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 Twenty-Two: A Fight and Answers
Katerina's fingers had just brushed against the hilt of her near knife when she forced herself to stop. Brutus threw himself on her attacker's back, sinking his claws into the grey Werewolf's shoulders and then forcing them both to land in the snowdrift not even a full ten feet away from where she crouched. Brutus snarled as they pulled apart from each other, "Frome! You will obey your alpha!"
The grey Werewolf, Frome, growled low in his throat, "You are not my alpha."
Oh great, a dominance fight between Werewolves and I'm stuck in the middle. I hate Murphy. Eying the way the rest of the pack had closed in around the three of them, Katerina was forced to admit she wasn't going to be able to fight her way out at that particular instance. She carefully removed her hands from her knives and focused on keeping space between the Werewolves behind her and the two Werewolves who were about to fight. She never thought she would say, much less think something like this, but she was hoping Brutus won because at least she knew he wanted her alive for another day.
The Werewolves snarled as they circled each other, each vying for a better position of attack. Brutus feinted to Frome's left. Frome ignored the feint and raked his claws across the thick fur covering Brutus' upper back. Brutus growled and pivoted, bringing his hands up, he caught the other Werewolf in the ribs. Dragging him down, Brutus flipped Frome to land on his back in the snow. Brutus immediately pounced on him, grabbing Frome's throat between his jaws and slowly squeezing.
Frome snarled in defiance at first and then whined when he was unable to dislodge Brutus. At first, Katerina thought Brutus was going to kill Frome, not that she minded, but the Werewolf suddenly released his hold on Frome's throat. His scarred muzzle just centimeters from his challenger's bloody throat, Brutus snarled, "Who is your alpha?"
Frome flattened his ears and kept his throat exposed as he gave a rather sullen growl, "You are my alpha, Brutus."
Brutus snarled again, "Never think you are able to defeat me, Frome, and you may be beta but that won't last if you keep disobeying my commands. If you touch the sacrifice again, I will kill you and let the pack feast on your carcass."
He let the other Werewolf up, but Katerina noticed the malevolent gaze Frome shot in her direction before he crouched in front of Brutus, keeping his ears flat, tail tucked, and head lower than the alpha's, and growled, "But she is the Centaur's mate! I can smell his scent on her. It is my right to kill her."
I'm the what?!
Brutus seemed to know exactly what Frome was talking about, which made her feel less than comforted. "The Centaur will come after her. He always comes after her. When we have used her blood in the sacrifice, then you may kill her in front of the Centaur. Until then, do not touch her and do not cause her to bleed even the slightest drop."
Katerina sat in stunned disbelief as she realized Frome, at least, thought she was...Oreius'...mate. Of all the ridiculous things to say! I am not his mate and where do they get off saying they can smell him on- she cut herself off mid-rant as she realized that even though she hadn't even been around Oreius in weeks, she was wearing something that would have his scent. His cloak, the one he had given her when she first came to Narnia, but that had been years... She was tempted to laugh hysterically when she remembered all the times Oreius had pulled her out of something or grabbed her cloak, which would have strengthened the scent and of course, if you spend enough time around someone, some of their scent is going to linger on you, according to Sherket anyway. She looked up at the sky and rolled her eyes. Unbelievable. She was going to smack the Kentauri for getting her a new enemy because he annoyed a Werewolf.
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Brutus watched his beta slink off to the other side of the pack. He inhaled, checking the wind, and noted again the old friend of the Werewolves was still lingering nearby, but still did not interfere. That was fine by Brutus; he rarely needed magic to control his pack as he had just proven with Frome. Brutus turned to meet Alambiel's defiant glare. Tomorrow night, they would use the last of Narnian royal family, the last heiress of the line of Frank, to bring Her back. He would let Frome rip her heart out in front of the Centaur General who always came for her, but Frome would have to share the meal with him. Of course, perhaps he would kill Frome before moonhigh and then he alone would eat Alambiel. His scarred muzzle wrinkled as his lips peeled back in a gruesome smile as he acknowledged both options appealed to him.
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Oreius glanced over his shoulder as the silence continued to stretch following Ardon's revelation of Alambiel's royal heritage. The Kings both looked somewhat bemused, while Peridan looked as though another gust of wind would easily topple him from his horse. Deciding to hurry the discussion along so he, well, they could focus once more on finding Alambiel, Oreius spoke firmly, "Katerina Alambiel was born Alambiel, daughter of Lew, the last King of the line of Frank. Her blood is both ancient and royal, which means it is even more appealing to the Fell than the blood of your sister. It also means that it is very likely that she will lose her life during or immediately after the Fell's ritual is complete and that the White Witch could be resurrected. We must reach them and rescue Dame Sepphora before moonhigh tomorrow night."
The Kings exchanged looks then nodded grimly, a fiercely determined glint in King Edmund's dark eyes told Oreius that the dark colt king would die before he allowed Jadis to be revived by her followers. A similar determined glint was in the High King's eyes, but Oreius knew it was even more from the determination to protect his brother and his subjects than from the single-minded determination to halt Jadis's return that drove King Edmund. He would have to keep an eye on the dark colt king in particular to make sure he did not rush in when he should use caution. Cold, silver fury and blazing, golden rage would soon rain down on the Fell, but until the right moment, Oreius would keep them...and himself...focused on those things that must come first, like catching up with the Fell.
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Peridan could hardly believe what he was hearing. Dame Sepphora, the reckless, rash, flippant lady knight was royal? How did- He stiffened slightly as he realized how he had treated her had never been the behavior appropriate to treating a royal, not even after he and Marsalla had reached a sort of compromise with her. He would have to break the news to Marsalla himself because he knew she would be mortified. And, then he would have no choice but request Dame Sepphora's pardon for treating her with less respect than her position deserved.
Fortunately, General Oreius called out the orders, "Double-time!"
Peridan would have to set the dilemma he now faced aside for a while and focus instead on stopping this new threat...
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Katerina Alambiel fought the urge to scream as Brutus came up beside her and suddenly shoved her so she fell into a hole. Rolling down the sharp incline, she grimly hoped she didn't break something or get a cut. She landed hard, hissing softly as a sharp pain radiated from her shoulder. Well, that was inconvenient. She heard Brutus slide down the embankment and land beside her, and then he hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward down another tunnel. Something crunched under her boots as she walked, but she refused to look down. She didn't need to, after all, she knew the sound of breaking bones. Gross, and more gross. I hate getting stuck in Fell lairs, their decorator is awful every time. Brutus prodded her again, forcing her to go deeper into the tunnel system. She forced down the urge to panic as her mild claustrophobia threatened to come to the fore. She had to stay focused. She began counting the separate ways to get Edmund back for dumping that water on her in Stormfall. She had reached revenge trick number one hundred and thirty-seven when Brutus shoved her into a room that felt so evil her skin crawled. A Hag stood before her, clutching a staff covered in bones, stones, and other knick-knacks. The evil emanating from this Fell was old and malevolent. Katerina Alambiel reached out to the One who was still greater than that malevolence. Aslan, be with me.
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Caia could have wept for joy as, by the grace of Aslan, Cair Paravel rose in front of them. The Centaurs had been switching off at intervals, so none had depleted their strength fully though all were covered in sweat and lather, in spite of the cold. The gates were open in spite of the growing darkness and merrily lit by blazing torches and laterns as their group clattered into the courtyard. Caia and the four Centaurs carrying Queen Susan did not halt. Instead, she led them into the Cair, calling out to some pages who were gawking at them, "Summon Tuulea and Alithia to the Gentle Queen's chambers. And, alert the Valiant Queen to our return. Make haste!"
Leaving the pages to dart in different directions as they sought the Valiant Queen and two healers, Caia led the Centaurs and their burden up to the royal wing. Upon reaching Queen Susan's chambers, Caia carefully scooped the injured Queen, blankets and all, into her arms and gently laid her down on the towels her ladies-in-waiting had used to cover the bed. Then, she dismissed the soldiers to report to Captain Cletus. Awaiting the arrival of the healers and Queen Lucy, Caia ignored the ladies-in-waiting hovering and brushed some dark locks out of Queen Susan's face as the still-young filly seemed to sink deeper into the claws of the bitter cold she had been exposed to since she was captured. She prayed they had gotten here in time for the Gentle Queen.
Tuulea and Alithia ran in with Queen Lucy on their heels. After she hurriedly explained the Gentle Queen's symptoms, Caia carefully backed out of the way to allow them to tend to Queen Susan. Sent from the bedroom, she waited in silence as did the ladies-in-waiting. A large hand closed around her right hand, drawing Caia from her fervent prayers for the Lion's mercy and protection. She glanced to her right and barely kept from crying out in joy as she met Illusin's gaze. Instead, she squeezed his hand in silent greeting, relieved beyond words that she could touch him. He nodded slightly and stepped a little closer as their fingers interlaced and they continued to wait for news of the Gentle Queen's condition.
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Lucy watched, biting her lip and almost dancing in place as she clasped her cordial tightly to her chest, waiting for Tuulea and Alithia to decide whether Susan needed it or not. Aslan, thank you for bringing Susan home. And, please let her be all right. She gasped when she saw Alithia unwrap Susan's hands, her fingers were blackened...frostbite. Tuulea looked grim yet still spoke with a calm, soothing voice as she turned to Lucy, "Bring your cordial, majesty. Your sister's hypothermia is far too severe."
Lucy quickly undid the top of her vial and carefully poured a single red drop between Susan's chapped, blue-tinged lips. Returning the vial to her belt, Lucy clambered onto the bed and knelt by Susan's other side to wait for her big sister to wake up.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! What do you think is going to happen next? We're closing in on the climax, so expect more action and more drama. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.