Mara sat in her office frowning over the Rider accounts. A knock at the door caused her to look up, and she smiled at the young man she saw there. His name was Ben. He was a healer by training, but he had heard the call a few months before. In fact, many had heard the call recently. The Riders' ranks were growing quickly, a fact which pleased Mara but did leave her with more work.
"What is it, Ben?" Mara questioned, noting the nervous way his hands danced in front of him.
"It's just. . . you know my gift, right?" Mara nodded. Ben could speed healing. "Well, there was a soldier they brought in the other day. His leg was torn up pretty badly, and they thought he might lose it. I figured I would try to help. I did everything the same way I always did—I envisioned what I wanted and placed my hands on the leg. But it didn't heal right. They had to rebreak it."
"You said everything was the same? You didn't feel anything different during the healing?"
Ben shook his head. "It seemed just like it always did. . . until it wasn't."
"Thank you for letting me know, Ben."
"What does this mean?"
"Honestly? I do not know. But it is something I will have to consider." Not for the first time, Mara wished the king had not sent Captain Mapstone on the message errand he did. The captain had not given much information about it, simply claiming it was an errand the king felt she was uniquely suited for. Rumors abounded, of course, especially when it became known that the a Weapon, a member of the militia, and a Kmaern accompanied the captain, but no one had confirmed the real purpose of the errand.
"Thank you. You'll let me know, right? When you think of something?"
"Of course. In the meantime, perhaps it would be best if you didn't use your gift except in an emergency." Ben nodded, sweeping out of the room and leaving Mara a lot to consider.
Other matters quickly pulled Mara's attention away from what Ben had told her, and it was not until two days later that she began to think of his words again. She was clearing off her desk before bed, for she always liked to start the day with a clean slate. As she moved a number of papers together, flames suddenly leaped from her fingers without any intervention from her. They hit the papers which immediately caught on fire, and it was only her quick thinking in grabbing a glass of water from her bedside table to douse them that stopped the entire room from burning.
When the papers were finally reduced to smoldering ash, Mara paused, her heart beating wildly. Never before had her gift betrayed her like that. Ben's words came back to her suddenly, and she remembered just how scared he had looked as he explained what happened. She was feeling something similar now, and she once more wished she could speak with the captain about her concerns.
However, the captain was not present, and it did not take Mara long to decide on the only other person who might be able to help. After a final check to make sure all the flames were doused, she left the room and turned down the hallway. Karigan answered on the first knock. "Come in."
Mara entered to find Karigan sitting at her desk. Though there were a few pieces of paper spread out in front of her, Mara suspected she was not truly reading them. In fact, as she thought about it more, Mara realized that something had been off with Karigan for a few weeks. Perhaps she, too, had experienced ill effects with her gift. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
Though she looked tired, Karigan did manage a smile. "Of course." Karigan gestured to a chair next to the door, and Mara took it. She wet her lips, considering how best to begin the conversation. After a few seconds, she decided to start with something mundane.
"What are you working on?"
"Notes from today. We have a meeting tomorrow morning with some of the advisors. The last Lord Governor should be here next week."
"Right." Mara had nearly forgotten that she was not the only one with increased duties after Captain Mapstone's absence. Karigan had taken over all of the meetings with the king, no easy task with the Midwinter festival coming up. Still, she had never once complained.
"Something tells me you did not come here to talk about budgets though."
"No, I didn't. You know the new Rider, Ben? The Healer?" Karigan nodded. "He came to me the other day and let me know that his magic. . . backfired when he tried to heal someone. And then just now, I was trying to straighten my desk, and I set some papers on fire unintentionally. That's never happened before." Karigan nodded slowly, obviously thinking hard. However, she did not speak, so Mara plowed forward. "I was just thinking that we might not be the only ones."
"You aren't. I tried to use my gift the other day, and it just. . . didn't work. It leached all the heat out of my body, but I was still visible."
"What do you think is causing it?"
Karigan considered for a moment. "I do not know, but I imagine it's related to the magic that's spreading throughout the kingdom."
"What should we do about it?"
Karigan caught the inside of her lip between her teeth, considering. "I think it may be time for a council of war." Mara gave a small smile in response, knowing that was the best path forward. If anyone could figure out what was going on, it was the Riders.
The council of war was surprisingly easy to put together. Given the difficulty of travel in the winter, most of the Riders were in the barracks, so it was simply a matter of setting a date and time. Karigan and Mara announced at breakfast the next morning that the Riders should gather in the common room after dinner that night. Mara heard the wild speculation about what would be happening at that time, but she decided not to correct it. They would learn soon enough.
That night, Mara stood near the fireplace in the common room, watching as the Riders trickled in. As Garth closed the door behind him, she let a small smile creep onto her face. The common room was more full than she had ever seen it, and it gave her hope that perhaps they would be able to figure things out together. She caught Karigan's eye, and the other Rider nodded. With that, Mara launched into an explanation of what she and Karigan had spoken of. She left out Ben's confession, knowing he had given it in confidence, but she did explain what had happened to her and Karigan. Once she had finished, a couple other Riders chimed in with similar experiences, and it did not take long to realize that every Rider in the room had magic backfire on them at some point. Mara opened her mouth to start a conversation about what they could do next, but a new voice interrupted her.
"It's all the king's fault," a new Rider named Praya said bitterly. "I've heard that he's entered into an alliance with the Eletians, and they've given him the use of magic in exchange for his support. Typical noble. Does not care what happens to all of us as long as he gets power."
"I'd watch your tongue," Garth suggested. "That is your king you are talking about, and some might consider your words treason." Mara sensed the Riders shifting a bit uncomfortably. She knew many of them likely agreed with Praya, at least to some extent, but they knew that Garth was correct.
"Maybe he's not causing the problems," another Rider said solicitously. "But it still begs the question—what is he doing about them? He cannot be so naïve that he has not heard of what is happening."
"He's likely not doing anything," Praya said. "I cannot imagine he feels the magic influence much, not as protected as he is behind his stone walls and guards."
A few other Riders nodded, including a couple of the more senior ones. Mara thought for a moment, wondering what she could say to defend her king. Garth was right—they were bordering on treason. She wished Captain Mapstone were present. "You're wrong," a quiet voice said. Mara glanced over to see that it belonged to Karigan. Though the young woman spoke quietly, there was a cold fury in her words that made them seem much louder. She immediately had the attention of the room.
"Wrong about what?" Praya challenged. "Wrong about the king? I'm sure you would say that, growing up as you did surrounded by every comfort your father's money could buy. Of course you support the king who allows that trade to continue. Neither of you know what it's like to go hungry, to not know where your next meal might come from. You don't understand what it's like to have next to nothing and then to have even that taken away by this magic."
"Maybe not. But you cannot pretend we don't understand hardship. Do you know what it's like to be so thirsty that you cannot continue standing? Or what it is like to be gravely injured but still keep on fighting because you know if you do not, you will die?" Karigan's voice was fierce, and Praya took a small step away from her, almost unconsciously. "No, I can see that you do not. But I do. And so does Zachary." Mara's eyebrows rose slightly at the casual form of address. Karigan appeared not to notice she had used it, and glancing around the room, Mara noted that most others had missed it as well. She breathed a small sigh of relief. Karigan's words confirmed something she had suspected, but she knew the other Rider would not appreciate gossip spreading about that suspicion. "You assume that being a king is all about power and luxury. You don't understand the problems that come with that power. You don't understand what it's like to watch your own flesh and blood try to tear apart the country you love. You don't understand what it's like to have every move you make scrutinized, to have everyone around you waiting for you to make a mistake so they will have an advantage. You don't understand what it's like to know that every decision you make could affect hundreds if not thousands of lives. He feels everything." Karigan's voice broke slightly. She had to swallow hard before continuing, but no one dared speak during the brief pause.
"Every farmer who lost his livelihood due to a bad harvest. Every widow mourning her husband. Every soldier who perishes before his time. And yes, every person affected by the tainted magic, no matter his or her social status. A normal man would have broken under the pressure long ago. But he has not. He has stood strong. He has stood up for those who have no champion—the refugees in the north, the poor, the widows, the orphans. He does what is right, heedless of the consequences to himself. He is a king because of his birthright, but he is a leader because of who he is, because he fights for what he believes in and is never content to sit back and let others do what he will not. Sacordia's strength comes from his strength, and if you cannot see that, you are blind."
The entire room was silent for a long moment. Mara watched as Karigan seemed to come out of whatever daze she had been in and realize what she had said. She colored slightly but did not move, her eyes still boring into Praya's. Garth finally broke the heavy silence. "Well said," he agreed simply. "Like Karigan, I am proud to serve my king and country. I had always thought all of you were the same." Though the words were casual, his gaze held a challenge. Tegan was first to rise to it.
"I pledged my allegiance to King Zachary nearly four years ago, and I would happily do so again today. To King Zachary!" She unsheathed her saber and raised it in the air. After a moment's hesitation, nearly every other Rider in the room followed suit. Mara noted a small smile on Karigan's face and made a note to explore that later. She also noted that Praya, instead of joining in the rallying cry, had slipped to the back of the group. Mara sighed. That could quickly become a problem. But right now, she had more pressing issues.
"Now, Karigan and I called this meeting not only because we wanted to discuss what was happening but also because we wanted to strategize, to figure out what we should do next. As some of the few in the land who still use magic, albeit not extensively, we are in the best position to help advise the king on what to do about these happenings." She opened the floor for discussion, and ideas were soon flying. Mara smiled as she watched the group. She loved belonging to the Green Riders and felt a certain sense of pride every time she donned her uniform. It was nice to see them rallying together to solve the difficult problem that plagued their nation.
Mara's eyes strayed to Karigan. She watched with interest as the younger woman effortlessly presided over the discussion. Karigan asked clarifying questions when necessary, easily drawing out details where she could and gently dismissing plans that would not work. Some of the questions Karigan asked indicated a deeper knowledge of the magical happenings than even what Karigan had told Mara, and Mara wondered just how much she knew. Mara doubted even the captain had Karigan's insight into what was going on in the kingdom despite King Zachary's trust of his old friend. That was certainly interesting.
At long last, the Riders began to disperse, still chatting among themselves. Eventually, only Dale, Mara, and Karigan were left in the common room. Someone had brought Karigan some paper and a pen at one point, and she was steadily transcribing a summary of what they had discussed. For a few minutes, the only sounds in the common room were those of the scratching of the pen across the paper. When Karigan finally set aside the pen, she remained seated, appearing lost in thought. "I can take your notes to the king if you like," Mara offered. Karigan startled.
"No," she said, much too quickly. "No, they can be difficult to understand. I am happy to take them."
"I imagine there are other reasons you are happy to take them as well," Dale remarked, a sly smile on her face. Karigan blushed.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she said. Again, her words were much too quick.
"Let's take a walk," Mara suggested. She trusted most of the Riders, but it was obvious Karigan wanted to keep her secret from as many people as possible. She hoped her friend would open up once they were away from the common room where they could easily be overheard.
Karigan glanced between her friends and seemed to resign herself to whatever was to come. She nodded, standing, and the three walked together out of the room. All were silent for a few minutes until Mara finally spoke, knowing Karigan would not broach the subject. "That was quite the speech you gave in defense of the king," she said.
"He's a good king," Karigan said, her words sounding almost mechanical.
"You called him Zachary, Karigan," Dale remarked.
So Mara was not the only one who noticed that after all. Karigan's eyes went wide with horror, and she looked between her friends. Mara watched as Karigan mentally reviewed everything that had happened, and her face fell slightly as she remembered. "Oh gods," she moaned. "I can't believe—no, I can. I was afraid something like this would happen. Hells." She muttered a few more curses before seeming to pull herself together. "Did everyone hear?"
Mara mulled over the question a moment. "Everyone heard, but I doubt most realized what you said. They were too focused on the rest of your speech."
"Still, they could have heard. I should not have said anything. I just could not sit quietly while Praya prattled on about how he was doing nothing."
"You were suitably provoked, that is for certain," Mara agreed. "I think Dale and I should be able to stop any unsightly rumors." She exchanged a glance with Dale who nodded eagerly. "After all, you are in the king's service. No one can fault you for defending him."
"Still, I need to tell him. He's not quite ready to make the announcement, says he needs a bit more support. The last thing we need is a rumor. Gods, I am such an idiot. I will never understand all this court intrigue, and now I've just made his job harder." She buried her face in her hands, and she looked so distraught that Mara could not help but put an arm around her shoulders in a comforting hug.
"As I said, I do not think there will be rumors," she said, trying to sound comforting. "And even if there is, he has been in politics a long time. I am sure he has grown used to ignoring rumors."
"Yes, surely this one beats the one about his. . . proclivities towards men," Dale said, trying to brighten the mood. "At least you are a woman."
Karigan laughed. "I had forgotten about that rumor," she mused, and Mara was happy to hear her voice sounded less distraught.
"If you like, I can tell him what happened," Mara offered. Karigan turned to her, brow furrowed in confusion. "I just thought you might prefer to. . . stay away until the rumors die down."
Karigan sighed. "Unfortunately, I think my avoidance of him would spur further rumors. No, we have to act just like we always have or people will talk."
Mara nodded in understanding. She was always amazed at how strong Karigan was. "I can still come with you if you'd like. I imagine it must be embarrassing for you. But King Zachary is an honorable man, as I am sure you know. He will not slight you or condemn you for your feelings." Dale murmured in agreement. Karigan, however, looked confused.
"What are you talking about?"
"Karigan, we know," Dale said gently.
"About what?"
"That you're in love with the king." Karigan blushed slightly but did not deny it. Instead, she nodded. "How long?" Dale questioned.
"Since I first met him," Karigan said. "Though I did not realize it at the time. His passion for what is right, for Sacordia, for its people, all of that drew me to him. How could I not love him?"
"After your impassioned speech today, I bet many of the female Riders are asking the same question," Mara said. Karigan gave a soft smile, and Mara continued. She needed Karigan to know that the Riders would always be on her side, no matter what. Though Mara believed the king would act honorably, she knew there was always a chance he would not, and she would not see her friend hurt. "Karigan, I know it's difficult," Mara said. Karigan snorted. "Maybe you could start taking more message errands. Perhaps some time away would help ease the hurt."
"No, I need to stay here. With Captain Mapstone gone, I can't abandon you to the wolves. Nor can I run away from my problems."
"You are stronger than I could ever be," Mara said. "Still, perhaps we should come with you to see the king. Just in case." Karigan thought for a moment before nodding.
"Maybe that would be best. There are likely details of the meeting that I missed, so you can both help fill them in."
"And we shall be there to support you," Mara added. Karigan looked puzzled by that statement but simply shrugged, leading the way back to the common room. They retrieved the papers with her notes before setting off together for the castle. Karigan seemed to know exactly which way to turn which Mara thought odd at first, but she realized that with Karigan attending to the king so often, it was not overly surprising. A couple of the Weapons they passed nodded in greeting, and Karigan returned the gesture. When they reached the king's study, the Weapon standing guard outside actually gave a small smile.
"You have come at a fortuitous time. He is supposed to be working on reviewing some of the proposed laws before the council meeting, so I am sure he will welcome the interruption." Mara was surprised that a Weapon would give such an opinion about her liege, but before she could say anything, the Weapon was knocking on the door.
"Enter," the king called. The Weapon stepped back, and Karigan led the way into the study. Zachary looked up from his papers, giving them a fleeting smile. "Riders," he greeted, setting aside the paper he was reading. They stepped further into the room, shutting the door behind them. All three bowed as they approached his desk. "What brings you here this evening?" His eyes flitted between them, eventually landing on Karigan and resting there.
"They know," Karigan said simply. His brow furrowed but quickly cleared, leaving his face impassive.
"Ah. I suppose I should not be surprised that the Riders figured things out more quickly than the inner council." His brown eyes twinkled slightly, and Mara had the distinct impression he was fighting a smile.
"I'm sorry," Karigan said, wringing her hands together. "One of the other Riders was accusing you of being responsible for the dark magic, and I just kind of. . . lost my head."
"She gave quite an impassioned speech in your defense, Sire," Dale said.
Zachary let a small smile show through his façade. "I am sure she did," he agreed. He glanced over at Karigan who was still wringing her hands nervously, her eyes focused on his desk. Reaching out, he covered her hands with his own. "Peace, Karigan. I do not mind that they know."
"But they might not be the only ones. I was not as careful as I should have been. I called you Zachary! After all the work you've done with the inner council, I may have ruined it with one careless slip."
"As I recall, it was I who insisted you use my given name." That information confused Mara. In fact, the whole conversation was somewhat confusing. Karigan still had not told Zachary what she and Dale had learned, but he somehow seemed to know anyway. Maybe she had confessed her love for him before? But no, that did not make any sense. Karigan was not the type of person to readily express her feelings, especially feelings for a man out of her reach. Something more was going on, but Mara could not figure out exactly what it was.
"Still, I should have been more careful."
He squeezed her hands before removing his hand from them. "No harm done. It will not matter in a week's time anyway."
Karigan looked up at him, hope lighting her eyes. "Really?"
"Truly. We have our council meeting then, so all the Lord Governors will be here. I am tired of hiding. I want to shout it from the rooftops."
"But the support you were hoping to get?"
"I have as much as I can reasonably expect. Besides, I have told you before that they cannot stop us."
"And I have told you before that I will if they threaten civil war." Mara exchanged a look of surprise with Dale, both shocked at how Karigan had contradicted the king. However, he did not seem to notice. Instead, he simply chuckled, standing so he could reach out to grab her hand. He brought it to his lips, pressing a sound kiss to the back of it.
"I would expect nothing less, my love," he told her. Mara's jaw dropped. She had been assuming that Karigan's love was unrequited—after all, how would a king notice a lowly Green Rider? But it seemed that she had been incorrect. In fact, now that she looked closer, she could see the tenderness in Zachary's gaze as he watched Karigan. That, however, simply brought to mind a whole host of other concerns. The king may have been a good man, but he was still a man, and Karigan was a young woman who Mara knew was rather inexperienced with men. He could have taken advantage without even meaning to do so, especially given how smitten Karigan was with him.
He turned, glancing at Dale and Mara. A small smile crossed his face when he saw the shock on their faces. "I do not think they know everything, Karigan," he said. Karigan turned as well, studying both her friends' for a moment.
"Oh." Mara could see her mentally berating herself for revealing even more secrets, but the king appeared not to care. He chuckled again, pressing another kiss to her hand before dropping it.
"I hope, Riders, that you will not be too upset if Karigan leaves the Rider Corps. After all, she will still be serving this kingdom, just as a queen instead of a messenger." That merely increased Mara's shock. The king wanted to make Karigan his queen? That did not make any sense. Karigan was common born, and the king was the highest born man in the land. Marrying her would cause a stir the likes of which the kingdom had never seen.
"You're getting married?" Dale squeaked.
"Yes," Zachary said, his voice sure and confident. "But I do need to inform certain parties in a particular order, so I ask that this information not leave this room at this time. Not until we have made the official announcement." Mara nodded dumbly.
"But Karigan's a merchant's daughter, and you're the king!" Mara exclaimed, suddenly finding her voice again. She blushed as she remembered who she was talking to, but Zachary did not seem offended.
"I think you know as well as I do that Karigan is much more than just a merchant's daughter. She is what this kingdom needs in a queen—someone who is strong and willing to fight against the trouble that is coming. Someone who can keep me in line." He gave Karigan a smile, and she returned it with one of her own. "Aeryc knows, that can be difficult. I imagine that is what brought you here this evening."
"Yes," Karigan said, allowing the change in topic. "We've been discussing the magical happenings. We thought that since the Riders have a bit of experience in the matter, we may be able to help."
"Help I would certainly welcome. Let me call for supper, and we can eat as you explain." He reached back to pull a cord on the wall. That set off a whirlwind of motion—a servant bustled in to take his orders, leaving a few seconds later with his assignment. Zachary stood, leading the way out of his study and into a nearby room where more servants bustled about a medium-sized wooden table. Mara noted that it was much more ornately carved than the tables in the main dining hall. "I hope you do not mind dining in here," Zachary remarked, shrugging out of his great coat. A nearby servant took it and hung it on a rack by the door. "I have always found the formal dining hall a bit too constraining, so I limit its use to special occasions. I typically eat in my study, but I felt it would be too crowded with four of us."
"This is fine," Mara said, swallowing hard. It was not every day that one ate with the king.
"Excellent." He stepped to the table and pulled out a chair, motioning for Karigan to sit. Surprisingly, she did so without complaint, leading Mara to wonder just how many meals they had taken together. She had missed Karigan at meals a few times, but she had always assumed the other Rider merely had a different dinner schedule. "I am told the family dining room is the appropriate place for informal meals, but alas, it's always felt rather empty with just me. Maybe that will not always be the case." His eyes twinkled as he glanced at Karigan. She flushed.
"I will reserve judgment on eating there until I have a chance to see it."
Zachary had eyes only for Karigan as his face crinkled into a smile. "I think you will find it much to your liking," he said softly. They stared at one another for a moment until servants entered with food, breaking the silence. Zachary took his own seat, gesturing for Mara and Dale to do the same. They sat across from Karigan, exchanging a nervous glance. Fortunately, Karigan took the lead.
"The Riders had some interesting suggestions," Karigan said, removing the papers from the inside pocket of her jacket and setting it on the table. "I took as many notes as I could."
"I expected nothing less." The king skimmed the page, absent-mindedly taking the bowl that Karigan passed him. He dished its contents onto his plate and passed it on to Dale without removing his attention from the papers. "Wardings?" he questioned.
"One of our newer Riders, Hesia, seems to have a gift for casting them."
Zachary took the next bowl Karigan passed. "And the taint that has affected your magic? Do you worry about it weakening the wardings or even turning them against their maker?"
Mara supposed she should have been surprised that the king knew about the Riders' traitorous abilities, but she did not think anything would shock her any more. "Perhaps. But a couple other Riders mentioned they were able to counter the tainted magic with careful concentration. It's difficult and means that we would not be able to cast as many wardings as we otherwise would, but it is a good defense. And Garcia would likely be willing to help us with this as well."
"Yes, she suggested something similar. Though she wants a wall of both stone and magic."
"Similar to the D'Yer Wall?" Karigan questioned.
"Yes though she suggests that the scope of the D'Yer wall is too. . . limited. She feels that Blackveil is not the only threat, perhaps not even the primary one."
"Where does she think the threat is?" Karigan asked.
Zachary sighed, worry creasing his forehead. "Everywhere," he said simply. "I don't necessarily disagree with that assessment, but I am not sure I am ready for the time nor sacrifice that such a wall would require from Sacoridia." Karigan nodded in understanding. Mara was still confused by what sacrifice he referred to, but she did not question, not wishing to appear a fool.
"We could start with smaller areas. It would give us a chance to test our wardings and then we'd have a place to retreat to if needed."
Zachary raised an eyebrow at Karigan. "I was unaware that you knew the meaning of the word retreat."
She glared at him. "You would be in the thick of the fighting as well. Don't pretend you wouldn't." They stared at one another for a moment, and Mara lost herself in the intensity of their gazes. A thousand words seemed to flow between them, words she could not even begin to understand. She knew Zachary had some feelings for Karigan, for he would not have pursued a marriage with a commoner unless he did. However, she had not realized the depth of those feelings until that moment. His was not a puppy love, a fleeting emotion that would fade in time. No, he looked at Karigan like she embodied all that was good in the world, as if she herself had hung the moon and the stars beside. And Karigan looked at him much the same.
Eventually, Zachary looked away. "Hopefully, it is a situation we never have to concern ourselves with. In the meantime, I do agree that smaller areas of protection would be a good starting point. Perhaps we can decide on those together."
They talked late into the night. Even Mara and Dale eventually entered the conversation, their nervousness over speaking with the king gradually dissipating. Mara noted that he was quite intelligent, even more so than she had expected. However, he still listened carefully to everything they said, asking questions to gain a deeper understanding of what they told him. He treated them all like equals despite their position, and that more than anything else gradually relaxed her. She still would not be calling him Zachary as Karigan did, but she did begin to realize that he was more than a king. He was a man, too, a man burdened by the weight of the kingdom but strong enough to stand in spite of it. Watching him, she realized just what drew Karigan to him, and she felt herself drawn in as well. If he were not her king and in love with one of her closest friends, she would have seriously considered pursuing something more serious. But as it was, she was content to watch him with Karigan, to see how they pushed each other, debating ideas back and forth until they had a plan which was better than either could have come up with on his or her own. He was a strong man, a strong king, but Karigan simply made him stronger. That, more than anything, gave her hope for the future.