Title: Kept Silver

Author: LdyDarkStr

Email: T for language, mild sexual innuendo

Description: What if Karigan had kept the brush set that King Zachary had given her?

Author's Note: Much thanks to ReadInk for the inspiration and of course, Kristin Britain. Please be patient with me as I am working from memory on this one (my books are packed in storage). Email with any discrepancies please! This story takes place at the end of First Rider's Call. For my story we're going to pretend that the wild magic never made its way out of Karigan. She still has it.

Karigan's fingers brushed over the highland terrier mark on the back of the mirror and brush set, her heart hammering in her chest, realizing who exactly the gift was from. She breathed heavy, touching the ornate design that was so unique, so HER.

Maybe we're not so different, hey? We both are loved by kings…Lil's voice ghosted through her mind.

Startled, Karigan snatched the wooden box that the silver rested in. Her first instinct was to hurl it to the stone floor, but she knew that wouldn't destroy it. Her chest heaving with suppressed tears, she set the gift back on her dressing table. The moonstone shards twinkled from the corner of the table, emitting a soft light. Staring, Karigan scooped them into her palms, feeling a calm settle into her soul. Glancing upward into the mirror, she was startled to see herself looking, beautiful.

Sometimes we all need a glimpse of how others see us. We need to see that we are worthy… Lil's voice was soft, faint.

"I thought you were gone," Karigan murmured, settling the shards back into their satin lined bowl.

Never gone, we'll always have this connection…

"What do I do Lil?" she hated how weak she sounded.

Talk to him…

Karigan traced the filigree on the silver mirror, anger threatening to stir. Picking up the box, she clasped her cloak over her shoulders and went in search of her liege.
Zachary peered at a cluster of stars, marking some notes in his small notebook.

"Sire," Fastion murmured from his place in the shadows.

King Zachary looked up to see Karigan striding towards him, cloak billowing in the wind of the astronomy tower. She must have gotten his gift. Sighing, he set his telescope and notebook down and met her halfway. She was shaking despite her cloak, and he longed to encircle her in his warmth.

"Your majesty," Karigan bowed low, her eyes shadowed in the darkness.

"Karigan. Is everything alright?" he expected her to come to him, full of fire and indignation, and his inability to read her mood unnerved him.

"Yes, no…I," she cursed herself. Climbing all five hundred stairs had fueled her anger, and she pictured giving him a complete dressing down.

Zachary glanced down at the wooden box in her hands, his heart sunk. "You didn't like it?"

Karigan took a deep breath. "I can't accept a gift from a married man," she murmured, not meeting his eyes.

"Karigan, I'm not married," Zachary's mind whirled. How did she find out so quickly?

"Lady Estora told me that you were to be wed, I can't accept a gift clearly made for someone you care about. I'm not that person." For some reason those words made her want to sob.

Zachary took the box from her hands, caressing the lid lovingly. He had spent hours with the silversmith, sketching and brainstorming, every minute of those hours spent thinking about her, before he had agreed to marry Estora. "Yes, you are."

Karigan's head shot up, her eyes finally meeting his. "What?" she gasped.

"You are the person that deserves this gift. I designed it for you. I created it before, before I made my decision."

Anger shot up Karigan's spine. "What does it mean Zachary? You want me to be your lover? To stand in your shadow like a Weapon, ever ready to meet your 'needs'?" she spat, tears threatening to fall. "My set, that was destroyed, was given to my mother as a wedding gift by my father. He spent every cent he had for it. Because he loved her! Don't sully the gesture by offering me second best."

"Second best?!" Zachary thundered, he set the box down next to his telescope, running his hands in his hair, "how could you think that? I'm not asking you to be my paramour, I would never," he faltered, swallowing hard, "Karigan, I love you."

Karigan gripped the stone railing hard as her senses swum. "Wh-?" and he was there, his scent invading her senses, his strength bolstering her weakness. His arms were around her and she could hear the thud of his heartbeat. It would be so easy to give up, to succumb, and to whisper the words she longed to shout, instead, she shoved him away.

"Karigan…" her name from his lips tugged at her heart.

"Zachary, please!" she begged, "you don't understand, I can't stand here with you, saying those words, when I know that you belong to another. Why? If you love me, why?"

Zachary turned toward the sky, gripping the wall. "Coutre. I need his political support. With all the unrest in the country right now, he could stage a coup. His term was Estora."

Karigan nodded. "I understand. I am only a merchant's daughter after all," she stated flatly.

"Don't think that! Don't ever think that!" his almond eyes were flashing in anger, "you are so much more,"

"No, your majesty. Not to you, not when your bride is between us," Karigan waved her hand, and was startled when a ghostly outline of Estora appeared.

Zachary was surprised. He didn't know she could perform magic beyond her Rider abilities. Judging from Karigan's expression she was unaware of this ability as well. In the silence, the apparition blew away with the wind

Karigan shook herself from her reverie. She needed to get away, and fast, before her heart really broke. She met Zachary's eyes, his sad, pleading eyes.

"Where does this leave us Karigan?" he asked softly.

"I am your Rider to command, my liege," she bowed respectfully, without sarcasm.

Zachary nodded, "I ask one favor of you, one last favor, as the man that loves you."

Her heart clenched as she nodded, not trusting her voice.

Zachary turned, and picked up the wooden box again. "Take this, as a remembrance that even though I am not free, I do love you, and" he stopped, his voice faltering, "one day, I hope," he couldn't continue,

Karigan took it with shaking hands, tears staining her cheeks, and fled down the stairs.

Zachary turned to the stars, his tears silent as the sky. "I hope I can be with you," he choked out.

Only Fastion bore witness to his pain.

Karigan thanked every god she knew that no one accosted her on her trip back to her room. Setting the box back onto her dressing table, she sunk onto her bed. She could still smell his scent in her nose, and could feel his heart hammering against hers.

'He loves me!' Those words kept repeating over and over in her head. Her own inner voice answered her, 'and you love him.' Karigan shook her head, making a pact with herself. She would never say those words aloud.

"Never!" she shouted, flinging her cloak off. A loud crash of thunder rang in her ears, and Karigan gazed, slack-jawed at the hole in the stone wall of her room. Her fingers trailed smoke.

"Uh, hello?" a Green Rider in the adjoining room peered through the hole.

"Blackveil take me!" Karigan groaned, covering her face. Mapstone was going to kill her.

Deep in the heart of a forgotten forest, a moonstone glowed brighter than all the rest. A pale hand passed over it, listening to the silver beams of light. Only when the moonstone faded did he open his eyes.

"Galadeheon!"

Author's Note: I know this was a slight retelling of the end of First Rider's Call, but I needed to set up the next couple of chapters! Comments are appreciated!