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: Not all shields look as we expected... Not all shields are physical...

Chapter Ten

24 Nor'Wind 1001

Of all the possible conversations I have had or prepared to have with the different soldiers under my command, I could honestly say that I never expected or planned to have the conversation in which I was currently involved. But then, I never expected to have someone quite so stubborn or...no, the defiant glare being leveled at me could not be described as anything other than the product of one of the most stubborn beings I had ever met. I half-wondered if this conversation would have been easier if I had brought it up the week before on Sixthday instead of waiting until after training on Thirdday with an audience of Cletus, Ardon, and Sherket, but the glare left me with my doubts...at least, she was less likely to actually attack me with witnesses, I hoped. I sighed and tried once again to persuade the stubborn woman to concede to the change in her training that I had decided on at the end of Yule, "Katerina, being stubborn will not change my decision. It is not as if I require you to do this every day of training, only for three days out of each week."

Katerina somehow managed to glare harder at me as she shook her head, "Three days or six, I do not care because I will not do it. I refuse."

She had been refusing for the last hour, much to Ardon's amusement as he had never seen anyone be that defiant to me who wasn't a friend from my colthood, such as Alithia. Sherket was also amused by the situation, though all three captains had the wisdom to stay quiet while I dealt with Katerina Alambiel. I folded my arms and stared down at the annoyingly stubborn woman standing before me. "Do you not spend an increasing amount of time each day with the Queens?" I waited until she gave a very grudging nod then continued in a very patient tone, "You will not always be wearing the clothes you are accustomed to fighting in, Katerina Alambiel. You spend enough time with the Queens that you may one day be wearing skirts or even a proper dress when you are required to fight. Therefore, you will wear skirts to training no less than three days a week."

I was hoping that I had finally phrased my reasoning in such a way that she could not argue any further without making herself sound ridiculous...something I had learned she rarely allowed herself to do during the course of a debate we had on the Sixthday before last. Her glare remained unchanged but Katerina Alambiel didn't say anything for several minutes, which I took as a sign that we were finally nearing the end of this ridiculous conversation. Then she placed her hands on her hips and gave me her most defiant glare yet as she asked, "And, if I still refuse, what exactly are you going to do about it, Oreius? Force me into a dress?"

Sherket sneezed and Ardon choked as they both struggled not to laugh while Cletus looked torn between amusement and worry that I would finally lose all patience with the stubborn pest who was actually tapping her foot at me. The cheeky little thing was definitely trying to push me into a reaction. Well, I had one, but I doubted it was the one she wanted to see. I raised an eyebrow at her and stroked my beard as I spoke in a deliberately thoughtful tone, "No, I don't suppose I would do that, Katerina Alambiel. My thoughts were more along the lines of enlisting the aid of Tuulea and Alithia should you continue to prove uncooperative. I am certain those two ladies would be more than happy to help in this matter, especially Tuulea."

The one difficulty Katerina had was that during the time I'd known her and over the course of our weekly talks I had learned that Tuulea and Alithia were the only beings in Narnia who came the closest to actually intimidating her into meek semi-submission...and I willingly used that information to my favor. She went completely still as soon as I mentioned Tuulea and then she tilted her head to the side as she tried to discover from my expression if I was serious. "You wouldn't do that." I didn't say a word but she clearly read my expression accurately as she started to fume, "Oooh, you would do that to me. And, you would probably think the entire thing was hilarious to boot. You are the most...ah, fine! I will show up for training in skirts three days a week and I suppose by skirts you are including dresses and not just tunic with a skirt, right? Of course, you are. Why? Because you, my friend, are evil!" I couldn't resist smirking as I recalled the last time she called me 'evil' she had also admitted to thinking I was a genius and she called me 'friend' even if she was trying to deliver an insult, which meant she wasn't really angry. Not to mention the fact of the matter was I had most certainly won this debate with Katerina Alambiel.

Katerina graced me with a glare as I smirked down at her, but then her expression calmed and she spoke in a serene tone, "I'm going to start a coup and you, Kentauri, will be the first to go." I would have been more concerned if she hadn't looked up with eyes alight with hidden laughter before she walked between myself and Ardon to reach the door of the armory.

I watched her go and then shook my head at the cheekiness she was displaying more and more as she relaxed her guard. I turned back to the three captains and thanked Aslan that Katerina Alambiel displayed enough prudence to make sure her audience was not composed of any who would have attacked her or caused other...difficulty...at hearing her words. Sherket and Ardon seemed content to enjoy the humor of the situation, Cletus, on the other hand, hesitantly asked a question in keeping with his inherent nature as a Faun to fuss and worry over every matter. "Are you certain she was speaking only in jest? Might she not have spoken those words as a warning? Might it not be prudent to make sure that she was not truly angry enough to lash out in such a manner?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the door Katerina Alambiel had just disappeared through, and then I turned back to Cletus. "No, that was not a true warning. If she were going to take such actions, we would not know until she had already begun."

Ardon chuckled, "Besides, Cletus, we have nothing to worry about since Katerina Alambiel was quite clear that the main target of such a coup would be Oreius."

I rolled my eyes before addressing Sherket who looked up at me with pure amusement in her amber gaze. "Sherket, if you would, please catch up with Katerina Alambiel and ensure that she doesn't get lost again. Last week she spent seven hours wandering the lower levels of the palace before she finally asked one of the guards for directions."

Sherket nodded as she leaped down from the weapons locker she had chosen for her perch when the discussion with Katerina Alambiel first began. "Of course, General, and I shall also make sure she is not truly angry with you." That was not what I had intended for her to do, but Sherket was a Cat and, more importantly, she was female.

"Cletus, tomorrow you will oversee Sir Edmund's training while I supervise a sparring match between Katerina Alambiel and Sir Peter." The Faun Captain looked at me in surprise but nodded silently before I dismissed him.

I looked at the wall where the Kings' swords and shields hung side by side and a short distance away from them hung Chrysaor, the Sword of Esti, as Ardon broke the silence. "You moved it up and by more than three months, why?"

"She is ready and I originally chose the timeframe for her training based on everything I didn't know at the time. Besides, I don't believe she would ever intentionally harm the Kings, if only because she cares too much for Queen Lucy to do so."

Ardon nodded thoughtfully then he gave me an amused look, "I noticed that you forced her to agree to come to training in skirts, but you said nothing to her about shoes."

I shook my head, "Ardon, if I had even breathed a single word to Katerina Alambiel about wearing something other than her boots for training, I would not have survived the conversation unscathed. Besides, even if Tuulea and the Queens manage to get her to wear something other than her boots, I do not think she would ever try to fight in them. She would probably take them off and throw them at the enemy before attacking." I could only hope that she never threw her shoes at me because I had seen her practice throwing her knives and her aim was near perfect.

Ardon chuckled, "That does sound like something she would do based on what I have seen."

Another reason I would never dream of trying to get Katerina to change her footwear for training came to mind, and I muttered. "Not to mention the fact that with her luck, if she were to wear something other than those boots to training, she would probably take one step into the training yard and somehow manage to break her leg."

Ardon laughed, "You really think she could manage that, Oreius?"

I rolled my eyes at him as I replied in a completely serious tone, "Ardon, she broke her arm with her own shield while wearing it. Of course, I think she could manage it, which is why I won't even suggest such an exercise."

Ardon looked amused, but he apparently couldn't think of anything to add other than to comment, "Training shall be interesting tomorrow."

I silently agreed with him as we left the armory together and then parted ways. I had some reports to look over before I joined Sherket in observing Katerina's afternoon lesson with Queen Lucy, but first I decided to see if there was something chocolate in the kitchens and to find a book that Katerina Alambiel hadn't read...just in case. However, I knew that even if she didn't follow through with her teasing threat about starting a coup, Katerina Alambiel would find a way to take her revenge on me for the adaptation to her training. I just didn't know for sure what way she would accomplish that goal.

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27 Nor'Wind 1001

I was impressed with the restraint Katerina Alambiel had shown for the two days immediately following the initial change to her training. So far, there had been no injuries, nothing had been thrown at me, the armory was still intact, and she hadn't started a coup. In fact, the most she had done was inform Queen Lucy that on the days when she had to wear skirts to training, she required Lucy to also wear skirts for her afternoon lessons...not that Queen Lucy minded. However, as soon as she looked me in the eyes when she arrived in the armory on Sixthday wearing a tunic and skirt, I knew that she was going to do something that morn and it would be either during training or immediately afterward.

It was when I called a brief halt to training that Katerina put whatever scheme she had settled on into action. I looked across the courtyard to see Katerina Alambiel was in deep conversation with Peter and Edmund. Cletus walked over to me and nodded to our three students, "They are planning something."

I smirked, "No, she has already planned something and is now merely informing Sir Wolfsbane and Sir How of their roles in her plan."

Cletus couldn't argue with my statement and I quickly informed him of a change to the training planned for the day before I called the three conspirators back to training. The brothers both glanced at Katerina Alambiel when I informed them of the change to their sparring partners before they prepared to spar against Cletus, which left Katerina and I to spar against each other. I was hoping to delay the inevitable for a few moments longer.

Katerina Alambiel was a natural with sword fighting and her skill had quickly progressed to the point where I had to work to keep her from scoring a hit against me during our spars. She still had not achieved the warrior's center, that place where natural skill and instinct mesh with training to become a single cohesive entity that turned the most mundane warrior into a formidable opponent and a formidable warrior into a nigh unstoppable force. That was something I intended to change as I had seen her achieve it once and I knew she could do it again...I just hadn't found the right way to push her yet.

Katerina dodged under my twin blades and lunged forward in an attempt to get inside my guard. I blocked her strike and caught the edge of Chrysaor with one blade while forcing her to jump over the other one. With a flick of the wrist, I sent Chrysaor flying out of her grasp then I brought both swords down in backhand swing that she avoided by leaping backward. I advanced, keeping Katerina from reaching her sword, and slashed both blades through the air towards her torso, which slid off a shield that had been thrust between Katerina and myself at the last moment before I 'killed' her. Katerina glanced over her shoulder to meet the gaze of Sir Peter Wolfsbane and smiled, "You cut it a little close, Peter."

Then, being the cheeky pest she was, Katerina Alambiel looked over the top of Peter's shield and stuck her tongue out at me before they both dodged around me in a dash to reach Chrysaor. I had to admit that Katerina had found a theoretically sound strategy, even though that wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked her to let other people serve as her shields. I quickly cut them off and landed a blow that clearly jarred Peter's shield arm. I expected Peter to fall back, leaving Katerina exposed, but instead she moved the three steps back in sync with her chosen shield bearer. I hid a grin as I forced them to turn enough that I could see Peter had clamped his sword hand around Katerina's belt so when they moved, it would be far more difficult for them to accidently loose each other. A clever tactic.

Katerina and Peter continued to move in unison as he defended with the shield and she attacked with the sword. I was more impressed than I would ever admit by how they managed to work together so smoothly and for more than a few moves, considering they only began sparring against each other three days beforehand and had never fought together. However, there was a reason I was the sword master and they were the students. I launched a series of hard hits against Peter's shield and parried every strike Katerina attempted with enough force that in a matter of minutes they were completely on the defensive as I steadily forced them back across the training yard. Katerina stumbled under the force of one hit and Peter automatically moved his hand from her belt to grab her around the waist. I took the advantage and slammed both of my swords hard against Peter's shield, which knocked both of them off their feet. I didn't give them the opportunity to regain their feet before I declared them both 'dead' and sheathed my swords as I waited for them to stand back up.

Katerina Alambiel rolled off Peter and brushed some snow off her skirt as she muttered, "I can't believe that actually worked."

I raised an eyebrow, but it was Edmund who asked the question that came to mind on the heels of such a statement. "What do you mean by that, Kat? It was your plan, shouldn't you have known if it worked or not?"

Katerina looked surprised for a moment and I knew she hadn't realized she had said anything aloud...another habit she seemed to have developed as she relaxed her guard. I continued to listen to the conversation even as I walked around the trio. "Oh, I knew it worked...in theory. I just hadn't had the chance to test it before today, and since we were sparring with Oreius, well, I didn't think we would last nearly so long as we did. Well done, Peter, by the way."

Peter laughed but didn't say anything as Edmund shook his head at Katerina, "You realize that you're insane, right, Kat? Who tests a theory on any Centaur, much less Oreius?" Cletus chuckled softly beside me and I smirked.

I already knew the answers to those questions, but I paused to hear Katerina's answer and looked over my shoulder in time to see her give an unconcerned shrug. "Well, I do, obviously. See, the way I figure it, if I test my theories on Oreius and they don't immediately fail, I am certain they will work long enough for me to survive any actual battles. And, sanity is relative."

I looked up at the clouds gathering overhead and prayed for a little more patience as it seemed Katerina Alambiel was going to act even less sane than usual. I dismissed them from training and lowered my gaze in time to see Katerina Alambiel pass me with a mischievous look in her eyes. I didn't know why she had that look, but I could only hope she wasn't planning something too outrageous or, if she was, that I would find out in time to keep her from getting herself into the kind of trouble she could not talk her way out of. The Kings followed her with King Edmund still shaking his head, "She's insane, Peter, completely insane. She's brilliant and an absolute brick, but she's also completely insane."

The High King laughed as he clapped his brother on the shoulder, "Ed, we have known our Katerina was insane since we heard how she tackled Werewolves when she didn't have so much as a knife on her. Besides, she holds that sanity is relative, are you going to tell her otherwise?"

I had to suppress the urge to laugh as King Edmund responded almost before his brother could finish his question, "By the Lion, no, Peter! Based on the way she fights, I want her to stay on our side and if she believes sanity is relative, that is perfectly all right with me so long as she stays on our side."

I wondered if King Edmund was a little worried that Katerina Alambiel was listening to their conversation, which she probably was, but I also agreed with the view that Katerina was someone whom it was safer to keep on our side of the battle lines. Of course, since she was constantly drawing her own personal battle lines in regards to pranks and other mischief, I supposed the best I could hope for was that she would stick to relatively harmless acts of revenge. In spite of the fact that I considered Katerina Alambiel a friend, I couldn't help being slightly suspicious when she left the armory as I entered and without a single teasing word or gesture. She had definitely planned something more elaborate than a twist to how she trained that morn; unfortunately, I had no idea what her plan involved until she set it in motion an hour before noon.

The Kings, Queen Lucy, and Katerina Alambiel had all gathered in a snowy clearing not even forty feet from the low hill where Katerina had turned a shield into a sled. I had placed myself among their guard for several reasons, not the least of which was the fact that I knew Katerina Alambiel was planning something. At the moment, all four Humans were engrossed in a quiet debate over something that appeared to be related to a deep snow bank framing the northern and western edges of the clearing, which Queen Lucy had already been fished out of by High King Peter and Katerina Alambiel. Ardon and Cletus were also among the guards keeping watch, but only Ardon and I were in a visible position as we had accompanied the four from the palace.

An impromptu snowball fight broke out between them after Queen Lucy threw a snowball that hit the High King directly in the face and the air was soon filled with the sound of the three Royals' laughter. I had lost track of Katerina Alambiel in the midst of it all, so I was...unprepared...for what happened next. I had been speaking to Ardon when he looked at the clearing and a look of disbelief crossed his face. I turned to see what had happened to cause that look and was instantly blinded as a snowball hit me. When I scraped the snow out of my eyes, I could see the Kings and Katerina Alambiel standing in the center of the clearing with wide-eyed looks. The look on my own face must have made it very clear as to how much I enjoyed being blinded by a snowball because the Kings decided to cut their losses and pointed to Katerina Alambiel who was standing between them.

She made a noise of protest at being sold-out, but I already knew that she had to have been the one to throw the snowball at me. Who else would it have been? All three of them began to cautiously inch backwards as I made my way over to one of the larger snow banks with Ardon shadowing me. I never hesitated before I scooped up a handful of snow, compacted it together, and then threw it at the one responsible for the last snowball. She ducked out of the way and it hit the High King in the back. The three looked at each other and I could easily see the grins spreading across their faces as they each made another snowball then threw them at Ardon and myself with each scoring a hit.

Ardon nodded to me and we both scooped up some more snow and quickly fashioned the handfuls into snowballs, which was the signal to everyone watching that a much larger snowball fight was underway than had originally been planned. It didn't take long before Queen Lucy charmed several of the Faun archers and some Nymphs into helping them. Cletus had joined Ardon and I, so it remained sword masters against students, but his true motivation for joining the game became clear after I saw him gently tackle the Nymph he fancied. I finally ended the snowball fight when I grabbed Katerina Alambiel and tossed her into the snow bank. Looking down at her as she floundered in the snow that came up to her waist, I finally leaned over and hauled her out of the mess. Hanging onto my forearm as she found her footing, Katerina glanced up and asked, "So, would you believe me if I told you that I was not the one who threw that snowball?"

I smirked, "No. Because your eyes give away the truth and you are far too pleased with yourself for someone who does not like to lose." She didn't answer just smiled before she dashed around me to join Queen Lucy as the Royals made their way back to the Cair. Ardon and I fell into step just behind them. We all ignored the curious looks we received as three Royals, their guest, a Captain, and the General of the Army trudged into the palace completely covered in snow and looking like we had picked a fight with a blizzard and lost.

That afternoon I had some urgent business to attend to, so Sherket alone observed Queen Lucy's afternoon lesson with Katerina Alambiel. It was about the ninth hour that night when I went to find Katerina in one of the solariums just off the library for our weekly talk. Entering the room, I was a little surprised when Katerina Alambiel completely ignored me even though she should have heard my hooves echo on the marble floor. Walking over to her, I saw that she was reading and apparently, she was completely immersed in the book since I was nearly on top of her and she still hadn't given any indication that she was aware of my presence. Contrary to what some might believe, I do have a sense of humor and will even indulge in pranks on occasion, especially on occasions that are too good to pass up. That night presented me with such an occasion, so I reached out and just barely touched Katerina on her shoulder. Her reaction was even better than I thought it would be as she not only jolted at the touch, but she leaped out of her chair with a strangled yelp and spun around with the book clutched to her chest. I was very amused by her reaction because she never started like that during training or at any other time when one might expect someone to be startled. She was not so amused and she let me know by throwing three pillows at my head as I stood there laughing. Our talk that night was highly entertaining as she groused about a Kentauri with no manners and I ignored her complaints, after all, I could tell that she didn't mean them based on the smile she couldn't successfully banish even when I beat her thrice at chess. When one is friends with someone as unpredictable as Katerina Alambiel it was an advantage to know that sneaking up on her was not only possible but essentially effortless, at least when she was caught up in whatever book she was reading. It was also the easiest way to even the score when she was up to more mischief than usual.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! So, this chapter is a little different in that it's completely from Oreius' POV, and don't worry Katerina will take back over the narration in the next chapter. All right, so since this chapter was so long and combined two planned elements, there are only three planned chapters left. So, if y'all have any requests for a specific scene you would like to see or POV you would like for the next chapter, let me know and I shall do my best to fulfill that request. Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter and what else you would like to see in future chapters!