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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Cain simply followed Arianna as she headed in the direction the children had ran off. Chances are they wouldn't find them, kids had so many places to hide and get away throughout the city and he knew that from experience. In fact he still remembered many of the old passages and routes he had used in order to do the very same thing those children had done, steal for survival, or just to get what he wanted. He remembered what people had thought about him at first, when he was growing up, when he joined the knights, it hadn't really gone away until he carved a new name for himself and even now he wondered if people still cared where he came from. Of course he only cared what certain people thought of him and it really was a short list, one being the king, a few of his friends within the knights, and of course his 'sister'. So far all of those people had accepted him for who he was, some even finding his childhood interesting or unimportant, the king simply caring for his abilities. Of course Arianna had quickly made her way onto that list and he was yet to find out what she thought about people from the lower area, those who grew up as poor common thieves. She seemed to not care yet she was so interested in the lower city for whatever reason. Regardless he wasn't entirely sure yet, even if he could guess.

He would simply observe and learn more about her as she would learn more about him, it would become clear over time. Still, he didn't think it would be an issue, or at least he hoped. The best thing he could think of to do for the time being was to follow her in the little adventure and make sure her apparent lack of regard for danger didn't get her in trouble. "Fine don't worry about it, I will take care of it if anything happens. Just do me a favor and don't go looking for trouble, I would prefer not to explain it to the king if I end up hurting some punks because the princess pissed them off." That would be trouble, the king wouldn't only be hearing about a scuffle but also about his daughter being in the lower city with nobody but Cain guarding her, and him allowing it all to happen. That would land the both of them in trouble. He wouldn't put a damper on things just because of that though and he continued forward, following her until they reached a dead end of sorts, only two ways to go, one back the way they came and the other a rather narrow alley. Cain knew approximately where it came out, an even rougher part of the area, full of bars and a popular hangout place for mercenaries, thieves, and drunks. No doubt that would be an adventure even if nothing happened, Arianna would see some things she had never seen before. He turned to Arianna and motioned his hand towards the alley, moving towards it without a word and waiting for her to join him, the path being narrow but it would lead them to an adventure. He wanted her to stay close though or risk being the victim of a thief, or worse.
 
Arianna glanced back at him and nodded. "I won't go looking," she promised, turning back in the direction they were going. That was the last thing Arianna wanted to do in this section of the city. Anywhere else, that would be her hidden plan, but in an area where trouble could probably find her in an instant, she wasn't about to risk it. She was completely ready to play it as safe as she could to make things easier for the man who had agreed to even just let her think about coming down there. She wasn't out to make the man's job any harder than it was already. She continued down the road, looking at the small shops, attempting to avoid the locals as much as possible to avoid any trouble it might have caused. Cain seemed to be willing to go on the path she was making, which gave the woman a chance to lead the exploration for as long as she could. It wasn't until they reached the dead end that the woman paused.

The woman's eyes settled on the sketchy alleyway, taking it in before she chose to follow the knight. It certainly wasn't something she would ever enjoy crawling through, but Cain seemed to know where he was going and she was ready to follow him. Staying as silent as he was, she followed his directions into the path, even going so far as to take his hand as they crept along the walls. Cain was no longer behind her, watching her back and although Arianna kept looking back to make sure no one was following them too closely, knowing the knight was within arms reach was a comforting feeling. As they stepped out, again the princess paused. The narrow alley seemed to lead to a whole other section of the city, one that fit her image of the lower quarter, full of cheep bars and people who could be grouped under the title of 'thugs'. This was certainly what she thought she would see right away and was just as shocking as her mind told her it would be.

"Somewhere you're familiar with?" she asked, sliding closer to the knight as her eyes danced around the street, only hoping Cain knew what they should expect there.
 
As they went through the alley Cain kept a vigilant eye out, never knowing what to expect in the area they were in and not willing to let anything happen to Arianna. Of course he couldn't help but smile a bit to himself, though he kept it hidden, when Arianna took his hand. She was certainly not stupidly brave, she knew better than to be cocky and headstrong when things could potentially go wrong, even if she were willing to risk it. It was the perfect combination, it would most likely keep her out of real danger, and help lower the chance of something less desirable than a walk occurring. As they exited the narrow alley Cain pulled her a bit closer, keeping her right by his side as some people eyed them both, many of them realizing who she was and looking on with great interest. Of course it seemed each person had their own reason to be curious, some simply because she was the princess and it was something unheard of for her to be in the lower city but others had a more devious look. Seeing Cain with her seemed to discourage the lot of them though, many knowing who he was as a knight and even from his past, and the look he gave a few of them was more scary than anything.

He turned to Arianna at her question, he wasn't really proud of it but he was familiar with the darker parts of the city and in a bad way. "I am far too familiar with this area, I wasn't always protecting the law, I use to be very much a criminal, even if most of my transgressions were minor..." The thought of what she would think crossed his mind for a moment but he didn't let it bother him, it was who he had been and that wasn't going to change, he just hoped getting a look at what he had grown up around wouldn't scare her off. "Of course I didn't run with any of the people around here, I was always either by myself of with Chyanne and we mostly only stole what we needed but I do know these parts and some of the people." Cain kept Arianna close as they continued to walk, his eyes darting around to the various people and watching them closely, even bumping into one of them could result in a missing coin purse and it wouldn't be seen again. "Stay close and if you want to stop somewhere or look at something tell me first, there are some hidden gems in this area but they are few, though there is a nice tailor in these parts and something of a master smith." He continued walking with Arianna, heading down the main road and just walking, him being vigilant and letting the princess look around and do whatever he wanted, though she was on a leash as his hand was holding hers still, the man not willing to let her run off on her own, even if it were only a couple feet. Hell, while her money could be stolen or she could antagonize a random drunk she could also provoke or elicit worse scenarios, such as a kidnapping or god forbid an attempt on her life, they were all possibilities.
 
The princess wasn't about to push the man away when they exited the alley. She followed his lead, inching closer as well, holding onto the man's hand with a light squeeze as she looked around the new street. Their eyes brought a bit of a nervous feeling to her mind, but she was careful to take in a deep breath and control it, not wanting to give off the air of fear or any emotion they could feed off of. They weren't enemies, per say, but they certainly were a group of people Arianna didn't want to know her weakness. They were now in what looked to be the roughest part of the city and the last thing either of the visitors wanted was a problem to rise. Cain's answer gave her some confidence and a better feeling about being there, which she quickly responded to with a nod. She began forward, keeping her head up and her body slightly tense as she kept her spirit up as much as possible.

Hearing of Cain's former life was an important detail to her, feeling that it meant the man felt comfortable enough to at least give her a small look into his background. She continued down the street, moving close to Cain as they passed each person around them, taking a chance to slip her fingers between the knight's in hope that contact would make it harder for them to be pulled apart, if something were to happen. There wasn't much she wanted to stop and look at, but there was plenty she noticed from a distance, slightly impressed with what she could see was going on in the area. Despite being so run down, there was still a whole set of rules playing out in these streets, a hierarchy that most seemed to follow, even as a guideline. Arianna would be lying if she didn't say she was impressed by how those who lived there survived.

Things seemed to be going well until several people came out of some small allies, surrounding the pair. A woman approached from the front, daring to take on the knight. She was only slightly taller than Arianna with a slender figure and dark, raven locks cut in a short, boyish haircut. It was short on the sides around her ears, but long on the top, with a few stands hanging over her eyes and her lips were pulled back into a smug smirk. "My, well ain't it Cain," she commented, stopping with her hands on her hips. Unlike the princess, she was dressed in a male commoner's clothing; a pair of dark leather pants and waist-length maroon shirt, making her foggy grey eyes stand out that much more. She had been around for years when Cain was on the streets, even going so far as helping him on a raid or two or even relaxing after a long, stressful day. But she was never much more. "I never thought you'd make your way back here."
 
Cain could definitely tell Arianna was nervous and he couldn't blame her, this part of the city wasn't welcoming and it was full of danger, more so for someone as beautiful and wealthy as Arianna. Her reaction was kind of nice though, the entwining of their fingers had Cain feeling quite at ease and while he knew he shouldn't have let it happen he did, unable to really deny himself the closeness. Truthfully he had thought she would bore or scare easily in the lower city, at least the part they were in, but she did not and they ended up walking around without much of an aim, just exploring and letting the princess get her fill of what the lower city had to offer, even if it was not much. Cain was less taken by the area, he knew what it really was and while he could appreciate some of the finer points they were far outweighed by less than appealing things. Even the people were that way, those who could not be trusted and dangerous people being more plentiful than honest and hard working types, he knew because he was one of those untrustworthy individuals once. It was a different way of life and it couldn't be summed up so easily but it was no place for a princess and he would try to avoid bringing her there again after the adventure was over.

Things changed from casual to confrontational quickly though, people surrounding them both and before any of the others could do a thing Cain had pushed Arianna towards a wall and drawn his sword. When someone approached he kept his guard up, even though it was obvious they knew each other, the man not putting it past the female to try and grab Arianna regardless, her motives had always been difficult to ascertain. "And I thought you would have learned better than to make me edgy Sam..." Her full name was Samantha but she never went by it, the woman always having been more fond of male qualities than female ones. Of course she had a certain feminine charm, her body was nice and her attitude was a turn on to the younger more reckless Cain but she and him had been more rivals than anything. In fact the last time he saw her she had gone so far as to send her goons to attack him, trying to keep him out of the way for a job she was pulling, though to her it was little more than a game, she didn't think such things held any importance.

"Oh, you know I just love to play with you... No other man is as fun, even after all these years." She gave a small laugh as she looked at him, "You are more handsome than ever, more manly and certainly more muscular. All that knights training I suppose." She turned to Arianna and walked a few steps forward, though stopping when Cain shot her an icy glare, "Now is this who I think it is or am I mistaken? Is this our very own princess... On a date perhaps? The rugged Cain catch you heart pretty?" She was grinning at her but quickly gasped, giving a small curtsy, "Manners, manners... Almost forgot." Then she looked to her men, all of which were donning small little grins of their own. It was only then she turned back to Cain, a small sigh as she looked at him, to Arianna, and then back to him. "A shame, separately this would be a great day for me, if it were just you we could reminisce in some cheap room like the old days... And with her, oh I would be lining my pockets with gold. I wonder, could you take the four of us on Cain, are you still that good?" Her questioned seemed serious and Cain's eyes narrowed, "I'm better..." Was all he said and she smirked, "Of course you are, silly me."

With another sigh she put her hand in the air and signaled her men away, turning to follow them but spinning back around for a quick moment, "Come back some time, I am sure I could give you one hell of a night, something the princess probably wouldn't even be able to imagine without at least blushing a couple of times." She gave a nearly maniacal laugh before heading back away from them, leaving Cain with his sword drawn. When he was sure they were gone, and not about to come back and attack when he was unaware, he turned to Arianna, sheathing his sword and grabbing her hand, "Had enough of this? I am not sure what will happen if we meet any more of my old 'friends', she is one of the more aggressive but not the most..." He didn't care about himself but it was obvious Sam had thoughts of kidnapping or at least robbing Arianna and she wasn't the only person who would be having those thoughts, it would be best not to stick around and let the thought dwell in those people's minds.
 
There was no argument from the princess as she was nudged against the wall, releasing Cain's hand long enough to back up, letting her fingers touch the brick behind her to give her a good bit of security while the scene played out in front of her. It was quite rare to see any woman dress in a way the thief was, but not at all impossible. In this case, Sam was known for her looks and of course, her attitude towards everything. It caught Arianna off guard for a few moments as she listened to the conversation and how easily the two could talk about not only Cain's looks, but the relationship they both had in Cain's past life. It wasn't until Sam began to turn her attention to the princess herself that the woman felt the need to tense into a protective, defensive state in order to keep herself not only calm, but in control of herself. With each word, the princess got the feeling the woman was mocking her. And it didn't stop when she turned her attention back to the knight between them.

It wasn't until the woman signalled to her crew and finally left that Arianna began to even think about dropping any sort of guard. Even then, she wasn't going to let herself completely relax. Deep down, Sam's final words sparked a slight rage inside the woman, yet she was careful not to let the thief see what she had done to the princess. As soon as she left and Cain turned around, the woman looked at him. She tightened her hand around his and quickly nodded.

"Lead the way," she told him, making sure to stay close to him as they left the darker area of the city. Once they crossed into the higher section, the princess slid into an alley to take a quick breath before she had to enter the public eye again. It didn't take very long, but the princess felt the need for a moment of silence. She quickly glanced towards the knight, hesitating slightly before standing up from the wall and letting her still tensed shoulders shrug. This day was certainly taking a good bit out of her. "Thank you for the trip," she told him softly. "Although, bumping into your friend was a... surprise."
 
Cain had been quite pissed at the way Sam threatened Arianna, even though her safety was priority he had an urge to go prove a point to Sam by beating her men down. Of course he wouldn't have touched her, she wasn't particularly special but he hated hitting women, even if they preferred to think about themselves as men or tough. He was however calmed down rather quickly when he felt her hand on his again, it was warm and he only gripped it rather tight as she told him to lead on, the man immediately beginning to move towards the upper city. The entire walk back he kept her closer, so close that their bodies rubbed up against one another when they walked, but it kept her safe and he wanted nothing more at that moment. Luckily the walk didn't take long and it was uneventful, nobody else getting near Cain, his initial reputation and his reaction towards being surrounded once enough to keep people at bay long enough for them to make it to safety. The princess seemed glad to escape the lower city, the woman sliding into an alleyway to collect herself, no doubt the little adventure being enough to keep her curiosities suppressed for some time, or at least he hoped there wouldn't be a repeat.

"I wasn't expecting to run into someone I knew either, especially not someone with such a colorful personality... She was always a bit crazy in the most dangerous way." Cain had been attracted to her at one point, she was skilled in what she had done and entertaining but now he found it more pitiable than anything, the way she acted and how she risked herself for the thrill of danger. He could remember what it was like and he had been that way but it was behind him, and he was glad, Arianna's company being far better than hers ever was. "I really am sorry for all of that, I fear she may have paid more attention to us because of me, our parting was not the best and she had always been one to get angry when something doesn't go the way she wants." He didn't say it but she had made it clear, their disagreement on jobs not being the only problem between them, one that made Sam so much more dangerous when he was around was her personal feelings towards him, even if he had never reciprocated. "Shall we go back to the castle? If you have something else you would like to do I would not object but it has been an... Interesting day."
 
The princess didn't seem to want to move right away, laying the back of her head against the cool, shaded brick. Her eyes slid closed slowly as Cain spoke, but her attention remained on the man, cracking a small smile as he ended his words. While they both weren't expecting a friend exactly, bumping into some sort of confrontation was something Arianna was almost expecting to happen while they were walking the streets. She was just happy that it had gone as well as it had and they were back to safety once again. From here, wherever they went would be calm and boring compared to what had just happened. Calmly, she opened her eyes, looking straight towards the knight as her mind began to turn. She didn't want to leave the man yet, despite her now aching muscles, but there weren't many places she would find entertaining for the rest of the day and being in the public eye was becoming tiring for her.

"At least your old friend didn't want to make too much of a fuss," Arianna pointed out, placing her hands behind her against the wall of the building holding her up. "I must admit though, as much as I enjoyed our time together, I am growing tired." Between the training that morning and sliding between buildings and avoiding people, it had been a long day and more adventure than Arianna had planned to have. If it was one or the other that day, the princess would have more energy to do something more. But stretching herself out any more would mean she wouldn't have a chance to go out that night, which was what really mattered to her. She had a name to uphold now. "While resting would be the best option, I..." Hesitation touched on her voice as she attempted to rephrase her words, or better yet, stop them entirely. The pause only lasted a short moment, as her mind had already settled on the proper wording, if she liked it or not. "I have no desire to part this early in the day." Although it was well past noon, the princess still saw it as early, or she was hoping it was earlier than it really was. Either way, her words were true.
 
Cain was still being affected by adrenaline, the man wasn't jumpy or anything but he was still acting slightly protective, aware of his surroundings and he stayed closer to Arianna than he he realized. It was only when he calmed down a bit that he noticed and took a few steps back, leaning against the same wall the princess was, looking over at her with a small smile. He was glad no hard had come to her, it was a relief and honestly he wouldn't have known what to do if he let another person get hurt under his watch, especially her. It was a sore though really, it made him think back to his men, one of the reasons he had been sent back, they had all trusted him like Arianna had and he failed them. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice, he would protect her. "For Sam that was but a simple greeting, if she had made a fuss I believe it would have gone much worse, something would have happened." He wasn't entirely sure what, as she had always been she was unpredictable, but chances are one of them would be hurt or still down in the lower section. Nothing had happened so he didn't want to think about it, what ifs were always full of possibilities and with Sam it would go on forever, he was glad to take it at face value.

Cain was a tad tired as well, not that he couldn't continue on, he was use to a bit of soreness, but he was tired much easier, once again due to his wounds. He would be fine whatever her decision but if she was ready to call a quit to the adventure he wouldn't object, in fact he would be relieved. What she said didn't do anything to relieve the man in the end, the princess speaking almost hesitantly of a desire not to part. He was flattered and he felt the same way but part of him kept pulling away, not wanting to get to close just to actually find himself too attached. Unfortunately he was not so strong willed as to deny himself Arianna's company if she wished for his, it was impossible to lie to the princess when the truth would show so obviously on his face. "Well we could find something less active to do, I have no duties I must attend until tonight." He hesitated next, trying to think of something they could do that had nothing to do with being out in the city and there really wasn't much, they could sit and talk, go back to the gardens if Arianna wanted, but even those options seemed a bit difficult to bring up. He for one didn't have the nerve to invite the princess to his quarters to sit around and talk and he most certainly wouldn't bring it up randomly just in case it sounded like he wanted to go to hers, his mind still being a tad tainted from his younger days. "I am sure we can find something to discuss or not do up at the castle." He smile slightly, implying that whatever ended up happening that they wouldn't be doing anything, just relaxing.
 
Arianna nodded before her eyes began to trace the wall across from the pair. She nodded again and stood up, turning slightly towards the knight to catch a look at his reactions. "Well let's head back to the castle. I'd imagine there's some places inside that we could use to relax." There were a few rooms coming to her mind right away, all of which were far more relaxing than remaining outside in public areas. Of course, inside the castle they would still have to be careful, but a princess spending time with a commander such as Cain wasn't unheard of and wouldn't exactly be frowned upon since a knight was just a simple guard more often than not. Arianna didn't waste any more time; the sooner they got inside, the sooner they could relax. She walked with the knight back to their home, making small, unimportant conversation with the man as they went, being as polite as ever around other people. It didn't take long for the two to return and there was an even shorter time before they were called to a halt.

"There you are!" the queen's voice shrieked down the grand staircase past the main door of the palace. "We were looking for you all day with no luck." The woman swiftly came down the stairs, her voice harsh, almost with a worried tone. She was careful to look over her daughter carefully. "Where did you go?"

Arianna nudged her mother away slightly. "I was with Commander Rhainor," she quickly assured her. "He's agreed to follow me and keep me out of trouble. Please, stop worrying. I'm back safe and sound."

The queen took a look at Cain, glancing him over before nodding and turning her attention back to her daughter. "Your father will be joining us for dinner tonight. Will you be there at least?"

Arianna shrugged slightly. "I could try." Her mother quickly huffed, showing her clear distaste for her daughter's lack of respect or solid answer. "Yes mother," she quickly corrected. "I'll be there, especially if he'll be there." The royal mother nodded slowly, taking a moment to look over the man beside her before sliding away, breaking contact.

"I'll see you in the dining hall then," she commented before walking away into one of the nearby rooms used for her children's classes. Arianna watched the woman as she walked away and let out a soft sigh before continuing forward with a small glance at Cain. "Come on, let's move quickly." She made her way up the main stairs, down a few turning halls and up to the next level where she entered through a door into a room with a few large, plush couches, chairs and several tables. It wasn't exactly a meeting room, but more of a waiting area for a small number of visitors waiting to get into whatever might have been found behind the wooden door. There were a few vases of flowers in the room, brightened by the large window found on the side wall of the room, overlooking the large courtyard.

Arianna was careful to look around the room, making sure no one was inside before entering, moving to the side to let the knight inside. "Private enough," she assured him before quickly correcting herself. "Calm, I mean. No one really comes in here unless they need to."
 
Relax, as much as he had craved it since his arrival back in the city it was still a strange thing to actually do. On the front lines it didn't mean the same thing, it didn't mean comfort and rest, it meant a break from fighting, recuperation, maybe a cold meal if you were lucky. It was truly something he could enjoy, even if it felt a bit odd to do so. "I am sure there is, I have never even really seen the entire castle but I am sure one of those many rooms has to have somewhere relaxing within it." He didn't know what Arianna had in mind but he could only imagine it would be grand by most standards, a place of luxury to many, Cain being no exception. As soon as they headed off towards the castle Cain was eager to arrive, not only to take a breather but because he preferred speaking to Arianna in an environment that let her do and say whatever she wanted, one where she didn't have to be careful and so unnecessarily polite. He kept up the conversation as they walked, not wanting to leave her talking to herself and trying his hand at small talk as they called it, it had been a long time since he had utilized such a thing.

A sharp voice caught his attention once they made it to the palace, the knight looking to see who it was, though he had recognized the voice. It was not good luck to run into the Queen, and while he remained calm he felt like she wouldn't like what they were doing, going out just the two of them, even if she didn't know the extent of it. Hearing that people had been looking for Arianna made him a bit concerned, he never meant to worry anyone, especially the royal family. At one point he thought about apologizing to the Queen but he didn't really have a reason, nor did he have an opportunity as the mother and daughter seemed to spar verbally as family often did. it wasn't anything rude or hurtful but Arianna was a tad more spirited with her mother than she was with the average person. The Queen did give him a look over which seemed almost like an evaluation but he wasn't entirely sure what she was trying to figure out. Perhaps his lack of armor alarmed her, maybe she was interested to see if he showed signs of his wounds, maybe she wasn't confident that he could protect her daughter. Whatever it was he tried not to let it get to him and just stood there, slightly stoic and letting them have their moment.

Cain moved with the princess once her mother was gone and traveled through the castle, not knowing whether or not he had ever gone the way they were going. He was about to ask if she knew where she was going but they soon stopped and entered a room, one that was not only spacious but luxurious in design. Cain hadn't really thought they would end up in such a room but he couldn't deny that it would be nice to relax in such a place. "Wow, this is nice..." He smiled as he walked in, trying to keep himself from reacting to the word private, it was indeed private and being in such a place with Arianna was suspicious for anybody that saw them. He doubted anybody would come by but that just made him a bit nervous, concentrating on calm as opposed to private. "Indeed it is, I think sitting on one of these comfortable looking couches will be a nice change from walking around the street." He went right towards one of the cushioned seats and sat down, letting out a soft sigh as he did, it was angelic, something few other than royalty had a chance to experience, it was more comfortable than his bed.
 
Arianna smiled as she followed the knight to one of the other couch, taking a seat before swinging her legs up onto the opposite side of the seat. She let out a soft, unwanted groan as her body settled into the soft fabric before she silenced herself, laying her head back against the arm of the chair. Finally, she had a minute to relax herself, turning her head enough to look at the knight across from her. "Some of the best furniture in the kingdom can be found in these rooms," she pointed out, nudging her foot lightly against the other side. "Cleaned every day, taken care of... this set in particular is a gift from a noble couple from Fridia." The topic faded slightly as Arianna remembered the other day when she had seemed to bore the knight while discussing the garden.

She looked away, turning towards the back of the couch, her fingers slowly running over the small, embroidered designs spread out over the couch. She listened to the comforting, sweet sound of birds chirping outside of the room, taking in a slow, deep breath, falling slowly into the soft, comforting feeling of the room around them. "How long were you away?" she asked, leaving a few seconds before she turned back to Cain, shifting her upper torso to hold herself in a more comfortable position.
 
Arianna's movement towards less proper and more comfort prompted Cain to do the same, the man kicking his boots off and leaning into the couch a bit more, letting his body relax. "I could believe that, this furniture is incredibly, more comfortable than my bed." Even as a knight commander Cain didn't have anything close to the couch in terms of comfort and luxury, he had a nice bed sure but it was simple. Of course he grew up sleeping on the ground anywhere he could find so it beat that but he could appreciate true comfort. The idea of the furniture, whether it was comfortable or not, being cleaned every day was quite something though, how many people it must have too to keep the castle and all its rooms cleaned must have been huge. It seemed almost unnecessary, then again aristocrats and nobles often did odd things, he would still to weekly cleaning, that was already bad enough. Then again it provided jobs for many of the people in the city and it couldn't be scoffed at, especially when the castle was a symbol of their city and nobles, something that had to be kept looking immaculate.

Cain wasn't bored with their conversation, in fact he was thinking about it all quite in depth, not only the cleaning but where it all came from, wondering if perhaps he could save up enough to get something as comfortable. He wouldn't have gotten anything as luxurious but perhaps as soft. The topic changed and so did his attention, the question pertaining to his time away on the front lines, or at least that was what he thought she was asking about. He hadn't really kept track of days but he had learned the exact time from some of those who bothered to keep track. It had been around a year and a few months since he departed the city with his men, and now he came back, alone. He would have been there for longer if he hadn't been injured, no doubt the war wouldn't be over for another year, and chances were if it took that long then he would be heading back. He hoped it ended sooner, he didn't particularly want to go back, but he couldn't not go back while others were fighting, if his men were dying. "It was a bit over a year I spent in that place, quite a long time on the Front Lines, even if it wasn't the longest." He looked at her and it was obvious he didn't love the topic but if she were interested he wasn't going to stop speaking, in fact he gave her permission to ask, to get it out in the open. "Go ahead and ask anything you wish to about the war, I know you must be as interested as the others who ask me about it."
 
There was an unsettling silence that washed over the room as the knight invited the princess to ask more questions. She had many things she wanted to ask, but there was no simple way to ask them without things getting uncomfortable. Her eyes dropped to the ground Cain looked towards her, choosing to trace the grain of the wooden floor instead of meeting the man's eyes. She began to lay out her thoughts in whatever order seemed to make sense, while also removing any which she imagined would make the man uncomfortable before allowing herself to look at him. Even then, she didn't dare raise her gaze to meet his own. "I've heard stories from older knights about their trips to the front lines," she told him, keeping her tone delicate, as if stepping on a freshly frosted, winter pond. "Most refused to tell me any details, but a few were ready to tell me everything they saw. Was it really as bad as they said?" Finally, her eyes met Cain's.

"Boys no older than my brother were sent from their homes? And you couldn't rest at night over the cries..." The memory of the first batch of men began crisp in her mind. She had been brought out to wish the knights and their forces good luck, but the look in many of their eyes told her of something more that she simply wasn't told. None of them looked like they expected to return, but the older knights held their heads up, hoping to boost whatever confidence they could find in the newer recruits. Of course not all of the knights went, as guards were still needed in the castle, but young men from the smaller villages and the city were called to arms to help their kingdom in the battle. Many of them had looks as if they were already dead before they even left the walls of the city.

Her father's words echoed in her mind, her expression slowly turning from that of curiosity to one of near sorrow. "No wonder you have nightmares..."
 
It seemed Arianna wasn't exactly comfortable with asking the questions but it didn't mean she wasn't curious and it didn't stop her from actually asking. It did however cause her to be a bit shy or at least hesitant, looking away from him and taking a minute to speak. Her question was interesting, most people wanted to know about honor and glory, what kind of battles he had been in and the things he had seen on his travels. Arianna wanted to know something entirely different, she wanted to know the reality of the war. It was a difficult thing to talk about, one of the reasons very few people spoke of it openly and why only the most battle crazed believed it to be honorable and just. When her eyes met his he knew she really wanted to know the answer and so he decided to tell her the truth, not lie like he would to most who asked as they didn't seek the truth, they sought comfort. "The war is worse than people say, nothing you could imagine comes close. People dying every day, men sitting next to you just gone. Rarely is there enough food for everyone and even if there is it is almost always cold. Then the injured crying out, constant threat of an ambush, that doesn't even cover having to take so many lives."

Cain was speaking slowly, his voice heavy as it was not a topic he enjoyed speaking on. Regardless he had said he would answer and he continued. "Many of the men that serve, in fact part of my unit even, were untrained boys barely of age. The sad fact is that most of them die, their lives wasted because they receive little to no training..." Cain's words stopped and his look changed to something surprised and a little confused when Arianna spoke again, the words that came out of her mouth supposed to be a secret. "Who told you that?" His voice was almost panicked, an entirely different look on his face and it was obvious that he hadn't wanted people to find out, especially her. He felt like people who knew looked down on him, that they saw only the nightmares, saw him as handicapped or incomplete, he hated it. He could already guess how she had found out, her father knew and he was one of the only ones who knew the details. It was his turn to look away, ashamed and not sure what the hell to do with her knowing. He swallowed hard, an awkward silence hanging in the air after she said that, he didn't know what to say and while he wasn't mad he was incredibly unsettled by the whole thing, more than the earlier confrontation, more than anything that had happened since his return.
 
Cain's description of war was far worse than Arianna had ever imagined. The scene painted for her in the past was dark, but still tame compared to what Cain was telling here. The thought of boys, even ones younger than her brother, being forced out to the front lines without a day of training was not only shocking, but disgusting, to see that others might have thought her parents, or those in charge, didn't care about them enough to bother to train the men before they went into battle. No wonder people were constantly dying. But that wasn't the worst of it; the term ambush sent a shiver down her back. At least in a normal battle, one would be able to see their enemy and give them a chance to prepare themselves before an attack. An ambush was, while possibly safer, still a cowardly way to take out an enemy. It frustrated Arianna to no end to find out that was how their men were taken out.

But as the conversation changed, Arianna hesitated, knowing she had made a mistake by letting her knowledge of his nightmares slip. She gently bit her bottom lip as he turned again, dropping her eyes slightly as well. "My father," she informed him softly. "I asked after we picked up your medication and he... barely hesitated to tell me." Cautiously, she looked back at the man before slowly raising herself to her feet to join the man on the opposite couch. She perched on the edge of the seat, angled so her knees were touching his own just light enough that he still had space to get away, if the desire hit. "I swear, no one else knows," she assured him, attempting to be as confidant as she could be at that very moment. It was obvious that what she said put Cain in an uncomfortable, uneasy place. She would have to tread carefully for the next few minutes, even after the conversation turned to a lighter place.

Lightly, she placed her hand on Cain's shoulder, letting her fingers graze over his shirt before she gently rubbed her hand over his back. "Even the greatest of knights return with night terrors after facing war. It doesn't make you any less of a person."
 
Cain hadn't thought the King would tell others, especially not so lightly, then again he was sure the King hadn't expected the knight to be spending so much time around his daughter, he probably believed it to be a one time event. "I suppose someone finding out was something that was bound to happen..." He almost muttered, not happy about it but trying to get himself there, that was until she said the words he hadn't wanted to hear, the ones he believed to be a lie. Her touch was comforting of course but even that didn't stop him from looking over at her almost sharply. "Don't you get it... The night terrors do make me less of a man, less of a knight. The fact that I am weak enough to let it get to me, the fact that it affects my judgement and ability to perform. At first I couldn't sleep... I made more mistakes, then I could sleep and still not be rested..." He took a deep breath, keeping his voice calm as to not take his anger out on Arianna, "They sent me back because of the terrors, I had to leave what men I had left up there because I was too weak to get myself together..." He was more upset about leaving his men than anything, his mind's inability to cope meaning they would be without him by their side, though after what happened he couldn't be entirely sure that was a bad thing, they could all be better off without him.

The knight didn't move away from the princess, in fact Cain leaned slightly towards her without realizing it. His eyes met her and he spoke in a soft voice, "Those ambushes... The ones I spoke of earlier..." He paused his voice choking up a bit, "They cost me the lives of so many men, so many friends... I failed them all, so many died and yet I still live... It isn't fair... All of those sons without a father, wives without a husband, mothers without a son, it's my fault." His head went down again and Cain seemed so much smaller and more fragile than he did any other time. He wasn't crying or breaking down but he was silent once again and in that silence he seemed so normal, not the strong knight but a normal guy with a bad experience weighing heavily on his mind. Nobody, not even Chyanne had ever seen him in such a state, Arianna was the only one to see the young commander drop every guard, his memories of what happened destroying all his efforts to hide his pain. "It's pathetic isn't it..." He gave a dry laugh and didn't look up at her but he was speaking to Arianna. He found himself wondering if she thought herself too far in for comfort, he wouldn't blame her to run after seeing him in that way, they had only been speaking for a number of days and yet such a heavy thing was laid in front of her.
 
Cain's reaction to her learning of his condition was far better than she thought it would have been. She was expecting bits of anger and frustration, possibly leaving at that very moment, but the knight, although not entirely pleased with the idea, seemed to not mind. Then again, his following reaction came too swiftly for the two to truly have a moment to let the new development fully sink in. While the displeased look in Cain's eyes stunned Arianna, she didn't break the contact with the man and even continued to stare him down as he spoke. Finding out that the man was sent home because of the terrors made her quickly rethink her words, but she didn't have a chance to change them aloud. Cain deserved a chance to speak and the princess was going to let him, whether she really wanted to or not. Her father never told her he was sent back to the city because the nightmares had hurt his ability to lead; she was told his injuries were the reason, the nightmares simply went along with the after affect of the war.

In any other situation, Arianna would have been impressed with how calm Cain kept himself during their conversation, but she simply couldn't concentrate on such a thing at that moment. Instead, she loosened the grip on the man's shirt which had begun some time during Cain's explanation. She continued to listen to the story, meeting his eyes again, noting not only the sorrow in his eyes, but she noticed the exact moment when the knight began to mentally shrivel into a small ball, holding his feelings close just enough to keep himself from loosing it in front of someone else. When his voice came again, Arianna held the silence for a moment before daring to move. She wrapped her arms around Cain's shoulders, sliding closer as well, attempting to comfort him. "No," she muttered. "It's not pathetic, Cain... Nothing that's happening to you, or what you've done, is pathetic. Or anything of the sort. People still see you as a hero, and that's what matters."
 
Arianna's closeness, her arms around Cain, he wasn't in the right mind to refuse it, he simply leaned into it even more, the knight letting someone comfort him, something he didn't do easily. He couldn't help but let out a small pitiful laugh when she spoke of him being a hero though, it was something he couldn't get away from, hero, he was no hero. In fact he was very far from a hero, he had let people die, he had left the front lines, heroes wouldn't do that, they would have fought through it, they wouldn't have let men die. "Hero, it is merely a word, a title I was given because I am good with a sword and charismatic. The war proved that I am nowhere near that, it chewed me up and spit me out. Sure it went fine at first, I lived true to the title for awhile, leading men into successful skirmishes, pushing the enemies back, but that was because I was fresh. After all that time I messed up, I showed myself for a weak man and led us into an ambush, one I should have seen coming and stopped." He laughed again, still sad and dry, "But I suppose the least I can do is be a symbol, sit in the city and let people look upon me like some sort of mascot, perhaps train some men so they stand a chance when they get sent off eventually. Maybe even catch a thief."

The knight took another deep breath, he was trying to calm himself and Arianna's comforting touch was helping, the mood being slowly washed away by the warmth of her body and the rather pleasant feeling. It took him a moment and he looked over at her again, pulling away just a bit but not breaking the contact. "Even if you don't believe the nightmares are pathetic this moment certainly is..." He looked into her eyes and his look got a bit softer, struggling to keep himself from continuing to wallow in self-pity. Truthfully it wasn't his fault, everyone knew it on the front lines but he hadn't accepted it yet, the deaths weighed on him to heavily for him to just push it away as not his fault. "I... Thank you..." Was all he said, he still wasn't thrilled that she knew but her words, her actions, the fact that Arianna, a princess, went so far for him was unreal. He was a lucky man, she was a great princess, on top of that a great woman. "I suppose you got a bit more than you were looking for, I am embarrassed to be acting in such a way in front of you..." It was still awkward but in a different way, as he began recovering, putting the walls back up around the pain, it became just him and Arianna pressed together on a couch, certainly a wonderful thing for any man but inappropriate.
 
Arianna listened to the definition, but didn't agree with what he was saying. She didn't want to call him a lost cause, but in the mental position he was in, there was convincing him differently of what he was thinking. Her fingers smoothly began to run through the man's hair, lightly scratching his head with her nails before combing through to the tips before repeating her actions. It wasn't until Cain pulled away that she stopped, letting her hand slide smoothly down his arm as her mind stuck on the final word 'thief'. She knew he would be after her until she stopped and that thought was always in the back of her mind, but for now, she had more important things to think and worry about. The knight had opened up to her despite only speaking for a few days and it seemed to be a great improvement. Not only that, but he didn't turn her away when she attempted to comfort him.

They remained close, which was pleasant, and their conversation continued, although it was coming to a close, it seemed. "Both the strong and pathetic need a chance to unwind," she pointed out, letting her fingers lightly dance over the man's lower arm lightly. "Your pick as to which you are." She gave him a smile while still holding a solid gaze. "I apologize for bringing the topic up," she quickly continued. "I believe you earned the right to ask something of me, if you'd like." It was only right to give the man a chance to either change the conversation or ask the princess something just as private. After all, she had learned something large enough to ruin not only the knight's status, but perhaps his life in general if word got out to even one other person.
 
Cain suddenly felt foolish, saying all that to someone who probably didn't want to hear that much about him. Of course if she didn't she hid it well, the comforting and personal touch made it feel more like they were old friends than new acquaintances. Another word she spoke seemed to stick out at him as she spoke once more, the word unwind, it was something he had been trying to do since he arrived in the city. It wasn't easy for a guy like him though, he had never just relaxed and taken things easy and with the guilt on his mind it was even more difficult. In the moment with Arianna, after getting what bothered him out of the open and being in her company, he was as close as he remembered being to 'unwound'. Continued comforting and wisdom helped pull Cain far enough out of the moment of pity and sorrow that he gave a small genuine smile, warm and truly thankful. She kept making the point to not agree with him on his being pathetic and that was about the same as saying he was on the strong side, even if this single instance was not so strong. It almost made him believe it.

"No... Actually if anybody was going to bring it up I think I would prefer it being you." He paused when she gave him permission to ask something of her. He took a moment, he didn't really know what to ask her, though he was tired of the heavy and serious conversation, a serious question out of the question. So finally he gave a small smirk, not too cocky and he wasn't completely rebounded, but enough to make it obvious he wasn't about to ask her to reveal some life secret. "Alright, tell me... Do you find me attractive at all, or are you just hanging around for the adventures?" He didn't think over the question, it just kind of came out, the knight not considering their current closeness and the position he was in, he just asked, trying to be funny but not really being all that amusing in the end. In fact he realized that rather quickly and shook his head moving his body a bit away from hers, still not putting any actual distance between them but making their bodies not touch anymore, making sure not to remain so close it became even more awkward than it was about to be. "No... That was stupid, don't answer that. I must be suffering from stupidity as well as everything else." He felt like a fool, as if he hadn't already made himself look inappropriate and ridiculous, so much for relaxing peacefully, his damn past personality, it would get him in trouble if he decided to be even the least bit flirty again, he was rusty and she was an unwise target for such things.
 
Arianna's spirits were lifted slightly when Cain admitted his preference in her knowing. A smile crossed her lips just enough to show her appreciation, holding it all though his change in looks. When his smile turned into a smirk, Arianna knew something was up and listened intently to hear what it might have been. But the question caught her off guard, her smile fading by the end of it. She held still, even as Cain seemed to draw back, but her hand quickly landing on the man's knee, silently asking him to stop. "I told you to ask me anything. If that's what you want to know, I'll tell you," she assured him, watching Cain's reaction before withdrawing her hand.

"The adventures are fun," she admitted, placing both of her hands in her lap. "And you are one of the few people who agreed to teach me anything with a sword. But..." There was a slight pause as she let her blue eyes trace around the room for a moment. "... Despite your stupid moments," she half teased, rolling her head around slightly before stopping to look at him out of the corner of her eyes. "You're up there on my list." She wasn't about to honestly tell him how far on her 'list' he was in the scale of attraction, but if the light kisses and the general desire to be around the man didn't do it, her final comment would have. "I would admit you're attractive, Mister Charming."
 
Cain was indeed embarrassed to ask such a thing, to even voice it, but he was also curious to know the answer and when she said she would give it to him he looked at her, wondering what she would say. Before she answered several concerns came to mind, that what if he couldn't compete with the princes and nobles that came seeking Arianna's hand in marriage, many of them being handsome. In fact many of them were also great warriors, and while Cain was naturally intelligent he had never received the education they had. He wondered if perhaps, at least to Arianna, if he weren't of the same standard of those people. The thought only made the man more curious as to the princess' answer, he wanted to know if he, a mere knight, could peak her interests in any way. The beginning of her answer was misleading, building suspense and making him wonder what the big but would be, and hopefully the good start, of adventuring and swordplay, wouldn't be met with her informing him that he didn't draw her attention. Luckily he wasn't told that and a bright smile lit up the man's face when she informed him or his position, no exact but high and that was good enough for him.

While it didn't offset the other emotions raging inside of him, emotions that weren't going to go away anytime soon, he had already recovered his poise and he was happy to hear the good news. "Glad to hear it, not sure I could have taken another big hit." He joked and breathed out, still embarrassed but refusing to make it worse with even more awkward silence, giving her his best 'Charming smile', which basically meant overacting a bit with a cocky and playful look, something he use to use in the old days to attract the attention of women. He wasn't attempting anything but the idea that a princess found him appealing, it just brought the look out. It ended after a minute though and he gave another laugh, ending it with a look back to Arianna, "Well, now that we got the awkward stuff out of the way, what do you say we talk about some more plain and boring topics? Unless you're ready for another adventure or activity after out 'relaxation'. He was sure they could figure out something to speak about or something to do in order to really move past the two moments they had just had.
 
Arianna smiled and broke out into her own, slightly hesitant, laugh as Cain removed the cocky look from his face. At least it was something other than the sadness he had minutes before. She was all for talking about a more boring topic, but softly groaned when he mentioned an adventure. "No adventure," she pouted, laying her head back against the couch. "Nothing until tomorrow." Even then, her arms were going to scream at her for doing any action at all, but at least she could give them the evening to rest before heading out onto the streets. She watched the ceiling as she thought of another question to ask the man, her fingers lightly drumming on her knee. "Do you own a horse?" she asked, lifting her head and turning towards the knight. She knew knights had their own sets of animals to ride when they were needed, but if some of the men owned their steeds was a mystery to her. "Do you enjoy riding or do you simply use the horses for transportation?"

There were several well guarded paths in the woods outside the city that the royals could use to ride in if they cared to, guarded by mostly knights in training, but most knew to stay clear unless they were using them for transport. As a child, Arianna would ride one of the older mares in the stable along side one of her parents, but when she turned sixteen, the same prince who felt the need to instruct her on the use of a sword bought her a beautiful, cream-coloured palomino stallion as a gift and the horse had been loyal to her ever since. Whenever she had the chance, she would take a ride, with or without a companion, simply to get into the woods again. She would pass down the main road of the city and occasionally she would be stopped by a child who looked downright amazed by the animal. As much as she loved sitting around a room all day, riding brought its own joys and relaxation. But it wasn't for everyone. Her brother loved his riding lessons but his sister was more interested in other things than sitting on a horse all day. It was a popular activity for nobles and the royals, but she would imagine many knights, especially the ones from lower classes, wouldn't enjoy it as much, or never really got the opportunity outside of needing the animal for transport.
 
He would agree wholeheartedly about staying on the safe and relaxing side for awhile, no more adventures and no more surprises, at least nothing unpleasant. He leaned back, trying to relax after all the awkwardness and bad memories, letting the cushions of the fine couch comfort him, though it was nothing compared to Arianna's closeness. "I did own my own horse, he died on the front lines shortly after my arrival and I have yet to receive another, or even look. I wasn't particularly close with the animal but there is a certain level of familiarity and trust that is needed for a warhorse, and of course a good breed is required as it needs to be strong, noble, and steadfast in battle." He hadn't mourned the horse, he had seen too many people die and he wasn't close enough to it to take time and feel sorrow. "Of course most knights own a horse, we are allowed to chose, the value and breed of each knights horse is depended on their station unless they pay for it themselves. Likewise soldiers below knight class do not own their horses. Just another privileged of serving the crown." He felt lucky to own a horse, he treasured owning anything because of his upbringing. In fact just having money was a blessing, one he extended to Chyanne and would do his best to always keep, he was not greedy of course but he knew the value of money and what happened when it was lacked.

Her next question was a bit of a thinker for Cain, he had never really given it much thought but really, he did enjoy riding. Not in the way nobles did perhaps but it was pleasant, being off his feet, above the ground with a companion, able to really enjoy the surroundings. "I would have to say I use horses more for transportation and combat than anything else, but I do also enjoy a simple ride, it can be nice." He looked over to Arianna with a curious look on his face, wondering if she was hinting that she would like to go for a ride. He imagined it was something to look forward to for her. "Are you wanting to go out for a ride now or shall we save that adventure for another day? I would be fine either way, this comfy couch and nice room or a nice ride outside." He would rather sit in the room, it was cooler, calmer, comfier, and he was sitting right next to Arianna which was a treat. He wouldn't say that though, he wanted her to enjoy herself and if that meant going riding he would certainly do so, whatever she wanted he wanted to give her. Even more so after the little revealing he had, showing that side of him to her, after she had accepted it. Whatever they did he wouldn't have too long, he had to do some work during the day, another hour or two and he would need to prepare.
 
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