If asked later, Karigan would not honestly be able to say where she had found the strength to attack her captor. She was beyond tired and could barely stand on her ankle, but she somehow managed to shift her weight to the opposite side long enough for her to grab the log from the fire and swing it toward her captor. She knew there was no other option–no one else was close enough to attack, and they were unlikely to have another chance to do so. Karigan had learned long before that it paid to take advantage of every opportunity, especially when one was at a disadvantage as she was at the current time.

Karigan was not sure what part of the man she hit, but it did not particularly matter. The fire caught his cloak just moments before she felt the flare of magic. The log fell from her hands as she herself fell to her knees, whatever desperate strength she had managed to find leaving her in a rush. Two warm hands grabbed under her armpits, half lifting and half dragging her away from the fire which was now spreading around the clearing. She heard hoofbeats and shouting nearby; it seemed that whatever magic the cloaked figure had been using to keep others away had disappeared. The hands carrying her lifted her into the air, and she smelled the familiar musk of a horse as her legs automatically closed around its warm flank. Someone mounted behind her, and as two arms wrapped around her, she recognized the scent immediately. "Zachary," she breathed.

"Right here, my love," he promised. "I'm going to get you out of here. My men are trying to contain the fire and round up as many of your kidnappers as they can, but I do not know how much luck they will have in either endeavor which means I prefer to be as far away from here as possible. Besides, we need to get you to a mender."

"I'm fine. It's probably just a sprain."

"You have a lot more than a sprain. Don't worry about talking just now; conserve your strength." And with that, she felt the horse shift beneath her as Zachary kicked it into a trot. Despite her experience riding, Karigan was in no shape to stay seated on the horse herself, and she found herself extremely grateful for Zachary's support as they rode onward. The smoky smell soon disappeared, and Karigan relaxed, knowing they were out of immediate danger. Despite Zachary's worry, she knew enough about injuries to know that none of hers were life-threatening. They were certainly painful, and she imagined they would be for quite some time, but she was sure she would heal quickly enough once she had a few days of food and rest.

Karigan dozed as they continued to ride, trusting Zachary to keep her safe. His arms tightened around her slightly as she drifted off, his lips pressing a kiss to the top of her head. It seemed that as soon as she fell fully into slumber, however, he stopped the horse, jolting her awake. She heard him speaking to someone, and she blinked in exhaustion, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Zachary pressed another kiss into her hair before cradling her in his arms, passing her down to someone waiting beside him. She forced her eyes open in enough time to see him dismount as well, taking her in his arms. "I can walk," she protested as he began to carry her to their destination.

"Indulge me, please."

"Where are we going?"

"A mender, like I told you." Karigan sensed they were passing a number of people, and she heard the low murmur of voices though she could not make out any of the words. In truth, she was too tired to try and understand what people were saying. She let her eyes slide shut, but she had not even started to doze when she felt Zachary stop and lower her onto something soft. She forced her eyelids apart and saw an unfamiliar face leaning over her.

"Just rest now, my lady," the man said, his voice soft and soothing. "We'll have you right as rain in no time." Rest did sound nice. Deciding it bet to heed his advice, Karigan fell into a somewhat restless slumber.

When she finally woke up, the sun was at its zenith. Karigan felt better than she had in days though she was quite hungry and thirsty. She started to push herself into a sitting position, but someone nearby saw she was awake and came over before she could raise her torso. "It is good to see you awake, my lady. How are you feeling?"

"Hungry and thirsty," Karigan told him honestly, the hoarseness of her voice confirming her words.

"Of course. I will have someone bring some food and water at once." He motioned to someone behind him, and Karigan heard soft footsteps leave the tent.

"Where's Zachary?" Karigan asked, noting that he was not hovering nearby as she half-expected.

A small smile appeared on the man's face. "Likely not far, and I am sure he will be in here as soon as he hears you are awake. He was here for quite some time, but there were too many people coming and going to ask him questions and seek his counsel, so I eventually forced him to leave since this is supposed to be a place of healing."

"Right." Karigan heard the flutter of the tent flap and glanced over to see a man not much older than her enter with a plate of food and skein of water. She once more pushed herself up, and the man she had been talking to–presumably a mender–reached down to help her into a seated position. As soon as she was able, Karigan took the food and water and took a long draught from the skein.

"Slowly," the mender cautioned. Karigan nodded, obediently lowering the skein and turning her attention to the food. She had just taken the first bite when the flap opened again, more forcefully this time. Looking over, she saw Zachary's familiar figure striding into the tent purposefully. His eyes met Karigan's, and a wide smile spread across his face.

"It is good to see you up and eating."

"It is good to be eating."

He crossed to her side, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it, conscious of their audience. "When you are ready, we do have some questions for you, but take your time."

"What's been happening while I was asleep?"

"We have been trying to round up as many people as we can from the group that kidnapped you. Ryder–the boy you saved–was able to identify the two who took you but we'd like your confirmation."

"Have you learned what their plans were yet?"

Zachary's lips turned down in a frown. "Unfortunately not. Somehow, the leader, the man who you burned, escaped, and most of the rest do not seem to know much about the overall plans. The most we have found out is that he was the one who ordered you kidnapped and he was planning to kill you."

"It was ritualistic," Karigan remarked. "Also they were very insistent that I be pure. I did not know at first what that meant, but. . ." She trailed off, blushing, but Zachary obviously understood.

"I suppose that supports the ritualistic theory."

"But for what purpose?"

Zachary shrugged. "We may never know, I suppose. It certainly seems odd." The mender bustled over at that point, asking about how much she had eaten, and Karigan realized belatedly that in talking with Zachary, she had completely forgotten to eat despite her hunger. Somewhat sheepishly, she dropped his hand and returned her attention to her food. Satisfied, the mender stepped away, leaving Zachary and Karigan in relative privacy again. Zachary chewed his lip thoughtfully for a moment. "I will have the men who are questioning everyone see if they can get any more of the details of the ritual. I am afraid it is probably meant for something unpleasant."

Karigan frowned. "Almost certainly." With that, they lapsed into silence again as she continued to eat.

Despite how much she had slept during the day, Karigan still slept until the sun was fully risen the following morning. When she finally woke up, she realized she urgently needed to use the restroom and carefully lowered herself from the bed to take care of her needs. Though it hurt, her ankle did support her weight, and she managed to limp from the tent, somewhat surprised that no mender stopped her. She supposed they were otherwise occupied.

When she returned to the tent, it was still empty, and she hobbled back over to the bed, beginning to truly feel the pain in her ankle. As she lay there, she wondered how she could go about finding food, for she was quite hungry once more. As if hearing her thoughts, the flap opened, and the mender from before, whose name Karigan suddenly realized she did not know, stepped inside. He smiled at her. "Ah, I see you are awake. Hungry?"

"Quite."

"Good. A healthy appetite is the first step towards healing. Someone should be here shortly with food." Sure enough, a boy who looked to be younger than Karian soon appeared with a plate of breakfast. Karigan ate greedily before allowing the mender to check her vitals and injuries. He nodded in satisfaction when he had finished. "You are healing quite nicely. His Majesty was asking earlier about the possibility of traveling back to Sacor City today, and I think he will be quite pleased to hear that you should be ready for the journey by this afternoon assuming you agree to ride with someone the whole way. Would that be acceptable to you?"

"More than acceptable. Thank you!"

The mender waved her off. "Just doing my job. Fortunately, you are young and strong and your injuries were relatively minor once you overcame your fatigue. Which is especially good since I hear you have somewhere important to be in a few days." He grinned, and Karigan returned the smile. He helped her stand then, nodding approvingly as she managed to walk across the tent with only a minor limp. He agreed that she could go find Zachary, so Karigan quickly left, having never been one to enjoy confinement to a bed, even if the mender who was currently caring for her was far less overbearing than others she had met.

She found Zachary deep in conversation with another man who had a good deal of silver gleaming on his chest, indicating that he likely possessed a high position somewhere. Zachary spotted her immediately, shooting her a wide grin as he finished his conversation. When the other man bowed and left, he walked over, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I take it you have been cleared to travel home today?"

"As long as I ride with someone else."

"Well, I am more than happy to have you with me." His eyes twinkled as he pressed another, longer kiss to her hand. "Perhaps we should go get the horse ready."

Karigan's brow furrowed. "The mender said that we were leaving this afternoon."

"Mmm, but you never know what kind of distractions there might be." Zachary gave her a significant look, and Karigan could not stop the blush that suffused her cheeks.

"Oh. I guess not." Keeping her hand clasped in his, he led her towards the paddock where they had been keeping the horses, skirting towards the back of it where they were deeper in the woods, well-concealed from the rest of the camp by a few large trees. Zachary pushed her gently against the nearest one, lowering his head toward hers.

"Aeryc, it's good to have you back," he said simply before capturing her lips with his own. After that, they spoke no words for quite some time.

They did eventually prepare the horse for the ride back to the castle. Once he was ready, Karigan swallowed her pride and allowed Zachary to help her mount, knowing her ankle would make it difficult if not impossible for her to do so on her own. Once she was seated safely, he mounted behind her, and they followed the group of other riders back through the woods and down the Kingway to the city. Karigan noted that they rode near the middle of the group and was going to question Zachary on the position before realizing he had chosen it for safety reasons–the front or back would have made them much too conspicuous. She wondered if he would have the same consideration if he were riding by himself. Somehow, she doubted it.

As they neared the outer wall of the castle, Zachary did spur their horse into a brisk trot, quickly making his way to the front of the group though four Weapons still flanked him. It did not take long for Karigan to figure out why–all around them, a cheering crowd welcomed them. Karigan felt an urge to bury her face in something and hide out so she would not be noticed, but she knew there was no hope of that. Zachary seemed to sense her desire, for he leaned forward enough to whisper, "Just sit up as straight as you can–lean against me if you need to–and keep looking forward. If you don't see how many there are, it's a bit easier to ignore your nerves." Karigan nodded dumbly, following his instructions. As they finally made their way through the inner wall, the noise of the crowd died off, and she began to breathe a bit easier. Though she had appeared in public before with Zachary, she had never felt quite as exposed as on the current occasion. It was certainly going to take some getting used to.

Her entire family met them at the stables, her aunts already fussing over her. Her father reached up, helping her down from the horse. Karigan leaned heavily on him once her feet were on the ground, for her ankle was quite stiff from the ride. "I really am fine," Karigan told her aunts who were talking over each other so much that she could not make out any words they were saying. "A mender has already looked me over and said as much. I would like a bath and a good meal and perhaps a clean set of clothes that fit, but I don't need anything else."

"Well of course, we'll take you up to your rooms for that bath right away."

"And I will see to the meal," Zachary promised, giving her a small smile. "I'll have them set up supper in the family dining room in, say, an hour?" Karigan nodded, and he gave her hand a brief squeeze, the only parting gesture her aunts allowed before pulling her to her room, still talking. Karigan did appreciate their concern, but it was becoming a little much. Before she could say so, however, one of them was pulling the borrowed tunic she wore over her head and another had entered her bathroom to begin running water for the bath. Deciding it would be easier to just go along with their ministrations, Karigan allowed them to undress her and settle her in the warm water.

Karigan gave a long sigh as she let her head fall back against the edge of the tub. The water was helping to chase away some of her lingering aches and pains, and she felt many of her tense muscles gradually relaxing under its effect. Her eyes slid shut, but before the groggy haze overcame her completely, Stace's voice cut through it. "What happened to you, Lass?"

Karigan opened her eyes wearily. "Can we talk about it at dinner? I would rather only tell the story once." Her aunts, somewhat to her surprise, nodded agreeably. Perhaps I should get kidnapped more often, Karigan mused with vague amusement, but as she shifted positions, a sharp pain in her ankle reminded her that not all outcomes of the experience were positive. She allowed her aunts to help with the bath more than she normally would, knowing that they wanted to feel they were contributing in some form. When she finished, Brini helped her stand and step out of the tub before Gretta wrapped a towel around her. Karigan posed little resistance as they led her into her room where Stace had already picked out clothing for her to wear that night.

Karigan did tell her tale at dinner, pointedly looking at a spot just above Zachary's shoulder so she did not have to see his reaction to what she was saying. She glossed over the part about her purity as much as she could, but she suspected that her aunts and father still understood the implications. Fortunately, they did not press her for further details. Even if they had, she was not sure she could have given them. They asked a couple clarifying questions once she had finished talking, but they soon realized that she truly did not have any more details and mercifully changed the subject. They kept the remaining topics lighter–mostly about the wedding which was happening in five days time. By the end of the meal, Karigan was feeling quite full and tired despite the amount she had slept the previous day. Zachary seemed to realize this, for he brought the meal to a close with his usual grace, allowing her to escape to her bedchamber where she quickly undressed and fell asleep.

The next five days flew by with last-minute wedding preparations and before Karigan had truly comprehended what was happening, she found herself standing in front of the mirror in her dressing room in a long white gown while a maid and one of her aunts fiddled with her hair. She frowned slightly at her reflection. The gown, while not as ostentatious as many wedding dresses she had seen, was still fancier than anything she had ever worn before; the tailor had been insistent on the intricate beading across the bodice and part of the skirt. The older woman had insisted that since it was a wedding dress for the future queen, it could not be plain, but she had fortunately listened to Karigan's pleas to keep the detail more subdued. Objectively, Karigan supposed it was a beautiful gown–she just wished that she was not the one who had to wear it.

"Just for one day," Karigan reminded herself silently. "And for a good reason, too." Her heart fluttered at the thought. In just a few hours, she would be Zachary's wife. And not just his wife but also the Queen of all of Sacoridia. She felt her heart race at the thought. She had been trying to avoid thinking too much about that fact during all the wedding preparations, but no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it would be true soon enough. Karigan certainly did not feel like a queen, no matter what Zachary and others tried to tell her. And while she had started taking over some of the royal duties to prepare for her eventual coronation, she knew Zachary still carried the bulk of them. He had assured her that he did not mind doing so as long as she needed, pointing out that he had been doing everything for many years so any easing of his burden was helpful. Despite his assurances, Karigan did want to help in whatever way she could, for she did not like the idea of him carrying the burden of the entire kingdom alone. She just wished she could feel more confident in her ability to do so.

"One step at a time," Karigan muttered to herself, shaking those thoughts from her head.

"What's that, Lass?" Brini asked from her right where she was arguing with Gretta about the best makeup to use in order to bring out Karigan's eyes.

"Just talking to myself." Karigan glanced back in the mirror, surprised to see her hair up in a delicate bun, a few tendrils curling artfully around her face. Though Karigan was still not sure it was worth the effort, she had to admit that it did look rather nice.

Brini tutted but made no further comment. "Just a bit of color on your cheeks and then you should be ready to go. You're quite fortunate–with that youthful skin, you do not need much make-up."

"Thankfully." Karigan turned back to the mirror, obediently remaining still as they fussed over her make-up. Finally, all of the women stepped back, nodding in satisfaction.

"I daresay the king will not know quite what to do with himself when he sees you," Stace declared, and Karigan could not help but agree with her. Looking in the mirror, she saw that all four of her aunts had tears in their eyes, and Karigan felt an urge to throw her arms around them, something she had not felt in a long time. Impulsively, she gave into it, and the five women tearfully embraced. Gretta was the first to pull herself together.

"Well, it would not do to have the bride late for her own wedding nor to ruin her carefully-done hair and make-up, so we should get going."

"Quite right," Stace agreed. "Shall we, my dear?" She held an arm out to Karigan who took it gratefully, wishing she had been more insistent on flats instead of the heels she currently wore. "Your father will be beside himself when he sees you," Stace whispered as they walked out of the room toward the temple where the ceremony would take place.

Stace's prediction turned out to be quite true; Stevic could not even speak when he first saw Karigan; instead, he let his actions speak for him, pulling her into a tight embrace despite his sisters' admonishments not to ruin her hair or dress. "You look just like your mother," he whispered to her, and Karigan knew that was the highest compliment he could bestow on her. Stace finally pulled them apart, reminding them of the important ceremony about to occur. Stevic reluctantly pulled away, holding out his arm. "Ready?" he questioned.

"I am," Karigan confirmed, trying to hide her nerves. Of course, she could not hide them from her own father. He canted his head slightly.

"You say the word, and I will take you away from here even though it's the king waiting down that aisle for you." Karigan gave him a shaky smile.

"You know that it's not Zachary who worries me." Stevic gave her a small smile.

"You will be a brilliant queen, my dear."

"From your mouth to Aeryc's ears." The music changed to a melody Karigan recognized immediately from their earlier rehearsals. "That's our cue." Stevic nodded, turning to the doors which two attendants had thrown open for them. Together, they began walking into the crowded sanctuary. Karigan could sense the eyes of countless people on them as they walked, but her eyes immediately sought out the only person she cared about. Even from where she stood, she could make out his figure easily, tall and resplendent in the ornate blue cloak with the Hillander firebrand. He wore the ceremonial crown, a large, more ornate ornament than the crown he wore from day to day. Karigan knew he would be wearing it, for he had mentioned that it was expected, and she had even seen it on his head briefly when the jeweler had come to fit it. However, the circumstances felt much different now, and she could not help but think that in a short while, she would be putting on a similar crown to mark her new station. She only hoped she would not unbalance herself while doing so. The one thing she remembered from trying it on was that it was quite heavy.

As they moved closer to the altar, Karigan could more clearly see Zachary's face, and she noted that he was smiling broadly, his eyes fixed on her as she moved down the aisle. Despite the circumstances, Karigan felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, and she forced it back with great difficulty. She knew Zachary found her beautiful, for he told her so quite often, but it was one thing to hear it and another entirely to see it written so plainly across his face. WIth some difficulty, Karigan forced her gaze from him, fearing the embarrassment would overcome her if she did not. She was so focused on her steps that she did not realize they had reached the altar until she felt her father placing her hand in another, larger one that she recognized well. "Take care of her," Stevic said gruffly, and glancing over, Karigan saw unshed tears in his eyes.

"Always," Zachary promised. Karigan stayed quiet, knowing it was not the time to protest their male chauvinism no matter how much she wished to do so. Instead, she turned to the priest who raised his staff to begin the ceremony.

Much of the wedding ceremony was a blur. Somehow, Karigan managed to catch all of her cues and say the right things at the right time, but she could not recall later how she had done so. In fact, she did not really become conscious of her surroundings until she heard the priest intone, "You may now kiss the bride," and felt Zachary leaning forward to press his lips gently to hers. They kept the kiss short, conscious of their audience, but it still grounded Karigan like nothing else that day had. No matter what else happened, she knew Zachary would be there by her side, and with him, she could face anything. Her eyes met his, and he smiled brilliantly at her, squeezing her hands before dropping one of them and tugging gently with the other to lead her to the dais for the next part of the ceremony–the coronation. Karigan followed, no longer worried about the weight of her crown or her ability to rule a kingdom. With Zachary's warm hand in hers and his reassuring presence by her side, she felt that she could face anything.