Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters and setting all belong to Kristen Britain. Let me know what you think!!
Zachary rose tiredly from his desk, rubbing his eyes and stretching. Once his swirling, inky signature dried on the letters, the King picked them up and opened the intricately carved oak door into the quiet corridor. He finished off the working day by handing the pile to a young Green Foot Runner by the name of Toby. The small boy had been playing outside his door with his friend Harry for almost an hour now, their screams of childish delight a stark contrast to the melancholy of his thoughts. The grinning pair ran off to deliver the orders to Captain Mapstone.
Usually Laren would have taken them back to her office herself to be sent out the next morning, but she had asked for the night off. Zachary could rarely remember her asking for leave, and had gladly given it to her. Unfortunately, that left him to face dinner with his wife Estora alone.
Zachary knew that Laren appreciated how awkward he felt spending time alone with the Queen, which was why he was so interested in what she might be doing.
Wanting to put off the meal to come, he headed for the kennels. His two shadows, Fastion and Rory, walked silently behind him.
His footsteps echoed on the flagstones as the last rays of sunlight caught his hair through the windows. He heard a quiet party going on behind the doorway to Lord Norvent's chambers, and passed two maids gossiping as they mopped the floors. The chatter stopped abruptly as they caught sight of their king and his Black Sheilds. They guiltily bowed and began to work in silence.
His route through the castle took him through the Gentry's quarter. The decor of the corridor got less extravagant and expensive as he neared the area reserved for the common folk. He could hear the din of the mess hall before he got anywhere close, and several cavalry men walked quickly past, talking excitedly. Apparently the kitchens were serving cherry pie tonight.
He turned folornly away from the area that near emanated companionship and friendliness, off to a side corridor. He could hear the barks of his canine friends, and increased his pace slightly.
Finder and his furry friends raised their heads and paused their battle for an old bit of rope at his whistle, and raced towards him. The King laughed and knelt to pat them and they scrambled for attention.
Samson, the Head of the Royal Kennels, came over to bow at his leige. "Your Majesty, sorry they are so excitable this evening, I was just about to take these three on a walk."
Zachary raised a hand. "No need, I shall do it myself."
The man nodded and bowed. "Sire."
Rory and Fastion followed their King and his dogs out of the castle into the dusk. They stood to attention by the gate as Zachary played with and chased the terriers round the West paddock, which was often used by Green Riders but was currently empty.
The small dogs soon lost all of their built-up energy, and quietly followed their master's heels as he walked a lap of castle grounds, desperately hoping that Estora would give up on dinner and return to her rooms if he delayed a bit longer.
He passed the training grounds, where two Black Sheilds were practising. One spotted him and both turned to bow. They then nodded at their friends Fastion and Rory, who gave small smiles back to their brothers-at-arms.
They walked passed the army barracks, where the infantry, cavalry and Light Horse were based. Candlelight shone from many windows, showing soldiers chatting, drinking and playing card games with each other.
He heard the laughter of a group of palace guards as they headed home, their shift over, and looked on with slight jealousy.
As he neared the usually-quiet Green Rider stables, he frowned in confusion. His dogs perked up their ears at the sound of music and laughter, and the king looked at his Weapons questioningly.
Fastion grinned slightly at Rory before turning to his liege.
"I heard Mara, umm, Rider Brennyn, discussing party planning with Garth earlier. Apparently it is Tegan's birthday today."
Zachary nodded, still confused. Surely this didn't happen for everyone's birthday?
It was Rory who added to Fastion's explanation. "As you know Sire, Green Riders have notoriously short life spans. They tend to take every possible oppurtunity to enjoy themselves."
The King approached the stables and looked in, taking in the scene.
Three Riders sat on hay bales in front of the stalls, playing cheap intruments. Their musical talent paled in comparison to the elegant playing he was accustomed to, and many of the notes played on the fiddle were wrong. However, there was something entrancing about the simple tunes and the country beat that they played that brought a smile to his face. Several Riders were dancing, but not with the complicated step sequences he was used to. They stomped and jumped and twirled to the beat, laughing non-stop the entire time.
And when the song finished, there was cheering and whistling from the other Riders, who were drinking and talking. Tegan, completely drunk and well-aware of her lack of grace, bowed sarcastically to the crowd. Many onlookers grinned, including the King himself.
He soon spotted Laren, drinking ale with Elgin Foxsmith beside Bluebird's stall. Many of his newer Riders were there, though he did not know their names. Mara returned triumphantly from the mess hall with plates of delicious-looking cherry pie with cream, and Ty began handing them out. Connly then approached the musicians and conferred with them. They grinned and nodded.
A new song started up, with a loud beat, and a tune that Zachary half-recognised. All of his experienced Riders looked round grinning and took their places, before they began to chant out lyrics. And then Zachary realised. The dead Rider, Bard, had always been humming the tune.
"Hoofbeats echo through the night,
Riding under the moon.
Sword humming, eyes bright,
Hoofbeats to this tune."
They stomped and spun to the music, and the horses seemed to nod along behind them.
The King laughed as he heard his Karigan shouting out the words, completely out of tune, but grinning with her friends. Nay, family.
The song went on, describing snipets of scenes both serious and comedic that had happened to his Riders, and he found himself tapping his foot along to the beat. Truly, Bard's talent had not gone to waste.
As the song finished, they all cheered, faces flushed from drink and exertion but happy. So, so happy.
Despite all they had seen and done, the comradeship of the Green Rider Corps allowed them to enjoy life to the full.
Zachary mused on this thought as he returned his beloved terriers to the kennels. They yipped excitedly to see the kennel master, and ran inside without a second thought.
He headed back towards the Royal Appartments, where his loveless marriage awaited. He passed a family portrait, and for once stopped to look at it.
His Grandmother, Isen, who had cared for him but had had little time to spare. His father, Amigast, who had barely acknowledged him until destroying his dream of becoming High Lord of Hillander Province because Amilton had failed him. His mother, who had died young, and finally his brother, whom he had banished and then had to kill after he tried to steal back Sacoridia.
He trudged slowly back to his rooms, where Willis and Donal were waiting to go on shift. Fastion and Rory bowed and walked silently away towards the realm of the Black Shields.
He cautiously entered his rooms, and found a meal waiting for him, but no wife in sight. The empty plate beside his on the table suggested that she had already retired for the evening.
He mused on the relationships he had with people as he ate his elegant, cold meal.
His family were dead. He had had to banish many of his most trusted advisors. Laren was his friend, but he knew duty often stood in the way of their relationship. He did not love his wife, and had been forced into the marriage by a Father-in-law who often opposed him in council meetings. Karigan always ran away from him when they spoke. He could never really tell what the Weapons were thinking.
He sighed folornly.
He had Finder II, he supposed.