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The Thief Who Only Borrows (DontxBlinkk)

Cain smiled, he could definitely understand why she had come out, but no doubt it was another thing she wasn't able to do when she grew up and became the responsible princess. As far as Cain was concerned he was ready to help her out, acting as her guard and allowing her some freedoms she would be unable to get under normal circumstances. He did have some ulterior motives of course, spending time with her when they were also becoming intimate would be incredibly nice, as they were doing. He would do his best to make her happiness come first and if that meant more time riding and exploring and less time pressed up against one another, he would enjoy it as well anyways. "I think I would have enjoyed such a place when I was younger as well, so much room to run around. It makes the lower city seem even smaller. As far as climbing or hiding goes, I believe the city is better for both of those, I learned to climb every building in the lower city and hide pretty well." He laughed slightly and leaned forward to pat Khan again, looking around once more, her mention of her brother made Cain smile, she cared for her family and it was nice to hear. He would have suggested bringing the boy with them on one of their small adventures but it wouldn't be wise, he would notice something between them.

"Let us continue, enjoy the ride for a bit longer and let the horses get a bit more exercise." With that he ushered Khan on once more, not getting ahead but starting the next small bit of their journey. He wondered what the next place they would be going to would be like, private would be good and possibly a bit further away. Sometime that day he would see if she wanted to go to the water, it would be nice to let the horses drink and take a break around that area, not that he would be suggesting a swim or anything but it could be fun to hang around and listen to the sounds. "Do you think people are going to be suspicious of the time we are spending together? I really don't mind but I do not want you to get into trouble. Just curious if you usually keep similar people around when you go out or if the sudden choice will draw attention." He wasn't about to stop regardless but they would have to figure something out if her sudden choice of guard became an issue, he was reputable to be sure but it could still cause some eyes to raise if too out the ordinary. Besides, it wasn't that serious, it was just a conversation topic as they rode, something besides mere observation of their surroundings.
 
Even just the brief image of a younger Cain climbing around the city made Arianna smile. "Well you must have been an adorable annoyance for the guards," she commented before nudging Ciel forward slightly to keep him from getting too restless. "This forest was nice until the guards came looking for us." They quickly learned where the royal children's hiding spots were and used the information to their advantage when the king called for his children to return. Now that her father spent most of his time resting, he rarely had the guards out looking for his son, but Arianna was often times sent out to find him, as she was the one who taught him exactly where to hide. Her eyes slowly travelled around the opening once again before Cain suggested the two of them continue on. She glanced back and nodded, catching up with Kahn before taking the lead slightly. This path was wider than the first, meaning both horses could walk side bey side if they agreed enough. So far, everything was alright with the two animals and Arianna didn't see a problem in the near future.

The princess stalled a bit at the man's question, although Ciel continued on. Her expression turned into a neutral one. She had thought about the two of them being 'caught' by others, but when he brought it up, there were a few new thoughts she had never considered before. "I try to keep people with me when I leave the castle," she told him. "There may be some talk, but there's always some sort of rumour going around. It comes with being around my family." Slowly, her eyes travelled back to him, hoping to be able to judge his response. "I doubt most would assume anything though. I should, after all, be with a prince." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, attempting to keep her proper manners around the man.
 
"I'm not so sure people found me adorable, I was more a brat than anything and usually covered in dirt and tattered clothing." Cain couldn't help but laugh a bit at the thought of his young years, it was one of his favorite activities to annoy the guards. The man smiled, knights out searching for the royal children, like a game of hide and go seek, something he would have found exhilarating and often did, only in the city streets and for a much different reason. It was just one of those things, something that they shared but in a different way, hers was people trying to take her home, his people trying to catch him for one crime or another. Sure the princess' experience was a bit better than his but a common link was a common link. "I do think if I had to chase someone I would rather a cute princess than a brat anytime." He laughed again as they continued, looking at Arianna and wondering if she would have enjoyed running around the city if given the option. He had a feeling she would have, probably still would, but he wasn't about to bring that up, he had enough running around as it was trying to catch that thief. That was something he would focus on later, avoid thinking about that until he had to or it would ruin his mood.

Cain simply smiled at Arianna's response, he wasn't going to back down from what was developing even if he had concerns and it seemed she had no big worries either. "Well, I guess I will stop worrying then, for I am no prince and talk is just talk." She was right of course, talking would be done regardless, though the fact that it was Cain and not one of the many other knights would no doubt stir up a few extra rumors and more interest than usual. He shrugged, more rumors or not his reputation was good enough, the last thing he wanted was for people to get a bad idea in their head. "So how about you tell me more about the real Arianna." He finally said her name, trying to move to a different topic and get off the worrying. "I mean I know a good deal from what I have heard and these part few days but something tells me there is more to you though, parts still hidden behind the innocent princess act. So come on, tell me." He decided to give her a little incentive though, not wanting to pry without giving anything, "And in return for sharing you can ask me any questions you want and I will answer them, and I mean any." He hoped she wouldn't ask anything too odd but it could be fun, hearing about Arianna's more private life and giving away answers to some of her questions, it would pass the time as they rode.
 
Just as Cain thought, Arianna believed that no matter what, talk would happen. There were certainly worst knights for her to spend her day with and obviously since she hadn't heard anything from her parents, they didn't mind as much as they could have. She could have ended up like her sister after all, with a new 'champion' every few weeks and a reputation of flirting with several men at one time. Arianna had always been loyal to one suitor at a time instead of flitting around like a hummingbird from flower to flower. She wouldn't say anything about it to the man just yet, but if it were to come up, he would get an explanation.

But there it was, the 'true princess' question. People had asked about that side of her in the past and she had always given them some made up answer to make them happy, but she wasn't planning on doing that to the knight. Perhaps diluting the answers slightly, but the way her name came from his mouth, flowing past his lips and twisting her stomach in a lovely pattern made her think differently. There was a good chance she'd give him more of an answer then anyone else had ever gotten. But where to start. Arianna let out a soft sigh as she searched her mind for a good place to begin.

"Well, I wasn't always this rebellious," she informed him. "While I was less of a proper princess for my whole life, there was a time when I followed all the rules, just bending them to match my needs." She nudged Ciel a bit with her foot, turning the horse to the lesser travelled path, only to earn her a bit of a argument from the animal. She turned her attention to him for a moment, only to click her tongue before sighing again and directing him back to the main path. "Fine, we'll go this way then," she muttered and Ciel snorted in agreement, knowing he had won the fight. "Um..." she hummed as she regained her thoughts. "My father never minded, but my mother demanded I have some sort of class in front of others. But I was an honest princess at one point in time. No secrets, no sneaking out, all the proper things." She looked towards Cain a bit, looking his expression over before a small smile crossed her lips. "What sort of things would you like to know?"
 
The idea of a completely proper princess sounded relatively dull and he couldn't imagine Arianna enjoying that life whatsoever, she was too adventurous. Cain couldn't help but think she would have had more fun as someone of lower or middle class, being able to do whatever she wanted, choose for herself, true independence. He did notice one thing however, she used the word proper normally, not sarcastically or with any emphasis, she truly believed the things she did for herself, the sneaking around to avoid ruining her image and most likely being with him, were improper. It didn't bother him but he couldn't help but notice it. It was just one of the differences between nobility and everybody else, normal activities and freedoms of those of lower class were often improper form for the upper classes and royalty. He smiled in thought of an even more innocent Arianna though, a shy little princess nervous to touch a sword or sneak out, he wanted to see that side of her if he could, more of the side that blushed when they had kissed the day before. Then again he wanted to know and see more of all of her, the adventurous and strong-willed side, her shy side, and anything else mixed in.

"Let's see, tell me about what you did in the 'proper days', tea parties and the like or what? Also, who do you enjoy spending time with? It seems you and Isabelle are close." Cain stopped speaking for a moment to get Khan under control, the horse disagreeing with Ciel's choice of path and deciding to simply stop moving to show his disapproval. It didn't take but a second for the knight to get the horse moment again, despite a snort of frustration. He looked back over to Arianna, riding a bit close so they were perfectly side by side. "I am just curious, I want to learn about you." Cain rarely became infatuated with a woman, only a few times in his life had he done more than have fun and each time it had come upon rather slowly. With Arianna it was like a whirlwind, meeting at the welcome home party the king threw after barely speaking over the years and moving quite fast. He still wasn't entirely sure what they were, a single kiss didn't mean they were lovers but he wanted to go along with it, with the day and whatever else happened. Part of that was getting to know her past the outer princess everybody knew, separating what was real from what was simply rumor. One step of that had been to actually say her name, calling her princess when they were alone not giving any hint of intimacy and keeping up a barrier, though calling her by name still felt slightly odd, even if pleasant.
 
"It's true, Isabelle and I are close. Her mother is my mother's main handmaiden so naturally when I was born, Isabelle's role was put in place. She's only a year older than I am, so it was a perfect match." Her hands tightened on Ciel's reins for a moment as she began to open up to the man, obviously making her a bit more uncomfortable than normal. She knew better then to keep things from the man, especially if they were interested in each other like they were, and he had given enough information to her to earn getting some back. "There were plenty of tea parties in my younger days," she commented with a laugh. "My sister adored them, so naturally I had to take part." She smiled slightly, glancing towards the man beside him. "Lessons were common though. Some politics, history, etiquette, of course. That was quite important for us." Her fingers began to lightly trail over the ends of the reins as she forced herself to relax, fearing her tension would affect Ciel in a negative way.

"There was even a time when I was ready to go through with my mother's ridiculous plans and get married." Her eyes trailed away down to Ciel, petting the horse's neck smoothly. "Obviously, the plans failed." Her voice dropped, showing what regret she still had about the subject. "And that was about the time I became what you see before you." She looked back at him and gave a small smile, pushing the feelings away as quickly as possible. Her nerves were ready for the man to ask more about the change, but Arianna would need information from him about the same sort of situation if it came up. "Sneaking out became a common occurrence once I found the hidden passages into the palace and..." Her voice failed as soon as she realized the words that left her mouth. She had just lead Cain to the castle the night before and used one of the openings to get back inside. Luckily he hadn't gotten a good hold on her or a perfect look at her face. Arianna could only hope he wouldn't make any sort of connection.

The best thing she could do was distract the man by bringing up something important in her life. "And I have to blame the man who gifted me Ciel for all of that. He made your weapon lesson yesterday easier by teaching me the most basic of moves."
 
Cain could tell Arianna wasn't exactly comfortable spilling out her life but she was doing it anyways and that meant something, it meant a lot. Hearing her life was full of lessons and tea parties made him laugh a bit though, not in a rude way but a happy way, it sounded like she lived a classic princess lifestyle. Even Isabelle, someone she was obviously close to, was a friend because of family standing, not someone she had met doing a number of things. It was much different than Cain's childhood, almost opposite as he had no formal education and the daily events were more for survival than anything else, friend being a tricky label and there being few people he could really trust. He had thought about Arianna and he knew she would have survived as a lower city girl, she may have even enjoyed the thrill it offered, but he was glad she hadn't had to endure the rest. It wasn't all running around and adrenaline rushes, she had been lucky enough to grow up in the way she did and he was eager to hear all about it. Of course he wasn't putting pressure on her, he enjoyed what she had shared and continued to let her share, waiting to say anything until she was done or the time seemed appropriate. When marriage talk came up he found it much easier not to talk, remembering her reaction to his inquiry on such a thing the other day, and also curious to hear about her near engagement.

It seems the failed marriage had been hard on her, if it had changed Arianna as much as she claimed it must have been something, to change her from the purely innocent and perfect princes to the strong woman she was currently. He would have to ask more about it some time, but for the moment he went with her change in topics, leaving both the marriage talk and the hidden passages, something he had never heard about before, until a later time, focusing on weapon training, a subject not touchy for Arianna and one in which he was quite knowledgeable. "Well either he taught you a lot more than you claim or you are a natural because few can tatter my clothing, it was impressive to say the least." He gave a small smile and looked at her for a brief moment before speaking again. "I wouldn't mind training with you again sometime, not making it a regular thing if you are not interested but just to have a little fun, make sure you can defend yourself and see more of that side of you." He would be delighted to train her further and it could be useful if she found herself needing it, in any situation, especially like the day before when they met his old friend. That was a situation that could have been ugly if it had gone another way.

"Well, I like the current you, the events that made you who you are today are blessings in my eyes. Though I have a suspicion you would have liked the younger me a little better, when I was a teenager I was much more 'fun', at least that is what people always tell me. Though a few think I was a bit too sarcastic back then, always popping off at the mouth and getting into trouble for the hell of it." He wasn't so sure she would dislike that but he wasn't sure. "It would have been interesting to meet you back then, though at that point the closest people like me got to you was a view on those lucky days when you were going somewhere and had to pass through our streets." He smiled over, he hadn't always been in love with her, as some young men were, but he had always found her beautiful.
 
Arianna's cheeks warmed at the compliment, only to let the colour fade once again as the conversation changed ever so slightly. She slowly shook her head when Cain mentioned the two of them possibly meeting when they were younger. "No, I don't think that would have worked out," she admitted. "My younger self was never interested in getting to know the 'lower class'. Just helping, but without getting close." She glanced towards the path, nudging Ciel off the main trail again, but this time he agreed and followed this time, taking them deeper into the wooded area. "But perhaps you could have changed my mind around earlier if we had met." A smile returned to her lips as she watched the trees around them thicken in the areas off of the path. "I never noticed that people really paid attention to what I did when I was younger." She looked over at him with a smile. "I suppose I should make that up to you." All the times they might have seen each other, but never spoken. No one had ever mentioned such a thing to her before or bothered to point it out. Now that she could, Arianna would be stupid to avoid the man she was now riding with.

"I may take you up on your offer though," she added as the horses entered another, smaller and more private clearing in the forest. "Private lessons, I mean. It would be nice to learn how to properly use a blade." She slowly pulled Ciel to a halt before turning to the knight. "Maybe we'll see just how much of your clothing I can shred with a sword." There was a small moment, filled with a snort from Ciel before the woman's cheeks flushed and she turned away, nudging her mount into a small circle, distracting herself from the embarrassing attempt to flirt with the knight.
 
Cain knew most royals and nobles didn't gravitate or get to know those of lower class but he had something of a knack for charming anyone, not just those of the lower city. It was how he got his nickname and it was a skill he would have utilized to its full potential with a woman like Arianna. One key difference was that the younger Cain wouldn't have been as relaxed and reserved about their situation, he would have gone for more than a kiss. "Either you would have found me irresistible and changed your thinking or you would have hated me, there would have been no in-between. Actually, I could have made you never open up, I was a bit pushy and insatiable back then." He was definitely a like or hate kind of guy, there was no medium ground. Of course if they had met earlier on it would most likely have changed Cain's path in life as well, if she liked him he would caused way too many waves with the king and queen, rumors would have eventually spread and neither of them would have ended up in a good situation. If it had been volatile she wouldn't care as much about the common people and no doubt her experience would cause her to be less likable for her people. Not only that but Cain wouldn't have become a knight and chances are he would be one of the criminals roaming the lower city, maybe even a mercenary, or dead. He didn't want to think about the alternatives, he enjoyed being a knight far too much and the old him wasted his skills and potential.

"Whenever you feel up for a lesson just tell me, I can teach you how to wield a blade, though I don't think it will be a difficult task." He smiled, with private lessons she would certainly be able to defend herself, and possibly more with her natural skill level. "As for my clothing, I will have to wear something more worn next time, in case my clothing continues to take a beating. Then again losing a bit of my clothing could definitely be to my own advantage." He laughed gently, it was very cute that she was attempting to flirt, and while she wasn't bad at it he didn't make the flirting more seriously, he wanted to keep it light and keep her at ease. "Just remind me to bring an extra set when we practice, as much as I want to show off my trained physique I would prefer not to walk around the castle without clothing." It was all a joke, as much as he would normally want to show off he was currently self-conscious because of his wounds, they were impossible to miss if he had his shirt off and didn't exactly compliment his usually attractive body, though the scars probably wouldn't be going away.
 
Arianna continued to circle the opening as Cain spoke, suggesting that the two of them would have a different relationship as children. If things had gone differently, there would certainly be not only a change in attitude, but a huge alteration in their futures. If she had, for some reason, liked him enough to want to spend time with him, the chances of getting out of the castle would be one problem, not to mention the for sure rumours that would spread. The younger princess would never get away with sneaking out or convincing the guards to let her out long enough to even attempt to find Cain on the streets. She was instantly grateful that she had met the man after he cleaned up his act and became a knight. This was the perfect timeline if someone were to ask her.

Finally Arianna slowed Ciel to a halt before turning towards the man. "Well I'll be sure to remind you then," she assured him with a small, almost hesitant smile. "Although if you were to wander around the castle in such a way, my sister might abandon her current knight." Her lips pulled back into a smug smirk in response to just the thought of having her sister trail behind Cain, her eyes dreamy while her mind was only on one thing: having the man 'woo' her in some way. Even if they didn't want her in such a way, the princess always found a way around that, forcing them to bend to her will. Arianna was amazed as to how she did such a thing, but each time, it worked. Arianna knew she never had a chance if she was to compete with Celia for a man if she put her mind to having them. Luckily, Cain wasn't in her radar. Yet.

Smoothly, her eyes darted to the ground below the two of them for a second before cautiously returning to Cain's. "This is the most private area in the woods," she pointed out, letting her hand rest on her leg, loosely gripping the reins in front of her. "And you owe me some information in exchange, Charming. Feel like taking a break?"
 
Cain got the idea Arianna's sister wasn't the most loyal when it came to her champions, something he had heard some rumors about but never paid them any mind. He wasn't as easily swayed as many knights though, most of them grew up wanting to be a knight and they trained and lived for it, some even nobles. Those men didn't have much experience with women, especially not flirty women if that was what Celia was like. Cain was not like those men, he had been around beautiful women of all sorts and was not one to be swayed or caught of guard, at least not easily. He was more picky about the personality when it came down to it, preferring a woman like Arianna, a bit innocent but at the same time adventurous, someone he could connect with unexpectedly, carry a conversation with. Besides, he had a feeling his personality, at least his public personality, it was less showy than most of the knights and since nobody knew his younger self or the hidden parts of him he could hide it well. He didn't think it necessary to mention it though, she didn't stop there and it wasn't a topic for further conversation to begin with.

Instead he turned his attention towards their private spot, a small smile spreading across his lips at her mention of it, wondering if she realized what bringing him to the most private area meant. He wasn't about to push it, once again not wanting to make her move to fast but if she were with another man it would have been one hell of a risk doing such a thing. "I do owe you some information, so let's take a break and enjoy ourselves. It is beautiful here, next time we will have to bring picnic material." He laughed as he slipped off of the horse and looked at it sternly, "Don't you go running off and I won't tie you up." He figured the horse understood as it pushed Cain with his nose and he nodded, heading over to Arianna and offering his hand, "Come on, let me give you a hand." He was ready to bring the princess off of her horse and into his arms, she was lucky he was a gentleman, he wouldn't try and go too much in the private little paradise, but it didn't mean he wasn't looking forward to some alone time, perhaps her close to him under one of the many tall trees surrounding them.
 
The blonde watched the knight slide off of his mount and gave Ciel a warning much like the one he had just given Kahn. She knew Ciel wouldn't run off without her and would try to keep Kahn in the area as well, but it was never a bad thing to be too sure. There was plenty of grass for the horses to graze in, along with giving the two riders a soft seat. She turned enough to slide off the saddle, taking advantage of Cain's help and lowered herself onto the ground. "We should have thought of that earlier," she agreed, showing just a hint of the excitement that was hidden deep inside. "But meanwhile..." She gestured towards the grassy clearing, taking Cain's hand in her own as she pulled him gently away from the horses.

"You used to be an annoyance for the guards," she repeated, watching the man as she turned to face him. "What made you suddenly want to become a knight? I would imagine the pay is better and safer." She quickly caught herself and bit her bottom lip gently as she quickly changed her words. "If you were in the walls. But why change your career your drastically?" Arianna came to a stop a few feet away from the horses, letting her eyes settle on the man in front of her, a smile slowly growing on her lips.
 
A picnic would have been lovely, a romantic gesture for the princess, though he had a feeling it would be fancier than he was use to with her. Not that he minded, if she brought wine and more sophisticated foods he would definitely enjoy them, but he was more use to common fare with a bit of ale or something a bit stronger. They could figure that out, he didn't plan on making their outings rare, he wanted to be with her as much as he could, it made him happy and he wanted that feeling as often as possible. When she took his hand he didn't resist, moving with her towards the clearing, his eyes on her. Arianna, she was gorgeous, he could believe it but he still wasn't that sure about why she was going for him, she had said it earlier that she should be with a prince. Whatever the reason he was going to count it as a blessing and go with it, see where things led without trying to figure it out ahead of time, enjoy the moments like the one they were in. Luckily he didn't have to worry for their safety on this outing so he could truly focus on Arianna, and particularly the questions the princess was about to ask him.

The question she asked was a bit more personal than she probably would have guessed but he wasn't ashamed or embarrassed and he wasn't about to hide something when she had been so open. "Well, to be honest it was a bit sudden and rash as many of my decisions back then were. I mean I had lost friends before, such is the life in the lower city, especially for orphans. One day I lost someone I was particularly close to though, someone as close to me as Chyanne, and it was my fault. We were doing a job, things got messy." He took a deep breath, he wasn't upset but Cain hadn't told anybody the real reason for becoming a knight, the truth behind it, what he was telling Arianna. "It was the next day, I couldn't live with myself, I couldn't continue doing things that put others in danger. So I went to become a knight, initially to stop having to put others in danger and so I could send back money for Chyanne, and I still do. Of course back then she actually used it, before she got herself a job and home. Truthfully, if I had thought it over the me back then wouldn't have gone through with it, it changed everything." He moved Arianna over to the middle of the clearing, where there was a bit of sunlight, and sat down in the grass, gently tugging her down. "Not so noble but it brought me to where I am today."
 
Arianna followed the man, focusing on the story in front of her until they were sitting down. It was noble enough in the end, to help not only his friend but the rest of the city by protecting others. Arianna shifted in her seat, folding her legs to the side of her as she traced Cain's face with her eyes. His reasons for joining were touching though. It was almost as if he was trying to repay his friend for not being there when he needed him to save him. Arianna would be lying if she didn't find it touching, knowing from the deep breath he took in the middle that it wasn't an easy story to tell. His voice didn't quiver of show any sigh of an awkward conversation, but the air around the princess was slightly tenser than normal after he finished. Her blue eyes softened as her fingers playing with small blades of grass laying out in front of her while she watched him.

"It's noble enough," she told him. "I mean, you joined to help the kingdom. That's better than most of the glory-hogging reasons I've heard in the past." She picked up a few of the thicker blades and let her eyes drift down to them, wandering slowly over the tips of the grass. "The prince I was engaged to was sent to war a few years ago," she told him. "His last gift to me was Ciel before he died in battle. I tried to argue with his father to keep him out of the fighting but he said it wasn't honourable for a commander to hide in the background." She paused, slowly looking up at Cain. "He told me I was foolish and I didn't know the 'ways of the world'. And that's the exact moment my rebelling began. I would imagine it was around the same time you joined the knights." A story for a story. She had asked something that ended up being more personal than she thought it would have been. The least she could do was give him something in return that was equal in her eyes. She looked down again, placing a thick blade of grass between her thumbs, holding it tightly before turning away slightly and blowing against her hand, letting out a whistle which echoed in the forest. She stopped after a few seconds and looked back at the knight. "You have a better reason to change things around then I do," she admitted, dropping her hands in her lap. "But... valuable information for valuable information, right?"
 
Cain didn't say anything when Arianna said it was noble, he appreciated that she thought so but it hadn't been at the time, he had been hiding, trying to get away from everything and just cut ties with his old life. For the longest time he didn't speak to any of his old acquaintances with the exception of Chyanne. She did have one thing right, that was that his reason was different, and better, than those who joined for glory. His experience as a knight showed that glory brought nothing good, it was something people said to excuse stupidity. Wars were not won due to glory but good leadership and training, nobody was born a hero, no one man achieved glory. Not only that but the good was offset by the bad when it came to war, at least for the individual, sure the kingdom could get new land or defend its people, defense being the best reason, but for the individual it was only living or death, little gain and plenty of loss. Yet glory attracted many and they were never ready for those hardships, not really. At least Cain could focus on survival, honing his natural abilities and knowledge to make himself stronger and help those around him by making sure they didn't do anything stupid.

It sounded like the prince Arianna spoke of was one of those men, one who believed war was noble and honorable, it was not. So many people believed it was but that was a lie, there was nothing noble about it. The only thing worth being called noble was protecting the men you fought beside to the best of your ability. "I think your reason is just as good, on par with my own. I must say I both agree and disagree with what you were told though. On one hand a commander, if he goes to war, should be with his men, if you cannot fight with them they cannot be expected to have hope or believe the cause is just. I mean, if you are not willing to put yourself at risk asking another to do so isn't fair." Cain paused, leaning nearer to Arianna touching her arm, "But I also believe that there are people meant to fight and usually a prince is not one, they are too important to have out in the front lines, too important to risk when the country will need them when the fighting is over. Especially when losing such a man on the battlefield will have a greater effect on the troops than a knight would. It would be like losing your father or brother in battle or me, it would be much worse for the people."

Cain wasn't being down or anything but it was the truth, some people needed to be protected and others could be used in place of them to ensure that. "I am sorry that you lost someone though, I am sure if must have been difficult. I have lost many people to war and fighting, I know it is never easy, especially if you have feelings for that person." Cain was glad she had shared something so private with him, it couldn't have been easy when he could tell how much it still weighed on her. The knight shifted to get a tad more comfortable and leaned back, letting his body rest on the grass, it was a comfortable situation, the heavy conversation aside he could relax with Arianna, she was calming. "I do wish the war would end, it seems like it has been going on forever." He didn't say anything but he knew he would have to go back once he healed, if it was still going on his duty would carry him back. He didn't really want to go, not with Arianna there, that and he wanted the soldiers to come home, enough lives had been lost.
 
What Cain told Arianna was honestly the best reasoning to the war she had ever heard. May people had told her how brave the man was for going out and fighting on the front lines, while other has suggested it was important for the prince to stay back and send another commander out instead. At the time of the incident, the princess was torn between who to believe, only to set the issue aside and focus on something more important; solving the crisis. No one seemed to be able to remember how or why the war started, which only confused the woman. If no one could remember, then why continue? In the end, the only answer she had was 'they killed first'. But even that may have been a lie. Cain proved the point that a prince should stay behind and command, but a strong leader was still necessary. Otherwise the battle may last forever.

Her eyes followed Cain as he laid back, tipping her head to the right ever so slightly while she rubbed her upper arm tenderly. Getting off the horse was enough to disturb the bandage she had slid on beneath her sleeve, hoping it would stay hidden. She continued to focus on the man in front of her, finding him far more important than some silly scratch, no matter how painful it may be. Arianna scooted closer to the man, letting her eyes trace his face, slowly working her way down to his chest, only to return to his lips, lingering for a moment. "It's stupid," she told him bluntly, quickly locking eyes with him. "Everyone here thinks so. I'm not sure why there isn't any work being put into ending the thing."

After a short moment of hesitation, eyeing the opening of the clearing before she inched closer and laid down beside the knight, taking in the relaxing feel of the grass and the calming smell of the forest. "I think... this should be a more common activity," she suggested, drifting away from the topic of war. "Taking a few minutes to lay in the grass and relax. Drift..." She looked towards the man, smiling slightly, taking a chance to look at him from a different angle. One that certainly didn't bother her.
 
Cain noticed Arianna's looks and he was returning them in kind, his eyes exploring her incredible figure and gorgeous face, it was impossible not to, she was beautiful. "Just because people believe it to be stupid doesn't mean they care enough to do something about it, or better yet they can't do anything about it. It would take someone with a lot of power to even get the process started, then again your parents can't just pull the troops out, it would alienate some of the people, some because they believe the war has a purpose, others because it accomplished nothing and their loved ones died for nothing. It's unfortunate but even those who can have to have support and a good reason." It would be so much easier if her father or someone else with a large amount of influence just did it or pushed the decision forward, but that wasn't realistic, it would take some time for it to all come together, at least most likely. If only the world worked the way Arianna and Cain would like, so things could get done without having to wait, before more people got hurt or killed while politics were being worked out. There was nothing he or the princess could do besides speak their minds, though Arianna going against her father wasn't a good thing and while Cain had some respect he didn't have any real power.

One thing he did have power over was the situation they were in and he couldn't help but smile as Arianna inched closer and laid next to him. It was pleasant with her beside him, the beautiful day, soft grass, all of it. "As long as I get to spend time with you I think we can do anything, whether it be training or wandering in dangerous areas or laying in the grass and relaxing." It would be easier after he caught the thief and had more free time, or at least more time to sleep. "I wouldn't mind doing more of a few other things either though." He spoke softly as he rolled onto his side and leaned over, stroking Arianna's cheek and then going in for a soft kiss, a warm kiss that matched the day. He would have given her a much more passionate kiss but he pulled back with a smile on his face, he was happier than he was eager and just wanted to see that look on her face after the kiss. "Not that we can't go and play tag or climb a tree if you wish but I am pretty content laying beside you and enjoying the simpler things."
 
Luckily the conversation of war changed to a more pleasant one, or there was a chance Arianna would get even more unlady-like then she already was, with a side of rebellious aggression. Cain's agreeing words was enough to pull her away from her final thoughts on the first topic, setting her in a much more relaxed place. A part of her worried that the man was already gaining power over her, pulling her away from the important topic, but another part, the more outspoken part, decided against thinking about such a thing. Instead, she focused on the knight, a hesitant smile crossing her lips before he leaned in. Arianna certainly didn't mind, returning the action with a hesitant touch to the man's cheek as he began to pull away. The air of innocence seemed to return with the light blush on her cheeks, but she shared the smile Cain showed.

"This is fine for now," she assured him, letting her thumb lightly run over his cheek. "The trees will be there for us later." A time like this wouldn't come very often when they could be completely alone without some sort of suspension from someone around them. Arianna wouldn't admit it aloud yet, but she wanted to take full advantage of this time they had. Her smile grew slowly before fading back to what it once was as her eyes travelled around the man's features, using it to her advantage. "I can't help but wonder, why had we never met before you left?" Knights were common in the castle and the royals were known for learning at least the names of the more important knights around them. Yet Arianna had barely heard of Cain before he left for war.
 
The idea of spending so much time together was one Cain could really appreciate and it made it easier to continue to talk despite the yearning to kiss her again, knowing there would be time for climbing or running around, and even kissing, later. "To be honest I am not sure why we never got to know one another. I mean I haven't been around for that long, at least not in the spotlight. The first tournament I competed in and won was a year before I left and the promotion, while a long time coming, didn't occur until a few months before me and the soldiers were shipped off. That all kept me busy leading up to the departure with undercover missions, continuing to train knight to be, border missions, and some private jobs for the king." Thinking about it the king seemed to send him away quite a bit before he was sent off, some of the missions quite important and most of them keeping him out of the castle. He couldn't help but laugh to himself joking in his head about the king keeping him away from his daughter by sending him on missions and then off to war. If he had been with her before he was sent off that could have been a possibility but he knew the real reason, that he was trusted and that was the way it still was, just like with the problem with the thief and whatever else the kind needed now that Cain was back.

He took a deep breath, "I guess it was just a lack of time in the same area, or me trying to stop myself from hitting on the beautiful princess, a task that was not easy mind you. Of course if I had known you were so interesting and that I had a chance, well I may have tried a bit sooner." He was rather glad nothing had happened before he left, it would have been awkward to be away for so long. In his current situation he had time to spend with her and he didn't have to worry about being sent off again, at least not for awhile. Besides, they had talked at length for the first time at the welcoming feast, him going to war had ultimately opened the door for them to be with each other. He looked into Arianna's eyes, "Though I am curious how you didn't notice me before, I mean even if we didn't speak I couldn't help but see the beautiful girl in the halls. How did you not notice the handsome young Knight?" He was joking of course, an arm wrapping around her gently, not going anywhere with it but relaxing and breathing in the fresh air.
 
He was a champion? Arianna seemed to focus on that fact for a few moments while part of her mind continued to listen to his list of jobs. He certainly seemed to have a lot under his belt before his time in the war could be considered. It was impressive, that was for sure, but Arianna was still hung up on his mention of the tournament. She had gone to every one that was held, if she wanted to or not, but there was a blank space before the war that she was desperately trying to remember. She gave a small smirk in response to the man's suggestion of meeting her earlier in his life. If they had, Arianna's past relationship would only repeat, with her begging her father to not send the man into battle, only to be ignored again. She was pleased that she hadn't met him earlier while torn by not having noticed him at the same time. Arianna laughed softly before she raised her head, placing a sweet, quick peck on the man's lips in response.

"I'm curious as well," she told him, watching him carefully. "Perhaps your constant trips out of the castle was what did it? I wouldn't doubt that my mother needed you out of the way." Her lips tugged into a teasing smile at the idea. Her mother was always insisting her daughter marrying a prince over anyone else in the kingdom while her father was more willing to understand Arianna's feelings compared to what he believed was proper. She almost remembered a conversation she overheard between her parents and things suddenly made sense. Arianna made a light gasp-like sound before her eyes trailed towards a nearby tree before returning.

"Celia had her eye on you," she commented. "She saw you win the tournament and wanted her chance with you. Which..." She paused for a short moment, searching for the proper words. "Turned me away. I would imagine she's planning some new attack as we speak." It was hard to tell what the younger princess was planning with her innocent games, but Arianna was always trying to be ready for whatever may come her way. "As long as she was after you, your charming ways wouldn't have attracted me." Now though, he had not only a chance, but a nice shot straight into her life in a powerful way.
 
"Yes, I suppose only seeing me every once in awhile wouldn't make as much of an impression as someone who you saw on a regular basis. I did think you would at least wonder who the handsome knight was, even if I was only around on occasion." He smiled back, the idea that her mother would keep him away not all that surprising as a similar thought had crossed his mind, even if it had been mostly a joke. "Your mother's instinct is good if she knew to keep me away from her daughter, the war calmed me down even more than becoming a knight." It was the truth, being off at battle had influenced his attitude a bit, not the core but how well he could keep it to himself and be less rash. Of course it seemed his change was only skin deep, he hadn't been able to hold himself back when it came to Arianna, he had tried and even lasted a few days but she wasn't just beautiful and he couldn't hold himself back in the end. It was still a good thing that he hadn't jumped in, she probably wouldn't have been as receptive to it if she hadn't ended up liking him at least a little.

Hearing about Celia caught him a bit off guard, Cain would never have guessed the woman would have her eye on him, he wasn't sure what to think about it honestly. She was sweet but Cain had never really felt much for her, not like he had for Arianna even before they got to know each other. Of course he couldn't help but poke at Arianna a bit, "Well, she must have noticed how good a catch I am, a handsome young champion, making a name for himself among the knights." He shook his head and sighed, "Alas, it is her loss, I have already found myself a charming princess that makes me incredibly happy." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, "You really lucked out." He was being sarcastic, Celia wouldn't have a chance up against her sister, she didn't seem even nearly as adventurous or interesting as her sister. "Perhaps if I make a bit more noise around I can really get your attention, catch myself a thief, maybe a few other achievements to impress you." He smiled, adding in a bit more at the end, "Since winning a tournament apparently wasn't enough." He could try and win the next one as well, though he didn't think he had to impress her, she didn't strike him as the type to need that kind of thing, even if he wanted to do so. He wasn't being completely serious about it, but the conversation was nice and not keeping the conversation too focused on Celia seemed smart.
 
Arianna noted the man's sarcasm and smiled, turning on to her side and lifting herself up onto her elbow to take a better look at the knight. "I'm not sure if catching a thief would really do it," she told him with a hint of teasing in her voice. "After all, there are plenty of thieves in the city. They'll always be replacing the previous one." She took a moment to tuck a loose lock of hair behind her ear as her eyes wandered to the trees nearby. "Something tells me you'll really have to impress this princess." She returned her gaze to him, letting her eyes wander down his chest for a moment. "Exactly how much have you settled down?" she asked, curious at his comment about her mother's instinct. "Tell me about the Cain that isn't here right now." She looked at him, her eyes narrowing as she pondered the idea. If Sam was the sort of girl he had been interested in on the streets and Arianna seemed to be his current attraction, what sort of women did he have in between?

"Were you one of the knights who had a habit of chasing the maids?" The last time they had a new bunch of knights join the ranks, the men had a horrible habit of not harassing, but more pestering the help inside the castle, some keeping them from doing their work while others simply played with them in their free time. Arianna had heard from Isabelle that on several occasions she had been the target of a select few of the men. Once or twice she returned to the princess's room to tell her some short tale of what she called a 'whirlwind romance', but even the innocent Arianna knew better. Isabelle and whichever knight it was had a fling. Typically, she would stay loyal to the one man for a few weeks before they both grew bored and the knight moved on. Isabelle would then have another man attempt to get under her dress and come admitting it to the princess. While Arianna pretended to be happy for the girl or disinterested, depending on the time of day, in truth her blood would boil. Isabelle was enjoying herself in ways the 'pure princess' never could. She never admitted it to her handmaiden though, and simply listened when she began to explain, which would often times quickly turn into bragging.

The same feeling returned as the princess thought over what she had just asked. While Isabelle never mentioned Cain before, expect to comment and agree with Celia, Arianna couldn't help but think that perhaps the two of them had enjoyed each other's company before the knight was forced onto the field. Jealousy was an evil thing, which quickly lit up her eyes, despite how much she tried to hide it. "Or did you stick with Sam, even after getting into the ranks?"
 
The question about the maids prepared Cain for what came next, a slight suspicion or jealousy when thinking about the type of man Cain could have been, and especially who he could have been with. Luckily he could defuse the situation, or at least believed he could, and gave her a small smile, poking her nose gently. "No, I was not one of those men who went after the maids, in fact I often dissuaded them men from their pointless flirting, it was kind of annoying honestly, especially when the women tried to tell them to lay off." He laughed, "Of course many of them did have some success after failed attempts at flirting, unskilled boys." He didn't brag about his own but he could flirt and charm so much easier than most knights, having the experience and natural charm to back it all up. "And no, Sam and I haven't been together since before I became a knight, she was always too unstable, even for a fling." He took a deep breath, she wouldn't be happy with who he wasn't with, it sounded like she wanted to hear the type he actually did like. "I didn't have too many affairs after becoming a knight, I still flirted and had the occasional night with a woman but it wasn't anything special or repeated, just when I had a fancy to do so."

The knight scratched his head, "Let's just put it this way, when I was young I slept around for the pleasure, as often and as much as I wanted to. Sam was the kind of woman I went for because it was good sex and she was convenient, no feelings were involved on my end and that was the way I wanted it then. As a knight I was still as flirtatious and wasn't looking for anything serious but I didn't do anything nearly as often." He sat up and turned to face Arianna, "Now, I'm not really looking for that, I just want to spend time with someone I am actually interested in." He was sincere, it was the way he felt after spending so long going for nothing but sex or a fling, someone to be with and Arianna was an unexpected blessing for the new him. "On another note, what am I going to have to do to impress you? If catching an infamous thief isn't enough. Will I need to win the next tournament in your honor, plan something incredibly romantic? What will it take to woo this particular princess?" Wooing a princess couldn't be easy, but he was ready for the challenge of making Arianna fall for him, of impressing her.
 
The princess was instantly relieved when Cain told her that he had skipped over the 'maid phase' of his life. It settled the green beast that was ready to crawl out of her and allowed her to focus on other things. His mention of Sam was needed to finish their conversation, earning the man a small nod of understanding as she lowered herself a few inches, returning to the grass around them, taking the strain off of her arm. That was enough information for her needs and certainly settled her nerves. He continued forward in their conversation, and Arianna happily moved with it. There was something sweet about what the man admitted; that he was looking to go steady with someone now that he had grown out of his old flings. Despite her position, she felt honoured to have someone such as Cain coming after her.

A smile grew on Arianna's face at his guesses and she gave him a thoughtful hum in response. "Well the thief would help, but it's nothing extremely special. I certainly wouldn't mind you entering the next tournament so I can really see your skills. I heard rumours there will be one coming up soon," she added with a mischievous smirk. "Some prince trying to win my hand." Arianna let her hand lift Cain's gently, looking it over before placing her fingers between his. "It would be quite satisfying if you could beat him." She gave him a gentle squeeze and laid back down in the grass. "And the picnic sounds like a wonderfully romantic gesture. I'd like to see how a knight plans on enchanting a princess."
 
When it seemed like Arianna had calmed down Cain counted his blessings, a jealous or angry Arianna was the last thing he needed, the strength and spirit he liked would have been difficult to deal with if put against him. He of course left out all the times the maids flirted with him, the information wasn't essential and didn't have anything to do with who he slept with and how he conducted himself and would just irritate Arianna. Word of a tournament coming up sparked his interests though, he liked to win and if that could help impress his princess well he was even more excited than ever. It helped that he would get to put a prince in his place as well, the knight having confidence that he could defeat just about anyone when it came down to it, winning a tournament before he left with ease and honing his skills on the front lines. He just hoped his injuries were good enough by the time the tournament started, one fight without being affected was one thing, several fights and several events would take its toll if he wasn't adequately healed. Unless the tournament was a few days away, something he highly doubted, as he was already feeling quite well and the medicine seemed to be doing the trick.

"If there is a prince to put in his place I will make sure to enter and win. In fact I will go as far to ask for a token, win for you, I am sure that will embarrass the prince, honor and confidence can be a real pain when you lose." He had a motive for doing it other than impressing Arianna, he couldn't help but find himself a bit upset upon hearing the man was trying to win her hand, he would have to make sure he didn't win the tournament and couldn't ask for her hand. Her hand taking his provided an ample distraction from the idea of a prince offering marriage, something he would have to get use to. So he laid back down, laying on his side and facing the princess, "I can do romantic so be prepared, I was not called Charming just because I am handsome. The picnic will only be one of the many ways I will enchant you, just be prepared and try not to become so enamored that your affection for me becomes too obvious." He laughed as he leaned in and stole another kiss from her lips, "Though if I am to truly woo you I need to hurry up and catch the thief, the late nights don't help me make preparations or to be on my best game."
 
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