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 Forty-Five: Christmas Cheer
22 Yule 1009
"Anything?"
Oreius looked over at Alambiel and shook his head. "There are no signs of Succubae."
His wife shrugged, no more surprised than he was, as she hopped over a fallen tree. "Well, the witnesses were inebriated and more than a little skittish."
Oreius huffed. "Fauns and a panicked Squirrel."
Alambiel giggled and then she looped her arm through his as they walked back toward the sparse settlement. "You know they can't help it. Being flighty and nervous is in their nature. At least, we'll be able to put their minds at ease."
"I have a suspicion as to what truly scared them during their revelry."
His wife looked up at that, raising both eyebrows. "Oh?"
He gave a curt nod. "Their wives."
Oreius smirked as Alambiel burst out laughing. "That one was actually funny, Kentauri. We can't tell them that but it was funny."
"I am funny."
"Sometimes." Alambiel winked at him as she slipped her arm free. "Come on, let's get the reassurances over with before you make all the Fauns faint with the unexpectedness of you having a sense of humor. Contrary to rumor."
He scowled at her. His cheeky minx of a wife only blew him a kiss before she skipped ahead to the little clutch of houses. He would have retaliated but the Fauns and Squirrels and Rabbits needed something more reassuring than the General swatting the Princess Royal on her rump and then being chased by her. Therefore, he stood back and watched as Alambiel charmed the silly creatures into forgetting their wine-fueled terror. She was very good at it and not one of the Fauns fainted.
Once they left the little settlement, Alambiel slipped her hand into his again, squeezing lightly. The look she gave him was the one that always preceded a cautious request. Oreius sighed. "What do you want me to do?"
She grinned. "It's nothing like that, Kentauri. I was just thinking that we could possibly go see Tabitha and Jon."
The couple she had arranged to adopt Tarkheena Paniz's daughter. Oreius looked up at the snow-heavy skies. "How far is it?"
"Two miles east if we turn here."
Oreius considered then nodded. "Very well. However, we may not linger too long due to the weather. I do not want you caught out in a blizzard."
Without breaking her stride, Alambiel flung her arms around him. She squeezed hard and Oreius draped an arm around her waist. His wife's eyes were shining as she looked up at him and whispered, "Thank you, Chuisle."
The house Alambiel led him to was small by Centaur standards but it was solidly built. The young Son of Adam who rounded the corner at their approach was carrying an axe in one hand. He gave them a cautious look but it cleared once Alambiel pushed her hood down. Then a smile appeared. "Lady Star!"
"Jon, you look well for a man living with two babies."
The man laughed. "Tabitha said you would find a way to check on us but I did not believe her."
Alambiel glanced back at him, smiling, before she answered, "We were passing through the area and I persuaded Oreius to visit."
Jon nodded to him then gestured to the house with his axe. "Tabby is inside. Come, come."
The young filly with the darker coloring of Calormenes looked up as they entered and her tired features bloomed into a joyful smile as she bustled over to hug Alambiel. "Lady Star! Oh, I told Jon you would come see us before that wee babe was crawling. Oh do say you will stay for supper, at least. We haven't anything fancy but Jon joined the Satyrs for a hunting party and my Jon brought home the most succulent deer I've ever laid eyes on."
"We would be honored to stay, don't you agree, Oreius?"
He could only agree. After a slight stunned silence from the two humans when Alambiel introduced him as her husband, the visit went very well. Oreius did not miss the way Alambiel's eyes lit up with joy and no small amount of pride as she listened to Tabitha sharing about how the young couple was adjusting to a life in Narnia. The only interruption came some time later as a cry pierced the air. Tabitha and Jon leapt up and disappeared into the small bedroom. They returned with two bundles. Jon smiled proudly as he knelt in front of Alambiel's chair and pulled back the blankets to show a chubby foal with short brown fuzz covering its scalp. "Lady Star, this is our son. Jon the Younger."
Alambiel leaned forward, letting the little foal clutch her fingers. "He is beautiful. Is he the one who cried?"
"Yes. His sister is so quiet by comparison." Jon glanced over his shoulder then waited for Alambiel to gently pull her fingers out of the little foal's grip before he rose, allowing his wife to come closer.
Tabitha immediately offered Alambiel the tiny filly. Then she brushed her fingers against the little one's dark cheek. "She is a very good baby, our little Hadassah."
"Hadassah?"
The filly nodded, a faint blush appearing. "I . . . When you rescued me from Fyren, I thought it was impossible to be loved. I was far too damaged. But, Hadassah House became my home just as you promised it would, Lady Star." She looked at her husband with love in her green eyes. "And Jon loves me even with my past. Just like you said the right man would. I could not think of a more appropriate name for our daughter."
The expression on Alambiel's face made Oreius approach and circle behind her so he could rest his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs gently rubbing against her neck. He wasn't certain if Tabitha and Jon knew that Alambiel had named Hadassah House in honor of her dam but he knew the foal's name meant a great deal to her.
Alambiel rocked the little filly, cooing to her whenever the foal gave her a gummy smile, and the sight made Oreius long for the foal in his wife's arms to be their own. But he took care not to look as impatient as he felt. In Aslan's timing. They would have their foals in Aslan's timing. Tabitha was flitting around the stove, still chattering about how the foals were each progressing as she prepared supper. Her husband seemed more than content to hold his colt. And Oreius did not think Alambiel was going to surrender Hadassah for some time . . . and then Alambiel rose.
She handed him the filly, murmuring only, "Mind her head."
Oreius stared down at the tiny foal. To his dismay, this one was even smaller than the foal Alambiel had left him holding when they visited Hadassah House. The filly yawned and then opened her eyes, revealing their color as black. Hardly daring to look away, Oreius glanced up briefly to see Alambiel standing at the stove next to Tabitha. He glanced back down at the filly who had wriggled one of her arms free of the blankets' confines. She yawned again then nuzzled against his chest, closing her eyes once more. Perhaps this was not so bad.
He flicked his tail and shifted on his hooves as the filly stirred when her brother let out an unhappy cry. She opened her eyes. Oreius raised her up slightly, not knowing what else he should do. And then the foal opened her mouth and spit up on him. The white clumpy liquid covered his chest.
"Alambiel," he growled.
Tabitha and Jon had frozen, their eyes wide. Even the colt had quieted. The minx, however, had pressed her lips together in a poor attempt to conceal her amusement. Oreius looked back down at the filly and carefully held her out. The little foal opened her mouth again and laughed.
The minx was the one to take her, using a soft cloth to wipe the foal's mouth as she cooed, "Oh my, I hope your tummy feels better now, Hadassah love. Poor baby."
The foal did not spit up on her.
Oreius turned to Jon. "Where can I clean up?"
The Son of Adam gulped nervously and then gestured to the back door. "There's a water trough just outside in the lean-to. I use it all the time to clean up 'fore coming in."
With what little dignity remained to him while wearing the remains of the filly's last meal, Oreius stalked out of the small house. At least Alambiel waited until the door shut behind him before she laughed. The water was cold but he was able to wash up. Oreius gripped the sides of the trough and, bowing his head, sighed wearily.
"It's not really as bad as all that, a chara."
"This is not a good time, Alambiel."
His wife ignored him as usual. She ducked under his arm and patted his chest dry with a cloth. Laughter lurked in her blue eyes, though, as she looked up at him. "Oreius, everyone in the worlds who has held a baby, especially a human baby, has shared the ignominious fate of being spit up on by the little munchkins. It's not that much of a blow to your dignity as you seem to think."
He frowned. "You derive great amusement from this supposedly common fate."
"No." Alambiel widened her eyes innocently but the corners of her mouth trembled from the effort of resisting a smile. "No, let me make that clear, I did not find amusement in the fact that she spit up on you. I found amusement in your expression when she spit up on you."
Oreius splashed her. Alambiel giggled then raised both hands. "Pax, pax!"
He frowned. "No more teasing. And you will not tell anyone, including Tuulea, Leeta, and Alithia, about this . . . mishap."
"I promise." Alambiel tapped a finger against his chest. "And just so you know that was Hadassah's first laugh."
"I am delighted," he deadpanned.
His minx giggled then slipped her hands behind his neck. "I won't make you go back in there if you don't want to, Kentauri."
Oreius rested his hands on her waist. "We will stay for supper and then we leave."
She nodded but when he saw no reason to move or let her go just yet, his wife gave him a look full of mischievous laughter. "You do realize we have to go back in for supper, right?"
"Alambiel," he warned.
She kissed him. "I know. I love you too."
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23 Yule 1009
Alambiel's laughter drifted back to him as she forged ahead. Oreius shook his head. Though she had kept her word thus far not to mention the unfortunate results of his holding that little foal, he knew that each time his wife looked back at him and then smiled, eyes sparkling with barely subdued laughter, she was thinking of the less than impressive figure he had made yesterday. He sighed. He had only held the filly because he wanted Alambiel to see he could be a good sire to fillies. He wasn't worried about colts. He knew how to handle colts (despite what Ardon claimed). But the fillies . . . they worried him just a little.
Oreius sighed again then increased his pace as he realized he could no longer hear Alambiel. It was foolish to worry about such things. When his wife told him they were going to have a foal, then he would worry about everything he did not know in regards to Nymph fillies. Much more practical. Alambiel and his colts gave him enough to worry over in the time being.
He stopped. Something was wrong. The woods had fallen silent. His hands dropped to the hilts of his swords. Where was his wife? "Alambiel."
No answer.
"Alambiel."
"I am here." She appeared again in the woods just to his right, smiling at him as she emerged. "Did I worry you?"
Oreius relaxed only slightly. "Yes. You know our agreement." He cast a wary glance at the trees. "Something is hunting us."
"Do not fear." Oreius looked down to find Alambiel had nearly joined him. His wife reached out to rest her hands atop his fists, rubbing gently against his knuckles, before she slid them up his arms as she stepped closer. "It is nothing to worry over." She tilted her head up prettily and Oreius lost focus on the woods as his wife's nearness turned his head. She didn't do it to him often but when she did, there was no one else in their world. Alambiel smiled, her lips not quite parting and looking very kissable. She breathed a laugh as she gave him an inviting look. "My General . . ."
If he lowered his head or she rose on her toes, their lips would meet. Some days he loved the distraction Alambiel presented. Her lashes brushed her cheeks as she peeked through them at him. Her hands were still resting on his arms. He cleared his throat but did not move away. What sane Centaur would want to move away from his wife when she was being so irresistible? "Alambiel, we should keep moving."
"A little delay won't hurt. The day is our own." She tilted her chin up a little more, almost closing the distance between them, and her breaths tickled his lips. "My General. Just one ki-"
She hissed then gasped and collapsed into the snow, a familiar dagger protruding from her back. Oreius shied back instinctively, reaching for his swords again. Then he heard it.
"You bloody idiot!" Another Alambiel stormed out of the woods, eyes flashing with blue fire and her second knife in hand. "You bloody, boneheaded idiot! You were going to let her kiss you! What is wrong with you?"
Oreius blinked, shaking his head as the Succubus' enthrallment wore off. He looked down to see the creature who had stolen his wife's form (only the real Alambiel would dare to call him an idiot) fading. He looked back up. Alambiel was furious. She was glorious.
"Are you smiling?"
He wiped the grin from his face but it was too late as Alambiel stomped her foot. "You think a Succubus almost ensnaring you is funny? And why couldn't you tell it wasn't me? I never call you 'My General.' And I certainly wouldn't try to seduce you here. I'm occasionally insane but I don't have a death wish or a wish for frostbite." She bent and scooped up her knife, examining the blade as though it had been dipped in a vat of eels even though it had been left clean as the Succubus faded from existence, then she sheathed her twin knives and glared at him. "You are old enough to know better too. What just happened?"
Oreius shrugged helplessly and then rubbed the back of his neck. "Sweetheart, the succubae have the most success when they use the form of a loved one. And I . . . did not expect one to appear so I was not on guard. And I love you more than anything save Aslan Himself. She had a very good lure. And you have called me your general. Once."
Alambiel punched him in the chest, making him grunt. "That is for being a moron and almost getting yourself killed before our hundredth anniversary. You're not allowed to die before then."
He reached for her but his wife immediately stepped back with a glare that was frostier than their surroundings. "No. You will not touch me and you certainly won't kiss me until you've had the chance to scrub the Succubus off."
Oreius sighed. "She did not kiss me."
"Scrub." Then his wife gave him her most regal look as she pointed toward a break in the trees. "There is a shortcut that will cut our travel time so we can get out of here faster. March."
He marched.
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24 Yule 1009
Edmund strolled through the Cair with far less ease than he would during other seasons. His sisters had gone overboard with the mistletoe again. And possibly Thalia was in on it too, considering how often he came across her and his brother locked in some sappy embrace. The only positive was Peter was always the most embarrassed. And Edmund was going to torment him about being the "mistletoe king" for a long, long, long time.
He heard giggling ahead and darted into one of the rooms. He leaned back against the door listening as clicking claws, clopping hooves, and whispering skirts passed amidst more giggles and whispered confidences about the Christmas Ball. Once the corridor quieted again, Edmund breathed a sigh of relief. Then he heard it.
A giggle. "Edmund? Why are you hiding?"
He looked up to see Lucy perched in the window seat. "Because any of those women might get the silly idea to trap me under the mistletoe."
His little sister just giggled. Then her smile faded and her gaze returned to the window and the swirling snow. "They were supposed to be back for Christmas."
Edmund followed her gaze. The winter storm sweeping across Narnia was so bad that he hadn't been able to send anyone to check on Oreius and Kat after they missed their early return date. Still, he didn't want to let Lucy know he had been worrying too. "Oreius and Kat will be fine. They've survived much worse than a little snow. They're probably holed up in an inn, waiting out the storm just like everyone else."
She sighed. "Tarrin said the same thing."
Edmund immediately crossed his arms, scowling. "That reminds me. Why did you let him kiss you again? It's the third time this week!"
"Edmund! It's Yule and it is not my fault we keep getting stuck under the mistletoe." Lucy shook her head, giggling again. "And can you imagine Tarrin planning to catch me under the mistletoe?
He snickered and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Lu, for the sake of our sanity, don't give the matchmakers any more ideas with more mistletoe-required kisses. And for Tarrin's sake too. I fear for him if Peter ever caught wind of how much you two have kissed since the mistletoe went up."
"It hasn't been that many times."
"Thirty-two."
"You can't count kisses twice, Ed."
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27 Yule 1009
Alambiel watched as Oreius moved the last of the pine boughs out of the way. She smiled as she pulled her new fur-lined cloak closer. "Kentauri?"
Oreius glanced over his shoulder at her. "Alambiel?"
"Next time you get us snowed in, can it be at our cabin?" She grinned. "That way you're not complaining about sleeping on the hard floor."
Her husband gave her a wry look. "I did not complain that much."
"Once I gave you a couple of massages."
He chuckled then held out his hand. "Come along, Minx. Before I decide to make you walk across the Northern Marshes."
Alambiel rushed to place her hand in his. "It was merely a suggestion. It would be nicer to be snowed in at our cabin than here."
Oreius smirked as he yanked her close. "I could live with being snowed in anywhere if I was alone with you, sweetheart." Then he kissed her.
She was smiling as Oreius pulled her up onto his back. She tugged her hood up and then wrapped her arms around his chest. "I'm glad I married you."
"Oh?"
"Otherwise I would have to walk."
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29 Yule 1009
Susan stared out the windows as evening fell over Cair Paravel. Then she spied two dark shadows emerging out of the curtain of gently falling snow. Kat and Oreius walked through the gates, hand in hand, and looking no worse for wear. Susan breathed a sigh of relief. At least they had returned home safely. They must have spent the storm in one of the inns along the road.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! If you want to know more about Kat and Oreius staying in the cave, you can read my oneshot Not Quite the Christmas Eve We Expected. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.