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: There's danger in the north. Giants hunt for Narnia's Kings and General. Who will survive when hope is eclipsed?

A/N: If you have not read the first nine stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakened, Shadowed, Revealed, Concealed, Rekindled, Refracted, Reflected, Veiled, and Unveiled), 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 Six: Struggling

They stood in the middle of destruction. Broken trees, torn up turf, shattered spears, swords, and arrows . . . and dried blood stained it all. But there were no bodies. Alambiel surveyed the site. "You are certain you didn't find any blood belonging to the Kings or the General?"

The Greybacks were watching her closely, tails wagging. Remus grinned. "We didn't smell their blood but they made a lot of the Giants bleed."

Bast growled at them but Alambiel just nodded before she turned back to Pepin. The horse was standing still and she idly pet his forelock. The ambush was a week old now. They were getting a very late start on the trail.

"Kat? They're going to be all right."

She glanced over at Lucy. "They're all stubborn enough to survive even Ettins."

"Are they stubborn enough to survive Harfangers, Princess Alambiel?"

"Remus!"

The Wolf ducked his head at the shouts then looked up at her with earnest yellow eyes. "Well, King Edmund growls about the Harfang Giants more than he does the Ettins. How stubborn do you have to be to survive Harfang Giants?"

Alambiel laughed in spite of herself and rubbed the Wolf's ear. "As stubborn as they are, they can handle anything the Giants try to throw."

"Even tree trunks?"

"Remus!"

The Wolf yelped when Bast swatted him and darted around to hide behind Lucy. "It was on accident."

Alambiel smiled again then preoccupied herself with checking Pepin's legs. They had to wait for Thalia to bring back her report before they would decide on which path to take. Oreius' tracks had been half-destroyed by the Ettins pursuing him but it looked as though the boys had been carried off in a different direction.

"Queen Lucy, is Tarrin going to be your mate?"

She straightened in time to see Lucy blushing to the roots of her hair and Remus watching her with the same guileless interest he always showed when asking inappropriate questions. "I- We haven't discussed it." Then she abruptly pointed north. "Oh, there's Thalia now!"

Alambiel laughed softly as she watched Lucy rush to where the swirling leaves formed into her sister-in-law. Thalia's wildness did nothing to hide the way she worried at her lip. "I lost the General's trail."

"Where?"

The Beech Nymph looked at her uncertainly. "After I found two dead Ettins. I do not know where he went afterwards." She pointed to the eastern path. "The remains of a campsite lies that way. Giant by the size of it and . . ." She paused, turning pale and swallowing hard, before she whispered, "there were bones and bits of armor left behind."

A heavy silence hung over them all, even the Greyback brothers were subdued, as they realized the soldiers had been consumed along with the dumb beasts. The worst possible fate and the most grievous of crimes for Narnians. Alambiel drew a deep breath. "Then we need to make a decision. Do we continue on by stealth and get a better idea of the situation? Or do we send word to the patrols in the area and the nearest border outpost and gather our forces for a proper rescue?"

The Big Cats exchanged looks then Babur spoke up, "I saw ten Giants attack. Even if two are dead, there are still eight to contend with and that is only if they do not have others who joined them. We are too few in number to attack them and hope to succeed, especially if the General and the Kings are injured."

Thalia looked worried. "But we must find them."

Lucy nodded as she took her hand in hers. "And if they're injured, they might need my cordial. Any delays might hurt more than help."

There was truth enough in that. Alambiel surveyed the destruction once more. Injuries in the company of Fell Giants would be inevitable, especially if Edmund was in a snarky mood. She could only pray that Oreius had remained free and was already in the process of rescuing their kids. It would make things much simpler.

"Princess Thalia, are you worried about your mate?"

Thalia's answer was slow. "Yes, I am."

Romulus tilted his head. "How come?"

Remus perked his ears and started wagging his tail. "Are you having puppies?"

The Nymph just looked helplessly at Alambiel while Lucy tried and failed in preventing her giggles from escaping. Alambiel walked over and gently tapped the twins on the heads. "Will you two focus? This is not the time to ask inappropriate questions. And if you ask again, I'll make you both go visit Philip and his herd."

The Wolves whined, tucking their tails between their legs. "We're sorry."

Remus looked from her to Thalia with pleading in his round yellow eyes. "I only asked on accident."

"Well, we don't have any more time for accidental questions." Alambiel glanced up at the sky. The sun had already begun to drop low. "We've only two hours of daylight left. We need to make a decision quickly."

"What do you propose, Kat?"

She frowned, weighing the options and not liking any of them. Everything had more risks than gains. It was turning into a no-win situation. No, she wouldn't think like that, it would be too easy to give up if she did. "We press on, continue scouting the situation. We need an accurate number for the Giants and we need to know what condition Oreius and the boys are in. Once we know, we send to the outpost for help. They will bring at least two patrols with them. Are we in agreement?"

The other two women nodded, the awkwardness caused by Remus' questions forgotten in their determination to bring their missing loved ones home. Lucy grabbed the hilt of her dagger, blue eyes flashing with temper. "We are going to find them and stop these Giants too."

Alambiel smiled at the fierceness of her youngest kid. It had been almost boring in the three and a half years since they had stopped the Fell army with Markus' help. She looked around again. This wasn't exactly the kind of excitement she would have asked for if she had been given any say in the matter but the Law of Murphy never listened to her. "How far to the Giant's camp?"

"Five or six hours. They moved slowly and returned here a number of times. Some of the tracks were not more three days old."

Collecting. That was just peachy. Alambiel pressed her lips together then nodded. "All right. All right, we won't make it there tonight but I won't camp here either. We press on. Oreius would have begun tracking the others as soon as he dealt with the two who followed him. It is possible we will come across him before we find the boys." She looked at the Beasts. "Stay alert but do not challenge anyone or let them catch sight of you. Romulus, Remus, scout ahead for a safe place to stop and make sure there's plenty of fresh water."

The Wolves leapt up, tails wagging furiously. "We'll find the best water!"

"I'll find the best den too!" Remus added. Then he bolted into the brush with his brother hot on his tail.

Alambiel rolled her eyes. "Ptah, make sure they don't cause too much damage. Bast, Babur, form a perimeter. Be ready to scout the area around wherever we camp. No more surprises for today please."

The Big Cats exchanged looks of disgust for the Wolves' continued lack of propriety then Ptah loped off after them. At least, she did not have to send Peter's Tigers. Their low tolerance for the Greyback brothers was best pressed on only when absolutely necessary. She swung up into the saddle and pointed Pepin toward the path. "Mount up you two."

Night had fallen by the time they reached the chosen campsite. In her heart, Alambiel had wanted to press on but the horses needed the rest. Even Pepin. Lucy and Thalia had been quiet. The remnants of the ambush no doubt still clung to their thoughts. But she had no words of comfort to offer them. Moving out a little ways from camp, Alambiel surveyed the barren landscape of Ettinsmoor. Their little alcove hid their party from easy sight but they had not dared to light a fire. She glanced up at the stars, partially concealed by the clouds, then looked out at the unforgiving boulders, ravines, and sparse, scraggly brush. A couple of leagues further west and there would be plains of dull grass and spindly trees. And somewhere in the maze of ravines, caves, valleys, and mountains directly ahead were Oreius, Peter, and Edmund . . . and more Giants than could be taken on safely.

She bit her bottom lip as she looked back up at the stars. Oreius had offered many times to teach her to read their dances, only half-teasing when he mentioned it was part of her heritage, but she had always refused. It had been so much more fun to listen to him read the stars and tell her the stories (only of some of them she didn't believe were anything more than his flirting). She always told him that and, until two years ago, she had mentioned that she would pick up a few things when he began teaching their foals. She had stopped mentioning foals after what had happened . . . and so had he. And now . . . Alambiel took a shaky breath. "Do you warn me that he's not going to come back? If you do, you are wrong."

But the feeling, the terrible niggling thought that she wasn't going to bring Oreius home except perhaps to bury him did not leave. If anything, it grew stronger. Alambiel whirled, drawing a knife, and then relaxed as the intruder wagged his tail. "Remus. What are you doing?"

"Looking for you."

"Why?"

"To ask a question."

She waited but he just sat there, wagging his tail and grinning with his pink tongue lolling. "Are you going to ask me your question?"

"Yes." Remus grinned at her. "Are you worried about the General because you're going to have a puppy?"

Alambiel could only shake her head in disbelief. "Remus, can you explain to me why you are always asking about puppies and mates when it is really not your business?"

"I like puppies." Remus wagged his tail then added thoughtfully, "And females always act strange when they're going to have puppies."

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

"Keep fighting."

Oreius opened his eyes. He knew that voice. "Alambiel." He stretched a hand out in the direction he had heard her. The darkness made it difficult to see, though. "Alambiel."

She crept closer to him, moving strangely. "Keep fighting."

He smiled slightly, tasting blood again. "You are here."

She shook her head. "I'm a hallucination. And you know it."

"No."

"Yes. And I can prove it." She came closer and he could see that her stomach was swollen. She rested one hand on it. "See?"

He nodded then coughed. A groan immediately followed as the pain in his ribs increased and he could taste more blood. "You are with child. I hoped you were. I am- glad."

She raised a finger. "I am a hallucination. And even if you did leave me with a foal, I would not be this pregnant already. Try to remember that."

Oreius smiled. "Perhaps it is twins."

"Is that going to be your happy thought?" she queried. Then she shook her head, sighing in exasperation. "She will never forgive you if you die out here."

"I am trying to come back to you." His gaze sought the stars but the rock overhead blocked his view of the night sky. Perhaps that was for the best. "I am- trying."

"Not enough." She leaned closer, studying him. "Why didn't you tell Peter to have Stormwind look after her? He would be willing."

Oreius scowled. "Too willing!" He struggled to get up but his body refused and pain flared, dragging him back into unconsciousness and the realm of memory . . .

He had been more than eager to escape the confines of his quarters. Alambiel, fortunately, seemed just as happy to have him out from underhoof. A lingering headache was the only reminder of the concussion that had rendered him on bedrest for the past two days and it was certainly not enough to deter him from making an unofficial inspection of the Cair's defenses. Unfortunately, Alambiel had enlisted the High King to forbid him from returning to his duties for another day. He was going to invite Alambiel to come down to the beach later and then he would throw the little minx into the sea as she deserved for tying him down when the bedrest started.

Oreius lengthened his stride as he entered the lower gardens. The soldiers on duty were strategically placed and they acknowledged him as subtly as possible without giving away their positions. The diplomats visiting were behaving themselves as well. And King Edmund's Wolves were digging up the garden again. Oreius let out a long sigh and then went to find out where those pups were actually supposed to be . . .

After sending the chastised, if not subdued, Greybacks to find the Just King, he decided he could afford to delay the rest of his inspection. It would keep his soldiers from becoming too lax by thinking they could predict his inspections. He had not gone very far down the beach when he heard his cousins' voices raised in heated argument. If he had to break up another of their scuffles . . .

"I saw how you were looking at her, brother. You can hardly deny anything."

Stormwind's voice turned hard as he snapped, "I will deny it for as long as I live."

Oreius frowned and quickened his pace. What filly had his cousin fallen for to cause such an argument between brothers? Firemoon snorted. "Will that make a difference?"

"It must!"

"What must?" Oreius noted with some amusement that both of his cousins started and looked as guilty as colts attempting to filch some tasty sweets (something they never dared to do in their grandam's house but they did with some of the aunts) when he rounded the little copse of bushes. "What filly has caught your eye, Stormwind? I did not think any would be able to lure you away from being a bachelor."

Firemoon scowled. "One who has already been caught."

Oreius raised both eyebrows while Stormwind cuffed his brother on the back of the head. "This is not the time to be loose-lipped, Firemoon." Then he turned back to Oreius. "It is nothing, Cousin."

"You are not planning to chase a filly who is already betrothed to another, are you?"

"No. She is married and I am not going to chase her. She would not respect me if I did and I do not wish to ruin the relationship I have with her husband." Stormwind pawed at the ground, flicking his tail, before he sighed and then looked Oreius in the eye. "I would hope that you will forgive my very foolish heart."

Oreius shied back a step. He stared at his cousin in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you have fallen in love with my wife?" His sharp gaze pierced his younger cousin. "And you knew of this?"

Firemoon raised a hand, his eyes wide with alarm. "I only figured it out a fortnight past. But Stormwind would not-"

"He would not what? He would not love his own cousin's wife? He would not devise ways to be close to her? He would not betray my trust? Is that what you think of your brother, Firemoon? So did I until this moment." Oreius closed the distance between them, barely keeping his hands from his cousin's throat. "Does she know?"

Stormwind shook his head. "How could she? I never speak of it. I could not speak of it." He reached out and placed a hand on Oreius' shoulder, gripping it tightly. "I am sorry but I will swear by Aslan that I have not and will not act on my foolish heart's desire. Even if I were such a fool as to do so, she would not have me and I would lose her respect as soon as I spoke."

Oreius knocked his hand away. His cousin, the one he trusted most, the one whom he had always assumed would care for Alambiel in his absences and ensure that she was protected, desired her. Anger flared bright and he shoved Stormwind. "Stay away from her. And what of my trust? My respect? It seems that you do not place those very highly after all." He glared at him, breathing heavily as he clenched his fists. "And did you contrive to hit me during the exhibition? So you might comfort my widow?"

"Oreius, please!" Stormwind raised both hands and his tawny gaze was pleading. "You cannot think that of me. You know me-"

"Not as well as I had thought," Oreius cut in coldly. Never had he wanted to strike his cousin as much as in that moment. Rage churned and boiled through his veins, seeking expression, but he denied it. "Stay away from my wife, Stormwind. If I catch you lingering where you are not welcome, I will disregard our kinship entirely."

"Oreius." Stormwind looked pained as he shook his head. "What will Alambiel say should I abruptly leave off visiting? You know she will ask and if she asks, she will figure it out, and then she will be hurt. I do not wish to hurt her. And she needs as many close friends as she can find. But you need not fear that I will ever broach the topic of my feelings. She looks at me no differently than she does Stonebrook or Ardon or Tuulea and Stonebrook's sons or even that Leopard, Ptah. And the way she looks at me is very different from how she looks at you. She might be pleased to see me but she never lights up as she does when you come to her. Her heart is firmly in your grasp and she does not know that another heart has been laid at her hooves. Even you should be able to see that truth."

The implication that he would fear Alambiel straying or that he thought she could fall in love with another while married to and loving him broke Oreius' fine thread of control. His hands were around Stormwind's throat before he registered Firemoon attempting to break his grip. Oreius squeezed once and then let go, chest heaving as he moved away.

He turned back to his cousin and pointed a single finger at him. "Alambiel would never betray our vows. And you would do well to consider visiting your herd for a length of time. Let us hope that when you return I will be able to tolerate the thought of you in the same vicinity of my wife, knowing that you feel for her as you should not."

Stormwind nodded. "I will go. I am certain Grandam will welcome the news I can bring her of my brother's continued courtship of Tanith." He rubbed at his throat and then sighed. "Oreius, please believe me that I never planned to fall in love with Alambiel. I made a jest when you introduced us that I might attempt to steal her but it was meant in jest. Then after we came here and I spent more time in her company . . . It was something I denied to myself for some time. I did not even acknowledge it until after last year's tragedy and I watched her suffer so much during that time. And I realized it was not solely compassion I was feeling. Perhaps if we had met her at the same time and if she had not already committed her heart to you, then I would have tried to win her. But she chose you long before I met her and she is not the type to love briefly and move on. I respect her and I respect you too much to speak on this matter willingly. If I could have kept the truth from you, I would have because I know it pains you."

"He kept his word. And if you leave behind a colt, shouldn't he have a Centaur to look after him and teach him your ways?"

Oreius opened his eyes and scowled at Alambiel. "Do you want to marry him?"

"Interesting. Do you think I want to?" She leaned in close and whispered, "I wonder have you ever doubted her in regards to Stormwind? You have been living with this secret for a year. Do you watch her interact with him and question her love for you?"

"No. We are going to have a foal. Alambiel might allow Stormwind to help raise a colt or she might summon the aid of others among our family and friends." He blinked slowly, feeling wearier than ever. "Alambiel, you are going to be a wonderful mama. I- I wish I could- see it."

"You don't know she is with child."

"I do." Oreius smiled. "I was- promised foals. Alambiel- you remember- it is our- comfort. We will- have foals."

Alambiel studied him with concern and mild curiosity. Despite the night's darkness, he could see her quite well now. "You are making very little sense. You need to tighten the bandages if you can. You're bleeding heavily again."

"I- am dying. You are going- to have a- foal."

"That logic is terrible. If she were here, Alambiel would smack you for saying such things." She frowned. "If I weren't a hallucination, I would smack you. Do not give up. You must keep fighting."

"I am- but I am- still dying." Oreius coughed, groaning as his broken ribs scraped against his lungs. He could taste fresh blood. One of his ribs must have punctured a lung after all.

Alambiel watched him, her hand still resting on her swollen belly. "Aslan promised you many children. A single foal is not many."

"Then you are carrying twins, a colt and a filly." He smiled at the thought. They would both take after their mama as far as coloring, or so he hoped. "Twins- would be- enough. I am sorry- I will not get- to meet them."

"Do not give up." She scowled at him, her eyes blazing with sudden wrath. "You saw what happened when you buried the colt. Do not make her bury you too. She needs you. Any foal she carries will need you. Do not give up."

Oreius reached toward her but his hand fell short. His gaze fell on the painting. Alambiel was smiling at him. He tightened his grip on the small painting. "I- love- you."

"Oreius. Do not give up. Do not give up!"

He closed his eyes and memory swept over him, lessening his awareness of the pain.

"Oreius, guess what?"

He chuckled as Alambiel came skipping around the trees. "I do not know. Tell me."

"We're running away."

Oreius arched an eyebrow as she took his hands, still smiling up at him. "We are?"

Alambiel nodded, still grinning and with mischief dancing in her blue gaze. "Yes, we are. For the rest of the day. Now come along. If you resist, I shall have to kidnap you."

"Much as I would enjoy running away with you, my sweet, I do have duties to tend. And I am expected at a meeting. It is also Thirdday."

She tugged on his hands, still looking more than a little amused. "But that's the beauty of it! We run away today and no one suspects a thing. I might have implied to Peter that you and I were going to have a private debriefing that necessitates a priority over your other duties. Besides, there's nothing critical about that meeting. I checked. Come on."

"A debriefing? And the colt believed you?"

"Hey, we haven't seen each other in ten days and you didn't even come to see me this morn like a good husband should. We need to debrief. Come on." Alambiel tugged on his hands again. "Come on, my way of debriefing is going to be a lot of fun too."

And who could resist such an invitation? Besides it was true that he had not been able to spend much time with her yet. Oreius allowed his minx of a wife to lead him to one of the secluded gardens. They did speak for a while but to his shame he kept dozing off. He startled awake at a soft touch and met Alambiel's amused gaze. She patted her blue velvet skirt. "Come here."

It took very little effort to convince him. Oreius rested his head on his wife's lap and sighed in contentment when she began massaging his temples. "I missed you."

"I know. But it's nice to hear it." Then she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. She tasted sweet and rather like strawberries. "Sleep, Chuisle, I don't mind. And I promise to wake you before the hour grows too late."

He had not intended to obey that command. However, Alambiel started humming and her fingers drew soothing circles against his temples. And her lap was soft. His eyelids drifted close and sleep snared him.

He dreamed of her voice in the darkness, calling to him, "Oreius, wake up! Keep fighting! Don't give up yet! You must keep fighting!"

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

A/N: Please Read and Review! Well, that was surprising. Next chapter: Giantesses! Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.