King Zachary left the room and his advisors followed behind him. His advisors, still in a state of shock, gaped at each other trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Laren." King Zachary says, "Are you okay?"

"I...I don't know. I mean...I just...I can't believe you...you..."

"What?"

"You know what...what...I mean..."

"Yes, I know who you mean. You're worried about the possible repercussions of what just happened."

"I am somewhat, yes."

"Don't worry. Karigan and I have a plan to prevent any repercussions and it's coming along nicely. There is one thing I would like you to do for me Laren. Tell Karigan to come with us to meet the army."

"You want me to tell her to go with you?"

"Yes."

Laren was still a little hesitant on the matter, but she knew better than to question the king. "I'll tell her, but I-"

"Don't worry about it. Just do it."

Laren left to find Karigan as Zachary strode through the streets of Sacor City with his advisors. The people of Sacor City cheered and waved as they saw their king walk past. When the king reached the edge of the city, he was joined by Karigan and Laren who were riding on Condor.

"Well, here we are." King Zachery announced. "Before we go out there I want to explain something to everyone first. I don't want anyone to accompany me when I go out to meet the army except Karigan. I order everyone to stay here, even my Weapons must remain behind."

"Sire.",Faston protested, "It is our duty as Weapons to protect you! We cannot leave you to face an entire army alone!"

"You do not trust Karigan to protect me?" Zachary inquired.

"We trust her as much as we trust one of our own. But it is still to great a risk!" Faston replied.

"I swear no one in that army is going to harm me! I cannot allow anyone else to come with me. Everyone in that army knows Karigan and I and they do not know any of the rest of you. They may see you as hostile if you try to approach them on your own."

"But sire, we-"

"That's enough Faston."

Zachary turned back to Karigan and said, "Ready to see our friends again?"

"Of course Your Majesty. Condor and I almost went out there ourselves as soon as we heard that their army was here." Karigan replied with a grin.

King Zachary mounted Condor behind Karigan and they galloped out of the city gates with the King's Weapons and advisors watching anxiously. As Zachary, Condor, and Karigan went to meet the army encamped out of bowshot of the city walls, everyone watching saw a single rider on a tall horse wearing a gray hood and cloak suddenly step out in front of Condor. Trying to avoid ramming into the other rider, Condor stopped so hard that he slid and fell, spilling Zachary and Karigan at the feet of the rider's horse. The rider said something to Zachary and Karigan that those watching couldn't hear. Zachary said something in return as he and Karigan untangled themselves and knelt before the rider.

Laren gasped when she saw King Zachary kneeling on the ground in front of the strange rider. Her mind instantly went back to the only other time she'd seen Zachary kneel. That time he had been forced by magic to kneel before his evil brother. She started to run towards Zachary, fearing that the rider was using evil magic to force Zachary to obey him.

As she neared the rider a shout from King Zachery stopped her.

"No! Do not approach him!" the King yelled. "He is no threat to us. He is my friend."

Laren stopped and watched in wonder as the rider slowly turned his horse around, staring at her.

"Cin lothron approach.," the rider said in a calm voice. Confused, Laren turned to look at her King.

"He said that you may approach." Zachary said.

Still uncertain of what was going on, Laren cautiously went up to the rider, still wary of his intent.

"Cin are Laren, are Cin-u?" the rider asked.

"He said you are Laren, are you not?" Zachary translated.

"How...how...does he know my name?" Laren demanded, angrily whirling around to face Zachary and Karigan, "And more importantly, HOW CAN YOU UNDERSTAND HIM!!"

"We've told him, and all of his army, all about you and about everyone and everything that we know." Karigan replied.

"He and this army are not from this world. His name is Aragorn and he comes from a world called Middle Earth and he and his army have come to help us to fight against the evil that is growing in our world." Zachary continued. "Karigan and I have visited their world where he has taught us many things about his world including the languages that are spoken there."

Laren stood in stunned silence. It was all so strange and she didn't know what to make of any of it. She was still angry at Karigan and especially at Zachary for keeping this a secret from everyone. She wanted to slap them, but they seemed to be telling the truth. She paced back and forth in front of them as she thought it all through.

"I don't know," she said at last, "I want to believe you, but this is so much to take in."

"We understand," Karigan replied. "We understand how it must be difficult to accept all of this, but for the good of Sacoridia, you must trust us."

Laren stopped pacing and turned to face them, grabbing onto Karigan by the shoulders, she said in a fierce whisper, "But what I don't understand, is why you would do this in the first place. Why risk everything by keeping this secret? What could you possibly gain by doing such a thing?"

Karigan and Zachery looked at each other and Karigan replied for him, "Zachary wasn't the only one to risk everything. I did too."

"What? I don't understand."

"Everything I did, I did to protect him because I love him."

Laren looked at them both in shock, she finally let go of Karigan and backed away. She didn't know what to think.

Zachary took the opportunity to say, "Laren, I've always trusted you with my life. Will you please trust me now?"

Slowly, Laren nodded. "I will. Tell me what exactly is going on."

Zachery spent the next few hours trying to explain everything to her.