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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Hearing the name Michael Lau made Cain laugh, he had been a rather interesting trainee. "Honestly I cannot take credit for whipping him into shape, when he was in training I had only just become a knight, not even considered a veteran yet. Of course I can say I was the first one to put him in his place as when he first joined he had a problem with non-nobles serving in the knights and I still had a bit of an attitude." He laughed again and shook his head, "We didn't get along for quite some time, though he isn't so bad now that the chip has been taken off his shoulder." Neither was the man the best knight but he had at least become respectable and that meant a lot to those fighting beside you. "Though you probably know a good number of aristocrats and nobles I have been in charge of, Michael was not the last to be knocked down a peg." Cain had even taken it upon himself to show some other counties knights a thing or two over the years, winning quite a few of the tournaments held between several kingdoms. That was another reason he hadn't been received well at first on the front lines, some grudges, though they had quickly been forgotten.

"That is the point of our job princess, to make sure the people don't have to worry or think about it too much." He smiled over at her but soon began to pay attention as they reached the shop, not knowing what to expect once inside. It wasn't as bad as he had pictured it, no creepy containers with odd ingredients and the boy seemed rather normal. "Ah thank you." He said returning a short boy to the red head. "Actually I know for the most part what I need the medications to do, though I am not quite sure what they are called." He took a minute and thought over what he had been told to get and then looked back to the boy, though he hesitated for a moment before grabbing a piece of paper he had on him, prepared ahead of time, handing it over to the boy. He didn't really want to say some of the things he needed aloud, slightly ashamed. The first things were normal, something to prevent infection, a pain reducer, an herb that helped with muscle relaxation to help him move properly in his armor and sleep well. Then there was the last item, the item being less related to the injury and more to the cause, something to stop nightmares. "That will be everything I will need to be treated and taken care of, though I am not sure how long I will need to take all of it." He gave a slight smile before leaving it up to the boy and the man he had yet to meet, Cecil.
 
The princess smiled as Cain explain his role with Michael Lau. Despite not having the main hand no his training, he was still the one who kicked him into place and even just that made him a hero in her eyes. She let out a soft laugh as she thought of how many other nobles he might have played against in his time before the battle. As the man continued, gently explaining his job, Arianna held smile until they entered the building standing ahead of them. She was careful tot stop to the side of the room, allowing Cain to speak to Jonas as he needed, doing her best to not pay attention to what they were talking about. Although she wasn't ready to leave, she didn't want to invade the man's privacy either, doing what she could to hold her side of the promise.

Jonas raised an eyebrow and took the paper. He looked over the list and nodded, smiling slightly in response. "Nothing to be ashamed of," he very softly told him, starting towards the counter. "I can get most of this together for you now, if you have a few minutes to spare. But we'll need another few hours for the last." His voice faded as the dark blue curtain opened behind the counter. An older man, looking to be in his late sixties with a slight hunch and silver grey hair, entered the main room, his eyes meeting Cain's right away. "Cecil, we need a special done," Jonas informed him, holding out the list to the man.

Cecil took it and looked it over before nodding. "Ah, well get what we have together then, kid." He stepped towards the counter, watching Cain. "Where'd you come back from?" he asked, setting his hands on the desk, flattening the list in front of him.
 
As much as Cain would have liked to not be ashamed he was, nightmares were pitiful, but more than that he just couldn't handle them. Cain had been through a lot and for the most part he had recovered, better than anyone had hoped, but the things he saw in his dream, the horrors he relived, those had yet to go away. So while his body was healing quite rapidly, his mind was still tainted by the events he had suffered through. So he simply smiled to the younger man, not saying much and not wanting to think about it, as he disagreed, thinking it was something to be very much ashamed of. "That's fine, I can wait for now and come back for the other later." He didn't mind the walk, especially if the remedy provided could work, or at least help him a bit, some relief from the nightmares better than none. Then came another person, an older individual and probably the man Arianna had referred to as Cecil. Cain looked at him, though he said nothing immediately, letting the boy Jonas hand the list over to the older apothecary, the man he assumed would be taking care of his 'special order' though he wasn't going to ask why it was so difficult, he would trust what was given to him.

The older man seemed to be watching Cain though, something he was not quite comfortable with, not for any particular reason but it felt odd, almost like he was being evaluated or studied. "I was stationed on the Front Lines." Cain responded to the question flatly, he didn't want to talk about the specifics, those were not pleasant, even the mention of his service was unpleasant. It was interesting, how you could tell who the real soldiers were by the answers you received, those who knew war and understood the tragedies of it were those who said little, while those who wished to play war or who had not quite seen true battle talked about it with pride and cockiness. Exceptions could always be found but that was the general rule, and Cain was a classic example, not refusing to talk about it but making it rather obvious he would prefer not to if he didn't have to. In fact he was looking for any opportunity to push the issue aside and speak of something else, or nothing at all, and looked around the room to find Arianna. The princess was standing off to the side, giving him some space which he appreciated but also making it hard to use her as an excuse without being rude, so Cain just walked over to the desk where the older man was standing, hoping he wouldn't ask anymore on the topic.
 
When Cain gave his response, Cecil simply nodded, taking his answer without another question. He had been a knight when he was younger and was forced through the last important war, just as Cain was recently forced into the front lines. There was no question that Cecil understood the silent, yet vague code that the knight was now using against him. The white haired man let his eyes drop to the paper in front of him, studying the list of words written out in front of him. "Come back in an hour," he requested, crumpling the paper ever so slightly in his hand. "It'll be ready by then."

Jonas had gathered up several items, bottling them into portable containers for Cain. It didn't take long for him to finish and shortly crossed back to the counter. He examined what was laid out there, including what else was on the list and smiled. "Care to pay now or when you come back?" Cecil looked over his assistant before he slid back behind the curtain to begin the proper mixture.

Arianna on the other hand, began to inch closer to her travelling partner, noticing that they were talking of a payment. All of the more serious information had been discussed, meaning the more private matters were over and she could join them at the man's side. She didn't interrupt, choosing to wait until the two had finally finished their conversation before cutting in.
 
Cain was relieved that Cecil didn't push the topic any more and gave a small nod of appreciation. He was glad to hear it wouldn't take long for the tonic as well, the nightmares not an immediate problem but it was one he would like solved before he went back to sleep that night. "Thank you, I will return for it before you close." He wasn't sure if he could make it back in exactly an hour depending on what he was doing but he would be sure to get it before he had to sleep and make sure they didn't have to stay late to give it to him. Then Cain walked over to the items that had been gathered for him and looked it over, wondering what all it was, though deciding to just take it like prescribed and not ask questions, not really needing to know the answers anyways. "I will pay now." He pulled out his coin purse, it didn't look too full but when he opened it the pouch contained something most knights didn't have, gold. Usually only the richer merchants and nobles had it, but others had silver or bronze. Cain had saved up quite a sum of money, his high ranking coming with a good amount of money and his habits of saving giving him quite the amount to do with what he wanted.

So he waited to hear how much it would be and stood there, not that he was flaunting the money but it could be seen from his open pouch. He noticed Arianna next to him again as well and gave her a small smile, "Thank you for bringing me here by the way, not sure what I would have done without your guidance." He smirked a bit as he turned back to look at the man at the counter, still waiting for an exact amount that he would have to pay, and knowing he would need to bring that amount with him every time he needed more of the provided relief for however long it would be needed. He knew of course it wouldn't be cheap but he hoped he wouldn't have to take it forever and he knew he wouldn't have to, at least not all of it. The only thing he wasn't sure of was the nightmare suppressant, out of all of the things he had asked for it was the most mysterious because it didn't have to do with an actual wound. The only thing he would have to be sure of was to ensure for however long he took it that nobody else found out, his pride wouldn't allow it, especially if Arianna found out, it would be incredibly awkward and unpleasant.
 
Jonas had mentally calculated the total in the more common amount of silver and bronze, but instantly paused when the flash of gold came into view. He could help but let his eyes wander over what the man had inside the small sack. That was far more gold than he would ever hope to have from any job he would be getting in the near future. He was lucky to earn a gold in two weeks, if he had special commissions from customers, but being the apprentice, it was rare for him to get any orders of that sort. "Perhaps I'm in the wrong business," he responded with a hesitant laugh, quickly lifting a fountain pen from behind the counter and re-figuring what was in front of him. "Total's... ten gold," he informed the knight, cautious to let out that information. It wasn't the painkillers that spiked the price, it was the custom order that did it; but knowing the main behind the curtain, he's be giving Cain more than he was paying for by the end of it. Even then, it was quite a bit of money. Most of the nobles would pay that price without batting an eye, but to the commoners who entered the shop, there was a good chance they would faint at the thought of spending that kind of cash on something like medicine. The man's haunting, mint leaf green eyes drifted from the paper up to the knight in front of him.

Arianna raised an eyebrow at the price. She said nothing, choosing to pretend she didn't hear it, and instead focused on the man's comment. She smiled at him in return and nodded. "Not a problem," she assured him. "I'm always pleased to bring business here, rather then to the other shop. They're a disgrace compared to this place."

Jonas carefully smiled. "Thank you, your highness. It's always nice to get an quote like that from someone like you." There was a hint of mocking in his tone, but he was playing it quite safe and careful with the knight around, almost frightened that the man would step in and argue against what he had just said.

"Oh shut up." Airanna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her stomach. "You know it's true. Bert's robs everyone who steps through the door." She glanced towards Cain. "Nearly robbed my sister, they did. Twenty silver for a blood thickener? It's not even fourteen here." The blonde didn't seem pleased in any stretch of the imagination as she spoke about the expensive difference between the two shops. "But the nobles enjoy the atmosphere there more for some reason. So it stays open."

"We're waiting for them to slip up," Jonas told her, leaning across the counter slightly. "It'll just be time until they make a mistake. Hopefully in their books, so no one's really hurt. But it'll happen. The gods will be sure of that." He drew back and finalized the payment for the medication, handing a slip back to Cain. "Bring this next time you come and perhaps Cecil can work out a discount. If you have the time, meeting with him will help him understand what you're going through. He might be able to save you money." The man smiled kindly and folded his hands in front of him, keeping his gaze settled on the pair ahead of him.
 
Ten gold wasn't a small sum but Cain had it and he could afford it and he would gladly pay it in order to ease his situation, even if just a bit. "Trust me, my line of work isn't as glamorous as you would think, it is not like it is in fairy tales." Cain pulled out the ten gold pieces and sat them out on the table, smiling a bit as Arianna gave her opinion of the shop. He would definitely trust the princess' opinion, the woman quite confident and knowledgeable on her own city. "Well I am sure you are the best if the princess says it is true." Cain gave a small smile to the man behind the counter, he knew they would do well since not only did the princess vouch for them but also because those with the better product always outlasted others, even if it took awhile. He did wonder if it was true that people went to another place of business despite higher prices, something being immediately fishy about that to the knight. He didn't say anything and he probably would do anything about it, especially if the merchant was simply greedy and not doing anything illegal, but he would keep it in mind in case anything came up.

Cain took the slip of paper without a word, listening as the man told him to come back and talk to Cecil, something he wasn't sure he wanted to do. Not that he was too proud to accept a discount but he could afford it and would rather have someone who couldn't receive a discount instead, to keep the business afloat. Besides, talking to anyone about what happened didn't sound good, he didn't want others to know what had happened on the front lines. As it were only the King, the Queen, and a few other military higher ups knew about his reason for returning and they had decided to keep it private, not wanting people to blame or pity the officer. He swallowed and gave a small nod, "I may, though truthfully I don't want to talk about it yet. Anyways, I thank you, I will be back for the rest of the order later." He gave another nod and turned to Arianna, "Are you wanting to go back to the castle yet or was there somewhere you wished to go before we head back?" He for one was ready to head back and put his medicine away, perhaps even meet with the knights for a bit of oversight, to see how they were doing things now.
 
Jonas nodded, stepping back to the work he was doing as the pair entered. Arianna on the other hand, turned towards the knight again and gave him a small shrug of her shoulders in response. "I'm not ready quite yet," she admitted, taking a few steps towards the door, leading the knight along with her. She ignored the door as it opened, choosing to focus on the man beside her. "There's still so much of the city we haven't explored. You can't want to go back this early."

"Arianna. There you are." A deep voice entered the room as none other than Arianna's father entered the building. The blonde seemed to pale even more than she was naturally as she quickly turned to the king. The man looked as well as he could in his old age, carrying himself as high and proud as he could, despite what most of the people in the building knew was going on with him lately. "I didn't expect you to be with Cain..."

"I'm sorry, father. I let Isabelle know I was going with him." The girl's eyes instantly fell to the floor as she jumped back into her expected place. "I wasn't going to be gone long. Really."

The king gave a nod in return and looked towards Cain, giving him a small bow of his head. "I hope Arianna wasn't much of a problem for you." He set his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "If you'd like, I can take her off your hands. I'd like to spend some time with her anyway." As those final words left his lips, it was clear that Cain would have no choice. The king had spoken and he wanted time with her. There was no way the knight could say anything against what he wanted.
 
Cain didn't mind accompanying Arianna for longer, it was keeping his mind in the moment and he found himself quite comfortable around her. "I wouldn't mind taking..." Of course he snapped back to proper knight the second he heard a familiar voice, stopping mid sentence and turning to see the king. He was surprised and though it didn't show on his face he was quite uncomfortable as well, not knowing what he would think about his daughter wandering around with a knight, even if Cain was quite the paragon of righteousness among the knights, at least he was nowadays. He gave an extremely deep bow to the king, a sign of respect before looking up at the man. It seemed Arianna was slinking back into her usual personality, the perfect respectful princess and he knew she had to. Before the king even spoke he had a feeling their time together was over, no doubt the king not wanting his daughter wandering the street with a man, even a knight.

"She was no problem at all my liege. In fact I do believe my day could have been much more troublesome without her, she was incredibly helpful and fine company." His tone was incredibly respectful and more cautious than ever, even more than normal due to the current situation. "Well then, I will leave you with your daughter, my business here is done for the moment anyways." He gave a small bow towards Arianna, "Princess, thank you for being my guide to the city today." Then he turned to the boy Jonas, "I will be back for the rest of my order later." And finally he turned back to the King, "My liege." With another bow he turned and left with all but his special order, hoping the King wouldn't take him and Princess Arianna being together as an unacceptable thing. It wasn't just that he could get in trouble, in fact that part didn't bother him, the thing that bothered him was the idea that his time with the princess could come to an end with a single word from her father, his respect and loyalty for the king going farther than his wish for someone to converse with. He didn't let it eat him up though, he would find out eventually what the king thought, whether it be a request to speak to him or silence, hopefully the latter. The man simply returned to the castle and went towards his knights, wanting to observe for at least an hour.
 
It was hard for the blonde not to notice Cain's sudden change in character. She knew that the knight had seen her own change, but only a small part of her truly cared; and it oddly saddened her. But there was no time to dwell on her new feelings as her father was pushing forward at high speeds, hoping to break the two apart for the remainder of the day. Arianna was ready to express her opinion on the matter, but she was swiftly cut off by the knight's respectful bow. She took in a sharp breath before returning with a small bow, watching as the man turned his attention to his final bits of business. Jonas, who seemed to be distracted enough to avoid speaking to the king, turned slightly at the mention of Cain's order and nodded in response, keeping his answer short and sweet. As kind as ever, the king nodded his head, stepping to the side to allow the man to leave the shop. And it wasn't long until Arianna spoke up again.

Her father got an earful of what the princess wanted to say; about how she wanted a day away from her servants and the guards of the palace, and in return, she was awarded a rather serious lecture about thousands of scenarios where Arianna would be harmed or something could have happened, even under Cain's watch. Despite Arianna's assurances that nothing of the sort would happen, her father insisted on it as he took care of his business in the shop. The next hour was spent in the city, making appearances in several of the high end shops while speaking to many of the citizens before the two returned to the castle. No matter what Arianna could tell her father, there was no way she was to be allowed in the city without at least three guards escorting her. To put it simply, she wasn't pleased.

But during their walk, she had learned of some very valuable information. Several of the more well kept secrets were discussed in private as they made their way back to the palace; things from the meaning of the latest war to what was really happening on the front lines. Cain's reasons were hinted at, but nothing was laid flat out for Arianna to learn for sure. But his medicine was and it quickly became obvious what the knight had wrong. Arianna refrained from searching out the man for some time, but soon enough, she decided a wander on the grounds would help to clear her head from the stale air in the courtroom.
 
Cain did what he wanted to for some time after arriving back, only observing as the soldiers trained, paying particular attention to his new trainee. It wasn't a bad training program, a lot of movement which meant stamina and the actual combat sparring was nice to see, but it didn't seem that they were paying enough attention to close quarters combat or special techniques for those who couldn't do well with the traditional sword and shield. Cain for instance used either two swords or a single sword without a shield, and that was just the way it went, many knights did best with the traditional style, but some needed a different style. He shrugged, he could reintroduce said things slowly, make suggestions and making sure the knights fought together, that was the most important aspect of their order. He did however make mention of the close quarters combat, having anyone who wished to hear him out stay behind, and nearly all who didn't have a job to do did so. He didn't say much, simply giving them a rundown on the importance of strong hand to hand skill. Then he taught them a few of the basics, leaving them to practice as he left for a short while to go and retrieve the rest of his medicine.

As his men practiced Cain made his way back to the apothecary, moving swiftly and grabbing the rest of his medicine, even spending a small amount of time speaking to Cecil but not speaking about his experience, only a small amount about random things. When that was over he left, heading back to the training grounds and seeing that some of the men, including his own new trainee, were still practicing the basic hand to hand combat moves he had taught them. He smirked, it was nice to see people putting in effort and while he didn't wish to undermine the new training methods he didn't wish to see some of the more important skills be left out. He didn't interfere or go in that time, instead he took his more personal medication to his room, walking inside and placing it snugly in one of the drawers in his room. He then walked back out of his room and began to head towards training ground again, to observe a bit more and do some training of his own, needing to keep his skills up as well, though they hadn't diminished at all in the short time he had been immobile.

Before he could arrive back at the training grounds he found himself face to face with Arianna, the princess seeming to be wandering around the halls. He gave an immediate smile, hiding it quickly not to seem suspicious. "Princess, good to see you again, hope the rest of your day was pleasant." He wasn't completely back to the comfort level he had been earlier. After meeting her father under such circumstances, something that no doubt looked much worse than it was, he wasn't sure how to handle it. He was confident Arianna wouldn't let it bother her but if her father got wind of something... He would have to be careful, even if he did feel comfortable around the princess.
 
Airanna, who had been mentally elsewhere, was ripped back into the world around her when she literally bumped into her recent companion. With a slight stumble backwards, the princess caught herself, straightening her back in an instant, her eyes quickly settling on the man in front of her. She watched in shock as the man spoke to her, only to soften her gaze when the words began to register in her mind that he was actually speaking to her and trying to make conversation. "It was," she answered quickly, smiling in return. "A peaceful walk in the city with my father. Pleasant." She didn't immediately fall back into her earlier level of comfort, much as the man didn't, but her smile did remain. "And yours?"

It was hard for the princess to look at Cain in another way since she had began to figure out the truth of his illness. It wasn't the general injuries that made her think. She had seen handfuls of men return from battle with far worse problems than what the man had, from missing limbs to large, unfixable scars across their bodies. Each of the men returned as war heroes and most were simply pleased to be alive and see their homes again. But Arianna had never been faced with any sort of mental problems in the past. If there were any, she had never gotten close enough to the knights to notice and had certainly not spent time with any of the men who suffered from such a thing. Cain was one of the few knights she had bothered to make an effort to speak to or spend any sort of time with.

But Arianna was spending time trying to realize why the man was ashamed of the injuries he had. If, not that she wished it, Arianna was in Cain's situation, with the training and the ability to survive in a battle, she would feel blessed to leave the field with what he had. She imagined her nightmares would haunt her even during the day and though embarrassed, there would be no doubt that Arianna would still consider herself lucky.

Although her expression didn't show it, the princess was distracted by the thoughts of what Cain could have gone through, what he imagined in his sleep every night that was horrible enough to need medication for it.
 
Bumping in to the princess wasn't what he expected, but he had figured it would be a bit awkward. It seemed neither of them was truly as comfortable as earlier after the run in with her father, no doubt the princess not wanting things to get out of hand either. "My day went well, I came back here and watched some of the training and picked up the rest of my order from the store. Thank you again for showing me that place, you helped me more than you know." He said with a half smile, not being able to pull of cheerfulness when he thought about what had happened. It was horrific to him, the thoughts and memories he was plagued with, losing his men and friends, all of those he had fought beside for so long in an instant. The nightmares were worse though, the vividness, the feeling of reality as he relived the deaths and pain he suffered in that battle, it was enough to wake him up in a cold sweat. Hopefully with the medication he had received he would be able to keep it from being a problem, suppress the nightmares which dragged him back to the battle. If it did the only thing he had to worry about would be the actual injury, one that would be leaving a scar but in the end it wouldn't even bother him in his everyday life.

There was a moment of silence where Cain nor Arianna spoke, thought finally he broke the silence, not wanting to let it become too awkward. "I am glad the rest of your day was pleasant as well, I was concerned that your father would be displeased about me being with you as your only guard for the day." He had confidence in his abilities, he could easily protect her as well as a detail but he knew how the King was, knew the King's personality. As long as it hadn't been too bad an issue he wouldn't worry about it, only needing to worry if he had made the man angry by putting his daughter in danger or having it seem like more was going on than friendly conversation and a helping hand. Of course he knew the King would most likely disagree with his daughter befriending a knight, especially one as young as Cain, even if his skill and rank were high. "Anyways, what brings you around here princess?"
 
The princess gave a small nod in response to his compliment. "I'm simply pleased to have been able to help you in such a way. Any injury you may have suffered needs to be taken care of right away." The princess fell silent, letting her eyes drift down to the floor between their feet only for a moment before snapping back to look at Cain straight on. With a small smile, Arianna gave a small nod. "He wasn't pleased at first, but by the end of the walk, we came to an agreement. You won't get in trouble for it." The last thing she wanted was for Cain to think the king would have a problem with what the two had done that day.

She was happy about the change of topic when it arrived and quickly went along with it. "I was on my way out to the gardens," she informed the man. "The courtroom's quite full today and air's thick." She allowed her shoulders to shrug before glancing towards the nearby window. "I was hoping the knights were still training. I'd imagine my father wouldn't mind me checking up on what you're all up to lately." The king, for several reasons, no longer had the time to visit the knights and instead left it up to his family and assistants to look over such things as the knights.
 
Cain had known the King wouldn't be completely be completely okay with his daughter being with Cain, especially only him. He hadn't been afraid for himself really, sure he didn't want to get on the King's bad side, but as she informed him of the King's feelings on the subject he found himself more concerned that Arianna would be in trouble. He didn't want the princess to suffer because of him and even more so, he didn't want to lose the first person he was able to talk to since his return, even if it happened to be the princess. Dwelling on the awkwardness of running in to her father and the wounds he needed the medication for were not good topics though and he soon changed the subject, glad when something more pleasant came up. The castle gardens, a beautiful place from what Cain remembered, though he hadn't seen it in awhile. Not that he had ever spent that much time in the gardens but he had visited it on occasion.

"I can imagine, I have never been a fan of the courtroom." Cain hated being in court, especially when it was occupied by a large group of the aristocracy. Arianna had to feel the same, especially since she had to act around them, act like the perfect princess. He always tried to act more noble and high class around them of course but he didn't have to act completely different, not how he imagined Arianna, her 'true' personality being quite different. "Well, the regular training session is over but I am sure a few of the men are still training and I could always show you something if you don't find that entertaining. Not sure if I can go at full level yet but I am sure you would find it entertaining." He smirked a bit as he looked down the hall towards the training grounds, "Of course the gardens could be more entertaining, who knows, up to you." Either way he was sure she would have fun but he had to admit, he wouldn't mind spending some more time with the princess, especially if he got to show off a bit, that was always fun, especially when he knew he could entertain her, or at least impress the woman enough for it not to be too terribly dull.
 
Arianna smiled at their options. She took a moment to think of what was laid out in front of her and slowly nodded. "Let's take a walk to the grounds," she suggested. While the gardens would be peaceful and give them a chance to really speak in private, but there was a certain interest in getting to see Cain train, even if it was only for a small amount of time. "And if the knights are still training, we'll see if you feel up to some sparing. And if not, we'll continue to the gardens." Both sounded like a perfect idea and they were equally better than remaining in the courtroom for the rest of the day. The princess would always prefer to remain outside whenever possible instead of spending any sort of time in the stuffy room.

She didn't waste another second for the man to respond, turning away slightly as she started down one of the side halls to return to the outside world. She held her tongue during the walk, giving small nods and bows to those the pair happened to run into, but Arianna did her best to avoid all conversation with the nobles. Lucky for them, their visitors seemed a bit too busy to want to stop and talk. As Arianna stepped outside, she let out a soft hum of appreciation, her eyes quickly turning up towards the afternoon sun, taking in the fresh air. "Mmm much better," she softly purred to herself, folding her hands behind her back. She glanced towards the distant training field to see a small group of knights still there, but they all seemed to be winding down for the day.

"Oh, they seem to be finished," she pointed out, only sounding a tad disappointed by it. "To the gardens then?"
 
Cain wasn't about to disagree with the princess, the man nodded and followed her lead. "Sounds good to me, I am sure we can find something to do that is more entertaining than the court." With that he followed her towards the training grounds, remaining silent as they walked down the halls, nodding as the princess did to those they passed. When they finally arrived out on the training grounds he went ahead of her a bit, not far, just a couple of steps. It seemed there were only a few left and most of them were leaving. His new trainee was one of the few still out there and he couldn't help but smile, perhaps he had one of the good ones, one of those who really wanted it. There were many types of knights and the best one to have under you command was the person who really wanted to be a knight, someone who tried their hardest and did it for the right reasons. Even Cain wasn't that type, he had joined for survival, to use the skills he had honed in the lower city in order to make money and gain some respect. Sure he had come in to his own as a knight but at first he had been nothing more than a punk with an abundance of natural talent.

He smiled as the kid finally stopped and began to head out, with the rest of those who had still been left, before finally turning back to Arianna. "That they do, perhaps you can come by tomorrow, then you could get the full show, hopefully with the medicine I will be closer to full form." Cain was sure Arianna had other things that were more important than watching the knights train, but he hoped she would come by, especially since it seemed her siblings enjoyed to watch them train as well. "To the gardens." Cain moved to the woman's side and made a slight gesture for her to lead on, knowing the way but wishing to walk beside and not ahead of the princess. It wasn't as if he were going on a walk to pass the time, he could think of many other and better ways to pass time before the nighttime patrol he would be going on, he was going to speak with Arianna, and that would be easier if he were by her side. Of course part of him wondered if it were a bit out of place for someone of his status to be walking in such a place with the princess for any reason other than to ensure her safety, which wasn't needed, but he didn't think about it for long, he knew the answer to that was evident by the fact that he questioned it in the first place. Not that it mattered, Cain knew where to draw the line, it was harmless.
 
While Arianna was disappointed in now having a chance to see Cain practice, she knew that if she gave the man another day to recover, he had a chance of sparing at his full strength. And if she brought her brother along the next day, the chance of getting strange looks or having people question exactly why she was there. Not that any one would directly to her, but her father would certainly be more comfortable if Arianna had a good reason to come with her brother instead of having her visit the knights on her own. "I'll be sure to bring my brother along as well," she commented with a smile, assuring the man that she would come by the next morning. But when he directed her, the princess had no problem walking with him into the low maze of flowers and bushes laid out in a large, open field.

The palace gardens was the queen's pride and joy. She had taken over the job when the former queen has passed and had got so far as to expand the borders further on the grounds available. The closest paths to the castle were lined with area flowers, bunched in their own colours with several of the plans scattered throughout the mixture. Trees and trimmed bushes were rising above the small grouping of plants, slowly growing higher as the paths lead away from the walls of the castle. In the back, as the newest addition to the garden, a large maze was growing made from thick, block bushes, winding in such a way to give several more private areas, including a far number of benches, made of both stone and wood.

The princess didn't waste any time as she walked along one of the many side paths in the garden, heading towards the entrance of the maze. "Are you ready for work tonight?" she asked, leading the way as she looked over the flowers beside her. "It's a big job you'll be starting."
 
It was good to hear Arianna would be coming by the next day, even more so with her brother, he remembered how much the boy enjoyed the spectacle, it would make his efforts twice as meaningful, impressing both Arianna and her little brothers. "Do bring him, perhaps if we have a bit of time I can show him a trick or two, I am sure he would enjoy that." As they began walking through the palace gardens Cain couldn't help but feel a tad uncomfortable, not that he disliked it, in fact it was quite calming, but he wasn't so sure it was appropriate. He was trying to ignore those feelings and concentrate on the beauty of the garden around him, the time he spent away from the city definitely evident as all the changes hit him. It really hadn't been a usual thing for him to walk around the gardens but he noticed all the hard work that had been done to make it so amazing. He would have to make an effort to visit more often, relax in the beauty and just enjoy something that was so well taken care of, though he was not going to make it a habit to do so with the princess, in case her father found out, a trip in the city being easier to explain than a walk through a garden with his daughter.

He looked over to Arianna as she spoke of the work he would soon have to be doing, he knew it was a large responsibility and he planned on trying to get rid of the nuisance as soon as he possibly could. "I am more than ready, I've seen the area and also the information the guards have already gathered should be a big help, not that there are many specifics but it is enough to get a bearing on the criminal." He took a deep breath, "Of course I don't think this is going to be easy, the thief is skilled and I am not sure what will happen, though I am confident. I won't fail at my first job back from the front lines, and it seems the people are becoming quite distraught over the incidents, I don't want that to continue." He continued to walk by the princess' side, looking at all the sights around them. "Tell me princess, what do you think about the robberies, I am not sure how much you have looked into the thief's actions but I would be interested to know what you think, as someone who has been in the city since it began.
 
Arianna agreed with a nod to Cain offer. Her brother would certainly enjoy a short lesson from the knight and there was no way her father could deny him that small joy. If Arianna planned it properly, she would bring Zachary to the grounds just as her parents were going into court, meaning they would have no say over what the children were doing. And knowing her sister, Celia would join them, taking the chance to watch her 'star knight' as well. Arianna had a small twinge of regret, knowing that she could never even try to practice with the knights. She could only learn from a distance and try to trap in her mind what information she could take from her brother's lessons, hoping it would come in handy again when she would need it on the streets. Of course, no one could know about why she would want to learn, so in the end, it was better that she not even attempt to work the system in favour of letting her learn.

She was caught off guard when Cain asked her about her own opinion of the robberies. Despite her keeping an eye on what had been going on and doing what she could to watch and learn around the views of others, no one had bothered to ask her anything about them before. The knight surprised her, only for a moment, and it was clear in her face that she wasn't expecting such a question. She slowed down as they entered the maze and let her eyes cross to the man beside her. "I've been trying to keep track of it," she confessed, folding her arms together across her stomach as she thought. "My father isn't too excited about letting me learn of what's been going on, but I've found my ways. The robber knows what they're doing, that's for sure. They must be from around here. Perhaps someone who's grown up in the city?" She paused, letting her attention turn to the bush beside her. "I know the townsfolk are nervous. No one's sure who they'll go after next. It's causing everyone to blame everyone else until the accused's store is robbed. Her movements are chaotic, at best." Arianna barely caught her slip up by giving the robber a gender, but it was too late to draw it back. Her shoulders tightened slightly, regretting what she had just said, but hoping the man wouldn't notice her words or her actions very closely.
 
The next knights training session was definitely going to be interesting, showing the little brother how to fight, he would no doubt enjoy it. Part of him wanted to teach Arianna a bit as well, and he was surprised her father hadn't sent her to train yet, something to give her a chance if she ever got into a fight, if her guards were ever taken out or she needed to buy herself some time. He wouldn't attempt to do something like that unless he was specifically asked though, whether it be by Arianna herself or one of her parents. He would just let Arianna do as she pleased, perhaps she would ask one of the knights to help her when her brother was being shown the ropes, or she could show some interest from the sides. Cain would be sure to make it interesting for her either way, whether she wanted to just watch or get in on the fun, though he wasn't sure how fun it would be for the princess. Hell Chyanne never liked fighting of any sort despite her attitude and usual demeanor, she preferred to watch and find other ways to make sure she got what she wanted, like her little embarrassing stories with Cain.

He would concern himself with whether or not to give her a few tips for when she actually showed some interest. Until then he would focus on what they were doing, walking through the garden and speaking about his latest mission. Truthfully he was curious what she had to say on the matter, whether Arianna had some insight the guards and reports couldn't give him. It seemed that she did have some information he could use, starting with the fact that the townsfolk were blaming each other, that meant they would be harder pressed to share information and cooperate. That meant most of the work would be left up to Cain, not that he minded, he planned on it being that way to begin with. The biggest thing he brought from what she said was the gender she assigned to the thief and he suddenly found himself more than simply interested, looking over with an inquisitive glance, not suspecting but highly curious. "Tell me, why do you believe the thief to be a woman? From what I have heard nobody has gotten close enough or gotten a good look as to determine a build, much less gender."
 
The princess did her best to keep from stumbling over her words as she did her absolute best to cover the mistake she had just made by giving out a gender. Sadly, it was too late for her to take back what she had said; Cain was already questioning her about it. "Well, she enters through windows, yes?" The woman slowed to a stop as the two entered one of the many openings in the maze. A small fountain sat to the side, carved from light grey stone, decorated with carvings of fish and frogs spitting clear blue water into the air in several swirling directions. Arianna's eyes travelled over one of the streams before she smiled. "I'd like to see a man your size get into many of those windows. It's physically impossible." She turned her attention quickly back to the knight, dropping all hints of approval she could have in her thoughts. "And unless you are bringing children into the picture, a woman would make the most sense." Although children were known for small thefts on occasion, most of the shop owners would allow the boys from the lower ranks of the city to have an apple or loaf of bread, as long as nothing happened too often. No one was about to call the guards if they knew it was certainly a child just going after food. But these items weren't something the boys were known for even looking into stealing.

"No one has to get close to them to make that connection," Arianna continued, stepping back from the knight, turning on her heel with a casual, even playful, smile. She was fully ready to tease the man for not thinking of such a thing earlier. To have the princess think of ideas a commanding knight had never come up with must have been embarrassing for some, although Arianna didn't think Cain would be one of them. But that wouldn't stop her. "It's about time a woman took control of things as well," she added.
 
Arianna's insights were quite astute and Cain was impressed that nobody else had thought of such a things yet. Of course it wasn't absolute, there were small men, but he had a feeling she was correct. The princess seemed to have some confidence in her logic as well, her voice waking on an almost playful tone, as if mocking him for being bested in this particular instance. He had no problems with someone else figuring out something he had yet to consider though, and he would most definitely use the new information to increase his own effectiveness. "That is a great thought, I will have to consider my adversary as a woman for tonight, it will change things, even if only a bit." He said with a shake of his head, looking at the fountain and admiring the scenery as his brain worked on formulating a slightly improved plan for his actions later that night, now making sure to account for small windows and openings as potential entrance and exit points. He would have to be careful, the thief being a woman would provide her with additional escape routes, it wouldn't be easy to limit her movements enough to grab her, though he was more than willing to try.

After a moment Cain looked back to Arianna, laughing a bit at the thought he had let pass his mind for a second. He wouldn't say it out loud but he was thinking about how much he preferred the person she was around him, at least for the past day, to the person everyone else saw her as. Of course he made sure she saw something else when he laughed, almost as if he was laughing at her to get a rise from the princess, not letting her get away with such teasing tones to him so simply. He would push back, even if on such a childish level. "So tell me something princess... How often do people underestimate you because of the polite exterior you portray. I imagine many are unaware of the cunning side you have beneath so I am curious." He wasn't asking in a rude manner, it wasn't like he was questioning her judgement or ethics, he knew why she hid beneath the polite exterior, it was what people expected. Cain just found it personally amusing that someone he found fun and rather sharp witted would hide behind another personality, even if for the sake of her position, and he wondered how often she used that to push aside those who saw only the exterior surface, if at all.
 
Oh no. How much had Arianna exactly doomed herself? She had just lead the man closer to the truth while making her job that much harder to do and worst of all, he believed her. It was rare for there to be a female thief in the city, but it had happened in the past. One of their greatest robbers turned out to be a woman who demanded to be punished just as the men were, despite the comments and ideas that perhaps they should let her go on a lighter sentence. It was just about that time that Arianna became aware of the world around her. She was only five or six when the woman was arrested and, being a mischievous child even at that age, Arianna crept to the cells in the castle to visit the thief on the cover of giving her some extra warmth. Mac, as she was known, spent most of the night talking to the princess, explaining exactly what she was thinking when she broke the laws. The blonde girl absorbed every word like a fresh sponge, swiftly making them words of advice in most cases. The head guard found her early the next morning and took her away from Mac. She hadn't seen her since. But Mac had already done the damage; Arianna had an inspiration in her life.

The princess was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the knight laugh. It was simple, but she took it just like he meant it to be, a joke against her. The girl raised both of her eyebrows, silently daring him to continue his actions. He soon stopped and continued with a question. Arianna had to stop and think about her answer before she could respond in any way. "Nobody expects much from me," she admitted. "So everyday pretty much." She took a few steps back, leading the man further into the maze as if it was their own private world. There were still people outside who could possibly over hear them through the first layer of bushes. If they made their way further into the layers, their sound would be cut down, trapping them in an area where they could speak in anything but a shout and the world would never know they were there. She continued as she walked, wanting to get as far away from people as she could before revealing anything more to the knight. "I mean, when I was younger I could get away with a lot more things. I was fun to be a princess. I absolutely loved the attention and the fancy clothes and not being expected to do anything. But now it's boring... And I've got myself caught in a certain personality that I can't break free of. People don't think I have the intelligence that I really have. So I play dumb. That way..." She paused, falling into her own mind before breaking into a smile, turning towards the knight.

"The most satisfying thing I've ever seen is some prince, thinking they know it all, only to be corrected by a princess. Me of all princesses. My reputation isn't exactly centred around my brains, sadly. So to correct an upcoming warlord on the proper type of bow he just used is a treat."
 
Cain found it amusing that many of Arianna's actions dared him to continue on as if she had some trap set for those who poked at her jokingly. He was sure she would be a most troublesome adversary if he ever made her one, though he didn't plan to do anything of the sort, the princess having a sort of silent confidence around her, though she soon explained it. While it couldn't be very fun to be thought of as less intelligent than you were it could certainly come in useful, and Arianna pointed that out as well, telling Cain of how she got to correct a prince. Cain was of course glad that he knew the truth, not that he was the type to assume someones skill or intelligence without some proof but he wouldn't have wanted to get on Arianna's bad side and be blindsided by the woman. "It seems you will continue to be underestimated until everyone figures it out, or until you let everyone figure it out." He was sure eventually she would have to show the true Arianna to everyone, but he doubted anyone would think it was a bad thing, in fact he was sure the people who loved her would continue to adore her, though a few princes looking for nothing more than a beautiful shell wouldn't be so happy. He laughed a bit as he looked at her, "Don't worry though, after today I won't be underestimating you, you've caught me off-guard enough already." It wasn't only that she was spending time with him that had caught him unprepared but the things she knew and said, especially earlier in the inn, that had been interesting to say the least.

It was only after a bit of silence that the knight realized just how deep into the maze they had ended up going. It was odd to think that nobody else would be able to hear or see them as long as they stayed in the depths of the garden. Cain took a deep breath and walked over to the bushes to his side, letting one of his hands reach up and touch the leaves. He didn't quite know what to do or say at that point. He had other things he could talk about, but he didn't want to speak about many of them and was sure Arianna had her fill of random small talk. Back when he was younger it had always been so easy, he could flirt, that was not an option in his current situation, and neither was speaking to her about the usual things he would speak to the knights or other people he generally spoke to about. "It really is a beautiful garden, and this particular spot is quite private and nice." With that comment the knight turned back, facing Arianna and deciding to let her lead the conversation, at least that way he wouldn't cross any lines or bring up something unpleasant, such as his new job, which he was sure she didn't want to know that much about. Of course it was also because he wanted to study the princess a bit, try and find out what the true her liked to speak about, and the best way to learn about someone was to let them decide what was done or talked about, such as going to the garden, Cain would never have chosen that to begin with, even if he was enjoying it.
 
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