MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! Thanks for reading, I'm really enjoying your reviews.
For the third time in the garden that night she was engulfed in someone's arms. "You are going to be the death of me!" the king whispered hotly into her neck, kissing her over and over. Karigan embraced him fiercely and said "I'm ok," before suddenly freezing in place. "What's wrong?" the king asked, before widening his eyes in understanding. Turning around immediately he unfastened his blue cloak and handed it to her so she could clothe herself. Satisfied she was decent, he turned around, red in the face. They heard a groan and rushed to where Laren had been thrown, helping her to sit up.
"Karigan, what happened? I saw Mornhaven and then…I don't know." Karigan quickly filled in the blanks whilst Laren listened with a smile spreading over her face. "I cannot believe it! After all this time and with the odds we faced. Thank the gods! I cannot believe it!" They all grinned. Then Laren's eyes softened.
"I am truly sorry for all you have been through, and I want you to know how proud we all are of you."
Karigan turned red as Laren leaned in confidentially. "And….blue is a good colour on you". I'm not red, Karigan thought. I'm a beetroot.
The king interrupted them both with a stern gaze. "We will have words later. I am starting to suspect that your plan involved hiding me all along instead of allowing me to protect my people." Both women levelled calm expressions at him and said nothing.
Noise drew their attention to the ballroom guests since it was clear that everyone had now unfrozen. Mayhem reigned. They walked to the balcony and the king re-entered the scene to calm his guests.
Laren was about to follow him when she heard Karigan gasp. Turning she saw Karigan swaying, her face pale. "What is it?" she asked urgently, lunging forward to catch the sinking rider. "Can you feel Mornhaven? Is he back?!" Karigan shook her head in shock and Laren followed her gaze down to her upturned palm. She looked at Karigan quizzically before the incredulous truth dawned on her. It couldn't be.
She knelt next to Karigan and gently asked, "Karigan, what are you looking at?" Laren could see that she held a perfect, golden horse brooch, the Green Rider token that symbolised the magic abilities that bound the messenger service together. After a long moment Karigan looked up. "Nothing," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I can't see a thing."
Karigan felt the moment when the world around her changed forever. Looking back, it wasn't surprising. She had never really thought about it but she was one of the stronger magic users in the service. She was an Avatar for a god, after all. She had heard the common room gossip that when riders no longer heard the call, their badges looked like pretty blobs of metal, much as others must see them. So after years of gossip, Karigan had never expected the change in her mind as well; she had felt the power shift in her before it disappeared, like a heavy coat had been whipped from her shoulders, leaving her weightless and bereft. And after the dizziness had passed she had looked down to see a pretty bauble in her hand. "No", she moaned as the full force of what this meant dawned on her. Her service was over. The gods were done with her. She was no longer a green rider.
Karigan stared at Laren, whose eyes mirrored equally her own shock. "I am sorry, Colonel," she said, her voice trembling. "I must…." She couldn't trust herself to finish the sentence. Laren loosed a long sigh and helped Karigan to her feet, squaring her so they were eye to eye. "Karigan," she said firmly, "I have never been more proud of a rider in my service than I am of you. Each day you have answered the call with every ounce of your ability, no matter the sacrifice. The king and I are forever in your debt. It is time you and Condor went home and you will do so with the every honour this service can bestow."
Tears ran down Karigan's face. "Thank you for everything you have done for me," she whispered. "I think I need my father now". Slowly, she handed the brooch to Laren. Laren looked at the horse with sadness before replying, "of course, I'll find him for you." She saw Laren corner Stevic in the crowd as he searched frantically for his missing daughter. He approached hurriedly, concern and relief etched on his face in equal measures as he saw her.
"Kari love, what has happened?! Are you hurt?" He made to grab her in a tight hug but stopped in confusion when he realised what she was wearing. "I'm going home with you," she replied wearily. Stevic stared at her in astonishment. "What did you say?"
Karigan wanted to scream at him, did not want to explain that she had been rejected by the service she lived for. She took a deep breath. "My….calling, has released me. I can go home." Stevic was ecstatic to hear this long wished-for moment but also stunned. It was clear that his daughter was very unhappy about the loss and he had never expected it to be so abrupt. He said nothing, but took her gently into his arms as she choked on a sob. He felt her stiffen slightly and he released her, sighing. One day, he might hear her secrets. Although deep down, when he spent hours alone in his study ruminating over his daughter, he suspected he did not want to hear her stories and a chill always gripped his gut.
They left the hall together and she made her way to Mara to tell her the news. Mara was in the common room drinking and looked up with a questioning glance as Karigan entered. Karigan explained the nights' events quickly, watching as Mara's face seemed to move through every expression possible. In another time it actually would have been quite comical. When Karigan finally stopped talking Mara stared open mouthed before bursting into tears. They cried together for many minutes. More people joined them, each one exclaiming their surprise as loud as the next as they heard of Karigan's imminent departure. Karigan drew her sleeve over her eyes as Mara stared into the fire. "When do you leave?" she asked. "Tomorrow," Karigan replied softly. She would ask her father to leave in the morning. She could not bear to be with her rider family and not be a rider. Mara sighed. "Well, at least Mornhaven is gone". They stared at each other as those words sunk in before dissolving into gales of hysterical laughter.
Garth ran off as the others absorbed this and soon understanding flowed through the crowd. After a few minutes he shuffled back in with a couple of the trainees, carrying what looked like half the leftovers from the ball, from both the food and drinks table. Within minutes the riders had set up an impromptu ball of their own and the common room was full of mirth. "Right!" Garth cried over the revellers, "as our dear Karigan is moving to greener pastures, it seems only fitting that we drink to her health, drink to her wealth, and thank her kindly for getting rid of Mornhaven!" There were peals of laughter at his speech and a few of the riders picked up instruments. After a couple of hours of dancing, laughing and the best of company, Karigan hugged Mara and Garth and put herself to sleep, thinking that for all she would miss this she couldn't think of a luckier woman to have friends like these and to have been a part of all their adventures. She tucked herself in next to Ghost Kitty and slept better that night than she had in years.