Karigan shifted and blinked her eyes open. The room was dark, the fired burned down to nothing more than an orange glow. Hazily, she noticed Zachary's fingers running small circles on her shoulder. Karigan shifted again and cleared her throat.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"Late."

"Late in the evening or late in the morning?"

Zachary chuckled and Karigan bounced with the sound. "Late…evening I think. The sun is not up yet."

Karigan hummed that she'd heard and, with her hand not pinned between herself and Zachary's chest, and pulled the patch off her eyes. With a groan, she rubbed the crease in her temple from the strap.

"How are you feeling?"

Karigan hummed again and sighed. "Better, thank you."

She pushed herself into a sitting position; held back a groan as her stiff back protested. Zachary shifted next to her and pulled her tight next to him under his arm. Karigan tucked her head onto his shoulder and tossed her patch on the table, still covered in Zachary's papers.

"What were you working on, when I interrupted?"

Zachary hesitated, she could feel it in his still chest as he held his breath for that one second. "You are not going to like it."

"Mmh. Even more reason to want to know, then."

Zachary drummed his fingers on her shoulder before answering. "Proposals. I've been…drafting different proposals. Trying to find the wording, the right…phrasing for when I announce this."

Karigan let those words settle for half a second before sitting up and staring at Zachary. Even in the dim darkness she could see the pinched line between his eyes. "Announce…this?"

Zachary smoothed his hand on her cheek. "When, love. When. Which will be sooner than, I think, you expect."

Karigan let a long breath out through her nose. "You think so?"

Even in the darkness she could see his smile. "Yes. A few more conversations. Another meeting or two and I think a courtship can be announced without my kingdom falling down around me."

Karigan tried to hold back a laugh only to ended up snorting. "Even I didn't think that would happen." She let Zachary's thumb rub along her cheek before speaking again. "How do your drafts come along?"

Zachary chuckled. "Slowly. I find myself looking to even older proposals for inspiration."

Karigan turned when she heard a servant click open the door. She muttered an 'excuse me' and went to the fire and started stoking it back to its former glory. Karigan and Zachary sat quietly until she left. Karigan turned back to Zachary with a sly smile. "I should go, but thank you…for…"

"Any time," he interjected when she was a loss for more words.

Karigan smiled again and retrieved her eye patch. She slipped it back into place with a sigh. Zachary rubbed her cheek and Karigan turned to grip Zachary's face in her hands. She leaned in and kissed him soundly. Zachary grunted in surprise before slipping his hands around her hips. She kissed him deeply, all tongue and lips and need. Finally, slowly, Karigan pulled away. They both chuckled at how breathless they were.

"I must go now."

Zachary laughed at her but let her stand and slip away.

"Where were you?"

"When?" Karigan glanced up from her inventory book at Mara, who stood with a hand on her hip in the doorway to Karigan's small office. She still wasn't used to having an office. It was still Mara's Office in her mind.

"Last night. I was looking for you. Where were you?"

Karigan went back to her logs. "I was out. Lost track of time."

Mara planted herself in the rickety chair across from the desk and thumbed her clasped hands on Karigan's papers. "Doing?"

Karigan glanced up at her through her eyelashes. "Hm?"

"What…" Mara spoke slowly, "were you doing…when you lost track of time?"

"Sleeping. For the most part."

"What? Where?" Mara shouted. "I checked your room."

"For the gods sake…" Karigan muttered and dropped her pen. "With Za—King Zachary."

Mara raised an eyebrow her and leaned back in the chair. "All night?"

"Mara!" Karigan shouted at her.

Mara chuckled but looked appropriately chagrined. "Sorry. Sorry. So, what led to such a late meeting?"

Karigan leaned back. "It—I needed some help. It had been a long day and I fell asleep."

"Help?" Mara frowned at her. "What did you need help with?"

Karigan waved her fingers at her. "It's fine, Mara."

Mara watched Karigan doubtfully for a moment before shrugging. "Are things progressing well for you and the king?"

Karigan looked away and smiled. She couldn't stop the smile the came.

"I take it things are going well then."

Karigan chuckled and turned back to Mara. "Yes. He thinks he can announce a courtship soon without any problems from the lords." Karigan shrugged. "I think…I feel I have seen too much to fear a few lords now. And of all the things in this world for them to worry about…" she snorted. "I can't imagine I would rank high on their lists. Not now that the king has heirs."

Mara chuckled softly. "You look happy. That's good."

"Mara, you said you were looking for me. Was there a reason?"

"Oh, yes. Well, no not really. Mostly I wanted to complain about—"

Knocking made Mara stop and turn as the door to Karigan's office opened. "Excuse me."

Mara jerked to her feet as King Zachary walked in. "Sire."

"Rider Brennyn, do sit," King Zachary waved her back into her seat.

Mara glanced at Karigan as she slowly lowered herself back into her seat. "Thank you, Sire."

Karigan held back a grin as she looked from Mara to Zachary. "What can I do for you, Sire."

Zachary made a face at Karigan as he reached into his pocket and pulled out her jar of cream. "You left this." He held it out to her. "Unless you want me to keep it?"

Karigan eyed the jar, studiously ignored Mara as her eyes bounded back and forth between the two of them, and looked back to Zachary. She wanted to tell him to keep it; knew he would, but this thing was new and fragile. Karigan didn't want to move this faster than it should. She didn't want to assume this was in a place it wasn't yet. She still wanted to revel in this early thing.

"No, thank you. I'll hold on to it for now."

Zachary smiled a gently smile that said he knew what she was saying. "Of course."

Karigan took it from him and slipped it into her pocket. Mara eyed the jar hard enough Karigan thought she would strain herself. "Tea later?"

"No, I've a meeting with more Elatian representatives. I expect it to go long."

Karigan couldn't stop the frown that creased her forehead. "Hm."

Zachary paused and frowned back at her. "What? They have been cooperative since this winter."

Karigan drummed her fingers on her desk. "They are never straight forward with their agenda. They never speak the full truth."

"What happened?"

Karigan opened her mouth and clacked it shut. She glanced at Mara, who stood and excused herself quietly. Zachary assumed her now vacant seat. "What haven't you told me?"

Karigan snorted. "Many things, if I thought keeping the worry from you was better than telling you."

Zachary leaned back, his eyes wide in almost outrage, but mostly shock.

Karigan snorted again, gave a soft smile. "I learned the politics of court quick. I learned how to reacted to me even quicker. I quickly learned what things were important to the crown, and which were important to you. This—" she held up her hand when Zachary moved to interrupt her, "is important to both. Now."

"Why now?"

Karigan took a deep breath. "Because we are doing this," she motioned between the two of them, "now. The king wants me. Or...my eye. He wants control over it, I think. He knows more about the mirror than he says. They knew where the p'ehdrose were and knew it was forbidden for humans to enter their home. We have come to trust they will aid us in our fight, but the king is a long-lived creature with even longer sight. I worry for what he is planning after the war."

Zachary watched her, rubbing his chin, nodding slowly. "Is this the first time he has tried to use you as his pawn?"

Karigan laughed and it was bitter. "No. Looking back now, I do not know when he wasn't trying to move me to his own plans."

He growled and shifted in the chair. "You were right not to tell me these things over the years."

Karigan chuckled. "I know." She reached across her desk with her empty hand and Zachary grabbed it, gripped it tight. "You knew what my position requires of me. So do I. What has happened has happened."

"You should come to the meeting."

Karigan shook her head a pulled her hand back. "No. That is not my place, yet."

Zachary nodded, albeit a little sadly. "You're right." He stood, only to leaned over the desk and kiss her forehead. "Until later then."

Karigan smiled at him. "Do not let them see how angry you are."

Zachary chuckled, but it was low and filled with that same anger she'd seen on the battle field in the snow. "Oh no…not yet."

Karigan watched him leave and after the door clicked shut, groaned. Mara was going to be insufferable now.

in my head karigan is smarter, more outspoken, and isn't taking anymore shit after the end of firebrand so... ya.

let me know your thoughts