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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Arianna could only imagine what else had to be running through Cain's mind during the time he was away. Keeping his horse safe after not truly being attached to it was difficult when you had your own men were not only more important, but dying just as quickly as the animals. She would imagine that the knights had the possibility of growing close to their mounts if they had the chance, but then again, not everyone enjoyed having to deal with horses as much as another person might. But to hear that knights at least had a chance to have their own partner, giving them a chance to have something from home with them even when they were so far away. There was no question that the knights had enough money to purchase their own transport, but Arianna could imagine that many would rather save the money in the bank or given to their family instead.

A smile slowly crossed the princess's lips as she gave a small nod to the man's answer. Arianna had never used a horse for a long trip, unless it was attached to a carriage, but a joy ride was something she had a habit of doing often, with or without warning to the guards in the area. She could relate more with the idea of taking a casual ride over much else the prince had done. Although they lived different lives, there were still a few things they had in common, they just had to find them. But the smile didn't last, letting it drop as the knight turned his attention towards the blonde beside him. "We need something to do tomorrow," Arianna reminded him with one of her signature sweet smiles. "Besides, don't you have to go to work soon?" She pointed out the nearby window towards the dimming sun which confirmed the time limit he had. She leaned in slightly, giving her reach a few more inches as well as getting closer to the man beside her again. "Did my luck come in handy last night, by the way?" she asked, letting her voice lower now that she was closer to the man. "Or are you in need of more for tonight?"
 
Arianna made two good points that went along with Cain's true wishes, one being that they needed something to do the next day. That made him happy, not only because he wouldn't have to go riding after the already eventful day, but because it meant he would be with the princess the next day. He was fond of their time together and if he could he would spend all his spare time with her. Of course that wasn't an option, or probably wasn't, but still. The second was his job, the thing he had to do, the thing he did want to do. He needed to get ready to try and catch the thief once more, especially since it seemed the woman, something he was more confident saying than ever, had changed up her act. It was no longer something as simple as watching the last place, sure he would have men on that location, but the chances of it being hit were low and he had a bit of thinking to do. "Yes, my job, I suppose if I don't do that then I can't call myself a knight." He gave a small laugh, mainly poking at nobles and the little they really did on average. The royal family was a bit different, they managed a kingdom and ensured its peoples safety through administration, but some of the general aristocrats did nothing but sit around all day, a most boring life.

The knight had no time to think about anything before his ear caught a much lower volume coming from Arianna, his heart beating faster as he turned to look at her beautiful face. She had leaned in closer, her voice and proximity bringing with them an intimate feel even if it wasn't too strong, and Cain was finding himself swallowing nervously. "Your luck came in very handy, I managed to nearly catch the thief on my first night, came very close to her... A little more luck could help me catch her tonight." Cain was still a bit nervous but he wasn't going to make that fact known, instead he played it cool, brazen almost, hinting that a little more luck would be nice. Regardless of luck he planned on catching the thief, he wasn't sure how yet but he wanted to nab the criminal and bring her to justice, make sure nobody else had to fear their goods being snatched away, even if they did get returned. Besides, who was to say if the current method of returning continued that some people may never see their things again, not all shop owners would be so forthcoming if they found a valuable item sitting around.
 
As much as Arianna knew she shouldn't, she had to take advantage of the situation in front of her. They had gotten too close for comfort the night before and there was a larger chance that he would grab her that night as well, but if she didn't there was the chance of raising suspicion with the knight, although not about the clues of her being a thief. This time it would be more about her feelings towards him and how much she really enjoyed his company. A smile sweetly touched her lips, her eyes drifting over Cain's for a simple moment before they dropped. It wasn't long before she inched forward again, pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek before smiling. "I'm happy to hear this won't take long," she told him, her hands lightly running against the man's knee, feeling the texture of his pants. Such a thing wasn't an example of proper princess behaviour, but neither was sitting alone in a room with a man of a lower class. "It's one thing to have a robbery, but this thief's just..."

Her words faltered as her eyes seemed to dance over the man, finally landing on his eyes once again. "Do you have any new plans, or are you just going to follow your gut instinct instead?" Arianna needed to know what sort of night she had ahead of her. She had another shop in line to take care of that night, but she needed to work near where Cain had his men set up, meaning she was ready for a sudden move if his location changed. She wanted the challenge that the knights gave her and now that they were on the same field of the city, she would take advantage of it. Meanwhile, the commander in front of her was the best contact she had and the very best way for her to work out what they were planning.

"Either way," she continued. "I'll give you the luck you want." She let her eyes dart down to the man's lips for a moment before she gave him another light kiss on his cheek. "Just take what you made need." She smiled again and let herself lock eyes with Cain, proving she wasn't just talking or joking about such a thing. "After you got so close, something tells me your thief won't make it so easy for you."
 
The kiss on the cheek warmed Cain's body, the knight looking at Arianna and smiling, he couldn't hide his happiness at the gesture. He felt like a champion being blessed for slaying some dragon, a lucky man and nobody would disagree that a kiss from the beautiful princess was a gift many sought. Yet he not only received such a kiss but the time alone with her no other man in the kingdom could imagine, something he couldn't have ever imagined. "Yes, I will do my best to make sure this thief is stopped, to ease the peoples mind." Her hand on his knee and the look brought him to a stall in his thoughts and he just looked at her, soaking in every word she spoke. "I am not entirely sure what I am going to do yet, some ideas are floating around in my head but it is hard to pinpoint it down yet, I will probably do a bit of research before I head to the patrol barracks, see if I can't come up with something to give us better odds." The truth was that his gut instinct would probably dictate most of it but if he could see some mysterious pattern or at least get a hint as to the thief's next course of action, well that would be most helpful. He would give it a look, but he wasn't sure there would be anything to gleam and even if there were if it would be correct, hunting a thief who returned her loot, it left little to go on, no buyer to give an identity, no stolen items to look for, nothing after the acts.

Time stopped soon after his answer, any ideas he was beginning to think up for his night of hunting the thief disappeared and he swallowed, the path of her eyes, the second peck on his cheek, the words afterwards. At first he thought it was a joke but then he saw the truth of it, how serious Arianna was about her little offer. Cain's heart jumped as he looked from her eyes to her lips and then back up, the man knowing what he wanted to do but also knowing what was appropriate. He looked at her for a moment and looked at those lips once more, lips he wanted so very badly, and while he knew if he took a moment and thought about it he would stop himself he couldn't do that, as much as he knew it was wrong. The knight reached forward slowly, his hand touching the side of her cheek and he leaned in, his voice low and barely audible, "I want to end this tonight." And then he did it, he took a kiss from her lips, gentle, almost as if he were scared to be too pushy with it. The duration was short, he pulled back soon after their lips touched and he looked into her eyes, moving his hand from her cheek and drawing back slowly, his heart pounding in his chest as he wondered what her reaction would be. Cain had overstepped his bounds by an astronomical proportion, and with that realization came another, what if he had read the signal wrong, what if she really had been joking, what would happen after the kiss. He just sat there silently as he looked into her eyes, he was possessed.
 
Arianna wasn't exactly pleased with the answer she got, but she couldn't push the subject any further. She took that as a solid 'gut reaction' answer and knew she would have to play it in the moment just as the knight was about to. It was the only way this would work without having to flat out give up that very night. Of course, their plans still held plenty of options and openings that they could take in an instant, but Arianna would have to be even more careful than she was any other night. If Cain was as determined as he seemed to be, this would only lead to trouble if she was caught or worse, harmed in a struggle. The knight knew what he was doing and how to fight in hand to hand combat fare better than the princess did. She'd have to make sure Isabelle was around at her return in case something did happen, so she could get patched up right away in time to be out and about the next day.

Despite all that, Cain's hesitation before his answer was good news for Arianna simply because of her next goal. The man had been relaxing more around her since they met and his stalling meant she was doing something right in his mind. He also seemed to have his spirits lifted since their last topic of conversation, which was a satisfying bonus for both of them, as that meant he was falling back into his seemingly normal mood and comfort level. Arianna was pleased that he had decided to open up to her like he had, but she would be lying if she said it didn't make her uncomfortable at some point. Those thoughts didn't last long, as Cain began to move in response to her suggestion. She watched as he seemed to silently argue with himself, no doubt considering the proper thing to do in the situation he was in, but she could see the very moment he decided on his actions.

Her skin warmed where the knight placed his hand and Arianna inched closer, careful to keep herself from touching Cain's own lips until he was ready. As it was, his words gave the princess a slight chill, giving her only a second to think that he was challenging the woman right in front of him. But just as Cain's did minutes before, her own thoughts came to a stuttering halt, as the feeling of the man's lips against her own brought light goosebumps to her seemingly perfect skin. It was sweet, just as she thought it would be, but enough to bring a rose colour to her cheeks. She sat still with the same sort of look the knight had, waiting to find out what was going to happen, holding the gaze the two had created. She stepped up and broke the silence. "My... you are quite charming." Well that was stupid, and she showed her instant regret with a brightening blush. "I-I mean..." While hesitating and trying to keep from giving the man a hesitant smile, Arianna refused to break the hold, afraid they wouldn't be able to find it again once it was lost. "Um... is that all you need?"
 
The kiss was possibly the most incredible one of Cain's life and he was no stranger to kissing, he had done that with plenty of women, some as beautiful as Arianna. Nobody else had been able to so easily influence him though, spending time with her was enjoyable and he had developed feelings for her at an incredible speed. A part of him knew it would come to something similar to how it was, that he was kidding himself thinking he could hold back when he was so attracted to her from the start. And so it had been inevitable for it to come to a head, he just hadn't expected it to be so soon, and truthfully Cain hadn't expected Arianna to reciprocate. Then there was the blush that came afterwards, the rose color on Arianna's cheeks, the small hint of her innocence on the matter of intimacy, that look on her would drive any man crazy and he was no exception. He even managed to smile, his mood improved when the silence was broken, a small laugh even escaping when she began to get flustered, apparently her mouth speaking words her mind would rather it had not. He couldn't help but think that the fact that he could charm her, a mere knight, was quite the compliment, after all there were many princes who tried that very thing, to charm the beautiful princess of his kingdom.

"Do you understand how impossible you are making it for me to be a good knight right now?" He asked almost teasingly when she questioned if that was all, he couldn't help but take the invitation, he couldn't stand back and call it quits after one kiss when she was opening the door for yet another. Even if that meant he was betraying the king and failing at his duty, his affections were more important. So he leaned back in and his hand went gently behind her head, his lips connecting with hers once again but much more passionately, not holding back even nearly as much the second time, whether he had gotten the signals crossed no longer a consideration. The soft sweet lips caused him to extend the kiss for longer than he should have but he soon enough released her and pulled himself away, staring into her eyes and cracking another smile. "You are incredibly charming yourself, though I fear if I don't stop myself with this much luck I will no be able to pull myself away... And that wouldn't be good for anybody."

Cain didn't want to stop, he would have taken even more luck from the princess but he had to stop. For one he may have taken it too far, the more he kissed the more he would want to do, then there was that Arianna was special and he didn't want to take things quickly, for several reasons. Then there was that he had to get to work and if he stared into her eyes time would pass by quickly. "I think that amount of luck will do, perhaps with that motivation I will be able to catch our thief." He gave one last smile and brushed cheek one last time, a twinge of fear creeping in on him when he thought about what it could all mean and what would happen next. The chances of it ending well were not many and if it even went farther, if this wasn't a random whim of Arianna's, so many options, he didn't need to think of them. "I do believe we should go now... I must prepare for tonight..." And he didn't want to procrastinate in fear he would change his mind. So Cain paused as he stood up, obviously hesitating a bit, "I want to see you tomorrow, if you are still wanting to." He paused again, offering his hand from the stood up position, ready to escort her away before he went to his destination, spend the last few moments on their walk away from the private and intimate moment.
 
The tension in her body sagged to a comfortable level as the knight laughed at her embarrassed state, knowing that the possible storm of awkward had passed. Sadly, she was the one who had to suffer from it, but it was well worth it for the outcome that followed. Cain's words seemed innocent enough but to a princess who seemed to seek trouble and variation in her life, testing a knight's power was something she would willingly take credit for. Especially if it meant Cain would continue to give her the light, shivering goosebumps. This time, she knew what she could expect from the man and went so far as to inch her own hold onto the knight's lower arm, lightly gripping his shirt as he gently held her in place.

Arianna's eyes slid closed as their lips touched, making sure that she returned the gentle pressure as well. There wasn't much for her to hold back this time, as she now knew where she stood with the knight and was planning on taking full advantage of such a place. But in her opinion, the kiss simply wasn't long enough. Cain broke it off and Arianna seemed a bit hesitant in pulling away fully, but quickly decided on following his lead even to the point of breaking into a cheerful smile. Arianna had no where near the same experience with the opposite gender as Cain had, but her previous romantic interest had stepped forward and politely offered to take the princess's first kiss which the woman happily gave to him. Despite the same practice and same general concept, the two men both had different styles to their intimate touches and Arianna could point them out in a heartbeat. Cain certainly wasn't disappointing in any way, but he had the feeling of what she thought a knight would have; a gentle hold but an exact goal which he was planning on achieving. The prior prince was a bit more hesitant with a sweet touch, but there wasn't much of a final decision in his mind, almost like he was making it up half way though. Of the two, Arianna knew what she preferred, but she would never dare to admit it, even to her closest friend. Thankfully it was in front of her that that very moment.

Cain had a point though; as much as the two wanted to keep going, if it progressed any more, nothing good could come from it. Arianna was still a princess and still had to keep herself as tradition told for her husband, despite whatever feelings she may have had at that exact moment. As much as that was true, Arianna didn't care to think about such an idea with Cain around and instead glanced out the window to check the approximate time of day. Her eyes turned back to the knight as he spoke again and she carefully nodded with a smile, forgetting for a quick second they were about to go head to head on Cain's own battleground. The idea of seeing the man off on his job and seeing him again tomorrow were more pressing in her current dazed mindset. She took his hand and slowly nodded. "Of course," she agreed, taking the chance to slip her fingers between Cain's. "Care to meet me in the stables tomorrow morning?" She slid away from the couch slightly, making sure she didn't decide to fall back onto it with the man. "I don't believe I'll be joining you for training again tomorrow. Once was plenty for now," she commented with a small laugh. The last thing she wanted was to make training with the knights a permanent habit for her and her brother.

Slowly, she lead the knight towards the door, stopping a foot away from it to remove her hand from his. This ended up being more difficult than she expected it to be. His hand was quite warm and comforting in a way, especially after a day of running through the city streets while holding onto it for what could have possibly been her life. But she fought the urge and released it, letting her own hands fall calmly to her sides. There was a moment of hesitation before she reached for the knob, unlocking the door and opening it, stopping whatever moment might have come before the two of them. She travelled the halls back to the main area of the palace before turning towards Cain. She curtsied to the best of her ability in the dress she had and smiled at the man. "Have a pleasant evening," she commented, catching the sight of a servant from the corner of her eye. "I hope you find your thief."
 
Both kisses had truly been too short, there was doubt that he wanted far more than that, more of her beautiful lips, more intimacy, everything. Both of them knew that could not be and so they both stopped, even if neither of them wanted to, having their reasons and giving excuses to make it easier. Of course he hoped it wasn't the last, he would make sure to control himself regardless, but her lips, her touch, Cain wanted more. It was funny really, what he found himself wanting most, what he felt so happy about, it was something he wouldn't be able to share with anyone and that would be perhaps the most difficult part, it would be like some sort of hidden affair. It was worth it. "I would love to meet you in the stables tomorrow." He would have loved to see her train with himself and the knights, train her to defend herself and see more of the skilled warrior in her, but he was fine with not having that happen. At least not having it happen often, he wanted her to learn more and he thought it would be fun to teach her some every once in awhile. He would find ways to get some combat training in along the way, especially since, with her invitation, it seemed they would continue to see each other after the intimacy. Part of him also decided he would teach her how to kiss as well, if she gave him further opportunity to taste her sweet lips, though he did like the innocence currently evident.

Cain was in no rush to leave the room of course, while he had been the one to stand he didn't pull her away or even make a move until Arianna led them away from the couch and mischief. Her hand on his and the visage of her didn't help either, but once she released him and opened the door he put on his usual face, nothing suspicious and very professional. "I will have a fine evening and do my best to bring the thief to justice." With that he smiled and turned to walk down the hall towards his location, his quarters to check on a few of the things for the night, having a bit of time before having to go to the barracks. He had seen the servant but he had done his best not to make things seem strange, to not look at the person as if wondering what they had seen, instead he continued to walk and made it to his room before finally letting out a long deep breath, not sure if he had been holding it that entire time or if he had just began doing so as he approached.

The knight was in one hell of a mood, no nightmares and such a lovely time with Arianna, he couldn't remember a day he had been happier and it was all due to her, Arianna. That only distracted him for a moment, the job he had to do pressing on his mind. He had to get to work or fear not doing what he had set out to do, so the knight grabbed all the information he had kept in his room, including a city map, and began to plot out all the points of the robberies and write down what had been taken. He was looking for connections, between people or places, a path or pattern, something to give him a clue as to who would be next. The truth was it was difficult, he could see something that resembled a pattern but it wasn't clear, the goods stolen seemed random when it came to the people and value of the items, all were treasured in one way or another but approximate value varied, and since she didn't keep them anyways that was less of a clue that anything. What he could see was a general direction, nothing concrete or precise, nothing too trustworthy, but neither did each robbery occur on different parts of the city, and it seemed the thief rarely doubled back to a previous area, so with that in mind he could prioritize some locations above others. He had to brief the others on duty and get things set up but he would be ready to give it another go, ready to try and catch the thief once again, and he would be patrolling the highest chance area himself, it was personal after she escaped him the first night, and he did want to catch the thief to impress Arianna as well.
 
Arianna turned away as well, knowing it would be awkward otherwise for any who saw and themselves in the end. Taking a common path, the princess returned to her room with every intent on skipping dinner that night, until she remember the earlier conversation with her mother. She had promised she'd join them for dinner, simply to see her father when he left his room, and there was no way she could turn away form that. Instead, she took the time to change into a proper outfit for that evening and left her room, stopping by Isabelle's on her way down to the main hall. She warned the woman of what might be going down that night and requested that she wait by a different entrance than Arianna had been using earlier. The knights were getting smart and another a path had to be used if she was going to continue her plans. Isabelle argued a bit, but decided it simply wasn't worth it and agreed instead, returning to prepare a full aid kit for the woman in case things went wrong. Meanwhile, Arianna completed her trip to the dining hall, smiling as she noticed her father sitting at the head of the table.

The king didn't look well, just as the family thought he would, with a gaunt figure, pale skin and worst of all eyes that looked like death already had a firm hold on him. To just look at the man gave Arianna the chills, but she refused to back away, sitting right beside her father during the dinner so she could properly hear every word he said. Her father was the only person in the world who knew exactly who Arianna was. Cain was close, but their friendship was still developing and there was a good portion of her life that she imagined the man had never paid attention to. Likewise, she still knew little of the exact details of his own life, bringing them to an even playing field when it came to that. The king had been there since the beginning and was the one person the princess could turn to who would listen, no matter how busy he was or how much more important the kingdom was at that moment. To him, his daughter was his number one worry. Their relationship had been close, despite Arianna's rebelling ways, but when the ruler had fallen ill near the beginning of the battle, things began to slide downhill inside the palace, despite everyone's best attempts to keep up appearances and moral to those around them.

Despite the king's health, the dinner went as well as it ever could, with light conversation between the family, listening to Zachary's tale of that day's practice and Celia's ideas to hold another joust soon. Arianna pointed out that many of the best jousters were off in the war, but her father gave some small hints that they may be returning home soon enough, giving them a perfect opportunity to hold even a series of competitions and even a chance to recruit new men to the knight's lines. That conversation took up most of the dining time and soon enough they had finished and the king was in need of more rest. Arianna's mother left with her husband and the children parted in their own directions, leaving the eldest princess to return to her room until night fall, when she took the newest passage out of the castle and onto the streets of the city once more.

She was covered once again, but this time without her trusty bag. No, her plan for tonight was different than what she had wanted to do in the past. Tonight, she was going to rob and return all in the same evening. That would really put the knights into a bit of a spin, or so she hoped. The thief kept her eyes sharp for signs of movement around her as she walked through the streets, looking for her next spot. She carefully entered the knight's guarded territory and slowed down, making her movements slower than normal in case Cain had happened to focus on the one area she had entered. With her luck, the man was standing above her on a roof top again and she simply couldn't see him. Arianna couldn't risk it and chose to look up to the area surrounding her before continuing on, just barely reaching the shop before a knight crossed her path. Whoever was out there that night was much sharper then the men from the night before, forcing the thief to pause in an uncomfortable and possibly vulnerable alley until the man passed on.
 
Cain got together every bit of information he could, putting together patterns, guessing at which areas had the highest chance of being hit, but that was all it was really, just guesses. So when he finished his confidence was still a bit low, the man not entirely sure he would even get a reported sighting of it until it was all over. Regardless he took the information with him to brief the patrols, putting on a sure face and instructing them all to their duties. Mainly he had assigned the veteran knights to the second and third highest probability areas, leaving a few for the highest with himself, and sending the local guards on the other locations, a few here and there to keep a good presence within the city. They needed to catch the thief before they missed their chance, if the presence became so strong but they didn't get her it could lead to the thief going to another city or even getting violent, they had to ensure neither of those happened. So the patrols had their orders and in the time leading up to the shift change they all sat around, some speaking of the war or their job for the night and others just chatting. Cain was standing by himself, looking at a window towards the palace, Arianna weighing on his mind in a pleasant way. He wanted to catch the thief and he was going to try his hardest, but the next day would bring with it more time with the princess and he was eager for that, he was looking forward to something which he hadn't done in some time.

Finally, when it was time they headed out, all the men splitting to their different patrols and Cain heading to the location he had picked out for himself. He was still in his casual attire, looking rather inconspicuous as far as things went. Of course the sword and the air about him made it easy to see he was a fighter but it would be enough to avoid immediate detection as he roamed the streets in search of the thief. Unfortunately there had been no sighting as of yet though, the knight and all of the other men on patrol were keeping a close look out but either their culprit hadn't made a move yet or they were already done. Sure the thief could have decided to lay low after her run in with Cain, but he doubted it, the thief's style didn't seem to include caution or cowardice. No, she would be on the streets and that was a good thing, that would give Cain more opportunities to find the woman and bring her to justice, stop the person from affecting the people of the city more than she already had. With that on his mind Cain stayed vigilant, the man having a cloak on and a hood over his head, blending in perfectly with the rest of the people on the street as he did a little patrol route of his own, checking alleys and rooftops from below and drawing as little attention to himself as possible, also ready to get to the chase on a moments notice, and hopefully with the medicine and luck from the princess he would succeed, still not at full health but feeling more limber and experiencing less pain with the mixtures he had been given.
 
Arianna crept through the streets, slowly moving through the outer edges of the crowds who seemed to be heading back to their homes for the night. So far, so good, she thought as she moved closer to her target, keeping a sharp eye out for the knights around the area. Certainly there were more around the area as she approached the shop, but no one she was really looking for. Cain was no where she could find, not that she was trying to search him out, but she was hoping the two could 'face off', one could say. While her gut told her the knight would be able to beat her, she was ready to try at least to get away if nothing else would come out of it. Besides, to see the shock on the man's face when they got close would be worth every minute of the torture she was about to force onto herself.

Her target was right ahead of her and she broke into a grin beneath her dark scarf. Taking her normal route into the building, she entered through the window, taking a quick scan of the inside for something to nab that night. With the knights on her tail, she knew she had to move quickly so she could get out before she was caught. There wasn't anything fancy in the store, but there was a good bit of value inside for Arianna to pick from. This time, she took a beautiful case of pewter cups which she slid into her bag once again, securing it to the bottom of her bag before slipping the extra cloth around it, making sure it wouldn't break inside of her bag. With a deep breath, she turned back to the window and left back to the alley and onto the street.

As soon as she entered one of the larger paths of the city, she looked down in one direction, spotting a guard pacing vertically to her. Luckily she wasn't noticed, giving her a chance to get way with a small bit of backing up and turning around. This time she wasn't as lucky. Before she could get away, Arianna hit a solid figure, forcing her entire body to tightly tense. She barely hesitated before turning around to come face to face, or face to chest, with the exact man she was trying to avoid. The great commander had found her and Arianna only reacted with a wide eyed stare before her fight or flight reaction kicked into full gear, sending herself off into the nearest alley before she could be grabbed by the man. She knew it was on now.
 
Cain hadn't had much luck patrolling, there had been no signs of the infamous thief anywhere, though he did happen to stop another crime in progress. He didn't much care about any other crimes, he had turned the minor thief over to some of the guards and continued on his search for the more bothersome target. He was in a sort of tunnel vision, his eyes looking all about as he walked, searching for some sign of the one who had escaped him the night before. He needed to catch the person, for his own pride and for the sake of doing his duty. It was awfully hard to catch a target you couldn't track though and he felt like he was searching randomly, like his chances of actually finding the thief were astronomically low. Not that they weren't, in the entire city he was only in one part, only able to be in one part, and while he had made some guesses as to which section was the most likely location he didn't have any hard evidence. Hopefully they would at least get a spotting, the only thing worse than Cain not running into the criminal would be nobody running into her, if that happened it would make all of his ideas and leads run dry, the patterns he had seen needed to work out, if not they would be back at square one since the method seemed to have changed, items being returned at the next robbery spot.

That night fate was on Cain's side, his wandering around and vigilance meaning little as someone bumped into him, the man turning and seeing none other than his target. As if she had been delivered into his hands by the gods themselves. He grinned when he noticed who it was, pushing back the hood on his cloak and knowing it was meant to be, or at least that he had the right information. He didn't plan on using it again but it was good to know he had been right, good to know the thief couldn't escape in the long run. He would catch her though, he was sure he could and was going to try his hardest, knowing it wasn't going to be as simple as saying 'stop' or 'freeze'. No, she quickly took off running and he chased, his reaction speed as fast as hers and he was closer behind than the night before, the medicine and good nights sleep definitely helping get him back to his usual self and it was a big difference. While he wasn't at full force he was quicker and more agile, not to mention he seemed less concerned about precision in his running, able to stay right behind her and not mind bumping into something here and there. "No alleyway is going to save you tonight..." He snarled, his hand outstretched and barely missing her clothing, the knight trying to pick up the pace, all he had to do was get a bit closer and he had a chance, a chance to get a hold on her clothing and yank her back, if he could grab her it would be over.
 
As soon as she heard Cain's feet hit the ground behind her, and with every step afterwards, Arianna cursed her luck. No matter how tired or sore her body was, she had no choice but to keep running, carrying herself through the twisting city with every hope that she could get away from the man. For a moment she really believed she had given all of her luck away to the man earlier as she felt his hand graze her clothing. With a slight jump, pushing herself forward, she silently cursed the air around her, believing there was no possible way she could be this unlucky, not that night. But Arianna continued, even going so far as to avoid the alleys in favour of the main streets where there was less to collide into. The sounds of Cain running into small items didn't help her confidence as she knew if the man harmed himself on the streets that night, not a single person would think twice about it. If Arianna were to hit something, there would be a ruckus if it was discovered and she would be discovered for sure. She couldn't risk such a thing.

While the two raced through the streets, Arianna tried to look for an opening, knowing she couldn't run forever. The chances of her tiring before the knight were good, in fact she was betting on such a thing, and in that case she was caught for sure. There were plenty of places to run to if she were to return to the dark side streets and they were getting closer to the castle. The thief glanced up towards the nearest tower and grinned behind the scarf. She started towards the next alley, barely making it over the boxes inside the passage, but continuing on with a bit of a stumble. If she planned it correctly, there was a good chance she would lead the man into one of the seemingly dead ends, giving her a chance to slip inside one of the old smuggling holes in the palace walls and get away without a problem. Of course, she always risked the chance of stumbling and having the man catch her, but she would risk it.

Arianna lead Cain down a few more alleys, swerving around most of the obstacles except for a few she jumped and one she even hit. Her lower arm grazed a few small nails stuck in a box as she passed it, but the adrenaline pumping through her body kept her from noticing right away and she continued to push forward, entering another passage before sliding to a halt, hitting a small wall with her shoulder and slipping between a shop and the palace wall, inching closer to the hidden door only a few feet inside. These old passages were hidden to most who didn't know they were there, which was the only way the castle was safe from the normal every day thief. Arianna only knew about them from having played in almost every inch of the castle as a child and happening to stumble upon one or two before she began to seek out the rest. Quietly she stood inside the castle entrance, waiting to hear the echo of the man leave the alley before she knew she was absolutely safe.
 
The chase wasn't what he had expected, the thief was brave enough to go through the regular streets and to make things even more interesting, she was still being quite careful. Not that he wasn't glad, her precision cost a bit of speed and the open streets were easier for him to maneuver through, it made keeping up less difficult. The thief did begin to alternate, using some regular streets, some alleyways, it made for an adrenaline packed adventure, the knight losing track of exactly where they were and only following the person right in front of him, the distance between them varying at times but he was always close. He was even close to catching her before a few movements put the thief ahead, and before he knew what was happening she disappeared. At first he kept running, figuring she had made a turn or was hiding behind something, the knight beginning to search all of the hidden spots, but eventually it hit him, she had lost him. He couldn't help but curse, there was no way he should have lost her, not this time. It was insane that she could manage to get away. So he refused to accept it for a moment, double checking the places the thief could have gone before finally letting out a frustrated sigh and kicking one of the boxes in the alley. He didn't like to fail, especially not twice and more so to the same person. "I will catch her..." He muttered, kicking yet another box before beginning to walk out of the alley, no doubt he had already missed the robbery, but since he didn't know he would have to patrol for the rest of the night just in case, knowing she got away once again.

It put the knight in a sour mood for the rest of his patrol, every time someone came to speak to him, whether it be another member of the night watch or a random civilian he couldn't hide his displeasure. He wasn't rude but neither was he overly cheery, he was just upset. It made him want to catch her more than ever, take down the thief who kept making a fool of him. Contempt, that was a good word to describe his feelings on the matter. Of course it didn't help when the patrol ended and several men began talking about how close he had come, to them it was impressive, two nights he had almost caught the thief when before nobody could even figure out what had happened until the next day, and truly it was impressive, just not to Cain. What would be impressive would be to capture the criminal and bring her to justice, allow himself to forget about the night patrols and enjoy himself for awhile, possibly even focus more on training than taking care of the biggest problem. Regardless he had more information to go on and his pattern had held up for the first night. He would just have to give it some more thought the next day and be prepared, he wouldn't let her escape him again, not a third time. Of course he wasn't just going to go to sleep that night, he was obsessing a bit, already thinking it all over and trying to figure out what had happened, how she had escaped, it would be a long night for him.
 
As soon as Cain cursed, Arianna grinned, quite pleased with herself and what she had done, staying around to listen to him kick the box and finally retreat from the alley. The blonde didn't waste any more time and tugged her scarf down from her face as she started back into the castle, sliding through the halls to reach where Isabelle was planning to meet her not quite half way across the large building. Isabelle didn't get a chance to ask how it went before Arianna tugged her back to her room and began to remove her shirt, exposing where she was hit that night. With a slightly disapproving gasp, the woman went to work placing a healing ointment over the mark, doing her best to make sure it wouldn't scar. The next day it would still be tender, but hopefully no one would notice or get too close to touch the spot. Then she remembered her meeting with Cain. She remained silent but cursed what she had done, letting her eyes trail over towards her balcony doors.

Arianna was careful not to stay up too late, but it took some time for her to finally settled down enough to sleep. Her blood was still rushing through her body, giving her a chance to pace around the room, softly talking to Isabelle for most of the night, stepping outside a few times to give them both a breath of the fresh night air before they went back inside and eventually parted ways. The princess wasn't up for much longer than that, choosing to get some sleep before she passed out. But as it was, as soon as she laid her head down on the pillow, she fell asleep in only minutes.

The night passed quickly after that, but unlike the last few mornings, when the sun began to fill her room, Arianna woke up in a far better mood than normal. She knew there was plenty of time before she agreed to meet Cain, and she took full advantage of that time. In this case, a long bath, complete with some scented oils from Cecil's shop. Within minutes, lavender and vanilla filled the room, surrounding Arianna in not only a relaxed environment but a sweet smell which would stick with her all day, for those who got close enough to notice. Her arm had healed enough that she didn't have to worry about a bandage or scarring, but the possibility of tenderness was assured as she lightly felt the skin. She sighed, sinking further into the warm water at the thought of having to worry about that all day. But it was too late now. From the window, she could hear the knights beginning to train and her attention turned towards it, inching to the side of the tub to listen closer to those standing outside. It was the simple hitting of swords that echoed up to the window, but it was enough to bring a smile to her lips. She didn't spend much longer in the water and returned to her joined room, giving Isabelle a chance to drain the water before returning. Between the two of them, Arianna changed into another set of riding clothes and pulled bits of her hair back to keep it out of her face for the most part. She then gave her assistant another day to herself, giving her a few chores to do, before leaving the castle and heading out towards the stables, pausing at the far end of the training grounds to watch the knights outside.
 
Despite Cain's late night he woke rather early, not relieved after all the thinking the night before but he set his mind towards the day at hand, leaving his new ideas until later that night. Besides, he was in a hurry to prepare for the day, wanting to look his best for Arianna on their ride that day, though his natural charm took care of most of it there were certain preparations he could make, such as a bath and wearing some of his nicer attire. So he quickly did that, washing himself thoroughly, though spending very little time to enjoy it, rushing in order to finish and make it to morning training on time. He did stop by his room after the bath to change into some nicer clothes, nothing fancy or even near what aristocrats would wear but it was a bit nicer than the average and would work for riding. He once again decided to forgo his armor, he didn't expect any combat and any time he could go without the heavy armor with his injuries he would do so. His wounds were actually feeling pretty good that day, he had applied more of the medicine and that with another night nightmare free made things a whole lot easier on him. The previous night had made him slightly sore, seeing as he hadn't run like that in awhile and he had ran in to a few things on the chase, which didn't feel great, otherwise he was feeling quite fine. He smirked as he looked at himself in the mirror, he looked better than usual and ready for his date with the princess. Of course he felt like it was a real date, not just as a guardian or protector, but as a friend and more. He was excited, more so than he could believe.

Training came first though and he arrived just in time for things to start up, sword on his side and knights ready for his orders. "Alright guys, today we are going to take it slow, I have been wanting to evaluate the newbies and see what weapons they can do, see if they are more suited for a different weapon, you know two swords, maybe a polearm. So go ahead veterans pair with the trainees and lets get this underway." With that they all paired up, most mentors with their trainees but some had two and others were paired with the spare men. They went through several rounds of weaponry training, using height and strength as factors as well as natural affinity towards certain weapons. Most of them were best with the basics, not having any real natural talent and thus having mostly their training to fall back on, but a few had some talent with other weapons. It continued for awhile, Cain's trainee was good with two smaller swords, similar to Cain himself but he was a bit more skilled with a sword and dagger combination, something they would focus on from them on. It took some time before it was over but when it was Cain's attention immediately turned to the see Arianna watching, a smile immediately rising to his face. He called the session, or at least his participation in it, as some would chose to continue while everyone else went about their day. A few of the knights noticed how happy he looked and connected a few dots when he bid them all fair well and went to join the princess, but none of them said a word and most were happy, they respected Cain and his attitude and manner of appearance on arrival had worried them all, seeing him joyful was well worth whatever they had to overlook, though most didn't care anyways. Cain didn't notice anything but Arianna and soon he was beside her, though he kept his cool and walked towards, not wanting to look overly excited to see her again, "Princess, good morning." He was still use to calling her princess, Arianna seemed almost foreign and he would be nervous to use it in front of people.
 
Even from the distance between them, Arianna saw the smile that quickly grew on the knight's face as soon as he looked over. Arianna returned the smile as her stomach began to perform flips, knowing her nerves were about to take over. And she was right. As she waited for the man to finish his training, the princess took several more steps towards the stables, feeling the tips of her ears begin to fade to a familiar pink colour as her fingers fidgeted in front of her squeezing her hangs together, hoping her nerves would calm down by the time Cain joined her. Before she knew it, he was approaching her and by the time they reached the door, the two had met and shared their morning greetings.

"Commander," she responded with a nod. "Are you ready for a race?" She was clearly joking, but just the idea of spending the day with the knight again had her in a cheerful mood. The two entered the door to the back of the stable and Arianna wasted no time moving to the side of the door, hiding behind a tall wall of the first stall near the door. The doorway they had entered from was in the side of the stable, located to the right of the large doors which opened towards the large coral used for the horses. Near the smaller door, there were plenty of places to store both food and useful tools, not to mention a perfect, private spot to hide yourself away from the world. There were rarely people inside the stable except the most basic of help who were stretching the animal's legs for the morning. Arianna was ready to use it for her own needs while things were still slow and she doubted Cain would argue.

Arianna leaned against the wall of the stall, pulling the man closer to her, sliding her hands up his arms with a smile sitting on her lips. "You look quite nice today," she confessed softly, leaning slightly closer to the man.
 
A race, as much as Arianna's tone suggested she was joking he wouldn't put it past the beautiful princess, she had taken the knight through an adventure or two already and always seemed to be looking for something to liven a day up. In fact, the moment they stepped into the stables the princess did just that, moving to a rather secluded area out of sight and pulling him closer. It was a relief honestly, not that he was in a rush to do anything intimate again, even though he wanted to very badly, but he hadn't been sure how their meeting would go. Part of him thought she would retreat away from what had happened the day before, it had been a kiss between them and a forbidden one to be sure, but she seemed to agree with the development and Cain was not going to argue. In fact he simply allowed himself to enjoy it, giving a small smile and leaning in a bit closer, "Thank you, I wanted to catch your attention today." He was straightforward with his intentions, wearing the same rather common clothes was fine when he was doing nothing but fighting and patrolling, but spending time with Arianna made him want to look a little more impressive. "And as always you look absolutely gorgeous, today is no exception." He had always thought it but dared not say something so bold, but now it was fine, he could speak the words without wondering if he would cross a boundary, mainly because he had already done so.

He moved a hand to her side and placed it against the wall behind her, another holding her around the waist. He leaned in a bit more but slowly, getting closer and closer until he let off a small grin, "We should go ahead and saddle up, we can enjoy our day more away from the castle and someone more peaceful." He didn't kiss her, even though he had made it seem like he was, and he had wanted to, but it was better to wait, he got to tease Arianna a bit and also it would be all the better when they found a place to dismount, whenever that would be. Not that he really knew where they were going but he assumed Arianna knew a spot they could relax at, and if not he would find some other time to taste her lips, he wouldn't allow himself to complete their date without doing so, he wouldn't be able to. "Come, show me your horse and then let's search for one for me." With that he released her and backed away, heading into the open part of the stables and looking around, it had been hard to pull himself away but he couldn't help but later it would be worth it, when they both really wanted it, and it would be safer, getting caught would not be a good thing and the stables wasn't entirely private, even if that little spot had been.
 
As soon as Cain inched closer, Arianna smiled, lightly gripping the arm of his shirt with a smile happily seated on her lips. While the princess noticed the effort Cain put into his appearance that day, she was half hoping he wouldn't try to do it every day. Not only could it be seen as suspicious to others, but Arianna enjoyed the knight's simpler look as well. But either way, just having the knight in front of her and that close to her was a pleasant idea and an even better reality. "Well you've succeeded," she admitted once the man had given his own compliment on her looks, inching closer as she felt Cain's arm snake around her waist, careful not to get too close. Just as he was, she was ready to tease the man in her own, far more innocent way. But Cain already had her beat when he suggested to simply start out for the day. He had a good point to get away from the castle, but Arianna took in a slow breath as he stepped away. Arianna followed him, leaving a few feet between them as they came out into the more public eye of the stable.

Arianna lead the knight towards one of the far stalls which held a strong, golden cream coloured stallion complete with a white mane and bright brown eyes, showing the spirit hidden beneath its skin. As the princess and her guest approached, the animal's ears began to twitch, watching them with a small shake of his head. "Ciel, settle down," she commanded, reaching out to set her hand on his nose, earning a gentle snort in response. She let her fingers trail over the bridge of the animal's nose and smiled, turning slightly towards Cain. "This is Ciel," she informed him. "He was a gift from the prince of Jardans about seven years ago." Ciel lightly nudged her arm, urging her to continue paying attention to him instead of the man beside her. She glanced towards him and smiled more, rubbing the open space between his eyes. "He gets quite jealous when others are around," she added with a small laugh. "And you're in luck. There's a few horses who don't mind being around him who should be free today." She took a step back and glanced down the line of doors to see which horses happened to be inside. "Mostly in this row," she added, gesturing to the next few stalls beside them. "Pick who you would like."

One of the stable boys approached Arianna, greeting her with a small bow before asking about picking out her saddle and getting her horse ready. Arianna nodded, asking to get a saddle for whichever horse Cain was about to pick as well, which he was happy to help with.
 
Cain wasn't surprised to see how beautiful Arianna's horse was, he couldn't picture her on any lesser a beast, but it didn't stop him from marveling. "Quite an animal." He moved his hand and touched the horse gingerly, not scared but only wishing to show his good intentions as Ciel seemed a bit disapproving when Arianna paid attention to Cain. "I can see that, though if you start paying more attention to the horse than me I will get jealous as well." He gave a small smile and looked at the horse, "You have good tastes my friend." With a small laugh, partially at himself for talking to a horse, he took a step forward and inspected the animal more closely. It was truly a fine animal, even his horse wasn't as magnificent and it had been a warhorse with a fine lineage. Hearing that it came from a prince was no surprise, he was sure Arianna received many gifts over the years from suitors. He couldn't help but have a moment, that he had caught her eyes in the past few days where princes and nobles had not, he didn't let his confidence become too big but it was a good feeling, though he was sure part of that was luck, that he even had the chance to let her get to know him.

His attention shifted to the horses available when Arianna mentioned them, looking down the line and spotting one that reminded him of his horse, not as strong-spirited by the looks of it but a deep black coat and a strong stance. He liked strong horses and black stallions had always been his preference, not only because they were fearsome with a knight atop them but because he liked the general look. "I'll ride that one. What's its name?" He asked the stable boy, his voice curious but not exactly demanding. The boy smiled, "That is Khan, he is strong and a bit rowdy but only when someone unworthy tries to saddle him. I am sure you two will get along well." With that the boy bowed and ran to go and get the saddles. Once again it was obvious how people perceived Cain, he was the hero to everyone even if he didn't quite believe it and that wasn't going to change, he had done far too much to gain their respect for it to be lost easily. He turned to Arianna with a slightly hesitant look. "Rowdy huh? Perhaps not the best choice for a peaceful ride? What do you think?" He wasn't really scared, he was a decent rider and he could take a tumble if he had to, even if it would be unbearably embarrassing. He just didn't want to ruin Arianna's day because he couldn't keep up a good pace or keep his horse under control long enough for them to have some time to themselves.
 
It was clear that Arianna cared for the animal in front of her, for whatever reason. She had gotten presents in the past from people trying to catch her eye, but this one, this animal was special to her. Ciel was taken care of perhaps more than the rest of her family's similar horses. Ciel knew he was taken care of and wasn't afraid to flaunt it around human or animal. Cain was no exception to that rule and he made it known. Although he was polite when Cain touched him, as soon as the man removed his hand, he nuzzled against Arianna once again with another soft snort and watched the knight from the side as he scanned down the line to pick out his own horse. Arianna watched as well, raising an eyebrow when he finally stopped in front of one of the animals. "Kahn shouldn't be a problem," she admitted, patting Ciel's neck before stepping away. "He can calm down when he wants to. You just need to have a firm hand with him, that's all. He's good around Ciel and will certainly enjoy the ride." She kept her distance from the horse, waiting until Cain approached the animal to even bother moving towards it.

"He never has the chance to come out and ride," she added, letting her eyes slide over the large stallion. The stable boy returned with one of the larger helping hands to help prepare the horses, leading them from their stalls enough to get the saddles on each of the animals. Cain's saddle was quite basic, just made of dark brown leather, a generic base for any rider who visited the horses. Arianna on the other hand had a custom made light tanned leather seat complete with light blue stitched designs, obviously a present from another royal, complete with a matching blue blanket and bridle to control her mount with. There wasn't anything too overly fancy about it, other than the obvious time that was put into such an item. As soon as the two horses were ready, the younger stable hand held onto both of the horse's leads as the taller man gave Arianna the perfect step with his hands to help her onto her saddle. Ciel nudged the boy once or twice towards Kahn, which earned him a laugh, even though the boy was being pushed towards the more seemingly dangerous horse.

"Trevor, we'll be out on the trail, if anyone asks," Arianna informed the younger red head. "I doubt you'll have anyone coming in to find me. But let them know I'll be with the commander." Trevor nodded, looking up towards the princess before he handed the reins off to the larger man. It was a custom to lead the horses out of the stable itself in case of a fright. Trevor kept a tight grip on Kahn's reins and glanced towards the knight with a small smile, as if he was finally having the chance to watch his idol up close. "Enjoy your ride, Commander," he added, his excited look growing slightly as he spoke.
 
Cain liked Ciel, the horse was very interesting as far as animals go and was definitely aware of how much Arianna cared for him and was wise enough to know how lucky he was to have the princess care for him. Cain felt a similar way and while he wouldn't try and pry her away from the horse he wasn't about to let Ciel get all the attention. Cain approached Khan after Arianna revealed a bit more about him, he was glad he had chosen such a horse as he appreciated spirit and difference. Not only that but hearing it didn't get to go out and ride much made it seem all the better, they could both enjoy the adventure. He reached out and put his hand on the horses head, stroking it firmly and looking the horse in the eyes. "Let's go outside and see if we can't stretch your legs while I let mine rest." He could have sworn the horse understood him because it gave a slightly excited puff from its nostrils and seemed to nod its head. It really didn't look to aggressive or rowdy and he figured Arianna's advice would do the trick, no doubt it was just a horse that demanding a bit of confidence in its rider. He could do that, make sure he gave respect while making sure to make what he wanted clear, no hesitance or uncertainty. It was almost like how he treated other knights, respectful of their skill and prowess but clear on his instructions, the horse would be no different.

When the saddles arrived Cain got another glimpse of the extravagant items Arianna had due to her nobility, and it was a fine saddle. At least it wasn't gold plated or covered in rubies, that he wouldn't have known what to think about, though he couldn't truly see her allowing such a thing, and certainly not using it for a leisure trip. Regardless the saddle didn't matter, the one provided for Cain was very nice as well and he preferred a solid color to embroidered work on most occasions. So Cain took the reins, nodding to the boy, "We will, and thank you for your help." He reached and took the second set of reins as well, leading both Arianna's horse and his own out, his arms stretched out just a bit to give them some room. He knew Ciel would be fine, the princess trusted the horse and it seemed fond of her but he did it more for the gesture than anything. The same went with Khan, he didn't know the horse yet but a spirited animal wouldn't scare easily, and if Khan wanted to tug away the large horse easily would. Once outside of the stable he mounted, doing an easy mount by himself despite his wounds and reached down to pat Khan once more. "Alright then." He wanted to keep the horse comfortable with him. He then turned to Arianna, admiring her for a moment before speaking, "So where are we going, anywhere in particular?"
 
Flashing a smile, Arianna looked towards the outer most area of the horse's coral and gestured towards it. "There's a path out in the back there that we can take," she suggested, taking a chance to glance at the knight beside her. She knew there wasn't anyone out there watching, since it was still inside the main palace walls, but it was a private area and there were several clearings, including a small creek for them to walk along and use as a path. She didn't give Cain a chance to argue and she started forward with a light tap of her heels into Ciel's sides. He took several steps forward, but began to look to the side and with a sharp click of her tongue, Arianna regained control without a problem. She walked along the fences of the coral until they reached the entrance of the forest. She took a chance to look over her shoulder at Cain before smiling slightly and picking up the pace.

This back area of the palace was much bigger than most people thought. It wasn't the size of a forest typically would be, but there was enough of a bundle of trees to make the royal family happy. The knights were known to train in the woods when they needed to practice ambushing or fighting in any area other than an open field but for the most part, it was just there to look at. It hid the back wall which was made through the forest and the trees were replanted generations ago. As a child, Arianna took the chance to get into the forest as much as possible and when Ciel was first given to her, she used the forest as the perfect place to work with the animal. Not much has changed with the basic shape of the forest, but inside things were ever changing as nature took its course.

Arianna lead Cain deeper into the forest to the first opening and pulled to a stop, circling in the area as she turned to look at him. With one hand on the reins, she lead Ciel around with a smile on her lips. "How's Kahn doing?" she asked, glancing down towards the horse for a short moment.
 
Cain trusted that Arianna knew the area better than himself, though he could already imagine she knew somewhere beautiful to ride as even in his few visits to the area he had seen some rather remarkable places during his training in the area. So simply ushered Khan forward with a slight nudge of his heels and finding the horse responsive, the horse seemed fine but who knew what would happen as the day went on. Cain shifted his focus to where they were heading, into the forest like area, a place that seemed to fit Arianna's true self quite well. He could just see her getting away from the castle and enjoying herself in the area just as they were going to do. "I am sure you loved it here as a kid, like your own little world." He smiled as they rode, looking around and finding the vibrant nature of it all nice after so long in the cold and desolate location of the war. Trees were something he hadn't even realized he had missed until that moment as he wasn't particularly fond of nature, but it was something he could appreciate after lacking it, as were many of the small beauties and luxuries.

As they rode deeper into the forest Khan got a bit excited, though Cain suspected it was more anticipation to actually be in such a place for a change. He didn't get angry or anything and just pat the horse on the head, he didn't mind, the horse had as much right to be enjoying himself as Cain did. Of course as they went he began to pay less attention to the beauty of what was around him and more on the beauty that was seated near him. Arianna was gorgeous, the riding outfit making her look even more attractive than the dresses and such she usually wore. Perhaps it was just his own preference, not that he disliked her usual attire, it was stunning as well. When she turned around he simply feigned to be observing the environment though, not wanting to make it obvious how he was fawning over her. He stopped his horse as well, patting the animal on the neck softly and looking at Arianna with a smile. "He is a good horse, not as bad as people seem to think I imagine, though he does have some spirit to him, luckily I like that in a companion. I just hoped I stay in his good graces, so far he hasn't given me any trouble when I command him." He looked around for a moment and took a deep breath, getting in the fresh air. "It's nice out here..." He looked back to Arianna with a smile on his face, he wasn't sure how long they would be riding but he was enjoying it, even if he did want to get off the horse and finally take that kiss.
 
Arianna either didn't notice or didn't respond to the man's comments. This was her own special world in the woods, but much had changed since she was a child. She didn't have the chance to go on some pretend adventure any more, to take the time and run through the woods like she would have wanted. Instead, she was caught up inside the palace, performing whatever duty her parents thought she should be doing. Ciel never got out as much as he did when he was first presented to her, but the horse didn't seem to mind as much as Arianna did. For whatever reason, Arianna didn't respond until they were in the clearing when she asked her question.

Despite Cain's attempts, Arianna happened to notice the sudden movement of his eyes and smiled slightly, but said nothing. She nodded at his report of Kahn and brought Ciel up beside Kahn before lightly tugging him to a stop. "It always is," she told him, resting her hands on the saddle in front of her. She took a chance to look around the clearing, sighing softly as she noticed the small changes that nature made around them. "What you said though is true. Or was. I used to come out here as much as I could when I was younger. It's where I learned how to climb my first tree, believe it or not." She looked back at the man and gave him a small smile. "My brother has a horrible habit of running away into these woods. He used to think we could never find him in here. But the hunting hounds were very good about proving him wrong."

Her eyes slowly scanned the forest before she looked back down the path they had come from. It had wound around enough that there was no way someone could look into the clearing from the opening of the forest and no one could sneak up on them thanks to the fallen leaves around them. "Should we go on?" she asked, looking back towards the knight. "There's several openings like this further along." One of them being more private," she thought to herself. In reality, they were all as private as the next, but one was off the main path, which meant less people went there or knew about it.
 
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