Chapter 14: A Scandalous Visitor

Karigan groaned as sunlight streamed in through her window. She should get up, get dressed, go to breakfast but she had yet to find the will. Today was Zachary's wedding. Stealing herself for the arduous day ahead she went to swing her legs out of bed but they wouldn't move. She notices something suspiciously heavy pining them down. Sitting up she had to stifle a scream.

Zachary had not been in her room when she had gone to be so why was he here now? He was sitting in her chair slumped forwards in sleep so that her legs cushioned his head nicely. She froze. Why was he in her room on the morning of his 'marriage' to the Queen? Had anyone seen him enter her rooms or had they been lucky so far. Whatever the case was he needed to get out and soon before someone realised he was gone and not preparing for the marriage that would seal the eastern provinces alliances.

She fancied he muttered her name in his sleep and smiled. Mesmerised she looked at his face. He seemed so you and untroubled in his sleep. It was hard to believe that it was not her he was married to. She felt the unfamiliar weight of the ring swinging from its chain around her neck as she reached out to him and smiled.

"Zachary?" She murmured softly gently shaking his sleeping form.

"My Kari..." He murmured.

Still asleep, she mused. Not being able to bring herself to disturb him she replaced her legs with her pillow and moved towards her wash basin. She was not surprised to note the small coffer had been returned in the night by the now sleeping King. She double checked he really was asleep before changing out of her bed clothes in to a freshly pressed breaches and a crisp fresh shirt. Luckily as a Knight she was counted as part of the military not a noblewoman so got to wear uniform.

As she brushed her brown unruly hair over one shoulder she felt a tender kiss on her neck. Karigan jumped again. She had not heard him get up, how much had he seen? She blushed scarlet. Zachary did not appear to notice as his lips traced her neck upwards.

"Isn't it your wedding day to Estora?" She put careful emphasis on the Queens name.

She heard him sigh audibly. No doubt he was reluctant as her to go to the Wedding despite having already being married to Estora while sick. Karigan turned to look at him properly and gasped when she saw what he was wearing. Zachary was dressed with the finest quality fabrics in colours of Hillander, his wedding clothes and yet he was not with his wife.

"But you are the one I love!" he seemed to half plead.

She sighed and pulled on her shortcoat carefully pinning her rider badge above her heart. When she was ready and fully dressed herself she turned to the man who was also her king. He stood forlornly in the centre of her room no doubt wondering what she was going to do with him now.

Karigan looked at him with a practiced eye before turning back to her wardrobe and pulling out a long dark cloak and handing it wordlessly to the King. She had thought it would be easy to go to the Kings wedding all she had to do was be there for the festivities with the other riders; she could have easily avoided him and Estora. She had been determined to get through this day without her heart breaking but now he was right in front of her looking like the perfect groom.

Trying to tear her mind away from how good he looked in his wedding clothes she moved to fasten the cloak in a way that would hide his clothes as he walked. Standing on tiptoes she kissed him on the cheek as she pulled the hood over his head. Now no one would know it was really the King who had visited her so early in the morning, the other Riders might think she was saying an overly friendly goodbye to a friend but she would rather be teased for weeks than cause a scandal about the King.

"You must go," She murmured. "It is your duty to Sacoridia as King to have a Queen. Estora is already the Queen and now you must prove it to the Kingdom in a public ceremony; she is a good woman Zachary. You must honour what you have already started."

Karigan's head was talking; she was trying to keep her heart quiet. Her heart was being traitorous telling her that the Sacoridia did not matter and that she should be the Queen not Estora. She shook herself. This was how it was meant to be.

"Kari, I love you." He whispered.

She smiled slightly up at him. "I love you too."

Zachary surprised her by bowing low to her as her dropped a kiss in to the palm of her hand. His eyes twinkled at her as he drew the cloak further over his face. He lingered at the door for a moment as if steeling himself to go back to being the King he was after giving in to man within him.

She watched him go before going out in to the corridor herself. It was time for the Green Riders to prepare themselves in their formal uniform before the Captain came down to inspect them all. Half smiling at the idea of Captain Mapstone drilling the latest recruits on why they had to look respectable today, she knocked on Mara's door ready to start the Riders moving.