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 Thirty-Five: First Loss

The bells were pealing the warning and soldiers were rushing in all directions, moving civilians to more sheltered areas of the Cair, searching for the assassin, and-

"Fire! Fire in the southern woods!"

Oreius was forced to break off his intended search for Alambiel to address the newest threat. Already smoke darkened the southern sky. Redirecting soldiers to fight the fire and sending Gryphons to fill leather tarps used for moving supplies with water, all while the sense of unease continued to grow. Something was not right. It was as if… It was a diversion.

Finally making his way to the gates, Oreius' heart sank when he spied Neith arguing with one of the soldiers guarding the main gate. No, she should have been to Alambiel by now. A snapped order had the soldiers leaping to open the gates once more. Stormwind was the only one still with him. Firemoon's captain had summoned him to aid in fighting the fires and Ardon was leading the hunt for the would-be assassin. But Oreius didn't stop long enough to allow further doubts to whisper in his ears. Two Centaurs and a Leopard would be enough to face whatever trouble Alambiel was in. They had to be.

It seemed to take longer to reach the place he had left her than it had to reach Cair Paravel. She wasn't there. Neith called to him. "Tracks. She went back this way."

"To see Pepin." He said no more, not daring to voice the faint hope that she was even now with the horse or even making her way back to Cair Paravel in Hwin's company.

Neith hissed just before they reached the fence. Her ears were pinned back and her fangs exposed as her tail twitched. "General."

He had seen it already. The grass was churned from a struggle. He bent and picked up the curved dagger Alambiel had chosen only that morn. The blade was devoid of blood but he did not know whether to take it as an encouragement. "Was she harmed?"

"I do not know." Neith sniffed the air again and then hissed, "I cannot smell her anymore or her attackers. Their scents don't exist."

The wind stirred, carrying the gritty taste of burning wood with it, and then one of the Trees sighed. A silver-haired Ash Dryad stepped out of her Tree. She looked around and then shuddered. She turned at Oreius and observed sorrowfully, "General Oreius, your wife was here. I remember she came to where you stand now."

"Yes. And you saw her attackers? Why did you not interfere or summon aid?"

The Dryad bowed her head and clasped her thin fingers together. "I do not recall the attack. I saw the Princess Royal, yes, but then I grew so tired. I retreated further into my Tree and slept. My sisters have already told me they too have experienced this strange weariness. It did not seem strange at the time. But it felt as though winter had come so early…" She shivered from an unseen wind and added in a wavering voice, "It felt like her touch on the land. But it is gone now."

She had already retreated to her Tree when Oreius spoke, "Wait! Did none of the Trees see what happened here? Can none of them tell me who has taken my wife or where they have gone?"

"No, General, we were all of us asleep," came the whispered reply then she vanished into her Tree.

"Oreius!"

He turned at the call, eyes narrowing when he saw who had come with his colts. Without waiting to acknowledge the Kings, Oreius seized the Southern Islander by the throat. He raised the man off his feet so they were now face to face as he demanded, "Did you have party to this? Did you help lull us into a trap?"

Dejen choked but didn't struggle despite grasping Oreius' wrist with both hands.

Oreius flicked his tail as he allowed his tone to darken. "Tell me who has taken my wife. Now."

The man coughed then choked out, "She is royal."

"What of it?" Oreius abruptly set the man on his feet, though he merely shifted his grip from Dejen's throat to his shirt, as he demanded again, "Tell me what you know."

"The man I spoke of, the one who hid himself among the Zelaians. He led the crew when they attacked me but not before I heard him indulging in a drunken fit of spleen during the love festival. He was…he was enraged about how the Princess Royal was carrying the Centaur's spawn and this in spite of the curse that had been placed on her womb."

"Give me his name."

Dejen shook his head. "I cannot."

"Why do you refuse? Are you still in league with him?"

Dejen coughed but once more shook his head. "I cannot say because I do not know. He never gave a proper name. I know only that he called himself 'Monster.'"

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A/N: Dun Dun Duuuuuuuun! Please Read and Review!