Two days. Two short, sharp, leering days left until the Royal Wedding. As Karigan lay on top of her tangled bed sheets, staring at her blank stone ceiling, she willed her tears away. I shall not cry, I shall not cry!
What was the point of getting up now when the future beyond the Solstice, the Big Day, seemed more bleak and terrible than anything she had ever encountered? She would rather face battle with Mornhavon again than attend the King's wedding. Subconsciously she rubbed the small scar on her shoulder left by his wild magic within her.
She hadn't slept, for the night had heralded dark dreams of battlefields and blood, of Zachary lying fallen and cold among his lifeless Weapons. Was this the future, or just an elaborate metaphor dreamed up by her mind to illustrate her loss? After all, once he was married, Zachary would be as good as dead to Karigan – off limits, out of bounds, as far away as the stars. Her honour would not permit anything else, though her heart yearned for at least some semblance of a life with him.
No, she must not think these thoughts; they brought nothing but misery. She was a G'ladheon, and a merchant, and though she still had not seen her father since discovering his patronage of the Golden Rudder, she still had certain pride in being Stevic G'ladheon's daughter. She would hold her head up, do her duty, and hide whatever tears may leak out. Her face would be like carved marble, as blank as the stone ceiling still above her.
With an effort, Karigan rolled out of bed and dressed, resolving to act as normal. It became harder when she left her bedroom, however, when she saw all the bustle in the Rider common room. Almost every Rider was here, save for those, like Lynx, whom the King could not spare from other parts of the Kingdom. With all the new recruits coming through, there was more green in the common room than Karigan had ever seen, with almost fifty Riders already in residence, and still a few more to arrive. All outbound messages had been postponed until after the wedding - which every soldier, Weapon and messenger was to attend, dressed in best, to illustrate the King's power. That was why there were hasty preparations being made. Every Rider was busy polishing boots and tack and adding shine to saddles and bridles and brushing formal uniforms in order to have everything looking spotless for Zachary's wedding. There was a lot to do, and of course, every piece of leather and cloth had to be inspected by Ty, Rider Perfect, before it was deemed presentable.
On seeing this preparation, the happy, excited faces, and knowing what it was for, Karigan turned and dashed the other way, out of the Rider Wing and down two floors before Tegan had even said good morning.
There were hoofbeats in her blood, and a near-overwhelming panic that threatened to consume her as everywhere servants and soldiers moved purposely through the corridors, all busy with errands for the wedding. Even the smell of baking wafting up from the kitchens mocked Karigan as she tried to make her escape from the festivities. A simple ride on Condor wouldn't do; she'd have to come back. What she needed was a message errand.
"No."
"No?"
The Rider Captain's answer was emphatic. "No."
"But –"
"Rider G'ladheon." Karigan was abruptly quiet. The Captain sat imposing behind her desk, stern and stiff-backed. She didn't look like a woman about to shift any time soon. "You know very well that the entire available Messenger Service is to be present at the King's wedding. Those are orders. All errands have been suspended until after the Solstice, so there is nothing for you to take anyway." Captain Mapstone's look softened slightly, and she stood up and came round her desk. "I'm sorry, Karigan, but you will have to find some other way of working out your frustrations."
Karigan looked sharply at her Captain, suddenly suspicious. Did Mapstone know how she felt about the King? Had the King confided his own feelings in her? Karigan knew the two were close. Still, the refusal of a request for a message errand rankled more than the curiosity of a consoling remark from Captain Mapstone, and with a curt nod, Karigan left the office.
Drent would be happy to oblige her in taking out her dissatisfaction.
