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: In the aftermath of rescuing Queen Lucy from an evil sorcerer, Katerina Alambiel struggles to find her place while some of the Narnians closest to the Pevensies still question her motives. And, finding herself in the middle of an assassination plot against the High King himself doesn't exactly help her to fit in.
Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.
Chapter Two: Questions
12 Lenisgale 1001
Katerina Alambiel gathered her skirts in both hands as she ran through the halls of Cair Paravel. The only sounds interrupting the quiet of the pre-dawn hours were her boots hitting the floor and the muffled, and not so muffled, laughter of the guards she kept passing. She could not be late for training today. Oreius would have her head if she managed to come in late for the fifth day in a row. She growled in frustration as her skirts interfered with her stride again. She would have been in the training yard by now if not for this dress and its dratted skirts. She wouldn't be surprised if Oreius had insisted she wear either a dress or a tunic and skirt every other day of training because he knew she despised having to wear them. Of course, when the topic came up two months ago he had presented a very simple reason that she couldn't deny without sounding ridiculous: "You will not always be wearing the clothes you are accustomed to fighting in, Katerina Alambiel. You spend enough time with the Queens that you may one day be wearing skirts or even a proper dress when you are required to fight. Therefore, you will wear skirts to training no less than three days a week."
Even she knew there was no use in arguing with Oreius over the matter, so Katerina had resigned herself to her fate, for the most part. She just hoped Oreius never got it in his head that she should wear heels or something other than her boots when training, then she might have to do something drastic like when she persuaded him why he should not make her fight with a shield. That had been painful, but, as she had told Lucy when it happened, winning an argument against General Oreius made the whole episode worthwhile. She skidded into the armory just as Oreius and Cletus came around the corner. The Centaur raised an eyebrow at her, "I see you've decided to join us today after all."
Katerina ignored the muffled snickers of Peter and Edmund as she tried to answer without panting. "I'm not late this time."
She hid a wince as her statement came out sounding a lot more like a question. Cletus walked past her and motioned for the two kings to follow him into the training yard as Oreius focused his full attention on her. There was a faint glint of amusement in his eyes as he looked her over and stroked his beard in mock seriousness before he answered. "No, I believe you arrived precisely before you would have been late. And, I see you are wearing what could almost pass as a proper dress this time. Good. Put on your full armor and bring Chrysaor with you to the training yard." She nodded and turned to retrieve her armor and sword when Oreius spoke again. "Oh, and Katerina, when I say full armor I do mean the chain mail too."
She barely kept a groan from escaping and judging from the annoyingly amused look Oreius gave her before he went to the training yard, the Centaur knew exactly what she was thinking. Once Oreius and Alithia had decided she was stronger and at a healthy weight, Oreius had wasted no time in getting her fitted for armor. Fortunately, he had taken into account that she would not be able to move if she wore the same armor as Peter and Edmund. Instead, he ordered the dwarf-smiths to make her armor similar to that made for Queen Susan. Most of the time, Katerina would only wear the titanium-reinforced leather cuirass over a leather jerkin during training. However, Oreius' order meant she had to wear the chain mail hauberk, which fell to just below her mid-thigh, underneath the cuirass as well. The chief smith, a Black Dwarf by the name of Baumur, had reassured her that the chain mail was made of the lightest metal capable of withstanding combat, but after an hour of the training Oreius and the other sword masters came up with, the chain mail felt like it was made of stones. Of course, most training was longer than an hour.
Katerina quickly pulled on the hauberk and the cuirass before she strapped on the leather bracers that covered what the hauberk's elbow-length sleeves did not. She grabbed Chrysaor, the sword of Esti, from its mount on the armory wall and sprinted to the training yard. Peter and Edmund were already sparring under Cletus' watchful eye, which meant she had to spar with...Oreius, who looked far too cheerful in her opinion. As she pulled Chrysaor free of its sheath and stepped forward to face her mentor, she couldn't help the wry thought. I really need to start coming to training early. Because I just know, he's planned some grand lesson that will leave me wishing I had stayed in bed this morning.
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The sun had finally risen and warmed the training yard with its light as the three humans lowered their swords for the last time. Oreius had pushed all of them hard this morning and he could easily see the relief in the kings' eyes when he declared the lesson over, Katerina, on the other hand, hid her emotions. He wouldn't have been surprised if she was too exhausted to show any emotions after suffering through nearly a week's worth of nightmares, according to Sherket, and then learning the new training regime he had introduced this morning. Still, she didn't complain. He watched his three students disappear into the armory with Cletus following them as the third officer present in the training yard came to stand by him. "Well?"
Ardon glanced first at him, then at where Katerina Alambiel had just gone through the armory door. "I see what you were talking about, Oreius. She comes very close to achieving the warrior's center when she fights, but then she just doesn't take that extra step. It is as if she is stopping herself from losing control and by turn, she stops herself from fighting in that state of pure instinct. You said she attacked a werewolf without a sword and tackled it away from Queen Lucy, so she is capable of reaching the warrior's center when she wants to protect someone. But, she's not achieving it during training. Did she reach it when she fought the sorcerer?"
"No, she instinctively reacted to the commands I had already drilled into her when training, but she didn't achieve the warrior's center."
Ardon gave him a quizzical look. "She reached it when she was trying to protect someone else, but she can't or won't reach it when training to fight for her own life. Why?"
Oreius shook his head. "I don't know for sure, but I think she is afraid that achieving the warrior's center will cause her to lose control. She's afraid of herself in a way, she doesn't want to lose control because she thinks it might reveal that she is a monster at heart. I need to find a way to get her to let go before it costs her everything in battle."
"I don't envy you the task, my friend, because this one is fairly formidable even with her inability to achieve the warrior's center. Do you want me to make these visits a habit?"
Oreius smirked, "Ardon, if you had seen the look Katerina Alambiel gave me when she realized you were behind her, you wouldn't have to ask. Come tomorrow morning early and we'll discuss with Cletus how best to push her on. And, would you see if you can get your wife to stop pestering me about how I intend to push Katerina Alambiel in her training without causing her to end up in the healer's wing again?"
Ardon's shoulders shook with laughter as he clapped Oreius on the shoulder. "My friend, when Alithia learns that you've recruited me to help you, she will merely pester us both until she's satisfied with the results. So, you had best come up with a good plan quickly otherwise Alithia will find a reason to gainsay it and then we will both be in trouble."
Oreius parted ways with Ardon right before he encountered a Cat page who dutifully informed him that Queen Susan asked if he would join the royals on the East Terrace at the ninth hour because Sallowpad the Raven wanted to quiz Katerina Alambiel on something of importance. Oreius hoped the old Raven wasn't still trying to trick Katerina Alambiel into confessing she had alternative reasons for staying in Narnia as the guest of the Kings and Queens. In the six months since she had accepted the invitation, Oreius had watched a number of advisors and councilors try to ferret out the true reason the stranger had decided to stay in Narnia, but none of them matched Sallowpad in tenacity. For some reason he refused to share, the old Raven was determined to be the one who forced Katerina to confess her secrets to the point that he had taken to randomly ambushing her with pointed questions whenever they were both in the presence of the Four and other advisors and councilors. Where the Raven suspected Katerina Alambiel was keeping aspects of her past quiet, Oreius was certain of it. However, unlike Sallowpad, Oreius was content to allow Katerina to open up to the people around her at a time of her choosing. Still, he had to acknowledge that the conversations between Sallowpad and Katerina Alambiel were never dull nor could anyone predict the exact outcome of such conversations.
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Katerina made a face at her reflection in the mirror as a young woman dressed in a two-piece dark blue dress stared back at her. She still couldn't believe she had allowed Lucy and Susan to talk her into wearing dresses more often, as in every chance they could get to her closet. The two Queens of Narnia complained about how she wouldn't let them gussy any of the dresses up, but only until Katerina threatened to gift all her dresses and skirts away and go back to wearing only tunics and trousers. Fortunately, the head seamstress Tuulea had listened to Katerina's wants and needs, including the needs that a certain General had added from a warrior's perspective at some unknown point in the process. So, even the clothes that could almost pass as proper dresses, as Oreius put it, were practical yet even Katerina had to admit that there was an understated elegance in the designs' simplicity.
Satisfied that she looked presentable and that none of the bruises she had gathered in training were showing, Katerina hurried to meet the royal family on the East Terrace. She congratulated herself on making the journey without having to ask for directions this time, but then she saw practically all of the advisors currently in Cair Paravel were also on the terrace. Great, this is another one of that Raven's ambushes. A quick glance around confirmed her theory when she saw Sallowpad sitting on the shoulder of an older Centaur by the name of Stonebrook. Queen Susan gave her an apologetic glance before she invited everyone to make themselves comfortable.
This time Sallowpad didn't waste any time launching into his interrogation, as he croaked. "Lady Katerina, how long have you been the esteemed guest of their majesties now?"
Where is this old bird going? "I believe it has been about six months since I chose to accept their majesties' invitation, Master Sallowpad."
Sallowpad tilted his head to peer down at her with one beady eye. "And, since that time have you found what you were looking for here in Narnia?"
What kind of question is that? "I suppose it depends on what you think I was looking for, Master Sallowpad. On one hand, I have found much that I was looking for and on the other hand, I have found much that I didn't even realize I was looking for until I found it. Such is the way of things, no?"
King Edmund snickered and Lucy giggled while everyone else hid their own smile or laughter as they realized Katerina had given Sallowpad an answer equal to his question. The old Raven ruffled his feathers before he continued in a sly tone, "Perhaps you chose to stay in Narnia for the purpose of seeing her magnificence for yourself? Did you hope to find it would appeal to and approve of you?"
Katerina paused as a sudden hush fell over the group with more than a few of those present looking askance at the old Raven. What is this old bird really asking me? I have no idea. She hesitated then chose her words as carefully as possible. "I chose to stay in Narnia because I have nowhere else to go and I was welcomed here for the most part. Narnia is truly magnificent and an appealing place to be even though I've yet to see her in seasons other than autumn and winter and now this hint of spring. But, I confess that I am unsure as to what you mean by hoping Narnia's magnificence would approve of me."
A sudden chuckle caused Katerina to look down and find Sir Rupert Grefftus Fox sitting at her feet. "My dear lady, it seems Master Sallowpad is concerned about your intentions towards High King Peter the Magnificent."
Katerina blinked in confusion before it hit her with stunning clarity as to what the old Raven was asking. She didn't quite manage to keep the astonishment out of her voice as she looked back and forth between the ruffled Raven and the smug Fox. "You think I'm husband-hunting...for Peter? No, absolutely not. I have no desire whatsoever to be involved with the High King." The sound of Edmund choking back laughter made her realize how that probably sounded, and she sheepishly turned to Peter. "No offense."
He gave a dismissive wave, though he was blushing rather furiously, and she refocused on explaining herself more clearly to the old Raven and the rest of the advisors present. "What I'm trying to say is that I have absolutely no designs on becoming Peter's wife because that means I would have to take on royal duties and be diplomatic. I have no desire to be a queen or a consort or any type of royal. I see Peter as my friend, perhaps even a brother, nothing more." She paused as she considered mentioning their age difference, but she decided it didn't need to be brought up, instead she spoke as calmly as she could manage as she eyed the recalcitrant Raven. "I chose to stay in Narnia because the people and the land itself appealed to me and invited me to remember that there's more to life than darkness and cold, not for any ulterior motive or plot. I do not understand why it is so difficult for you to believe me about this. My answers haven't changed since you first started asking me these questions, how long is it going to take before you finally accept them as true?"
Sallowpad didn't answer as he clacked his beak then flew off. Sir Rupert Fox gave her a nod before he too slipped off, which seemed to be a signal for most of the other advisors to leave the East Terrace. Ignoring the group as they politely bid the royal family a good morning before dismissing themselves, Katerina strolled over to the balcony framing the terrace and leaned against it. The dull thud of hoof beats gave warning before Oreius joined her in looking out over the ocean. They watched the waves in silence for several minutes before Oreius spoke without turning away from the sight before them. "They will understand in time, Katerina Alambiel, but for now you must have patience with them until they learn to accept you as you are. They mean well and wish only to protect our sovereigns, even from one whom their sovereigns have personally invited to stay in Narnia. For now, most will see you as a stranger, but in time, they no longer see a stranger, they will see only Katerina Alambiel."
Katerina glanced at the Centaur out of the corner of her eye. "Yes, but that still leaves two questions: When will they see Katerina Alambiel? And, will they accept her when they do see her?" She doubted Oreius had an answer but she was almost disappointed that Lucy called for them to rejoin the others before he had the chance to try. It seemed she would simply have to content herself with waiting for her questions to be answered, just as the others also waited for the answers to their own questions.
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A/N: Please read and review! Please let me know what y'all think about this chapter since this one took a lot of tweaking before I was happy with it. In case anyone was wondering, the description of Katerina's armor was inspired/borrowed from Susan's armor in Prince Caspian. Click the little review button below and let me know if you like, hate, or are just plain confused by the story.