GREEN RIDER-BOOK 5

Zachary tried to keep his back straight against the wooden throne but it was hard. He had spent hours listening to Farmer Jo moan on about his crops dying because his neighbour had spilt pesticide all over his side of the field. It was really a five minute conversation but he managed to make it drown on for what seemed like years.

He could feel Captain Mapstone losing her patience next to him, she had to stand and Zachary was very close to offering her his seat. On the other side of him sat Estora. His Queen. It still hurt to look at her realise she wasn't her. The woman who seemed to be on his mind constantly and to remember what he did with Lady Estora. Admittedly he hadn't been fully conscious and he and Karigan weren't together, they could never really be together, but it still felt like he had betrayed her somehow. She didn't even know that he had married.

No, Karigan was out there somewhere, fighting for her life probably against Blackveil. She might even already be dead. Zachary shook his head, no he couldn't think like that. She was still out there and she was fine. Fine. He just had to keep a slightly interested expression on his face and pretend to listen to the man in front of him. But it was so hard.

He glanced over at his wife and admired her beauty. She was beautiful, pale skin and golden hair with the brightest blue eyes; she looked a bit like an angel. But Karigan had a fire in her that no other woman had. She was one in a kind. She was his love. But they couldn't be together and he had to get over that. Perhaps in time he could learn to love Queen Estora. He knew it was a lie even as the thought formed in his mind.

"Farmer Jo." He interrupted, just wanting to finish this conversation, "I shall speak to Robert Willis, and ask him about the pesticide. But maybe you should go home to your daughter and make sure she's OK. Things are changing in this world and you have to spend as much time with the people you love the most." Jo bit his lip and bowed in understanding but still talked back.

"I understand that your majesty. But the crops are all we have to eat and now they are all ruined. We have no food for the rest of winter, we will starve."

Zachary nodded and smiled warmly, just wanting peace and quiet.

"I will feed your family for the rest of the winter and you can plant your crops next summer. If they ruin once more I shall have a sever talk with Robert Willis. You have my word." To his pleasure, farmer Jo bowed and left, the King wanted to jump and thank the Lords but he felt dreary and tired all of a sudden.

He slouched and Captain must have read his face because she gave him an encouraging smile.

"She'll come back to you," she whispered it but Estora must of heard because she ended up scowling. Zachary was very confused, he didn't know if the Lady had feelings for him or whether she just wanted a completely faithful husband, but he was married and that was as much as he was willing to give her. Not love. Not yet. Not when his heart was so completely taken with someone else.

Just thinking about Karigan bought all this worry and love. It was so confusing and he had never felt this way. He knew she could hold herself against a fight but this was Blackveil. This was dangerous and serious. He damned himself for not being able to help her, all he could do was pray and hope. He wasn't even sure he believed in God anymore.

Karigan screamed until it felt like pins were stabbing against her throat, she hammered the stone wall until her fists began to bleed and she wept until her eyes stung. She had no idea where she was and she had no idea how to get out. All she knew was that she had to get back home, back to her King. Not now. Don't think about him now. So she didn't, she kept screaming and hammering and weeping to no avail. She was stuck and she had no idea if she was ever getting out.

All she remembered was stabbing Yates. Yates. Was he dead? He couldn't be, he was Yates. If he was then it was her fault, she stabbed him, she killed him. More tears, more screaming and more hammering but nothing worked. Silence. She collapsed against the stone and squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt like she was running in circles, she felt so dizzy. She just had to sit and think, come up with a plan and then she could get out. But all there was, was brick walls and stone floors. No door, no window. She was trapped, but she didn't know where, she had no clue where she was and that was what was bothering her. Not knowing, she hated that feeling. She just needed to know. To know her King was alright.