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: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Twenty-One: Going Home

Oreius quietly walked beside Katerina Alambiel as they exited the tunnel leading into the throne room. She hadn't said a word since the fight ended, but he believed it was mainly due to the shock of having to kill her first man. It was different when you had to kill for the first time and it wasn't one of the Fell Beasts who are monstrous enough that you can push it from your mind more easily than with others. They reached the throne room to find it deserted, Oreius stepped forward but he stopped when he saw Katerina still hadn't moved from the tunnel archway. He was about to say something when she ran to the only corner of the room not covered in blood and promptly vomited.

He gently placed a hand on her back and rubbed in a small circle. "The first time is always the worst."

He handed her his water skin and waited while she poured some into her hands, sipped it, then spat it out coughing. She tried to hand it back without taking an actual drink and he gave her the stern look reserved for his students. She meekly drank some water under his watchful gaze. She looked at him then glanced away at the wall mount holding a sword scabbard. Oreius walked over to it and pulled it free, then he tossed her a rag. "Clean your sword."

She followed his instructions then sheathed the sword and held it out to him. "Here, you should take this not me. Jannes said it belonged to the Nymph Esti, wife of General Kyros. Can you give it to their descendents?"

Oreius stared at the sword in undisguised awe, but he refused to take it. "If this is the sword of Esti, you are now its chosen bearer. It is a sword of wondrous capabilities but only its chosen warrior can wield this weapon without consequences. I saw the ease with which you fought, and most people would never have been able to adhere to their training so perfectly with a strange weapon, not unless they were warriors of advanced skill. And, though you are a quick study, you still have much to learn before anyone would think of calling you a warrior of advanced skill. I know a descendent of Kyros and Esti and he would want you to have it. Take it and bear it well for this is Chrysaor, the sword of Esti."

She hesitated then nodded as she carefully slung the sword belt over her shoulder like a baldric, allowing the sword of Esti to lie flat along her back. She looked up at him, "Thank you for believing me back at the camp. I'm glad the plan worked, especially since I had no idea how I was going to pull off my end of the bargain."

Oreius shook his head as he led the way into the tunnels, "I had my doubts about this plan of yours, but fortunately for us all, it did work though not always in the way we had it planned out. However, I suggest you don't tell the kings that you were unsure of whether your own plan would work or not."

She waved a dismissive hand. "All I know is it did work, although I got hit a lot more than I thought I was going to when I started planning this whole thing out."

Oreius clapped a hand on her shoulder, but he didn't answer as they emerged from the Labyrinth and into the light of a rising sun. Katerina blinked and raised a hand to shield her eyes. She absently played with the two golden pendants on her necklace and, in the light, he could see that they were a lion and a cross. She dropped them and looked up at him with a smile, "You know you were right when you said that we are given the darkness so the light will shine all the brighter in comparison to it. Thank you for reminding me of that truth."

Oreius smiled back at her, but a shout prevented him from answering as the kings rode up with Lucy safely perched in front of Peter and Sefu and Ardon right behind them. Lucy grinned at them in spite of her bruises, "There you two are, we were starting to get worried."

The High King caught Oreius' gaze and he easily read the concern in the king's eyes. "The sorcerer Jannes is dead, your majesties. He will trouble us no more."

Lucy looked at Katerina Alambiel and smiled. "So, are you ready to go home to Cair Paravel, Kat?"

Katerina suddenly looked hopeful, "Does this mean I'm not going to be thrown in the dungeons as soon as we get back?"

Edmund smirked, "Nope, just a bath." He paused then asked, "What's wrong, Katerina?"

Katerina looked pained as she answered in a low voice, "I just started thinking about what's on me and I'm not sure where all of it came from, so I'm going to Cair Paravel for the bath. And, for the record, I hate Werewolves."

The royals started laughing while Ardon, Sefu, and Oreius were hard-pressed not to give in to their own laughter. Katerina rolled her eyes at them and started walking. After they caught up with her, Edmund and Philip talked Katerina into accepting a ride. Of course, she only did so after Oreius promised that multiple flights across the training yard would be in her future if she didn't get on. Oreius quietly thanked Aslan for awakening a light in the darkness and saving both Narnia and the Daughters of Eve from Jannes' grasp. A shout of laughter reminded him to ask for even more patience now that Katerina Alambiel was going home to Cair Paravel, and he thought it highly doubtful that she would be leaving any time soon.

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A/N: Oh, look I didn't kill either of the girls...beat them up terribly yes, kill no. This tale is ended but it is not the end of Katerina's story, my friends. It is only the beginning of the adventure. Click the little review button below and let me know if you liked this story and if you would like to read more adventures involving Katerina, the Pevensies, and Oreius.