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: When memory is veiled, can the love forged between two hearts survive?
A/N: If you have not read the first seven stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, and Reflected), 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 Twenty-Four: Veneer
8 Stormfall 1008
"Peter." He groaned then turned his head away from the fingers brushing over his face. A soft giggle filled his ears then a soft weight pressed against his chest. "Peter, you must wake. You missed training."
Peter opened his eyes and blinked at the sight of his wife's laughing face. "Training?"
Thalia nodded. "It is Firstday, my love."
He groaned and sat up, still holding his wife against his chest. "Did Oreius send someone?"
"Yes. I told him you were indisposed and to inform the General that missing one morn of training is not a terrible thing."
Peter grinned as he shifted her to sit on his outstretched legs. "You did. Now I wish I had been awake just so I could watch you do it." He tilted her chin back up when she blushed. "So, if my morn is now clear of training, what plans do you have for me instead, Flower?"
Thalia gave him that sweetly playful smile he loved. "Breakfast is waiting and then I thought you might enjoy spending the rest of the morn with me, relaxing."
"I do like relaxing." He trailed his fingers down her back then brushed his lips against hers. "I don't suppose I could persuade you to go fishing."
"You have court this afternoon and the Zelaian delegation insists on your presence at their formal arrival."
Peter groaned and rested his forehead on her shoulder. "Then I shall have to steal you away another day." He turned his head and nibbled on her neck, making Thalia squirm and playfully push him away. She gracefully sprang off the bed with a laugh. Peter tossed the bedcovers aside. Breakfast could wait until after he chased and caught his cheeky Flower.
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"It should be lovely, don't you think, Kat?"
Ptah's large paw prodded the back of her calf. Alambiel looked up and quickly nodded. "It should be." Then she pushed Ptah's paw away with her heel. She didn't need that much help remembering to respond to the other names. King Peter and his consort still hadn't joined them even though it was now luncheon.
General Oreius had joined them a few moments ago and she hoped he hadn't realized she had been staring at him again. She could not quite explain why she had begun to feel a little drawn to him. Most likely it was because he seemed more willing to believe her (yesterday being the exception). But, still there was the fact that her dreams always worsened and she saw that evil face transpose itself over his nobly stern mien…and that made her nervous.
Queen Lucy suddenly grabbed her hand, startling her though Alambiel did manage to suppress her reaction. "Oh, we must hurry if we're to meet Aslan in the gardens, Kat! Come on!" The youngest Royal was off in a whirl of bronze skirts and flying hair.
Alambiel glanced uncertainly at the other two Royals but they seemed focused on their conversation regarding some diplomatic protocols. Their unease around her had lessened considerably since her abysmal archery attempt yesterday. Rising to her feet, she felt eyes on her and glanced over her shoulder to meet the General's impassive scrutiny. Alambiel met his gaze for a moment then felt a sudden tightening in her chest…as though her very heart had constricted. Why? Her discomfort and unease at the unexpected feeling prompted her to turn away as quickly as she could without seeming affected.
Hurrying out of the solarium, Alambiel caught a glimpse of Lucy's bronze skirts whipping around the corner down the long corridor to her left. Ptah was trotting by her side until she finally sighed. "Ptah, catch up to the Valiant and kindly explain to her that I am not supposed to go running through the Cair. It makes people nervous."
He hesitated then nodded. "We will retrace our steps to you."
As the Leopard picked up his pace and disappeared around the corner, Alambiel lengthened her stride as much as she could without running. A soft noise came from behind her. Alambiel glanced over her shoulder then stumbled to a halt. Queen Lucy was darting down the corridor toward the solarium. But, was she not ahead of her and Ptah? Perhaps there was another shortcut she couldn't remember and Queen Lucy had doubled back to fetch something. She might as well ask. Turning on her heel, Alambiel hurried after the youngest Royal.
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Thalia could not help the blush warming her cheeks as she and Peter finally arrived in the solarium and brought an abrupt halt to the conversation there. Peter cleared his throat. "I hope everyone's had a pleasant morn."
"Not so pleasant as to skip training, Pete," King Edmund pronounced with a definite smirk. Her husband glowered at his brother then darted a slightly guilty look at where the General had merely arched an eyebrow. Edmund glanced around them. "Back so soon, Lu?"
Turning, Thalia noticed that Lucy looked a little…on edge. She just nodded. Queen Susan rose, a small book in hand. "Did you just now realize that you forgot this book of poems you were going to show Aslan, Sister?"
Lucy nodded again as she hurried toward Queen Susan. She extended her left hand for the book. Thalia frowned slightly but then her brother-in-law shouted, "No!"
Not even a heartbeat later, the Princess Royal grasped Queen Lucy by the wrist and yanked her away from her sister. Just as the General and Kings were converging on them, Thalia gasped at the knife suddenly in Alambiel's hand. The blade slashed through the air at Queen Lucy's throat. Queen Lucy's scream cut off.
Thalia barely registered how Sekhmet pressed her bulk against her legs to usher her away from the struggle. The sickening snap of bones filled the air and those surrounding Alambiel and Queen Lucy froze. King Edmund and Peter stepped back revealing the Princess Royal pinning a struggling figure still clad in a bronze-colored dress but now unruly black hair shot through with silver tumbled about her shoulders and covered her face. Alambiel's tone was cool and dispassionate as she briskly ordered, "Cease your squirming or I'll change my mind about not breaking your other arm." She offered a wicked-looking carved amulet to Peter. "I should think someone so desperate to murder the Queens would at least know Queen Lucy would never wear an amulet with Nasreddin carved onto its face and Tash onto its back."
The gasps were audible as the Princess Royal dragged the woman to her feet and the long tousled locks feel back from her face. "Lady Jezreel," Queen Susan murmured.
The woman sneered at them. "Stupid children. Had I known that this she-demon would foil my son by killing him, I never would have accepted the contract."
The Princess Royal allowed Bast and Babur to flank the woman, their fur bristling, and then she handed a cruel dagger with a notched blade to the stern-faced General. "The blade's probably poisoned."
Peter's hand rested on his dagger as he ground out, "Who sent you?"
Jezreel laughed. There was a tinge of madness to it. Thalia shuddered as the woman's hate-filled eyes bore into them all. "One who paid my son and I to eliminate the Queens and throw your kingdom into chaos. We were told the she-demon would be carrion by the time my son arrived, but she escaped and killed my poor Achan! He offered me the chance to exact my revenge on her by framing her as the assassin. I accepted it. Tash curse you all!" Suddenly she leapt to her feet and sprinted out the open balcony doors. She didn't even scream as she hurtled over the railing.
"What happened?"
They all turned to see Queen Lucy standing in the doorway with Aslan and Ptah on either side of her. Thalia couldn't even force the smallest of explanations past her lips. Peter turned to the Centaur General. "Cair Paravel is on high alert. No one moves without an escort and no one leaves the Cair's walls until we track down the men claiming to be Achan's cousins. In all likelihood, they are also assassins."
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Mordad glared at the man. "It was a simple task."
"Jezreel's thirst for revenge blinded her and made her reckless. After they pulled her body from the rocks, the gates were closed." Ammon spat on the cave floor, coming perilously close to Mordad's boots. "The army is constantly patrolling around the walls and through the woods. The Four have not been seen outside the castle for five days. Nor has the she-demon."
"That she-demon is crippled! And you still fall to her! You should have followed Jezreel's example." Before Ammon could react, Mordad plunged his dagger into the man's throat. He swore and kicked the body. "All this for Ishara Reborn! All for the chance to break her."
"And now you have no assassins left to send against the Four or to fetch Lew's Daughter. Very foolish, Angra."
"I am Mordad!" Narrowing his eyes at the hooded sorcerer, Mordad sneered, "What if we discovered you are mortal, after all, O Most Powerful of Sorcerers?"
A softly hissed word echoed through the cave then Mordad screamed as pain, a horrid and indescribable pain, enveloped every inch of his being. A moment later, he collapsed panting to the floor. The demon of a sorcerer's mocking words assaulted his ears, "One more chance, Mordad. And, Mordad, if you attempt to double-cross me, imagine feeling the pain you just experienced for years."
He was going to kill that demon, Tash help him. He would kill the demon sorcerer and then break Ishara Reborn completely before killing her too. He was Mordad, not a filthy rat from the gutters to be kicked about by those who imagined themselves his betters.
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A/N: Please Read and Review!