Isabella smiled sadly at him and thanked him. She by her father's side, rested her head near the bed post and prayed.

She slipped into a slumber next to her father under the watchful eyes of her Knights. The worry and the stress of the past weeks caught up to her.

*******

Isabella awoke disoriented. After awhile it all came back to her. The meeting, her father! She glanced over alarmed but relaxed slightly when she saw him right next to her. She saw no difference in him from the time he fell to now and couldn't help but feel guilty. He is helpless and unconscious and I am stealing naps. Isabella beraded herself.

She looked around finally, caught Edwin's eye and nodded. "How long has it been?"

"About six hours milady."

Isabellla swore under her breath and stood. She fought off a wave of dizziness and walked toward the door. "The Jarians?" She inquired.

"We have made sure they have remained distanced from His Majesty."

She nodded. Her pokerface fell for the second time that day. She allowed more emotion onto her that day than she had in a long time. "How did this happen?" She teared up. "This was not supposed to happen. We were to meet, reach agreement and then return home."

Edwin stood shocked but quickly recovered and wrapped a huge arm around Isabella. Because Isabella was always very hard-working the men often forgot about her youth and hidden vunerablity. He felt honored that the young Princess allowed him to see her open up and seek a sort of comfort. It made her more.... Human. Relatable.

"Sorry Edwin, I am like a leaking well today, all of these tears. I am usually stronger."

"Princess, you are more than a warrior, you are also a daughter. Warriors are not always the strongest. Sometimes you need to allow yourself to just let a wall down sometimes." He hugged her. "The King will be fine. Have faith Princess."

Isabella was reminded of when Hazel told her "You are not just a warrior, you are also a woman." She nodded and sighed. "Thank you Edwin." She wiped her tears and grinned. "I am going to go find Storm and get some air."

"Princess 'tis dark outside would you like company?"

Isabella shook her head and quickly exited while successfully avoiding any further eyecontact.

Edwin knew that after allowing herself to feel so much she needed to go off, and compose her self. Isabella reminded him a lot of the young man. Aiden? I think that was his name. Now that man is something else. He had watched the man in the training room and admitted that he did have a lot of skill. So much energy and skill poured into measly mock spars. Edwin figured the young man was fighting his own demons and worked diligently to fight them off and hide them.

******

Isabella exited the large castle gates and stood there. She gazed up at the dark, star filled sky and tilted her head a bit. The sky was filled with bright stars, which twinkled so bright she could not stare at one for too long. She felt almost as if the beauty of the sky was mocking her, laughing at her pain and scowled.

"You know, scowling at the sky will not make it answer your questions. I figured I learned that the hard way."

Isabella was startled but she cleared her face as she turned to face the handsome knight. "Do you not have other people to bother?"

Aiden was a little taken back by her beauty in the starlight. The beam casted somewhat of a ethereal beauty upon her, and her armor shone as brightly as it had that day in the hall. He shook himself and surprised them both by grinning at her comment. "You should be honored."

Isabella scoffed. Aiden continued, "like I was saying before, the sky is mysterious and it does not always give answers, especially if you scowl. It takes offense really easily you know."

She looked at Aiden as if he was a nutcase. "How do you know I was looking to it for inspiration? I was just getting some air."

"I recognize that look. Your head," he tilted his head making his loose hair fall to the side in waves, "was tilted. The habit you pointed out to me, is something you have adopted." He smirked.

Isabella rolled her eyes and began to walk farther away from the gates. "Where are you going?" he called out a little suspiciously. He did not understand why he joked so openly to her or why he sought her out after he saw her leave the castle. He reminded himself that she was in fact from an enemy nation and that he did not trust her or any woman at all.

Isabella did not answer him and continued to go where she assumed the horses were held. Aiden followed her. Isabella glanced back and inwardly groaned. "You know, if you are trying to bother me it is beginning to work."

"Well then my life's purpose is starting to be fulfilled." He called out.

"You know I could just injure you to the point where you are on bedrest and are no longer able to annoy me."

"Oh like your very mobile father?" Aiden jabbed but then immediately regretted it.

Isabella turned outraged and unsheathed her sword. "What did you say?!" She stalked toward him. Aiden took a few steps back creating space between them in case he needed to defend himself. "You have one second to tell me what you said or you will be missing a few limbs."

"That did not necessarily..."

"He is hurt because of you! Of this damned meeting, of the refugees! Of me." She finished almost sadly. "I will die before I let you comment on the fact that he is bedridden." Isabella exclaimed, she turned and stormed away following the sound of neighs.

Aiden felt his temper rise, "Your father is hurt because he stormed out of the room as a lad does instead of listening."

By this point the barn is in view and she jogged to it and hurried inside needing to be away from Aiden. Bella non-violent thoughts. Gardia needs a clear headed leader, not a leader who is executed for chopping the head of another royal official off. She took deep breaths and glanced around for Storm. She saw her horse sleeping and sighed. She patted the mane and cooed when she stirred. "'Tis me Storm, down girl."

She saw the recognition flash in her steed's eyes and sighed in relief. An angry Strom was hard to control just like an angry Isabella. Storm sensed her mood and stood awake and at attention. She directed Storm out of the barn, mounted her and looked around wearily for Aiden and was relieved when she did not spot him. "On girl." she whispered spurring Storm on and riding in a random direction her tears silently falling.

Aiden hidden in the shadows, for the torch light of the barn did not reach very far, saw her ride away and kicked himself repeatedly. Way to go, way to go.

Isabella let the wind play its fingers through her hair as she rode and let herself go. For a moment she forgot what happened in the joy of the ride. Her tears continued to fall until she had no more left. In the middle of a large field lit only by the stars in the sky she brought storm to a halt. She stared up to the sky, and became very silent. Suddenly she just screamed, screamed out her worries, all of her frustrations, her anger in one yell.

"I am sorry."

She turned and met Aiden's eyes. She opened her mouth to lash out but was prevented from doing so, "I am sorry. I went too far and beg of you forgiveness." He dismounted his horse and walked foward, kneeling to one knee with a forearm over his heart to show sincerity. Aiden never showed remorse for anything before and apologizing was a large thing for him to do.

For a moment Isabella sat shocked at both the fact that she did not realize she was being followed and secondly at his apology. She sat straight up on Storm and stared down at what looked to be a sincere Aiden. Instead of blushing and nodding in agreement she truned her horse around as if she was going to leave and bought her leg back successly hitting him in the face. She rode away and called back. "Apology accepted, next time you will not have a voice to apologize with."

With her point proven Isabella rode back toward the castle the way she had came leaving an irrate Aiden on the ground holding his sore cheek cursing her.