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 Eighteen – Return and Help
9 Fairdawn 1015
Oreius rested a hand on Alambiel's arm, noting the way she remained pale with her head bowed. Returning to Cair Paravel had not been wise. He spared a stern glance for where his youngest filly rode with her arms wrapped around Tarrin. She had been watching but lowered her gaze as a blush stained her cheeks even beneath the tan she had acquired. Of the Four, her behavior had been the most surprising for he would have never guessed her to do such things despite the impulsivity she shared with her eldest brother.
A touch to his hand drew his attention back to his wife. She offered a faint smile despite the sheen of sweat on her brow and the dark shadows beneath her eyes. She kept her voice low when she broke the silence. "It is best we no longer speak of what happened. You agreed, remember?"
"One of the two unwise agreements I made," he muttered grimly. He slid his hand down to her wrist, checking her pulse.
She clicked her tongue but no teasing entered her voice to alleviate the weariness he heard. "Oreius, I wasn't going to stay behind. You needed to return to Cair Paravel anyway and I was going to accompany you. No matter what anyone told me. This is merely…a sennight early."
He flicked his tail. It might not have been very early but they had left without consulting Tuulea due to the urgency Queen Lucy insisted her task held. And now it was nearly evening on the fourth day of travel he found himself regretting that decision more and more. The heat of the day still lingered, slowing their pace which in turn meant Alambiel was forced to stay on the road longer and without a proper healer's care.
Eying his wife's wan complexion, he murmured, "Do you need to stop? We can find a place early."
"I thought we would reach Cair Paravel today." She sounded a little breathless as a wince crossed her features. She closed her eyes but not before he saw the pain in their depths.
Ignoring the fact that both Queen Lucy and Tarrin were watching them with open concern, Oreius shifted closer to the horse and lowered his head closer to his wife's. "Alambiel, you are not well. We can stop."
Her lips quirked in a wry smile. "I fear…Kentauri, that once I get off this horse, I will not be able to get back on again." Opening her eyes, she fixed him with a steady look that belied the weariness and pain. "I just want to go home, Chuisle. How far are we?"
"Three, maybe, four hours at our current pace." He tightened his grip on her wrist as he added, "But you shouldn't go that long."
"We could always go a little faster than our current plodding walk," she breathed.
"No. Your wounds alone make that unwise."
"They're healing well enough."
Neither of them acknowledged the lie in her words. It was far too late now. Oreius knew it. He knew all he could hope to do now was get her to Cair Paravel as quickly as he could. Without endangering her or the foal. Repressing a sigh, he moved instead to press a kiss against her temple. "You will speak if you need to stop for any reason."
"Of course, Kentauri."
It was only then that he put a little space between them as he tightened his grip on the reins. Urging the horse to move into a slightly faster walk, Oreius tried not to dwell on the niggling doubts. If he were going to listen to them, it would have been when Alambiel first argued to leave his herd in favor of an early return to Cair Paravel. He had conceded and now they would bear the consequences. He could only beg the Great Lion that those consequences would not prove too heavy.
Night had fallen but it brought little relief to the lingering stagnant heat. A drought. Lion knew that was the last complication they needed. Cair Paravel was well supplied but the drought would make travel as well as army movements more difficult the longer they went without rain. He glanced at Alambiel. She needed to escape the heat as soon as possible, something he feared would only be possible once they reached the Cair.
Oreius breathed out a small sigh of relief when they finally reached the gates of Cair Paravel. Thank Aslan. Soldiers moved to greet them while Fauns approached to take the horses into the stables. He ignored the undercurrent of surprise in the low whispers as more of his soldiers recognized Alambiel.
"Oreius, perhaps I should…" Queen Lucy's voice trailed off before she slipped off the back of Tarrin's horse. She took her horse's reins from him and continued softly, "I'll send a message for Alithia to meet you at your quarters." She hesitated then added, "You will summon me if I'm needed, won't you?"
She didn't voice it but he knew his filly well enough to hear the unspoken plea. The plea for him not to be angry with her impulsiveness nor her decidedly unwise decisions. Oreius flicked his tail, unwilling to speak of anything in the middle of the courtyard with so many listening ears. Instead, he merely bowed his head. "Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty. If you will excuse me, I must see to my wife."
Her smile wasn't as bright as usual but her shoulders sagged with relief as she nodded.
Alambiel never said a word when he approached her. The pain was much more clearly etched across her face as she raised her right arm while maintaining a grip on the saddle with her left hand. He whispered an apology to her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders then slipped the other beneath her knees, lifting her free of the saddle. A task made simple by the fact she had been seated sideways.
She still didn't speak as she wrapped both arms around his neck and rested her brow against his chin. That alone would've made him glad to see Alithia waiting for them along with Leeta when he entered their quarters. The Centauress' lips thinned into a stern line as she observed them. "How long has it been since her bandages were last changed?"
"Before we left on the sixth," Oreius replied as he carried Alambiel into their bedchamber. He paused only half a heartbeat at the sight of towels spread across the bed before he dutifully lowered her onto them.
Alambiel's eyelids fluttered then she opened them. She grimaced but still muttered, "Don't fuss at him, Alithia. I convinced him I was fine. And I needed to come home."
"And a healer with your experience could not wait until you were healed enough to travel?" came Alithia's sharp question as she motioned for him to move. "Help her disrobe. Those bandages must be changed at once."
Alambiel didn't protest as he assisted Leeta in the task but she also didn't seem to have the strength to help the process herself. She grimaced before licking her lips. "Oh come now, Alithia. Healers are always the worst patients because we always know better. Still… Ah!"
Oreius grabbed her arms to steady her as Alithia began the process of unwrapping her old bandages but not before he caught a glimpse of a dark red mixed with yellow stain at the center of her back where the cuts intersected. His heart sank. Even without training beyond the most basic healing skills, he knew the signs of infection. And it was a sight he had witnessed before, most vividly when his golden colt had been so badly wounded as they escaped Telmar just over seven years past.
Alambiel leaned into his hold, no longer attempting to speak, as she endured the cleaning of her wounds. Alithia's face was grim but she only murmured about cleansing the infection. The fact that she left off her scolding concerned Oreius even more. A full hour crept by before Alithia was satisfied. Then she and Leeta worked to clean Alambiel up before her bandages were replaced.
It was only then that Alithia turned her attention to the foal. Oreius watched, doing his best to hide his own anxiety, as she pressed and manipulated Alambiel's rounded belly. She placed the short wooden horn against the crest of her stomach and listened. The Centauress was frowning slightly as she adjusted the horn's placement then listened again. This she repeated thrice more before she finally straightened. "It was difficult to find this time but I can hear the foal's heartbeat and it seems steady enough. However, because you did not listen to Tuulea and traveled when you shouldn't have, I am insisting on a fortnight of bedrest. The center of your wounds is infected and will grow worse if you continue to aggravate it. Everything you have been through makes your foal vulnerable as well. Resting is the best way to prevent any further incidents."
The fact that Alambiel only nodded her assent was…worrisome. Oreius left her to Leeta's care as the Nymph helped her into a light nightgown and followed Alithia into the sitting room. She paused when he closed the doors to the bedchamber and turned an exasperated look on him. "What were you thinking? You should not have agreed to bringing her, not now."
"Would she have been able to travel safely had I waited to arrange for her return after her healing was further along?"
Alithia stamped a hoof. "In all likelihood, she would've been far too close to delivering her foal for travel especially in this drought. But Oreius, bringing her here was a risk. It could still impact the foal."
"When will you know the foal is safe?"
The Centauress sighed. "Let us pray that nothing goes wrong in the next sennight or I fear no amount of bedrest will help."
Oreius winced. He raised his hands, feeling both guilt and helplessness. "I was summoned by the High King to return to the army. She didn't want to stay at the cabin alone. When Queen Lucy required our aid and our return to Cair Paravel, Alambiel only grew more insistent that she accompany me. I was more worried that leaving her behind would cause her too much distress too soon." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Perhaps I did not make the right choice."
"Well, Tuulea will not be pleased." Alithia flicked her tail then shook her head. "However, Alambiel is known for her stubbornness. I rather doubt she would've allowed you to leave her behind without restraints being involved and it would've been a shame to leave Alcippe to deal with her. Keep her quiet and still for the rest of the sennight. And let us pray that she does not have any more insistent ideals about travel until after the foal is born."
Oreius offered a faint smile. "Thank you, Alithia. And if I have a say in the matter, Alambiel will not be leaving the Cair for the next year. She has been finding far too much trouble whenever she leaves the walls of late."
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10 Fairdawn 1015
"Do you think Lucy will mind a delay?"
Her Kentauri huffed as he finished brushing her hair. She couldn't see his face but she felt the pause in his movement before he responded sternly, "Queen Lucy is assisting the Gentle with preparations for her birthday celebration. She will wait until you are recovered. Unless you mean to send me to fetch the documents in question."
She was silent as he began braiding her hair, the breeze from the open balcony doors offering poor relief to how hot she felt. Even without the burning sensation in the middle of her back, she doubted she would feel any more comfortable. Being in her heaviest months during a drought was a cruel joke…and this was only the beginning, Lion preserve her. She could feel the baby tapping against her ribs and could almost concentrate enough to count how many feet there were…almost.
"Are you going to be mad at me until the baby is born or until the baby is forty?"
He kept braiding. "I am not angry with you. I merely wish you would stay out of trouble. For more than a sennight at a time." He let her braid fall to the bed then pulled the sheets up to her waist, the gentleness of his actions belying the exasperation she heard beneath his stern words.
"Oreius? I don't want you going on a patrol or campaign when you're angry about me being in this situation." She wished she could roll over in order to see his face. But her back gave a twinge in warning at the very thought of attempting to move more than she had to…especially when her trips to the bath were agonizing enough on their own. "Chuisle?"
His hand wrapped around her shoulder just below her bandages. She could feel his warmth draw closer, an utterly miserable yet comforting sensation in her current condition, then his lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "I promise. I am not angry with you. I adore you as always. While I may wish for you to remain safely inside the Cair and even the palace for the rest of your pregnancy, I am not angry. Merely concerned. You've been too quiet."
"I thought you wanted me to be still. At least Alithia wants it."
"Aye but I miss your spirit. It usually shows when you are growing bored." The warmth of his presence suddenly withdrew and the bed moved as he got up. She heard water being poured before his voice came once more, drawing ever closer as he spoke. "And you are usually bored within a day of beginning your road to recovery."
"I think I'm too scared to be bored," she admitted softly. The mattress dipped as the Kentauri rejoined her but she kept talking. "I am tired of being in danger. I am tired of having our foal in danger because of me. And I am tired of being so…emotional and prone to tears. This is not how I wanted the pregnancy to go. There was never supposed to be threats or abductions or near death experiences. All I ever wanted was a safe and uneventful pregnancy but it's still not happening, is it? I feel like I'm failing as a mother and our baby hasn't even been born yet. And it doesn't help that this is the third time… I'm failing for a third time."
"Alambiel, shhh." She flinched at the touch of a cool almost cold cloth to the back of her neck. Oreius hummed softly. "Shh, you are not failing as a dam. You have never failed as a dam. The circumstances have not been completely ideal but they were mostly out of your control as well. We've a few more months then our little one will be born and he or she will be well."
The gentleness of his words combined with the blessedly cool tracing of the damp cloth against her flushed skin was more than a little soothing and she found herself struggling to stay awake. Her eyelids drooped as she tucked her hands under her cheek. "You will leave the doors open?"
The cloth trailed from her neck up the side of her face, leaving a cool trail from jaw to temple. "Of course, my sweet."
"Thank you. I'm just so hot right now."
"I know."
She sighed then winced as even that small movement seemed to pull at her back. This was worse than she remembered it being the first time. At least her hands weren't bandaged too. The touch of the cool cloth against her brow made her ignore the pain of moving in order to reach up and grasp Oreius' wrist. "Kentauri?"
"What do you need? More tea?"
"If I have any more tea tonight, I will have to visit the bath far sooner than ideal and I'm already far too frequent a visitor," she muttered drily. He huffed softly but didn't laugh. She ignored the trickle of water running down her cheek as she squeezed his wrist. "Are you going to sleep tonight?"
"I will be close at hand, sweet."
"You haven't slept since we left your herd and you've been in meetings since we came home. You are tired."
"Yet you are the one who cannot keep your eyes open."
She smiled faintly and gave his wrist one last squeeze before letting go. "I can still tell when you're the one needing rest. It's been days. The better part of a sennight at least. Stay with me?"
There was a feather light brush against the curve of her shoulder just below the bandage. "Alambiel, it is nearly midnight. Sleep now. You and the foal both need rest." Another kiss, this one brushing against her temple, then she felt the cloth come to rest against her neck once more. "Sleep. Alithia is coming to check on the foal in the morn. You needed to be well rested for that appointment."
She didn't think she would be able to even with the cool cloth against her neck. It was just so suffocatingly hot…
The pain woke her, making her gasp and choke as she tried to twist away from the poker burning against her back. Tears stung her eyes as the pain worsened, searing against her awareness with cruel deliberateness. But it wasn't coming from her back. This pain wrapped around her belly as if it were…a contraction. Oh no. No!
Ignoring the additional pain moving caused, she managed to roll onto her back and stretched out her left hand. She could barely make out Oreius' shape in the darkened room…and asleep. She breathed through another pain then reached for him. He had moved her toward the center of the bed, giving her room so she wouldn't grow even more uncomfortable lying beside his much warmer body…and putting himself just out of reach. Another contraction tightened uncomfortably, driving a spike of fear into her heart. A filly might be able to survive being born in her sixth month but a colt would die. And no matter which she carried, being born so early in the sixth month carried a much higher risk of fatality.
Gathering her breath, she managed to stretch far enough to reach the Kentauri's arm. Gripping hard, she pulled herself closer. "Oreius." His name was a strangled barely understandable whisper. Aslan help her!
She blinked back more tears as the pains came again combined with her back screaming at her. "Oreius," she choked out. Still too soft to be properly understood because he didn't move and his breathing remained unchanged. His exhaustion must have caught him after all. Not a good thing. Moving her hand to his chest, she pushed at him. "Oreius, wake up! Help me!"
The Kentauri abruptly lurched upright, catching her hands just as another round of pain made her give a strangled cry. "Alambiel!"
A sound caught somewhere between sob and moan tore past her lips. Oreius was talking but she could barely understand him. He pulled at the sheets then abruptly stopped. She tried to look down, to see what had made him stop but he caught her chin in a gentle but utterly immovable grip and nudged her into looking at him once more. The door to the bedchamber opened as the tone of his voice changed, growing loud and harsh. "Neith, summon the healers."
Alambiel shuddered as another pain threatened to strangle her. The combination from her back and the contractions were too much. It was all too much. She sobbed a plea for help.
Light filled the room and she hid her face in the crook of Oreius' neck even as she stifled a scream when someone touched her back. She felt Oreius' voice rumbling in his chest and above the pain, she heard the words she feared most. "She's bleeding. I don't know why…I fear it is the foal."
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"Queen Lucy! Your Majesty! You must wake!"
Lucy blinked away sleep and stared in bewilderment at the Nymph hovering over her. "Leeta?"
The black haired Nymph nodded even as she spun away, fetching a robe. "Here. My lady is in trouble. It is her child. You must hurry! Alithia fears we will lose the baby if you do not."
Her lady… Lucy's eyes widened as she scrambled to free herself from the covers. "What's happened? What's wrong with Kat?"
"I do not know, My Queen." The Nymph helped her into her robe then fairly danced in place, looking far more nervous than she had ever witnessed. "Please. She is in terrible distress from her wounds. It seems to be causing her labor pains to threaten far too soon. We must hurry!"
"Yes, of course." Lucy ran to her jewelry box and pulled out the cordial. Grasping the vial in one hand, her other was taken by Leeta as the Nymph fairly dragged her out of her quarters. The bells tolled third hour just as they reached Oreius and Kat's quarters.
Lit candles rested on the table in the sitting room while two Leopards, Neith and Sobek, exchanged worried looks as they kept watch outside the bedchamber. A low strangled cry of absolute agony came from within the partially closed doors. Leeta pulled her through them without so much as a knock. Lucy's breath caught in a gasp at the sight before her. The large bed was rumpled but with distinct steaks of red stretching from the center to the right where bloodied sheets bunched at Kat's waist. She had her back to the door as she clung to Oreius, allowing Lucy to see the full extent of the damage. Angry red ridges crisscrossed her back from shoulder to hip, swollen and oozing faintly, but it was worse at the center of her back where they crossed each other. A bloody, oozing mess that looked so much worse than she would've expected given the amount of time from her being injured. An infection of some sort.
She rushed toward the bed, holding out the vial to Alithia. The Centauress plucked it from her hand and immediately turned Kat's face toward her. Lucy's heart clenched at the sight of tears running down Kat's cheeks but the older woman swallowed the cordial before turning her face back to Oreius.
The waiting was the worst part. It felt like hours crawled by before the wounds on Kat's back changed. The ridges were no longer swollen or oozing. Now they took on the appearance of raised but healed scars. Alithia moved closer as Kat sagged into Oreius' hold, cleaning away the blood and puss that remained behind. The Centauress looked relieved when even the center of Kat's back appeared healed. She nodded. "We can move her now. Leeta."
The Nymph was already there with a robe at the ready, carefully wrapping it around Kat before allowing Oreius to guide her arms through the sleeves. Only then did Oreius pick her up. Alithia motioned toward the bath. "In there first. Leeta, send Chava in."
Lucy moved back as Leeta flitted around her, rushing out of the rooms. She glanced again at the blood staining the sheets. She should've thought to offer the cordial the moment Oreius told her Kat was on bedrest. Instead, all of this happened. She found herself wishing for Tarrin at her side before she shook the thought away. It was silly and selfish to think of her own comfort now when Kat and Oreius both were going through so much again.
Resolved to at least take part of the burden from them, she quickly set about pulling the soiled sheets from the bed. The coverlet had been pushed to the foot of the bed, sparing it, but the rest were likely a lost cause. There were several towels mixed in as well. She removed them all.
At some point, Leeta offered to help but she waved her off with instructions to bring tea instead. She'd finally removed the last of the bedding when a much deeper voice broke the silence. "You did not have to do that." Oreius looked equal parts grave and weary when she turned toward him.
Lucy's eyes filled with tears as she rushed to throw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Oreius! I should've offered the cordial the moment you said Kat was on bedrest! But I've been so distracted by…by…oh, by just everything! And I didn't think… Oh Oreius, I'm so sorry! Is Kat all right? The baby?"
The Centaur returned her hug as tenderly as he had when she was eight years old and nearly too short to even give him a proper hug. Then he gently pushed her back so he could look at her, his hands resting on her shoulders as he bent down slightly. "You are not to blame, Lucy. We did not request the cordial because we did not think at first that it would be necessary. Alithia believed Alambiel would be able to recover with enough time and rest. Clearly we were all wrong. But this blame does not lie at your feet."
She sniffled then pulled a handkerchief out of her robe's pocket. Oreius patted her on the shoulder then let go as he straightened once more though he didn't attempt to leave. Dabbing away her tears, she looked beyond him but the door to the bath was shut firm and she couldn't make out more than low murmurs within. At least Kat was no longer making those heart wrenching wounded sounds. "Is…is the baby all right, Oreius?"
Oreius frowned slightly. "I don't know yet. Alambiel is still experiencing pains but Alithia is attempting to halt them."
Lucy grasped his hand. "Keep the cordial until you're sure she's all right again. I don't want there to be any delays if the baby needs more help."
The frown eased and then he nodded. "Thank you. I have hope it will not be necessary but it is a comfort."
"I asked Leeta to bring up some tea. She should be back soon and I can ask someone to help find more bedding for you. If we take care of it now, Kat won't have anything to upset her." She glanced up at the Centaur. "I had hoped to take care of everything before you came out too. I didn't want you to have to deal with any of this either. You can go back to Kat. I'm sure she would like you with her."
"As of this moment, I would be in the healers' way and I much prefer not to distract them." Oreius studied her for a moment then added in an undertone, "I do not always approve of what my family chooses to do nor do I always understand those choices. However, I shall always be at their side."
Lucy could feel her cheeks growing warm with a blush, knowing what he referred to…her mistakes with Tarrin. She opened her mouth then closed it again, struggling to find the words. Finally, she simply hugged him again. "Thank you, Oreius. For everything." This time when she pulled back, she couldn't help grinning up at him. "You've always been the best father to the four of us. Your baby is so blessed to have you too."
Oreius didn't say anything merely bowing his head but she still saw the faint pleased smile that curved his lips. When Leeta returned with tea and a fair battalion of servants, Badgers and Otters, following in her wake, Oreius slipped back inside the bath. Lucy knew he probably expected her to return to her own quarters but she couldn't bring herself to abandon them just yet. Instead, she threw herself into overseeing the replacement of the bedding and making certain that a message would be waiting to tell Peter he needed to leave Oreius alone for a few days. The meetings he wanted with the General would simply need to be rescheduled. And she sent another message to Susan, knowing her sister would want to be aware of Kat's current state. Once Kat shared whether she was having a little Centaur or Nymph, they could arrange a lovely party in celebration and bring her all sorts of blankets and little clothes if it's a girl.
It was sometime close to dawn before everything was finally put back to rights. Oreius and the healers remained in the bath with Kat. Lucy stifled a yawn but refused to leave before she knew if Kat and the baby were both all right. Surely the cordial could stop her labor pains… Although, that was something she'd never asked of Father Christmas' precious gift. Were labor pains considered ills to be healed? Maybe if it was too early and the baby was in distress? Oh Aslan, how she prayed that were so. She couldn't bear for Kat and Oreius to lose another baby, especially when they were so close to having a healthy little boy or girl. She sat down on the long wide couch in the sitting room and fell asleep with prayers for the baby's safety still running through her mind.
"Queen Lucy." She knew that rumbling whisper. "Lucy, wake."
She lurched into a sitting position and stared wild eyed at the large Centaur. Oreius raised a hand. "Calm yourself, My Queen. It is well."
"Oreius." Her eyes widened as she realized it was daylight. "Is it Kat? Is the baby all right?"
The Centaur bowed his head slightly. "She is well. Alambiel wants to see you."
Lucy ran a shaky hand over her hair as she let out a slow breath. "Thank Aslan. Of course, I'll see her. I won't keep her long."
She rose to her feet as she spoke then hurried to the slightly cracked bedchamber doors. A glance over her shoulder proved Oreius was watching but not following. He nodded to her and she went inside. The drapes over the balcony doors had been pulled back allowing sunlight to bathe the room as well as the bed. Kat was sitting up, propped against all the extra pillows Lucy had brought in, and she was awake.
She held out both arms and Lucy gave a small cry of relief as she hurried to sit on the edge of the bed and wrap her arms around Kat. The smell of cinnamon clung to the older woman's hair as it had for nearly as long as she'd known her, offering some small comfort. "Oh Kat, I'm so sorry for all of this. I never should've asked you to travel and I shouldn't have waited to bring you the cordial."
"Lucy. Lucy, it's fine. You're not at fault. If anyone is going to be fussed at by Tuulea, it will be me…and also Oreius for agreeing with me." Kat gave her a teasing smile as she leaned back. "Oreius said he talked to you about this but he did not think you would believe him without my confirmation. So let me say it again. This is not your fault. You helped when we needed it. No blame falls on you. Understood?"
A watery laugh escaped her. "Oh Kat. I'm so glad you're all right. Is the baby…?"
Kat nodded. "The baby's all right. My pains finally stopped but it took a little longer than Alithia liked so I am still on bedrest. At least for a few more days. I'm afraid my part in helping you will have to wait until after your birthday. Especially if I do not want to be banned from leaving my quarters until after the baby is born."
Lucy giggled. "Don't be ridiculous, Kat. Take as much time as you need. I will make the others understand. And in truth, I really shouldn't leave again until after my birthday. It would hurt Susan's feelings terribly if I missed it. Besides I must speak to Peter and Edmund about this problem of piracy and slavers." She ignored the raised eyebrow and the silent question of whether she would mention Tarrin. She couldn't explain that to her siblings…not yet, at least. Not until the quest was over and done. Instead, she kissed Kat on the cheek. "I'll bring Susan to visit later. Do listen to the healers, Kat."
A rueful smile curved Kat's lips. "I don't have much choice at the moment." She rested both hands on her belly as she sighed. "Until we're certain we're both recovered." She raised her voice with a teasing lilt as Lucy rose from the bed, "Oreius, aren't you supposed to be hovering?"
"I do not hover, Wife," the Centaur countered drily as he entered the bedchamber. He offered a slight bow to Lucy before turning his attention back to Kat. "What do you need? A snack perhaps? More water or tea? Should I wet a cloth for your brow and neck?"
Lucy suppressed a giggle at his matter of fact recitation of offerings. The gentle teasing did much to reassure her that things had been righted once more.
Kat laughed softly. "You, General, are most impertinent to address the Princess Royal in such a blasé manner. Clearly you should pay recompense with a kiss and also chocolate. Oh and strawberries."
"A hefty price when I merely offer my services to your whims."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Well, y'all knew it wouldn't be too easy on them. But still a happy ending to the chapter.