Prologue:
"Papa, why did you choose him?" A young girl asked her father while following him around their cellar. He seemed to be looking for something.
He didn't stop to answer. "Because Rose, he can protect you, and you'll be well off." He finally turned to her. "Do you not like him? You are sixteen, so if you have a problem, we should try and find another suitable-"
Rose hastily answered. "Oh, no father, I like him very much-I was just wondering why it was him you've chosen, that's all."
Her father nodded and turned back to his task while Rose ascended the stairs to the main part of her house and went out the door.
The town square was Rose's favourite place to be; it was just so busy and full of life. Plus, Mrs. Eclaire's bread shoppe was only a little ways away from her house. As she walked around, not having a specific destination in mind, she saw Him in the centre of the square talking to some knights. Rose went to greet Him, and as she got closer, one of the knights gestured toward her, and He turned around. She smiled at Him, and He returned her expression. He excused the knights and turned fully towards her and took her hands in His. He then proceeded to kiss her hands and bid her goodbye, for he had some court business to attend to.
Rose watched as he mounted his horse and rode off to the court. She knew this was what he did almost daily-rode off to be the inquisitor for some trial or another.
Because he was Zacharias Barnham.