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: The sea has always been the Valiant's but when she sets out on a quest with her favored knight, Tarrin Peridanson, Lucy finds both danger and adventure. Will a quest set by Nereids bring Lucy and Tarrin together or tear them apart?
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. Glistened takes place concurrent with the events of Brightened (post-chapter 20) so that story is not included in the summaries.
Chapter Sixteen – In the House of Oreius
5 Fairdawn 1015
Oreius studied the letter once more then looked over at where Alambiel was washing dishes. She was able to spend more time on her feet now and the worst of her wounds where they crossed at the center of her back was slowly improving. And yet…
"How soon does Peter want you?"
He sighed as he set the letter on the counter then touched a hand to her arm, which she ignored as she continued to scour a serving bowl. "Alambiel, I…"
"How soon are you leaving?"
She was not happy. He reached down to still her hands, saving the bowl before she could scour a hole in it. "Chéadsearc? You mustn't let this upset you," he said as he drew her hands from the sudsy water and dried them. "I do not want you to be upset."
"He's planning a campaign is he not? And that means you must go," she trailed off as she looked away from him. Giving a little shake of her head, she tugged her hands free and brushed at her cheeks, at the tears he knew were escaping. "And I'm so tired of crying at everything!"
A chuckle escaped before he could stop it. "So you are not upset with me anymore than looking at the eggs this morn made you cry?"
"Stop it. It's not funny." Still her lips trembled with a smile instead of a sob as she turned back to him. "I am…worried about another campaign. It hasn't rained since Quickening and if we continue on, Narnia is likely to experience a drought in addition to a miserably hot summer. Marching to war is not a very favorable activity under such conditions."
"Better than being slowed by snowstorms," he murmured, remembering the bitter cold of Ettinsmoor. He tucked a finger under her chin and tilted it back up so they were looking into each other's eyes. "And we do not yet know there will be a campaign. I shall return as soon as I may and then we will be prepared to greet this little one."
Alambiel did not smile as he had hoped. Instead, fresh tears filled her blue eyes. "I do not wish to stay here alone."
"You may stay with Alcippe until Neith comes to keep you company," he suggested. "Or perhaps Tuulea will come stay with you."
The tears still welled and trickled down her cheeks. She shook her head. "I want to go home."
"Alambiel, I do not think it is safe for you to travel."
"Tuulea said five weeks before we could consider travel and we have officially passed that point. None of her reports have been concerning." Her eyes searched his as she stepped closer to him, causing her rounded belly to brush against him. "Oreius, please. I want to go home, to our true home. I want to feel safe again."
She stopped suddenly, her eyes widening, while his heart broke for her. There had been more than a few nights since his return three weeks ago when he'd woken to her muted cries and he knew the nightmares still haunted her. However, he had not realized the whole truth behind her limited ventures outside of the cabin. That she still felt fear at being alone and exposed. Or rather he'd convinced himself that his presence was enough to comfort her. To make her feel safe once more.
He gently wrapped a hand around her right arm then lowered his right hand to rest against her belly and the foal's kicks greeted him. Though they were not enough to distract him this time as he held her gaze. "I am sorry, Alambiel, that you do not feel safe." He hesitated, debating the wisest course of action. "I must send a reply to the High King but I shall delay doing so until we have spoken Tuulea about the safest way to transport you home."
She nodded slowly. "I think… I think I need to lie down. These ridiculous tears are creating another headache."
He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I know, sweet. Allow me to help you."
He knew she was feeling out of sorts when she allowed him to escort her to their bedchamber without protest. Despite Tuulea's earlier visit to change her bandages and positive comments as to her progress, he still worried over Alambiel's injuries and the toll everything had taken on her. As he helped her settle into the bed, his own misgivings for leaving her behind grew with every little hiss she tried to hide. Aslan willing, she would be strong enough to safely journey back to Cair Paravel in a sennight for he did not know if either of them would rest easy until she was home again.
Smoothing her hair back, he bent to press another kiss to her forehead. "I am going to the market for a few things. I will return shortly and likely before you wake."
Her lips tilted in a faint smile even though she did not seem to have the energy to tease in return. It was not until her eyes closed and her breathing deepened with sleep that he left the room, however. Aslan willing, the rest of the day would be uneventful and restful for Alambiel.
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Lucy stopped herself just before she flung the door to the house open. The cabin was tucked in a clearing with wildflowers and roses against the walls while a waterfall fed the small lake draining to the low river hidden beyond the trees. Other than the waterfall being smaller and quieter than usual, the place looked unchanged from the last time she'd visited Kat and Oreius here. Of course, barging into the home of two of Narnia's fiercest and most skilled weaponsmasters was a folly even she knew to avoid. Which was why she knocked despite the urge to simply enter.
There was no call to enter and she knocked harder. Tarrin's warm presence came up behind her and he murmured, "Maybe they're in the village. We could look there."
"Not yet. Peter was certain Kat would be here because Oreius came to stay with her three weeks ago." She blew out a frustrated breath and knocked even harder. She should have asked Peter why they'd removed from Cair Paravel so early in Kat's pregnancy. She'd been certain Kat wasn't planning to leave until she was closer to the middle of her sixth month instead of leaving during her fifth month. Of course, her brother had been distracted by little William spitting up all over him and had excused himself to clean up the distraught little prince. A fact that had also saved her from blurting out the news regarding all that had passed between her and Tarrin.
She was still knocking when the door suddenly opened. Kat blinked at her. The older woman was dressed in a light toga of the palest blue with a belt under her chest that seemed to emphasize the roundness of her belly. She raised both eyebrows. "Lucy, I thought you were still in the Islands."
Her blue gaze drifted from Lucy to where Tarrin still stood at her back though he'd taken a step or two away. The words Lucy had meant to say tangled on her tongue. There was so much to say. Where was she even to begin?
Kat's gaze fixed on her once more as the older woman studied her. "Why are you here?"
"A very good question," a deep rumble intruded.
Lucy whirled to see Oreius approaching, a basket in one hand. It did nothing to take away from the Centaur's stern aura as he turned his gaze on Tarrin. "Another is the question of your escort, Your Majesty."
Oh bother. He clearly didn't like that she'd come with only Tarrin for company. As though that were of true importance right now. Lucy waved a dismissive hand. "Oh never mind that, Oreius." Turning to face Kat once more, she clasped her hands beneath her chin and pleaded, "Can you help us, Kat? We must know about Oberon and where he lives and how we can find him. Please help us?"
Kat glanced from her to Oreius then stepped back as she opened the door further. A hint of amusement filtered into her voice as she said, "You might as well come in and have a seat. It seems there are stories to be shared." A hint of mischief glinted in her eyes as she added, "Beginning with what in the worlds you've been up to that you've dragged Tarrin all the way to Oreius' herd."
Lucy gave a faint laugh as she entered the cabin with Tarrin and Oreius directly behind her. How could she even begin to explain? What should she say or not say? "It is…" She trailed off as Oreius passed her in favor of joining Kat's side, taking her arm to escort her to the long couches. "Well, it is a bit of a long story and I fear it sounds most outrageous." Even if she didn't mention the terms for reaching the hidden isle.
"I love outrageous stories," Kat countered as she took a seat on the far couch with Oreius' assistance. She was moving more like Thalia had in her last two months of pregnancy than in her sixth month. Although it was quite impossible for Kat's dates to be that far off. The older woman grinned at her husband. "Don't you, Oreius?"
The Centaur graced her with a dour look but didn't reply as he moved to set the basket in the kitchen. Lucy dropped down on to the opposite couch, wishing she could grab Tarrin's hand and pull him to sit with her instead of hovering behind her. If he didn't stop fretting, he would make both Oreius and Kat suspicious of their visit. And she merely needed information not an interrogation. However, she knew better than to believe even Kat would simply allow her to request information without some sort of revelation as to the why behind her request.
A sigh escaped her before she quite realized it. Meeting Kat's gaze, she shook her head slowly. "Oh Kat, so much has happened since I left Cair Paravel. I don't even know where to begin."
The older woman rested a hand on her rounded belly, a cheerful note in her voice, as she replied, "The beginning seems a good place to start. Now what happened when you arrived at the Lone Islands?"
That was the easiest part of the tale. However, once she reached the part of her quest, she did not reveal everything that had happened. She still remembered Triton's warnings against exposing the weakened state of the Sea People but she couldn't help sharing that the need was dire and situation quite urgent.
Kat studied her as she paused for a drink of water. "So you were able to find this hidden isle with the mystery artifact you don't want to tell us about but is clearly of great import?"
Lucy nodded. "Yes. Tarrin and I… We were able to approach the isle and even found the temple. But it was already gone."
They didn't need to know the details. The ceremony would be too difficult to explain and she did not want them distracted from the urgency of her quest. Her mouth still felt dry as she took another drink.
"It was stolen?" Oreius rumbled. "Why come looking for us?"
She lowered her cup, already shaking her head. "No, we believe it was taken into better hiding by the guardians of the temple. Of course, the only hint we have is a story about a Nereid's daughter marrying a man rumored to be a fallen star." She looked directly at Kat and added with a little smile, "I thought you or Tuulea might be able to tell me more about him. Since he is your grandfather after all."
Kat gave a tiny cough of a laugh. "You're talking about the rumor that Lev was truly a star washed ashore Cair Paravel's beaches. Well, there's no use questioning Tuulea, she would only tell you what I know and that is no one ever knew exactly what Lev was." She glanced at Oreius who merely arched an eyebrow in response, an unspoken joke passing between them. Her smile grew as she turned her attention back to Lucy. "Of course, it had been some five or six hundred years since the last time anyone in Cair Paravel knowingly interacted with a star. Lev was…different and certainly not a Son of Adam but as he himself did not recall his life before he washed ashore, my grandfather's past and heritage remained a mystery. Although if he were, it would have been the second time star's blood had made into the royal family."
"I was afraid you would say that," Lucy murmured. "Then I simply must find Oberon and ask for his help in finding the missing guardians."
"You assume he knows these things," Oreius warned.
"A reasonable enough assumption if you ask me." Kat held her hand out to her husband and wiggled her fingers. "Help me up so I can make supper."
Lucy opened her mouth to ask another question but it was forgotten as she watched Oreius helping Kat to her feet. Kat wasn't simply moving slowly. She was moving as though she were injured. "Have you been hurt, Kat?"
Kat and Oreius both looked at her then at each other. Then Oreius slowly turned his attention back to them. "You do not know what passed since your last visit to the Cair."
It was not a question but she still shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I haven't had the chance to catch up with anything at home."
"As I said, Lucy, it is a long story and not very pleasant I'm afraid." Kat smiled at her even though she kept one hand braced against Oreius' arm. "My past managed to resurrect itself in Quickening and that included reopening the wounds on my back. Unfortunately, it has been a slower recovery than I should like."
Lucy hopped to her feet. "Oh! Let me give you the cordial. It's…" Her voice trailed off as her fingers brushed against her empty belt. Her cheeks grew warm as she met Kat's gentle gaze and Oreius' hopeful one. That he'd hoped for the cordial told her Kat's injuries had been far more severe than the older woman was currently acknowledging and it twisted her heart even further as she was forced to admit, "I… I must have left it in my room. I was in such a rush to come here. I'm so very sorry. I must have forgotten it in my room."
The hope vanished from Oreius' dark gaze and his jaw tightened ever so slightly as he looked away from them. Kat patted his arm, comforting him Lucy realized. She started to apologize again but Kat spoke first. "Don't fret over it, Lucy. I am not in dire need, after all. Oreius, you should show Tarrin the best place to put up their horses. Lucy, why don't you help me with supper? It will be faster that way and I'm certain you must both be famished after your journey."
The weight of another failure rested on her shoulders as she followed Kat into the kitchen. How could she have been so foolish as to leave her cordial behind in Cair Paravel? She remembered clearly now that she'd placed it next to her jewelry box when they'd arrived. Oh Aslan, how could she have been so forgetful? It seemed all she did lately was fail in the use of her cordial.
"Have you told Tarrin?"
She blinked, looking up from the meat she was tending. "I…" Her cheeks grew warm as memories surfaced. "I… I'm certain he knows."
"Never assume someone knows what you are thinking or feeling. Even those who know us best can only guess if we do not speak." Kat raised an eyebrow. "The two of you have been flirting around your attraction to each other for years, Lucy. You should tell him plainly."
"But then he shall only feel obliged to say the same to me," she protested.
Kat laughed as she set aside the large bowl filled with salad then moved to check on the cooling bread rolls. "Lucy, you are one of his sovereigns, of course you have to speak first. I know." She raised a hand to still the next protest rising to Lucy's lips. "I know, believe me, that as a woman you want to be proposed to and courted of a man's own interest and volition. It's not nearly as romantic to be the one to make the first step or to propose. However, when you love a man of lower rank, it is inevitably what must be done. Swanwhite proposed to her husband because she was already queen. Her sister, Princess Dione, proposed to and eloped with her husband. Argeius was her personal guard and a lieutenant in the army. Add to the sheer stubborn honor of many Centaur stallions. If Dione had not made up her mind on him, he never would have dared to speak of his feelings to her."
Kat gathered dishes, stacking them on the counter, as she added, "In fact, it would have been easier if I had been the one to speak first to Oreius. Would've been faster in any case." Her hand dropped to her stomach as a fond smile curled her lips. "Tarrin is still a product of Archenland and Sisemaal to an extent. His earliest manners and decorum were trained in their courts where the gap in rank is far more concerning than in Narnia. In Narnia, it merely means the royal family must be first to speak to some extent. But in those courts, he is not of high enough rank to pursue a queen regnant. He likely would have difficulty pursuing a crown princess as well. So if you actually want him to know that pursuing you is welcome, you must do something to show him. Make the first move."
The words struck her harder than she might have imagined. Even with that one night on the isle, she had not considered that Tarrin still might not believe she truly wanted him, loved him. Instead she had mourned the fact that he had not spoken to her of love and seemed so determined to reestablish the proper distance between a queen and her knight. Yet what could she do to show him (for she did not quite believe that he would take her at her word)?
She mulled the problem all through the evening meal and Tarrin seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts. The question chased her even when Kat showed them each to a room before retreating outside with Oreius as the Centaur read the stars. Lucy went through the motions of readying herself for bed and even climbed into the bed though sleep eluded her. Her mind was too full for sleep.
She heard the doors opening and closing as Kat and Oreius came back inside then retreated to their own room. And still her thoughts spun as though trapped in whirling eddies or perhaps it was a typhon battering her thoughts apart. The house had grown quiet when she sat upright in the bed. Of course! She knew the perfect way to show Tarrin that she was sincere.
Moving on silent feet, she crept from the guest room then stole across the hall and eased the door open just wide enough to slip inside. Tarrin was snoring faintly, much quieter than Edmund ever had been in his life. The sound stilled as she approached the bed and his eyes opened. Then they widened as she lifted the covers and climbed in next to him.
She covered his mouth with her hand then leaned in close to breathe in his ear, "Not too loud. Don't wake him."
He seemed frozen. She bit her bottom lip as nerves coursed through her. Then she took the leap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him. Pulling back, she whispered, "I love you, Tarrin Peridanson, and I am choosing you every day for the rest of our lives. I want you to choose me back."
At first, he didn't move. He didn't move or speak until she'd begun to question herself. Then his arms came around her, one hand warm through her nightgown and the other sliding into her hair. His hoarse whisper made her heart leap. "My Lucy, I love you."
Not allowing him to speak further, she captured his mouth with another kiss even as she slid one hand from behind his neck to grab the blanket and pull it over them. He loved her. Thank Aslan, he loved her.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay and now we've caught up to the epilogue. And... Well, next chapter someone has some explaining to do. Ahem.