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: "Life is a reflection of intent. Love reflects love. Hate reflects hate." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Can the reflection in the ocean waves be trusted?
A/N: If you have not read the first six stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, and Refracted), 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.
Chapter Three: Redhaven
8 Mayblossom 1008
"We're late."
"If Harbrace wanted us to arrive yesterday, he should have sent that invitation sooner. Besides, we're not late, we arrived before the wedding, didn't we?"
Queen Lucy chewed on her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder as she considered, and then nodded slowly. "Well, you do have a point. Still, you probably shouldn't say that to the governor when we meet him, Kat."
The Princess Royal laughed softly. "I really don't think Harbrace will try to protest our arrival. Tarrin, come here."
He started at having his name called since the Princess Royal was still facing away from him. But, he also knew better than to give her a chance to address him as one of Dame Sepphora's students since, as King Edmund had pointed out that morning, docking at Redhaven meant both General Oreius and the Princess Royal could easily sentence them to visiting the points of the compass. He hurried over to the railing, choosing the place on the Princess Royal's other side, opposite from Queen Lucy. "Yes, your highness?"
A distinctly pained look crossed her face before she sighed, "Tarrin, what have I told you about calling me that?"
"Don't or you'll find something high to hang me from by my feet?"
Queen Lucy giggled prettily while a smile tugged at the Princess Royal's lips. She shook her head. "Then why don't you find something else to call me? It's not as though you do not have a variety of options."
He glanced at Queen Lucy, who smiled, but the Princess Royal was the Princess Royal. "Yes, your highness, I mean, uh, Princess Alambiel, umm, no, I mean Lady Alambiel…Katerina, I mean-"
The Princess Royal covered his mouth, cutting off the humiliating mess of words. "If I gave you permission to address me as "Kat," you probably wouldn't do it, would you?"
He slowly shook his head. "No, it wouldn't be appropriate."
"And your father would probably have an apoplexy if you did…"
"Well…yes."
"Hmm, well, try to figure out something to call me. I don't care what, so long as it's not "your highness.""
Unable to think of any title that wouldn't result in his dangling in the air, Tarrin could only nod mutely. His reaction seemed to amuse the Princess Royal since she smirked and ruffled his hair before leaving, one of the Leopards trailing her as she went below. He sighed heavily, "What am I supposed to do now?"
Queen Lucy giggled then placed her slender hand atop his larger one, squeezing lightly. "Don't worry, Tarrin, Kat wouldn't be giving you such a hard time if she didn't like you." Her smile widened as she pointed to the shoreline, "We're almost there! Are you excited to be in the tournament, Tarrin? It will be your first, won't it?"
"Yes, your majesty. General Oreius and my father agreed I've reached a point in my training where it would be beneficial for me to participate in a tournament. Although, I probably won't place well this first time. Not when I'm going up against true veterans of the blade."
Queen Lucy squeezed his hand again, her smile somehow growing even brighter, as she cheerfully declared, "I'm certain you'll fight well during the tournament. I'll be sure to cheer for you too."
He could feel his ears burning as he ducked his head, bowing slightly. "Thank you, your majesty. I hope I'll live up to your expectations."
The sheer confidence in her tone as she replied was almost overwhelming and intimidating. "Oh you will."
Fortunately, the Gorilla sea captain's loud bellow for his crew to drop the anchors prevented him from having to come up with some sort of appropriate answer. Queen Lucy skipped off, her red skirts flaring behind her as she went below deck, calling for her brother. Tarrin didn't follow. Leaning against the railing, he watched the city of Redhaven rise above the port. He could see the city's four tiers of stone and wood buildings with the second and top tiers dominated by luscious and colorful plants climbing high against the azure sky…the legendary Floating Gardens of Redhaven. Peering at them, they did seem to be floating, almost as though they were plant-covered clouds hanging low over the upper tiers of the city. He wondered how the architects had managed to create such an illusion. Maybe the original plans were stored in the library where he could examine them.
There was one oddity among the elegantly laid out buildings. On the third level, there was a hole, almost as though a building had been torn down, and in the middle of the empty space stood a stone stele. Tarrin looked around for someone who wasn't busy, finally settling on Lieutenant Lonn. The Faun was leaning on his spear when Tarrin approached him. "Lieutenant Lonn, what is that stele for? It seems out of place."
The Faun ran a hand through his shaggy brown curls, scratching at the base of his horns. "That, Peridanson, is best answered by the inscription carved into its surface. You will be able to get a better look at it when we travel to the governor's palace." He nodded to where several of the sailors were lowering the gangplank. "It's time to depart now."
Tarrin opened his mouth to protest that they had to wait on King Edmund and Queen Lucy, but then the royal siblings emerged onto the deck, their silver crowns gleaming in the sunlight, as the Princess Royal and General Oreius followed in their wake. The Princess Royal waved him over. "Are you ready, Tarrin?"
"Yes, My Lady."
She arched an eyebrow at his response but said nothing as they walked down the gangplank. A party of finely dressed lords and ladies waited on the dock. The oldest man stepped forward, his thinning gray hair neatly arranged to give an illusion of thickness (much like Tarrin's maternal grandfather was wont to do) and his paunch strained the fabric of his dark green tunic as much as his broad shoulders. He bowed, the jeweled chain of office about his shoulders glinting as it swayed away from his body. "On behalf of the people of the Seven Isles and my son, I welcome Your Majesties."
King Edmund nodded regally. "We are most honored to have received the invitation, Governor Harbrace."
Stepping forward with her hands outstretched in greeting, Queen Lucy added brightly, "We do apologize for arriving a day late, Governor."
Governor Harbrace took her hands in his, smiling. "A day makes no difference, my dear Queen Lucy. You and your royal brother have arrived before the wedding." He waved forward a redheaded young lady, who was rather plain but her green eyes were kind. She was probably the same age as King Edmund, seventeen, or no more than eighteen. Tarrin wondered if she was the Governor's daughter (though he had only heard the Four speak of the Governor's son), but then Governor Harbrace smiled. "Your Majesties, may I present my lady wife, Rhonwen, formerly of Galma."
The lady curtsied, offering a broad smile, whispering a few words of greeting. Tarrin was somewhat shocked at the youthfulness of the Governor's wife since the Governor himself was a man who was over a decade older than King Lune, putting him in his fifties or sixties. Queen Lucy greeted the lady then smiled. "I didn't know you had remarried, Governor Harbrace. Did we miss an announcement?"
Governor Harbrace chuckled, "No, no, my queen, we wed only this past Snowbrice and the seas were so temperamental that it was deemed uncourteous to expect many guests, especially since my lady's ship nearly went down on her way to Brenn. Aslan be praised, that did not happen. Nevertheless, the same storms made it difficult to send out many announcements. Then, I am ashamed to say, I forgot about sending the announcements concerning my wedding as Dornford's nuptials came closer. However, my lady has been kind enough to forgive my oversight."
At the Governor's bidding, a gangly young man with a large hooked nose that was almost too big for his thin face and large ears that half-jutted out from his head stepped forward and bowed. He was the groom. The Governor's only son, Dornford, was a little older than King Peter. He flushed a rather motley shade of red when his voice cracked on Queen Lucy's name, but he seemed to calm when a very pretty brunette who looked a little younger than Lady Rhonwen, probably sixteen, stepped up and slipped her hand into his. Governor Harbrace once again made the introductions. "And this is the lucky lass who is marrying my son, Lady Godiva of Muil."
At long last, the introductions finished and then they began the climb up to the governor's palace. Tarrin watched the stone stele loom closer and closer until finally they drew even with it. Reading the inscription, he caught his breath as he realized this was the house that the Princess Royal had ordered razed a little over two years ago. The rubble was disconcerting, but it was also intimidating. After all, if the Princess Royal was willing to raze a building and forbid the place from ever being rebuilt or reused, then what might she and the rest of Narnia do to other enemies. He understood now why the city of Redhaven seemed scarred by the absence of the building that had once stood there…it matched the scar that the atrocities committed left on the victims and the soul of the people of Redhaven. After all, as his father often said, evil deeds leave scars even on those who pretend not to see the evil in their midst.
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"Ow! Romulus!"
Lucy slapped her hand over her mouth to keep the giggles from bubbling out as she opened her door in time to see one of the Wolf twins wag his tail tentatively while sticking his nose in Edmund's face. "I'm Remus, King Edmund."
Her brother glared from where he was sprawled on the floor and snapped, "You're a menace! The both of you!"
She raised her hand to interfere. After all, she knew Edmund didn't really dislike the Wolves. As the Wolf pup's head and tail drooped, Edmund heaved a sigh. "Just…be more careful about lying in front of the door, all right, Remus?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Standing up, Edmund brushed off his formal silver tunic then frowned. "Where is Romulus?"
Lucy had to clap her hand over her mouth again to keep from giggling when Romulus crawled out from behind a tapestry. "Here I am, King Edmund!" The Wolf pup wagged his tail as he nudged Edmund's crown with his nose. "And here's your crown."
Rolling his eyes, her brother picked his crown up and put it back on before gracing the Greyback Twins with a stern look. "You two will be circumspect tonight, all right? Don't carry anyone's food, especially mine, in your mouths. Don't bite each other or start chasing each other's tails all willy-nilly. And remember, dinner knives are-"
"Not an attack on your person unless the knife is actually coming toward you and not the food beside or in front of you." The Wolf twins gave him big doggy smiles after they finished.
Then one of them, she was fairly certain it was Remus, who asked, "But can we still growl at anyone who gets too close to your person, King Edmund?"
"No, you can give them a warning look, but no growling unless it's absolutely necessary."
"How will we know it's absolutely necessary?"
"I'll tell you." Lucy giggled, earning her brother's attention. He huffed as he walked over to join her, leaving the Greyback brothers to trail behind him. "Why did Peter do this to me?"
She giggled again as she looped her arm through his. "He said it's to teach you patience. Now come on, we're going to be late for the feast."
Edmund grumbled, "I am patient, I'm a judge, after all. He just did this to me because he decided that I should have even more trials with a pair of overenthusiastic amateurs than he does with his Tigers, a pair of over-efficient professionals who never let him get away with anything. And he doesn't know how to say 'no' to those who use their eyes to their advantage."
"Something the two of you are well-known for using to your own advantage, Edmund."
Lucy grinned at Kat. "Edmund's just sore that he didn't think of a personal guard before Peter could give away the position for him."
"I didn't think of it because I didn't think I needed one."
Kat laughed, "You should consider yourself fortunate to have escaped an even more inconvenient or at least not very subtle guard. Would you like a list of what could have been?"
A faint smirk appeared as Edmund shook his head slowly. "No, thank you, Kat. I think I'll just take your word for it."
"Spoilsport." Kat toyed with the silver and amethyst pendant. No one had been able to get her to confirm whether the elegantly understated necklace and matching earrings were a gift from a suitor. But, Lucy liked to think that maybe it was a gift from their preferred suitor for Kat…now if only she could find a way to make sure Kat noticed Oreius as more than just her friend. Or, as Susan had mentioned before they left Cair Paravel, maybe she needed to focus her efforts on getting Oreius to notice Kat's various good points for being a future wife and mother. Of course, they had been trying to subtly push Kat and Oreius into noticing each other as more than just friends for seven months now and there was very little visible progress.
She glanced at Kat again. "Where's your crown, Kat?"
"I'm fairly certain it's in its case."
"You didn't bring it, did you?"
"No."
"Why?"
Kat gave a little half-shrug as she ran her thumb over her pendant again. "It's an heirloom and I didn't want to risk Murphy. Besides, I didn't particularly feel like I needed to have it."
"Kat…" Lucy couldn't hold back her smile as she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "You do know that you're here as the Princess Royal, don't you?"
A mischievous glint appeared in the older woman's eyes as she retorted, "Bite your tongue."
Edmund just shook his head. "This, Kat, is why Stonebrook doesn't want you to go on diplomatic journeys by yourself anymore."
"Really? I thought it was a combination of the Fyren affair and that little mishap known as Veri."
"You forgot Telmar."
"No, I purposely left Telmar out because that fine sampling of Murphy is why Peter and Oreius aren't allowed to go off on diplomatic journeys by themselves anymore." Kat winked at them as the General snorted. Then, as they finally drew close to the gardens where the feast was being held, she leaned toward them and whispered, "Besides, I make Redhaven put its collective best foot forward even without being very obvious about my rank as the Princess Royal."
Lucy looked at Edmund and shrugged. "She has a point, Edmund."
"I can't decide whether that's unfortunate or not."
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Katerina tried her best not to show how bored she was with the idiot nobleman who was attempting to monopolize her time. He continued droning on about…she briefly tuned back in to what he was saying…he was still droning on about his lands and the peculiarities of sheep. Lion preserve her. Sipping her wine, she caught Oreius looking at her from where he reclined on the same sort of Greco-Roman chaise lounges that Centaurs usually had as their furniture. Of course, to accommodate the fact that everyone else was sitting in chairs and so Oreius could gain his feet easily, the couch was turned lengthwise with the raised cushion facing the table. She wondered where they had scrounged the couch up. Then again, maybe he was just wondering if he'd have a better view of the room if he had declined the Governor's request for him to join in the feast. A quick glance to her right proved that Lucy was in deep conversation with the bride-to-be while Edmund was listening to Governor Harbrace discussing something, probably involving laws or the tournament. Glancing back at the Kentauri, she smiled slightly over her goblet.
It was subtle, but Oreius' entire demeanor shifted as his mouth twitched into the slightest of smiles. And now, my Kentauri looks like he might not immediately snap whoever dares to talk to him like a twig…or a log. And the three ladies to his right were quick to take notice. Katerina bit her lip, trying not to laugh as the lady closest to Oreius, a grand old dame who looked like she might swoon at any moment, actually touched the Kentauri's elbow and slid her fingers up to stop just shy of his bicep. The conversations taking place around the table prevented her from hearing what the lady said but the look on Oreius' face said plenty. The poor Kentauri looked outright scandalized. Now she was very curious as to what the old dame said.
The lady next to her tsked then leaned toward her, whispering, "Has the General a wife waiting for his return in Narnia?"
Katerina glanced at the matronly countess (the nobleman on her left was still droning on about peculiar sheep), wondering what question she was warming up to, but obliged her quest for information. "No, he does not."
"Shame, the old bat would leave him alone if he were able to make a reference to a wife he adores." The countess shook her head, the rubies in her silver hair catching the candlelight, as she waved a slender ring-bedecked hand in an all-encompassing gesture. "Of all the unattached men here and she is seated by a General. That woman will be intolerable until the next time she sits by someone she hasn't tried to snare."
I cannot and should not laugh. Katerina glanced again at where the grand old dame was speaking to Oreius, who still looked scandalized. What was she saying to make the Kentauri lose his composure enough to look so very scandalized? She didn't care for gossip, but now she was curious. "She causes consternation in male guests often?"
The countess shook her head again. "The Lady Octavia was incorrigible even before her husband died and apparently his status of baron wasn't good enough for her. One man was so afraid of her advances that he interrupted a formal dinner with several ambassadors in attendance to propose to a sweetheart of his. Fortunately, the girl accepted. I don't suppose the General would be inclined to such a stunt, would he? It would at least make things exciting."
Katerina laughed, startling the nobleman with the sheep obsession into silence. She couldn't help it. I rather doubt any of the battle plans he's been drawing up for a proposal involve being an escape plan from a brazen dowager baroness. "I'm afraid it is highly unlikely for him to be so inclined. Although, I must agree it would make things exciting or at least extremely entertaining." And, I would never let him live it down.
The countess laughed, it was a nice deep-throated laugh, and patted her arm. "You are my kind of royal, dear. Not too caught up in trying to snare an alliance to have a sense of humor."
"I believe a sense of humor is what makes the boring obligations in life more…enjoyable."
The countess laughed again. The nobleman resumed his mind-numbing speech about the peculiarities of sheep. Katerina rolled her eyes then let the countess pull her into a conversation regarding past "excitement" at the feasts…apparently the Lady Octavia was at the center of quite a bit of it. She glanced at Oreius who was still the reluctant and mortified recipient of the grand old dame's attention. Hmm, maybe he will propose to make her go away… Nah. He'll just suffer stoically since he has been unsuccessful in dissuading her attentions.
The speed with which Oreius managed to rise and promptly busy himself with speaking rather sternly to Lieutenant Lonn was impressive. Katerina bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the look of affront and disappointment on the Lady Octavia's face. The countess leaned toward her and whispered, "The old bat hates to be foiled. Best warn the General so he can avoid her at future events. Tomorrow is the wedding and that will mean dancing."
Katerina barely kept from snickering as she nodded. By the time Edmund and Lucy were safely on their way to the wing assigned to their party, Oreius had vanished. He must have been just a tad desperate to get away if he was willing to leave Lonn completely in charge of their safekeeping. She sidled up to the Faun Lieutenant. "Where did he go?"
Lonn gave her an amused look. "The General went to find some place to watch the stars in peace, your highness."
"Don't call me that. Did he say anything else?"
"No, your highness." Lonn's mouth twitched in the barest flicker of a smile. "He certainly said nothing about the, ahem, conversation with the grand old dame who took such an interest in his company."
Katerina ducked her head, shoulders quivering, as she struggled to keep from bursting out laughing. She cleared her throat. "Ahem. For your own sake, Lonn, don't mention any of that in your report of the evening."
"I desire to live long enough to become a father, your highness."
"You haven't even settled down with a nice Nymph yet."
Lonn grinned. "All the more reason to avoid mentioning that conversation or this conversation in my report, your highness."
She snickered, "I knew I liked you for a reason. And, don't call me that." Taking her leave, Katerina searched out the nearest garden. The larger gardens buffering the governor's palace had been commandeered for the wedding tomorrow, but there was a smaller garden where the Kentauri would probably be. Stealing into the garden, she crept up behind the Kentauri who had resolutely fixed his attention on the stars overhead. Glancing around she made sure there was no one about to see what she was about to do (because Oreius would never forgive her if she ever did this with an audience), then she stretched out a hand and gently yanked on his tail.
He whirled around, glaring. If they had been closer to any solid objects, he would have pinned her against it…or maybe he didn't pin her because he was worried it wasn't her. The thought made her giggle as she raised a hand and wiggled her fingers. "Hi. Aren't you glad I'm not the grand old dame who took such a shine to you at the feast?"
Oreius glared. "Is that why you were laughing?"
"Nope. I was laughing because the countess seated next to me called her an old bat and wondered if you had the escape clause of a wife or if you'd liven up the evening by proposing to a sweetheart." She grinned as she brushed some white and blonde strands of hair out of her face. "But I assured her it was highly unlikely that you'd entertain us in such a way."
The Kentauri snorted. "I do not understand why you find such things amusing."
"The look on your face, for one thing." She grinned and poked him in the arm. "What'd she say?"
"Who?"
"Who? Oreius, the Lady Octavia who made you look more scandalized than I have ever seen you look before, what'd she say?"
Oreius shook his head, the night shadows dappling his face making it difficult to read his expression. "No."
"No?" Katerina considered then brightened. "I promise to be completely outraged and scandalized on your behalf. What'd she say?"
He shook his head again, only he definitely looked as though he were remembering his sense of humor. But just when she thought he might consider telling her, a woman's high-pitched giggle carried to them as a man and woman stumbled into the garden, heading for the arbor a scant three feet from where they were standing. Katerina blinked as the couple stumbled right past them, too lip-locked to pay any attention to whoever might be in the garden already. Oh, wow, too much PDA, time to leave. Oreius' large hand cupped her elbow as they started walking as quickly as possible without actually running away from the garden. "I will escort you to your room."
"How kind of you." Waiting until they had nearly reached her room, she glanced at him again. "What'd she say?"
Oreius released her elbow and gave her one of his patented I'm-the-General-and-I'm-not-amused looks. He bowed his head, "Good night, Your Highness."
"Hey!" He just turned away, flicking his tail against his flank. Spoilsport. "Oh come on, Oreius! You know you're going to tell me eventually. If you tell me now, I won't laugh…much." The only answer was the muffled beat of his hooves against the rugs as he went back up the hall. Katerina looked at Minala, "You'd think he'd realize by now that ignoring me is not going to dissuade me from bugging him." The Kinkajou looked up from the fig she was clutching between her paws and chuckled. At least, I'll have something to entertain me during all the boring diplomatic wedding-related stuff.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! The details of Kat's most infamous venture in Redhaven, which she referred to as the Fyren Affair, is detailed in Zeal to Protect and the "little mishap known as Veri" is detailed in ALitD: Rekindled. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.
