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 sorcerer challenged by Aslan. Love and friendship alike are tested by his presence. And the Gentle Queen faces her own challenge when the sorcerer's true colors are unveiled.
A/N: If you have not read the first eight stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, and Veiled), 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 Fifty-Three: Recovering
Lucy ducked out of the healing tent, leaving Susan as she continued to tend some of the soldiers who were just now returning from the rout of the Fell. It was almost dawn and the sky was streaked with pale tendrils of light like a painter playing with the lines of his sketch. She smiled when she glimpsed Peter and Edmund walking on either side of Philip. They looked filthy and tired but at least they were walking under their own power.
She rushed to greet them but not one word managed to escape when she saw who joined them just before she did. Oreius was almost unrecognizable. He was covered from head to tail in dried blood, grime, and soot. His angular features looked hard and sharp while his dark eyes burned with a ferocity that she could count on one hand as having seen it when they were not caught in the midst of battle.
Peter looked worried but Oreius did not seem to notice as he stated gravely, "All of the Fell have been slain, My Kings. Only a handful of Ghouls and a Werewolf escaped our soldiers because they fled instead of forming the second attack."
"Oreius, are you hurt?" Lucy asked cautiously.
The Centaur looked at her and his gaze gained a new intensity. "Alambiel? Does my wife live?"
She nodded. "Yes. She's alive and the healers stabilized her by the time Philip brought me back to camp to the point that we agreed the cordial was unnecessary. However, she's very weak and she hasn't woken up yet."
Some of the tension in the General's stance faded but she could tell he was still concerned. "I'm sure you can stay with Kat for a while. Of course, if you do, you should clean up otherwise Kat will be worried when she wakes up."
Something flickered in his dark gaze and then Oreius held out his blood-covered arms, staring at them as though he only just realized he wore the blood of Narnia's enemies. "Yes, I-" He bowed abruptly, grave once more. "Forgive me, Your Majesties, I should make myself presentable."
The three of them watched in silence as Oreius walked deeper into the camp. Lucy turned pleading eyes on Peter and Edmund. "Will he be all right?"
Peter nodded, looking sympathetic. "He will be. As soon as Kat wakes up and teases him."
She prayed that was true and that Kat would wake up soon.
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Heaviness clung to her and the thought of waking was not nearly as appealing as that of sleeping. Something brushed against her brow then trailed down the side of her face. She tried to reach up to grab whatever it was but her arms were still too laden with sleep. Instead, she heard a heavy sigh somewhere above her. Her Kentauri was worrying again.
Alambiel forced her eyelids open. Pristine white ceilings met her gaze. Cair Paravel. She stretched an arm out and felt the edge of the bed then she looked to her right. Thick white drapes. The healers' wing then. "Ore-" The rest of his name caught in her parched throat as she started to sit up.
Immediately a brawny arm slipped behind her shoulders and a cup was placed before her lips. "I am here. Drink. It is only water, I promise."
She was too thirsty to care if the drink were doctored or not. Sweet water flooded her mouth and soothed her throat. She lowered the cup and met Oreius' concerned gaze. "You look horrible. Did you decide you don't need sleep again?"
Oreius smiled and then pulled her against his chest, making the cup tumble to the narrow bed. Alambiel felt his fingers in her hair as she buried her face against the crook of his neck. "I led you into a trap."
"The Sparrow who came to get you told me why you went. You have always put foals first. The trap was for both of us."
She eased back then pressed a hand against her chest where she could remember an arrowhead protruding. No bandages, no pain. "The cordial?"
The Kentauri nodded as he ran his hand over her braided hair again, seemingly unwilling to permit any true distance between them. "It was given to you four days ago. The cart carrying you and several other wounded soldiers had its axle crack. You were thrown the farthest and your precarious condition was made all the worse." He released a shaky breath as he whispered, "You nearly died in my arms again. Thank Aslan Queen Lucy was riding in the cart behind yours and not at the head of the army with her brothers."
"These brushes with death are getting ridiculous. We need at least one to two years between them." Though she kept her tone light, Alambiel wrapped her fingers around Oreius' hand and squeezed hard.
He squeezed back but as usual he kept a very professional air about him (now that he seemed satisfied she was all right). "The early reports indicate the very few Fell who escaped us have fled far into the North. The Northern Giants have gone quiet as well. I suspect the ones at Harfang shall take advantage of the Ettins' losses soon, though."
"What of Susan and Markus?"
Oreius did not answer right away. She caught her breath. "Dead?"
"The Gentle survived the battle with only scratches."
"Markus then."
It was not a question and she did not bother to hide her grief. Still Oreius nodded. "He attacked Merry's twin and Aslan returned his magic. Queen Susan witnessed it all and Oberon came to the Kings and me while we were gathering our dead. He told us Markus worked a spell that prevented the sorcerer from destroying all life for miles but it would destroy both casters. For such a spell must take life before it can dissipate."
That must have been some form of the Deplorable Word. Markus had told her of it when he finally confessed he was dreaming his long-forgotten past. Jadis' Deplorable Word didn't really work in Narnia, being used instead to turn life into stone, but She and Her ilk would be the ones to discover if there was a similar if limited version of that terrible power. "A true servant of Aslan is willingly to lay down his life for others."
Oreius said nothing but he bowed his head once. She gave him a knowing look. Markus had finally proved himself a true follower of Aslan to her husband.
Alambiel flung the sheets back and slid off the bed. The Kentauri grasped her by the waist. "Where are you going?"
"To see Susan."
"No."
"You have to leave sometime, a chara." She looked up at him. "Did you or did you not tell me that you did not approve of the way they were looking at each other when they got ready to leave for the village?"
Oreius scowled as he flicked his tail. "You are still weak from blood loss."
"Has she come out of her rooms?"
"When duty requires it."
"And how does she look?"
He sighed. "As I did when I lost you."
She patted his arm. "That is why I must go." She pulled free of his slackened grasp.
"Alambiel, what have you been told about wandering Cair Paravel's halls in a shift?"
She looked down then looked at him. "Get me a robe, a chara, or I'm going as is."
He snorted but picked up the robe draped across the foot of the bed and held it while she slipped her arms into the sleeves. "I will escort you."
She did not protest, especially since she was more than half-positive that if she tried, Oreius would make her stay in the healers' wing. They walked through the less frequented corridors, avoiding too many stares and the Kentauri keeping himself between her and most of the Narnians they passed. Nevertheless, by the time they made it to the Royal Wing, Alambiel's legs were shaking and beginning to feel disturbingly similar to jelly. She might have lost a bit more strength than she wanted to admit. But a few days more of rest and she was certain she would be back to rights.
Susan didn't answer her knock. Alambiel let herself in but made Oreius wait outside along with Peter who was hovering in brotherly frustration. "Susan?"
She found Susan kneeling on the balcony as the wind played havoc with her dark hair and tugged at her velvet skirts. Alambiel knelt beside her and placed a hand on her back. "Susan. I am sorry you lost him."
The younger woman did not look at her but then a soft, barely detectable whisper slipped free, "Why?"
"I suspect he did it for you just as much as for Narnia." Susan looked up sharply at that, tears shimmering in her blue eyes, and then she flung her arms around Alambiel, sobbing into the shoulder of her robe. She held the younger woman and gently rubbed her back. "Honor his sacrifice by remembering him, Susan. He was for Aslan and he did everything to protect you. Don't let him die in vain by cutting yourself off from the world."
"How? How do I do that?"
"One day at a time."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Yes, I did kill Markus but canon required it! This is the second to last chapter for the story. I will be posting the epilogue in just a bit. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about it (if you're still speaking to me, that is).
