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 Thirty: Midnight Homecoming

23 Yule 1006

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty, wake."

Susan opened her eyes and jerked back slightly at seeing the Bat next to her pillow, "What is it?"

The Bat blinked then whispered again, "The scouts have spotted a party approaching the gates. they should be in the courtyard by-"

Susan didn't wait to hear more. Flinging the sheets back, she quickly shook Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy! They're back!" She didn't wait for Lucy to untangle herself from the sheets. She didn't even remember to thank the Bat nor did she remember her robe or slippers as she ran out the door. Not waiting as Lucy called her name, she ran through the corridors. Thank you, Aslan. Thank you!

She ran out into the courtyard, "Peter! Edmund!" Her brothers had just enough time to turn around before she flung herself at them, managing to hug them both. She peppered kisses on their faces, ignoring Edmund's muffled protests. Oh, but their skin was so cold. They must be freezing. Lucy ran up and joined in the hug, peppering them with even more kisses.

Susan was vaguely aware of most of the soldiers seeking the warmth of their quarters, either in the barracks or in the palace itself. She tightened her hug on her brothers, and then she locked gazes with Kat. They had found her! Susan quickly disentangled herself from her brothers and hugged Kat as well.

She stepped back again and shivered as the cold and wetness of the snow finally registered. Crossing her arms, she shifted her feet as she surveyed Peter, Edmund, Kat, and General Oreius. "Oh, come inside, before we all freeze to death." Lucy smiled as she offered her her robe, which Susan gratefully slipped into before she began herding her brothers toward the warm indoors, leaving Kat and Oreius to follow them. "You need something hot to eat and drink. And, baths, definitely baths as soon as you've warmed up enough to take them. The servants should have gone to light fires in everyone's quarters by now too. And, those clothes need to be burned, Kat."

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Oreius watched as the Gentle Queen ushered her brothers and Alambiel in the direction off their respective quarters while Queen Lucy bounced between clinging to Alambiel and her brothers. He followed them until first Alambiel and then the Royals were safely ensconced in their rooms. He could still hear Queen Susan fussing over her brothers as he finally headed for his own rooms and he could also hear Tuulea fussing over Alambiel from the hall. Opening the doors to his own quarters, Oreius was grateful to see a fire was already burning high in the fireplace. He didn't give into his own fatigue just yet though, first he removed and meticulously cleaned his armor and swords before putting them up. He left his travel packs beside the bed, those he would tend to later. Now he would see about having a bath and getting something hot to eat and drink...not necessarily in that order.

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Katerina suppressed the urge to sigh as Tuulea brushed out her hair for her. The Black Elder Nymph had taken all her clothes except for her cloak and Oreius' gloves and handed them to one of the servants to be burned, including her boots. "I can't believe you ordered my boots to be burned."

Tuulea tsked, "Honestly, Child, you have another pair of boots in your wardrobe, not to mention other perfectly good shoes and slippers you might wear instead of your boots for a change. And, those boots no longer qualified as decent footwear."

Katerina chose not to comment further, otherwise Tuulea might decide to stuff her into one of the fancier gowns she had worked so hard on avoiding and take away her other pair of boots. Tuulea didn't say anything else until after she had started to braid Katerina's hair (more intricately than Katerina usually did her sleep braid, but she knew better than to complain), "The Queens have been told, Alambiel. And, I suspect that the Kings have also been informed."

"I figured that would happen when I gave Susan the message that I released the five of you from your oath. How did they handle it?"

"They were surprised. But, I do not think they know how to react to the revelation of your heritage just yet. You will have to speak with them about it, about all of it."

"Yes, but not until after Christmas...when there are less distractions. Tell Stonebrook to go ahead and dig it out from wherever he stashed it. I might as well present it to them all at the same time."

Tuulea gave the end of her braid a slight tug before she stood, "I will inform him. And, you Child, should get some sleep. It is Christmas Eve and in the morn is the ice fishing tournament." The Nymph left without waiting for Katerina to answer.

Katerina smiled in amusement as she glanced over at the clock and saw it was indeed after midnight and officially Christmas Eve. Thank you, Aslan, for bringing us home in time for both Christmas Eve and Christmas. She shook her head as she noticed Oreius' gloves still resting on top of her dressing table before yawning. I'll just have to return those later. The Kentauri's probably asleep by now anyway. Curling under the covers, Katerina knew that everything revolving around her heritage would soon be common knowledge, but not until after Christmas.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, only four chapters left. The next chapter skips to after Christmas. However, something important does happen on Christmas and is detailed in Christmas in the Cair. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.