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Love and Betrayal (Unlucky & Candria)

While he took out the tunics for her, Sophia braided her hair, tying it with a ribbon and tossing it over her shoulder when she was done. The white one seemed too fine to wear around camp or travel in. She was sure to stand out in it, and it would be a shame to get it dirty. The material was similar to some of her dresses and very comfortable, but it was too flashy. The red one had a nice color, but she doubted she'd be able to sneak around very well if she wore it. She chose the green tunic and borrowed a pair of brown riding breeches as well.

"These should be good. Thank you for letting me use them." He relayed his plans and she nodded. Though the notion of a fool-proof excuse intrigued her, she let it go. It was best to focus on getting out first. Besides, she trusted Harold with her life. No need to question him now. "I don't need anything special to eat. You can just take whatever is easiest."

She smiled and waited until he left the tent to remove her dress and slip into the tunic and breeches. Since the pants were small, but made to stretch, they fit her like a glove. The tunic was belted with a brown sash and though she kept her womanly form, she wouldn't be as easy to spot in a crowd or the wild.
 
Harold waited patiently for her to make her choice, he had a feeling that she would look good in any of it, not as good as she looked in her dress, but the difference would be marginal at best. When thanked he nodded, "It isn't a problem, I'm just merely helping a dear friend." The knight said bowing slightly, it was part of the code of chivalry to be at the service of any woman who needed his assistance after all. Though his code might have been a bit bias to ensure that Sophia was taken care of before other women. There was nothing in the code of chivalry that a knight could not prefer helping one lady over all the rests, he just had to help those in need. When she said that she did not need anything special he nodded, "Very well I will leave you to change and come back with food." He then grabbed a nearby knapsack so he had a place to store the food. With the bag in hand he left the tent and quietly, which was much easier without all his armor, crept through the camp. With little incident...well there was one incident.

One of the rabble managed to latch on to his foot, as though it were another human being. The knight groaned inwardly before giving his leg a tug, no dice the man still held onto it. Another tug, the rabble was still clinging to his leg. The third try worked as he stumbled free, and nearly fell on top of another rebel. Looking back at the man he just freed himself from, the knight noted that the man was still asleep. Good, it was better that way. The knight made his way to where the food was and got them each a few loaves of bread, as well as a few pieces of mutton, and stowed them into the knapsack. He then kept to the shadows on the way back to the tent, making sure to keep away from the rebel that held him up from before. He would return to see a dressed Sophia.

"Hmm, it seems like I was correct. You look beautiful regardless of what you are wearing. The stars would consider themselves lucky if they were rings on your fingers." A bit flirtatious, but the knight considered it to be true through and through. After a few moments passed he would gesture toward the exit, "Are we ready to depart?"
 
Sophia hadn't really expected such praise from her rescuer. She went rosy and smiled softly as he looked her over. "Thank you. I just hope the others disagree with you." She finished lacing her boots and came to his side, smiling at him. It almost didn't seem real to her. This entire situation was something out of a dream. How else could she be panicking one moment and serene the next?

She stayed close to him as he asked if she was ready. "Lead the way, friend. I will follow."
 
Harold smiled as she went rosy, good first step! When she claimed that she was ready, the knight nodded. "Very well follow me, and I will show you this hill that I mentioned." The knight peaked outside the tent, and saw that the guards were still in there drunken stupor. The path they took was surprisingly barren. Harold was frowning at their lack of discipline! If he was in charge of this regiment he would have flogged those who were supposed to be guarding the camp! It was not because he was cruel, but rather because a lack of discipline would lead to the death of others. Any good commander knows the difference between using men and wasting men. Harold was not one to waste men. If men were going to die under his command they were going to die with a purpose to achieve a greater objective, others regard their commanders as cold, but Harold had instilled loyalty in his men...at least he did before all this happened.

Soon the two had made their way out to the perimeter, Harold checked before gesturing her to follow him once more. Not far from the camp there was a lone hill with a tree on the very top of it. The sun was rising causing the tree to cast a shadow, "That is where we will be eating, not far from camp, but a beautiful spot." Harold said as he led them to and up the hill. Once up there he would set down a blanket he had grabbed in the tent, and set the knapsack down in between them. "Here we are Sophia, what do you think?" They were set up in the shadow keeping the temperature relatively cool. The leaves still had a morning dew on them causing them to glitter like the grass around the blanket. Below the hill on the opposite side of the camp was a long plain with various deer grazing in the area. The knight smiled, it was beautiful to him, but it wasn't as beautiful as the woman right next to him.
 
As Harold led her through the camp, it became more and more apparent to Sophia, that he did not belong among these men. Undisciplined was a kind way to explain the ranks of drunken, sleeping, hung over men that had thrown themselves down on the spot for sleep. These men, against a proper army, would not last. They were hardly better than bandits. For Harold to have fallen in with them was nearly unimaginable.

The betrayal he felt must have been eating away at his very core. For the king to have murdered his father and dishonored the entire family in the process...she could scarcely imagine the kind of anguish that must have brought him. It was no wonder the rebels had been able to persuade him to join their cause. So as they reached the perimeter of camp, the redhead took his hand and smiled. If anybody needed to feel happy right now, it was him.

The morning was turning out to be a beautiful one, and the hill with its tall tree had a lovely view they could share. It was actually quite a romantic spot if you could forget about being a prisoner. "It's beautiful, Harold. Thank you." She squeezed his hand and sat down on the blanket with him. There probably wouldn't be many more chances for them to be themselves, so she planned on enjoying this to the fullest.

"Tell me Harold, did you miss me while you were gone? Is that why you wanted a picnic?" she asked, only half teasing.
 
Smiled as he felt her squeeze his hand and compliment him on the spot, that was a solid first step to this little outing being successful. It was nice to have a pleasant moment like this to hide away from the pain and suffering that he was going through as well as what Sophia was going through. No doubt this was hard on her, it sure was for him as he had no one to turn to besides his broken honor and family. No doubt his mother was in great suffering, granted he still didn't know where his mother was or how she was doing. He was focused on restoring and honor more than discovering what had happened to his mother, for all he knew the kingdom could have killed her for being the wife of traitor! It was a possible result that Harold was more than aware of. In fact he had considered it several times whenever he thought that this plot for revenge was going to fail and his family would be in shame for the rest of eternity. He was brought up of his trance by Sophia asking him a question, he snapped back into reality and looked at Sophia.

"Of course I missed you! It's been a rough couple weeks given what has happened to the both of us. Sometimes its nice to take a step back, and relax for a bit. It allows us to refresh and be able to tackle any plan that we may make." The knight said a smile on his face, it was evident that he enjoyed the moments of peace. Who didn't war changed men for the worst, and rarely ever left them without scars. He pulled out a loaf of bread and mutton, handing it to Sophia to eat with a plate. "Please, go ahead and start eating while I get my own food." He said as he rummaged through the knapsack to find his food. Once he did he would look toward Sophia, "Tell me what do you find so beautiful about this particular place?"
 
She could see that she'd caught him at a moment when he had been in deep thought. Trust Harold to think of serious matters when he was supposed to be relaxing. Sophia promised herself that she would do her best to help lighten his burden--if only a little. It seemed a small price to pay for his taking care of her at this point. She smiled as he came back to her and answered with passion. So he had missed her. Truly, the knight had missed her company. It wasn't just her. With a squeeze of his hand, Sophia did her best to reassure him that she was on his side. He needed allies now more than ever, and if there was ever a person more deserving than Harold, she'd yet to meet them.

"I'm glad you found me. I'd hate to still be missing you amid this mess." She focused intently on the mutton and bread she'd been handed on the plate, hoping that she hadn't been too forward. She had forgotten how that made some of the higher nobles uncomfortable. She supposed it was her time on the streets that had snuck through--survival instincts kicking in.

When he asked about the beauty of the spot, she arranged her food into a sandwich and then looked up. "Well, the sky is a clear blue, we're on a hill that overlooks much of the lands and their bounty. The tree itself is beautiful--old, shady, peaceful. Probably home to many things. Plus, if you look carefully, you can see flower buds starting to appear. Sometime soon, this tree will be abloom with lovely flowers. That makes a nice image for me." She smiled and turned to Harold once more. Of course, she left out that part of what made the tree and the hill and the surrounding lands so beautiful was the fact that she got to share them with him, someone she had thought to be dead for weeks. But here he was, miraculously surviving and strong. She would be damned before she let anything happen to him.
 
Harold smiled at her when she squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him huh? It was nice to know that he could count on at least one person to have his back when the going got tough. Granted, having someone who was watching back when no one else would was a great comfort to him. No longer would he have to look over his shoulder while gripping his blade tightly. Thinking that every approaching person could be his would be killer. Watching those with long cloaks and hoods very carefully as there was no way to tell what they were hiding until it was far too late. Then he'd be relying on his instincts and armor to save him more than anything else. It was dangerous to be alone anywhere as a traitor, noble or otherwise. Heck, he didn't feel safe in the camp, but having another army or large force out looking for his head would not do him any good either. When she spoke to him, he nodded toward her.

"I would never allow that to happen, but I certainly appreciate you being here alongside me. It has relieved me of a great burden that I had been carrying for a long time." The knight said, but would not explain what that burden was, no need to worry Sophia anymore. Harold was not bothered by her focus on the plates, she was hungry and he was too. They had food so it was time to dig in. He would begin to devour the food on his plate as he listened to her explain her reasons as for why this was beautiful.

"I agree this place has wonderful trees for spring, soon it will break out into blooming flowers. Though even all this landscape and view could not match the beauty of the young woman enjoying this food with me." She might not say it, but he most certainly would. He was not going to miss out on such an easy compliment, and hopefully one that would make her blush. He always found her so much cuter when she was blushing, yes a lot cuter. Which might allow him to compliment her again, he was hunting for them now. He wanted to make Sophia feel truly special, granted he wish he could have a gift to give her too, but they do not pay one when you fight for freedom. All they offer are promises for proper payment when the revolution was complete.
 
Somehow, she had managed to lift a burden from Harold's shoulders without even knowing it. Simply by being there with him, she was making his life better. Curiosity sunk in and she began to wonder just what that burden was, but his silver tongue cut her thoughts short.

Sophia blushed as he commented on her beauty. Even when she was dressed as a man, he thought she was beautiful. Comparable, even, to the trees and the view around them. Her bright eyes caught his and she shrunk just a little. To be compared to such true beauty and not be found wanting...he surely thought too highly of her. "Thank you, Harold. But I don't know if that's true." She chuckled and nibbled at her bread, not really sure how to react to so many compliments.

"You know, this feels good. I don't know how to explain it, but being here with you sets my mind at ease. It makes me wish we'd done this more before all of this." The words just flew out of her mouth. Something about being on this hill, so very near to a less than preferable fate, seemed to pull the honesty out of her. She wanted to tell him how she felt, even if she wasn't entirely sure how deeply the feelings went. All she could be sure of in her life at this moment was that she was happy and it was because of Harold.

Freedom was another matter entirely, and one she didn't want to think about while they were enjoying their secret picnic.
 
Harold's smile widened as she blushed, ah yes turning as red as her hair, but she was even more beautiful that way. He smiled at her as she thanked him for a such a compliment, though she wasn't sure if it was true. A shame she didn't give herself credit of her own beauty! How could she not see it? What was holding her back from acknowledging her beauty? Was it because she wasn't always a noble, or was there more to it? Perhaps there were questions for another time as she was laughing and enjoying their time together. "I think you cut yourself too short on your beauty my dear, many men would kill to know you and spend time with you like we are doing so now." They say that a heart in love would do anything, but Harold found that to be true far too often for his tastes.

Though the very next thing caught his interest, she claimed that she had wished they had done this before all these horrible events occurred. Yes...yes he wished the same...he wished so much the same. He wished he wasn't so busy learning how to use a blade, stratagem, politics, and how to be a proper and loyal servant to the king. Sadly not all those skills were still useful to him. Though at least his family would not be shamed for long. "Yes, I too wish I had more time to see you, but my father was preparing me for war, and sending me off with men under my command to teach me how to fight and lead from the front lines. I always wished to write to you, but I never had the time because my men were always needing my assistance in one way or another." The knight would say taking another bite out of his food. "Not to mention, I don't think your father would let you have my letters, from what you tell me of him he doesn't seem to have wanted to let you have outside contact with the world. Then another bite of food, he too was enjoying the picnic though he prayed to whatever deity there was that they would keep Sophia safe at all costs. His life was expandable in comparison to hers, and he just wanted her to be safe at all times. Though at the current moment he had to work on getting her to safety.
 
Sophia kept nibbling at her food. While Sophia knew she was a beautiful woman, she had a hard time thinking that she could be as lovely as this view. It just didn't seem quite right. Then again, her beauty had mostly been a tool since she realized it. It was a way to get what she wanted when other resources were lacking on the streets, and a way for her father to get what he wanted while she was under his roof. It had never really been something she'd taken much pride in. Still, it felt good to have someone call her beautiful and mean it like this, when there was nothing for him to gain but her heart. She blushed again and lowered her head a bit.

"I hope there aren't men like that out there," she teased. "Besides, I think I would much rather have your time than any one of them." She smiled and leaned back into the tree as he went on about training and how he wanted to write.

"You were probably right about my father letting me have your letters.he would only give me love letters from potential suitors, and even then, he would read them to me. I do wish we could have worked on a system to get word to one another, though. I always loved talking to you. Panda there were times I really needed a friend. I am sure the same is true for you..."

She sighed and looked at him, wishing she could have stopped all this from happening. "But what's done is done, I suppose. I wish we could just run away, but we both know it's not that simple anymore."
 
The knight looked at her as she teased him, and smiled. "Thank you Sophia, I appreciate that such a wonderful woman would enjoy time with me." He said taking another bite out of his food enjoying the crunchy texture and sound that it made in his mouth. "I would my very best to make sure you were entertained during our time together. I do believe I know a few things that you might enjoy, perhaps long horseback rides through the woods might catch your fancy no?" The young man said offering her a sly smile. Though then she began to speak about how her father restricted her freedom, and the knight clenched one of his hands into a fist. That man was so cruel manipulating the lives of his family that was far beyond that of normal customs. However, she mentioned how there was little they could do to change the pass, at that point he would relax his fist a bit.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Though the best we can possibly do at this point would be to make the most of our own path and try to be as happy as we can be." The knight said offering a smile to encourage her, "Like we are now, just simply enjoying one another's company is good enough. Maybe if we're lucky I can encourage the leader of the rebels that parties like these are great morale raisers so the men will always be drunk." Hector said chuckling a bit and shaking his head. He then looked back at Sophia with that same smile, "This way you and I could spend far more time together in the world around us, rather than being confined to a small tent or area. How does that sound to you? I'm sure I can convince the leader of maybe one more day of celebration."
 
To be honest, she hadn't thought that he would consider running away with her. His ideas for spending time with her made her smile, but she was worried. Why was everything so messy? Why couldn't they just be safe and happy and free? He was the best person she knew, and he was in pain. But he was going to put aside his wants, his vengeance for her. Even just for a little while. He wanted to spend more time with her. So she took his hand in hers and kissed it softly.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me, Harold. You were always so kind to me. I would love to spend more time with you like this. But please, be careful. Let me take care of you when I can." She smiled and kept holding his hand. "The path we're on is a hard one. And I want you to know that I will always be on your side." She grinned and squeezed his hands.

There were two people she really cared about in this world: her mother and Harold. If she could be there, she would.
 
The knight knew that everything was a mess, he had dragged her into danger, what other option did he have? Had anyone else found her...gods know what they would do. They would not have given the protection he had given her, they would leave her to rot and take advantage of her as much as they could. For these rebels were no better than barbarians who simply needed to be re-educated in grand ways. When she kissed his hand softly, his face showed surprise at the very least. Normally, that was something that the man was expected to do, however after she told him to bare the burden alone he would smile at her.

He reached over and hugged her and brought her head to his chest, "I will do my best to keep that in mind. It just feels a bit different because normally I was out there fighting for my life because I wanted to protect you from those dangers. Now, you're in the middle of them, but I promise you that I will do my best to keep you safe the best I can." He said as he finished up his food, "I do believe we ought to be getting back. I'd hate to think that we let the rebels be so easily fooled by our absence, though they are an uneducated lot. Shall we return, and discuss further agenda in my tent, or do you have a better idea?"
 
When he pulled her close, she was a little surprised. She hadn't expected him to hold her like this. She stayed close and put her arms around him too. His hand on her head and rested there. She closed her eyes and rested with him, just enjoying herself. She hugged him and shook her head as he blamed himself for dragging her into this. He was promising to protect her again.

"Thank you, Harold. Maybe we can take the long way back? I want this to last a little while longer." She smiled and then sat up straight to finish her food. She stood up and held her hand out to him, her hair ablaze in the sunlight streaming through the branches.
 
Harold looked down at her and stroked her head as she hugged him closer, and he nodded toward her. "Of course! I'd rather not return to the rabble that our tent is centered in the middle of." The knight said standing up and offering her a hand to help her up as well. Once they were ready he began to take the long way around the camp entrance to where they went in. The two walked through the forest allowing Sophia to take a look at the nature that surrounded them. The knight looked around, before looking back at his dear friend.

"Tell me Sophia did you miss being out in nature, I assume so, I hope you have enjoyed this treat." The knight said guiding her through the woods recalling his times when he was hunting game with his father and friends it was a noble activity, though he doubted she really had a chance to particpate in it. However, he did learn out on those trips a certain respect for nature, that it should be treated with care as one may never know when he or she will need it to provide food, water, and shelter.
 
She smiled, glad that he didn't really want to go back to camp, either. Harold was dear to her, but the fact that he was on the path of vengeance did little to sooth her worries. Perhaps if he was reluctant from the beginning, she could convince him to stop. Nothing good ever came from revenge. She took his hand and stood, happily walking with him through the forest.

It had been years since Sophia had been out in the forest--the last time had been when she was hunting to provide for herself. She kept Harold's hand in hers as she walked with him, taking in the mature trees, the wild flowers, and the smaller creatures that lived there. It was comforting in a strange way. She could make a life here if she needed to. She could comfortably cover her tracks and live off the land if she truly wanted. And the world around her was so beautiful.

Harold's words caught her off guard, and she looked surprised as she considered the question. "Hm? Oh, Harold, I missed being out of my room. Being in nature was like a fever dream for awhile. But I have missed it. The sunlight, the smell of fresh air and the forest. Thank you for taking me out here." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"What have you missed, my friend? Maybe I can return the favor."
 
Harold watched as his companion seemed to be enjoying the walk through nature, he didn't know she had such skill in survival, otherwise he might not have come to capture. Oh well, perhaps that was something he would learn later, however for now the knight was completely unaware of that fact. Though he enjoyed the warmth of her hand in his, it reminded of them of what little time they had to spend together, and how he always tried to cling on to it as though he may never get a chance to see Sophia again. Though the knight listened carefully to the reasons why she enjoyed nature, and smiled as she kissed his cheek. He was doing rather well with keeping her entertained, and interested. At least he knew there were ways to get her mind off of being captured.

The rebel knight was surprised when she asked what he missed, well the answer was obvious. "I figured it would have been obvious. You, Sophia, I've missed you greatly since my wrongful exile and charges. No need to return the favor, just spending time with you is enough for me." The knight said as he returned the kiss. The two soon came upon a quite brook of water, it was not very large, but a large number of wildlife, particularly plants, gathered around it. It appears as they came across a major hub of nature, and Harold smiled as he recalled a memory of him playing in such a brook with his father. Oh those were so many years ago, and the knight shook his head to help hide his tears.

"I particularly enjoy these hubs of natural life that we can find among these brooks, and rivers. You can often find very beautiful flowers....which makes me wonder..." The knight trailed off as his eyes scanned the brook for any flowers that would come close to matching Sophia's beauty...that would be difficult.
 
Sophia missed a step as Harold told her what he missed most was her. He had said such sweet things to her before, but she'd always just thought he was being playful or simply flirting with her. She'd never thought that of all the things and people in his life he would miss her the most. Blushing softly, the lady continued to walk with him. She was much better suited to wander the forest in these clothes than in her dress, but somehow, she felt clumsier now, despite the grace with which she avoided obstacles.

She turned another rosy shade as he told her that spending time with her was enough thanks...and kissed her cheek as well. Her heart beat just a little faster and she wondered just how deep his feelings were if he missed her this much. She thought she saw his eyes shining as they neared a brook. Many interesting plants grew nearby, including hearty tubers that would have made for a good meal if she had been looking for one. There were patches of wildflowers along the bank that she noticed as he mentioned them. As he looked around the brook, she took in the wild life--birds in the trees, squirrels and rabbits scurrying around in the underbrush.

Some colorful flora lined the banks--cardinal flowers in their red, spiky tubular glory; pure, white virgin's bower; blue wild iris; pink turtlehead blossoms; marsh marigolds; and square-stemmed monkey flowers in their violet resplendence. She smiled and looked up at him, wondering which was his favorite. He had been wondering about them, so was he looking for something in particular?

"Looking for something?" she asked with a grin.
 
Harold watched her stumble a bit, and turn red at his compliments. Although she could have been turning red because of the kiss, either way he was moving their relationship in the right direction. She may no longer think of them as merely friends, which is what Harold wanted. Granted, was now really the time for such types of romance, when she was captured and deep within hostile territory? Not at all, but he had not seen in her in so long, and now she was always within arms reach! It was like a dream come true...well in regards to her being within arms reach. His dishonor and being captured by rebels...not so much. That was the part he could do without, granted he had to use the rebels temporarily to achieve his goals. Then he could take Sophia, and her mother to another land to a place far from these troubles where they could be together without worries.

The knight stepped away from Sophia as his eyes settled on the flower he was looking for. The wild blue iris, he carefully plucked it from the earth, and held it tenderly as if he was afraid of it wilting away in his hands. He handed it to Sophia kneeling on one knee as he did, so and looked up to her face. "Why a flower that matches your blue eyes of course, though this flower does not even compare to the beauty and sparkle in your eyes. If I were a poet or scribe I would use words to describe how beautiful your eyes alone are, sadly I am neither thus I can only offer material things that pale when compared to your beauty." The knight said dropping his head a bit before looking back up to Sophia, eagerly awaiting her response of accepting or declining the flower.
 
Sophia felt light-headed as he plucked an Iris from its stem and held it out to her. She wasn't sure what to say, so she merely watched him, listening as he offered her the flower. She watched Harold in awe as he knelt before her and said possibly the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her--including those silver-tongued suitors her father had sent to woo her. His pure intentions shone through and she found herself speechless as he tried to explain how he couldn't describe her beauty--that it couldn't be matched by a lowly flower. She remained rosy and very still for a moment before she smiled and accepted the blue blossom. "Thank you," she said softly.

She shook her head and knelt down beside him, the flower still cupped in her hands. "You don't have to be a poet to tell me how you feel, but I appreciate it." She smiled and kissed his cheek once more, staying close to him this time. "Thank you for the flower," she said, brushing some of the blond hair from his eyes and staying put. It was odd, but she couldn't bring herself to leave his side. It was nice to be near him--especially because she had always liked him. Right from the start, she had been drawn to him, and it was very nice to know that he thought of her often.

"You're just as wonderful as always, Harold. I'm glad that you found me."
 
Harold smiled at her as she turned rosy, when she took the blue blossom he simply said, "You're very welcome, Sophia. Consider it a token of my gratitude for joining me on this walk through nature." The young knight watched her kneel down beside him, and kissed him. He began to turn a bit rosy this time around. He enjoyed spending time with her, even if it were just simply watching the sun set on the horizon. Of course, he would not be staring at the sun, but at Sophia, for she was far more beautiful than any sunset that Harold had ever seen. He let her move some of his blonde hair away from his eyes, he hadn't even noticed it! How on earth did he not notice it there, well it was fairly obvious he was too distracted by the beautiful red haired young noble before him.

When she mentioned how glad she was that she found him, the knight smiled and nodded, "Yes, though I'm sorry things turned out the way they did. I had prayers that you could avoid this situation entirely, but fate would not allow it to occur. Fortunately, fate seemed to guide me to you, so I can keep you safe and protect you from harm. That is the only thing I want to do right now, it to keep you safe from any harm that might attempt to befall you." The knight said, it was a concern he had mentioned by now, but it was one of the only things driving him at this point. He couldn't lose anyone else precious to him!
 
She smiled softly and took one of his hand in both of hers. "I will do my best to keep harm at bay," she said with a smile. Here she kissed his knuckles once more. "But you must promise to take care of yourself, my friend. I don't think I could bear it if something happened to you. I cried for days when they told me you were no more." She frowned and shook her head. "But I suppose we should be getting back before either of us gets into trouble."

She smiled and let his hand go before standing and brushing off her knees. Sophia held out her hand to him so she could help him up. "Shall we?" She asked, still holding the iris he had chosen for her.
 
Harold nodded toward her, and let her kiss his knuckle, "I've taken care of myself so far haven't? I've been in far worse situations and only come out with a few scars, nothing truly fatal. Though I recall the days when you worried over a few of those scars. Some would say that you were acting as though I was on my deathbed. I found it to be quite lovely however, so I didn't complain one bit, though you did over do a few things." The knight said laughing a bit as he helped her up, "We shall."

With that he would guide her back to the tent navegating around the now active patrols and the somewhat stirring men. When they were back in the tent he began to chuckle a bit, "Commoners get them drunk and they will never suspect a thing. They cannot help, but simply be deceived by the cunning of those above them. It is not their fault, we just know how to mesmerize them with words and actions. Wouldn't you agree?" The knight asked looking back toward the door double checking to make sure that no one was coming to interrupt the two at all that would be truly disappointing.
 
She didn't think that worrying over battle scars was such a crazy thing to do. Certainly, since they were scars, the danger had past, but thinking of Harold being injured in such a way made her feel sick with worry. Maybe she had overdone it a few times, but it was only because she cared so much. "I'm glad I didn't embarrass you too badly," she said with a little blush. "But I only worry because I care."

Sophia followed him carefully, doing her best to avoid any clumsiness. The last thing they needed was for her to be injured or them to be caught. When they made it back to the tent, she sighed in relief and sat down. Should she change, she wondered. Or would it be better to just stay as she was and let Harold explain?

When he mentioned commoners being deceived by those above him, she frowned a little. While it was true that nobles were good at deceit and had the means to mesmerize the people, it still stung to hear him say that the commoners could help themselves. "It wouldn't be so easy if there wasn't such a large gap between the two," she said with a little frown.

"I remember what it was like before my father took me in. There were days when I would have grabbed for anything to make my life less wretched than it was. Of course, I knew better than to think anything would be handed to me. Then he took me in and I was never allowed to take anything for myself again..."

She trailed off, knowing she'd said too much, knowing that Harold hadn't meant anything by it. Still, somehow, she felt she had to stand up for those who so often got the shorter end of the stick. "Sorry. I let my tongue carry me away."

She sighed and sat down on her little cot and looked up at him. "What's going to happen today?"
 
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