A small girl with wild auburn hair ran through the long grassed pasture, she beamed as her father caught her and threw her over his shoulder. She laughed musically and beat her small fists on his back playfully, the man grinned as he carried his daughter unceremoniously towards the palace.

"Father?"

He smiled to himself and sat her on the back of a big red horse. She beamed even more brightly and hugged the beast's neck tightly her small hands running through his mane.

"Father, tell me about the Riders!" She demanded.

He grinned, she loved the stories he told her about the Long War, Lillian Ambriodhe and the other heroes of Sacoridia.

"Who do you want me to tell you about Lil again?"

The small girl shook her head fiercely.

"What about F'ryan Coblebay?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Mother gets upset when you tell that story."

He sighed theoretically. "Who do you want me to tell you about?"

The girl beamed. "Tell me about her!"

"Her?"

"Mother told me there was a beautiful Knight Rider who saved Sacoridia many times. When I grow up I want to be like that! I'm going to be a Green Rider and meet Eletians and battle Groundmites..."

He interrupted his daughter eagerness. "You cannot be a Green Rider, it is too dangerous." He stroked the horses neck absent-mindedly. "Why don't I tell you about Yates Cardell I don't think I've told you that one yet."

"But I want to find out about her!" The small girl smiled. "Did you ever meet her father? Did you ever meet the woman who vanquished Mornhavon?"

He blinked. "Rider Sir Galadheon? Have I not already told you her story?"

She shook her head. "Did you ever meet her? Was she beautiful?"

He smiled sadly. "I knew her. She was a brave and passionate woman who saved me and the country countless times. When it came down to that final battle she did not risk anyone else getting hurt, she rode alone , she gave her life to save Sacoridia from the darkness of Mornhavon."

Zachary paused, even though it had been ten years since her body had been brought back to Sacor City it still hurt. I still miss her, I am not unhappy, I have a son, a daughter and a beautiful wife and yet I cannot stop myself from missing her. He looked at his daughter who smiled up at him her bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement in a way that almost reminded him of his lost love... almost but not quite. I will never see my Karigan again.

"What was she really like?"

Zachary paused, how could her forget the real Karigan - not the hero sung about at great feasts and murmured about by the fireside – by the living breathing woman with a knack for getting herself in to trouble, who was so vibrant, so full of life that she had captured him from their first meeting. He could clearly remember the woman who had returned from message runs gaunt and injured but always professional, the woman who took no stock in fine clothes or exquisite jewels and instead preferred to don her uniform and blend in to the crowd. He could remember every expression, every passion, how then did he explain Karigan the woman to his daughter?

"She never wanted to be a Green Rider." He began, what better way to summarise the woman that explain how they had met. "She was a rebellious school girl when she heard the call, despite the danger she faced she delivered a message that told of a dark plot to overthrow the throne, and yet when she reached the castle she was faced with imprisonment. And still she did not wither away, she challenged me – a merchants daughter, still just a school girl – challenged my politics." He smiled at the memory. "She was right of course. And so I invited her to my ball in punishment."

His daughter cocked her head thoughtfully at that one. Ruffling the girls hair he continued. "Days later she sought to return home to her father, yet she ended up saving not only myself but helping subdue Amilton and his forces. After that she left, finished her schooling, and we did not see her again for three years. Until one day she returned with her clan and offered herself into my service as a messenger."

The small princess looked at her father with piercing blue eyes. "What was her name?"

"Karigan Galadheon."

"You loved her."

He looked at his six year old daughter with surprise, her eyes burnt with passion as she leant forwards in eagerness. Her grin stretched from ear to ear as he tried to find words to explain himself, he did not want her to think he was unfaithful to her mother. He did love Estora in his own way, but nothing to hold a candle to his feelings about Karigan. However surprisingly it had been the queens decision to name their daughter after the brave green rider.

"Kari..." He tried to explain.

"Why didn't you marry her?" The girl demanded in a way that was scarily alike to her namesake.

"I am the King, she was born a commoner. Our love was forbidden."

"Did you tell her?" Kari demanded. "Did you tell she know you loved her?"

Zachary blushed. "Yes although she ran from me for a long time afterwards."

"And? Did you kiss her?"

"Kari!"

He did not know where this was coming from. What had his daughter been listening to in the corridors of the palace? Since his daughters sixth birthday he had heard whispers comparing the young princess to her namesake. Tales of intrigue and bravery were spun about the rider turned war hero that had once walked the corridors with the grace of a swords master. Tales of forbidden love between the beautiful worrier and her king had begun to come to the forefront, some painted Karigan as a fearless dramatic heroine others as a girl tormented by her ancestors mistakes and her love for the man she could never have. In deeper circles of the court there were those who knew the truth, they knew why her name had changed in death. And what that really meant – she had been defiant to the end and in honour he had chosen to follow the Eltians example and name her Galadheon after her ancestor.

He smiled to himself and picked his daughter up once more.

"Come on, your mother is waiting for us Karigan."