Karigan arose to find Lady Estora waiting for her outside her room. "What are you doing in this dusty old corridor Estora?" "I needed to ask your opinion on something." Lady Estora motioned for them to walk, and a Weapon took in ten paces behind them. "I don't know what you think you would need my advice on." Estora could already tell that there was a strain on their friendship. Karigan looked like she hadn't slept very soundly last night. Estora couldn't really blame her, given the recent news. "King Zachary is going to announce our impending wedding to a general gathering of the people, and has asked me to name the Weapon that I want appointed as my personal guard. I know you've had some dealings with them in the past, and I thought you could help me decide who it could be." Karigan paused, giving this considerable thought. "Estora, there is only one Weapon I could think of that would be your best choice. He has been kind to me and has helped me through more than one adventure. If it were me, and I had to choose, it would be Fastion."

Lady Estora led Karigan out into the gardens, and they sat together on one of their favorite benches. "Karigan, I know that you love King Zachary." Karigan's eyes flew wide open. How could she possibly know how I feel about him? I didn't even know I loved him until her announcement yesterday. Lady Estora rested her hand on Karigan's shoulder. "It's okay, your secret is safe with me. I wanted you to know that I don't love him, not the way you do. I truly do understand how you feel, given my relationship with F'ryan." Karigan was stunned. She didn't know what to say. "My hope is that our friendship won't suffer too much given the choices that have been made. I cherish the times we spend together, and I would miss them terribly. Promise me that you will always know you can come to me and talk to me about anything at all. That even includes Zachary."

Estora could tell this was eating Karigan up inside. "I'm going to take my leave of you right now so that you can be alone with your thoughts. I'm grateful for your advice about Fastion, I shall let the king know my decision. Take care of yourself my friend."

Karigan held back the tears until Estora was gone. She cherished her friendship with Lady Estora, but how could she possibly be expected to act as though it wasn't killing her that this woman was marrying the man she loved? Karigan composed herself, and then set off to see what Captain Mapstone had assigned for her to do today. The assignment that the captain had for her was not what she expected to hear.

"Captain, I simply cannot be the King's advisor today!" Captain Mapstone looked up from her paperwork with a bewildered look on her face. "Why, by the Gods, not?" Karigan's face became flush and she started to sweat. She couldn't tell the captain the real reason. To do so would be putting too much of herself on the line. "I'm waiting for an answer young Karigan." "I just think you would do a much better job than I would captian." Kerigan hoped that the captain would agree with her. Please don't make me do this, not today. Please! "Be that as it may, I have quite a bit of paperwork to catch up on, and King Zachary told me that you could fill in for me on any day that I was busy." "Yes captian, I'm on my way." "Very well, you're dismissed."

Karigan wished at this moment that she had never gotten out of bed. It was going to be a long and agonizing day. She prayed that the Gods would be kind.