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: A sorcerer challenged by Aslan. Love and friendship alike are tested by his presence. And the Gentle Queen faces her own challenge when the sorcerer's true colors are unveiled.
A/N: If you have not read the first eight stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, and Veiled), 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.
Chapter Thirty-Four: Disquiet
5 Frostmoon 1009
The door to his study opened without even the least attempt at a knock. Oreius looked up from the report on the damage caused by the Ettins' mischief, expecting to see his wife. Instead, his cousins came in. Oreius arched an eyebrow. "Stormwind, Firemoon, why are you still here?"
His cousins exchanged looks then Stormwind grinned. "Then your eviction was meant to include us? I told Firemoon he was wrong about that, but it seems, Cousin, you have bested me."
Oreius scowled, flicking his tail. "You know very well that I did not evict you nor did I evict Despoina and Frostmoon. I should have hoped that they would have heeded me in the matter, though."
"And they did." His cousin shrugged then admitted ruefully, "Although, Grandam was furious and even more convinced of Alambiel's unsuitableness to be your wife now."
"She also plans to confront Alcippe over admitting a subpar Nymph into her herd." Firemoon grunted when his brother swatted him on the back of the head. "What? He needed to know."
Stormwind scowled. "I told you to let me handle this, colt."
"I am not even a full two decades younger than you! I am not a colt." Firemoon rubbed the back of his head, ruffling the blond hair, as his grey eyes flashed with the promise of vengeance on his older brother. "Wait until our next sparring match and I will remind you of that, I assure you."
Oreius cleared his throat. Once his cousins were looking at him, he asked, "Despoina intends to confront Alcippe?" His cousins nodded. A little huff of amusement escaped him as he grabbed a clean sheet of parchment and wrote a brief note. "I will let Androcles know that he shall have to ensure they do not come to blows again."
"Again?"
He looked up, taking in his cousins' stunned expressions, and then gave a curt nod. "It's not the first time the matriarchs have clashed since Despoina assumed that role in Selene's herd."
Stormwind rubbed his chin. "Maybe I should deliver the note to our great-uncle for you."
Oreius looked at the two stallions again. "Why are you staying?"
Firemoon's face split in the cheerful grin that he recalled the colt giving when his next 'brilliant' idea had struck and would soon land him in such trouble that he and Stormwind would have to rescue him. "I stay to join the army."
His brother coughed in a poor attempt to conceal his laughter. "He thinks he can meet more fillies who aren't members of the herd if he's a soldier."
Oreius cleared his throat then fixed Firemoon with a stern gaze. He did not want the young one to get any ideas. "If you truly intend to join the army, Firemoon, do not expect me to treat you kinder than the other recruits. You may be my cousin but the army does not recognize such bonds as being greater than those of shared allegiance to Narnia and the Four. If anything, I will expect more of you because you are my kin. The army is not a game."
His younger cousin straightened his shoulders imperceptibly and raised his chin. "I do not think it is, General."
Perhaps the colt's request was not made as lightly as he had feared. Oreius considered the younger Centaur for several long moments then he offered a curt nod. "Very well. Speak to Captain Ardon, he will assign you to the latest batch of recruits."
Firemoon grinned and hurried out of his study. Oreius shook his head then raised an eyebrow at Stormwind who yet lingered. The other stallion chuckled. "Wasn't he supposed to wait for dismissal?"
"His learning will be steep for the first few months," Oreius muttered.
His cousin grinned. "You are going to use him as practice for your own colts, are you not?"
"Are you intending to join the army as well, Stormwind?"
"Ah, no. I did my share of fighting in the Long Winter. Beruna was my last battle." Stormwind grinned. "It is possible that I might find a pretty mare and woo her as successfully as you have wooed your own princess."
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Alambiel twirled the quill between her fingers. Things to do. Things to not do. I can't believe I agreed to no coups. Paperwork? Ick. Definitely not doing that right now. I did only promise not start any coups . . . She grinned. There is that box of ribbons sitting unused and lonely.
"My Lady? Another letter. It is marked as urgent."
She nodded, still more focused on envisioning just what she could do with those ribbons. "Thank you, Leeta."
"My Lady?"
"Hmm?" Giftwrap.
Leeta cleared her throat. "The General has asked that I remind you of your most recent promises should you seem to be anticipating . . . mischief. You are anticipating mischief, My Lady."
Alambiel laughed. "But it is not the mischief I promised not to participate in. The Kentauri failed to include every form of mischief I might be anticipating. Again."
The Nymph's black eyes gleamed with ill-concealed amusement. "If you will pardon my boldness, Your Highness, I do believe the General permits such oversights because he knows how much you enjoy them."
She did not bother to deny it. In all likelihood, it was the truth. Oreius always left loopholes for her to devil him. Probably because he had learned rather quickly that she'd devil him anyway. Alambiel laughed again as she reached for the letter. "I do not think the Kentauri minds the way I push his buttons." The handwriting was unfamiliar and she unsheathed one of her knives to lift the seal. "Besides, it's good for him. Otherwise he would be far too serious all the time."
All thoughts of how to tease her husband and how much she knew he enjoyed it faded as she read the letter. Bold slashing letters conveyed the writer's vitriol just as much as the words.
What has the North come to that women consort with beasts? A princess of the blood, no less, who makes her bed in the stables with the horses. Were human men not good enough for her? If not one of the humans, she could have wed a Wood-god or the River-god! Instead, she commits a grave sin. I pray day and night that she will never bear children since they will all be abominations who should never draw breath!
Play the harlot or join the Tisroc's harem! Those would be preferable to this sham of a marriage to that beast of a general. Abominations conceived in unnatural love. May it never be! I will pay the servants to slip the herbs for miscarriage and barrenness into your food and drink to ensure that the abominations will never survive. I will cut out the beast's heart before he is allowed to so pollute the royal bloodline.
Marriage- Faugh! The sham, the unnaturalness of it should not be honored with the label belonging to a sacred union! The lengths to which the princess royal allows herself to be degraded is only one reason for which she should be stripped of all power. The beast who dares call her a mate should be removed and executed for he reached beyond his rights to defile and pollute the royal blood.
'Ware the consequences of such foolishness, princess! 'Ware the choice that will lead to your doom! By the Great Lion Himself, I call on sorrow and grief and despair to haunt you for the travesty and mockery you have made by committing yourself to the beast. Cursed you are! Cursed!
"My Lady?" The concerned call came again. "My Lady? Should I send for the General? Do you need him?"
Yes. But Oreius was embroiled in a meeting settling a dispute between one of his lieutenants and one of the Calormene soldiers. A meeting that Tarkaan Babak had insisted on attending to "ensure justice was shown" to his man. Edmund was there but the responsibility of the army's conduct fell squarely on her husband's shoulders. Alambiel pressed shaking fingers against her mouth as she closed her eyes against the hateful words. She could not break. And she could not run to Oreius. Not right at that moment, at least.
"My Lady?"
"The General—"Alambiel cleared her throat then folded the letter with careful precision. "The General is not to be disturbed from his meeting. Where is Tuulea?"
"I believe my aunt was going to check on Caia's progress in her pregnancy this morn. However, I believe she planned on remaining in her quarters this afternoon. Unpacking still."
Alambiel nodded. "I believe I shall see if Tuulea is up to having a visitor for tea."
Leeta placed a cautious hand atop hers. "She will welcome your company, My Lady."
She certainly hoped so. She made her way to Tuulea and Stonebrook's quarters, still clutching the venomous letter. Part of her wanted to destroy it but she knew that if anything ever happened to their child, the letter would provide the proof that it was not an unhappy accident. May that tragedy never happen, Aslan, please.
"Stay out here. I don't need a guard with Tuulea."
Ptah looked up at her, concern in his golden eyes, but then he bowed his head and turned to give the orders to the rest of the guard. Alambiel knocked and was almost immediately yanked inside as Tuulea tugged her down into a strong embrace. "Ah, child! You have been on my mind. Alithia told me about how she was more than half certain you were with child." The Nymph stepped back and looked her over with a practiced eye. "Not yet, I think. But I should hope that if you are, you will attempt to avoid too much mischief. Also, have you seen Caia recently? She is progressing marvelously and, unlike a certain princess, she listens to the healers' instructions regarding restrictions and does not experiment with them."
Alambiel laughed in spite of herself and took advantage of Tuulea finally pausing for breath to protest, "Tuulea! Can you at least wait until I actually am pregnant before fussing at me for not behaving myself according to whatever pregnancy restrictions you will no doubt gleefully place on me?"
The Black Elder Nymph tsked and then urged her to take a seat. She bustled around with more energy preparing tea than one might expect from the slight Nymph but Alambiel found the activity soothing. Tuulea's abundant energy and her ongoing chatter about her daughters-in-law and the foals, both born and unborn, was familiar and comforting enough to help her own rattled emotions. Oreius would always be her shelter and refuge but Tuulea brought her own sense of normalcy and comfort. It was not until the tea was poured and Tuulea seated next to her that she ceased the cheerful talk. Dark eyes full of the wisdom gained over a long life studied her and then the hands that provided the comfort and love of mother and grandmother encircled her free hand. Tuulea made no mention of the fact that her wedding ring was missing; instead, she gently asked, "Now why haven't you gone to your husband with what troubles you? He would move Spearhead for you."
She smiled, blinking back unbidden and unwanted tears. "Yes, he would but right now he is out of reach." She took a shaky breath as she handed Tuulea the vile letter and then whispered, "He threatened my babies and Oreius."
"Alambiel."
She looked away. "Believe me, Tuulea, I know it's stupid to be upset about a threat to children I don't even have yet. And normally I can shrug these threats and curses on my marriage off with very little effort but I've listened to a Centauress tell me in excruciating detail just how poorly I measure up to the privilege of being a Centaur's wife for a fortnight. I know she hates the entire idea of a mixed marriage but Oreius and I are not setting a precedent. I can understand and even expect the attacks from the Calormenes and Telmarines and Sisemaalians and any other Human unaccustomed to the ways of Narnia but not from Narnians. And it never seems to stop." She swiped at her eyes, still not looking at Tuulea, especially when her voice trembled. "The letters, the hate, the spite. It has been coming since before Oreius and I even started considering a relationship and it has only gotten worse. And I am so tired of dealing with it, of not knowing what might be in a letter until I open it, and of having people try to sabotage my marriage. And I don't dare tell Oreius everything I get because he's not allowed to flatten every last moron who upsets me with their rancid letter-writing campaigns."
"Oh my poor child." Tuulea's slender arms wrapped around her, pulling her down so she could rest her head on her shoulder and cry. The Nymph murmured soothingly as she rocked back and forth and stroked her hair. "My poor child. Oh my poor child, I am so sorry that you have been targeted like this and without anyone to help you. Here now, here now, dry your eyes."
A soft handkerchief was placed in her hands and Alambiel wiped her eyes, willing the hot tears to stop. "Sorry."
"I have never understood your compulsion to apologize for showing that you feel as deeply as anyone, little one. However, I have great confidence that Oreius will help you with that too." Tuulea's hand was cool against her cheek and then the Nymph placed a teacup in her hand. "Drink. It will help."
A few tears still spilled free but Alambiel focused on the tea. It let her start to shore up the teetering mask she needed to tend to her duties even when she was feeling rattled. Tuulea poured another cup. "Do you know why some among the Centaurs object to mixed marriages? It is not because it is forbidden. Aslan Himself blessed the first mixed marriage between a Centaur and a Nymph. Magical Creatures are not in the same category as the Talking Animals. The Nymphs wed Magical Creatures, Satyrs and Fauns, because there are no females. But the Centaurs are a proud people. And, unlike the Satyrs and the Fauns, Aslan called out females of their own race. Indeed, it was oh two hundred years or so before a Centaur stallion had his eye caught by a beautiful Nymph. There were and are a number of the herds who believe that the Centaur bloodline should not be tainted or weakened by allowing the mixed marriages between Centaurs. They believe the fact Nymphs only bear sons in the image of their sire weakened the Centaur people as a whole because the daughters are not Centaur."
She remembered hearing of similar arguments on another world. "Racial purity."
"Yes." Tuulea gave a gentle sigh. "Most of Centaurs who adhere to this belief mean well and they have no difficulty in interacting with Nymphs . . . until the question of a mixed marriage comes up. Some of the members of Selene's herd were not entirely pleased that she chose to accept Cadfael. As you know, Oreius' paternal herd, though descended from Chiron himself, had a few mixed marriages through the centuries. Even though it had been about three centuries since the last mixed marriage in Cadfael's herd at the time, Selene's herd had long prided itself on being descendants of pure Centaurs and Centauresses."
"I know Alcippe had and has high standards for Oreius because of his position in the herd and in life. But, even when she made him mad during that interview, I never sensed the same disapproving dismissal that Despoina showed."
Tuulea laughed suddenly. "Despoina is still nursing the grudge that Stonebrook chose to chase me over her. I fear I soured her even more on mixed marriages than anyone else." Then she sobered, her dark eyes gleaming with maternal love, as she took Alambiel's hand again. "My dear child, I wish that there was a way to simply stop all the hate and harassment you will experience. But it is not that you have set a precedence. It is because you and Oreius are the highest-ranked and most prominent mixed marriage. Everyone sees you and you are equated as the only mixed marriage in the history of Narnia as far as the dissenters are concerned because your marriage is the only one nations can witness and judge. Your father's aunt, Dione, and her husband experienced much the same thing. Actually, it was even worse. Some Human nobles in the court wanted Swanwhite to exile her sister for choosing to wed a Centaur once it became known that the Queen would only have one heir and Dione had two sons who were not eligible to be nominated as the next in line to the crown prince. Two of them had wanted to marry Dione themselves and she had eloped, so their pride was twice stung."
The Black Elder Nymph fell silent for a few moments and then she smiled kindly. "My dear child, the attacks will come and you will feel the disapproval even from those who know better. But do not let them drip poison into your marriage. This is a burden you must learn to share with Oreius. He will be righteously indignant, yes. Nevertheless, he will know what causes your smile to dim and your fears to grow. He will know how to comfort you and you will learn how to comfort him. Do not let the letters and the doubters and the critics ridicule your marriage until you break. Husbands and wives are meant to make each other stronger by standing together in everything. Not just some things. Go. See him now and talk to him. Tell him what hidden burdens you still carry. It is not weakness to share one another's burdens, after all."
"I cannot talk to him now. The Tarkaan is not—"
"Alambiel." Tuulea gave her the same knowing look that had always sent her scurrying back to 'propriate Princess behavior when she was a child. "I suggest you recall the counsel you have given Thalia and take it yourself. You only stand out when you choose to do so."
She could hardly deny it. And she wanted to see the Kentauri badly. Alambiel reached up to pat her eyes with the handkerchief again. "Think I can at least repair the damage first? I don't want to distract him too much."
Tuulea smiled and nodded. "Remember, Alambiel, marriage is a partnership. It is stronger when both members depend on each other."
"We are learning to do so, Tuulea. We're just not the swiftest at giving up all our secrets and defenses."
It took a little longer than she preferred to apply the cold cloth long enough to her eyes to rid herself of the obvious signs of her latest emotional outburst. But it didn't seem to have mattered since Ptah reported that Oreius was still in the meeting when she emerged from Tuulea's quarters. Alambiel shook her head, smiling slightly. She suspected that the Kentauri would be more than grateful for her to show up since he was stuck.
She'd almost made it to the meeting room when she heard the clatter of hooves. Faline bounded in front of her. "Your Highness! Oh!" The Doe's leaf-shaped ears were swiveling and her wide eyes were filled with alarm. "At last! I feared I'd never find you. The Princess Consort has requested that you come at once. It is dire, Your Highness!"
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Please, Great Lion, spare her. Spare the little sapling. Do not let the axe cut down her tree so soon. She is hardly more than a seedling. Let her live.
"Thalia, what's going on?"
She whirled and nearly sobbed in relief to see the Princess Royal. "It is Shirin!"
Alambiel's steps seemed to slow but then she nodded, looking grimly determined. "Ptah, you aren't allowed in the Calormene quarters. I need you to go get Tuulea and have her bring two more healers. Nymphs, make sure they're Nymphs. Go."
Thalia grasped the older Nymph's hand and began tugging her down the corridor as the Leopard loped away. "Please. We must hurry. Paniz's message said she feared Shirin is dying."
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A/N: Please Read and Review!