Isaiah had to pass by the garden to get to the training room. He stopped suddenly when he saw the princess practicing. He had never been great at fencing himself but watching her now had made him jealous that he had given up on it so easily. She moved like she was fighting a ghost and he couldn't help but crack a grin. "I hope you're winning milady."

So focused was the princess that she jumped about when Isiah spoke. "Ah of course. I'd be ashamed if I weren't" She said with a smile. She was only slightly winded and the breeze kept her cool. "Are how are you this fine morning?"

Isiah suppressed a small laugh as the princess jumped, "My apologies princess, perhaps I should have waited till you were finished?" He rolled his bad shoulder instinctevely at the princess ' question . "A lot better than yesterday milady." He looked back to the sabre again to change the subject. "I see Sir Lawrence has taught you well milady, I daresay you are more capable than some of the knights."

"I don't think that is something you should be telling those you protect." Lorelai laughed. "But yes, it took so long but I'm happy to have made it so far that he felt me worthy of a weapon as fine as this." She pointed it skyward so it would catch the light just so. "Isn't it grand?" The princess mused as she looked at her blade.

Isaiah laughed himself. "I have never lied to you before princess, I see no reason to start now." Now that the blade caught light he could finally see it clearly. Like the princess said the craftsmanship of the blade was extraordinary. He had to make a note to ask Sir Lawrence where he had the blade forged later. "Its is a beautiful blade milady, a very fitting weapon for you."

Lorelai brought the blade down to rest in her palm, giving it an admirable smile. She then looked up at Isiah and smiled, feeling a bit bashful. "I adore it." Sheathing her blade she tilted her head. "So what are your plans for the day?"

Isaiah gave a small sigh. "My day is very busy I'm afraid. I have to see about getting a new blade unless I want to dive down the incredibly deep moat and retrieve my old one, I have to get my armor repaired, and I'm supposed to be instructing the queen on fighting with dual blades today." He sighed again and gave a weak smile to the princess. "I'd rather not do that last one but alas such is the burden of a knight."

Lorelai sat on one of the stone benches. "Well I could join you on your errands if you'd have me but " She paused. "Why do you not wish to train the queen? I thought you two were...close." The princess spoke carefully, as she shouldn't have brought up anything about the queen's emotions for Isiah in the first place. To her it seemed odd that just a few hours ago Isiah and Irena seemed close but now he didn't even want to train her. Lorelai wasn't sure how she felt about all of that either. She had thought about it last night, as she drifted asleep. How would she feel if the two were together? She knew she'd feel alone to some extent but she felt something else there as well. Lorelai looked up at her old friend. He'd changed so much from the young boy her father had found. Now he looked older than his years and she still looked like a child. At least that's how she saw it.

Isaiah stared up into the sky and tried to find the words to say. "It would be so easy to lie to you now princess, and I so wish I could. A lie sounds so much better than the truth," Still looking away from Lori he gave a sad laugh. "I'm jealous..." His laugh grew louder as if he was laughing at something incredibly funny, which in a way he was. He looked back at Lorelai with the same sad smile. "I love your brother like he was my own, but I'm jealous of him. Not of his crown or his riches, but because he has her." He closed his eyes as if he could hide from his own shame. "And when he was gone she needed me, now he's back and...this is unbefitting. Forgive me milady."

"Jealous?" She let the word roll over her tongue. It wasn't a foreign one so she understood. Jealousy is what one feels when they want something they cannot have. She felt that once, when she was young. She was jealous of all the maids and servants and tutors that were allowed to spend time with her brother when she wasn't. However her father told her that "'Jealousy is childish. Nothing good comes from wanting something you cannot have so hold fast to what you do have.'" Lorelai had mumbled her father's teachings. "I mean, that is what my father told me." Ever since, she allowed the gap to build between her and her brother, and when she met Isiah and Irena it was like she had gained two new friends in place of one.

Lorelai knew she should be supportive by either helping him move on her embrace his love for the queen, but she couldn't bring herself to be that way. Past the serene face, she was child once more. She was sad and angry and jealous. Why did they get to have love' even the smallest inkling of love while she, the illegitimate child was stuck inside where no one dared to even look at her. She was jealous, but she was still kind and Isiah was still someone she cared about.

"If the king is back, then it is best that you do not let him know how you feel. Avoiding her won't solve a thing." She tugged absently on a strand of hair. "Act professionally, so the Queen doesn't get an idea into her head." Lorelai said the last part with a good natured giggle as she looked up at Isiah. She was jealous and that feeling burned inside her chest. It was etched into her heart, this dark emotion and the princesses pure aura was turning sulfur at the edges.

Galen began to stumble back towards the castle after the long and strenuous task was complete. It had not been easy, and It took every ounce of his considerable skill to hold the rift shut and to patch it so it would not be easily torn again. He knew, however, that this would only delay their appearance. His body had taken a toll, seeming much more haggard and in general much older, he dimly remembered that he couldn't be around people.... Not in this state. Bad things would happen were he to lose consiousness near a population. He forced himself to turn around, using the last of his strength to place magical wards around an out-of-the-way clearing. These would keep him safe while he recovered. His strength drained, the old wizard collapsed in the woods, praying that nobody would wander too close.

Irena had her non-royal clothes on and her hair was pulled in a tight bun. Where was Isaiah ,he wasn't in the knights quorters. She searched the castle and was completely confused. They were going to spar and she was to be taught how to fight, she finnaly gave up and decided to check how the garden was holding up. There he was with the princess good maybe those two could get together and maybe she wouldn't feel the way she dose now.

Isaiah stared off again as if he was lost in thought yet responded all the same. "Your father was right. Jealousy is an evil, all-consuming emotion." He sighed. "And I don't believe I'm strong enough yet to not avoid her...I don't trust myself." He tugged absently at the ribbon on his wrist and was brought back. "I most definitely will not tell him, it would look rather silly what with the oath I swore to him and all." His voice was much lighter now as if a dark haze was starting to leave him. "Plus he has that temper. I'd much rather not be on the receiving end of that." He laughed for real this time, unlike the sad, and fake ones earlier. "Look at what I've gone and done, I've ruined a perfectly good morning with such a shameful confession." .Politely bowing like the knight he was he hoped to try and repair the situation. "Forgive me dear lady, and I thank you for humoring such a foolish knight as I."

Lorelai laughed despite herself. She pressed a finger to the middle of his forehead and pushed him back up as she stood. When it came to her brother and those who kept his company, she couldn't bring herself to be jealous of them anymore because she knew it was for the good of the kingdom. However, when he said he didn't want to see Irena as much, Lorelai felt some twisted sense of joy. She pushed down the feeling. "Then do what you feel is best, Isiah. You always seem to make the right choice whenever problems arise." she said, looking up at him admirably. "My poor foolish knight." She said, flicking one of his dreadlocks over his shoulder.

Irena watched the two for a while happily seeing them together, she had a odd feel of anger in her stomac, she balled up one of her hands into a fist at her side at the sight of Lori looking at him...was that the look of sadness and joy? The queen was utterly confused but ready to proceed with her training it was her first day after all. "Am i interupting something?" she asked in a playful tone but it sounded like she was tiny bit annoyed, and she was. Her eyebrow twitched up as she looked at Isiah and then at Lori. She didnt look like the queen, she looked like a strict horse rider, a crop would have her outfit make sense but instrad she held two glasses of wine. "Are you ready isiah?" She asked "Or do you wish we do this another day?" Her tone wasn't playful anymore it was sounded absoulutely annoyed.

"I wouldn't go that far milady. Most of my decisions are made in the heat of the moment." Isaiah said with his eyes shut to stop his himself from laughing.He had even forgotten why he was upset in the first place. She had always seemed to have that effect on him , ever since they were children. When he felt her hand flick one of his dreads, he opened his eyes in surprise and stared down at her so he could respond but couldn't as soon as his eyes locked with hers. She had the kindest eyes he had ever seen and he could see the pain behind them,as if it wanted to be found. She was the bastard daughter of a king, constantly isolated thanks to the politics of the throne, and yet she had always been his inspiration the one who kept him going through training and reminded him what he fought for every time she smiled. He wanted to fall before her, and beg forgiveness at how he had never been there for her as she had for him, instead he whispered as he looked into her eyes. "Yes milady, the most foolish."

Before he could say anything else the Queen arrived looking less than pleased and he tried to calm his nerves before he talked to her all his forgotten fears rushing back. "Forgive me my Queen I was on my way to find you when I saw the princess practicing here and lost track of time." He bowed returning to the stoic visage o his knight self. " I wanted to tell you that I couldn't train you today. I have many things I must get done today and with my shoulder the way it is I feel we would have better luck on a later day. And.." He turned to face the princess again. "The princess and I were just about to leave, that is if offer to join me still stands?"

"By all means." Lorelai said with hand gesture for him to lead the way. "Good morning, Irena." the princess smiled up at the queen. "I do hope you don't mind I steal him for a bit." Lorelai pushed down the monster that crawled around his stomach. That monster wanted her to sound proud. It wanted the bastard princess to lift her chin up and look down upon the queen. But that wasn't Lorelai and she knew it. So she kept her voice light and pretended not to notice the way the queen's voice sounded.

She looked a bit dumb founded as isiah turned her down she nodded to his word and sighed "Thats Quite alright, the king needs me today anyways" she said with a bored tone in her voice, she just wanted to lear how to spar but i guess the princess was more important. she rolled her eyes at Lori and gave her a chilling glare and a How-dare- you Look, but quickly snapped out of it. "Tomarrow then, Noon" she said and walked off back to her chambers and plooped on the bed and noticed the king was still fast asleep, she slowly got under the covers and cuddled up to him.

Steffan felt his wife cuddling up to him, and that was what eventually woke him up. While the King was an early rser, yet the trip and the emotional weight from yesterdays revelations simply exhausted him.

Still, he was grateful to have Irena by his side, no matter what happened. Turning to face her, he gave his Queen a soft peck on the lips as his eyes slowly oppened his eyes "Goodmorning your Majesty." he murmured.

Isaiah nodded and walked away from the Queen briskly and kept up the facade of the dutiful and stoic knight until he was sure she was out of site. When he couldn't see her anymore he relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that was unpleasant." He said with a small laugh as he looked to the princess. "But judging by the fact that my heart didn't explode in my chest, I think we came out alright."