Chapter 4: Out of the Darkness

Karigan watched with surprise as the lid of her tomb was moved away. She breathed the non-stale air in greedily and as she winced away from the lights that flickered above her. She heard a sharp intake of breath somewhere above her and she squinted to see the source.

"I remember you." A familiar voice murmured.

Letting her eyes get used to the light she looked up in to the face of her rescuer with surprise. Agemon. The caretaker looked down at her with contempt as he motioned for the people with him, presumably caretakers, to lay the lid of her prison down. From the appearance of the caretaker she knew she must be somewhere in the tombs under the palace.

She froze and looked around. Whose tomb was she laid in? There was no sign of bones or remnants of gifts to go with the royal body to the next life. Agemon answered her question for her with an aggrieved tone.

"You are bleeding in the Queens final resting place."

She had heard those words from his mouth before. She groaned, oh yes she knew exactly where she was now. What time she was in, was a different question. Agemon looked older than she remembered him but she could not be completely sure, after all she had never looked at him too closely before. A Weapon she did not know pulled her roughly out of the tomb and for the first time she saw her prison from the outside.

The sides of the tomb bore both the Courte and Hillander coats of arms, decorations of flowers snaked in-between pictures of the person's life. A scene as seen from the coast looking over the sea was carved next to an image of a crown and sceptre. Taking a deep breath she let her eyes fall on the lid of the sarcophagus that rested near her feet. Carved in stone was the sleeping form of her old friend Lady ... no Queen Estora.

The Weapon pulled her to face him roughly. "Why where you in the Queens tomb? It has been sealed for the past three years to wait for her since the wedding. Who are you?"

Three years? When she had left the wedding had not been for another several months. How long had she been gone? What had happened while she was gone that would lead to the opening of Estora's final resting place. She felt faint as she thought of the consequences. What if Mornhavon had grown stronger again?

"Who are you?" The Weapon asked again shaking her without the slightest amount of delicacy considering her state.

She thought she heard Agemon mutter something about being a nuisance under his breath. She drew herself to her full height holding on to her staff of Bonewood with her good arm to balance her. She would not be treated like a traitor for doing the best for the country again. The Weapons countenance seemed to falter as she glared at him.

"I am Rider Karigan G'ladheon. I have returned from Blackveil. I must speak with the King." She said.

"Not just anyone can see the King. Prove you are who you say girl."

She glowered at him. "Ask Fastion, Arms Master Dent or Captain Mapstone. Tell them that Karigan has returned. I bring important news I don't need detaining any longer. "

The Weapons face softened slightly. "The captain perished in the attack on the Queen. Fastion will be here soon."

"How?" Her voice seemed to be caught in her throat.

Tears came to her eyes, the Captain, how could she be gone. Where any of her friends still alive? She cast a look over to the tomb next to Estora's dread falling heavy on her heart. As much as she could not bear not knowing, Karigan was not sure if she wanted to know the answer. Her tongue felt like lead as she struggled with the words.

"Zachary?" She managed weakly.

"He lives." A new but familiar voice answered.

She turned trying to crane her head to see the owner. She would know the voice of the man she loved anywhere. He looked older as her strode towards her, more careworn but the relief on his features. As he drew nearer she felt dizzy. His almond eyes swam with emotion as her removed her from the support of the Weapon.

"Karigan" He murmured. "I thought you were dead."

She did not know how to reply. Finding comfort in his warmth not caring about who was there, she leant in to the arms of the man who was also her king. She did not care if it was only for a moment, so much had happened. Out of the darkness and confinement of the sarcophagus it was overpowering. There had been so much loss.

She breathed in the King's sent deeply grateful of the comfort it brought her. Suddenly the tears came unbidden; her fate to never be with the man she loved, Alton and Estral, Yates, the Captain, Estora and many more. Her sobs racked her. Finally overcome by sorrow she did not care who saw her take comfort in the King's arms. She could feel his fingers running through her hair as she stood there trembling in his arms.

"Kari..." She felt his chest vibrate against her cheek as he spoke. "We need to talk."

She looked up in to his deep brown eyes with her still wet ones and sighed. She made to move away but he only held her closer to his body. She felt her face warming as in occurred to her that everyone else had left, she was alone with the King, entwined within his strong arms. Zachary stroked her face gently.

"I got your letter." He murmured, "I know you could have never told me, I would have been so much more determined to have you. When I read the letter I was scared you'd never come back to me, I thought maybe those would be the final words I would hear from you. Knowing those words now and seeing you alive brings me great joy. I came here to bury a wife and instead found the woman I love alive, I should feel guilty but I don't. I've waited three years since Lynx returned."

She smiled weakly up at him. "Sire, Mornhavon..."

"I know he is back." He smiled wryly. "I should not hold you in this time any longer. You need to go back to your own time."

"But Laurelyn said I should not change the past."

Zachary smiled. "Something's were never meant to happen. You belong in the time you came from Karigan, the kingdom grows sick without you. Sacoridia and its people need you."

She nodded reluctantly. "This is the only time we will be together isn't it?"

"When you return to the right time I will already be married. But I want you to know I never stopped hoping you'd return. I never stopped trying to find a way out until the very end." He sighed. "Next time we meet I may not have yet read your letter; you will not have to live with my renewed hope for us."

Before her will left her she kissed him softly on the lips. She sadly smiled and stepped away her broach pulling on her, she looked at the man she loved one more time before she fell back through the layers of the world towards the next leg of her journey back through the white world.

Zachary watched her fade away sadly. If all went well she would be the only one that remembered this meeting. He may never kiss those soft lips again.

I did not change much in this Chapter. Mainly Grammar and spellings. If you can think of any further improvements let me know by Reviewing.

Rhi