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 Twenty-Eight: Comprehension
3 Fairdawn 1008
"The Princess Royal has sequestered herself in her quarters, General. She says she is busy writing reports and will accept visits when they are done and not a moment before."
Oreius hid a frown. He had been attempting to speak with Alambiel since they had returned to Cair Paravel. Only now, on this third day, did she deign to send an explanation for her refusal to see him. "She is turning away everyone, Jaspar?"
The Ferret bobbed his head. "Ptah reports that he has been ordered to turn away everyone, even their majesties and yourself, General."
"Very well. Wait a moment." Though he had not intended to inform her in this manner, it seemed he had no alternative. He kept the missive short. She would no doubt seek him out to discuss it further. "Do not leave until the Princess Royal gives you her reply."
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The quill hovered over the inkwell. It's not very mature of you to hide behind paperwork of all things to avoid talking to Oreius. Katerina made a face at the last page of her report. So, I'm a coward for trying to put off the inevitable death of the courtship talk. I'm also holding full conversations with my conscience…I do believe I spent too much time with Dalzeel. Shaking her head, she dipped the quill then carefully wrote out the final paragraph.
Of course, there was a chance, a small one, but still a chance that she might be able to talk some sense into Oreius. Give him enough appropriate perspective to see that it would be silly and unnecessarily painful to break off their courtship over a single incident. That was the other reason she had kept busy even after the cordial saved Tarrin and he was no longer in need of her constant care. She needed time to think, to plan a way to convince Oreius that their courtship was not the cause of the trouble with Circe…without giving in to the overwhelming urge to stab him or hit him over the head with a heavy object. Of course, if he was determined to end things between them, there wasn't much she could do and maintain her dignity.
She hesitated then grabbed some fresh parchment. She would just ask him to come talk to her in the garden. Surely, he would and then they could work this out. Katerina had just touched the quill to parchment when a knock sounded. "Enter."
A large albino Ferret scurried in then climbed onto her desk. He twitched his nose as he pulled a sealed note out of his messenger bag and handed it to her. "An urgent message from the General. He commanded me to await your reply, your highness."
"Don't call me that," Katerina muttered. Opening the note, she had to take a moment to remind herself that she could not react, not with Jaspar watching.
Alambiel,
I must warn you that I can find no alternative than to admit to the High King that my preoccupation with our courtship was at fault in regards to my lapse concerning the protection of their majesties, the Just and the Valiant. I shall be informing him of this fact when I give my personal accounting tomorrow morn.
Oreius
He still…he still blamed their courtship. To conceal her churning emotions, Katerina carefully folded the note and set it aside where Jaspar could not see it. She congratulated herself on neither ripping the note to shreds nor trembling as she took up her own quill. She would not ask him to meet her, no. If he still blamed their courtship… No, she would not offer the olive branch, but she would make sure General Oreius the Oblivious knew that she had had quite enough of this whole fiasco and his attitude.
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Do as you will. It is of no matter to me.
Oreius stared at Alambiel's note. But the words did not change, just as they had not over the last two hours. This was not the response he had expected. Of course, their courtship mattered to her or it should. What had…? He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Their argument in Redhaven.
He should have seen it, would have seen it if he had been paying the least bit of attention to how perfectly she had adhered to protocol, how she had not addressed him personally after he told her… Oh Aslan, he was a fool. Now, now that he was not focused on finding his foals, he could recall clearly every wince, every shadow of hurt in his Alambiel's eyes during that argument and the day after when he had refused to listen to her before she retreated from him. And when he had all but accused her of doing naught to aid in the search… Oreius shook his head. He had caused her to raise her old defenses.
Crumpling the note, he considered going to her immediately to set this right. However, if she believed he did not care, it would take more than a quick exchange of words to amend the rift he had inadvertently opened between them. And no note or letter would suffice, not for this. He knew Alambiel would need to see the truth in his eyes if she were to truly believe that he had not intended for her to feel it necessary to withdraw from him. As soon as he finished making his report to the High King on the morrow, he would seek her out and make amends.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Well, here's a moment you've all been waiting for, yes? Only one chapter and the epilogue left in this story. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.
