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: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Twenty: Confrontation

Katerina Alambiel could not believe she had just been trapped in the same room as the insane lunatic who had just tried to kill her and Lucy. It was a good thing she didn't believe in luck because hers was absolutely horrible. She glanced over her shoulder to see Oreius watching through the bars of the gate, he nodded when he realized she was looking at him, and she tightened her grip on Esti's sword. If God was willing, she would get through this alive and preferably whole. She turned her attention back to Jannes who was holding a sword in his good hand, but he still hadn't moved from his spot next to the lever.

Maybe she could distract him enough that she could reverse the lever and allow Oreius into the room where he could defeat the sorcerer. She raised the sword and dropped into a fighting stance as Jannes slowly started to move toward her. He cackled then hissed at her, "You are pathetic, Katerina Alambiel. You fight for people who will gladly execute you tomorrow in spite of your actions here today. Why?"

She never took her eyes off him as she answered, "Because I believe in doing the right thing all the time, even when it probably won't end well for me. I will do the right thing even if it will cost me my life."

Jannes sneered at her, "Foolish girl, you want to die?"

"No. I don't want to die, but unlike you, Jannes, I am not afraid of dying. So, I will gladly lay down my life for the sake of others."

Jannes lunged at her left, forcing Katerina to counter with a hasty overhand block. He broke off his attack and they circled each other, waiting for the other to make a mistake. Jannes shook his head in disbelief as Katerina continued to force her battered and wounded body to match him move for move. "You are a fool. You could have lived forever as my servant, but you never realized what I was offering you, did you? So many times, I entered your dreams and offered my hand to you, but you always ran or hid from me. I know what it is like to have phantom pains, Katerina Alambiel, and I could have taken it all away but you are so stubborn about joining me in my quest for immortality."

She was almost to the lever. All she needed to do was distract him a little longer. Katerina scoffed, "You're the real fool, Jannes. The road you're on will not lead to anything but eternal darkness and pain. I would rather live one short life full of pain I must endure temporarily and end my days experiencing the true immortality granted in Aslan's country than join in a quest born of such hopelessness and fear. I pity you, Jannes, that you are so afraid of death as to resort to committing these depraved acts in a vain attempt to achieve immortality."

Jannes screamed in fury at her words and rushed at her with his sword level with her chest. Katerina blocked his charge, but then her boot slipped on a slick stone and she fell back against one of the columns. Jannes gazed down at her in triumph and he plunged his sword down only to have it skid across the stones when Katerina rolled to her right. Gripping Esti's sword in her right hand, Katerina Alambiel raced over to the lever with Jannes right behind her. She threw it and the metal gates slowly retreated into the ceiling. Oreius gave a sudden shout, "Behind you! Sword up!" She automatically whirled around raising the sword at the same time and came face to face with Jannes. He looked down in disbelief and she followed his gaze to see that he had run himself onto her sword when he tried to attack. Oreius entered the room and crossed the distance between them as Jannes stared at Katerina and whispered, "Esti." The sorcerer who called himself Jannes the Great slumped to the ground and the weight of his body caused him to slide off the blade and land in a crumpled heap before Katerina Alambiel's feet.

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

A/N: So, that's the end of Jannes. Please read and review! And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!