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 Eighteen: Decision
He hadn't expected the Ettin to drop dead but the unease in the remaining Giants' faces was clear and he would seize the opportunity. Edmund scrambled up from where he had been kneeling beside Peter and walked to the edge of the circle formed by the muttering Giants. "Oi! Now you have made enemies who will not allow you to live past sunrise!"
The Ettins stirred uneasily (after all, it was their fellow who had fallen) and then one of them asked, "What's 'e sayin'? Cursed?"
Warming to his plan, Edmund fixed them all with a black look and, raising his arm, pointed a single accusatory finger at them. His voice cold and unwavering, he answered, "Aye, you are, poor fools! Do you not know the stories? When innocent blood is spilt, Narnia's ghosts are drawn from their rest and comb the lands, seas, and air hunting those who would dare commit such crimes. When it is royal blood spilt, their hunger for justice, for vengeance, grows even stronger and they cannot be dispelled to their rest."
"Lies," muttered one of the Harfangers.
"Is it? Did you not say yourself that the ghosts killed that one?" Edmund jabbed his finger in the direction of the corpse. The Giants looked uneasily at the fallen Ettin and then shuffled further away from his body.
Morfran scowled and ran his fingers through his beard. "No, the ghosts are only angry with the Ettins for their weakness and treachery."
Culhwch's heads turned to glare at the dark Harfanger. He took a menacing step toward him. "What's to say you didn't poison him? Like you killed the others of my kin who went missin' after we hunted for your idiot sister?"
If they started brawling, they'd probably squash Peter before he could drag him to safety. Gathering himself as though he stood before unruly members of the court instead of temperamental Northern Giants, Edmund raised his voice and coldly interjected, "That does not mean ill will not befall you and yours, Morfran of Harfang. Indeed, I judge you are the most responsible for the crimes wrought against Our people, Our royal person, and Our High King's person. More you have plotted to aid in the commitment of atrocities against Ourself and Our Royal Brother the High King. You permitted Us to be treated as dumb animals or, worse, mere trinkets to be used until Our usefulness has been depleted and then you no doubt plan to kill Us. Yet there is still time for you turn away from this evil you have committed and prove yourself deserving of some small mercy rather than the full justice delivered by those unseen spirits who watch you even now. If you release Us and Our Royal Brother with no further harm done, perhaps you will survive to see tomorrow's sunset."
Morfran's eyes narrowed. "You cannot prove it. None of mine have died. Why should I release the prizes when-"
His threat was cut off as he suddenly stumbled as one of the Harfangers staggered into his back. He whirled, a curse already hurling through the air, and raised his fist to pummel the unfortunate lackwit but the blow never fell. Instead, Morfran took a step back from the other Harfanger but he became entangled as the fellow lurched forward and grasped at his tunic with one hand while clutching the side of his neck with his other hand. But it did no good. In less than a heartbeat, the Harfanger drew one last rattling breath and then he slumped to the ground, his wildly-staring eyes filming over as death settled its stole over him.
Edmund forced himself to show no surprise when the Giants cast fearful looks over their shoulders at where he still stood. Instead, he crossed his arms and raised his chin. "As I warned, Morfran, you will not emerge from this untouched. Unless you agree to release Us and Our Royal Brother."
At first, he did not think the Harfang Giant would cooperate. Morfran's beard fairly shook as the Giant ground his jaw. Then he reached up and tugged at his beard, his hate-filled eyes travelling from his fallen comrade to where Edmund stood and then back before he finally turned to Edmund a final time. "And if I release you and you take your brother away, the ghosts will no longer attack us?"
Edmund remained motionless save for arching a single eyebrow. "Well, if the ghosts attack you because of Us, it would be only reasonable to presume their attacks will cease when we have returned safely to Narnia."
The Giants murmured to each other. Morfran stared at him, eyes narrowing further, but finally he nodded. "Go. I will lose no more kin to the ghosts who protect you."
Thank you, Aslan. Edmund took a single step back. Now, he need only wake Peter up, get the great lummox on his feet, and head south. Then he froze as two dishearteningly familiar shapes emerged from the night's darkness. Fea, with one hand clasping Nemain by the wrist, glared at him. "You cannot let our prizes go, Morfran!"
Nemain sniggered. "Prize!"
Fea released her kinswoman's wrist and stomped over to Morfran, glaring up at him again. "Fool! Fool! Fool! You think Morrigan would tolerate your foolishness? The dark one lies to you. He wants to pull the mist down over your sight as the Witch did to your father when she promised to give us lands in Narnia where we might feast on Centaurs, Satyrs and Fauns, and as many fat beasts as we could catch. Would you be so foolish as that? Remember his foolishness caused Morrigan to aid Bors and Borak in overthrowing him because the Witch lied to our people. Like my clever, foolish prize lies to you now. Will you be as stupid as your father?"
Morfran's gaze was murderous as he turned it on Edmund. "I am not him. And Bors did not live long. Borak will not live long. Borak is weak like your father." He stomped closer to Edmund and growled, "And Fea will give me children, not scrawny freaks fathered by you. I am not my father. I am not content to share the queen with a brother or any other rival who pleases her eyes as long as I am king. I will have no rivals so my sons will take the throne of Harfang unchallenged."
Edmund grimaced. "I don't bloody want her! I have no desire to be bloody forced into a bloody marriage!" He scowled at Morfran. "But your willingness to marry such close kin is the perfect example of why your people are failing. You have bred your own weakness and your own bleak future because of your avarice, your malice, and your cruel disregard for the sanctity of life, especially that belonging to those beings called forth and blessed with Aslan's very breath. You commit atrocity upon atrocity against your neighbors, your own people, and your kin. For what purpose? To build an empire that will collapse within a generation if not sooner? To grasp at what has not been given to you and neglect what was granted to you? Are you such poor stewards? Such poor judges of what is right and wrong? Instead of learning from the example of your Narnian cousins and seeking to know the Great Lion in His truth, in His mercy, and in His love, you revel in your own destructive ways." Edmund caught a glimpse of sneers appearing on Fea, Morfran, and Culhwch's faces and his temper spilled over. Drawing himself up, he coldly bit off his next words, "How you would answer to the charge of condemning your own people? For if you persist in this plan and do not release Us and Our Royal Brother, Narnia will declare war on your people and will not rest until We are recovered. Now is the time to decide. Will you bring further destruction on those you should be leading and protecting? Or will you put off your destruction?"
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"It is perfectly reasonable for one of our number to remain inactive in this coming battle."
Remus started to ask a question but Queen Lucy grabbed his muzzle. He glanced at her in silent wonder then his attention was recaptured by the General's mate snarling, "Oh really? It makes perfectly good sense for you to try to tell me, the only other swordmaster present, to sit this one out? Did you hit your head while you were out tempting death?"
The General scowled but he didn't snarl. Instead, he had that same weary tone that Alpha used sometimes when telling him and Romulus that they couldn't bring frogs to him (even though they are very good for fixing injuries) and he asked why not. Alpha never answered his question. But the General did answer his mate's question. Maybe it was because he thought she would bite him if he didn't. "You know there is a reason you should stay behind."
"No I don't. And you don't either. Not being able to say no is not the same as saying yes, just so you know. And there are only nine of us. Peter and Edmund have likely called the wrath of Murphy down on them even more because Thalia still hasn't reported back, so actually there's only seven of us who can participate in this particular plan because you don't count either since you have a different task. Even if you killed two Giants, there's still thirteen left. Eleven if the Giantesses are still out wandering. Seven people are going to be hard-pressed to take on three Giants. Reducing our numbers any further is the equivalent of handing ourselves over to the Grim Reaper."
Remus cocked his head. "Who's that? How do you reap a grim? Is it a grim person? Or is it a plant? Why would we go with him? Why-"
"Remus!" He ducked his head and tucked his tail in with a soft whine as the Princess Royal growled at him but she had already turned her bite back on her mate. "This plan is suicidal at best. Therefore, we will all be participating in it. Otherwise the Giants will have us in a pie."
"Sepphora, you must stay-"
"Don't you 'Sepphora' me." She pressed closer to the General, a claw tapping against his chest, as she snarled low, "Don't. I am not going to stay behind."
The General flicked his tail then he dipped his head. "As you wish. I have done."
Remus watched him walk away and then the Princess Royal turned back to where they waited. She did not smile or laugh. If she had proper ears, they would have been pinned flat in anger and her ruff would be on end. She cleared her throat. "You remember the plan. We will get as close to the Giants' camp as possible while Oreius works his way north and west of us. Once he has drawn their attention, we will split up and work on luring the ones who don't fall for it away from the Kings. Lucy, try to reach them as soon as you see the opportunity. Remus, Romulus. You will stay with the Valiant, understand?"
Remus and Romulus both growled their assent. Remus added, "We'll make sure she reaches Alpha and King Peter."
"Good."
She looked up and he wondered if she was going to howl at the moon, singing a battle challenge, but then he realized the time for challenges were over. Their enemies would not receive any warnings this time. The Giants had taken Alpha and the High King. They had hurt his Alpha. He growled low in his throat at the thought then checked himself, expecting a scolding. But Princess Alambiel was already walking away.
Getting up, Remus trotted after her because Ptah wasn't following her even though he should. He didn't want her to wander off and get taken by the Giants. He stopped when the Princess Royal found her mate. Remus tilted his head as he watched the General come close and then he rested his paws on her shoulders as he bent to touch his forehead to hers like mated Wolves sometimes touch noses. "Alambiel, promise me that if things go ill, you will not try to come to my aid. Promise me that you will retreat with our Kings and Queen and as many of our people as possible. Fall back where the Giants cannot reach you and then run for the south. Do not stop until you reach Narnia again. Promise me."
"I can't give you permission to die, Oreius."
"I know." The General stepped back from her and Remus could smell a bitter mix of sadness and resignation that his nose itch. "I know, Sweetheart. May Aslan keep you between His paws until next we meet."
As the General galloped away, Remus crept forward until he could butt his head against the Princess Royal's hand. "Princess Alambiel? Is the General worried about your puppy?"
"It doesn't matter, Remus. Go find your brother and tell Ptah to meet me here. It's time to get our Kings back."
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A/N: Please Read and Review! Things are getting tense, no? Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.