Chapter 15: Cold Feet
Estora peeked through the door of the ante-camber feeling abnormally nervous. There were so many people flooding past in to the grand ball room of the palace to take their seats for the royal wedding. I was born for this, she reminded herself. Yet she did not just feel nervous a deep sense of guilt was settling upon her heart. I should not feel like this on my wedding day.
She knew she was alone now, her mother and other female relatives where receiving the guests and leading them to their seats. A lone figure standing at the other side of the foyer caught her attention. The woman's long hair was worn loose unlike any other noble lady's. A parting of the crowd let Estora see a flash of a green uniform, she frowned all the commoners had already been seated at the back. A noble green rider? The D'Yers had already entered which meant it could not possibly be Alton anyway the rider appeared to be female.
Estora's heart sank as she realised who it must be. She was knighted after all, she mused as Karigan stood awkwardly seeming to try and slip away only to bump in to a Weapon. Fastion was it? The Weapon seemed to lean forward and whisper something that made the Knight smile. Estora watched as a young Eletian walked toward the knight, he bowed and kissed Karigan's hand, the two seemed to wait in compatible silence for the assorted Sacoridian nobles to pass.
How could Karigan be so calm right now? If it was true that she had feelings for the King how could she stand there smiling right before his wedding to another woman? Because she does not intend to come back, Estora shivered, was she driving her only real friend to certain death over a man. Not a man, she tried to reason, the King. It is my birthright to marry him. Estora sighed she loved Zachary but he could never replace the love she had felt for another.
I have lived my life as a daughter of a Lord Governor in order to make a favourable marriage, she sighed, this is that I was born for. As a daughter there is no greater honour than to become the Queen by marriage. If I had been a son I would be back home governing the province
She turned her attention to the foyer again to find it empty except the groom's party. With surprise she noted it comprised of only the King, Fastion and the young Eletian, another was also still there, a knight of the kingdom. Karigan was willing to support him all the way by the looks of it. As she watched Zachary rested his forehead against Karigan's and rested a single hand on her neck. Karigan smiled encouragingly at her monarch and gently pulled away as Neff announced the groom and his party.
She might be the Queen but there was no way she could pull such a gentle love apart any more. Yet both Karigan and Zachary at least seemed to be ready to go through with this for the sake of the country. How could she claim to love Zachary if she could not let him go. Because we are already married, Estora sighed how could she ever undo what had been done.