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 Eight: Carnage

The camp was in disarray, a Giant-sized cooking pot had been left lying on its side, broken pieces of bone and cracked armor were scattered across the ground, and several abandoned weapons still lay among the ashes. The Big Cats stood with their ears flat against their skulls and their fur bristling. Bast looked around and growled, "Not even enough to identify them."

"Or afford a proper burial," Babur added darkly.

"But what of Peter and Edmund?" Lucy asked, gripping Thalia's hand, as they stood together. "And is there-"

Remus' howl of excitement cut her off. "I found the General! I found the General!"

Alambiel's heart leapt into her throat as she ran to where the Greyback brothers were sniffing around the mouth of another ravine. But Oreius was nowhere in sight. Instead, messy streaks of dried blood stained the rocky ground. The ground that was too hard to hold hoofprints or footprints bore blood easily enough. The Greyback brothers looked at her, tails wagging. Remus grinned, his pink tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. "Look how much the General made the Giants bleed! See, Princess Alambiel? See?"

She scowled at them. "You said you found him."

Remus, seeming to sense that he was in more trouble than not, ducked his head a little. "Well, we only found some of his blood too."

"But there's much more of the Giants' blood," Romulus added helpfully.

"And there were a lot more of them so the General could have bled more," his brother added far less helpfully. "But now we have a good trail to follow and he's not bleeding a lot."

Alambiel turned away from them, unable to bring herself to say anything when all she wanted to do was yell at them that finding Oreius' blood and no Oreius actually wasn't very comforting right now. They meant well. They meant well. She looked over the camp again. The burnt log that bracketed either side of the ravine they had come through would have blocked escape to the south before it had been shattered in the middle (no doubt by one or more Giants throwing a tantrum). Oreius and the boys would have had no other option except to go north.

She motioned to the others. "Come on."

"Kat? Do you think they might have escaped?"

Lucy's question was more hesitant than before and Alambiel could tell that she wanted desperately to latch onto that frail hope. But it was hard to argue with experience when Fell Giants were involved. Alambiel's mouth twitched into the faintest of smiles. "Anything is possible, Lucy. And obviously they did escape once. The question is whether they managed to stay that way. There is a trail we can follow. If we are all very fortunate, we'll catch up with the three morons and scold them right back to Cair Paravel."

Lucy giggled. "Even Oreius?"

"Especially Oreius." Personally, she planned to ground him. And she would use a lot of rope to make sure he stayed where she put him this time too. Yes, that's what she was going to do. Section off where in Cair Paravel Oreius was allowed to go without supervision and that was it until he promised not to put her through this again. Alambiel pulled her healing kit from the saddlebag and then slung it over her shoulder. If there were injuries, she didn't want to have to even take the time to run back to Pepin before she could help.

She did not speak of her own doubts or that nagging fear that the Kentauri might not have survived his attempted rescue of his colts. The trail began to paint a less than encouraging story though as they walked past bloodstains that were growing in size and frequency and that were definitely Oreius'. It was clear to her that Oreius had been doing his best to keep the Giants from immediately catching the boys again. But at what cost to himself?

The feeling of dread began to coil around her heart squeezing tighter and tighter when the wind shifted and the Beasts began coughing right before her eyes began to water. She gagged as the rotten stench grew stronger. Lucy and Thalia's horses began to prance, shying back, and tossing their heads up as their nostrils flared and eyes rolled. Pepin snorted his displeasure but his training kept him calmer than the others. Still, all three of the women swung down from the saddles and the horses were tethered at a safe distance with the Wolves ordered to watch over them. The stench provided some forewarning of what would be around the bend. Alambiel buried her nose in her sleeve as she examined the dead Ettin from a distance but it was everything that concerned her. She dropped her arm, forgetting to mind the surrounding smell, as she took in the alarming amount of dark blood staining the ground from in front of the Giant's body to the edge of the cliff.

Ptah stood next to the largest bloodstain, his ears flat and his whiskers drooping, and he hung his head before he looked at her. He gave it a slow shake. But she could not accept it. She would not accept it. Then her gaze caught on a blade just barely poking out from beneath the Giant's hand. She knew that sword. Oh Aslan, she knew that sword.

Ignoring the horrid stench of death, Alambiel ran forward to draw the claymore out. Its fine blade was covered in the Ettin's dried blood. She clutched the hilt and then slowly backed away from the Ettin's body. Whirling around, she met Ptah's gaze. "Is it all his?"

The Leopard nodded. "Yes, My Lady."

Her grip tightened on the sword. She could not think the worst. Not yet. "Thalia!" The other two young women started and failed to hide their pitying gazes from her. Alambiel frowned a little but she pushed the irritation aside for now. "Thalia, scout the ravine below for any sign of Oreius. It's still possible that all three are right here."

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He wasn't sure what had drawn him away from his dreams, his memories of Alambiel. Pain and thirst plagued him. He reached for the water bag but it was empty. The painting was still in his other hand. He stared at her wishing she would come talk to him one last time. He closed his eyes again.

Then something made him open them again. He raised his head as best he could and saw them. Shadows. Two slender shadows accompanied by Big Cats. "Here."

They didn't come to him. Oreius licked his chapped lips, tasting blood. "Here." He caught the glimpse of bright green leaves floating just around the corner. It was Frostmoon. The leaves should have been yellow or brown. A Dryad. "Here." The leaves rose on the wind and then a third slender shadow appeared.

"You have to call louder, Kentauri."

He turned his weary gaze to Alambiel. She was sitting next to him again, one hand on her rounded belly. She leaned toward him. "Call louder. Make them hear you."

For her sake, he would try. "Here." But his voice came out in little more than a raspy whisper. The shadows were moving around, the Big Cats had already disappeared. The slender shadows still stood near enough for him to see them. They were almost directly above him. They had to be. "Here."

The slender shadows moved away, first two and then the last one also moved away. He had failed. They had been so close and he had failed.

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Alambiel clutched Oreius' claymore. She had already cleaned the Ettin's dried blood from it but it wouldn't be right until she could give it back to Oreius. It was an heirloom of their house, passed from father to son for generations. She didn't let her torment show though as she listened to Thalia's report. "You are certain there was no sign of him?"

The Beech Nymph met her eyes only briefly before she turned away. "I'm sorry, Alambiel. I found a massive bloodstain to the right of these boulders but I could find no tracks."

Lucy touched Alambiel's arm. "The Giants must have carried him off. I'm so sorry, Kat." She swallowed hard, the wind blowing her honey-brown hair, as she looked anxiously over to where the Beasts were waiting at the northern end of the ravine. "We can still rescue Peter and Edmund though. They must be taking them to Harfang." She frowned. "I just wish I knew why."

Alambiel nodded, not letting herself show how her heart was crumbling. "Then we go north." Her gaze fell on the signs of struggle so near the Ettin's bloated body. "I will catch up with you in a moment. Have Ptah wait for me at the mouth of the ravine."

"All right." Lucy squeezed her arm. "Take as much time as you need."

There would never be enough time. But she said nothing as the others moved away. Her thumb traced a pattern along the flat of the claymore's blade again. Tears blinding her as she tried not to sob. First her baby then her husband and she didn't even know if she might carry another little one, a memory of her Kentauri, her Chuisle. She wouldn't know for several more weeks. She was going to have to place Oreius' claymore in the case with her grandsire's claymore. The tears she had been fighting finally broke free and slid down her cheeks as she looked at the chasm one last time. She wished they had found his body; at least, she could have buried him. She would ask the Four for permission to add Oreius' name to the plaque for Amatus even if they insisted on a plaque in the soldiers' memorial garden. A sob escaped her and then she pressed a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, Oreius. I'm sorry. Tell Amatus how much I love him."

But she couldn't let herself break. Not yet, not here. When she returned home to Cair Paravel or perhaps she would go to the cabin first, but when she was alone and none save Aslan and His Father would bear witness to her tears was when she would allow herself to grieve. Now, she needed to be strong. She needed to be cold and untouched. For Peter and Edmund's sakes, she would cling tight to her walls and defenses. And for Oreius' sake . . . Swiping her eyes with her sleeve, she whispered, "We're going to get your colts back. I won't let you die in vain. I promise."

Then she finally moved away from the place where her husband had given his life.

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"Call! You have to call louder!"

Oreius opened his eyes to see Alambiel beside him. "I can't." His gaze dropped to her swollen belly. "Take care- Take care of our little one or ones." He offered a crooked smile. "Let them still have a mama even though their da is gone."

"You can't leave her alone. It will destroy her. You know what happened when the colt was lost. What will it do to her to lose you?"

Oreius took a breath. It was becoming more difficult to concentrate. "You have our little one or even twins. They need you. You will live for them."

He reached for her, to rest his hand on her belly, wanting to feel the foal's kicks once before the end. But she was too far away. He allowed his hand to drop to the ground. "Forgive me for leaving you, Sweet. Forgive me for our foal's sake." He took another breath and whispered, "For- give me."

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She had almost reached Ptah when she stopped in her tracks. "Thalia!" She ran to the Beech Nymph and grabbed her by the arms. "Did you check under the ledges? Did you check there?"

"No." Thalia's light green eyes were wide with alarm. "There was no trail."

Alambiel whirled around. "The ledges."

"Wait!"

She ignored the cry. They hadn't searched everywhere. They hadn't searched everywhere. Oh no. Alambiel raced to the chasm. She heard the cries behind her, calling for her to wait but she couldn't, not when there might be the slightest chance that he was alive somewhere in that ravine. She felt Ptah try to snag her skirt just as she reached the edge but she jumped out of reach.

She landed heavily and fell to her knees, Oreius' claymore clattering to the rocky ground. "Oreius?" Ignoring the sting to her palm and knees, she rose, her gaze sweeping the shadowed areas beneath the ledges. Her chin trembled when she did not see him. She had to find him. "Chuisle? Can you hear me?"

She turned in a full circle. Where would she hide a wounded Centaur? "Oh Aslan, give me the eyes to see."

Where was he? Where was she not looking?

She backed up, trying to see the path of least resistance for Sons of Adam moving or at least helping to move an injured Centaur. She refused to think about how much blood he'd lost during the struggle with the Ettin or the blood trail they had followed to this point. He had to be here and he had to be alive.

She stepped back further and heard a barely audible groan. Whirling, she let out a sob of relief to see Oreius. He looked horrible and there was a vulture pecking at him, tearing into his flesh. Alambiel ran to him, relieved when the filthy scavenger hopped away at her approach. Her relief swiftly turned to dismay as she knelt beside him. She couldn't tell if he was breathing. "Oreius? Oreius, wake up for me, Chuisle. Wake up."

He didn't stir. Alambiel pressed her fingers against his neck and had to press hard to find his thready pulse. Running back out to the main path through the ravine, she screamed, "Thalia! Thalia! Get the cordial! He needs the cordial!"

She turned back to Oreius only to see the vulture had returned and was ripping into his wounds again. She snatched up a rock and threw it at the bird, shouting, "Get away from him!" The vulture flew off and she raced back to Oreius, already pulling her healing kit open. "Oreius?" There was a mix of blood and pus dribbling from the largest wound that was only partially concealed by the filthy makeshift bandages. She cut through the bandages and gasped at the sight. It was much worse than she had feared. The wound was obviously inflamed with gangrene fast developing. The Kentauri groaned as she cleaned his wounds as best she could even though she spilled quite a bit of the solution onto the ground with her nervous shaking.

Alambiel closed her eyes against the sight but only for a moment before she shifted so she could touch Oreius' cheek. "Oreius, wake up. Come on, Kentauri, wake up."

He did not respond.

She leaned closer and pressed feather-light kisses against his forehead, cheeks, nose, and mouth. His eyelids fluttered for the briefest of moments but it gave her a little hope. "Oreius?" He didn't open his eyes but his right hand suddenly clamped on her arm and then slid up to her shoulder. Tears stung her eyes as she gently stroked his cheek, feeling the rough stubble where he was usually smooth-shaven. "Oreius, wake up and talk to me. Please. Please, Chuisle, wake up."

One bloodstained corner of his mouth tilted up and his hand shifted from her shoulder to her neck. He squeezed gently but only once. Alambiel called his name again and he gave a gasping breath. But then he whispered, "Alambiel . . ."

"Oreius?" She watched his face for any hint he was coming out of unconsciousness. "Oreius, can you hear me?"

"Alambiel- Love- you- I- lo-" He gasped again without ever opening his eyes and then his hand fell from her shoulder. He did not respond when she called to him.

She placed her fingers against his neck and nearly sobbed when she couldn't feel his pulse anymore. "Lucy! Lucy! We need the cordial! Lucy!" She heard scrambling overhead and then behind her but all she could do was cradle Oreius' face between her hands. "No, please. Oreius, stay with me. Oreius, stay here with me. Just hold on. Help is here. Come on, Kentauri, don't do this to me. Stay. I need you to stay with me." She glanced over her shoulder and shouted, "Lucy!"

Thalia raced to her, the diamond vial extended in front of her. "Alambiel!"

Alambiel snatched it out of her hand and carefully poured a drop into Oreius' mouth, trying not to shake from the force of her unvoiced sobs. Thalia took the vial back but Alambiel didn't move away, her eyes were focused on the Centaur, on watching him for any sign that he had been healed. She pressed her hand against his throat, praying that they hadn't been too late. She couldn't feel his pulse. Oh Aslan, she couldn't feel his pulse yet.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! Next chapter shall be very interesting. :D Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.