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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Cain would figure out a night for them to get together, possibly within the next few days. Whenever they ended up planning the late night rendezvous he was sure it would be something, darkness always made romantic situations more intense. He would just have to find the perfect time and make sure the night was wonderful, as there was no reason to risk so much unless he put his best effort into making the night one to remember, especially for Arianna. As he turned to look at the lovely girl he got a stimulating image, the angelic woman popping fruit into her mouth, the glance he got a second later making him swallow. She was one of those women who had a natural charm and it was having its affects on Cain, from instigating a quick attraction from the start and situations like the one they were in where he found himself just staring. It wasn't creepy but he had a small smile on his face and for a moment he said nothing, even for a moment after she asked him a question. It was only when she offered him a bit of the fruit that he leaned forward and look the one from her hand with his mouth, a grin on his face as he bit down on the delectable food.

He couldn't let himself be the only one caught up so he was tossing a bit of his own charm at Arianna, only leaning back after he had finished the circular food, looking into Arianna's eyes the entire time. "Well tomorrow I have some extra morning errands to attend to but I should be free for several hours after lunch if you would like to meet. We could just go for a walk or grab something to eat if you haven't eaten by then." He wasn't trying to make it seem like they had to do something every single day, not that he didn't want to, in fact if he could he would be with her every free moment, but that was unrealistic. There would always be situations in which they couldn't be together and times when he would probably have to sit back and watch things happen he didn't necessarily like. For instance the tournament, before he would get a chance to defeat the prince there would be some sort of ball or feast in which no doubt the prince would be flirting and going on with Arianna, and it would be a situation in which she had little control over it.
 
Arianna's gaze didn't move as the prince took a grape, despite all the charm he was putting into the effort. A small smile crossed her lips as she watched him, sitting back as he did, falling back into a more relaxed position. Her eyes held their position on the man, drifting slightly to the other important features on his face before snapping back to his eyes as he spoke. Lunch sounded like a sweet idea, one that she could certainly deal with. "I can make it a point not to, if it means we get to meet up," she informed him softly, letting her fingers lightly drum on her knee. "Lunch sounds like it would be a good time to meet up again."

The princess didn't have too much to do that morning, so perhaps she could take the time to herself, spend time with her siblings or even just rest in her room longer until she had to meet the knight. Arianna could only hope that it wouldn't take long until they could get together again. "At least we'll have the rest of the day together." She slid closer to the man beside her, setting the grapes down on the plate before her leg lightly touched Cain's with a relaxed, confidant smile. "Maybe we could go back to visit the inn we went to earlier?" The food there was not only good, but filling and satisfying to those who ate there. Arianna was impressed and pleased with the food she had gotten there on her visit. "But that would be tomorrow." Her eyes drifted towards the window beside Cain and her lips pursed, drifting slowly into thought. "Tonight, you need to work..."
 
Arianna was outstanding company and even more so she was enchanting, just having her eyes on him made Cain smile and it was obvious his heart had been won. "Well I would like to see you tomorrow so let's plan on doing lunch." Cain knew eventually they would have a day apart but he was prepared and wanting to spend as much time with Arianna as he could. If that meant making plans every day, even if they couldn't keep them every day, he was finer with that. "We can definitely spend some time together in the afternoon, you can just swing by the knights area or we can meet at the gate around the time I will be free." He wanted to make sure Arianna didn't wait too long so meeting up would be the best idea, though he wouldn't want to make her wait just because it took a little extra time. Then again fretting over small details would only ruin it, he would simply make sure to be on time and have no excuses for making the lovely woman wait. Besides, it wasn't like he had to stay until a certain time, if he put in the effort he could probably finish things up early as well, make sure he was ready to go out with the princess once more.

Arianna's closeness brought Cain back to the present, the man leaning in a bit and allowing them to be close as they continued to talk. "We can go to the inn, that sounds great. As long as you truly don't mind the area." Cain gave a small laugh, he knew enough to realize that wasn't going to stop her and thus he didn't really worry about it. Though he did ask himself what he would do about Chyanne, she would be pestering for information after seeing the man come in with the princess twice, though perhaps she would realize it was more than a duty and be more happy and out of the way than anything. He could only hope though. Mention of work made the knight sigh, his face turning and he looked at Arianna with a pout. "Alas I will have work soon, another night of trying to apprehend the thief is ahead of me. I will say this though, I got closer again last night, I think another night or two and I will have it narrowed down enough to finally catch the woman." He leaned over and spoke in a soft voice after that, a small playful smile on his lips, "Will you grant me luck again tonight?"
 
Arianna's gaze returned to the man, her lips slowly pulling into a smile as she noticed he had leaned closer. They were already close enough for her liking, but seeing that Cain was just that much closer, she knew what was about to come. "Of course," she agreed, leaning in closer to the man, leaving just enough distance between them to tease not only herself but the knight as well. "Let's meet no the training grounds tomorrow. There's a better chance I'll be able to get away if we meet there." Before the knight could respond, Arianna closed the gap between the them, her lips meeting Cain's once again. Unlike the last few times, it wasn't as sweet of a touch; this one had more force, a certain feeling behind it that she had been careful not to show in the past. Cain had showed her his own feelings and opened up to her through the day, which gave Arianna what courage she needed to do the same, which was taking a hard, long weight off of her shoulders.

She didn't let the connection last very long, just enough to make Arianna's point and give him what luck he may have needed. If he wanted more, the princess would agree, but Cain would have to take it for himself. Gently, her hand met Cain's cheek, her thumb lightly running over his skin as her eyes traced the knight's lips before meeting his gaze once again. "You may take as much luck as you need, Cain." Her stomach twisted as she said his name, hoping that he would respond with her own just to make her heart flutter like it had earlier that day.
 
Cain nodded, the distance was making it hard to resist kissing her immediately but when she said something about the next day, about meeting on the training grounds, he did his best to pay attention. Paying attention to her words made him miss what came next entirely, the woman closing the distance and kissing him. It wasn't like their previous kisses, not like the sweet and gentle connection of lips they had shared, it was more forceful, powerful, passionate. The knight was quite surprised but it was in an incredibly good way, a smile spreading across his face as he realized they were past tiptoeing after their time together, that both of them wanted more. Cain certainly knew it would bring him luck, hell it already had, ever since meeting her he had become much happier than he had been in a long time. Whether or not he could contribute his growing success in hunting down the thief to the luck he was receiving wasn't sure, but at the very least his mood improvement helped everything else. "Well, I have to be careful, I'm already incredibly lucky... Wouldn't want to run out would I?"

After a moment he shrugged, "Forget it, might as well enjoy the luck while I can." He leaned in and kissed Arianna, as passionately as she had just kissed him, though his lasted a bit longer. Of course he was still unable to take things up too far, while passionate he was still oddly gentle and unable to even think about letting the princess experience something more than the basic kiss. He wanted to but he wasn't sure whether or not he could introduce the sweet and innocent princess to something like that quite yet, though when he did he would be very interested in what kind of look her beautiful face would portray. When he pulled away he let out a charmingly devilish smile, "Arianna..." He said her name lightly before taking one last kiss before pulling himself away, he couldn't continue at risk of forgetting his hesitance and jumping in. "You are the fairest in all the land." He let out a playful chuckle and finally leaned back, not scooting away but allowing some space to enforce his self-control. "Seriously though, I have a feeling I'm going to have to fight to keep men away from you." He knew as much as he was playing around it was serious, fighting for her, especially when they couldn't be public with their relationship was going to be a constant thing. "Just make sure to give me plenty of luck when those times come."
 
There wasn't an ounce of hesitation when the man kissed her, pleased with the look he had just given her. It was clear now that the two had moved forward in their relationship, even though they weren't saying a word to each other about it right away. Arianna moved as close as she could to Cain without sliding into his lap, which would only force her into an improper, not to mention dangerous, position. If giving luck was the only way they'd be able to do this, Arianna would never deny the man the extra bit of confidence for the night ahead of him. Sadly, Arianna knew what was going to happen to him that night and the torture he was about to go through when he didn't catch the thief. It would certainly be a treat to see his response the next day when she asked him how things had went.

A light blush played on her cheeks as the man broke into his charming smile, but Arianna did was she could to keep it under control for at least a bit longer. Just as she thought, her heart spun when the man said her name, bringing a smile to her face before she was met with another kiss. His words gave her butterflies as her eyes watched him move back on the couch, giving space back between the two of them so they wouldn't move any further into their romantic ways. As much as Arianna wanted him to stay, to spend the night with her, she knew he had to go and do what he was trained to do; to catch the thief that was causing chaos in the streets. There was no doubt that other men would try to come after Arianna and break into her heart just as Cain had recently done. "When it comes to that time, I'll be sure to give you just want you need," she assured him happily. "You won't have to worry about that."
 
"I'm glad to hear I will have your luck to aide me, though I will be sure to put in plenty of effort regardless. I mean, I want you to fall even more for me and that means showing off a bit, by besting princes and shutting down nobles, whoever comes for your hand will face me first." He winked, he would be her champion, give each suitor a chance to show his worth by competing with him only to find that Cain, while only being a knight, could do what they could and better. Hell, the major ways to impress a woman of Arianna's beauty and standing were strength, charm, wealth, intelligence, and personality. Cain had a feeling he would do fine. On one hand he had faith that no suitor would be able to outmatch him in strength or ability in combat. He was charming enough to not be worried and skilled enough to know nobody could offer her more when it came right down to it. His wealth wasn't substantial but Arianna didn't seem the type to want wealth or overly expensive gifts so it would be enough. When it came to intelligence he was incredibly smart, though he often downplayed that fact, choosing to keep his intelligence to himself and only pitch in when he was asked or when he knew it was important, that would be a hidden card. Of course a formal education was not something he had but he was more schooled than many aristocrats from natural intelligence and what he had picked up over the years, so as far as some of the more elegant and refined studies went he wasn't versed, but he could easily learn.

None of that mattered in the end because while all of those were factors the biggest one was already his win, Arianna liked him, his personality and just who he was, it was the most important element to her heart. Not that the others things didn't help, or that they weren't part of that personality, but the end result was the most important. "Just remember all of that when the time comes, I'm not exactly the jealous type but I will be wanting plenty of luck if another guy is trying to impress you." He smiled and leaned over, kissing Arianna on the head before taking a long drawn out breath. "Unfortunately I think I have all the luck I am going to get, because as much as I would love to sit her with you all night and spend time with you I have to leave and get ready for the patrol, make sure everything is in order for another exciting night of hunt that thief. Not that it's a great game but it is one I must play nonetheless." He didn't want to get up and he sat there for another minute, just looking at her and trying to convince himself he had to work, which he did in the end. So finally he stood up, leaning down and kissing her head once more. "I look forward to tomorrow Arianna." He liked saying her name and as he finished he didn't wait more than a couple of seconds before turning to leave, knowing he could easily change his mind if he thought about it.
 
Arianna agreed with a calm nod, smiling at the man in front of her. To know that he was ready to work and impress her even when other men were after her gave the princess hope that the two had a chance and there was even hope for the two of them to grow in the future. If the man was acting this way now, it would only get better when the thief stopped going out at night, pulling the two apart. Arianna had almost forgotten who was really outside on the streets at night, harassing the man and threatening his job. When she finally came around in her mind, Arianna knew she had to make a choice and settle on what she was going to do; keep tormenting the man or give him a break and simply vanish from the streets. She had all night to think about her plan, no matter what she felt now.

The princess was broken from her thoughts when the man spoke again before leaning in to place a kiss on her head. Once again, she smiled and watched as he debated and finally stood up. She didn't waste a second and rose with him, placing her hand lightly on his arm before giving him a gentle squeeze. "Enjoy your evening," she told him, lightly running his hand over his arm with a slight smile. "I'll see you tomorrow then," she finally said, watching as the man left her room. She followed him towards the door and slowly pushed it closed as soon as he left and was out of her sight in the hallway. She pulled in a deep breath and leaned against the door, waiting a few minutes in her own private area before stepping forward, quickly crossing into her room where she would be spending the night. After nights of being out, Arianna was going to have one to spend how she wanted, take a chance with Isabelle just like she used to do.
 
Leaving the room wasn't what Cain had really wanted to do but it had to come eventually, he couldn't hold up with Arianna until morning for more reasons than just his job. That being the case he had to power on, and he did, moving to his room and tossing on his usual clothes, shoving the 'fancier' outfit away and readying himself for the night. He still wasn't wearing his armor, after taking it off he had begun to enjoy the freedom of not having it on, which was probably due to wearing it at all times for so long on the front lines. All he had were his weapons and the map for the nights patrol. Of course he did have some time before he actually had to head out and he spent it sitting around, reapplying some of the medicine on his wounds and then taking a moment and thinking of some ideas for romance just for Arianna. It wasn't going to be terribly difficult, he didn't mind being a bit sappy and Arianna was so innocent he had a feeling a couple of classics would work, flowers and the like. That was only step one but it was an important one, it set the mood, giving flowers or something else to symbolize his feelings in a visual way. Regardless of what all he decided to do there was plenty to think about and he gave special thought to the night they would spend together.

Eventually, as much as he enjoyed thinking about what he could do for his princess he had to get going, another night out on the streets. Hopefully he would be catching the thief, and while he didn't like to get his hopes up, and kept them to himself when addressing the men, he couldn't help but feel a bit more hopeful than usual. Not that it wasn't warranted, he had almost caught her the night before and with his system he was narrowing down the search area every time. Unfortunately, as much as his hopes were up and his logic solid he didn't find her, not that night. He spent the entire time wandering around, checking in with the patrol, and keeping his eyes on the roofs and alleys. By the end of the night he had accomplished nothing but tiring himself out and torturing himself with questions of why exactly he hadn't spotted the thief. At first he believed he had the wrong area, perhaps his logic wasn't as sound as he thought, but when he heard nobody had seen her he began to wonder. No matter how much he thought, even as he arrived back at his room and laid on the bed, he couldn't figure it out, mainly because it was impossible to do without more information. It was so bothersome that he neglected sleeping for some time, staying up late and restless even when he did obtain sleep. The longer it took him to catch the thief the worse it would be, especially with people relying on him, though part of it was his want to spend more time with Arianna, something his nightly patrol was impacting.
 
Most of the princess's night was spent in her room, studying the shapes in the wall in front of her. More than anything, she wanted to be out there on the streets, harassing the knight, running through the paths she had learned to love with the man behind her, giving her a rush she had only recently learned of. It was one that she was adapting to and quickly getting addicted to. It was bad. Isabelle did her best to keep Arianna distracted and in her room, even taking the princess out for a walk around the castle at one point just to keep her from loosing her mind in the room again. Zachary joined them on their walk at one point, using it to escape his mother's grasp for an hour or so, and they made it a point to visit the kitchen and grab what the newest dessert happened to be from the head chef. It was sweet, full of fresh harvested honey from the fields outside of the city limits. Zachary couldn't get enough of the treat but while Arianna enjoyed it, she knew it wasn't going to entertain her long after she finished it. And she was right. As soon as she finished and thanked the cook, she was back on her feet, travelling around the castle with her friend.

Somehow, Arianna made it through the night without loosing her mind. Isabelle left her well after she had fallen asleep, making sure she remained in her room for the night before she herself headed to bed. Arianna didn't want her sleep taken from her and took advantage of the hours she had before the sun rose. Even with her small, less exciting adventure, she was asleep before the knight, but not by much. It took Arianna far longer to fall asleep than it had the other nights. But, despite her every effort to keep her hold on the rest, it didn't last long into the morning.

She had a rude awakening from Isabelle hours before she normally rose, which sent the castle into a panic. The entire royal family was called into the king's chambers and knights were called to guard the room, making sure no one entered who didn't needed to be there. Rumours began to spread inside the walls, quickly reaching the other, lesser or busy knights about the king's condition. Anything from possible death to the common cold were spread with no sign of the truth given to anyone outside of the room. No matter how horrible the sickness, Arianna knew she would be busy for the rest of the day. She was ready to send a message to Cain when her thoughts were interrupted by her father, meaning no message left the room. The knight would be left waiting on his own with no princess to show up and ease his thoughts.
 
Cain's night hadn't been the best and the sleep he got left him feeling rather exhausted even after he had been up for a short time. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last, but it was never a pleasant feeling to be tired. The wort of it were the thought about the thief, how he still couldn't figure out why there had been no sign of her that night and what he would have to do to find her before he missed his chance to do so. Even as he cleaned himself up and got ready for the rest of his day his mind was elsewhere, on the thief and what he needed to do. Not that it was the only thing on his mind, Arianna was a constant thought and their time together that day was something he looked forward to greatly. The disappointment of the thief was a bit more pressing when it came down to it but as he awoke and the morning went on that became less and less the case, as the time for their meeting came closer his mind became more filled with the beautiful princess. So he went about his day, thoughts filling his mind and keeping him occupied for the early morning routine, making sure he didn't have a moment of simple peace, though thinking of Arianna was better than tranquility.

Something happened not too long after he finished what he did every morning, interrupting the usual flow of the day and morning training. News of the King and some sort of illness or something of similar type. The knights were never given the entire story, it was best to keep those who knew how serious it was to a minimum to ensure gossip didn't spread and people didn't panic. Cain had prepared himself after being called in with the other knights, he knew immediately that the day he had been planning with Arianna was no longer a possibility. He wished he could spend time with her but with the king not feeling well, no matter how serious, he could understand. Not only because it was her father either, but because Cain had a great respect for the king and wanted to spend time guarding the room, waiting to see how long the family stayed inside. Cain wasn't the only knight that stayed, and they didn't spend the entire time silent, there were a few others that took the guard duty with him and they spent the time talking and at times even playing cards. Sure there was always a person or two standing at the ready by the door but they took turns, mostly because while it was their duty, that they also wanted to be there, that was why so many being around was alright and why they could take turns being actually on-duty. So they all just remained, many of the knights waiting to see how long they were needed and in turn if their king was alright, as while they didn't know what was wrong they knew if he was better they would be dismissed, though if it remained worse they would stay, at least until they were told otherwise.
 
The family remained inside of the king's room for most of the day, refusing to leave for any reason. There had been people lined up to step in as the face of the kingdom at this time and their private chef made it a point to bring the family food at the proper times, making sure to bring enough for the guards sitting outside of the room. It often times took much argument and enforcing, but eventually they ate what was given to them. They all knew the knights were just outside of the door but no one came to visit or speak to them about anything that was going on. Until the sun was about to set, that is. The queen left the room, pausing just outside of the door before shutting it and looking around at the men outside.

"Thank you for being here," she began, seeming much warmer than she had been in the past to the knights. "My family thanks that you have stayed with us for the day. But it's getting late. The night watch should be coming on duty soon and I ask that you all go to rest." She folded her hands in front of her and scanned the room, making sure to linger on each man to give them each a personal look. They all seemed to have the same look until she landed on Cain, lingering a moment longer before turning away to look at the rest of the men. "We'll give you all new tomorrow, I can assure you that. But I know some of you have other jobs for the night." She gestured towards the door of the second room, watching as a few of the knights rose and bowed in return before starting out of the room.
 
The knights outside the room just continued to stand guard the entire day, none of them leaving or complaining and finding ways to make the day more a bit faster. None of them were there by duty alone though, every single knight, especially the ones outside the room, respected the king and were there regardless of title. Of course Cain's thoughts were the same but slightly more intense, not only worried about the king, a man who had done a tremendous amount for him, but also Arianna. So more than any other person there he was worried, for the king and for the princess, hoping nothing bad would befall either. When the Queen finally came out to address them, and dismiss them, the knights all stood and looked at her, curious but unquestioning. Cain couldn't help but notice one thing though, how the Queen, while looking to each man, lingered on Cain, as if she knew something she wasn't supposed to. He didn't flinch or show signs or nervousness, he simply bowed and headed out of the room like the rest of them, wishing the news didn't have to wait until the next day but having to move on and get to his other duties.

Even when out of the room his mind lingered, on both the King and the look he had received from the Queen. He wasn't exactly sure what to think about either situation but it weighed quite heavily on his mind compared to the other less essential things he had left to do. Not that catching the thief was unimportant but compared to the king it seemed like such a menial task. He would do his best regardless, continue to use the search pattern despite the previous nights failure, and hopefully apprehend the woman. There was still a bit of time before he had to go out on patrol though and he spent that time gathering himself, going over where the guards would be and where he should best keep an eye out, even going out and scouting ahead of time, making sure he hadn't missed anything and giving himself some time alone to think before the nightly patrols began. When they did it didn't take long for it to all begin anew, guards roaming the streets, a few on the rooftops, and Cain amid it all searching from various angles to try and catch sight of the female thief.
 
There was silence inside of the room for the longest time as the family settled in for dinner, remaining beside the king for as long as they could. Arianna's thoughts were no longer with the knight like they had been before nor on the streets outside. Her father was the only thing important to her at that moment. That is, until things went wrong. In an instant, without notice, her father took a horrible turn for the worst. The medics inside of the room refused to let their family remain inside the room, needing them out in case the worst would happen. Her mother downright refused to leave, which the medics could no longer argue with, but the children were forced out into the waiting room. Celia and Zachary sat calmly for the longest time, waiting to hear, but the eldest princess felt the need to pace the room in response to being locked out. After close to two hours of waiting, the children were called back inside. And minutes later, Arianna left the room, slamming the doors behind her as she made her way back to her room. There was nothing they could do. The streets were calling to her and the princess could only hope they had something there to get her mind away from the worst possible scenario she had to deal with.

It was later in the night than it had been in the past, but the thief appeared once again. Coming from what seemed to be no where, Arianna crept along the streets. Her mind was fogged as she went, not paying as much attention as she had during her past outings. She had barely thought of what was out there as she approached a new target, sneaking towards the normal passage at the side of the building. She paused for a moment, searching the streets around her before entering the alley, only to pause against the wall for a moment before opening the window and sliding inside to begin her search. Despite the swarm of thoughts in her mind, Arianna didn't waste her time. She grabbed what looked good and expensive and exited the building, crossing back out to the street just below the building Cain happened to be standing on high above her.
 
At first the night seemed uneventful, nothing to be seen once again and he couldn't help but feel a tad crestfallen. Truthfully he had more important things on his mind though and part of the time he found himself zoned out, staring over the city aimlessly. It wasn't until he caught a familiar sight out of the corner of his eye that he began to pay attention once more, his eyes darting to the thief below him. A small smirk spread across his lips as he looked down at her, he was worried about other things but catching her would be a positive point for his day. So he watched for a moment, following the movements as she approached the building and going into an alleyway before proceeding entering her target building. He was perched on the side of the building like a hawk watching a mouse, his eyes glued to the building until she came back out, watching her move across the street and even closer to his perch. He continued to watch for some time and finally with a small chuckle he descended down from his spot on the roof and landed on the ground right in front of the thief.

Cain landed in front of the woman with a rather intimidating stance, on one knee with a hand on the ground and the other on his sword. He drew it quickly, ignoring the slight pain from his wounds due to the rough landing but quickly coming off the ground and putting his sword at her throat. He didn't stop there though, she was a quick one and he took his opportunity to slam her against the closest wall, his sword still at her through but his weight keeping her from escaping his grasp again. "Finally... I finally got you..." The look on his face was not one he showed around Arianna or many for that matter, it was scary, confident, strong. "Looks like my day is going to end well at least." He was practically talking to himself but it was obvious he had become rather happy after a bad day and he wasn't about to let it end in disappointment. "Now show me your face, I'd like to be the first to see just who exactly you are before I turn you over to the guards..." He wasn't going to release his grip and give her a chance to escape, no he would make her do that. Cain was so curious to see what she looked like, who she was, finally put a face to his mysterious adversary, and hopefully end their little cat and mouse.
 
Arianna didn't expect the knight to drop down right in front of her. She froze in her spot, her mind stumbling over what he had just done, barely having a chance to react before he drew his blade and slammed her against the wall. A muffled whimper came from her as she hit the solid object behind her, feeling not only threatened but frightened by the man in front of her. Never before had any one physically threatened her and certainly never held a blade of any sort to her throat. It wasn't his words that bothered her, but his actions on top of everything she had gone through that day piled up, making the princess not only unstable but an emotional wreck. His demands didn't do anything to settle her nerves. "Don't kill me," she begged, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the tears from swelling in the corners of her eyes. "Cain, don't..."

Without another word, she reached up, trying to move away from the man's blade and against the wall as much as she could as she began to remove the scarf she had been using to keep her identity a secret. Her hair fell from it first and although it was tied back in a low ponytail, it fell onto her shoulders as soon as it was loosened, followed quickly by the rest of her face. Arianna had kept the emotions away for now, but it was clear that things were beginning to build up against the floodgates of self control, soon to be released once the knight realized who was truly standing in front of him. "Don't tell anyone," she continued to beg. "People don't... need to know." Not now. Not with the news of the king's swift passing coming out the next morning. Finding out that the princess was the 'dangerous thief' wasn't something the city needed to know.
 
Cain's moment of victory shattered into pieces the moment he heard the thief's voice, that sweet beautiful voice he had heard so many times over the past couple of days. Even before the face was revealed he knew, he knew that the woman he loved was the same thief he had been hunting. His face went from confident and scary to pale and fearful, not wanting to accept what he was hearing and soon after seeing. It was as if he were in a nightmare, one that he desperately wanted to wake from. "No..." He muttered a single word, stumbling back from the woman, his grip on the blade being loosened as he backed a few steps away, quickly thereafter the weapon falling from his hand and onto the ground with a loud clang. There she stood, right in front of his very eyes, Arianna was his thief, she was the one he had been sent to hunt. How long had she been doing it, before he had come back obviously, and all the times she had wished him luck over the past couple of days, encouraged him, stopped him from losing hope. Had it all been some sick joke? Was he part of her game. It was that wasn't it, a game, it wasn't like she had the stomach to be a criminal, she hadn't sold any of the items she had stolen, nothing. It had to be a game, and one he was being used in like a pawn.

The knight just looked at her, his eyes stuck on the princess in disbelief, the man stumbling back and leaning against an opposite wall. He couldn't make sense of why. It made it worse how distraught she seemed to be, how she had to beg for him not to kill her, how she was begging him not to tell anybody. Conflict tore at the young knight as to what he should do, whether he should turn her in, hold even her accountable, or simply look the other way. It wasn't an easy decision and not one he as willing to make instantly, especially not in such a confused state. Finally he spoke, his voice almost cracking, light, as if he were scared to ask the questions for fear of the answers he would receive. "Has it always been you? The thief... I mean, how long have you been making a fool out of everybody... How long have you been making a fool out of me? Wishing me luck without meaning it, encouraging me and laughing behind my back..." He nearly barked the next part like a wounded animal, mad at himself more than her. "Was my helplessness a joke to you? Is that why you spent time with me... Just so you could keep tabs on me for part of this game?" Cain was not a man easily hurt but this was a moment where even he was losing it. "Answer me Arianna... Explain yourself." Her name was not spoken sweetly or kindly, he couldn't do it, he couldn't be nice for risk of letting his emotions completely get in the way, the feelings he had so quickly developed would cloud his mind and he would end up knowing nothing, continuing to be strung along.
 
The princess wasn't stupid. She knew the truth hurt him, which was why she was trying to hold off for as long as she could, until the rush died down and she could finally stop. This wasn't how she saw things going in the slightest and if she could, she would take it all back in that very instant. It was all too late. there was no way to now. She could only hope that no one saw where she had gone and no one followed. Cain could keep the secret, or so she thought. He would need to now. There was no other option. But Cain was shocked, far more than Arianna thought he would be. She knew she had given him a run for his money each night and frustrated him to no end, but to see him that shocked and that affected by it bothered her more than she would want to admit. then the questions came, those that she had to answer to hope that he didn't turn her in to the other guards, or someone more important.

The way he accused her set Arianna off. She may have acted like a criminal, but in her eyes, she wasn't. Not because she was a princess by birth, but because she never kept the items. Even what she had in her bag she meant to return. If she couldn't get out of this, she would give it to Cain for him to do before the morning came. But the man across from her was accusing her of things she didn't mean, of feelings she didn't like or want to admit to. It was only fuelling the frustrating fire that ignited earlier that day inside of her. "I was bored!" she snapped in return, pushing off of the wall, stepping towards the knight. Her voice dropped again, but the enraged tone of being accused didn't stop. "No. I did not just talk to you for that reason. After your first night out, I'll admit, I did. I needed to know what you knew. But things changed. Drastically." She continued forward towards him, cornering him into the wall this time as she fought back. "I never laughed at you, I swear. I just wanted to see f I could do it," she explained. "I needed excitement. You've seen the castle. It's worse at night than during the day." Every word she said was the truth; she just needed Cain to believe her.
 
Cain wasn't strong enough to rebound from the news so quickly, in fact his mental strength had been weak for some time, the war making him unable to process things well. The gravity of the situation, a woman he was quickly coming to love being a criminal, at least in the eyes of the people, one he had a duty to arrest, it was making things difficult. Her reason didn't help much, he was forced to steal once, to rob people of their things, but it had been for survival, not out of boredom. Hell he wasn't perfect, he could even take some comfort in the fact that she denied their entire relationship was entirely for her little game, though hearing that part of their time together had been for her amusement stung. There was the possibility that she was trying to manipulate him but he shoved that away, he couldn't handle it if that were the case. Not only that but if it wasn't all a lie, if she were telling him the truth, then he knew that wasn't the type of person she was. Because for all of the lies that came with her being the thief there were things she couldn't have faked, who she was.

The knight continued to stand there for a moment, looking at Arianna from his position slunk against the wall. For a moment he didn't say anything, just looking at the woman as if trying to decide whether or not to take her at her word or not, and if so what to do with all of that. Because even if she had feelings for him, even if it wasn't all a joke, it was hard to swallow. Eventually though he spoke, his voice still low but slightly calmed down, normal, "Boredom... You couldn't have found a different hobby?" He didn't expect an answer to the question, and he looked into her eyes afterwards, trying to think of what to say. "You really have done it though, whether you meant to or not you have forced me into a situation I shouldn't have to be in. Sitting here, with a wanted criminal, whether you want to think of yourself that way or not, and having to choose between you and my reputation, who I am." Cain sighed, he had been a knight for a good while, never had he let his personal feelings get in the way of his judgement and his job, but now he was in a situation where he questioned even his code of honor. It wasn't an easy code to break because it was the code he lived by, something he would have to live with every day. And why would he be giving her special treatment, because she was the princess, because he had feelings for her, perhaps both. Either way the end was the same, he would lie, cover for her, and along with that he would fail. Cain would have to never catch the thief to keep her from being found out.

Just his thoughts made it obvious he had made up his mind, he hadn't even considered what would happen if he arrested her, only what would happen if he didn't. So he finally pushed himself off the wall, moving past Arianna and behind her, looking around and then turning back to the woman. "Give me what you took and go home." His voice wasn't kind or angry, it was sad, Cain didn't want to be in the situation he was in but he cared too much for Arianna to just do his job, cared too much for her family. Her father didn't need to know and he couldn't bear to tell him, just as he couldn't bear taking Arianna in. "Please hurry Arianna, I want to get this over with." Soiling his honor wasn't an easy thing, the faster he could get it over with the better, that way he could move on, though he wasn't so sure what moving on would be, what he would do. He guessed it would be like it had been before, just the additional burden of what he had done. He just hoped he was making the right decision, though the alternative seemed so outrageous that he couldn't find a reason he wasn't, save the little voice in the back of his head asking him if it were really the right thing.
 
Arianna wanted to. She wanted to find another hobby. It had just never happened and by the time she was caught, she was regretting every bit of what she had done. It gave her an opportunity to do something she never would have done in the past, but she was stupid to think she could simply get away with it all. With her mind being elsewhere, she didn't get a chance to think about what she was doing or the proper places she should be standing. She knew it was her fault, that she had backed herself into this corner, but she was hoping it wouldn't turn out like this. Now though, it was far too late. She was sure the man was going to arrest her then and there and turn her over.

She was shocked when Cain let her go and it was hard for her to hide her reaction. She turned to face the man before swiftly digging in the the bag, pulling out what she needed to give him. A few spoons, all made of fine silver. It was enough to make the shop's owner sweat, just as she always did in the times before. Without a bit of hesitation, Arianna handed the wares to the knight before dropping her hand again to her side, pulling in a sharp breath as soon as she attempted to control her emotions after the long, tiring day.

"I'm sorry Cain," she spoke up, taking a few steps towards the closest entrance to the castle. "I am. Really. Just please don't tell anyone." She stopped long enough to beg the man. "People don't need to hear about this. Not after my father..." She looked up, her eyes landing on the knight in front of her. It was clear there was emotion in her words, but she couldn't quite explain to him with just a look what she was feeling. The princess doubted she could even describe it properly if she had the chance. "Just promise me no one will find out."
 
Cain took a deep breath as Arianna handed him the stolen items, confirming that she was in fact the thief beyond just seeing her go in and out of the building. Silver, expensive and while it wasn't anything huge it was enough to hurt a shopkeeper if it was taken. He shook his head, holding the items in his hand and looking back to Arianna with a stern look on his face, he couldn't believe she had done something so stupid. Her begging just made him more angry, he had already told her to go home, that he could handle it, but it was as if she didn't believe him. "Arianna, just go home! Forget about this and don't you dare do it again! I will take care of this." He raised the stolen items up and shook them, he wasn't going to tell anyone, he couldn't and her thinking she had to beg to secure his loyalty was almost as bad as the lying, it was as if she had some horrible image of him in her head. His voice lowered when he spoke again, not wanting to continue yelling, "Seriously, please just go, you shouldn't be out here in the first place princess..." He didn't use her name that time, he wasn't being intimate when he used it before and he was trying to make a point.

After telling her to go home that last time he turned away and walked back to the building, not turning to look at her, he couldn't bring himself to do so. Instead he found the window she had used to get in and went through, making his way inside and placing the pieces near some other silverware. He found his way out just as quickly, being quick and sneaky about it, making sure nobody saw him as he didn't care to explain it to anyone, it was too much trouble. As he continued patrolling, not wanting it to be suspicious if he quit early, he had some time to think, all of it about Arianna, what he had found out, what she had said. It was near the end of the night that he thought about the mention of her father, after the days scare, the lack of news, she seemed so sad. It didn't excuse what she did, it obviously wasn't recent, but it made him slightly curious about what was going on. Hell as angry and disappointed as he was he still had feelings for her, was loyal to her father, it worried him. He would just have to wait and see what was going on.

Upon returning to the castle he had to debrief the men, giving them a made up story about how he had once again caught up to the thief and stopped her before she could hit a shop, scaring her off yet again. He could at least save some face that way, as he had in fact chased the thief down and with the items returned nobody would know the difference. He just had to hope that people didn't think too badly of him once again missing out, especially when the thief stopped being seen on the streets. It didn't make the situation better really, he wasn't going to sleep well, not with all of the information he had just found out. Even when he found his way back to his room for the night he couldn't settle himself, he wasn't sure what in the hell he was going to do about Arianna.
 
It took Arianna longer than normal to return to her bedroom, still blown away with what had happened on the streets. The man whom she believed would be there for her during this time was now against her. She saw it coming, but never wanted to admit it nor allow it to happen. And certainly not this soon. There was no more time to argue as they were running close to getting caught by another group of guards. The whole scene was still running through the princess's mind as she entered her private room, locking the door behind her as soon as she was inside. She could only hope that Cain really would take care of it and her name wouldn't slide out in the following conversations. She knew there was a problem with him and what he was doing by going against everything he believed in, but she couldn't help but feel grateful for what he was doing. In the end, he was saving not only her own pride but that of the kingdom as well.

Arianna didn't budge from her room all night. She kept herself silent and slept for most of the night until her mind woke her long enough to worry once again about what had happened that day. On the one night when she really needed her rest, it was impossible to get. Arianna cursed her luck as she laid in bed, waiting to fall back to sleep. It didn't take very long for her to drift back to sleep after an hour of waiting. The castle was dead silent as if death had washed over the entire home instead of just the single room. The death of the king was yet to be released, even that late in the day, but by the time the knights had woken up, they had been called into a large meeting with the royal family as the first to find out.

Cain was awoken by a demanding knock on his door. Another member of his ranks was waiting outside to tell him their latest order. "We've been summoned to the great hall," he informed the man cautiously. "Her majesty would like to speak to the knights as soon as possible."
 
Cain's night had been horrible and he hadn't been asleep when the knock came to his door, in fact he was just sitting in a chair drinking a strong alcoholic beverage. He had been drinking for some time and he looked like hell when he opened up the door, looking at the man with a rather aggravated look but he didn't snap and spoke calmly. "I understand, I will head there in a moment." He didn't wait for any additional response and shut his door, going back inside and making sure to clean himself up. He didn't want to see the Queen in his current condition and he knew it would be obvious what he had been doing, not only the appearance but the smell lingering on his clothing and breath. So the knight found some fresh clothing as quickly as he could, chewing some mint to freshen his breath, and did his best to rouse his senses before he left the room, his mind still weighed down but his appearance at least slightly better. It had just come as such a shock, that all the time he had been with Arianna, all the times he had spoken to her about himself and his job, that she was the person he had been trying to catch, that she had fooled him in such a way. It didn't allow Cain to put on a smile and act like it would all be okay, because he didn't know whether he would be.

That feeling grew when he arrived at the great hall and didn't see the king. That with yesterdays events and the look on the Queen's face made it clear what had happened, and it all clicked instantly. Not only what had happened, something Cain, and seemingly everyone else in the hall had figured out before words were even spoken, but what Arianna had said to him the night before. It seemed she had known before it happened, that her father wasn't going to make it. That explained a lot. Not that it excused anything, it hadn't been a one-time thing, she had been stealing for some time and even before her father became ill. Still, he couldn't help but feel concern for her, it was only natural with how much he cared for her, even if it was hard for him to deal with at the current time. The Queen snapped him out of his thoughts, her voice soft and slightly strained when she spoke. "A great tragedy has struck our kingdom... Last night... Last night my husband took a turn for the worst. He had been sick for some time and while he was being treated it wasn't enough. So today we must mourn the loss of our king, and I know I can count on all of you to be here for my family and for the kingdom in these trying times..." It was obvious the Queen was having a hard time speaking and all the knights understood, she loved her husband and they respected him, it was indeed a great loss.

Of course Cain could have sworn she looked at him specifically, the knight standing in the front as his rank dictated, but he wasn't sure, though she probably had her suspicions about him and her daughter. He had felt that way the day before as well, when she spoke to the knights, as if she were singling him out, watching him, perhaps even trying to figure it out. Truthfully none of that mattered, at the moment the knights just stood there, some even crying, others moving up to speak to the royal family and give their condolences. Cain, while knowing deep down that Arianna could use someone to talk to, while knowing he should have been up there comforting her, could not. Instead he gave a respectful bow to the Queen, spoke a few reassuring words, "I will handle everything on our end, don't worry about a thing." With that he left, leaving the room and heading towards the knights area once more, not knowing what else to do but work. He couldn't just go to talk to Arianna, he didn't know how, and while he respected the king he wasn't one to slow down when a death occurred, he knew better, he knew he had to continue doing his job, even more so. It was just so confusing, he couldn't get himself to go up and speak to Arianna when he was in the great hall, but he couldn't stop thinking about her when he left, she was all that was on his mind, even as he tried to organize what he could do to take some pressure off the Queen in the trying times.
 
Arianna was almost dragged from her bed by Isabelle, who had finally gotten into her room after much struggling. The princess was forced into proper clothing just so she could come in front of the knights for the first formal announcement of the news. To say the princess was cross would be speaking simply. Arianna was stupid fuming from the events of the night before. It was all directed towards herself, but the harsh feelings where there no matter what. Much like her mother's, her dress was a shade of a dark black cloth, made of a simple weave, yet the story and the meaning of the dress was what made it special and that much more important. When the two women finally made it down to the hall, many of the knights had already gathered and more were flooding in. The blonde looked around the room for the man she knew but let out a quick breath when she noticed that he wasn't there just yet. By the time she joined the rest of her family in the front of the room, the rest of the knights had come inside and the doors were closed for the private meeting.

Zachary's eyes were constantly moving, scanning the men in front of him that were soon to be loyal to him. His mother was taking care of informing them of what had happened, much to his joy. The last thing he wanted was to have to make his first presentation in front of people and have it about such a touchy subject. Luckily, the guards took it well and everyone was just a bit more relaxed about it when they watched the reactions of the men around them. Each one seemed to be taking it in their own way and it was clear that they all were affected by the news. Their words to the family gave little comfort, but they thanked them for what they were doing no matter what they happened to say. Again, the meaning behind them and what they really were trying to get across was what really mattered and each one was welcomed.

As the room began to clear out, the queen began to give her children certain jobs that they had to begin working on. If Zachary had to start preparing to take of the throne, then his sisters would have to do their part as well. Celia was in charge of the staff of the palace, organizing several aspects inside of the home along with giving them the support they were sure to need when the time came for them to learn the news. The queen was helping her son and taking care of telling the news while Arianna was given the task of speaking to the knights, doing much of what Celia was doing with them. She began to argue, asking if the two women could switch, but her mother knew better than to let Celia work around 'her champion', when she could be influenced so easily at this point.

Arianna couldn't argue after that and followed along with several of the knights back to their main meeting room where she knew Cain would be waiting and planning. Many of the other higher ranking knights were there as well, ready to work together to come up with their next steps.
 
Cain still couldn't get his head on straight, even as he sat in a room with all of the high ranking Knights. He was supposed to be talking to them but his current state made that difficult, not just how exhausted he was but how focused his mind seemed to be on Arianna. After a moment he stood up though, looking to all the men who were looking at him expectantly and taking a deep breath before speaking, doing his best to sound calm and collected. "Alright men, these are trying times and I know there is going to be a lot to do but I want to say something before we get down to business..." He took a few steps away from the seat he had been using and towards his men, looking to each of them for a moment before speaking again. "The king was a great man, I know he did more for me than most would have and he was always fair. Now, without his strength and kindness the kingdom will be under great stress and we need to be here to support them." With that he stepped forward again, looking at them for a moment, he could see they were ready, his fellow knights being men of honor and strength, they all knew what they had to do even before Cain spoke about what they were going to do. Not that he had everything figured out but he had some ideas of where to start and it was going to be hard work.

Of course as Cain noticed Arianna walk into the room he knew it was going to be much harder for himself to deal with being around her than it would be handling the knights and helping the kingdom. He looked over at her and then to the men, he knew she would have things to say so he stopped himself from speaking, he had some ideas but he knew she was there for a reason, and he doubted it was to speak with him. He wouldn't know what to do if she wanted to talk, he wouldn't say no but he wasn't sure what he would say. Business was different than personal though and he nodded to the men, approaching Arianna, his eyes revealing the difficulty he was having just a bit, but he managed to keep his voice calm. "Princess, I am sorry for the loss of your father... If there is anything you need from us please ask, we will do whatever is needed." He gave an incredibly respectful bow and all the other knights did the same, and while it was a bit awkward for Cain the knights were just expecting something from the eldest daughter. Cain wondered just what she would be saying though, if him and his men would have some specific duties from the Queen or their soon to be king, or if Arianna was just there to see what they had planned to pick up the slack or just keep tabs. It was ironic really, that of all the people to watch the knights it was her.
 
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