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: After almost a year of conflict in both the North and the South, Narnia's borders are secured once more. Hope brightens as Narnia prepares for a year of peace. Yet, when shadows from the past threaten, will the light be smothered or shine all the brighter?
A/N: If you have not read the first eleven stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, Veiled, Unveiled, Eclipsed, and Obscured), 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 Twenty-Six: Of Presents
1 Quickening 1014
That blasted Wolf was going to be the death of him! Edmund scowled at Romulus. "What do you mean you can't find Remus?"
The Wolf wagged his tail tentatively, yellow eyes pleading. "He ran through the Queens' ladies again and I lost him because Queen Susan saw me and she growled at me. I think she's going to bite Remus next time she sees him."
Edmund ran a hand through his hair, groaning. "If Su catches him misbehaving again, Remus will be lucky if she only bites him. Blast it all!" Where could Remus have gone off to this time? Oh Lion, please don't be bothering William again. Please!
He looked down at Romulus who wagged his tail eagerly. Edmund almost smiled at him. "Go down to the docks and see if you can find Remus down there. Also check the beaches."
"And, the Badger's den, King Edmund?"
"Is Remus still bothering Sophocles?"
Romulus flattened his ears slightly and stopped wagging his tail. "Only sometimes. When he's being very suspicious. That's when we follow him around and make sure he's not spying."
Edmund opened his mouth and then closed it. No, he didn't want to know. Especially if both Greybacks were involved. He waved his hand. "Just go and be quick about it."
He watched the Wolf race off and then reluctantly resumed his own search. When he got his hands on Remus, he was going to tie a bell to the pup! If he didn't strangle him first, that is. Lion give him patience, but why did Remus have to find so much trouble all the time? Peter did this. It was definitely his lummox of a brother's fault.
Edmund's steps slowed when he reached the crossroad where one hall would lead him up to the Royal Wing and the other would eventually take him to the conservatory. He glanced up the hall and then promptly strode in the opposite direction. He would rather see if Remus was digging in the conservatory than go poking around the Royal Wing when William was supposed to be napping.
His attempt to subtly search out Remus almost failed when he turned a corner and had to stop short to keep from running into Oreius. The Centaur General arched an eyebrow. "You seem to be searching for someone, Your Majesty."
"Not at all, General. I'm just going to fetch Remus so we can go hunting." Edmund glanced at the Leopard standing next to the General. The Big Cat bowed his head, the chunk missing out of one ear seeming more prominent than usual. Edmund almost asked why Oreius had Sobek with him. Normally the Leopard was attached to the Royal Guard under Captain Ardon's command and he customarily only took the watches that consisted of the outer circle of the Royal Guard. But Oreius was probably using the Leopard in his next scheme to torture him and Peter (not that the Centaur would ever admit to scheming…or torture). "Good day, General."
He hurried off before Oreius could assign him to visit the points of the compass or some other form of exhausting physical discipline. In spite of having to take a detour in order to avoid a group of Archenlandish ladies including the Lady Adele, Edmund counted himself fortunate to have made to it all the way to the conservatory without being summoned to make apologies for his Wolves again. He shook his head in silent amusement. How ironic was it that he, the most diplomatic of the Four, was stuck with two guards who were among the worst for diplomacy or just good manners in general once they got excited?
Edmund entered the conservatory. There wasn't an immediate path of destruction so perhaps Remus would actually avoid being lectured being covered in dirt and the remnants of any and all flowers that fell beneath his digging attack. Maybe digging wasn't as appealing when the Wolf couldn't fling dirt on any innocent bystanders like, say, the female members of diplomatic parties who then shrieked like they had been stabbed or received some other serious hurt beyond their "ruined" dresses.
A happy bark caught his attention. He instinctively braced himself for Remus' launch at him but no Wolf appeared to tackle him. That was…odd. Following the sounds of Remus' happy barks mixed with questions he couldn't quite make out, Edmund ventured into the area of the conservatory devoted to roses of every color and size. He stopped just shy of rounding the corner that would lead him into the little pavilion surrounded by arbors covered in climbing roses. A familiar redhead sat on one of the benches, a basket of cut roses beside her, and a large grey Wolf sitting at her feet. Edmund almost called for Remus but then he paused as he realized that while Raisa's cheeks were pinked, she was not attempting to shoo the Wolf away.
"Why wouldn't frogs be a good present? They're fun to chase. I like chasing frogs and I'm good at catching them too. Better than Romulus."
Edmund almost groaned but Raisa only smiled as she worked on the snipped roses she was plucking from her basket. She shook her head gently. "Oh Remus! Frogs might be a very nice present for Wolf puppies but they are distinctly inappropriate for Human babies."
Remus cocked his head. "How come? And why did the High King's mate have Sekhmet chase me all the way out of the palace? I was just trying to help. Puppies love frogs. Her puppy wouldn't cry if he could chase frogs."
Oh sweet Lion, what in the worlds had Remus done now? Edmund shuddered at the picture forming in his mind. If Remus had tried to give William a frog… Or, worse, actually put the frog in the crib with the baby… Oh Aslan, what did he do to deserve such a Wolf? Susan would no doubt lecture him on Remus' behavior (like he'd had any luck at all in making Remus remember all the rules on manners he'd tried to teach the Greyback twins since Peter first gave them to him). And Thalia wouldn't lecture. No it would be worse because the Beech Nymph would merely react with quiet censure and disappointment that he failed to keep Remus from bothering her baby again. Even Peter, his lummox of a big brother, would be likely to fuss about this present.
Raisa's soft voice pulled his attention away from the imagined scolding. She was still weaving her roses together as she addressed Remus with a little smile. "Well, I imagine that the Princess Consort was upset because she felt the frog would be a danger to her baby."
"A frog," the Wolf sneered. "Frogs are for chasing and eating too. They're not dangerous. Not even Talking Frogs are dangerous."
"But they are very dirty, aren't they?"
Now the Wolf nodded happily, pink tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, as he wagged his tail. "I caught one that was covered in mud and slime. That way the puppy's bites would slide off and she wouldn't have to worry about him eating it. And then I put it in the puppy's special small den…the, uh, the cradle!"
Thalia might actually kill him this time. Or Susan would do it for her. Edmund covered his face with both hands torn between amusement and disbelief. Lowering his hands to look at the unusual pair again, he couldn't help noticing the way Raisa bit her bottom lip. Was she fighting laughter or merely wondering how to escape the conversation without being impolite? He had noticed that she did everything politely if she could (except the one time he caught her scolding her brothers). Raisa wove another rose into her garland, her cheeks still pink, as she gazed down at her task. "I… Well, I'm sure you meant well, Remus. However, I think those details are what contributed to the Princess Consort's wrath. She doesn't want her puppy to be messy and-"
"Will you have me chased away too when I come to see your puppies, Lady Raisa?"
The garland of roses fell limply into her lap as she stared at the Wolf. Edmund grimaced. He took half a step forward to intervene when Raisa straightened her shoulders. "I have every confidence, Remus, that you would be the perfect example of fine Wolfish manners to be had in all Narnia if you came to see my puppies." Then, she leaned forward to kiss his nose. "Here, you should wear this." She slipped the garland of roses over Remus' head until they settled around the Wolf's shoulders and chest. His tail was wagging so hard that his entire body was shaking. Raisa smiled at him. "You should probably go find King Edmund now. I'm sure he's looking for you and I don't want you to get into any more trouble today."
Remus gave a little yip. "Alpha's just there." He jabbed a paw toward where Edmund now stood in the path leading to the pavilion. Raisa's eyes widened and the color drained from her cheeks. But, before either of them could say anything, Remus had to open his mouth. "I knew he was there all this time. But I like talking to you, especially since you're my Alpha's mate," he informed the poor girl happily.
Edmund felt his face heating even as Raisa blushed as red as the hair on her head. Edmund glared at the Wolf as he strode into the pavilion. "Remus! How many times have I told you not to say things like that? You're not allowed to talk about mates."
Remus ducked his head, yellow eyes sorrowful. "I'm sorry. It was on accident."
Edmund forced himself to turn to Raisa. He bowed his head, praying for his cheeks to cool. "I apologize for Remus' careless words, Lady Raisa. He truly means no harm, although his manners leave much to be desired at times."
"It's nothing," she squeaked. "Pray excuse me, Your Majesty."
He took a step back and she fled, leaving her basket of roses behind. Edmund groaned as he watched her stop mid-flight in order to turn and flee down a different path as Romulus came barreling toward them. The Wolf sniffed at his twin. "What are those?"
Remus stood as stately as he could to show off the rose garland. "Alpha's mate made it for me. She likes me better than you."
"She does not."
"She does."
"She does not."
"She does."
"Does not."
"Does."
"Does not."
"Does."
"Does-"
"Enough!" Edmund snapped. Oh how he wanted to shake them both or even better send them off to Cauldron Pool for a long duty assignment. "Come on, we're going hunting."
The Wolves yipped happily, already forgetting his irritation with them. Romulus raced off to find Philip but Remus lingered. He licked Edmund's fingers. "Alpha?"
Aslan help him, but he couldn't stay cross with the Wolf, problem though he could be. "Yes, Remus?"
"Could you put Lady Raisa's roses in your den? She gave them to me and I don't want to muss them. Then maybe I can wear them when we get back and she'll like seeing me wear them."
The request was so unexpected that Edmund had to chuckle. He buried his fingers in the Wolf's thick fur. "All right, we can do that. Come on."
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A/N: Please Read and Review!