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: You know the story of the Horse and his boy. But what was happening in Narnia? A northern campaign. Trouble on the homefront and a prince's invitation. Will anything be as Peter left it?
A/N: If you have not read the first ten stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, Veiled, Unveiled, and Eclipsed), 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).
After Katerina Alambiel and Oreius marry (Full Story: Fireworks), a battle between Narnia and Fell forces results in a sorcerer being confronted by Aslan and losing his magic. As Alambiel and Oreius adjust to married life, the sorcerer Markus must choose whether to turn his life over to Aslan or to continue in his destructive ways. The sorcerer's choice and his presence in Cair Paravel disturb many but Alambiel insists he is needed. As months pass, a threat greater than the former sorcerer comes to light and threatens Narnia's peace. Though Oreius maintains a cautious watch over the sorcerer, Markus gains ground with the Queens and grows close to the Gentle in particular. When the true nature of the threat is exposed, Markus regains his magic for one last time and Narnia is saved. (Full Story: Unveiled).
A little over three years since the events of Unveiled, Peter, Edmund, and Oreius set out on an inspection of the northern border after a series of raids by Fell Giants. Their simple errand turns to tragedy as Giants ambush their party killing all save the Kings and the General. The Kings they carry off with the wicked intent of letting two Harfang Giantesses pick which one will give them children in an effort to elevate the Harfang Giants above their kindred. But, Oreius is left for dead after being severely wounded. Meanwhile, Narnia prepares for the visit from Calormene crown prince, Rabadash, who has demanded that all Four royals be present or else. When they learn of the ambush, Katerina Alambiel, Thalia, and Lucy take the Greyback brothers and Peter's Tigers in pursuit of the Giants while Susan must find a way to delay the prince's imminent arrival. Oreius struggles to cling to life and the Kings try to escape or, failing that, delay the Giants as much as possible. It's a race against time to find their missing loved ones and the northern Giants prove themselves to be even more dangerous than expected. Eventually, the Kings and Oreius are rescued, though all are badly injured, and they return to Cair Paravel. But now Peter is determined to halt the Giant threat in the North. (Full Story: Eclipsed).
A Light in the Darkness: Obscured
Chapter One: To Battle . . .
13 Mayblossom 1014
"I knows you, little King! I's knows you! Kin killer!" The Ettin howled with bloodlust blazing in his single good eye. The massive spiked club swung through the air and narrowly avoided plowing into Peter's horse.
The mare neighed in fear as she pranced backwards. Peter's legs tightened infinitesimally around her barrel and she stopped short in her retreat, though she was still puffing and sidestepping, as he raised Rhindon in silent challenge. Kin killer. The Ettin had been among the brutes who wanted to eat his brother and he dared to call him a kin killer. Peter leaned low against Frost's neck, his faceplate brushing against her dark mane as the Giant swung once more and this time Peter felt a spike tear into his tabard and scrape against his mail shirt. Thank Aslan the brute was too thick to consider simply pounding him instead of trying to scrape him off Frost's back.
Peter touched his heels to her sides and the brave little mare leapt forward. He sat up, swinging Rhindon with all his might toward the Giant's outstretched fingers. The Ettin howled again, this time in pain and outrage as he yanked his wounded hand away, but Peter did not give him time to recover. Standing up straight in the stirrups, he thrust his pikestaff into the Ettin's gut. The Ettin's dirty tunic and mismatched armor left all of his vital organs exposed to the pikestaff's sharp point and he cried out as he dropped in his club in favor of clutching uselessly at his wound. As Frost galloped past the Giant, Peter switched Rhindon to his right hand and then sliced through the dying Ettin's hamstring.
Regaining the saddle, Peter took up Frost's reins once more and turned the mare's head so he could survey the battlefield. Everywhere he looked there were Giants battling Narnians. The only way to tell the few Narnian Giants apart was by the fact they were wearing proper armor. Peter guided his horse away from the Narnian Giants as he headed back into the fray. He didn't want to accidentally attack one of his own people.
The Ettins were putting up a half-decent fight again. Peter grit his teeth when he caught sight of some of the archers being menaced by two odious Giants. The Nymph and two Fauns were standing firm, Aslan bless them, but their quivers were nearly empty and the Giants' large helmets were doing too good a job of protecting them from the arrows' stinging bites for his liking. Peter raised Rhindon high in the air as he bellowed, "For Narnia! And for Aslan!"
"For Narnia! For Aslan!"
Soldiers all around him rallied at his cry, some even running to join him, but he cared not as he spurred Frost into a gallop. He unslung his shield from his back and raised it protectively as one of the Giants turned with a stupid laugh to face him. There was no turning back. Peter's breathing slowed to the familiar measured paces of battle. He blotted the image of his family from his mind's eye. All of his attention focused on the Ettin's leering face. The bulbous nose, piggish eyes gleaming with avarice, the mouth gaping in a stupid grin as he laughed. This was the face of his enemy. This was one of the faces that haunted his dreams. He could feel the reverberations of Frost's pounding hooves and he silently counted off the remaining paces. Eight, seven, six. The leer started to fade. Five, four. Worry finally crept into the small eyes. Three, two, one. Peter shouted a wordless battle cry as his blade flashed through the air, cutting through tendons and sending the Ettin to his knees. With far more mercy than he would have been shown, Peter finished the Giant with a swift thrust to the gullet.
He turned his face away from the blood and the life leaking from the Giant's expression. Frost sidestepped and tossed her head but still she obeyed when he tapped her with his heel again. A Bruin had confronted the other Ettin. Peter urged Frost forward. Two of the archers were no longer fighting, the Nymph holding the darker of the Fauns against her as she crouched on the ledge, but the Faun whose reddish-brown legs were frosted by age still fought on, his kind face hard and determined as he peppered the Ettin with arrows. But the rivulets of blood streaming down the Ettin's face did not stop him from turning on the Bruin. Peter shouted and kicked free of the stirrups but it was too late. The Giant's hands closed on the Bruin's head and a sickening crack filled the air. Gorge surged up Peter's throat as the faithful Bruin collapsed but he swallowed it down. He leapt free of the saddle, rage burning hot in his veins, and charged forward, mounting a small boulder and then leaping at the Giant, Rhindon slashing. The Ettin cried out as the blade cut through his tunic and scored a deep wound along his side. His cry of pain hit a new note when one of the Faun's arrows found its mark and bit deep into the flesh just to the side of his eye. Peter called a warning just as the Giant flung his hand out, catching the Faun archer in the side and flinging him against the mountainside. The archer collapsed to the ledge, his arms and legs akimbo and his neck twisted at an angle.
Peter turned on the Ettin who dared to laugh as though he had merely thrown a ball or knocked over toy blocks. The rage that had spurred him on now flared to an inferno. Every battle it was the same. The cruel Northern Giants laughed as they maimed and killed and consumed his people. The Ettin before him now laughed coarsely and then he drew a carving knife from his belt and dragged the Bruin's body closer. "I'd rather had goatmen but bear meat can be good too. Have some, little king, 'ere I add you to my cookin' pot."
"Such a crime will not be permitted, by Aslan. Not while I still have breath!"
Rhindon cut deep into the Ettin's wrist, nearly severing it. The Ettin screamed and finally fear entered his face but it was too late to calm Peter's wrath. He pressed on the attack, ducking under the Ettin's clumsy swing of his knife, and then he buried Rhindon up to the hilt between the Ettin's ribs.
As the Ettin sagged to the ground, Peter stopped beside the Bruin even knowing there was nothing more anyone could do for him. He bowed his head and whispered a quick prayer then scrambled up onto the ledge. The Nymph was applying pressure to the darker Faun's wound but the amount of blood soaking through his armor and the makeshift bandage was alarming.
Each breath was ragged and gasping. Peter's lips thinned as he met the Nymph's solemn gaze. They both knew the Faun was unlikely to survive. Peter waved a Centaur over. "Take Artus to the healers. Quickly!"
He didn't stay to watch the Centaur carry the wounded Faun away. Grief, rage, and determination to end this threat spurred him ever onward. Nor did he care that Frost had finally bolted from the battlefield. The little mare wasn't suited to intense fighting against such large creatures anyway. He raised his shield and once more threw himself into battle, harrying the nearest Ettins by slashing at their legs and then ending them or by distracting them so that another soldier might finish them. He didn't know how much time passed, hours it seemed, as sweat trickled down his back and also threatened to blind him despite the cloth he had bound around his temple before putting on his helmet but still he fought.
A low growl penetrated the battle fog as he freed Rhindon from another Ettin's throat. Peter turned to see Bast standing on the Giant's legs. The Tigress' green eyes were flat and her tail lashed the air as she growled again. "The Ettins have fallen back, Sire."
Peter stared at her almost uncomprehendingly for a moment but then the meaning of her words registered and he nodded. "Good." He stepped away from the Ettin and turned his back on the sorry sight even as he searched in vain for a patch of clean grass or soft soil with which to rid Rhindon of the blood now covering it. Finally, he yanked a patch from the Ettin's torn sleeve and wiped down the blade. "Have they started to gather our injured?"
"Yes, My King."
"The General's given orders for the dead to be collected too, Your Majesty." Babur was panting heavily but he shared his sister's fierce appearance as he continued to scan the battlefield, no doubt searching for any Ettins who might have thought to play dead.
Peter sighed as he sheathed Rhindon. His arms suddenly felt limp as noodles and it took far too much effort before he could will them to take up his shield again. He shoved the faceplate of his helmet up and scanned the battleground for himself. Many Ettins lay unmoving, at least fifteen this time, but the group had been about twice that size when they attacked and there were far more Narnians who lay on the ground. Some of them would be alive and others would not. They had not entered a single battle since arriving in the north that had not resulted in loss of life. The numbers were not as devastating on paper but Peter could not shake the guilt that settled like a heavy mantle on his shoulders with every life lost.
He paced through the battlefield, pausing to check on fallen soldiers and praying every time that he would find them still alive, still fighting to survive. Kneeling beside a young archer, a Beech Nymph who reminded him strongly of Thalia with her nut-brown hair though her eyes were brown and not the green of his beloved's, Peter tugged off his gloves and took her limp, bloodied hand in his. "What is your name?"
"T-Tiana of the Shuddering Wood, Your M-Majesty." Her pale lips were stained with red as she struggled to draw breath but she still managed to gasp, "Did we win the day?"
He nodded. "Yes, Lady, we did. But now you must save your strength and recover from your wounds. The healers will be here soon."
She smiled a little, a touch of color blooming in her cheeks, as she whispered, "Your hands are very warm."
Her hands were like ice. Peter smiled back at her. "My wife tells me the same thing sometimes. It seems Sons of Adam are a bit warmer then Beeches. Have you ever been to Cair Paravel, Lady Tiana?"
She nodded. "Training. I met the Princess Consort. She brings our sisters great honor."
Peter squeezed her hands gently, trying to see if he could get any warmth in those slender fingers again, as he continued talking, "I am wholly blessed by her. Indeed, every Beech Nymph I have met has been quite gracious to me. When we return to Cair Paravel, remind me and I shall have my sisters and lady wife invite you to tea. The girls love it when we have guests. And an archer who has battled Giants? Why, Lucy will be craving your stories. What say you, Lady Tiana?"
She smiled and parted her lips, a rattling breath escaping rather than words, then her cold fingers slipped from his hold as her gaze became unfocused. Death clouded her eyes just as two Satyrs ran up with a litter. Peter hung his head and reached out with trembling fingers to close the Nymph's eyes. Lurching to his feet, he stepped back as the Satyrs moved with less urgency now to pick up the body that no longer needed a healer's attention.
"My King?"
He glanced down at Babur who raised a large paw and pointed across the rocky ground. "The healers have recovered the last of the wounded. The General wishes to set up a perimeter and enquires as to whether you will join him for a meal."
Peter looked around and finally spotted Oreius standing on the edge of the rocky plateau. The Centaur was engaged in an intense conversation with one of the Gryphons but Peter knew he had to be watching him as well. Oreius didn't request that he have supper with him except when he thought Peter was either brooding too much or not eating enough . . . or both. He nodded and forced himself to stride with more confidence than he currently felt toward the camp. Today was a victory, after all, and the soldiers needed their High King to be confident.
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Culhwch sprawled in his makeshift throne, using a broken femur still greasy from the meat to pick at a hoof that had gotten stuck in his back teeth. Once the hoof was worked free, he spat it on the ground and then allowed his second head to continue sucking the marrow from the bone as his other head observed the uneasy gathering. Leaders of the Ettin clans (of which he was foremost though he hadn't taken the throne away from Grog yet) dined on the vittles they had captured in battle with wary eyes fixed on their fellows and he was pleased to see that he drew the majority of the wary glances. He smirked but said nothing, which caused the Giants nearest him to shift a little further away.
His smirk faded as a tall Giantess strode into the camp. Her black eyes were cold and assessing, her dress was adorned with fine chains and a belt of skulls was fastened about her hips, and, in her left hand, she held the war spear of Harfang. Had Morrigan not been so determined to keep the throne of Harfang in her family line, Culhwch would have tried to win her. However, he also knew that her husbands and lovers tended to die early deaths. Though, that might change now that her heirs were reduced. Morrigan's gaze swept over them all and then she laughed. "Defeated again? You let the puny Son of Adam and his trained beasts drive you before them as though you were whipped dogs."
Grog swore at her before heaving his bulk up (though he needed the two young Giants who attended him to aid in this task) and limping toward Morrigan. "You did not send your men to fight the Narnians, Morrigan. It is you who are coward, not me."
Morrigan's eyes glittered but she only smiled as she patted Grog on the cheek. "I am not a coward. I am smart. I do not send my men yet because I want the Narnians to come further north. The summer will not last so long in our lands and we will have the advantage as the Narnians shiver and break, wishing for their mild lands. We are strong. We are Giants of the North, no matter which clan we came from, and we are stronger than the Narnians. We shall have a fat winter when the soldiers are ours."
Culhwch, unable to tolerate the Giantess' games, belched loudly and scratched at his armpit as he interrupted, "Fat winter maybe. What about spring? We have been fighting the Narnians for a fortnight while you watched safe in your castle. We all agreed to a council. I say we strike the Narnians with all our forces now and send them to the cooking pots now so we might enjoy Narnia's mild winters for ourselves this year."
His fellow Ettins murmured in agreement, several smacking their lips as they no doubt imagined the promises of food and anything was better than the bitter cold and blizzards that plagued them in their barren lands. Their herds and hounds needed fresh land too. The wild creatures were not so plentiful near their keeps anymore. And venison and steak and pork grew bland with nothing to make it taste better like a bit of goatmen legs or man pie. Grog had an especially greedy expression in place as he rubbed his bulging belly with fat hands. "Aye, makes sense."
"Fools," Morrigan breathed. Then she shoved Grog hard, sending him tumbling back so abruptly that his attendants could not catch him before he toppled over a cooking pot. The Giantess glared at them all, her hand tightening around the haft of the war spear, as she hissed, "There are many Narnians, many soldiers, who hunt for us now. We must be smarter than them. We must weaken them and make them long for their soft homes and soft women and rich food until they do not fight so strongly."
Culhwch eyed her as he sucked the marrow from another bone. "And if we do things your way, Morrigan, what will you give us?"
She smirked at him. "More than even you can imagine."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Here we are again with another entry in my A Light in the Darkness series and, as promised, number Eleven deals with Peter's northern campaign but we'll also touch on events surrounding and behind the scenes of The Horse and His Boy. So, I have mapped this story out and it is going to be a long one. I'm also working on other projects so I'm not sure how often I'll be posting but I'll try for at least once a week. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.