Chapter 4: Recovery and a warning

Zachary sat at Karigan's bedside. In the flickering lantern light she looked pale and thin, almost as if she was still faded out. The menders had done their best to clean and heal her wounds, but she was still unconscious, so they had no idea what had happened to her. "You're safe now Kari," he whispered. "You made it—you came back to me. There are…complications", he winced as he thought of telling Karigan about his marriage, and worse still, the consummation. He could imagine the contempt in her face, and pushed his own memories of that night as far as he could to the back of his mind. "I'm so sorry Karigan, I really am. I promised you things, and I have not kept my promises. I am hopeful that in the future I can do something to fix this awful mess."

He looked down at her hand he held in his own. Her slender fingers were scarred with tiny marks where they had removed the shards of glass. The words kept tumbling out, as if once begun he could not stop. "Please forgive me—I would have begged you not to go. I should have begged you not to go. I should have overcome my doubts, and even though I was told that you did not wish to see me, I wish I had overcome my pride and spoken to you regardless". His voice was hoarse with regret. "It's entirely my fault that you, who are so brave and fearless, have been placed in danger because of my own cowardice, not to mention my damned obsession with the activities of those Eletians—" he broke off as she stirred.

"Zachary", he heard her whisper faintly. Joy surged through him and he leaned forward, squeezing her hand. Karigan opened her eyes. "Kari" he breathed, saying her name as if it contained all his hopes and fears. He bent to press a kiss to her forehead, murmuring against her cool skin, "I love you Kari". He straightened up again to gaze into her eyes. "I love you, more than anything in the world. And you came back to me". Her eyelids began to close again. "Rest my love, recover and be safe" he whispered, his throat constricted with unshed tears. He felt her squeeze his hand in response and he chuckled softly. She had been through the Five Hells and come back, and here she was trying to comfort him.

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As Fastion passed through the entrance hall after breakfast he stopped to gaze outside. The dawn had only just broken, and the weak light glinted on the first of the spring growth. Green shoots poked hopefully out of the thawed ground and the morning dew sparkled on new leaves. A song bird darted from the undergrowth and perched upon the stone wall, singing. Across the castle grounds the inhabitants of Sacor City were already going about their business, opening shops or driving wagons to market along the cobbled streets. History was being made in the castle, but life went on below. Fastion squinted towards the gate, seeing movement on the path beyond the wall.

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The guards at the entrance gate stood aside as a Green Rider galloped towards them. "It's Rider Connly", one muttered as the Rider passed through, his horse grimy and sweating heavily. "Must be urgent" answered the other guard, as they watched Connly ride right up to the entrance of the castle and dismount hastily.

Connly ran inside and called out for a Green Foot runner. Fastion strode towards him. "Connly", he called, "everything alright?" Connly spoke quickly to the Green Foot boy who had appeared, then glanced at him, already hurrying away in the direction of the royal suite. "Urgent message for the king", Connly said over his shoulder, still breathing heavily. "Trouble in Mirwell. Mornhavon. Second Empire". Fastion cursed and quickened his steps to keep up with the Rider. He had been up all night, but he wanted to hear this report for himself.

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Ben knocked quietly on the door of the mending room and then opened it to address Zachary. "Your Highness, a Green Foot has arrived with a message. Connly is back and needs to see you urgently. He is on his way to your rooms now to report". Zachary glanced at Karigan's sleeping form and exhaled sharply. There was a long pause. Finally he answered softly "please ask the Green Foot to fetch Mara to sit here with Karigan. I won't have her left alone". Ben acquiesced, bowed and closed the door as he left.

When Zachary arrived at his chambers he found Ellerton and the other advisors already there, as well as Connly. Fastion stepped forward quietly from the corner as the others bowed. "Forgive me your Majesty, but I took the liberty of summoning your advisors. This sounds like a most urgent message." Zachary just nodded his thanks. Fastion had been most helpful after Captain Mapstone went away, and often did things in anticipation of a request from the King. Zachary noted as he sat down that Fastion had not invited Estora. "Please begin, Rider".

As Connly gave his story, Zachary found himself shaking his head in astonishment. Connly had been on a routine delivery mission to the west, and was passing through Mirwell on his way back to Sacor City. His Green Rider cloak had been damaged and so he was wearing a spare grey one. He had stopped near a busy marketplace to let his horse drink from the public trough and was just about to mount and depart when a white cat appeared, winding itself around his legs. As he bent down to scratch its ears it simply fixed him with its luminous green eyes and then took off, darting across the square. He took a few steps forward to follow it but it disappeared amongst the crowd. Just as he was about to turn back to his horse, he overheard a conversation between two men nearby that made him freeze, speechless, in the shadows of a doorway.

"Grandmother said to tell you she will be ready within two weeks. His Greatness the Black One has recovered his corporeal form, with her assistance, although it nearly took her life." The other man had asked "are you sure no-one knows of this?" The first man answered, "There are no spies in my ranks Your Lordship". "It is just as well", answered the other man in a querulous voice. Then this second man had turned, and Connly recounted how he suddenly recognized him with a start—it was Lord Timas.

Connly reported that something had changed about Timas; apart from the way he spoke, there was a red glow from his eyes. "He was also wearing a large medallion with symbols I did not recognise. I think he has been influenced by some kind of magic, or even possessed", concluded Connly tiredly. There was a silence as everyone present took this in. At last Zachary said, "Go and rest Rider Connly. We can only give our heartfelt thanks that you happened to overhear this—it must have been the grace of the Gods that brought us this information. Please tell Mara that I will see both of you first thing tomorrow, and to recall any Riders presently in the field. There is a battle looming, and the Riders will be an important part of it". Connly nodded and bowed to the King and the others, before leaving quietly.

The King's advisors gazed at him for several moments in shock. The king appeared unruffled; if anything he looked relieved, but there was a crease to his brow. He had been expecting a battle to come soon, and his instincts had been right. He drew a deep breath and assessed the faces around him with his piercing gaze. "It seems the time we have been preparing for has come. And Aeryon be praised, we have prior warning. Probably only a week or two, but it will be long enough to prepare the troops. Make your final preparations; we will have our first council in two days time. We leave in a week. When Mornhavon comes, we will be waiting for him."

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Ooh, King Zachary means business! The big battle is finally coming.

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