"The King, he has awakened!"

Isabella broke out of Aiden's arms quickly, suddenly feeling cold without the contact and stared in awe at the panting Eric.

"Bella," Eric repeated, "Your father has awakened!"

Isabella snapped out of it and ran as fast as she could toward the castle, almost completely forgetting Aiden. As Isabella passed Eric nearly flying, he turned and sent Aiden a knowing look before allowing himself to be tugged by Bella toward the castle. The magic of The Fall. It gets everyone it seems.

Aiden just shook his head at both Eric and himself before beginning to walk in the direction Isabella ran.

*****

While Aiden went to go change his soaked clothes, Isabella trotted to her father's room bursting into the room with so much relief. "Father!" She cried, naked joy on her face.

"Bella, " William replied before noticing her damp attire, "why are your clothes and hair wet?" He asked amused.

Isabella thought of an excuse and glanced over to Edwin who had a smirk plastered on his face. "Well... father how are you feeling?"

William smiled, "Like I've fallen down a flight of stairs. My head aches dear, so does my back and leg, but I am alive."

Isabella allowed herself to cry and hug her father, "Oh thank the Lord!"

William patted her back soothingly, "Hush my dear you did not think your ol' man would go out without a fight? I have plenty of life left in me yet my dear." He grinned and she sniffed smiling back at him. "Besides, I've never got a chance to have my rematch."

She ran her hand through her hair and grinned, "Father are you still going on about that rematch?" Before all of the Jarian buisness came about, William would pester her with talk of a rematch between the two. He claimed he was having a bad day and that she should take him on again. His mentioning of it told her that things were slowly returning to normal and that the King did not suffer as much as a head injury as she first thought.

"I cannot let you get away with beating me in front of the men." The KIng said matter-of-factly. "A King has a reputation to uphold my dear." He laughed placing his large hand over hers and he took a moment to study his daughter. "Daughter, you have not been worrying yourself sick over me have you?"

Edwin spoke up, "I made sure she ate my Lord. I would not let her sit here and waste away for a knew you would not want that. And." He paused dramatically to which Isabella just rolled her eyes, "the Princess has gotten into a habit of walking the grounds... with company might I add."

Isabella glared promising retaliation later on to the big mouthed Edwin but could not hide her slight blush from her father. Edwin just smiled and immaturely stuck out his tongue to the fuming Princess. Serves her right for stealing my Arrow Polish a month ago. His smile brightened even more. The Princess blushed, this will be fun. "Sir I think his name is Aiden, oh yes that is his name. The young knight."

William glanced up and noticed the slight reddening of his usually stoic daughter's cheeks. "You've spending time with this boy Bella?" He was shocked. At home many men had come upon bodily harm when they tried to pursue Isabella. William struggled to think of a reason for her spending time with the knight. He noticed she would not meet his eyes. He knew his daughter, any time she refused to meet his eyes she was hiding something. Isabella looked up and nodded slightly afraid of her father's reaction. "You deal with the enemy. You know that Bella right? 'Tis bad to get lines crossed."

"Father I have spent time with Aiden for a very good reason, you see..." She trailed off unsure what to say for the first time in her life.

Isabella herself did not fully understand why she wanted to spend so much time with Aiden. She just felt relaxed around him, like there was no responsibility. He was that stranger she longed for. He was new and dare she say it, refreshing. She thought back to that moment in The Fall when he had almost kissed her. She remembered not wanting to step back or cause bodily injury to him as she had to previous men who stupidly tried. My guard is falling. If father finds out, it will hurt him. She sighed. Gardia comes before any thing, my father comes before everything. My father awakens and I am out in some woods with a man, a Jarian man at that. A Jarian knight! The Head Knight! My sworn enemy.

William snapped his fingers and she shook herself out of her thoughts, "Bella you suddenly trailed off, not completely finishing your sentence. That has never happened before. Are you alright? Getting a cold in that wet attire?" He felt her forehead. His face suddenly brightened as if he had figured out something truly amazing.

Isabella shook her head, confused about his sudden delight. "No Father, I am fine I was saying..."

"No Bella, I am wrong I should have not made you explain yourself. You know what you are doing."

"Wha-" Isabella felt confused but her father continued.

"I know you like I know the back of my hand. As well as I know Baldwin. You are master at strategy my dear. And your idea is brilliant might I add."

"Idea--?" Isabella tried.

William interrupted her again, "No need to explain it my dear. I already know. You are getting closer to the enemy in order to take down the enemy. I get it. I do. You get the lad to trust you and tell you their nation's plans and get him to admit their travesties. Then we use it to our advantage. You are already on a first name basis. That's it my dear, make him think you care." He smiled and Isabella's stomach sank at how satisfied he looked and fretted telling him that there was no plan. She opened her mouth to tell him but he kept going, "You see dear this is how I know you will make an excellent Queen. I've never been prouder. Should have thought of it myself. They have been deceitful like Baldwin suggested so we will play at their level."

Isabella sighed feeling resigned, "Yes father. How did you figure out my plan to gain Aiden's trust and then backstab him and this entire nation?" Even she could hear how pseudo genuine her voice was. Part of her hoped he missed it, the other part hope he caught it.

"Well, it was simple, you are a great strategists, and that is why you are Head Knight." He pulled her in for another hug, completely missing the falseness in her voice. Edwin figured the King just chose to ignore how unusure the Princess' voice sounded.

William was not the only one who missed her falseness.

*****

"The Falls huh? You took her to The Fall." Eric prodded Aiden for details as he changed out of his wet clothes into warmer attire. He shook the shirt out not noticing a paper fall and land on his bed. He tied his hair up consciously ignoring Eric. "Come on, you cannot take her to The Fall and not tell me anything mate. I thought we were best mates, I guess not." He said to Aiden's back turning to storm out with the bright smile still on his face.

"Yes, you buffoon, I took her to The Fall. I figured she would appreciate its beauty."

"Did she?"

"More than you would ever know." He paused smiling at the memory of her eyes lighting up in wonder. "She even got me to jump off. A leap of faith, she called it."

Eric saw his friend reminiscing and smiled, "The cliff, the one we were afraid to jump off of as lads?"

Aiden met his gaze and smirked, "Yes, that cliff. It was amazing, the water was clear and air crisp. A perfect day almost." He finished. "She dunked me under the water and we chased one another..." Aiden babbled smiling more at each memory.

Eric stood staring at the man in front of him, never had he ever heard Aiden talk like that. By God, his guard is finally down again. Eric felt excited for them both, he asked before he could stop himself, "Did you tell her about your mot-"

"No." Aiden interrupted, "Do you think I should?"

"Well, do you trust her?"

Aiden thought back to the cliff and smiled, "Yes, I think I do."

"If you trust her then...." Eric let his unspoken answer linger in the air.

Aiden let himself think a moment weighing the pros and cons of telling her. Eric saw the exact moment Aiden made up his mind for his eyes brightened and he smiled, "I am going to see her..." He brushed past Eric and started to walk down the stairs before turning to Eric once more, "Thank you."

"For?" Eric's eyebrow rose.

"For telling me to give this, I mean-her a chance. I may never have known her had you not, well you know... it all?" Aiden grinned a little shyly not very used to thanking Eric or anyone for that matter.

"No problem mate. Just let her in." Eric replied walking past him and slapping his back like he had since their childhood. Aiden nodded and trotted down the stairs behind him to the king's chamber.

As he neared the door he took a deep breathe and prepared to knock when he heard her voice. "Yes father. How did you figure out my plan to gain Aiden's trust and then backstab him and this entire nation?"

His hand fell as he heard her father reply rather proudly, "well, 'twas simple, you are a great strategists, and that is why you are Head Knight."

Aiden felt angry. He felt a prick in his heart but turned his hurt into anger and stormed away from the door like a bat out of hell. He intended to go to the training grounds. That explains her random niceness and good nature. All an act. Not again... He shook his head walking to the training grounds distractedly brushing past Myra.

Myra stumbled and turned to give hell to her next victim, "Who do you-" she started before realizing it was Aiden. "Oh Aiden dear, hello." Aiden still angry turned to Myra and muttered an impatient hello. Myra oblivious to his mood babbled little nothings before asking, "Aiden I need to go to the village and get some cloths, I hear you are in need of new armor. Will you accompany me?" She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled.

He needed a clear head and being in the village and away from where he knew the treacherous vixen was would help him. He hurriedly replied a yes before grasping her arm and hurriedly exiting the castle toward a waiting carriage. Lord my head hurts.

Myra felt very satisfied and smiled passing, a whistling Eric who stared startled at the couple. Aiden in contact with Myra? What is wrong with the chap? He wondered.

*****

After condemning herself to a fate of deceit, she exited her father's room, fully unaware of the damage her resignation had done.

She walked upstairs laughing slightly at her apparel as she passed a mirror in the hallway before she passed a room with a door wide open. She peaked in the room and she was instantly reminded of Aiden. The wood carved furniture and scattered armor confirmed her assumption. She enetered his room and smiled at the thought of him once more. She looked at the pieces of armor scattered on the dressers and the bed. She stopped at a bloodied piece of paper written in sloppy hand writing.

Her curiosity got the best of her and she opened the paper and read.

Isabella read on noticing a detailed description of both she and her father. As she read she became more angry, just when the her anger reached it peak did she ball the parchment up and throw it down on the bed in anger and betrayal without reading the sighed name.

That liar. No wonder, he suddenly was nice. He organized the execution, and pretended to save us so that he could gain our trust so that he can finish the deed himself and become hero. I will not let him get away with this... this sickness! She pushed aside her hurt and generated it into blood curdling anger.

She started towards her chamber passing an again startled Eric who dropped his apple in shock. First Aiden with Myra and now Bella is angry. Lord, what is it with those two today?

Isabella stormed into her room and changed into full armor, vowing to go after the coward and slaughter him herself. Better him than me. She thought, ignoring the pain in her chest.

Meanwhile the village trip did not help but anger Aiden more at her betrayal, for being with Myra did not help but irritate him more. He palmed his dagger, vowing to do something about the little deceitful Princess. Better her than me. He thought. Though his heartbeat picked up at the thought of harming her, he pushed his protective instinct aside angrily.