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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

The thief seemed to be the most obvious thing playing in his mind and for obvious reasons. The entire city was relying on him to catch the crook and bring them to justice. Sadly, Cain didn't know that tonight he would be out there alone with his men. The thief wouldn't be making an appearance since they had gotten so close the night before. Arianna needed to stay inside and hope that no one had seen her or Isabelle travelling around the castle that late at night. "You'll catch them," Arianna told him. "We all believe in your abilities. But if this is what you can do while being distracted, I'm fully prepared to be amazed." The thought of having Cain as her first champion was a wonderful thing, especially if it was now his goal to defeat the prince. Arianna had met the man several years ago and his best feature was his appearance and ability to make up stories. Sadly, he used those stories to try to impress people at the worst times when the percentage of truth in each one was quite low. Arianna was one of the few in her family who wasn't fooled by his ways.

Arianna laid her head on her folded arm, eyeing the man carefully. "You'll do just fine," she told him, leaning in closer to press a kiss of her own to his lips. "After all, royal luck is on your side." Just as much as it was on hers. "You must be getting so close to catching her now. I would imagine just one more night?" It may have been cruel, but the princess enjoyed the game the two were playing. She had the upper hand during the day, taking a chance to tease the man with possible suggestions until that night when the two entered Cain's playing field. Without the chance of a surprise, the princess knew she would have been caught by now and everything would have ended. Possibly including the relationship that was forming between the two of them.

She shifted in the grass, moving her arm against the ground, causing a slight jolt of pain up her arm. The princess winched slightly before breaking the contact with the man to push herself up once again. "I guess our lesson yesterday gave me a bit more of a beating then I thought." Hopefully that would play off the mark from the night before. She set her hand over the bandage and slowly moved her arm, stretching out the muscle and the painful spot. "Ah, well this may be a sign we should keep moving," she finally suggested, looking towards the horses briefly. "And instead of a picnic, perhaps lunch in my waiting room? If we get back in time."
 
"Well, just be prepared for both the before and after romanticism, I will be going at it full force to impress you. We will just have to see how well I do, though I don't think it will be a problem, this is the most motivated I have ever been to impress a woman." He already had some ideas in his mind, the picnic and a private dinner just the two of them. That would just be the start, though he was slightly limited by the discretion aspect of their relationship, he would work around that though. "Yes, royal luck will definitely help in my future endeavors, whether it be catching the thief or putting a prince in his place. Of course with the thief I am not sure how simple it is going to be, I have figured out a couple things to help me track her down but she keeps eluding me. Each night I get closer though, another chase or two and I will probably get her." He had confidence that he would catch her soon, he was still angry about missing her the night before and certainly frustrated that he had to continue searching for her. With each night it would narrow down and the second he got the drop on her it would be over, all he had to do would be get a hold of her, then it would be over and he could end the nightly chase.

Cain was more concerned with the princess than the thief so when she winced he couldn't help but become concerned, especially when she mentioned the lesson being the cause. He had been so careful not to actually hit her or do anything to affect her the next day, save the unavoidable sore muscles. "I was so careful not to hurt you, I'm sorry." He could see she was ready to move on and not make it a big deal but he was still feeling bad about it. "I will make it up to you, make sure the rest of the day is very relaxing." He smiled and stood up, helping Arianna to her feet and leaning in for another very soft kiss on her lips. "Having lunch in the waiting room sounds lovely, I could even give you a massage, loosen up the rest of your muscles in case they are sore from yesterday, try and sooth what the lesson made hurt, and make sure it's a pleasant afternoon. Though let's not rush the ride, unless the massage sounds too good to chance missing, though I think we can fit it all in." He smiled as he released her and walked over towards Khan, calling him over but not getting on, waiting for Arianna to begin mounting Ciel so he could help her if needed, or if her arm hurt again.
 
Arianna took his hand with her unharmed side, standing up just soon enough to get a kiss from the knight, which she swiftly returned, lifting herself onto her toes enough to give him a firm, sweet response. It was nice to see the knight care, but not become over controlling in his actions, smothering her to a point where she wanted to run away. He was concerned, but just enough to make it tolerable. But when he mentioned the massage, her interest was caught, which she made clear with a soft hum of delightful thought. Only a few people were allowed to get close enough to the royal family to do such an action, but the woman who was responsible for muscle care and massages had been far too busy lately taking care of Arianna's father to do anything else. And none of the family blamed her or bothered to disturb her.

"I'm certain we can work it in," she responded before the knight removed his hand and started towards the horses. That was when Arianna let out the soft sigh she had been holding in from the moment they laid in the grass. A sigh of relief, peace and even pleasure. Cain wasn't controlling like the other knights tried to be, nor was he overly protective like another normal palace guard. He let her do what she wanted, when she wanted and simply went along, making suggestions along the way. This was something Arianna could certainly get used to and what she didn't know she craved. Until now.

She joined the knight beside the horses, setting her foot in the stirrup to lift herself onto the animal's back. She winced at the use of her arm, but settled on the saddle's seat and stretched out her arm, flexing her fingers slowly. She would have to remember not to lead Cain through the alleyways again, or at least be more careful if it was needed. Arianna smiled at Cain, taking the reins in her hands before nudging Ciel forward, turning him back towards the path out of the clearing. She stopped beside Kahn, close enough to touch the knight with little effort. "Thank you, by the way." In a swift movement, Arianna lifted herself off the saddle a few inches, placing her hand on the man's leg and leaned in for another kiss, letting this one linger before breaking it and taking her place back on the saddle, keeping contact with the man. "This is more than I should ever ask of a knight."
 
Cain could tell the massage was on the agenda and he was ready to show her the skill of his hands as he could do more than simply wield a sword, a lot more. "Well then, you better look forward to it, my skill is going to have you melting, remove all the stress." He smirked, promising her a good time he would deliver better than she would be imaging. Arianna had probably experienced a good deal of massages due to her extravagant lifestyle but Cain was sure he could give her something as good if not better, as he didn't only try and relax muscles, he specialized in making it feel so very good. Regardless it would be interesting, a challenge to see if he could compare as well, and with that in mind he was looking forward to it as well. So he made sure Arianna got on her horse alright, keeping an eye as she winced again but allowing her to do it herself, and then mounting his own horse, getting up onto Khan easily, even though he had a bit of pain himself from the injuries. His wasn't noticeable though and so he simply smiled, looking over to Arianna only to receive quite the pleasant surprise of his own, an incredibly nice kiss from his beautiful princess, one that lingered and one which he could feel even after she pulled away.

He was a bit taken aback when she acted like he was doing this because she was a princess and he was a knight but he only took a deep breath and responded hoping she would get that. "Listen and let me make this as clear as I can. I am doing this because I like you, not because I am a knight, so don't make it sound like you are burdening me." He reached over and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, "So please, think of me as just Cain, at least when we are alone, I will think of you as Arianna, a beautiful woman I find myself deeply attracted to, as your being the princess has nothing to do with it." Sure being a princess had shaped Arianna into who he was and would impact their time together but he liked her for the personality and beauty, even preferring the simpler riding clothes to the fancy dresses. "That being made clear let us ride princess, before I become enamored with your beauty and become unable to focus on the scenery." It was definitely a possibility and one that wouldn't help them move forward with their day, especially with food and a massage waiting.
 
It didn't take long for the princess to smile, although it was more innocent then her previous few, and came with a light blush. She pulled her hand back to the reins before nodding slowly. "Well, let's continue on then," she agreed, pushing Ciel forward towards the path. "There's still a bit of woods further on," she told him, moving the horse to the side of the path, leaving plenty of space beside her for the man to join her. "No need to rush, of course, but it is getting onto lunch time." The sun was getting higher in the sky and, just to make sure she was correct, Arianna looked up through the trees to double check. She was right and didn't bother to keep her attention away from the path any longer.

The man riding beside her had admitted his feelings to her, although not specific, but still pleasant and just as nice as she thought it would be. She was caught up on her name, once again, despite hearing it hundreds of times before from other people. Hearing it come from Cain again gave her butterflies. Despite all that, she still felt like thanking him was something she had to do, but she wouldn't bring it up again. Not for a while at least. Her thoughts returned to the situation in front of her and the silence she had lefter after her guess of the time. Her eyes quickly dashed back to the man then to the dark horse travelling beside her. "Kahn seems to like you though," she commented. "He must be so glad to get out for a ride. I'm glad to see you have the skill to work with him."
 
The blush made everything worth it, the cute innocent look making his heart beat faster even if he didn't say so, and his smile was wide and bright as well. "Well then how about this, we take our time for another little bit here, go about it nice and slow, and then race back, winner owes the other one embarrassing secret, something not important but entertaining." He didn't have any real crazy meaning behind it nor did he expect the story to be too embarrassing but it would give them a fun something to do and keep them on schedule, especially when it was in fact getting to be lunch time. Luckily they had a wide window for lunch so they weren't in any huge rush but they could stand to get a move on. There was one lucky part about his break the night before, he had the pattern down and he could make quick preparations for the night at hand using that data. It would make the patrols go easier and make his work load quite non-existent, training sessions with the other knights and the scheduling of nights patrol for the thief and his actual participation in it. All his other time could be spent doing whatever, and what he wanted to do was spend time with Arianna.

"I like Khan, he isn't that difficult to ride, in fact my skill when it comes to riding isn't particularly spectacular. I think it is just because Khan and me get each other, a mutual respect. It could help that he is getting out after awhile, I will just have to make it a regular thing, bring him when we go out." Cain liked to stick with something when he found it agreeable and Khan was a good horse, one he could use to. "What do you think Khan, want to come out with me on a regular basis?" The horse almost seemed to shrug as if he didn't care but his attitude showed he liked the idea, the horse continuing on with an almost joyful stride. "I think he likes the idea, which is good because I would like to come out here as often as we can, its private, not to mention beautiful which compliments you." With that he reached up and scratched the back of his head, wondering if he was being too forward, she blushed and was so cute, he just wanted to see the look on her face. As long as she didn't mind it he would continue, caution was key as they had just began seeing each other, he didn't want to go too far.
 
Cain's latest bet was just as exciting as the last was. Arianna wanted to win just as much as before, if not more. Embarrassing secrets was something she didn't want to let out too often, but she couldn't back down without making the man suspicious that she had something to hide. So instead she nodded, accepting the terms, but already planning to win the race back to the stable. Luckily on their way back, they would be cutting through open grass, making it that much easier for the horses to get up to their top speed not to mention giving her plenty of space to run Ciel and have him enjoy himself as he took Kahn on. There was still plenty of time before the dinner preparations would begin, which was when Arianna called it a stop to bother the staff inside. Before then, they could get what they wanted and there would be no problems, which gave them plenty of time to get back to the castle. But a massage was waiting for her. The next time there was a way out, Arianna was going to leave the forest so they could head back. The thoughts of Cain working his magic on her sore muscles sounded like heaven to the princess and she was going to take full advantage of what he was waving in front of her.

"Well I think we'll have plenty of time to do this again," she admitted, watching for the horse's response. There was no certain answer, but she knew he had given a response, and he wasn't bucking the man off which was a good sign. Arianna looked back up at Cain, only to quickly turn away as she blushed again, the rose colour making her dark freckles stand out against her normally pale skin. The man seemed to be staying things just to make her blush. "Watch it," she muttered with a slightly warning tone. "Don't get used to doing that. The last thing we want is a slip up inside the castle." Her eyes travelled back to the man, noting a small path coming up as her vision passed it. "My mother would have your head if she saw me blushing over a knight." She was careful to put emphasis on his position before letting the corners of her lips drift into a proper smile. As much as she enjoyed the butterflies the man was giving her, she knew better then to let it become so obvious in public."

As they came close, Arianna gestured towards the path, showing it to Cain before giving Ciel the instruction to turn onto it, ducking her head to get under a few low hanging branches in front of her. As soon as they were out of the tree line, the castle came into view, showing they were on the far side, further than Arianna thought they were. She studied the building from a distance before patting Ciel's neck and giving a final glance towards the knight. "One embarrassing secret," she repeated, making sure she understood what was at stake one final time. She smiled and nudged the animal away from the woods before stopping him at the invisible starting line. "Ready on your countdown, Cain."
 
"I certainly hope so, I would hate to think I get to see such a nice spot only to have this be the only time, and the picnic, we can't ignore than now can we?" The question was rhetorical and he stretched on the horse, finding himself wondering just when they would have their picnic. He didn't want to do the same thing two days in a row so it would have to wait at least for a few days but it would come around sooner or later, and he would pick a day Arianna didn't expect, perhaps make the trip a surprise. The cute look on her face that came with yet another adorable blush got him in a bit of trouble, not serious but trouble nonetheless. He gave a small laugh, "I will be careful and keep it to when it is just the two of us, of course since I have to hold back when we are around others I am going to have to compliment you a bit more when we are alone." Her warning was just though, her mother would no doubt make sure they didn't have time to be with one another if she found out, he would be careful not to let that happen. "Just do your best not to let anybody see how charming you find me."

With a small smirk Cain followed Arianna to the path and allowed Khan to take the lead, ducking underneath the branches and barely avoiding an embarrassing situation in the making. "One embarrassing situation revealed to the winner, just don't be upset when you have to spill your guts." With the stakes made clear he rode up next to Ciel and took a deep breath, "Alright, three... Two... One..." He paused for a moment, looking over to Arianna and with a grin he finally gave the final word, "Go!" He gave a loud go and he gave Khan a nudge with his heels and an order to go to which the horse quickly responded, apparently being as competitive with Ciel as Cain and Arianna were. He wasn't going to play dirty to win, in fact he didn't mind if he lost, especially since he didn't mind giving up an embarrassing story. Not that he planned on losing, he was curious what kind of embarrassing moment Arianna had to tell, it would be interesting either way. "Come on Khan, let's see if we can beat the fancy horse and his pretty rider." He looked towards Arianna to see where she was.
 
Ciel pawed at the ground before snorting, waiting for proper command. Arianna was ready, so as soon as the man began to race, she gave Ciel a firm nudge, sending him forward, quickly gaining speed. He was obviously making it a point to keep up, or beat, Kahn just as much as the other horse was doing, and there was no way the royal pair was going to give up easily. Arianna's years of riding lessons came into practice here, knowing just how to position herself to get the best speed, barely keeping an eye on the other two unless they got in front of her. For the first stretch of land, she was even with them, glancing over a few times to make sure she was keeping up. Ciel wasn't pushing himself yet, but he wasn't as strong as Kahn, no matter how much time he had out of his stall doing exercises with his rider. The cream-coated stallion did his best, keeping the race tight until just the time they saw the stable itself.

Arianna took one final look at the man who up until now, she had been neck and neck with. There was a chance she could still pull ahead in time to make it back to the stable and win yet another bet. Ciel snorted to Kahn, shaking his head as he ran as Arianna smiled. Almost there. Just a few more feet and they could start slowing down in time to stop without wiping out. It wasn't a good sign though. Ciel saw the same thing and began to slow, despite the nudging the princess was giving him to continue forward. He simply didn't trust her judgement of space and gave a loud whinny in response to her commands. Cain was going to steal this victory. Damn.
 
Khan was a powerful horse but Ciel wasn't slow and the race stayed close throughout, Cain keeping his eye ahead of him save the brief moments he turned to look at Arianna, adrenaline pumping to see who would win. Of course as they got closer it truly became a game of chicken, to see who was going to slow first and most likely lose the race. Khan it seemed would have been fine with slamming into the side of the stable, Ciel was not. It all came down to the rider though and Cain, being less experienced with horses, wasn't the best judge of distance. Of course Khan filled in where he was lacking and while he tried to slow them a bit early the horse kept him in line, making sure they didn't slow until the perfect time. Even then they were just barely ahead by the time the race ended, landing Cain and Khan a few paces ahead of Arianna and Ciel. Victory was a bit sweet but he didn't turn around and begin bragging like a child, at least not too badly, only jumping off Khan and giving him a good pat before turning with a small grin directed at Arianna. "I almost ruined it trying to stop early, it was close." Khan snorted and nudged Cain with his nose, trying to show that he was right about when to stop and brag in his own way, a proud shake of his body as he turned around to face Arianna and Ciel, looking at the other horse triumphantly.

Cain wasn't that interested in bragging about winning, or focus on the loss, it would be rude and he knew she would put him down in a future contest and he didn't want revenge to bite him. "That being said perhaps we can save the story I have so valiantly won until we get to waiting room? You can tell me while I massage some kinks out of you?" That would soften the embarrassment, the knight giving as he received his spoils. Cain was careful to be quiet though, speaking in a lower voice so only Arianna could hear and not mentioning anything else when the stable boy walked out to get Khan and Ciel. The knight did however prepare to help Arianna down once more, continuing his gentleman ways, treading the fine line between a polite and friendly attitude and a more intimate manner. "Now shall we?" He asked, his voice normal but a smile on his face that the stable boy couldn't see, his hand offered up to the beauty right in front of him, a brief touch as she would be getting off the horse as he knew once down they would have to walk normally until in a private place once again, as was the nature of their relationship.
 
Arianna sighed as the two came to a stop, looking to the man beside her. "Ciel planned this," she complained, running her hand over the horse's mane as he snorted, looking at Kahn before shaking his head. As the stable boy approached, the animal approached him, nudging his shoulder gently. Arianna handed the reins off to the boy and used the knight's hand to steady herself as she slid off the saddle and onto the ground again. She gave a quick thank you to the boy before turning to Cain with a sweet smile. "Just a quick stop in the kitchen and we'll be set for lunch," she told him, keeping her voice just as long as his as she started back towards the castle. She'd have to come up with a story worth winning the race.

While she thought, the princess lead Cain towards the kitchen, stopping inside to place a general order for lunch. Most of what her own family was offered was still prepared and hot, making it an obvious choice, with a few added options of fruit and cheeses, along with wine, a bit of the fresh meed and water to balance it off. The cook was more than willing to give her what she asked and politely told her to wait a few minutes to get it all together, giving her time to take Cain to one of her private rooms and settled in before the cart was brought upstairs. Arianna agreed and left, walking along side the knight, keeping her comments light, directed mostly towards the decor of the castle while she tried to avoid speaking in front of many of the maids. She made it to one of the doors and opened it, exposing a room much like they were in the day before. She had it decorated in dark reds, matching her bedroom which sat behind a door in the back of the room, and had several plants placed inside the room to make it look more comfortable than just a simple room. This sitting room was smaller than the first, holding just enough furniture for a small group to use while they waited for the princess.

Arianna entered the room, leaving the door open for Cain, crossing the room to sit on the single couch in the room, set up in front of a table and two proper chairs. "So food should be here soon," she told him with a smile, resting her hand on the arm of her chair, watching him closely.
 
"Well, perhaps I owe Ciel. I get dinner with a story thanks to him." He smiled and followed Arianna towards the castle, the idea of lunch sounding quite good after a long day without food, the knight still having a habit of skipping breakfast. The smells when they reached the kitchen just reinforced his hunger, the man taking a nice long whiff. He had to say the royal kitchen smelt much better than the taverns and stands he often ate from, and while he enjoyed that food he had a feeling the princess' usual lunch would outdo his. He reluctantly left the kitchen and continued to follow Arianna, acting as nothing more than a guard when they passed others and returning light conversation when they had an opening, that was until they reached the room. It was much like the one they had been in the day before though he found it a bit more comfortable, the dark reds pleasing and just the knowledge that there was but a single door separating them and her bedroom. He didn't plan to even try and make a move into there but it was something nonetheless. He found himself wondering if Arianna had a hand in designing the room, it had a feeling that seemed to be much like the princess. That aside he moved inside the room, stopping after a few steps and really looking around, it was smaller but much more intimate and the comfort aspect would make it nice for their time together.

Eventually Cain closed the door behind himself and crossed the room and stood next to the couch, looking down at Arianna with a smile, "Well, as much as I want to sit next to you and get started on that massage, perhaps we should keep it professional until we have some solid time to ourselves." With a small sigh he walked over and took a seat in the chair closest to Arianna, leaning on the side and looking over at her. He would rather be massaging or kissing her but the risk was to high knowing someone would be bringing by food, but it could be a chance for them to cool down after their day outdoors. "I do hope you enjoyed our day outdoors, I know I did." He would make the next occasion even more special than their day out but he wanted to make sure she was enjoying their time together. The day wasn't over, which meant even if she wasn't completely satisfied yet that she would be, but he was still interested in knowing just how hard he still had to work. Even as he talked he had something else on his mind, the food, not that it caused him to become distracted but his hunger was at a peak and waiting for the door to open was as much so they could have their alone time as it was so that he could eat.
 
The princess nodded, agreeing with the man to keep a bit of distance between them. The food would come soon enough and she knew no one would bother them after that. If anyone bothered to come to the door, they would wait for Arianna to open the door, no matter who it was. Her mother might have been controlling, but she understood privacy no matter what. She was perfect at giving her daughter time alone if she was in her room. "I did enjoy it," she assured the man with a smile, watching the man beside her. "I just hope tomorrow is as nice so we can go out again." Her eyes slowly began to wander towards the window at the far side of the room before turning back to the man. "The food won't take too l--" Her words were interrupted by a short knock on the door, drawing her attention towards it before standing up and opening the wooden blockade. A member of the kitchen staff was standing on the other side of the door with a smile on his face, which Arianna quickly allowed in. He took the cart over to a round table in the room and transported the food onto the surface before wheeling the cart out. "Enjoy," he quickly said before pulling the door closed behind it.

Arianna wasted no time before locking the door and approaching the table, lifting a few of the silver covers to expose the food beneath. There was a selection of meat including lamb and pork, along with several vegetables, and the fruit she had asked for special. "Perfect," she commented, with a smile, looking towards the knight. "How about we eat before you start your newest duty," she suggested, teasing the man a bit with his massage offer. While it wasn't an exact duty but more of a gift for he princess, she could still call it such a thing if it meant she had a chance to play with the man.
 
Hearing the day was enjoyable and that she wanted to go out again the next day put any small worried Cain had to subside and he nodded, "As do I, spending time with you is quite nice." He smiled, anywhere with her would be nice whether they were out of just sitting in a room together, though the latter could lead to more kissing than being out and it would be difficult to resist the temptation to take it further. The knock on the door seemed to take both of their attention, partially for the food but the idea that they would be alone after that being on Cain's mind, it allowed him to relax and just be himself with Arianna. Nonetheless he was thrilled to see the food and he helped to expose the food, licking his lips when he saw the meats and fruit, the man not being terribly picky but only slightly looking at the vegetables. "My duty hmm, well I have done far worse, in fact this will be my favorite duty ever I do believe. At your service my lady." Cain gave Arianna a small wink before beginning to eat, leaning back in the chair and not moving to the couch quite yet. He wanted to sit with the princess and would but being close to her would be distracting and the sooner they finished eating the sooner they could get to the fun stuff. Not that he was in a rush.

So the knight grabbed up some food, eating at a normal pace and not ignoring Arianna but getting at it. After taking a bite of the pork, he looked up at Arianna and smiled, "I find myself wondering just how I came to be so lucky, I would have never believed I had a chance with you." He didn't mean because she was a princess either, princess or not she was out of his league. He wasn't rich or powerful, and while he had his own skills and a good amount of charm the attraction people felt for him was almost exclusively physical. He didn't really expect an answer to the question, it was more rhetorical than anything and he just continued to eat, happy that he found himself in such a situation with a woman as enchanting as Arianna, a woman who he believed could truly have her pick of men, save maybe those who liked meek partner, that wouldn't be a good combination. Luckily he wasn't that guy. The only problem he had to face was keeping other men away from her, she would no doubt attract attention from princes and many other suitors, it would be something to keep an eye out for, and he would start with a victory at the upcoming tournament she had mentioned, stake his claim as her champion and send the prince packing.
 
Arianna took a bit of food before sitting back against the couch, picking away at her plate while they held their own small conversation. The man took her comment just as she wanted him to, which she didn't mind in the slightest and smiled slightly between bites. Again, their conversation drifted to the more serious and thoughtful side of things, which she followed along with, taking his words to heart as he began to admit things she had never heard before. Most of the men who attempted to court her saw Arianna as a prize and were rarely humble enough to think they couldn't get her. It was a change she enjoyed. The princess eyed the man carefully before swallowing the bite she had, brushing her hands off on one of the pieces of cloth the kitchen had sent up with the food.

"To be honest, I thought you didn't like me at first," she admitted, placing her hands under her legs as her eyes turned away from Cain. "You had just returned from the war and I suppose that made you short with people, but when you didn't speak to me, or try to use your charm like everyone else does, it gave me the wrong impression." she shrugged her shoulders slightly before glancing back to him. "I'm glad things turned out how they did though." She tipped her head slightly, letting her blonde locks fall free from behind her shoulder. "It make things... pleasant again." A smile tugged at her lips, but Arianna was careful not to let it show more than a light twitch of the corners. Cain was taking her mind away from the secret troubles that laid inside the castle and allowed the princess to get outside again without a handful of guards. Pleasant was the perfect way to describe it.

She removed one of her hands from under her and finished what was left on her plate, setting it back on the table. The selection that was brought to them was enough to feed them, and most of it would still be good after a small break, as long as they covered it again. Arianna sat back against the couch, her eyes scanning the food briefly before turning towards the knight once again, patiently waiting for him to finish. There was no run at all, as they now had the rest of the day to do as they pleased.
 
Cain couldn't see anyone truly disliking Arianna, though he himself certainly did not dislike her as was made obvious now through his words and action. "It hasn't been easy for me recently, with what happened on the front lines to returning here and being honored for what I believe to be dishonorable, it struck me rather hard. It made me short and rather withdrawn. As for not using my charm, I'm not sure whether it was my mood or me simply forgetting what flirting was after being away for so long. Of course thinking I had no chance didn't help." Cain laughed, not wanting to become to serious as he leaned back and tapped his chin. "Not that it lasted long, you soon yanked me from my bad mood and I find myself enjoying every day more and more. Thank you for that, I'm not sure what I would be doing if you hadn't decided to take an interest." He did have some idea but he didn't say it, either drowning himself in alcohol or slowly sinking into depression one, maybe even both at the same time. Both of them seemed to enjoy being with the other though and so it felt natural, the most comfortable Cain had been around another person in a long time.

He continued to eat for a moment, at least making sure his stomach stopped rumbling before pausing, Arianna being finished a bit before him. He didn't want to keep her waiting so he put his empty plate down and stood up and stretched. "Alright, so now that we're alone with hunger quelled, let's get to my new duty, what do you say?" He gave a small smile and walked around to the empty side of the couch, taking a seat and motioning for her to turn her back. "Come on, don't be shy, you won't be disappointed." He wiggled his fingers and leaned in, "And don't forget, you owe me a story, no matter how hard it is to think of anything other than the bliss you will soon be in." He was being incredibly light with the conversation, trying to keep it light, he didn't want to make her having to tell a story be to horrible nor did he want it to seem like that big a deal that he was about to essentially have his hands all over her. Not that it wouldn't be all to obvious when it started but hopefully it would be pleasant enough for that little fact not to matter, not that he would be distasteful. "Now, tell me where you're the sorest."
 
There was no doubt that the man was distracted during their first meeting. He had just returned from the war and most likely, there was nothing he was very interested in other than just resting and avoiding people. Arianna was pleased that he had taken a chance to speak to her and get a chance to know her, otherwise her days would be just as slow as every other day before he arrived. The princess slowly nodded as he finished explaining his reasons, eyeing the man closely as he moved around the room. Arianna wasn't trying to make him stop eating if he wasn't ready, but she assumed the man would have continued if he really wanted the food. She leaned forward, placing the warming overs over the heated food to keep it as warm as it could be while they continued to talk.

Arianna turned her back towards the knight, doing what she could to relax her muscles with a soft hum. "Shoulders, arms, for sure," she told him, glancing at him over her shoulder. She had a few other places she could have mentioned, but she wasn't ready to suggest anything just yet. But she knew he'd be careful around her injured arm, but was ready to hold him to his comments and promises of it being worth the wait and time. "If it isn't blissful, you'll owe me," she warned, turning away once again before smiling to herself, her fingers playing with the ends of her hair as she began to think of the perfect story. Her eyes slowly followed the invisible lines on the wall across from her as she tried to think of the best tale to tell. There were plenty of things she had done as a child that could be seen as embarrassing, but nothing worth telling in exchange for winning the race. She needed to give him something good.

"I had a horrible problem with being clumsy as a child," Arianna told the knight, twisting a small section of her hair around her finger as she thought. "I was twelve, just about the time that princes began to pay attention to me, and my parents had invited a few potential husbands to the palace for a dinner. We had just opened up a general court and the families were beginning to accept gifts from the people in the city. And um, I decided that looking at a basket of chickens was the best idea in the world." She let out a light scoff as she thought back to the day. "I tried to help catch the gifts and ended up slipping on the rug in the throne room, sliding right under the dress of the Queen of Mendaria. I still can't look her in the eye." It wasn't the most embarrassing story she had heard, but for her, it was traumatizing at the time and even now, she didn't dare mention it to anyone and refused to acknowledge it had happened in the past.
 
Cain nodded as Arianna turned her back, making sure to take note of the injured area and ready to either avoid it or be incredibly gentle with the spot. Not that he was going to be working her arms first, he would start at the usual spot, the shoulders, and he wasn't planning on holding anything back from the start. Of course he had to scoot in closer to make things easy, moving up behind the woman and getting them quite close as his hands began to trace her upper body. Ideally she would be nude or at least partially stripped, skin on skin being the easiest way to do a proper massage, but he didn't bring it up, confident he would do more than fine even with the barrier. "Don't worry about that, it will be blissful, you can count on it." He took a deep breath, no doubt his closeness making even his breathing audible to Arianna, and then began, his hands working their magic at her shoulders, taking his time and really getting the knots out. She was tense and he could tell it wasn't just the previous days training, her body must have been wound tight from stress, though when he was done it would be no more, the knight quickly going about showing off his skill, his fingers working just the right spots and loosening the taunt muscle with ease.

He did slow himself a bit during her story though, paying close attention and not being too distracted as he listened, ready for the embarrassing ending. When she finally finished Cain couldn't help but start laughing, not able to hold back at the thought of it, especially the image of Arianna avoiding eye contact now due to the past incident. "Well I must say that is a funny image, it will keep me laughing for some time. I can just see it now, awkward silence, averted eyes." He let out another small chuckle before going back to his 'duty', starting work on her arms and lower back, his hands once again going full force to relieve all signs of tension and soreness throughout her body. He was careful around her injury, but he still worked the areas around it, going very slowly to trace it out and to ensure she suffered not the slightest pain at his hand. It wasn't a chore really, in fact Cain was quite enjoying it, being able to listen for sounds of enjoyment from Arianna, his hands being able to touch her graceful physique, and just being so close to her, it was comfortable and he couldn't help but lean in and give her neck a small kiss. "So, tell me where needs more attention." He whispered, having covered the spots she had told him of and wondering if perhaps she needed one of them revisited, though he didn't stop moving his hands once, always keeping them busy massaging and relaxing the beautiful princess.
 
It didn't take long for the princess to melt under the man's fingers. Thanks to the training the day before, there was a bit of a struggle from her muscles, but it didn't last long under his skill and Arianna's body began to loosen into the bliss he had promised her. He wasn't about to owe her a thing. Luckily he had slowed down while she told her story or her mind would have wandered away from giving him what he deserved. When he began to laugh, Arianna's cheeks began to glow as she turned enough to face the man and give him a forceful push with her hand. "Don't laugh," she commanded, turning away from the man instantly. While she expected some sort of chuckle from the man, it was still embarrassing and certainly wasn't something she wanted to remember again any time soon. As his hands travelled down to her lower back, Arianna drew in a short breath, slowly letting it out again, adjusting to the feeling of his hands moving around her body.

Somewhere between Cain massaging the stiff pain from her arms and the kiss on her neck, Arianna had closed her eyes and began to let her mind fall into her own thoughts. She let out a few soft hums as he touched the tighter knots in her body, taking a few minutes to herself. Cain knew what he was doing and knew how to make every touch feel good, but the silence in the room let her think about just how good the situation would feel if Cain got a hold of what her family's expert had; proper oils and a bed. Being in her room with a woman who was trained to massage the royal family was excusable according to her family, but to be in the room with a man, even just like they were at that very moment, was forbidden in most cases and frowned upon if the princess was unmarried. As soon as the man's lips touched her sensitive skin, Arianna's eyes opened, slowly sliding down to the couch's material in front of her.

"You're right, it was blissful," she agreed, but it didn't really answer his question. She quickly thought of where else could use his magic touch, but nothing came to mind right away. Arianna was an expert horseback rider, meaning the muscles that would be sore for others from the race barely felt anything. The man had taken care of what really ached, which didn't leave much more for him to work on. Instead, Arianna gave him a small shrug, turning once again with a hesitant smile. "I think you've gotten everything," she told him. "I might have you do this permanently. If you wouldn't object." With the option of oils possibly coming into the picture if all went well. What went on behind her own doors was up to Arianna, not her mother. She knew her duty and what she couldn't get away with, but she could try to stretch her limits if Cain agreed.
 
Cain could tell the princess was far from disappointed with the massage and he couldn't help but grin, he was definitely one lucky guy, being so close to Arianna. The icing on the cake was the cute blush and shove, not because he enjoyed teasing her, at least not too much, but because it really felt like they were close, it was comfortable, a feeling he had experienced numerous times with her over the course of the day. Of course while it was comfortable it was such a tempting situation, Arianna's beauty and the feelings quickly developing making the situation slightly torturous. It was a situation he would live with though, taking pride in the fact that he was making her feel great without crossing any sort of line, though depending on who was asked, particularly the royal family, his mere feelings for her were crossing a line. He wasn't going to let that thought get him down though, the only thing that mattered was Arianna, sure he had vowed to serve the crown and he would do so, but in his personal life he would take a different approach, especially concerning the princess.

All good things eventually come to an end of course, so when she agreed it was blissful and informed him that he had got everything he stopped, giving her a playful grin. "I would be more than happy to make this permanent, and it will only get better, the more I get to massage you the more familiar I will become with those truly sensitive spots." He moved his hands from her and leaned back on the couch, enjoying the comfort that came with higher end furniture. Cain took a moment to collect his thoughts and to calm his body, as it had been impossible to do such a thing to a beautiful woman without reacting a bit, though he made sure not to make it known in any way. It had been a truly wonderful day, his morning practice had went well, the ride and adventure to one of Arianna's private locations had given them time to talk, and now both of them were able to relax together. He really looked forward to whatever else they would be doing from then on, especially planning romantic gestures and dates with the lovely woman. After a moment he turned and looked at Arianna, unable to keep a smile from his face, "When I finish this business with the thief we will have to do something together for dinner, a night when your family won't miss you and where we can just take our time." He enjoyed their day meetings but there was something about dinner and evening meetings that made everything more intimate and romantic, perhaps the beautiful stars or just the darkened world, but whatever it was he was looking forward to having such a night with Arianna. First he had to take care of the thief business though, that way he wouldn't be busy at night and would have the time to set it all up.
 
Arianna seemed to fade from the conversation when Cain mentioned learning about her more sensitive spots, staring at the wall before her eyes narrowed in thought. She had trapped herself in her small world for a moment before quickly dragging herself back to what was going on around her. She couldn't argue that having the man's hands on her was comfortable and even comfortable despite barely knowing him, but Cain was gentle when he needed to be and more importantly, the two of them had some sort of chemistry that both of them enjoyed. She shifted on the couch, resting against the back again, enjoying it far more than she had in the past thanks to the man's work. Her eyes carefully trailed to the knight's, bringing a smile to her lips.

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for that," she assured him, resting her hands in her lap to keep them under control. They were nervously drumming against the other hand despite Arianna trying to calm her nerves, testing her self-control as her mind began to race. The man had agreed to help her relax that day and she knew he got upset over chasing the thief around all night. Arianna was about to torture him by not going out that night, which she knew would anger him more than she ever had before at night. The least she could do was try to make it up to him, even if he didn't know the connection. "What time do you typically return to the palace?" she asked, turning her full attention towards the man beside her. Her hands tightened before she made it a point to turn straight towards him, but the butterflies in her stomach continued to tickle her from the inside out. "Maybe we don't have to wait until after the thief is caught. My room isn't guarded at night. It would be easy to have a meeting with me when you're done..." That wasn't proper. In any way, in any place, in any kingdom. To have an 'unapproved' man in a princess's room after dark was something that would make most think the woman had lost her mind. Arianna knew what she was doing, or so she thought, but of course the knight could always turn her down.
 
Plenty of time, for once that was a good thing, on the front line it had been a realization that did nothing but bring him down and now it was such a comfort, such a blessing. "Yes, we do have time, and I plan on spending much of it with you." As much as time would allow him, he wanted to be around her as often as possible, even if they were intimate he would feel that way, she was spectacular. "I never return until late, so late that I generally only get about four or five hours sleep at most." He didn't mind the lack of sleep too much, he had grown use to it being a knight and while it was never as pleasant as a full night sleep it wasn't so bad. Of course he could sleep late if he wanted, morning practice was not mandatory and on occasion he would skip it in the past in favor of training by himself, but with his return he wanted to make a strong showing for the other knights. He had a feeling he would be missing some training sessions now that he was spending so much time with Arianna, she was filling up his day and he would much rather spend time with her than attend every single training session.

That being said when she mentioned coming after one of his nightly patrols he couldn't help but be surprised, it was an option but one he didn't know about. Sure he would love to see her but it was risky, not just because someone could find out, but because it would be a very tempting situation. Cain stayed silent for a time, looking at Arianna and thinking it over for a moment, trying to think if it was the right thing to do. Of course when it came down to it he wanted to be with her and if that meant a little extra risk and a night without sleep, or even less, he was willing. So after a moment he nodded, "If you are sure that is okay with you then I could come by, bring something to eat and we could have a very late dinner." He gave her a small smile, still a bit hesitant but knowing that if she was alright with it he could control himself, he wasn't just looking to bed her, he could resist the temptation, even of a woman as alluring as Arianna. Cain just hoped this wasn't the time they were caught. If they were riding together or out in the town it could be explained or at least not persecuted so harshly, but being in her room after dark, no matter what his true intentions, would not be so easily forgiven or forgotten. It was a risk indeed, though one he found worth taking.
 
Five hours of sleep seemed to be a normal thing for the knights. Many of them would be out most of the night, enjoying themselves while they could before crawling back to their dormitories and sleeping, only to be up with the sun the next morning. Most of the kingdom used the sun as a wake up call, including the princess, but she had a chance to sleep more almost every night. Even when she ran out to torment the guards in the streets, she could make sure she returned much earlier than the guards ended their patrols, simply because she didn't want to run into them inside of the castle. It was risky enough so she wanted, or needed, to narrow down the times she could possibly meet the guards. Six hours was a typical night's rest for her, or more if she made sure to return early, so four seemed near impossible if she wanted to be up at any 'normal' time. Of course, she had the chance to sleep in if she wanted to, but it was rare that Arianna could be found in bed later in the day.

The knight's reaction was what she expected; surprise followed quickly by thought. She knew the risks they would be taking by doing such a thing, but Arianna knew she could work her way out of it if they were caught. Letting Isabelle know would be simple and she was the only person who ever bothered to come wake her up. Her mother had too many other things to do during the day and her siblings never wanted to deal with the grouch that was the morning princess. There was still the chance that someone would see Cain entering her room, but in the end, she had already suggested it and Arianna saw it well worth the risk. Even when it came down to it, being alone in her room with him was a risk she was willing to take. It had been years since Arianna felt this way about a man, which meant she might have been moving fast compared to other relationships, but she was caught up in the feelings and Cain didn't seem to be arguing.

The idea of having a late dinner with the man only made it better for her. The princess smiled and nodded in agreement. "That sounds wonderful," she admitted. She could find things to do until he came back, that wasn't a problem. She was just happy he had agreed. "Isabelle will need to know, but she won't say a word to anyone," Arianna promised, her smile fading slightly. "She's quite skilled when it comes to keeping secrets."
 
Cain knew how risky it was and yet he was willing to risk it, as was Arianna and both of them seemed enthusiastic about the chance to have a romantic private dinner together. Of course bringing Isabelle in on it wasn't what he really wanted to do, not because he didn't trust her or accept Arianna's trust in her but because it would land the maid in trouble as well if they were caught. If it would make things easier he wouldn't disagree, it wasn't a good idea to ignore something that could potentially help them avoid a bad situation. "Well then, go ahead and confide in her, it will help to have someone know so when we finally do so there will be no confusion. The last thing we need is confusion added into an already risky situation." He took a moment and mulled it over again, making sure he had some idea of how to go about the whole thing. When he was off of patrol many other knights would be returning as well, probably more foot traffic in the halls than he would like. Of course if he waited a little longer, perhaps getting something to eat after he was done instead of preparing before, either from the kitchens or asking Chyanne a favor and going to the tavern to grab something, he could certainly miss the crowd. Basically go to the kitchen and cook or grab something from the tavern.

Cain would probably grab something, he was gifted in many things but cooking was not one, it would be bland or burnt one. "I think it will be fine, I can prepare everything and with Isabelle's help we should be able to enjoy ourselves without worry." He smiled, reassured by his thoughts and knowing it could work out and be incredibly nice. "Regardless I am looking forward to it, we will have to make it soon, not tonight as I think that is a little too soon, but here in the next few days. Just tell me if you get an idea of when you can get out of a family meal and enjoy one with me." With the idea past a thought and something he planned to do he began to think, to really outline the evening, what to bring for dinner, perhaps even some wine that was more upscale than his usual, and maybe something special just for her. All of that would depend but he wanted to get some kind of drink to go along with the burger and something to give her to remember the night, though it would be a small token no matter what he got, Cain wasn't going to try and impress her with money or fancy things, he was going to be himself and just do what felt right, romance without going out of his personality to do so.
 
The princess hated to tell Isabelle, but she knew it was better for her assistant to know, cutting down on the shock the next morning when she came to wake her up the next morning. It would be saver later on to use her as a future cover as well. Arianna's eyes began to wander around the room again as her mind began to race with thoughts once again until finally she found a space across the room to focus on, narrowing her thoughts down to one or two details, drawing in a slow breath as she thought. "Whenever you'd like," she finally said, turning to the man beside her again. What they were planning sounded like a wonderful time that she was quickly beginning to look forward to.

Arianna shifted slightly in her seat, reaching forward to pick up a small bunch of grapes that were still waiting on the tray in front of the pair. She popped one of the green fruit into her mouth before holding up her finger to get the man's attention. "Mm, Cain," she called, glancing back at the man beside her. "Plans for tomorrow. Any ideas?" A smile crossed her lips as her eyes lingered over the man again, slowly locking with his eyes as she ate another grape and offered him one from the bundle in her hand.
 
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