms around his neck. "Yes, dear."

Oreius glanced down at the far too beatific look she was giving him and smiled. "You are indulging me."

"Yes, dear." Then they crossed the threshold into the sitting room and Alambiel gasped. "Oreius! You got a tree! And we get to decorate it!"

Her excitement was contagious and Oreius couldn't help laughing. "Yes, I did but I shall handle the actual decorating. You may tell me where the decorations go but that's it."

"But, Oreius, I-"

He had been about to lower her to the long, wide couch but stopped and fixed her with a stern look. "No. You are on bed rest for a reason, a very good reason, and Tuulea specifically instructed that you are not allowed to be on your feet. And if you entertain any ideas about attempting to leave this couch without my carrying you, Alambiel, I will have to carry you right back to bed."

Alambiel pouted. "Spoilsport."

But he could read the acquiescence in her body language beyond the obligatory pout. He kissed her then carefully lowered her to the couch. "It is only for a few more weeks, love." He finally allowed himself to place his hand against her stomach, which was now very round with their little foal, and grinned as he felt the little one's kicks.

Placing her hand over his, Alambiel smiled. "She's getting stronger and I think she objects to the constrictions on her flips now."

Oreius chuckled then placed a kiss against her silk-covered stomach. He was grateful that he had chosen to allow Alambiel to share with him whether their little one would be a colt or filly. Not that his wife had been able to contain her excitement at the news. "My sweet little filly must be patient like her mama. Just a few weeks longer." He murmured to the foal for a bit longer before tearing himself away to fetch a warm blanket and some extra pillows. The blanket he tucked around Alambiel, taking care not to protest when she pushed it down so it didn't cover her stomach (the last time he had done so had resulted in tears and she needed to be calm, not upset), and the pillows he placed beneath her knees and feet and behind her back. At last, he stepped back. "Are you comfortable?"

Her smile was only slightly rueful. "As comfortable as can be managed. You still haven't decorated the tree, though."

He knew it was a request for him not to hover but in truth that was very difficult. After all, the reason Alambiel was on strict bed rest was due to her experiencing some unexpected complications a week before she reached five months. She had almost lost the foal and was very ill for weeks. Tuulea decided to take every precaution in order to keep mother and child safe and healthy. And Oreius had tried to stay close to home even after Alambiel improved.

"Would you like to eat first?"

She shook her head. "No. I want to supervise while I still have the energy to stay awake through the whole thing."

Oreius poured her some hot chocolate just to ensure she had something to drink and then carried the larger of the three boxes over to her. He opened the lid for her inspection. "Where shall we begin, love?"

Alambiel tilted her head, considering the bounty of ornaments and baubles, and then she pointed to the last two rows—delicate spun glass ornaments of different creatures, including a Centaur dancing with a Nymph. "Oh, these are beautiful. Start with them but you should spread them out from top to bottom. And Oreius," she just barely touched her fingertip to the dancing couple, "pick someplace special for them."

He chose to hang the fair Nymph and dark Centaur near the top of the tree. Occasionally Alambiel would ask him to move one of the ornaments to the left or the right or down two branches and then back up three before she declared it the perfect spot. At her request, he brought her the box that seemed stuffed with ribbons. And while she still told him to move baubles around or declared his efforts most worthy, he noticed that she was paying more and more attention to her self-appointed project with the large red ribbons. Perhaps it was a single ribbon, though. He couldn't tell.

But, after he had decorated the front of the tree, Alambiel held up the ribbon bouquet with a proud smile. "Ta-da! We have a tree topper."

Oreius took it from her. The ribbon had gold stitches embroidered in it, causing each stiff bow to gleam in the light from the candles and the merrily burning fire. "And it is a very fine one, Wife. Do you want me to put this up now or after I decorate the back? And are you hungry yet because I-" He stopped abruptly, a concerned frown appearing when he heard the soft sob. Alambiel had suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth but tears were already spilling free. Oreius set the tree topper aside and knelt in front of the couch, taking Alambiel's hands in his. "Alambiel, sweetheart, what is wrong? Why are you crying?"

"It's silly." She sniffled but another sob escaped despite her obvious effort to control her emotions.

He kissed her hands then kissed away her tears. "Tell me, sweetheart, please. I promise I will find a way to fix it for you. You mustn't cry, Alambiel, it's not good for you to be upset."

"I can't tell you how to decorate the other side of the tree. I'm too big and I can't even stand."

Oreius busied himself with the task of handing her one of the handkerchiefs that were now found in abundance in their quarters as he worked to smother the urge to laugh before Alambiel grew more upset. He kissed her hair, her cheeks, nose, and mouth. "Do not fret, my precious one. You are not too big but it is wiser for you to stay here. And the only reason you aren't standing now is because you know what's best for our daughter to be born healthy and at the right time. Now here is what we will do. I will move the table over here so you may select whatever you want to eat while I am decorating the back of the tree so it will be a mirror image of the front, all right?"

She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief, already calming again. Praise Aslan that this was a swift swing of emotions. Alambiel gave a watery laugh. "I am so ready for these unexpected bursts of emotion to be gone." She graced him with a faint smile. "That should do well and if you somehow get it wrong, well, no one will be looking at the unsupervised side, will they?"

"No they will not." He pressed a kiss against her temple and then moved the table laden with the light meal over so it was in easy reach. Oreius waited until he saw she was fixing a plate before he went to the task of decorating the back of the tree. True to his word, he kept it as closely matching to the front as he could manage.

It went somewhat faster without his wife's often-changed directions but he was more concerned about the fact she had grown very quiet again. Then, just as he was about to emerge to check on her, he heard her start singing a Yuletide carol to the foal.

"Oreius! Come here!"

The ribbons he had been untangling fell to the floor and nearly entangled his hooves as he rushed to reach her. The tight band of worry that had fastened around his chest eased when he saw Alambiel was laughing as she cradled either side of her stomach. Her eyes lit up and she held out one hand to him. "Come here! You have to feel this. She's kicking in time with the singing." Oreius allowed his wife to guide his hand to her stomach as she started singing again, "Fa-la-la-la, la-la-la!"

He chuckled as he felt the sharp kicks that were, indeed, timed to her dam's singing. "It seems she already shares your fondness for music, sweet."

Alambiel nodded then paused in her singing to comment, "You need to put some holly boughs on the mantle."

"As you command, my lovely Minx." He set out the boughs of holly and placed the tree topper in its proper place then carefully settled himself on the couch behind her. Resting his hand on her stomach, Oreius slid his other arm behind Alambiel's head. "Do you want me to carry you back to the bed?"

"No. I want to enjoy the tree for a while." Alambiel turned her head to look at him and then glanced up, frowning slightly. "And just why do you have that?"

Oreius grinned roguishly as he dangled the mistletoe over her head. "For its purpose, my rare Bird of Paradise. The capture of a kiss from the most alluring creature in all Narnia." Then he kissed her. It was not quite Christmas but it was already shaping up to be the best of their six years together as husband and wife as they waited for their little herd to grow with the arrival of their first foal, their little filly.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! So I wanted to do Oreius and Kat expecting their first baby Christmas fluff but it's not time for that in the main series yet, so AU! I might be persuaded to show THIS baby's arrival. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.