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 Thirty-Four: Realization

Edmund trudged through the muck, leading Philip and Frost by their reins. He glanced over his shoulder to check on Peter again. His brother was listing in the saddle, no doubt trying to keep weight off his leg. Edmund's own ribs burned with every breath and Remus was bounding back and forth between where he and Peter were at the head of the column and back to where Romulus was being carried on a litter. The healers had already warned him they would need to stop soon for the sake of their wounded but the water steadily rising about their legs pushed them on.

It was only by the grace of Aslan that they had avoided being so far west as to be in the flood plain proper. They had barely escaped the bulk of the flash flood but they still needed to get to higher ground. No one had seen Oreius since the battle and Edmund could only hope the Centaur would rejoin them soon. One of the scouts hurried toward him. The Elk lowered his head in a bow. "Majesty, we've found high ground. There's a Marsh-Wiggle healer who makes his home there as well but there is room enough for us to set up camp."

"Very good," Edmund said more out of enforced habit than anything else. He glanced back at Peter again, worrying and trying not to show it. "Let's get our people to shelter."

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Alambiel shivered and hugged herself as she stood as close to the fire as she dared. The General was on the other side of the fire, stirring the ingredients of the cook pot. He looked up and his already severe expression darkened further. "You never should have left Cair Paravel."

"If I hadn't, you'd be dead." She turned her head as a cough tickled the back of her throat. "I tried to get here before the ambush happened, to warn you all once I remembered the real plan. I'm sorry I wasn't able to remember soon enough, get here fast enough." The cooking food smelled good and her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in two days. The silence after was nearly oppressive. Alambiel wrapped her arms around herself tighter, wishing that she still had her cloak, even it was soaked through it would have been another layer over her nightgown. And she was stuck in a cave with a married Centaur. "I hope your lady won't take offense to my presence here. I mean, she should understand that we're stuck and you didn't really have a choice about bringing me with you."

Silence was the only answer. Alambiel turned her face back toward the General. He was standing very still but she could see the tension in him. His dark eyes bore into her as he ground out, "Why would you say that?"

Alambiel couldn't feel her cheeks, too numb from the rain and the rapidly dropping temperatures (even with the fire), but she was certain they were bright red. "I- That is I know it's probably a breach of protocol and definitely of good manners for me to be stuck here with you, dressed as I am, but surely your wife-"

"My wife?"

"Yes…Tanith? That is your wife's name, isn't it?" Alambiel felt another wave of humiliation wash over her as the General stared at her. Surely, she hadn't just made an even bigger blunder than asking him about being engaged.

He shook his head. "No, Tanith is not my wife. I have no wife."

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Alambiel believes Tanith is my wife? The admission shook Oreius. He turned his attention back to the confounding mare across from him. She wasn't looking at him anymore, but still she shivered and quaked like a leaf in the wind. He scowled at her damp clothing, wet hair, and dirty bare feet peeping out from beneath the mud-stained hem of her robe. The words burst free before he could temper their tone, "What were you thinking running into the marshes with no weapons, no shoes, and not even properly attired for the weather?" She flinched slightly and offered neither retort nor answer.

Oreius sighed. "Forgive my harsh tone, Your Highness. But, you will most likely become ill after your venture into the marshes. Come here on this side of the fire. You will be warmer if you are not so close to the cave's mouth." She slowly walked toward him as he dug out a dry blanket. Oreius had the sudden memory of draping a blanket around his Alambiel's shoulders in this very cave. He shoved it away even as he gently wrapped the blanket around her now. He barely touched her shoulder and she crumpled, head bowed, as if the last of her strength had finally been drained.

He leaned down and gently tilted her chin up. Her eyes had the glaze of weariness. At least she had not fainted but she needed food and quickly. Oreius checked the stew then filled a bowl and placed it in Alambiel's hands. "Here, eat this. It will help. I promise it will help."

He tried not to think about how her hands were like ice. But, still he doubted that her feet were in much better shape. What had his soldiers been thinking to allow her out of the Cair?

"They didn't let me out. I used the tunnels."

Oreius looked up sharply. Alambiel was still clasping the bowl between her hands and she wasn't looking at him. "Tunnels, which tunnels?"

If he hadn't been watching her so closely, he probably would have missed the way her lips thinned into a determined line. "If you don't know, I'm not telling. I didn't tell Mordad and I won't tell you." She glanced at him now, no doubt attempting to measure his reaction.

He forced himself to look away and focus on pouring some hot tea. He suddenly wished he had access to hot chocolate or coffee, which he knew Alambiel preferred, but the tea was all that was in his pack. He held out a steaming cup. "Here. You need to get warm, this will help too."

"You drink first."

A little smile worked itself free in spite of himself. She used to demand he drink first any time she suspected the healers were trying to sedate her. She had only been right once. His smile vanished as he realized someone had most likely attempted to sedate Alambiel recently. Oreius cleared his throat then gave a slight nod. He drank the tea then refilled the cup as well as the second one. He offered the second cup to her and this time Alambiel took it.

"Thank you." Her whisper should not have warmed him as much as it did considering he was attempting to distance himself from the memory of their love.

Her earlier admission still troubled him. But Oreius didn't want to bring up an upsetting topic before she had eaten at least half of the stew. The shadows under her eyes were puffy and he wondered when she had last sleep well.

"Will they be all right?"

Alambiel's soft whisper jolted him out of his contemplations. "The Kings and the rest of the troops would have reached high ground long before the flood became a true peril. They are safe."

Silence reigned between them as she ate and Oreius tried not to notice how much Alambiel was still shivering. If he focused on it overlong, he knew he would not be able to resist the urge to pull her into his arms to reassure her that she was safe and loved until she finally fell asleep. Oh Aslan, give me wisdom. "Why did you think I was married?"

Alambiel looked up at him, startled then she blushed as she lowered her lashes. "I saw her kiss you. You didn't look…trapped. And I was thinking about the way you hesitated when I asked about whether you were engaged." She shook her head and set aside the bowl then pulled the blanket closer around her shivering frame. "I just… I thought you hesitated because you didn't want to throw the fact that I had forgotten your wife in my face. Obviously, I'm an idiot. And I have an appalling taste in questions."

"Nonsense. I should have thought to clarify for you." Oreius hoped she believed him. He hated seeing her confidence so shaken. But, perhaps the reason she had drawn back from him over the last three weeks was due to her mistaken belief that he was married and not because he still frightened her. No, you have no business contemplating such a thing. You promised to let her go.

A coughing fit filled the air and wracked Alambiel. Oreius handed her a fresh cup of tea, hoping it would at least soothe her cough. He watched her drink it all then he handed her another bowl of the stew. "Here, you need to eat more."

She picked at it mostly but finally ate a few spoonsful. "What is it?"

"Coney stew from the rations."

"It's good." She managed a few more bites before setting the bowl aside again and huddling in the blanket. Oreius sighed. Alambiel was most definitely ill. He unfolded the blanket he had placed to warm next to the fire and spread it on the shelf to his right. Then he carefully picked Alambiel up. She was so near to sleep that she didn't even open her eyes as he moved her to the warm blanket. Oreius wrapped a heated stone in several layers of cleaning cloths until only a pleasant warmth radiated from it then tucked it next to Alambiel's feet before he finally covered her in his cloak.

She still looked so fragile. He waited and kept watch until her face relaxed in sleep as the fire burned low. Her cheeks were flushed, though. Concerned, Oreius returned to her side and lightly pressed the back of his fingers against her cheek. She was burning up but she shivered still. How he wished he might summon a proper healer for her.

He smoothed his cloak over her then pet her hair. How could he carve her out of his heart? Oreius closed his eyes. He knew the answer. He would let Alambiel go, he knew he had to let her go, however… In spite of his mind cautioning him, his heart won this last battle. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. A ragged whisper broke free of his constraints, "You will forever be my heart. There will be no other." He brushed another kiss against her forehead, this time in farewell, though he could not force himself to speak those words. Confident Alambiel slept on, Oreius returned to his vigil.

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She was both cold and hot, never comfortable but she couldn't force herself to open her eyes. Something brushed against her forehead and then a whispered rumble filled her ears, "You will forever be my heart. There will be no other."

The words sank deep into her heart and her heart constricted at the pain it recognized in the voice. She had promised to remember, she had promised...

"It's safe now." She raised her head at the whisper and looked into a mirror. But the reflection was nearly as foreign to her as the one she had been staring at for the last three months. This reflection looked healthy and untroubled as she held out her hand. "It's safe, we don't have to hide from him anymore. And we did promise to remember."

"I don't know how."

"Oh come on, we remember how. It can't be any harder than staring down the Monster and the secrets behind this door are far more pleasant." The reflection held out her hand again. "We've finally claimed our birth name. Don't let Mordad win this last fight." The reflection smiled. "And we did promise."

She hesitated then nodded. "We promised." She rose from where she had been sitting on smooth, dark glass and reached out to grasp her reflection's hand...

Hands settled on her shoulders and she jumped off the settee, book clasped against her chest. "Will you quit that?!" His laugh filled her ears and she struggled to scowl at him. "I'm serious! Don't do that. I was trying to read a book in peace, you know."

"I thought you heard my approach."

"It's been six years, when have I ever heard your approach when I was engrossed in a good book?" A smirk worked its way free even as she gave him her best haughty look. "I thought so."

She closed her eyes as calloused fingers lightly skimmed her jaw and chin. She didn't open them as warm breath not her own tickled her lips. "You are my heart, do not forget."

She couldn't keep from smiling as she whispered, "Never, I promise." His hold around her tightened and then he kissed her again.

Dipping her feet into the stream, she barely kept her giddiness from bubbling out of her. Her Kentauri was spending the day with her and this in spite of the fact there had already been an incident reported to him. Maybe he really was suffering from a concussion...

"Alambiel..." Was he going to propose to her now? Not that she would really mind, but she had been hoping he'd be a bit more romantic than asking her right before she went to Redhaven. She turned andhe closed the distance between them, pulling her into an abrupt hug. She felt him press his lips against her temple and she wrapped her arms around him, memorizing how safe he made her feel...how safe and how loved. He set her back down then caressed her cheek, his heart in his eyes this time, softening the stern lines of his face. "I will miss you, Alambiel."

Smiling, she curled her fingers over his hand then leaned her cheek against his palm. "I'll miss you too, Oreius. Just try not to get lost in your paperwork while I'm gone." She squeezed his hand. "And, I love you too."

The Centaur chuckled then sighed. "The Morning Dove is waiting for you."

Alambiel squeezed his hand again. "Don't worry, Oreius, I'll be back in a fortnight. Definitely back by the fourth of Frostmoon." He grinned and the sight warmed her. Funny how just remembering the date he finally asked to court her could bring them both such pleasure. He took her pack then threaded his fingers through hers and they walked down to the dock.

Oreius surprised her by cupping her cheek as they stood in front of the gangplank. He didn't say anything this time, but it was all right. She knew what the gesture meant - I love you, be careful, come home soon. She smiled at him then eyed the Kings. "Try to stay out of trouble while we're gone."

Then she forced herself to stride up the gangplank. She already hated this ship. Lucy was standing at the railing, waving. Alambiel wondered if her arms ever got tired... As soon as the Morning Dove got under way, Lucy gave her a little sideways glance. "So..."

"Sooo what, Lucy?"

Lucy beamed at her. "You and Oreius were gone all day yesterday. Did he ask you?"

"Yes, he asked me a number of things. It's actually how most of our conversations start." She pressed her lips together to keep from snickering at Lucy's groan.

"Oh Kat! Did Oreius propose?"

"Not yet."

"Yet?"

Alambiel laughed softly. "We're not courting each other just because we're avoiding other people, Lucy. I'm in this for life and so is Oreius."

Oreius smiled down at her, transforming his face into something far more approachable than his usual serious mien (not that the mask of seriousness had ever really stopped her from approaching him). He held up the sprig of forget-me-nots then tucked them behind her left ear. His touch was gentle as he tilted her chin up, dark eyes searching hers. "Never forget I love you, sweetheart."

She smiled. "Never. I promise." And then he kissed her.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! I hope this chapter fulfilled at least part of your wishes for the cave. Now, she just has to tell him. ;) Only two chapters left, including the epilogue. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.

A/N2: The ship, Morning Dove, belongs to WillowDryad who was kind enough to allow me to borrow the trig little thing from her story Counted Among the Traitors (psst, if you haven't read this, you should go read it...now, right now!) and give it to Lucy two years early.