I own nothing. The wonderful characters and setting belong to Kristen Britain. Enjoy!!
Karigan growled in frustration as her window lit up and thunder crashed through her eardrums. She rolled over and stuck her head under her pillow, but it was no use. She cursed and rolled out of bed, pulling on her leather riding boots.
The tired Rider marched through the Rider Wing to the common room, finding it empty. It seemed that everyone else had managed to get to sleep before the storm started, but Karigan had still been working on the accounts when the rain had begun pelting the windows.
She left the doorway and continued out of Rider Quarters, her sheer night gown fluttering behind her. Another growl of thunder matches hers as she paces onwards.
She just wanted to sleep. When would this storm end?
The grumpy rider walked onwards for a while, finally stopping at a wide panelled window overlooking the courtyard. She lent on the windowsill and watched as lightning forked down from the sky.
Immediately afterwards she heard a frightened whimper from round the corner, and a terrier raced around it, eyes wide.
Karigan's instincts kicked in and she lunged for it, catching the poor dog round the middle and tucking it under her chin, trying to calm her.
The dog squirmed, still trying to run, so the rider sat against the wall opposite the window, and held the terrier in her lap, stroking it.
She didn't recognise the dog, but wasn't stupid enough to not realise who she belonged to.
Sure enough, Zachary soon jogged around the corner looking for it. His eyes lit up when he saw her sitting on the floor, and he grinned in apology.
"I'm sorry about her." He said as he came and sat down beside her. "Ambri is only a pup, and got scared of the lightning. Seems you've calmed her down now though." He finished with a rueful grin.
Ambri now had her eyes closed as Karigan scratched under her chin, ignoring the storm. She didn't reply, just smiled at him and kept her attention on the dog in her lap.
Zachary leant his head back against the wall, staring out at the storm as lightning lit the distant hills and the Green Cloak forest, as well as illuminating the angry grey clouds that were pelting rain down on Sacor City. He pitied any who were out in that.
As if reading his thoughts, Karigan commented, "Glad I'm not on a message run tonight."
Zachary hummed in agreement and stared out into the night. The rain got slightly louder.
The lightning stopped a few hours later, though the rain continued. Karigan was very tired by this point, and her head had settled on Zachary's shoulder. His arm was round her waist, and she was beginning to dose off against him.
Zachary kissed the top of her head and settled back against the wall. That was the last thing Karigan remembered before finally falling asleep.
Feeling safe.
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