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A guard stepped before her and bowed in greeting. “The King has arrived.” He announced. Butterflies took up residence in her stomach. She controlled herself not to run out then to greet him first, and a certain pride swelled in her when she saw Zavian riding through the gates on the white stallion, golden hair sweeping across his face and leaving a wake of dust behind him.

Zavian pulled at the reins of his horse and dismounted. When his gaze met his wife’s, Jasmine had the overcoming want to sweep the lock of hair across his face behind his ear and kiss him long enough to evaporate the unexplainable parts of her that missed him for the few hours he had been gone. But there was this barrier between them, thick and high, that if she reached out her hand to touch him, she was sure she would feel the solidity of it.

Even in bed- that was if he would spend the night in their chambers- he had been distant, so far away, yet so near when he would lie next to her with his back to her. And in the mornings, he would be off before she would wake. She wanted to touch him, even if it was to be hugged, just for a little while. She would take the scraps he would offer for now.

“How were the cases today?” Zavian asked her.

“Good, nothing I couldn’t handle. And how was the visit to the governor?”

“Good.”

She waited for more, but it seemed that was all he was willing to divulge.

She saw the way his eyes swept the surrounding area, and Jasmine knew he was looking for none other than Neera. She cleared her throat, and his eyes were back to hers.

.....

“My parents will come to visit in two weeks. They sent in a letter this morning”, she told him. Zavian motioned to the guards, and the stallion was taken away. He walked by Jasmine, keeping his strides short as she spoke on.

“It has been a month since we’ve been married,” she reminded him. She looked up to him for any element of surprise at that announcement; widening of his eyes, raise of his eyebrows, purse of his lips, anything, but he kept mute and waited for her to go on. “So I want to suggest a small party.”

Zavian stopped in his walk. “Party?”

Jasmine bopped her head enthusiastically. “Don’t worry, it is just a kind of get-together, a welcome-to-the-Kingdom party, if you may. But I want this. It’s been dull in here. Forgive me for saying that my King, so I need a bit of distraction, and besides, my parents would expect such.”

Zavian put it to thought. Anything marriage-y had been done and left in the past, but Jasmine was overly too happy to see to a ball for a marriage of duty. From the corner of his eyes, Zavian saw the gates open. He was about to give the Queen his answer but held his tongue when he saw Azriel’s horse speed inside.

In the centuries of friendship the two had, Zavian was adept at the slightest expressions of Azriel to know what to expect from him. So when he saw the stoic set face of his Commander General as he approached, Zavian was quick to decipher trouble was brewing.

“Your Majesty”, Azriel tipped his head at Jasmine as he hopped off his horse in one swift motion. To Zavian, he said, “Might we have a quick word?”

Zavian nodded. Remembering Jasmine was still waiting for his go-ahead, he said, “Do what you need to do to do, Jasmine.”

Jasmine watched the two walk away to Zavian’s study, most likely. Those were the kind of meetings she wanted to be invited to. She wanted to know what the entire urgency was about, and at the back of her mind where she could reach for it anytime she saw Zavian again, she would ask him to rope her into more affairs of the Kingdom. If there was going to be a smooth ruling from her as well, there was nothing to hide from the Queen.

Zavian locked the door to his study immediately after Azriel was in. The General wasted no time in speaking.

“An entire village disappeared two nights ago,” he filled in the King. “Someone saw them, a shepherd, walking towards the forest. He described what he saw as them moving in a strange manner, as if in a trance.”

Zavian waited patiently. Azriel rubbed a hand on his face, dispelling the remnants of his tiredness, and continued, “They didn’t pack anything from their homes. Their lanterns were still burning in some of their homes, their doors were left ajar, and some pots were found with food, and tables were set for meals. Something terrible is going on, Zavian.”

Zavian folded his arms, his thoughts collecting together. He had never heard of whatever it was Azriel was describing, and he couldn’t bring about anything to fit the pieces of the puzzle of the strange occurrence.

“And what else did this shepherd say?” The King prodded further.

“I have my men heading down there now. I would join them right now and report back to you,” Azriel informed him.

“Send more men to search the forest for these people,” Zavian added. “And the potion for the horses?”

“More horses have been procured and everything is running smoothly,” Azriel answered. “I have to go now. I would ride back at dawn tomorrow.”