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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Arianna involuntarily tensed with the man's words but gave him a chance to speak before she lifted her hand. It was a simple motion that she was directing towards all the knights instead of just the man who had approached her. "You may start by making that your last condolence," she informed them, crossing to the spot where Cain was once standing, facing the men inside of the room. Whatever sunny joy she once had in her voice was gone. It was clear that she was hurt, but to most they wouldn't be able to guess just how much. Her father's death took a lot out of her and with Cain's sudden change on top of that, she was worn out. The exhaustion was in her eyes but a twinge of annoyance was playing with her words, coming out in harsher tones than what she would like. Before she spoke to the men, she took a breath to relax herself, hoping her tone would come out better than before.

"My mother has asked that I sit in on your planning," she began, letting her eyes scan over the table, making sure to meet each person's eyes at least once, long enough for them to know she was speaking to them. This included Cain, despite how uncomfortable it would be. Arianna had to be careful not to treat him any differently, certainly not at this time. "She has a few suggestions, or items she would like to be watched for and kept in check." Arianna folded her hands behind her as she took another moment to herself before her gaze settled on the table in front of her. "This will come as a huge shock to many in the city as you could only imagine. People may become unpredictable and we need you all to handle it. The guards will be there to help you as always. I trust between the two groups, everything will continue to run smoothly.

"A funeral will take place as soon as things are organized." Arianna closed her eyes as her entire body tensed, the air around her growing more uncomfortable. "As soon as my family learns what's going on, you will be told." Slowly, she let her eyes crack open, but they remained on the table, refusing to look at any one person this time. We'll need your assistance when it comes to the procession and the final burial. The crowds will be..." Arianna let out a soft, shuddering breath. "...large, we would imagine."
 
Arianna's demand that no more condolences be made didn't surprise Cain, he would have said the same thing if he were in her place, though he had only been that close to a few people and none had been his parents. Besides, Arianna was definitely the type to forgo niceties and focus, and Cain wouldn't disrespect her wishes. So he nodded, the rest of the knights understanding as well. It was impressive though, seeing her strong even if her sadness was obvious in other ways. Cain was probably the only one in the room that knew how much it hurt her, how strong she actually was and how much of the pain she could hold back with will alone. A tinge of sadness touched his heart, he wanted to be there for her, talk to her, but at the same time he couldn't and especially not at their current location, even if he wanted to. No doubt he would have to talk to her about it eventually, as it seemed she was going to be there for quite some time, sitting in on their plans to move forward after the kings death. He had already thought about the shock from the city people and he had considered the funeral, it would all be fine, he would make sure to take some pressure off the royal family.

Cain could see Arianna was struggling to speak, probably not able to keep up the act for long, so the man stepped up near her, in front of all the men and looked over them. "I would like to reinforce what the princess just said about the general public. No doubt here soon we will have increased crime rates, the possibility of riots as there always are, and possibly even the fear of an invasion after losing a strong leader. It is up to us to ensure none of this is allowed to get out of control. We need to shut down crime, work to prevent any riots, and reassure the people that we are still strong." He took a moment and looked over them. "So, we will be doubling our presence in the city, increasing our training efforts, and when the upcoming tournament begins I want us to show the strongest presence of all the participating kingdoms. In fact I expect us to take at least two of the top three spaces in every event..." It didn't sound important but Cain knew what that would do for the people after the loss of the king and it wasn't that far away. He was sure they could do it as well, with a few of the other knights specific skills combined with his would give them a showing of strength.

"Other than that I want you all on the lookout and I will have specific instructions for all of you and the rest of the knights later, after I have had some time to work everything out." Cain couldn't immediately assign duties, he had to work it out to not make people work more time than they could take, leave time for training, and allow for some changes along the way. He also had to get information about the upcoming tournament, make sure he picked the right people to get ready for the right events, and give everyone enough time to decompress, the knights were humans as well and they would feel the stress. He would take advantage of the guards in the city to pick up some slack and allow his men some rest. "Until then go and tell the others what we are going to be doing the next while and prepare them for what is to come. Hopefully we can keep everything stable and prevent most of what could be coming our way. Trying is the least we can do..." With that the men nodded and dispersed, Cain turning to Arianna. "I will keep you in the loop when I figure out who exactly I am assigning where and what the schedules are going to be. You can stay around here if you feel you need to and observe but I believe the routine will be mostly preparation for awhile with the men and I will need some time to get everything organized." He wanted to say something personal but he just stood there, looking at her awkwardly like he was trying to read how she would react, though he still didn't even know what to say.
 
Despite the feelings she had about the man beside her, Arianna was grateful that he was ready to take over and speak to the men in her place. Everything he said was exactly what she believed was right and more importantly what she really wanted to say. Words weren't coming as easily as she had hoped they would. The knights weren't giving her any sort of pressure to speak or be the perfect princess, but all of the events were adding up. If it wasn't for Cain taking over when he did, there was a good chance the meeting would have ended sooner than it did. Cain kept his promise to win the tournament, even if not directly saying it. If the knights won the contest, it would certainly be a moral booster for the whole kingdom, not to mention a crowd-pleaser.

As soon as the men left, Arianna let herself fall into a state that was more normal. She still felt more comfort with Cain than she did with the other men that were once in the room and she knew that it was safe to fall back from her powerful front when he was around her. The princess leaned against the table once she was sure the men had left and shrugged her shoulders, crossing her arms over her body in a defensive manner. "My mother wants me to be the bridge between your ranks and my family." She closed her eyes just for a moment before opening them, letting her attention turn towards Cain. "Zachary doesn't think he's ready to take over. We had to split up the jobs to help support him." Arianna fell silent for a moment before she stood up, meeting the man's eyes.

"I must request something from you," she began, a serious tone returning to her voice. "Help to give him the confidence he needs. Do everything you can to support him without going too far out of your way. That's how you can repay my father; help his son." It didn't matter what the two had recently gone through or how long they'll stumble in the future. If it was for her brother, Arianna would ignore the tense air the two of them would feel, just as long as she could help him.
 
Cain had no problem being kind to Arianna even if he was having a hard time showing it directly, he was still the same man he had shown her over the past few days. Deep down he knew she was the woman he knew her to be as well, even if it was hard to accept the mistake she had made by stealing from the people. She was also still the same woman who would do whatever she could for those she loved and her brother was one of those people, so when she asked for his help he knew it was her asking, not just as a way to repay her father. "You don't have to worry, I will be supporting Zachary and your entire family every way I can. He will become a great king with experience and until then the least I can do is help him. Just keep me informed, even with my rank I do not get informed of everything, if I am needed and am not there assume I do not know, because if I do I will make time." He was being sincere, whatever they needed of him he would do, including helping Zachary gain confidence, something he knew he could do for sure. Not just with combat training, something that definitely helped build confidence, but by just talking to the boy and making him realize there was no reason not to be confident, that he would make a good king and that his people believed in him.

As he spoke to Arianna Cain had found himself staring into her eyes, his ability to resist doing so easily broken down upon hearing her soft voice and noticing how she still dropped her guard around him. His voice had changed a bit as well, even if he hadn't noticed, becoming more casual and personal than it would when he was addressing his men or anytime else. "Do not think Zachary is the only one I will be here to help Arianna..." He said her name, forgetting to address her as princess as they were alone. "I will be here for your entire family, for you." A smile rose on his face, reassuring and firm, he couldn't stop himself. Of course it wasn't going to be easy to slip back into the way they had been, not after the night before and he wasn't trying to, not so quickly, but behind it all there was no doubt he still had feelings for Arianna. It wasn't a hidden fact either, as much as Cain wished he could hide his feelings, the way he looked at her and the softness in his voice, it was proof that his feelings hadn't gone, that she still held his heart even if he didn't know what to do with that. It was not the time to talk though, so before they could stay in silence too long he spoke again, his voice a bit more serious, trying to move past their little moment. "Um, anyways, I will go ahead and make some preparations, please, make yourself comfortable and ask me anything you don't understand as the process goes through. I assume you will be the bridge for some time, I want you to understand what is going on." With that he moved to begin his work, having plenty to do, and trying to keep his mind off the fact that Arianna was so close by.
 
Arianna's attention was quickly grabbed by his promise, if she wanted it to be or not. Just as he had, her feelings for him were still there and strong. She knew they would be going through a rough patch that wouldn't end quickly, but the two would have to push that aside so they could move forward.

After a few days, the details of what was going on were simply blurring together. Arianna was working closely with many of the knights, ironing out details and important information that had to be covered before anything more could happen. Days turned to weeks and before Arianna knew it, their attention had been turned to the new event hovering over their heads. Zachary stepped up into the position of ruler with his mother at his side to give him the guidance he needed. Arianna on the other hand, was still in charge of working with the knights and making sure they were doing what they needed to. Her relationship with Cain had been patched up, but was nowhere near what it once was. The two could be in the room together and not want to ignore each other, which was a large step in the right direction. The other knights knew something was off, but nothing was said to them; they only accepted that the two were now peaceful once again.

The tournament was a few weeks out when they started planning. A location was set and events were put in place perfect for their own men as well as the two kingdoms who were coming to compete. Arianna seemed a bit on edge when it came to planning, but she was careful to keep a level head while the finer details were set up. The royals would be offered rooms inside of the castle while their visiting competitors and onlookers were to rest in the city's inns and camp in the open field beside the tournament grounds.

Weeks turned to days.

Before Arianna knew it, she was waking up and getting ready to meet royals she hadn't seen in over a year. Deirdre, the princess from the Coastal kingdom of Sevoar, was a good friend of Arianna's. Their fathers had been friends for years and the two used to visit each other and play in the deeper portions of the castles, avoiding trouble but making up their own secret worlds full of monsters and sweet, handsome princes. On the other hand, Prince Denton, the man next in line to the throne of Geacia, certainly wasn't one of Arianna's favourite people. He had competed for her hand in the past and now there was no doubt that he was next in line in her mother's eyes to take the princess's hand. Arianna surprisingly didn't argue as she left her room and started out to the temporary grounds and stands. Ciel was ready at the door along with many of the knights, her mother and two siblings. The group were ready to lead the townspeople who were waiting for them in the large marketplace. This was a large and important event for the kingdom and no one was going to miss it.
 
Cain had worked hard over the next week to ensure everything went smoothly, working with Arianna and the other knights to keep things under control within the city. The disappearance of the thief went nearly unnoticed but was one less stress the people had to worry about after the death of the king. For the next couple of weeks the knights worked to settle disputes, keep the people calm, and to support Zachary and the royal family. That included the funeral of the king which had been a grand procession and something the people needed, something to celebrate the man who had been so fair for so long. Of course also over the weeks Cain and Arianna began to draw closer again, they could talk and spend time alone, though it wasn't back to what it had been. It was getting there though, he still loved her and while it was delicate the feelings were there from both of them, it was clear. It only became a more solid friendship over that time, they took some time to go through steps they had skipped, a few outings and working together to keep the kingdom running really did wonders. It also helped that Zachary and the Queen had asked him to consider staying even after he finished healing, his wounds having scarred but completely healed by that time. They both requested he stay in the city instead of heading back to the front lines and he accepted, he knew they needed him there and truthfully he didn't want to go back, even if he felt some need to help those on the front lines.

It all seemed to settle down, Cain would be staying and he focused on the city and the knights. He trained them, inducted new people into the program, the city was holding together. It didn't leave much free time as the tournament approached, going from protecting the people to preparing the city keeping the knights busy and Cain was busier than any. He had to plan for the increased amount of people in the city, overlook the preparations for the tournament grounds, train the knights participating after the declaration he had made, and he had to keep himself up to speed as well. Long nights and hard days allowed him to accomplish everything as it got closer and closer until the day finally came. Cain was ready though, he had several knights trained specifically for different events, he himself had become even more sharp than he had been when he arrived back from the front lines with a healed body as well, and the entire city was ready for the guests from the other kingdoms. It was set to be quite the show and while it had slipped his mind for awhile, his promise to Arianna came back quickly when the day arrived. Not just the one to take two places in every event as knights of the kingdom, but the promise he had made just to her, that he would defeat the prince who wanted her hand, that he would protect what they had, what he was wanting again.

On the morning of the arrivals from the other kingdom Cain had been awake early, looking to last minute preparations and taking a good chunk of time to train by himself, ready himself for competition. News was flying around the city about the competition for the princess' hand and it was going to be an interesting tournament. It was more important to think about the present than the future events though, Cain had a lot to do including the walk to the marketplace with the royal family and other knights. Cain was in a rush, not late but cutting it close, having to get his full armor on after his morning training. He looked more grand than usual, the tall knight wearing a full set of plate-mail, though he moved easily in it. At his sides were his two blades, his signature style, and he had a small dagger on the back of his belt. That with the colors of the kingdom gave him a grab appearance, though the standout feature was his face. He had his hair trimmed to a medium length, a clean cut face, his handsome features making him look more like a prince than a knight. Despite his armor he still refused to wear a helmet, it restricted his view and he believed in his skill enough to not wear it for the tournament.

Upon arrival he was greeted with cheers from knights and townsfolk, the support of the people being given to Cain as their most probable champion. Not that he was the only one, he hadn't been around for the last tournament, there was another within the knights ranks but it was likely Cain would come out ahead. He gave a nod to the people before turning to the royal family and giving a deep bow. "I apologize for being here a bit late my lord." He was addressing Zachary but as he stood straight up he looked over to Arianna and gave her a small wink, he was ready to meet the other kingdoms, to see who he would be defending the princess against.
 
Over the month after Zachary took the crown, the new king had grown into the title. Thanks to the help of those living inside of the palace the teenager picked up on his jobs, the proper order of which business was conducted and more importantly, Zachary was on the right path to not only continue his father's work but to expand it and give his own personal twist on what had been planned. Everyone in the kingdom seemed to be pleased with how well the teen was taking into his position. The air around him had changed for the better, bringing out a more mature and serious royal than Zachary had ever been in the past. It was clear he was taking this seriously.

As Cain approached, Zachary smiled and nodded, fixing the cuffs of his deep purple robe. It had been the latest job for their seamstresses to make new garb for the king, beautifully embroidered with the kingdom's shining sun symbol across the chest. "You're still here early enough, Cain," he told him, taking a chance to look the man over now that he was in his complete armour. "We have some time before the others arrive. Good hosts always arrive early." His mother smiled once she was seated on her mare, making her way towards another group of knights long enough to remind them of what they were going to do that day.

Arianna on the other hand was waiting by her brother, keeping Ciel in one place for as long as she could before he began to grow aggrivated. The younger horse took a look at the dark black one beside him and bumped into him with his nose, grabbing Kahn's attention playfully. Arianna tugged on the reins lightly before turning to Cain just in time to see his wink. "My, don't you look fancy," she teased with a grin, looking over not only the man's armour but his new polished look. He certainly wasn't trying to hide his 'prince charming' side today. "Do you have plans on wooing one of the female knights?" She gestured towards one of the knights who was holding onto Kahn to bring the animal to Cain, which he quickly did. She continued to speak as he did so and the rest of the parade began to form. "Geacia has a few women in their ranks. And from what I've seen, they're nothing to laugh at. Or are you after the next princess, hmm?" She took this chance to smirk, cutting in front of Cain to join the rest of her family in front of the group of knights who were ready to march out to the field. Another commander came over to Cain and greeted him, leading him towards the front where he and the other champions would present themselves to the city.

The parade route was simple; through the market place, down the main road and out the inner gate to one of the farmer's fields that had been volunteered to host the games. It was still inside the protected walls of the city, but was just outside of the main town to give them plenty of room without the risk of breaking anything important. Lines of white canvas tents were already set up outside where the visitors were preparing to stay, along with carts, horses, gear and of course the visitors themselves.

As soon as she made it down to the grand stands where the visiting royals were waiting, Arianna passed Ciel's reins onto the proper stable boy and slid from the saddle. She made her way towards a auburn haired woman, looking to be about her age. There were quick greetings exchanged with many hugs and a quick, short catching up between the two of them. The woman was certainly a princess from simply how she carried herself. Her skin was a sweet, sun-kissed tan, a perfect display of what time out in her kingdom's sunny weather and clear skies had done to her. Deirdre's hazel eyes sparkled as she looked over not only her friend but the knights that had come behind the royal family.

Zachary approached Cain, clearing his throat briefly with a casual smile. "Can I trust you to escort my sister for the day?" he asked, a bit of worry playing in his voice as he attempted to get that business out of the way so he could move on to the next order of business. "It's only right that our champion have the princess at his side." That wasn't his true reason, but it was what the public needed to know. The leech-like prince that was on his way to the field was what the king was truly worried about.
 
Zachary was becoming a great king and Cain was still doing all he could to help the man, today that would be fighting in the tournament and he was prepared to do his king proud. His attention was still mostly on Arianna, as much as the day was supposed to be focused on the glory of the kingdom he was still wanting to win for her sake over anything else. Luckily they were friendly again, though some of the things she said irked him a bit, his feelings for her never having gone away and being more deeply rooted than ever. So when she mentioned him trying to impress a female knight or the 'next' princess he could only hold back a sigh. He didn't make it obvious how he felt, he didn't want it to get awkward after all the time it took for them to become the way they were, because the current Arianna was better than being without her, he didn't want that. "Oh don't worry, I can impress them all." So he gave a response fitting for his true personality, loud enough that only Arianna could hear, and then quickly got up onto Khan, patting the animal firmly on the neck. "Alright boy it's going to be a busy day, hope you're ready." He spoke to Khan, he was confident they would do well, they had been training together for a few weeks in preparation and he was confident the spirited horse would help him claim victory in the jousting event.

The parade was moving soon after that, Arianna going to her place and Cain to his, not far from one another but they could speak. Instead he conversed with a few of the knights around him, assuring them they would do fine and discussing some of the more renowned knights from the other kingdoms. One of them was a female knight, as Arianna had mentioned, and she was known to be quite skilled with a sword. Of course Cain was confident enough but he wouldn't be arrogant, there was a lot at stake and he was ready to defend his title and the kingdom. Zachary quickly added to his determination as he came up and casually asked a favor of him, one Cain was more than happy to agree to. "I would be honored to escort Princess Arianna for the day." His voice was serious and his face relaxed but he was joyous at being her escort, it would be easier to keep the prince away if he was always beside her, especially when he had the kings specific instruction to be there. So he nodded Zachary, "Leave it to me, she will be in good hands."

After reassuring Zachary that Arianna would be in good hands he dismounted Khan, handing the horse over to a squire and sending him off to the stables until the event came about in which he would be needed. Then he turned his attention to the princess, his eyes falling on her and a smile rising on his face, though he quickly wiped the look away, there were too many people to become too openly friendly. Instead he approached with a more appropriate manner, giving a respectful bow to the quite gorgeous princess beside her and then bowing to Arianna as well. "I will be your escort for the day princess, I hope you are not opposed to that." Not that it mattered if she were, and he doubted she would be, because it was an order from the king, one Cain didn't intend on letting go. It was interesting though, while he was incredibly charming when he was free to act like himself, the role of knight fit him well, the bowing and respectful speech along with his new look combining quite splendidly, enough that few would even be able to compete with.
 
Arianna's gaze turned to Cain as he approached, eyeing him carefully until he began to bow. Both her and the visiting princess returned the motion and Deirdre added a flashy smile as they straightened up once again. "My brother's orders?" the blonde questioned, but didn't give much room for a proper answer. "I'm not surprised. No getting around it though." Deep down, Arianna knew this was a good thing. Not only for their in repair relationship, but for when the prince was to arrive. Denton was a flirt. There was no other way of putting it. He would flirt with the lowest of servants if he needed to get something, but his favourite was always the princesses; Arianna to be exact. As soon as Denton crossed the gate into the out-most city, the blonde had to have her guard up as if she was ready to anything to happen.

Deirdre on the other hand was too busy watching the knight in front of them. "You're lucky, Arianna," she commented with a light nudge of the woman's side. "I wish I had a knight this good looking watching over me." She giggled sweetly, clearly teasing the two around her, smiling along with her words. There certainly wasn't a chance that she would pass up this opportunity to harass her friend.

Arianna nudged the other woman's arm before turning back to Cain. "I suppose there's nothing we can do about it," she commented, fighting her natural response of a smile. With Deirdre around, she would now have to behave herself again. While she could relax a bit from how she typically was forced to behave, the princess beside her still didn't know her true nature. Arianna sighed, continuing to play along with her brother's order. "The handsome knight must watch over me." She rolled her bright blue eyes before meeting her friend's hazel, pulling another joyful laugh from her.

"We all know where that will go," she commented, nudging her once again. "Don't be too much of a bother, okay Arianna? You want him to return. You want him to like you."

The blonde gasped, her eyes growing wide as she put her hand on her friend's shoulder, making sure to coat her words with deep, overly exaggerated sarcasm. "Is... Is that how it works, Deirdre? Oh, thank you for telling me! I almost forgot!" Her friend responded with another laugh, making sure to hug her host with one arm.
 
Cain smirked couldn't help but smile when Arianna acted as if it was a burden to be accompanied by him, no getting around it, it was quite the little bit she was doing. He for one was appreciative when the other princess, Deirdre if his briefing had been correct, complimented him. He gave a small nod of thanks and a smile that could easily charm even a princess and then just stood there watching the little show the two put on. It was quite something, not entirely the real Arianna but she was obviously comfortable with the other princess, so much so that they joked back and forth. Arianna acting as if Cain was only there because he was ordered to be, Deirdre implying that something would happen between the two of them if the stories about a princess and her knight were real, or at least he assumed that was where she got the notion. Cain was happy to enjoy their little back and forth, it was humorous and only made more entertaining when Cain thought about where it had been leading but a month ago, how close he had become to Arianna. There had been a setback of course but things were becoming more and more like they had been and it was quite possible his 'ordered' guard duty could help rekindle what they had a lead to what the two were joking around about, or at least part of Cain was hoping it would, he wanted it to.

The little talk was interrupted when just the man he had been sent to watch for arrived, Denton, the prince everyone was so wary of. It was mostly because the man was aiming for Arianna's hand and the tournament was an excuse to impress her, if he could. The man bounded up, his eyes looking over the two people near Arianna for a moment, smirking when he saw Deirdre, his disgusting version of charm coming off sleazy as he eyed her over, and then an even more brief look at Cain before turning his attention to Arianna. "Princess, I was hoping to find you here already." He gave her a smile, perhaps bright and cheery compared to most but it wasn't a Prince Charming smile. "I hope you are excited about the tournament, I plan to win and then ask for your hand, I do hope you would be so kind." The final decision wasn't Arianna's unfortunately, the way royalty worked if he won he was nearly guaranteed her hand. Cain of course stepped in, extending his hand almost rudely but covering it up with one of his smiles, "It's an honor to meet you Prince Denton, I am Knight Commander Cain Rhainor, undefeated champion." It was on.
 
Once the princesses sensed that the prince was approaching them, it was clear that the two tensed. Arianna drew in a quick breath just as he approached their small circle and the air around her changed in an instant. The two gave the man a proper curtsy as he came to a stop beside them and began to speak. Arianna wore a smile, but there was no true emotion behind it as she began to speak. "It hasn't been long enough, your highness," she greeted before turning her gaze away from him, doing everything she could to show her disinterest while still remaining polite and respectful. As much as she hated how he moved like a snake in the grass or how he looked at the princesses, he was still a prince and in the eyes of everyone around them, a princess had to treat him with respect. No matter how he truly acted. She knew exactly what he was planning by suggesting that he would win the tournament, which only sent shivers down her spine at just the thought. Her mother would certainly be rooting for the prince to win, ready to give her troublesome daughter away.

Luckily, Cain stepped in to introduce himself. Deirdre watched the two silently face off in front of the women and smiled. "Oh, well this will be fun," she commented to herself, linking arms with her blonde friend. "We'll leave you two here to duke it out then. Let us know who wins!" The cheerful tone in her voice may have been annoying to some, but Arianna enjoyed the way she tormented the men in her own personal style.

Arianna didn't waste any time in making her exit. She sent a small, light wave towards Denton as the two women turned away, facing the small portable stands that had been set up nearby. Several shop keepers were there already, prepared to offer food and some of the goods that would be in demand, including a blacksmith and Cecil's own stand. He had hired extra help for this gathering and made sure that he had a presence there for the knights to use as needed. "Come along, Cain," Arianna called, knowing that if she left without the man there would be hell to pay from someone. It also gave her a chance to rub their 'forced' relationship in the princes's face.
 
The prince was the type of man Cain didn't like, a man not entirely worthy of the title, though he was rather biased from his feelings for Arianna and what the man was trying to do. He wouldn't allow it, he would make sure and win the tournament, show the prince he wasn't worthy and perhaps try to impress the princess along the way. The Prince didn't seemed terribly fond of his introduction though, the man giving him one hell of a glare as he made it clear winning wasn't going to be so easy. Cain's reputation wasn't one only known to his kingdom though, Denton, as cocky as the man was knew better than to blow Cain off. Instead he snorted, not saying a word but turning his head away from the man and looking to Arianna again, about to say something else but finding himself too quickly blown off by the spirited woman. That got a very quickly laugh from Cain, the man having to quiet himself lest the prince see, because while Cain was of high status for a commoner he was still a commoner and laughing at a Prince could get him into a very irritating situation. It was undeniably funny though, the way Arianna insulted him in the gentlest way possible and how Deirdre was almost looking forward to Cain and Denton going at it.

As they walked away Cain continued standing there, staring at the slightly shorter man without a care in the world. The Prince looked absolutely aggravated and spit out some words not quite charming at all, though princes didn't have to be polite, not like princesses. "Well, I wasn't expecting you to be in the city with the war going on but I will still win, I mean the prize is tantalizing." As Cain was called by Arianna he simply smirked, "Guess we will just have to see, though I have a feeling you'll be settling for second place, because you don't have what it takes to have first." Cain let out a bit of aggression with Arianna being involved but he quickly gave the man a respectful bow and turned away, heading to Arianna's side before he did or said something that really made matters worse. He looked to the princess and gave a small smile as they arrived, "He is certainly an interesting man, very confident that he is going to win the tournament and receive his 'tantalizing prize' or so he called it." He knew what the prize was and he looked over to Arianna, almost trying to tease her without making his intent obvious, not wanting Deirdre to catch on. He just hoped there would be some time where she could act like herself, he liked being around her regardless but it was more enjoyable when she was relaxed and honest.
 
Both Arianna and Deirdre were waiting for the knight to join them before speaking to each other. As long as Cain was around, there was a greater chance of Denton either avoiding them or taking his attention off of the princesses in favour of his newest rival and there was no way to shake the man, thanks to Zachary's orders. No prince could rule over them and it would even be a struggle for a visiting king to do such a thing. Arianna sighed with a slight roll of her eyes before she took a look towards the man. "That boy needs to find a new way to describe me," she commented, making sure to put some extra emphasis on the word 'boy'. In her eyes, Denton didn't deserve the title of prince or even man. He was still a child to her. "He's always been more confident than he should be."

Deirdre nodded in agreement, letting her own aggravation show in the form of a cross look. "He's a snake. Known for sleeping around with plenty of women. Completely on your side, dear sir," she added, letting Cain know what side she'd be rooting for. "Though I wish you'd be in my kingdom competing."

"Aww, Deirdre, you have plenty of knights in your kingdom," the blonde responded, squeezing the woman's arm. Her words were quickly cut off by a horse sliding to a halt just in front of them. The animal had come from the side, breaking just feet from the princesses, pulling a quick, sharp and shocked shriek from the two of them, as they knew just how dangerous that move could have been. Deirdre backed away, moving behind Arianna, who had simply backed up, eyes wide as she looked up at the rider. On the back of the white spotted grey steed sat a woman, wearing a solid mix of leather and plate armour. Her light auburn hair was cut short, just long enough to brush her shoulders but stay out of her face when she needed it to be. Her skin was a dark, rich olive colour, contrasting Arianna's own, but perfect for the country she lived in, which was proudly displayed on her chest, etched into her fitted breast plate.

"Good morning, princess," she greeted with a smug grin. "Topaz got a little out of hand. I apologize. I hope the two of you are not harmed." There was a hit of concern in her voice, but at the same time the woman wasn't the most sincere with her words.

Arianna could hear that right away. "Learn to control him then, Gabriella," she half hissed. "A wild horse will do you no good in the tournament."

The female knight let out a laugh, turning her mount in the other direction before stopping again, letting her eyes rest on the male escorting the two women. "Commander Rhainor. It's an honour to meet you. I've heard tales of your victories on the field. Congratulations."
 
Cain was glad to know he had not only one but two princess' in his corner for the upcoming tournament, though he had a feeling he would be a target because of that fact as well. Not that it was odd for Arianna to be rooting for the kingdom champion, but another kingdom's princess doing the same would be like a target on his back for all of her knights. He didn't much mind but it was something to think about, or to possibly explain some harsh looks or attitudes he would be getting as the tournament went on. Then again he would be receiving the same thing from the prince, Denton, the man no doubt disliking Cain for many reasons after only a brief meeting. Cain only stopped thinking when a horse slid to a half in front of the three of them, the two girls shrieking and jumping back while Cain merely stopped moving silently and looked at the creature. He had been on the receiving end of much more shocking encounters and a horse stopping was not something to shake him up. It was however an easy way to get him to take notice and before she even spoke Cain was looking at the woman atop the horse.

She was quite stunning really, much more beautiful than he had expected a female knight to be. Not that Cain's face changed upon the realization but he did give her a small smile and a courteous bow when she spoke to him. His mood did take a slightly more serious tone when she spoke of his victories on the field, though he remained polite. "It's an honor to meet you as well." He paused for a moment, holding his tongue when it came to the war, he knew what people said about his victories and that was what it was a story, not that the events didn't happen but people refused to give the full tale, the horror that came with the so-called heroism. "Good luck in the tournament, I look forward to seeing what you and your spirited friend can do." He followed up with a smile and moved to stand next to the two princess' again, turning to Arianna afterwards and speaking in a tone even more polite than the one he used with the female knight Gabriella, "We should be getting to your positions soon, I am sure your brother wouldn't want us walking around too long, it can be dangerous." The incident with the horse proved that, though he would have to be getting himself ready soon, sure he had to look after Arianna but once the competitions for the day started and she was with her family and the other royals that wouldn't be necessary, he would have to compete.
 
Arianna seemed to be studying the woman in front of her as the two spoke, making it hard to sort out what exactly she was thinking. Deidre on the other hand, had recovered, regained her composition and was now watching the woman atop of the horse as well. Gabriella smirked at the man's response; he was obviously brushing off her mention of the war. While she didn't blame him, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself in return, nodding and tugging on the reins again. "I'll see you soon, Commander," she commented as the man suggested they all return to their proper positions, and started off towards her country's home base.

The blonde princess didn't waste any time in nodding, turning her attention towards the male beside her. "There will be the opening ceremony soon," she told him. "And another large dinner to welcome our guests. I would imagine it will flow out onto the streets during the night." She smiled at the man, doing her very best to keep it casual, while hints came out from underneath the look. A party meant alcohol would be involved in some manner. The knight obviously knew the princess could sneak out of the castle, which gave her the perfect chance to leave the watchful eyes of her family to join the crowds and the town in celebrating the glorious event that was being held in front of their very eyes. To anyone who really knew Arianna, it was clear what she was planning. She only hoped that the knight would agree to join her.

Either way, Arianna and Deidre started towards the grand stands where the royals had been set up. Zachary was doing the best he could to handle the event, instructing others as to where to go while keeping an eye on the smaller bits through the help of the committee he had set up to assist him. As soon as the trio approached, he turned towards them and smiled, instantly relieved to see his sister had not only remained safe but was coming to join him. No matter how long he would be king, there was nothing better than having his sister assisting him. Deidre parted to join her parents, checking in with them long enough to get what she had to do that day. Arianna continued forward to her brother, giving him a smile and a light squeeze with her arm when she came close.

"Just fine," she assured her brother, turning to look towards the latest problem that had come up. Dinner wasn't started yet, and they had quite a bit of food to deal with; more than normal. Arianna never gave Zachary a chance to speak. "Ask the inns in the lower district to help," she suggested. "I would imagine they would be more than willing. Pay them for their work and invite them to the marketplace this evening for the evening festival." The cook blinked, stunned by the suggestion. There was a moment of hesitation, looking towards the king before nodding. "Yes ma'am," she agreed with another short nod. "I'll look into it right now." With that, she left, leaving the three a moment with each other.

Zachary sighed, finally showing a bit of weakness and exhaustion in front of people. "How was your walk?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck, pulling lightly on the muscles.

"Eventful," Arianna told him simply.
 
The female knight rode off soon enough, she didn't try and pressure him about the war but a chuckle of hers rubbed him the wrong way, as if she was laughing at his hesitance. It pissed him off, though he could have just been being paranoid. Regardless, few people knew what the war was really like, those who truly knew rarely spoke about it on purpose and even fewer spoke of it with joy or pride. Some did of course, mainly those who enjoyed a fight, enjoyed the thrill of killing, and many who only saw the lesser sides of war. His attention shifted quickly enough as he looked to Arianna, she was definitely planning on sneaking away and joining the party, it was so like her and as usual he wouldn't let her go alone. They had been spending more time together again as well and it would be a great chance to have some fun and just relax with each other, and a whole bunch of random people. "I imagine it will, I'm sure a lot of people will go out and enjoy the festivities, even those who don't normally go out." He gave her a rather mischievous smirk, he knew what she was talking about and he let her know he was in, as long as they could both get away.

They weren't being that mischievous really, Arianna had a bit more freedom over the previous weeks, Zachary allowed her to spend her free time as she chose, only asking for her help when the time called for it. Then again her mother still kept a close eye but she had more to worry about than her daughter going out on the town. Cain liked Zachary as king though, they were incredibly friendly despite Cain being a knight and nowhere near noble status, which while some seeing as inappropriate was nice, it allowed him to relax a bit and give more input that he use to be able to. "It wasn't so bad, got to meet some interesting characters, a preview of our kingdoms competition, including Prince Denton." He laughed slightly and gave Zachary a look, the kid had known the man would approach, that was why he wanted Cain around her, and it certainly had been a smart choice. "He is a colorful character, have a feeling he won't let me keep my title easily, and we also nearly got run into by a female knight. It's going to be a good tournament." He was ready to win but he wouldn't underestimate it, many of the competitors were unknowns, he would have to be observant.
 
Zachary couldn't hold back his nervous laugh in response to hearing of the two men's meeting. Perfect. Or not so much, but either way he was glad that the two had met before the contests began. That way they could get their rivalry started early. The king knew exactly what he was doing when he sent Cain off with his sister. At the mention of the female knight though, Zachary paused, looking towards Arianna for only a moment. "Gabriella is here?" he asked drawing in a quick breath. "I uh... didn't think she would make it."

The princess sighed and quickly rolled her eyes. "Zachary, no. She's too busy trying to defeat our commander." She gave the man's arm a light squeeze of support before folding her hands behind her back. "This will go well," she added with a small nod, taking a short moment to scan the area around her, noting the tents and the people surrounding them. The event seemed to be playing out well and most looked ready. The stands were beginning to fill with visitors and members of their own city, all of which were ready for the first game of the day to begin. A basic archery contest would begin followed by some hand to hand combat. Most of those who had signed up to compete weren't taking part in every competition, but there were a small number who had scheduled time to do almost every event with the hope that they wouldn't tire themselves out before the end of the week. "You should get ready," she added, taking a look at Cain. "Opening ceremony should be starting soon. The princesses get to choose their champions." It was clear who Celia would choose, but the other two women kept their choices close and quiet.
 
Cain couldn't help but smile a bit when Zachary made it oh so obvious he was interested in the female knight Gabriella, he wasn't exactly sure why but he had his suspicions. It was an interesting turn on things, especially since the young king rarely showed interest in women beyond being slightly nervous when around the more beautiful sorts. Of course he did have some immunity to beautiful women, his sisters were both gorgeous and it took a real beauty to take his notice. Cain liked the idea of the young man being interested in a woman, and part of him found it even more interesting that the interest was a knight and not a princess or noblewoman. It was true though, Cain would be facing the woman in the tournament but he found himself much more curious about what would happen between her and Zachary and how exactly he knew her. That would be answered in time, he would get to the bottom of that curiosity when it presented itself. He turned to look at Arianna as he felt the squeeze of her hand on his arm, she truly was a reassurance, she easily made him relax and not worry, which was something no amount of training could accomplish.

"Yes, I suppose I should be getting ready, there will be little rest for me today." Cain took a deep breath, looking to Arianna with a small smile and then to Zachary, giving him a respectful bow, "I will do my best to bring honor to the kingdom." He was perhaps the only person taking part in every single competition, though perhaps another competitor or two had decided to attempt a full sweep. He had made quite a bold statement to win the tournament and the more events he took the closer he would be to overall champion, and he wanted to try and flawlessly sweep the tournament. It wasn't impossible, his skills were at their sharpest and his condition was great, the wound giving no trouble and he felt energized. After his bow he turned and walked off, going towards the area the other knights were set up in, his gear being over there and he wanted to check in with a few of the first timers taking part in the tournament. He also needed to check in with those taking part in the days events, make sure they were prepared to attempt to place in the event along with him, give a pep talk, whatever he could to prepare the troops.

It was hectic when he got to their area, everyone trying to get ready and stumbling to figure out where their gear was. Cain fell into the groove rather quickly, his gear being set aside by the men already and he grabbed the bow for the archery contest, his special bow. It was a beautiful piece really, one he had been using for years and made by one of the best bowyers in the kingdom. It was simple wood, not terribly expensive but it was made to be precise and actually fit for Cain's exact proportions, a bow just for him. He didn't much like a bow but he knew how to use one as well as he did a sword. So as he looked it over he nodded, it was just as good as usual and he had restrung it just for the tournament. Once he gave his gear another look over he went to talk to some of the men, wanting to spend all the time until the opening ceremony speaking to the other knights, because once the competitions started he would be back and forth and quite busy, and when the actual events ended he would only want to spend time with Arianna, or rest.
 
After a good bit of time, the ceremony began. Two of the organizers took charge of setting up the entry parade, showing off the knights and visitors who had come to compete in a long, prideful entry. Cheers erupted as each kingdom presented their men, or women in some cases, and it was clear who the favourites were, no matter what kingdom they were from. The royals of each kingdom were ready for what had been set up and it finally came to the point for the princesses to pick their champions. Being a proper king, Zachary introduced each princess, making sure to gesture to each one before they stepped forward to the lines to pick out their man.

Deidre picked one of the knights from her kingdom that she had known for most of her life. They were best of friends and it was an inside joke that she would pick him during the contest. People from her home were expecting such a thing to happen but the others were caught off guard and hesitated to cheer until they knew it was safe and the proper thing to do. Arianna on the other hand, had something else expected of her. Denton. She wasn't ready to agree to such an idea simply because she knew what it meant: if he won, there was no way she would be able to get away from him and if he lost, she would most likely have to make it up to him some how. There was a moment of silence as her eyes scanned the lines of men in front of her, seeming to hesitate on her decision. She could feel her mother's judgmental eyes burning into the back of her head. With a purple tulip in hand, she stepped forward, looking the prince over before leaving him and his men to cross into her own country's lines.

A smile played on her lips ever so slightly as she approached Cain and offered the flower to him just as Deidre did to her own champion. "With this token, I wish you luck," she told him, using the words that had been passed down from princess to champion for generations.
 
Cain had participated in the parade along with all of the other competitors and it certainly was a spectacle, people from every kingdom cheering for their favorite champions. Cain wasn't the only popular knight or competitor but he received quite a grand series of cheers as he reached the end of the parade, the knight giving a nod to the people as he waited for the real reason they had all gathered, to see who each princess would choose. It seemed the entire crowd was surprised by the first couple of choices, Deidre's at first, though Cain personally had began to cheer the moment her blessing had been given. He didn't much care for expectations, but it seemed others did, a fact that became all the more clear when the second apparent surprise of the day came around, Arianna's choice. Cain, as well as his fellow knights, had expected her to walk to him, but the people and the Queen especially seemed rather surprised by her choice, when she passed Denton and went to the common knights. Nobody dared to make a noise, respect for Cain keeping their mouths shut, but it was similar to Deidre's choice. It seemed Denton being after her hand brought certain expectations, expectations Cain was only more ready than ever to destroy.

"I accept your token and am honored, I will not let you down." Cain smiled and bowed to the princess before whispering something only she could hear, "I'll wipe that cocky attitude off his face." He knew Arianna would be devastated if Denton won her hand, but it wouldn't happen, not with Cain around, he just had to go a bit further for his own reasons, completely defeat the prince and send him back to his kingdom embarrassed, but in a way that didn't get him in trouble or ruin his perfect knight image. The champion selection was continued and by the end Cain had found himself wanting to pout a bit, it seemed the other choices were more easily accepted than himself, people just seemed to have wanted the prince to be Arianna's choice. It mattered not though because when it was all over the first event was to begin and the expectations went out the window, it was all about skill and who was going to win. Cain had confidence in himself and was ready to come out strong. And he did, the archery contest being a seemingly easy win, Cain hitting his mark every time followed by an archer from another kingdom and then in third yet another from their kingdom. He couldn't help but feel relieved, he was off to a good start and through an event that could have been one of his weak points. Lucky he was on the ball, though Denton hadn't been participating in archery, he seemed to be going for all the big events, including the hand to hand event coming up. So Cain brushed off his feeling of victory and paced around, waiting for the announcement of the hand to hand section and having a hunch he would be facing the prince by the end of it, even if they were on opposite brackets.
 
Arianna could feel the eyes of the people on her, already judging her choice in either a positive or negative manner. Several of the knights from the other kingdoms smiled, knowing that Cain was a better choice than Denton, despite what everyone wanted, wished and expected. Gabriella smirked to herself, knowing that Denton's men would get the brunt of his anger when he decided to strike out at someone in exchange. But no one would take their own anger and frustrations out on the princess. She was too sweet to do such a thing and each and every one of them would have made the same choice. As she bowed, Arianna grinned, letting the knight see a glimpse of her look before standing up once again. She wasn't about to abandon the look; not yet at least. There was still plenty of time for her to give him the looks before things started up too much.

Without another word, she returned to the grandstand, giving her bother a nod of her head before taking the space beside him that she had abandoned only minutes before. Zachary nodded in return and allowed the next princess take her place and select her champion. Once everyone had done their duty, he held out his hand towards the field with a pleased smile. "Let the competition begin!"

The knights scattered. There was no more need for proper ceremony now and they were all eager to get to their positions for the first match; either in their private stands to watch or to participate. Arianna took her seat with a soft hum, glancing to Deidre as she sat on her other side before turning back to the field. Cain winning the archery contest wasn't a surprise to her. The man had enough upper body strength to pull back any sort of bow he wanted, it seemed. She gave the man a wave as he left the field, raising her eyebrows briefly before letting her hand drop and sitting back once again. The next contest would be harder. There were more people involved in several different bouts and fields until it was narrowed down to only two and that was when tensions would heighten.
 
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