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: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!

A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakening, Shadowed, and Revealed), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.

Chapter One: Partings

26 Stormfall 1006

Susan hurriedly sorted and folded and replaced certain items of clothing with more appropriate ones, chattering all the while, "You will be sure to give King Lune the gifts when Corin is not around, won't you? And, don't make any promises of adventure or fighting or traveling or anything of that sort to Corin. He's six, he still doesn't understand the whole concept of later referring to a time much further removed than when you leave Anvard." She paused but only silence greeted her. Pausing in the middle of pulling out a tattered, travel-stained tunic and replacing it with a crushed velvet royal blue tunic, she looked over her shoulder, "Peter, are you listening to a word I say?"

Her brother smiled from where he was leaning back against the headboard of Edmund's bed, "Yes, Su, I've heard every word. No presents until after young Prince Corin has been shuttled off to bed or is otherwise distracted, no giving any unintentional or intentional promises to Corin, and I'll even make sure Edmund wears his especially thick, extra wooly socks."

Susan rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile, "Just...make sure you all take care of yourselves and don't get into any trouble."

Peter hopped off Edmund's bed and walked over to her, throwing his arms around her, he picked her up so her feet were dangling in the air as he hugged her tightly. "Don't worry, Su. We'll be fine and I promise we'll back in time of the festivities." Susan returned the hug just as tightly before Peter set her down again and looked at his travel packs, "Now are you done reorganizing all of Silvo's hard work to your satisfaction?"

Susan smiled, "Yes. And, I already repacked Edmund's travel packs. Actually, where is Edmund anyway?"

Peter smirked, "Oh, I think he went to apologize to Kat one more time before saying goodbye to Lucy...or maybe after saying goodbye to Lucy."

Susan shook her head, "I still can't believe he and Tarrin managed that prank and were foolish enough to enact it."

Peter grinned until he noticed her frowning at him, "Sorry, but it is funny that they caught Kat so completely by surprise." He paused then held his hand out to her, "Come on, let's go find Lucy before we really are late. She'll either have Edmund with her or know exactly where he is."

Susan smiled a little as she allowed Peter to steer her out of her brothers' rooms. It was true that Lucy would know where Edmund was; actually, she strongly suspected that her little sister was busy pestering their brother into promising the envoy would be back in plenty of time for Christmas.

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Oreius rapped his knuckles against the door frame, "Are you awake, Katerina Alambiel?"

"Of course, I am."

He chuckled at the hint of irritation in her voice as he walked into the room, "Tired of questions already?"

The lump under the covers finally shifted so he could see Katerina Alambiel's eyes peeking at him over the edge of the comforter. The irritation was replaced by a knowing tone, "Sure enough, but that has never stopped you, Kentauri."

He could hear the hint of exhaustion and see it in the shadows under her eyes. If he bothered her too much, it wouldn't take long for both Tuulea and Alithia to descend in all their scolding fury. "How do you feel?"

She rolled her eyes, "About what you would expect for someone who had a barrel of ice-cold water dumped on them in Stormfall when five miles out from the Cair and now has a-" A fit of coughing interrupted her and she ducked back under the covers as Oreius moved closer to the bed. Her coughing fit finally abated and she continued in a hoarser voice as she peeked back out at him again, "now has an extremely inconvenient cold. I hate Murphy."

Oreius smiled in spite of himself at her decision to grumble about Murphy, "Now, you know you didn't really want to go on a diplomatic trip anyway. In fact, I believe you said something earlier this year about not going on any diplomatic trips for three years at least."

A glint of amusement appeared in her eyes and he suspected she was grinning, "Well, that is true, but I could have gotten myself out of going without being sick." She paused then continued in an even softer voice, "Be careful, Kentauri." A teasing note entered her voice, "I better not have to come rescue you and the Kings because you took a wrong turn."

He smirked then reached out and brushed some loose strands of hair back from her face, "Oh do not worry about that happening, Alambiel. Between Ardon, Peridan, and myself, we will keep our Kings safe and on the right route between Anvard and Cair Paravel."

She reached up and grabbed his hand, "Not to mention the Queens will kill you if you lot are late for all the festivities they've planned for this Yule. You had better be back here by Christmas Eve."

He smiled at her then made a formal bow as he gently teased, "So I have been commanded." She rolled her eyes at him again and he added in a more serious tone, "You will rest and listen to Tuulea and Alithia."

Katerina Alambiel narrowed her eyes at him, "As you wish. Now go away, I'm pretty sure it looks bad if the General is late. You're supposed to set an unachievable example or something along those lines."

Oreius chuckled, but he could see her energy was flagging and he had promised Alithia and Tuulea that he wouldn't keep her from resting. Her eyes were closed before he even stepped back. Slipping out and pulling the bedroom door so it was barely cracked open, Oreius suspected that it still wouldn't be long before she had enough energy to be bored again and he would be receiving letters to that effect.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! So, the not so dark chapter is up faster than I thought I would have it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prologue, your reviews really inspired me to write this chapter up this morning. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.

A/N2: Happy Thanksgiving!