Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Sarah

Sarah

Star
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
Location
United States of Awesome
Knight Commander Cain Rhainor had been the youngest of the commanding officers sent to the front lines of the great war. At twenty-four he was already in charge of his own legion, a thousand men under his command. Cain had quite a presence as a leader, standing six foot two and while he wasn't as big and brawny as some, any who underestimated him would be sorry they had. Some of them like to jest and make fun of his appearance though, his sturdy but lean build and attractive facial features making him seem unsuitable as a soldier. Of course the softness that had been in his green eyes, rather unmarred tan skin, and the kept style of his hair didn't help but eventually their opinions changed. He had been underestimated and even laughed at by the older more experienced combatants, from other countries and his own, but before long he made quite a name for himself as one of the most competent of them all.

Skill and ability didn't determine everything in the war and everyone there eventually found that out, men killed, friends lost, and Cain was no exception to that eventuality. He had escaped such a fate longer than most but when it finally caught up to the young commander it was a fate no man deserved. His entire legion was ambushed by a larger force on the way from the main encampment to an outpost on their eastern flank. It had been a well placed ambush, so well that Cain hadn't noticed it before it was too late, before several thousand enemy soldiers converged on them as they went through a valley. Nearly every one of his men was slaughtered and by the end those who survived did so due solely to luck. Cain was one of the 'lucky' few but to him it was nothing but a curse, having to remember that battle, knowing he led them into the ambush no matter how well planned it had been, it was his fault.

Cain hadn't gone back home immediately, he was assigned another force and resumed his command, his presence and decisions being the factor in many victories. In fact he seemed even more efficient than ever, but he didn't connect with his troops, he didn't speak to the other commanders, and he began to launch ruthless campaigns against the enemy forces, no longer showing the grace and compassion he once had. Those factors as well as the increasing strain on his body from injuries and continued combat forced the allied forces hand, the higher ranking commanders eventually deciding to give Cain an extended leave, using recovery as a reason. Cain of course did not want to return but he couldn't refuse the other commanders and soon enough he was on his way back to his kingdom, a changed man for sure. To make it worse he got message from the king, that he was to be honored as a hero, a massive feast in his honor.

The long ride back had given him chance to think about a lot of the things that had happened and while he knew the king would see him as a hero, he wasn't. That didn't change what happened when he arrived back, welcomed by many with cheers and blessings. When he arrived at the castle it was more of the same, old faces welcoming him back, from soldiers to knights, and he was even called in to a personal audience with the king. He spoke to the man for awhile, having to tell some stories from the front lines and being told of the festivities that awaited him that night. Eventually he was allowed to leave, to head to a room in the barracks, informed that while the day would be free that the king wanted one of his finest back in action as soon as he could. Cain had expected as much, he was back to receive some downtime and recovery but he had been one of the go to knights before he left and it seemed the king would want him back to his old tricks, looking over trainees and taking care of problems that needed attention.

Cain left the king with a respectful nod and headed to the barracks, nodding to those who greeted him but doing his best to avoid lengthy conversations until he made it to his room. He didn't have much to put away, he removed his dirty and beaten up armor and sat it on top of the wooden dresser, putting his swords and dagger on the table, and the rest of his stuff on the foot of the bed. Luckily some clothing had been left for him in the cabinets, simple but his style and though he knew he would be wearing something more flashy for the celebration he wanted to be comfortable until then. Cain bathed and quickly changed, going back to his room afterwards and sitting on the edge of the bed, not having much to put away to begin with. He simply sat there for some time doing nothing, enjoying the feel of an actual bed beneath him and the calm that he hadn't experienced in so long. Then he took his weapons and armor and began to clean them, he had always kept them up well but they were still dirty and for him it had become a near obsession to keep them in order when he was on the front line. At the very least it would pass some time before he had to leave his room and before the feast.
 
Word of the return of a popular war hero quickly passed around the kingdom, coming straight from the king's own mouth. Trusted sources around the city began to conform or deny any rumours being told to the general public, but in the end, all of the city of LaSpera knew of Commander Cain's return. Most were ready to welcome him, hoping that perhaps the man would be put in charge of solving the city's latest crime sprees. If anyone could solve their problem, there was no doubt in the people's minds that a man such as Cain Rhainor could.

The latest spree was like nothing even the city's best guards could remember happening. A thief arrived in the city, seeming to be from no where, taking small items from the local shop owners. Nothing was of much importance and it was never money, but enough to bother the store and worry the keepers. Although this had happened in the past, what caught them by surprise was the fact that whatever was taken would be returned the next night. Shops would open to find the stolen goods sitting in their store in one of the most obvious places the owner could see it. Each and every knight was stumped by these actions, doing whatever they could to solve the problem, all without a single lead. The last person they would ever expect was the culprit.

Arianna was one of two princesses, the eldest of three children. With her blonde hair, pale skin and slender build, she looked to be the perfect princess, and her mannerisms refused to fight that thought. She was polite, courteous, and most of all, friendly. To those that were close to her, they knew that each of her descriptions were true, never having seen her dark side very few knew was there. The people of the city adored her, looking at Arianna's every item of clothing, every move she made and everything she decided on, attempting to put it into place in their own lives and world around them. But as much as such a thing bothered Arianna, she could do nothing about it, having to keep up the face the city knew her by. The well groomed princess was nearly perfect, if any of the townspeople were asked.

Her maids, on the other hand, knew differently. Just as the day before, Isabelle, her right hand woman, entered her bedroom, pulling the curtains back to let the sun break in through the windows, falling right onto her bed to wake the woman up. Arianna turned in the bed, letting out a loud groan before pushing her soft, plump blankets away from her face. The twenty two year old's long, sunflower blonde was knotted at the ends, falling around her on the bed with a few locks laying lightly over her face. Her eyes opened, only to squeeze shut again when she noticed the sun approaching her.

"Isabelle! Shut the curtains!" she half cursed, turning her body to hide her pale skin in the pillow below her head. The brunette returned with a smile and a soft laugh, only to approach the girl and tug the blankets away. Isabelle was just about the same age as the eldest princess and had grown up in the castle, helping her mother in the kitchen and playing with the girl until they grew too old. Isabelle had met every side of Arianna and had been a confidant from the very beginning of her life. The two were best of friends, to put it simply. She could get away with so much that others couldn't.

"Get up," she scolded, cracking open another window, this time to allow air through the room. "You have a feast tonight, remember? Commander Cain is returning tonight and with your hair in that many knots, it'll take all day to prepare you." Isabelle didn't waste any more time and began her normal duties inside the woman's room. She pulled out a dark green dress for the day. "Your dress was delivered last night and your mother has given her approval. Get up, we need to get you dressed."

---

It was true; the knots in Arianna's hair nearly killed the two girls. Between Isabelle, her mother and the princess herself, they untangled the blonde mess, got her dressed and ready for the day. Her normal duties were performed and as soon as she could, Arianna hid back in her room, spending as much time to herself as she could before the feast. Just as the sun was beginning to set, Isabelle brought in the crisp, cerulean blue long sleeved dress Arianna had custom made and the dressing began. The middle hugged her torso, falling to the floor from her hips down, while her sleeves were tight to her arms in the typical fashion of the day. Arianna never cared about being a new icon and instead looked to other princesses in the area for what to wear. She was content with her looks in favour of creating a new idea.

Several sections on the right side of her hair was pulled back into a braid, pinned back out of her eyes while she let the rest of her silky locks hang free down to the middle of her back. With a final check in the mirror and a soft sigh, the princess decided she was ready and left her room, allowing Isabelle to walk beside her until the main hall.

The rest of the royal family was there already, waiting for the arrival of the commander, prepared to meet him at the door and greet him to their home.
 
Cain thought he was going to enjoy the time to himself but after he cleaned his armor and weapons and did a bit of unpacking, there was only silence. For most people silence was calm and made it easy to think, for Cain, at least now, that wasn't so true. He tried to keep busy for some time but to no avail and in order to keep himself from sitting too long in silence he got up and left the room. There was plenty for him to keep busy with, mainly getting reacquainted with the castle, though he spent some time speaking with old friends or former students now risen up to the rank of knight. Even that didn't do much to help his restlessness and before long he found himself at one of his favorite places, the old training grounds. He stood off to the side and watched, he didn't participate or even let the others know he was there, being careful to avoid detection. It wasn't that he didn't want to get his hands dirty or to avoid conversation, he just wanted to watch, see what some of the newer guys could do and what his old friend Rolland had accomplished. Rolland had taken over his spot as trainee educator, forging the new knights and as Cain watched he knew his old friend had done a good job, they all seemed quite adept and worthy of the position they held.

He stood around for awhile until he realized what time it was and he quickly went back to his room, knowing he would have to get dressed pretty quickly in order to be on time for the celebration in his honor. When he reached his room a more elegant set of clothing was laid out, not exactly his style but the king was being gracious and had always been so he would oblige. Cain put on the fancy clothing, bright green silk tunic and trousers with gold etching and on the arm symbols of his rank. There was even a wonderfully crafted brown leather belt and some boots to match. Though none of it was quite what he would usually wear, much different from his rough but comfortable attire. Not that the outfit he had found on his bed wasn't comfortable, it was just a different kind of comfort, light and smooth as opposed to heavy and warming. He shrugged, when it was all on he made it a point to grab his knife, a much different piece from his swords. Where his swords were completely practical, plain and effective, his dagger was more decorative with a curved blade and some intricate lettering. No gold or silver, not even a gem but something about it was special and he had found it during his time in the war. He knew a dagger wouldn't be so odd, sure they would not look well on an actual sword but he doubted anyone would question him over a dagger that actually fit the atmosphere.

Cain wasn't exactly eager to get to the celebration but he didn't hesitate, instead he made good time and it was a good thing, the royal family seemed to be waiting for him which was a surprise. Cain only gave a small smile, perfectly normal to most but an act to those with sharp eyes, and walked over, shaking the kings hand and greeting everyone else, moving through the queen and her daughters, first the youngest before finally greeting the eldest, "Lady Arianna." He gave her a small nod before turning back to the king who took him and led him into the main hall. Inside was a room full of people who had also seemed to have been waiting, royalty, knights, and even some people from outlying areas all seeming to have come to greet him. Most of it was probably just to see the 'hero' but he knew a good deal of them so it seemed the king had done his best to make it a real welcome home. That was made all the more obvious with the food and minstrels, it seemed it was going to be a long party. Not that he minded much but as he was led towards his seat of honor he found himself wondering how long it would all take.
 
Arianna's entire body bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, letting out a soft sigh as she watched the guests pass her family into the grand hall. There was no need for her to make a large presentation in front of the less important guests and instead, she kept her attention ready for the main guest. When there was word of his approach, their family lined up, greeting Cain as he went down the line, giving him the proper bow or curtsy as he came down the line. The eldest princess cracked a smile and lowered herself an inch in return to his greeting. "Sir Cain." Her sky blue eyes followed as the two men entered the large hall and was quickly ushered in by her mother, stepping inside and pausing to listen to the nearby conversations. Most in the room were simply there for the chance to get into the palace and have their chance to brush elbows with the royals. Arianna let out a soft sigh before straightening her back, put on a smile and stepped forward into the party.

She mingled with several of the families inside the room, doing as her mother wished, hoping the night would rush past her and end sooner than she wished. A few of the females she had met in the past and she greeted them, spending some time speaking to them until she noticed Cain had taken a seat at the head table. The guests began to drift towards their own seats while the royal family came up to join the commander, the king and queen to the man's left and Arianna and her siblings to his right. The blonde sat down, folding her hands in her lap and taking a moment to glance to the man beside her.

She had spoken to Cain in the past a few times, just enough to get to know that something was wrong. He didn't seem to be the same person who left to the battle, which gave Arianna an uneasy feeling as she sat beside him. The feast was announced to begin, leading with the king's warm welcome and informing the guests as to why they were there. Large plates of food left the kitchen to arrive at the tables, including the decoration of a large boar left in the middle of the room to be brought in sections to the tables by the kitchen staff. Arianna's father took a chance to speak to Cain, getting a brief explanation as to what had happened, but his attention was drawn away by the entertainment taking place around the hall. Arianna had a chance to speak to him and with a small glance over to him, she took the opening.

"It's good to see you've returned in one piece," she told him, her cheery blue eyes lightly running over the man's facial expression at that moment.
 
Cain would have enjoyed the lavish party once at one point but now it was more of a bother than anything. Not that he didn't appreciate the gesture or the king's attempts to welcome him back, hell he even enjoyed the music and knew the same would be true for the food. No, it was through his own faults that he didn't enjoy the festivities, the fact that he no longer found himself able to truly have fun, his mind drifting to less than happy memories when he gave it a second, especially after the king requested a general explanation of his experience in the war. He answered vaguely of course, giving him the things he wanted by making it out to be a place worthy of praise but never actually praising it himself or being too specific or personal. Luckily enough the king had others to speak with and more to do, not focusing solely on the returning knight and rejoining the others in the middle of the room to see the delicious food and take part in the dancing and pointless talking going on. Cain stayed in his seat, not going to stay there indefinitely but wanting others to get food or talk, wear themselves down a little, before he would join.

His pause wasn't enough to let him escape completely though, soon he heard a voice to his side and turned to see cheery blue eyes looking directly at him. It was someone whom he didn't dread speaking too, not that he had a real affinity towards the eldest princess but the few times they had spoken it hadn't been unpleasant. "Thank you, I am glad to still be in one piece, many are not." He wasn't grim or solemn but he didn't seem exactly heartfelt with his words. Possibly because he didn't wish to return or due to the fact that speaking about anything related to the war only made him think about the negative. Regardless the man soon put on a smile that would fool most and changed the subject, not wishing to be rude and draw attention, nor wanting to speak of the event on everyone's tongue. "You look lovely tonight princess, I imagine more people came to see you than came to see me as I am not much to look at." He gave a small laugh, still it seemed that he wasn't completely the same, his laugh lacked the warmth it had before he left and while there was no doubt his compliment was sincere it was also rather generic, not pointing out anything specific.

Regardless of reasons for attendance I will say that it is a grand feast and I believe I shall go and see what I can find." With another small smile he rose from his seat, giving a small respectful bow before pushing his chair in and walking to join the crowd around the table. It was a bit of a nightmare but between niceties and answering questions he made it to the main table, making himself a plate with some of the foods he hadn't had in some time, boar and some fresh fruits, even a bit of cheese. On the front lines they rarely had more than bread and porridge, sure the occasional bit of meat or berries but it was rare and it had left him craving some of the foods more common in the city. Cain didn't return to his seat right away, he ate a few bites of food before filling in spots on his plate and even spoke to the king a bit more, as they were joined by the royal guards captain. They spoke for some time about a thief whom had yet to be caught and by the end of the conversation the king and captain both had agreed he would be suited for capturing the criminal. It seemed his trip from seat to food had landed him a job very quickly and with the king himself asking he couldn't say no. So as he sat back down in his seat he let out a small sigh before he started eating, his transition from war to normal life going to be a rather difficult one to accept.
 
Arianna's gaze softened at Cain's words. He may have tried to keep his words clear of a depressing tone, but to a princess who had never left her city, anything about the war on the outside was grim. While fighting didn't bother her like it did her mother or sister, it wasn't something Arianna spent time thinking about and the thought of someone returning as the soldiers often times did left a light unsettling feeling in her stomach. She understood why Cain changed the topic of conversation, and in fact she was welcome to the change. As for how it changed, that caught her slightly. Most people had the habit of including her, somehow, into their discussions, but the idea of people coming here for her was slightly disturbing. The feast was held for the man sitting beside her and most of the guests were there for him, not to get a look at herself. She was preparing some hopefully witty response to the man when he laughed. Immediately, Arianna's heart sank. To hear a laugh without the joy or warmth they typically held sent a light chill down the woman's back.

She quickly shook it off as she watched the man rise from his seat and approach the table holding the food. In an unlady-like fashion, the blonde leaned forward on the table, steepling her fingers against her lips as her eyes scanned the room in front of her. Many of the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves, partaking in the food laid out before them or enjoying the high class company surrounding them. Several who were there simply to impress the royals had cornered her mother into a conversation, which she seemed to be enjoying. The younger members of Arianna's family were conversing with a few of the noble children their own age, surrounding the sweeter end of the feast table, leaving the eldest female to herself at the head table. Soon enough, after a slow sweep of the room with her eyes, she leaned back, releasing a soft sigh to herself before rising from her seat. Nothing on the large table interested her at that moment, so instead, she made her way to the side of the room, stepping through an open window to a balcony that ran along the side of the dining hall. There were only a small handful of people outside with her, all of which were further down the walkway so they couldn't be disturbed in their own conversations. Arianna was content to leaving them alone as long as she got a moment to herself as well.

By the time Cain returned to his seat at the table, Arianna had found a small perch on the railing outside, settling down, straddling the stone barrier to look over the city below. There were a select few shops which hugged the outside of the palace, most of which supplied the important goods to the royal's home, while the spiderweb of streets sprawled out from the outer castle wall, giving a perfect path to the grand doors. Being the latest 'criminal' in the city, Arianna had to be one step ahead of the guards at all time, which typically meant watching their paths during the night to see what security measures they were putting in place to stop her. From her seat, she could watch the nearby guards perform their rounds of the streets, along with the doors to several shops, all of which held small items she could test her new found skills with. Anyone watching her would think the princess enjoyed simple street watching. It was rare for anyone to think anything but innocent thoughts about the woman. It was the perfect cover.
 
Cain ate what was on his plate but towards the end he was merely eating to clean the plate, not out of hunger. It was odd, he craved the food to quite an extreme but due to his dietary habits on the front lines it was more difficult to splurge than he had thought it would be. Not to say he didn't enjoy it, the food was delicious and he wouldn't forget the taste even if he didn't eat anything else. As he had come to appreciate, the taste of the food in ones mouth was often times enough to curve hunger, and in this case it would be enough to satisfy his cravings. That did pose one question for him to consider, without more food what would he do for the duration of the feast? He could go back and talk to the king but that would lead to war or the new job he would no doubt be hearing the next day. He did have a few people he wanted to greet though and as he stood out he headed directly over to them, deciding to greet some of the older acquaintances quickly so he could find another retreat before long.

It didn't take long to reconnect, the people invited specifically due to their past with him, specifically the new knight trainer, whom he had been a trainee with, and a friend from childhood who had grown up to be quite the blacksmith, so good in fact he had made the armor and weapons Cain had worn into battle. The conversations didn't last too long, the new trainer simply invited him to join in on the morning spars or do a training session with him, nothing too big, it seemed mostly ceremonial but he didn't mind. On the other hand his old friend Lawrence had been doing even better, gaining jobs from the courts and royalty alike, even some of the knights for finely crafted pieces. Sure he still got the occasional combat piece but apparently the job he had done for Cain before he left had caused people to become more interested in his wares. Cain's armor had been a mix of both, the combat ready perfectly blended with extravagant design. It had been a gift for his new post, a commander on the front lines and it had never failed him, even when he was injured on the field it hadn't faltered. With his personal thanks he left the friends company in search of more solitude, the amount of conversation from random people between the two old friends had been quite tiring.

In his search for some escape he found himself on the balcony, not paying much attention until he saw who else had come out for some time away from the party. Once again Arianna caught his eye, not because of her beauty but due to the way she was looking down at the city. The man approached her and leaned on the rail a bit away from her, close but not so close it seemed intimate. The distance was on purpose, for both his own sake to keep a bit of distance as well as to respect the king by respecting his daughter. For a moment he only observed the city, his eyes going over everything below, a lot of it had no doubt changed but from his current position he couldn't tell much, though some things could be observed from up high. To Cain it didn't hold much beauty or intrigue but as he turned to look at the eldest princess he could see she had more of an interest. Why she was so interested he didn't know, nor did he think he would understand, but he gave a small smile and decided to try and make some sort of conversation. "It seems you find something interesting in the city below. Tell me, is it something specific that catches your eye princess?"
 
Out of the corner of her eye, Arianna saw Cain approach, but said nothing. The man was giving her plenty of space to continue what she was doing and Arianna took advantage of it. Once Cain asked his question, the princess fell silent for a moment, watching as a shop keeper locked his door before starting home, his son skipping around him eagerly. "Some times I wonder if people are just being respectful of my father or if they really care for me." It was an honest worry at times, but at the same time, the female didn't mind either way. She broke her eyes away from the town below, meeting the man standing at the railing beside her. She wasn't about to tell him what was really on her mind, knowing it wouldn't fall well in the commander's eyes. If all went well, no one would ever find out about her second career and soon enough, she would either choose to leave the experimental life or make it her new path.

The princess hadn't decided if this new trial would become her new life, or if it was simply a test to herself, but there were plenty of villages in the area who didn't know her well enough that she could pass herself off there as a normal citizen. She didn't feel the need to pick a side quite yet. First she had to grab something really worth taking, to keep the guards on their toes and possibly even put a bit of worry in their minds. But at that very moment, there was a man standing nearby, speaking to her as they both tried to avoid the party going on inside. She could give him the courtesy of a conversation at the very least.

Arianna remained how she was, with one leg dangling over the edge of the balcony while the other was folded under her leg, raising it off the stone seat. "A silly worry, I know, compared to what I could be thinking about. But..." Her voice trailed off and she gave a slight shrug. She was playing the 'innocent princess' card quite well, as she typically did around party guests. Many of the visitors to the palace never wanted to have a serious conversation with the girl, other than what possible plans she had for her future husband or how much praise her brother should be getting from her. Cain had just returned from a battle and didn't seem to want to speak about anything too serious at the moment.

Her eyes returned to the shop keeper, who had stopped off at another small store while his son remained on the streets, happily entertaining himself while he waited. "They look so happy," the princess added as a side note.
 
The way people spoke about Arianna one would think she was a saint, never doing anything for herself and acting as the perfect princess. As little as Cain knew about her he had always had a feeling she had an outer personality that hid something. He had never figured it for anything dark, but now that he knew a bit about hiding emotions to put others at ease he could see it, even if only barely. It was easier when she voiced her worry and he couldn't help but crack a small genuine smile, thinking about how even a princess had such worries. Surely she knew deep down that the people of the kingdom adored her, they always had and though he had only been back for a short time it seemed to be as true as ever. He looked to the princess and decided to try and soothe her worrying a bit, not an eloquent speaker by any stretch of the imagination, but he had never been afraid to speak his mind. "I may not know you particularly well but I came from the place you are looking at with such interest, from the poorest part in fact, and I can promise you that those people down there, they adore you." Cain refused to speak for the aristocrats and nobility, he did not dislike the people but they were a mystery to him, even the knights that came from the noble families had odd ways about them.

Cain relaxed a bit against the rails, letting his eyes go towards the part of the city he called home. It was the poorest section in the city, difficult to survive in but not as bad as many cities. It was a bit nostalgic thinking back to when he was a young man, doing whatever he could to survive down below, before becoming a knight or hero or whatever the hell people decided to call him. Not that he would admit it but back in those days him and his friends would talk about the princess, how beautiful she had been and wondering if they would ever meet her from more than afar. The first time he had met the woman he had been nervous, now it was almost unimportant to him, save the bit of conversation he got out of the matter. Perhaps it was figuring out that even getting near her physically didn't mean he would be close to her or just growing up and realizing he had other things to think about he didn't know.

He laughed when she called it a silly worry, once again turning to give her a rather odd look, as if he wondered what she was thinking when she said that. "And you believe thinking about other things is more worthy? I think you're lucky to still have the time to think about such things. You still have time, though I am in slight disbelief that you could think the people don't care for you. Of course if your not sure just try harder, you'll see it before long." Yes, Cain preferred speaking of such things as the princesses' worries over his own worries or something else equally as unpleasant such as the war. Not only that but the conversation he was having with her was at least real, it wasn't someone asking him a question they didn't want to know the answer to or trying to seem interested when they were not, it was just a conversation, and it had been some time since he had one of those. Her comment caught his attention though and he looked down at the at the boy waiting for his father with a smile, "Yes they do..." He didn't say more but that was why he had become a knight, not the war but to protect people like the two below, to allow them to be happy. At first he had thought the great war was about protecting others, he just wasn't so sure anymore.

Cain took a deep breath and stood up straight, pushing himself off the railing and taking another look at Arianna. "It has been a pleasure speaking with you princess. I do believe I should head back inside though, as much as the night air is preferable over the crowded hall it would be rude for me to remain outside for too long. I am the guest of honor after all." With a small nod he took his leave again, almost making it a point to avoid questions directed at him by that point, he had done it with Arianna and with everyone else at the party, answering what they asked vaguely and listening most of the time. Not that it was hard with the crowd inside, many of the liked to hear themselves talk and he was all too glad to listen, and while the king was a great man he was about the same, from the moment Cain rejoined him he began addressing the attendees. It wasn't the end of the feast by a long shot, there was still drinking to be done and conversation to be had. Cain was just going to wait awhile longer, stay until he felt he wouldn't be disrespectful by leaving so he could sleep, being tired from his journey and knowing that the next day would be a long one and he would need to be prepared, the job he had been assigned sounding like one he could not perform during the daylight hours.
 
While Cain's response was helpful, even supportive of the girl, it sounded empty to Arianna's ears. Almost as if he was assuring her just enough to silence her thoughts and lift a weight from her shoulders. Getting reassurance helped, to a point, and often times, there was a seed of doubt in her mind. But to hear the support from a man who was raised in the lower area of the city was a different feeling from what she was used to. Still, there was something wrong about his conversation and with the abrupt end, it was confirmed. Arianna's eyes followed Cain back inside before her hands tightened into small fists and her attention turned back to the streets. The guards were gone and the street was bare. It was a perfect time for her to make her exit. A moment later, she reentered the room, approaching her father and the crowd around him at that moment. She said a short, quick good night to the guests there, claiming she had a long day and needed her rest. Each of the men took the reason and bowed as she stepped back, smiled and left the room.

Isabelle was waiting outside of the door for her and the two went back to Arianna's room and after a quick change, the princess was wrapping a tight black scarf around her neck, placing it high enough to cover her cheeks. Her hair was wrapped in another cloth, blocking the bright yellow colour from the moonlight, which ran the risk of giving her away. As for the rest of her clothing, she had gotten a hold of some of the knight's older clothing and with Isabelle's help, they had been adjusted to fit her own body. The two women left her room, slipping into the guest wing of the castle to use one of the staff's passages to exit the palace and back onto the streets. The brunette was left in the castle alone for the evening, until Arianna returned at least, and quickly left to spend some time finishing what she hadn't gotten done during the day.

She passed by many of the visitor's rooms, most of which were empty as they were still celebrating in the great hall, softly mumbling to herself a list of what needed to be done before she could even think about sleeping. This was going to be a long night ahead of her, that was for sure.

Meanwhile, Arianna was out on the streets, creeping from alley to alley, to get close and eventually into the building she had been eyeing earlier. There was a beautiful dish sitting in the window, a display of the owner's wife's talents on the pottery wheel, laid with several pieces of glass in a mosaic design in the middle of the plate. Arianna knew that wouldn't last the night there. So, using a piece of silk clothing as a wrapping, she tucked the plate into her bag, checking that it was secure inside before she left out the side window, closing it again just as she had in every other location. A few streets over was her next stop, where she had to drop off her last item, leaving it in the flower box at the front window. She knew by the time the sun rose, the keeper would be there and have his stone statue back in his hands. It was safe where she placed it and after a short walk around the town, the thief returned to her home, entering through the other side of the palace, near the barracks.

Isabelle was waiting there for her and swiftly locked arms with her, starting back to the proper room.

"You're only making more trouble for the knights," Isabelle pointed out, taking the bag from the princess, speaking in hushed tones as they passed a few rooms.

"They need something to do anyway," Arianna responded, removing the scarf from her face. "Isn't Cain staying in this wing?"

"That doesn't matter. What will you do if you get caught? Really, you've proven this to yourself. You can stop now. Everyone gets you can do it."

Arianna placed a finger to her lips in silence, a smile dancing across her face. "My life is far too dull for me to simply quit now. I need to get to bed. I have to review the knights tomorrow before they go try to catch the thief." The two women let out soft laughs at the idea, returning to their proper rooms. Arianna didn't sleep until the bag was tucked away at the bottom of a chest, protected from being crushed, her family, and most of all, the sight of visitors.
 
Cain stayed for some time after Arianna bid her goodbyes, speaking to people about random things and letting the king bring him in to certain conversations. After that was over he didn't hesitate to bid everyone goodnight and leave the party, giving them the excuse that he was tired and looking forward to his first good nights sleep in a long time. It wasn't a lie, he hadn't had a good sleep for quite some time and getting to his bed was definitely something he was looking forward to, but the truth was he really just wanted to be done with the party. Returning to the room was a nice change and he quickly locked the door behind him before making his way over to the dresser, sitting his blade on top and folding the nicer outfit he had worn and placed it on top as well, not seeing the sense in washing up something he wore for only a few hours. He was use to wearing clothing for weeks at a time on the battlefield, but he would change that and be better off for it. For the time he grabbed the normal clothing he had worn before the party and thrown it back on, getting comfortable on the bed after that and just staring up at the ceiling.

Even on the extremely comfortable bed Cain didn't fall asleep instantly, for some time he stared off into nowhere and let his mind roam. So many things plagued him, what happened during the war mostly but also thoughts of what could happen with him gone. He knew many of the generals up there were competent, easily as skilled as him, but he had pushed back many forces and kept plenty of soldiers alive, he hated to think his leaving would mean loss of life that could have been avoided. When he finally did fall asleep it didn't provide much solace either, his dreams, if one could call them dreams, were more of the same. That was why when he woke up and didn't feel as refreshed as he should have he didn't think anything of it. In fact he hadn't felt refreshed after sleeping in a long time either, another byproduct of the war on his system, one that didn't go away after making it back to the city and to a fresh bed. Whether he felt truly good or not he knew his body would work better due to the hours of rest.

After giving himself a moment to wake he rolled out of bed, getting to his feet and wandering over to a jug he had noticed the day before, glad he was correct in his assumption that water resided inside. He poured himself a bit and drank it rather quickly before stretching and looking out the window as the bright sun hit his face. As if fate didn't want to give him much time a knock came at the door with an unfamiliar voice, "Sir Cain, I'm sorry to wake you but I have a message for you." The voice sounded slightly nervous and as Cain opened the door he smirked, knowing before he opened that it was a knight trainee. Sure enough there stood a smaller guy, probably about sixteen and new to the knights by his stance and uniform. "Go ahead." He was calm and friendly with the young man and it seemed to help as he spoke a tad more controlled. "Um I have this..." He put his hands out with an official fresh knight uniform with the commander patch and design already etched in. "Also, there has been another robbery and return with the new thief's style, I was told you had been assigned and to give you this piece of paper. Oh and to tell you that I am at your disposal." He motioned to a piece of paper sitting atop the clothing, covered in notes and information from the guards.

Cain laughed gently, "Alright, thank you." He took both and then looked the trainee up and down, the kid being at his service basically meant it was his first trainee being back, one of the future knights he would be showing around for awhile and using to get small jobs done. He had always taken a passive approach at that and he nodded for a moment. "Well I am going to get dressed and look this over, you go ahead to the training ground and do some exercises, I will come out to see the guys and a little practice before I head out to the shops so don't leave until I arrive." The boy nodded excitedly, eager to have Cain as his mentor, and then ran off to start his morning routine. Cain went back inside to prepare for the day. For him that included more than putting on his uniform and armor which he had cleaned the night before, it meant bandaging some still healing wounds, applying a special ointment, and then glancing over the report. He would leave before long though, not wanting to keep his knight trainee waiting too long.
 
Arianna laid in bed for a good solid hour, watching the sun rise and enter her bedroom, before even bothering to get up. Isabelle wasn't going to come by for another hour and the blond wasn't ready to wait for her friend to come assist her in her normal routine. Her hair was easy enough to brush on her own, and her dress was simple to put on. The lacing in the front took the longest, but when it was all finished, she had another form fitting dress, flaring out at her hips once again, with a white under dress which played a role as her sleeves. This time, the dress itself was a soft lavender colour fitting to the typical royal theme.

Isabelle arrived just as Arianna left her room and the two started towards the knight's training ground, making a quick stop in the kitchen for fresh fruit for their breakfasts. By the time the pair had come out to the field, her younger siblings were already there, her sixteen year old sister watching the men with a smile, prepared to use her early feminine charms against them if needed. Arianna chuckled to herself at the thought of the younger girl attempting to be anything less than a proper lady. She knew Celia wouldn't do anything of the sort, but it certainly would be entertaining if she tried. Zachary had a smile on his face as he watched the knights in front of him. He always enjoyed watching them, waiting for his turn to learn what they knew. He had learned several things in the past when he was younger but he grew to an age recently when it was more important in his father's eyes to learn how to be a king, not how to fight like a knight should. But he kept his dream alive and tried to lean what the other men did when he had a free morning.

Arianna approached her brother's side, crossing her arms loosely across her chest and pausing in the space beside him. "Just beginning?" she questioned, earning a nod from the male. "Mmm... joy," she responded, almost sarcastically. While she enjoyed watching the men practice as much as the next girl, something about seeing a group of men spar together day after day was some what tiring. But Arianna did her best to seem interested, so her mother wouldn't come after her.
 
Cain finished everything he had to do, the most interesting being the page on the infamous thief. It gave him some insight to the thief's motivation and it was unlike anything he had ever seen. None of the robberies were particularly difficult, but the skill was shown through not being seen or caught and while he hadn't been excited about it the night before he figured it could be fun to track down the criminal. Not only that but whoever it was would return the items after they stole them, not exactly the usual when it came to thieves, at the very least seeing who was doing such a bizarre thing would be worth it. Cain folded the paper up and shoved it into his uniform, not having a place for it but doing as he would a map on the battlefield. With that he headed out, leaving his room, wearing his armor and weapons at his side. He didn't bother locking his door, he had always left it unlocked before and he didn't see the point in locking it now.

When he reached the training grounds everything seemed to come to a halt, as much as he disliked the attention he seemed to attract it. The trainees and knights alike walked over to greet him and he gave them small smiles as some new people introduced themselves and old comrades welcomed him home, those that had not already done so. Soon enough he had been roped into a training match with another knight and while he had tried to say no at first they wouldn't hear of it, especially his new trainee who seemed more excited about seeing his mentor in action than others. Truly he should not have been fighting, the injuries he had returned to tend to were not completely healed and while it wasn't a major threat it could come with some embarrassment. He didn't become a commander or get sent off to the war for nothing though and as long as he won it wouldn't be a problem, so no holding back, even if it made someone angry, though he doubted they challenged him for fun, no doubt like many others they wanted to see him in action. Of course it made him a bit more conscious of it all when he turned his head and noticed who was watching, all the royal children were in attendance and he would definitely have to protect his reputation.

Come on Cain, don't keep everyone waiting." The knight he was supposed to face, a man name Christoph was trying to get him to hurry up and he turned to look at the man with a smirk, "That eager to lose?" The man didn't answer but simply laughed and got over to his area, not using an arena but instead doing the battle in the open space often used for large exercises. Christoph drew his sword and grabbed a shield, slamming the two together before lowering the visor on his helmet. "Come and get it Cain, I'm not going easy on you." Cain shook his head, he didn't like using a helmet, as a leader he had always believed showing your face to the troops was important, plus he liked the visibility. So he simply walked a bit away from the other man and drew his weapons, two medium length swords, well constructed but rather plain in design. "Neither shall I." With that he twirled the swords in his hands and began moving forward, slowly at first and then quickly, almost at a run. He then jumped, coming down hard with one of the swords and smashing it down hard against the shield, sweeping his weapon across at the knight afterwards. The quickness of the attacks and strength behind them surprised the other knight but he was well trained and pushed back immediately, being met with blow after blow and being pushed back. The fight didn't last long, Cain easily outmaneuvered the other knight, pushing him back the entire time and waiting for him to make a mistake and without hesitation he exploited it, stopping just short of a killing blow with a smirk. Then he put his weapons away, reaching down to help the man up as the trainees looked on in surprise. The man he had just defeated was the current kingdom champion in the single combat since Cain had left for the war. In other words he had taken his title back unofficially and without any trouble.
 
The royals who were there watched with great interest and Zachary celebrated the win with an enthusiastic clap. He watched Cain train before he left for the war, so to see the man return and knock the other knight from his position, even unofficially, was quite impressive. Even if no one else was clapping, Zachary was certain to celebrate the man's accomplishment. "Bravo!" he commented cheerfully. "That was certainly something, commander. I take it you're ready to take your old title back?"

Celia approached the barrier to speak to Christoph when he stepped off of the field. She spoke comforting words to the man, assuring him that Cain wasn't about to take his title away from him and he still had her full support. Celia had a habit of supporting whichever knight that held the kingdom champion position, but Christoph had her support since when he first began to fight for the title. She waited at the side lines for 'her knight' to leave the training circle long enough to take a break.

Arianna waited at the side, allowing her eyes to narrow towards Cain during the entire battle. From the conversation she had heard last night, Cain was the man who would take over trying to find the new thief. This man was who she had to work against so she could continue her nightly activities. This would certainly take some time to work out and she had to remember not to get in a fight with him. If he could run anything like he could fight, she would be out of luck for the most part. Other guards were easier to get away from by either simply running or weaving them through the streets of the city. But this new man would be an entirely different story. Even with his injuries, he could defeat the champion; the man who should be ready to protect the royal family at any cost. The blond didn't expect him to take the other man down so easily. Arianna could only see this as fun. She followed the man with her eyes, a smile playing at the edge of her lips, ready to turn into a true smile at any moment if the trainer was to look in her direction.

The other knights began to speak to themselves and even the other men around them, as if they had finally seen a legend in action. All of them were pleased with the early morning practice and their self esteem had already been raised after that performance.
 
Cain had not won the fight to embarrass Christoph nor show off, it was simply respectful not to hold back and he would expect no less from the other knights. Cain turned to see prince Zachary cheering and while it wasn't normal for cheering in battle he remembered cheering at competitions and smiled to the boy, "I will do my best to do just that, though nothing is certain." Christoph had to take a breather but he was fine and there was a smile on his face, and when he got his breath back he nodded to Cain, "Good to have you back commander, I will do my best to improve, don't want to give the title back without a fight." Cain turned to Christoph and nodded, "Understood, I look forward to it and will be your sparring partner anytime Christoph." He noticed that Celia seemed to favor Christoph, not that he minded, it was quite cute in fact. Before Cain left he had girls cheering for him when he fought and probably still would. It was cute but few did more than cheer for the knight they thought was attractive or the most skilled so many of the younger or more skilled knights had fans, though few were graced with a princess on his side.

Christoph finally laughed and shook his head, "I think I will wait some time before I challenge you again Cain, I need more practice I believe." Cain walked over and pat the man on the shoulder, "Don't worry Christoph, I did nothing but fight on the front lines, my skills have been sharpened forcefully." As he turned to look at the others the eldest princess Arianna caught his eye again, the woman having a smile on her face. He was surprised to be seeing her again but it wasn't unpleasant, but he didn't pay it any particular heed to it, not wanting to make it more awkward by staring at the woman. Instead he turned to the others around and took a deep breath, "Now as much as I would love to stay and train with you guys for the rest of the day I have already been assigned a job, apparently there is quite a thief in the city." A bunch of the surrounding people starting talking at once and after a moment they stopped and Cain sighed, getting from that how serious it was, to get knights and such so riled up. "Alright then, wish me luck I suppose." Then he turned to his new trainee and called the kid over, leaning in close to give him some instructions for while he was gone. "I want you to focus on conditioning while I am in the city, being in shape is a bit part of combat, the skills will be learned over time and I can teach you some tricks after all of that, alright?"

When the boy nodded he turned to the prince and princesses, giving a respectful bow, "It has been a pleasure." With that the Knight left, walking away from the group of people, many of the knights talking about what they had just seen, not only the skill behind it all but his personality. He had always been charismatic but with his new reputation he easily swayed people. He did have something to do though and he quickly made his way out of the castle, heading directly for the shops down below. Of course he had a lot to do but it didn't take long, first he went to the previous robberies and looked at their location, just for reference. After that he went to the newest locations, speaking to the latest merchant with an item returned and got the story, then to the new location and spoke to the most recent victim. There was a lot about the robberies that didn't make sense. There was no real pattern either, save one thing, the return. With that being the case he had a small idea, to lay in wait for the thief when he came to return the stolen item. It was the best chance he had to get a glimpse and possible capture the culprit. That being said he would have to wait and after speaking to the victims there was nothing else to worry about, so he left the recent area to search for a good location to watch the store and then would probably wander around the city for old times sake, knowing he couldn't do anything until night and not feeling like going back to the castle on his first day of freedom.
 
The royals remained at the training grounds for some time, doing as they should and watching the men train. Zachary gave some sort of support until his father arrived and the elder man began to coach the knights with a few tips. He had been in battle once or twice, but nothing compared to the older knights. But to have a king who showed his support in such a way always seemed to please the knights and boost their confidence. The prince took mental notes of everything his father was doing in those moments, so he could attempt to reflect his image around the warriors. Celia gave her support to the men as well, fawning over them in a typical princess-like fashion. Again, Christoph was clearly her favourite, but she did her best to speak to the other knights as well. Arianna said a few words of encouragement before the men had a chance to get too close, which was when she left the grounds, claiming she had business in the village.

Arianna always made it a point to appear in the village at least twice a week. It was always better than remaining in the castle all day and she found great enjoyment in seeing and even speaking to the villagers face to face, without her parents watching over her shoulder. Whenever she left the palace, she had agreed to bring Isabelle with her, in case there was a problem, and her friend was always happy to go along. The pair made their way out of the castle and down to the village, walking straight down the road Arianna had visited the night before. She noticed the plate she had taken had been replaced by another object and the corner of her lips twitched ever so slightly. She was careful not to make it obvious, certainly not since she had already spotted Cain down the road. Isabelle noticed the man as well and after a short, mutual tap, she approached the knight on her own.

"Commander," the brunette said as a small greeting, falling into a low curtsy. "Princess Arianna has invited you to walk with her, if you're done with your own work." A smile was painted on her face, calm and welcoming to the man as she passed the message on. It wasn't rare for Arianna to invite people to walk with her, although they were typically villagers instead of a knight or someone who could be found inside the castle grounds.
 
After Cain's initial inspection he had quickly found the spot for his stakeout of sorts for later that evening and had proceeded to go about walking around a bit, looking for anything out of the ordinary as well as enjoying the day a bit. He had even managed to stop and look at a few of the shops, though many times he merely stopped because the people recognized him and invited him over. It wasn't all that bad, the city was mostly as he remembered it and that was a comfort, not to mention it was a nice day to walk around outside. On the front lines, and for anyone participating in the war, it was almost always cold, the Northern nations not having such nice days, save the occasional rays that hit ones skin if the sky was clear. It was so nice in fact that at one point he just stopped in the middle of the street and let the warmth wash over him. It was about that time that he turned to see the lovely Isabelle, one of the princess' friends. Other people gave her other titles but Cain saw them as very close friends. Isabelle was nice enough though, he didn't know her well but he had seen her around and seen how she treated others, so seeing her wasn't a bad thing at all.

Of course when she extended an invitation to walk with the princess he looked at her curiously. He had not expected a personal invitation, he would have figured that she was tired of speaking with him already or would rather walk by herself, apparently not. So he looked back to the brunette and gave a small smile, "I would be more than happy to." He gave a small respectful nod and then went back to the princess alongside the woman, smiling as he approached, "Thank you for the invitation princess, it is an honor." He looked around for a moment and then turned back to the woman, part of him wondering why she had invited him and also why she was out, though neither meant much, she could do it often for all he knew. So instead he just asked a much more normal question, "So, are we just enjoying the day or did you have a specific location in mind?" His voice was polite at all times, when he spoke to normal people and to Isabelle but it was particularly polite when he was speaking to the princess, almost equivalent to that of the voice he used with the king. It wasn't something he did naturally, he showed such respect on purpose, his normal tone being more for friends and soldiers.
 
Arianna was looking into a window of a shop when the two approached her. Her attention turned to her new company and she greeted him with a smile. "I'm glad you agreed," she confessed, taking a few steps down the road, just to make sure the other two were going to walk with her. Isabelle fell behind a step or two, just as she typically would in public, leaving Cain and Arianna ahead of her. The princess kept her steps small and slow, taking advantage of the time she had away from the palace. "We never had much of a chance to speak before you left," she pointed out, her hands gently folded in front of her. Her words were calm and sweet, much like any princess's should be, and with the pace she was taking on the streets, it was clear she wanted to take some time to speak the man, not just have a short, polite conversation with him.

"I heard you were put in charge of clearing the streets of our latest problem." Her eyes turned to look over the man beside her, almost studying him. "I hope the thief won't be too much of an issue. We've had our streets safe for so long. I really don't want people to feel unsafe." It was clear Arianna was true with her words and cared for her people, even if they were a cover for her true intentions. As before, she needed to be ahead of the guards in each and every movement. Cain was a new opponent that Arianna had to figure out and work with. She would have to learn his movements all over again, just as she had to do with the last man in charge.
 
He smiled as she greeted him, he wasn't sure why she was glad but if it pleased her that was a good thing. "No, we never did speak to a great extent." He had never thought it odd that they didn't speak, truthfully there had never been any reason for them to speak, sure he was a knight but there were others assigned to her protection and while they had some things in common it was no more than anyone else. Besides, as a knight it was not his duty to get to know the princess, in fact that was more or less a violation of a knights duties, to get too close to a daughter of the crown. He didn't mind if she wished to talk though, as he had thought before, she was not an unpleasant conversationalist and she didn't immediately pursue the topic of war so he had no reason to think otherwise. The pace they were walking at made him think it would be a long conversation though and as much as he didn't mind it he was also wary of spending long lengths of time talking to Arianna, not sure what exactly they would end up talking about. Only time would tell so he didn't think on it too long, deciding to listen at first, see what it was she wanted to hear about and possibly stay away from the more touchy subjects.

He was partially glad she mentioned his first job back, looking over at her with a bit of nonchalance, "Yes, I don't think it will be too long before I wrap it up, or at least I hope to wrap it up rather quickly. Of course I am not sure how dangerous this thief actually is, returning the items after they are stolen, it leads me to believe it's just a kid playing around or someone playing games." He had actual experience with thieves, growing up in the poorer area he knew what those who had to steal were like, keeping the items and using them to make money they couldn't get elsewhere, people who would kill to survive, the truly dangerous ones because they had no other option. Sure there were other types of thieves, those who stole for sport, but even they did not return the items. So while the robberies were skilled, he had a feeling it wasn't anything dastardly. He had a feeling more knowledge would comfort the princess though, so he took a deep breath and tried to reassure her, "I will do my best to catch the thief regardless of why they do it or how dangerous they are. I have a few ideas on how to do that as well, so we will see if it works out." He gave her a reassuring smile and turned to face forward again as they walked, looking around the city as they continued on.
 
Cain was polite enough and he certainly treated Arianna like anyone else would; respectful and like she was a proper princess. It wasn't that she minded what he did all that much, but there was nothing really special about how he was speaking to her. If it wasn't for the topic, she would have been bored. Protecting her people was a good topic of conversation as she attempted to milk the man for information, keeping the conversation as light as she could so he wouldn't begin to assume or work anything out. She listened with a bothered look on her face, as if she was truly worried about what was going on in the city. "You'll be catching them soon then?" she asked, making sure to clarify what he was telling her. Cain appeared to be quite confidant about what he was doing, almost as if he had it all planned out and he knew exactly what his next step was. "Are you planning anything tonight? I heard he struck last night again and many of the shop owners are beginning to really worry." Her hands fumbled in front of her, playing with a small section of her skirt.

Despite the other people around the streets, Arianna was only focusing on Cain and the villagers were careful to leave them alone. Isabelle was keeping track of the people around them, pausing once or twice to speak to a shop owner, or pick up a piece of fruit from a stand, only to rejoin them before the pair walked too far away. The brunette seemed to know many of the owners and spoke to most of them on a first name basis. The path the three were taking was a common one for Arianna and since the two were children, they would walk along the street, stopping at shops to look at the latest goods collected from the world. The shop owners didn't attempt to speak with Arianna; bowing to her instead as she passed. Isabelle would smile, or even give a small wave in response while the blonde continued to speak to the man beside her. Every once in a while, she would look to the side and smile at an owner she knew, keeping up with her friendly reputation.
 
Cain was not really trying to be interesting or engage too deeply in the conversation, his eyes darting around and watching everyone, giving small smiles and nods but not being as friendly as he appeared. Sure for most people it seemed like he was just greeting them silently, listening to Arianna as they walked, but truthfully he was being cautious, so use to being attacked out of nowhere that it was hard to shake the habit. Besides, being by the princess' side meant he had to be extra vigilant and not let himself get carried away in conversation. Her questioning about the robberies was rather insistent though and he found it easy to respond as they were staying on the same topic. "I don't think it will be long before I have the person or people responsible for the robberies. I do believe it is a singular person though, the crimes being too mainstream for a group not to be noticed and I doubt there are multiple thieves capable of getting away so easily every time." The Knight didn't seem worried at all and neither did he give away any specifics of his plan, not revealing if he would be out that night or any other, not on purpose but just naturally careful, not wanting to divulge any sensitive information to anyone, another habit from his time on the front lines.

As they walked down the street it was obvious that people were draw to the small group, Isabelle being so friendly, the princess, and the returned hero all walking together. It didn't really affect Cain one way or another but it seemed like reason not to say anything too sensitive to the princess, even if she was worried and in addition to his habit of playing thing close to the chest. "I will say one thing, from all I have seen this thief is incredibly skilled so I will be preparing for everything I can think of, I don't want to underestimate the criminal in question and let him get away again." Cain cared nothing about reputation, he wasn't wanting to catch the thief for such a reason, it was job for the king and for the people, he wanted to get it done for them, to keep the streets safe and help those who had helped him. "Enough about that though, it will work itself out one way or another. I am curious about the kingdom since I have been gone and I am sure you could fill me in if you wouldn't mind. Of course if you would rather talk about something else by all means that is fine too." He was respectful and not demanding anything of the princess but it would be nice to get caught up with things other than the thief, any major changes and such, no matter the topic.
 
Arianna's chest tightened as she learned what Cain was learning and assuming. She wasn't surprised he had it narrowed down to one robber, but he seemed so certain in what he knew and what he was planning to do. It sent a shiver down her spine at the amount of confidence he held in his voice but for as nervous she was, it gave her more of a drive to change her ways enough to avoid the watchful eyes of the knight. While the guards were good at their job, they were lacking in some of the security in both the village and the castle, making her ability to sneak around both locations far easier than she thought it would be. But their new commander was going to bring a challenge unlike the others had dreamed of.

Pride swelled in the woman's chest as he mentioned the amount of skill the thief seemed to have. Arianna cracked a small smile as her eyes danced over the man beside her. Her actions were simply something to waste time and give her something to do other than sitting in the palace all night, trying to entertain herself or sleep. To get a compliment such as what she just earned was pleasing to hear, even if the princess wasn't going to continue what she was doing for more than another few weeks. To know she was stumping the guards was enough for her. Luckily for both of them, the conversation changed into something she could discuss without giving anything away.

"No, filling you in is just fine," she responded, her smile becoming more obvious. "Most of the important information was coming from around us at the battle sites, but we had a run in or two here as well. Nothing too serious or life threatening though. A band of new trades," she began, gesturing towards the opening at the end of the street. A marketplace was set up in the large courtyard, surrounding a large fountain; a dragon spraying water into the sky, only for it to fall again onto a small ring of turtles and mermaids, all carved from the finest stone in the kingdom. There were tents and stands set up for merchants, most of which were now filled by their proper stand workers, selling off what was on display in front of them. "The city has been flourishing, to be honest. Even the poorest of the poor have been able to get food, thanks to my mother's ideas. Most of the people seemed pleased." Except for the robbery victims, but she didn't have to bring that up again. In truth, the kingdom outside of the castle was far different than what could be found inside the walls of her home. Her family were having new problems, with her father falling ill lately, but Arianna didn't dare mention anything of the sort around the villagers. As far as they knew, until it could all be worked out and settled, the king was in perfect health and the royal family was as happy as ever.
 
Cain was glad to be on a more pleasant subject and found himself listening intently as they walked down the street. One thing he hadn't been made aware of were the run in around the city and it was something he was sure to note to prepare himself for the responsibilities he would no doubt be given or at least things he would be made aware of soon enough. Hearing of new trades was more positive news than her previous revelation and the sight was certainly one to see, the fountain and surrounding stands all quite intriguing. He would have to make it a point to visit them before too long, not wanting to be unfamiliar with the shops available in the seemingly changed city, nor the people who owned them. Besides, knowing the store owners could be helpful if he somehow managed to fail in his task of capturing the thief, for both information and patience sake. Cain smiled upon hearing her mother had the ideas causing people to flourish, the Queen always having been a bright woman from what he remembered and the King always one to listen to his wife's advice. It was also good to hear that the poorer people in the city were doing well, knowing that they were able to support themselves would mean less orphans and certainly less dead from needless things such as starvation.

The update had been informative and as Arianna finished he walked in silence for a time, allowing himself to observe some of the changes she had pointed out as well as smaller differences since his departure. Finally he turned to Arianna, nodding his head in approval, "I am glad things have changed as it seems it has all been for the best. I will just have to work that much harder to keep things on the up and up, I would hate for this thief to make owners scared to show off their best pieces or choose to trade somewhere without such problems." He figured that reassuring the princess would ease her mind, that she would be glad to know her people would get his utmost attention and so he told her. It was after that when he realized he was hungry, not having eaten since the feast and around so watching his every move he hadn't eaten much. "Princess, I do not wish to be rude but I am growing increasingly hungry and I would like to get something to eat before I go back to the castle." He didn't say she couldn't join him but he didn't think she would enjoy the place he was thinking, a small almost rundown tavern in the lower city, a place he use to frequent often and where he knew more people. He wouldn't deny her if she wished to come but it would most likely be uncomfortable for someone of such standing, though his knowledge of her was too little to make that assumption aloud.
 
The blonde nodded, her eyes turning to Cain once again, almost agreeing with his comment. "I don't blame you. It's getting to be about the time for a proper meal." She glanced around the streets quickly, not used to the food they sold in the area the two were standing in. A small handful of food stands were scattered between the shops, but nothing caught Arianna's eye as appealing at that very moment. She turned back to Cain and raised one of her thin eyebrows. "Would you object if I joined you?" she asked. While the princess typically got her way, she also knew there came to be a point when people didn't want her around. It was rare, in fact it never happened to her before, but she imagined there would come a time when it would happen. The knight had been away for so long, that there was a chance he didn't want a companion to join him and as much as Arianna didn't want to be turned down or pushed away, she knew better than to ignore a knight's boundaries after a war.

Her mind began to race as she imagined what sort of places the man would be interested in eating in. She didn't know much of anything about his background, but something told her he was more of a tavern crawler than one of the higher class restaurants in the village. She had seen drawings of what taverns were said to look like, but had never stepped inside of one, much to her dislike. Her mother would barely approve of her walking more than eyesight away from the castle, so entering a small tavern was horror to the queen. Arianna couldn't think of a better place to visit. Not only would she see what sort of people really lived in the city, but she would have a chance to meet some of the men she heard court cases about and was now attempting to mimic. Her crimes were no where near what these men had committed, but just the same, Arianna was becoming one of them.

"It's such a wonderful day out. The last thing I would like to do is be caught in the castle again. My mother must have found something for me to work on by now." She performed a small side step towards the knight, bumping into his arm with her shoulder, flashing a small smile towards him. "Help rescue me from the horrible dragon," she joked, batting her eyes. Sure, there were always stories about princesses being saved by a dragon, or being some sort of damsel in distress, but to see an actual princess reference the story in such a mocking way went against several of the unspoken 'princess rules'. But it was clear Arianna didn't care.
 
Cain didn't show any signs of disappointment or joy at the princess request that she join him, he only nodded his head and spoke a completely neutral "Not at all." It wasn't exactly that he wanted to be alone, he could still talk to people and enjoy the meal along with the princess, and most likely Isabelle, it was just there were plenty of things to consider now that she would be joining him. The first thing was if it was even safe, not that he believed any harm would come to the beloved princess, but it was something to consider. Of course few could best Cain with a blade or in any sort of combat but it wasn't something he liked to risk, especially thinking of what the King and Queen would think. On the other hand he did remember what she had said the night before and part of him could relate, so he refused to think negatively on the matter and instead decided to go forward with it and just hope everything went alright. He was still planning on going to the same rather old tavern but that too would be a new experience for the princess, or so he assumed, and would be another one of those things he hoped would work out.

Arianna's joke made Cain smile but not much else, his sense of humor still dulled by the war and it showed no signs of improving anytime soon, at least not as long as he simply let all of it eat away at him. He had nobody to speak to though and wished not to burden anyone with it to begin with. Regardless he responded, not wanting to make Arianna feel awkward, "I will do what I can. Just follow me, I have a place in mind." With that he motioned for her to follow, moving at a speed in which she could keep up and that he could keep an eye out, not wary of the people he grew up around but never knowing what might have changed in his absence. It took them awhile to reach the part of the lower city they were headed, Cain's old neighborhood being possibly the worst one in the entire lower city, and even with the flourishing economy it was still slightly rundown and dodgy. To him it was home though and as he walked down the street even more people than usual made it a point to stop and welcome him home, some of them even calling him by an old nickname, 'Charming', that had seemed normal until he thought about who was with him.

The nickname was a reference to Prince Charming and it was given to him for several reasons, the first was the charming demeanor he had always taken on as a young man, girls swooning and even the most irritable of people falling under his charismatic aura. Then there was what he did, a poor boy rising up to become such a high ranking member of the Knights, it had earned him a title among those he grew up with, the smaller community within the large city. They never seemed to forget and often reminded him of the fact. Of course seeing the man he was now made the nickname seem even more odd, the charm he was once famous for hidden beneath the surface if it was even still there at all, and even if he was still a charismatic man it didn't mean much without his signature charm. Eventually, after plenty of people had greeted him and they had made it near the center of the area, they arrived at the tavern, just as he remembered it though some of the hazards of old had been fixed. He turned to the princess with a slight smile, "Well this is it. I know it may not look like much but I know the food is good, at least if it fits your taste which I hope it will." He wasn't being rude but some people had an affinity towards finer food, they would both have to hope Arianna enjoyed the simpler fare. "Come on inside, let's get a corner seat."

Cain entered first, the moment the door opened a heavenly scent hit the air, a mixture of fresh baked bread and meat mixed with an almost sweet smelling beverage made by the tavern. Cain was greeted once again upon entering, one of the barmaids going wide-eyed at his arrival and running over to show him to a table with a smile on her face, and the old owner even let out a bellowing laugh. "Everyone, Charming is here!" Of course when people noticed Arianna they almost froze, not awkward or rude but amazed, though soon enough Cain stepped in to get everything going again, "Hey now, staring is just going to make her nervous, how about you all mind you business before I make ya, what do you say?" Cain's voice was jesting of course but after he finished there was a round of laughter and a few people saying 'Understood Charming' and soon enough most were back to normal business, Cain taking his seat and waiting for Arianna to join him, ordering something to drink as he did, the houses special spiced rum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom