Just for this moment

[isadora]

Isadora scrunched her face up when he tapped her on the nose, giving him a funny look, but her expression broke and she gave a slight laugh at his words. "We're in public, Alistair, be good!" She whispered so only he would hear; she liked that he wanted to make her happy, but it didn't change the fact that their relationship was not public knowledge yet, and couldn't become such for the time being. Soon...soon they wouldn't have a choice in the matter. But they weren't there yet! So he had to behave himself.

She walked beside him as they headed to the section of the markets where those who made jewelry would have set up shop, far enough away from their forges to keep them from getting covered in soot while they worked on more practical crafts. The merchants couldn't help but notice when the princess approached, making sure they had their best pieces on display and their biggest smiles on their faces.

"My lady! I can't help but notice your throat is unfashionably bare." One of the merchants called out to her, and she smiled as she recognized the voice. "And such a lovely neck as yours deserves only the finest pieces."

"Hello Francis," she greeted the vendor with a smile as she approached his stall. "I trust you'll have something I'll like?"

The vendor agreed readily, selecting only a few of his finest pieces to show off to the princess, who perused them with a slight smile, before she looked to her escort to see if he had an opinion on the necklaces. He was the one who wanted to buy her a gift, after all.

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[Alistair]

He didn't care if they were in public; but knowing she did would make him play by her rules. He wasn't fond of everyone's eyes on him and his but he knew this was something he would be forced to grow used to; since she was a more then a noble here. Everyone seemed to know her and want her attention if only for a few seconds. The man who won it however; was the merchant.

Alistair stood a half step behind her as she looked; and then looked to him. If deciding to buy her something was simple; doing it suddenly became annoying hard. They both seemed to stare at him and expect something from him. Looking at the good before he saw nothing he even liked; but he wasn't sure what she liked.

Everything looked heavy and complicated and large. Some were overly intricate and some were thick and looked too heavy for one to wear for hours with out groaning. After a new moments he spoke; "I see nothing that would be a gift." If he was going to do this; he wanted something perfect.

[isadora]

Isadora nodded when Alistair turned down the selection of goods before them, and smiling apologetically at the merchant, she shrugged. The man opened his mouth to try and convince him otherwise, but Isadora raised her hand and shook her head in a way that would brook no argument. "That's enough, you heard the man. Maybe next time, Francis." She told him as she departed from his stall, moving onto the next vendor who heckled them down.

Isadora didn't mind if he took his time picking something out; she liked shopping, she wasn't going to get frustrated that he wanted to find something just right for her. She made small talk with the vendors as they showed off their wares, and while she looked over everything they had to offer, she always looked to Alistair when the time came to make a decision. It was his gift, after all.

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[Alistair]

Yes; maybe next time. . . . Or maybe not. He wasn't too fond of the man's things and less fond of how she used the name's name and his 'title'. Alistair walked on down the street; careful not to let her get to far from him as he scanned over the market stalls with out approaching any of them. It was as if he could tell just by looking at the men which out have something that he would wish to buy.

Finally; after passing by over half of the stalls on the lane he came to a man's stall with many stones spread out over the table. Each stones where woven into a mental necklace, to other jewelry meant to adore some part of a woman or man. Once such display held a familiar looking stone, but he knew it wasn't a stone nor gem, but something caught between.

He moved forward slowly and gestured to it. "I have seen this stone before." "Yes, yet is is not a stone." "I am aware." Alistair lifted the necklace but it was too heavy and had too much detail to it. It was distracting; with so much detail to take in. The man however seemed to understand; as many merchant would. He moved to a box behind him and pulled out a bright blue cloth, opening it to display something to Alistair. "Not a gem either."

He reached his hand out for the necklace int he man's hand; touching to softly with one hand. Then he plucked it up and turned to the princess before wrapping ti around her neck. Yes. This was it. This was the what he wanted. "The name escapes me." He told the man; only having seen this stone in his travels far from here.

Lighter then stones and harder to come by then oddly colored heavy gems; these almost perfectly rounded stones were soft to the touch and smooth holding almost no weight to them at all. The color of these were the rarer of the ones he'd seen. In an job he'd once had to steal them; he'd learned not their value (which had been great) but how rare they were.

These ones were black; and molded together to form a chain with light metal work until it came to their center were a white gem of some sort hung int he place of the smooth black stone. "It's called a pearl." Yes; that was the name. He looked at her for a moment; her pale perfect skin contrasted to the solid darkness of the pearls. "Name your price." He told the man with out looking from her; and paid it with out question.

Your Gift

[isadora]

Isadora wasn't paying too much attention to the stones and jewels on the tables, she was busy socializing with her subjects, and subtly watching Alistair for his reactions. His face might be impassive, but even she could tell when he was simply not interested in what someone had to offer. She may have been leading the way, but they only lingered at the stalls where he showed some interest in what was on display. The merchants quickly caught on to the fact that it was not the princess they needed to impress, but the knight escorting her, but those that made an effort to cater to him seemed only to lose his interest even quicker than those who didn't. He seemed to have something very specific in mind for this gift of his.

So Isadora was very surprised when he actually engaged another man in conversation; although, it barely passed for a conversation, as the merchant seemed to be about as talkative as Alistair was. Maybe that was why he seemed to like this stall, she thought with a mirthful smile, glancing over his wares, but her attention was riveted on the druid, more interested in what he was doing. Even so, she was unprepared when Alistair suddenly draped a necklace around her throat, surprised by how quickly he'd made his decision when he saw this necklace.

While he finished his brief conversation with the man, Isadora reached up a hand to touch the 'pearls' lightly, running her fingertips over the smooth surface curiously. She had all kinds of stones and gems and jewels, but while she'd heard of pearls, she didn't own any. They came from the sea, if she recalled correctly, and were very pricey. Not the kind of thing she would spend treasury coin on, and she hadn't inherited any either. She dropped her hand when Alistair turned back to look at her, and couldn't help but smile when he agreed to pay for it, unable to take his eyes off her. Anything that made him stare like that had to be worth the coin.

Had she been buying the pearls for herself, she would've haggled the man down to a better price; but somehow, she got the feeling any interference in his purchase of the gift for her would not go over well, so she remained silent until the men were finished with the money. "Do you have a mirror?" She inquired, and when he nodded and brought out a small mirror in which she could examine her gift. She caught her breath when she saw it, it was so unusual, and beautiful...it really was perfect. "Oh, Alistair, it's lovely," she said once she had caught her breath, and giving the mirror back to the merchant, she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek lightly, damn whoever was watching. "Thank you."

And there were quite a few people watching. Isadora drew a crowd wherever she went in Caerleon, but when she was strolling around the markets with a handsome knight looking at jewelry...well, word traveled quickly and the people got interested. Isadora gave a somewhat sheepish smile, "perhaps we should return to the castle now?"

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((Hahaha! That is so weird, because black pearls are my favorite!))

[Alistair]

Alistair liked how the looked on her; and knowing it was something he had given her. "Oh, Alistair, it's lovely," She told him and he leaned down when she moved in to give him the kiss to make it easier for her. "Thank you." He had not missed that she did not use his title but his name; it made him feel like a man instead of a puppet. "You are welcome." He told her in return; pleased that he had done something right; and given her this joy.

"Perhaps we should return to the castle now?" He did not look toward the people around them; but he knew the numbers were growing. "As you wish," He agreed and moved so she could walk past him; and he'd be between most the crowd and herself. That was something knights were trained to do; but he did naturally; for he wanted no harm to ever come to her. He had given her a gift before; when he had broken into her home and left something for her to find; but never given her something that was fitting to her world. He had been annoyed with himself at trying to find a gift but pleased with the out come.

[isadora]

The crowd they'd attracted with their fairly obvious show of affection was still staring unabashedly at the couple, whispering behind their hands and giggling over the two of them, and Isadora was more glad they seemed more amused by it than dismayed; at least they didn't appear to disapprove of their behavior. Maybe they were just happy with the thought that they might soon have a king again; which was encouraging and disheartening all at once. Couldn't she be enough for her people?

She smiled at Alistair when he stepped aside to let her pass, and she headed back in the direction of the castle, the crowd parting easily as she walked towards them, nodding and smiling to them with genuine gladness as she passed. Maybe her people were just pleased to see her happy; yes, she was going to believe that. It would make her life easier to just assume the best for the time being; she was sure she'd be able to find out what the people were really saying later on, if she had the courage to question one of the castle servants about it. They seemed to know everything that was going on in the city, and this gossip wasn't likely to escape their notice.

Once they had passed back through the castle gates and were once more in the relative privacy of the castle walls, Isadora slowed her pace enough to walk next to him again. She looked up at him out of the corner of her eyes, then glanced down the hall in either direction to make sure they were alone. "You know...I don't think you've quite succeeded in getting the color back in my cheeks yet." She said innocently, smiling slyly. "I still feel a bit pale."

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[Alistair]

"You know...I don't think you've quite succeeded in getting the color back in my cheeks yet. I still feel a bit pale." He had a plan to add color to her cheeks but they had no remained in the market long enough; thanks to the drawing of the crowd wherever she went. Still; perhaps it wasn't all bad. He was willing to go with the course she'd set by returning early to the castle.

By this time they were in out of the walk ways that edged the castle; he looked casually over his shoulder for a few seconds before scanning his eyes around him to make sure no eyes had found them before reaching over to grab her arm and pull her sharply down a new hall; careful not to harm her.

The first door down the hall was pushed opened and she was ushered in. It was a storage room of some sort for the maids apparently; but he didn't care. He backed her up swiftly; until her back touched the door and lifted her so he supported her; and she was closer to where he wanted her. With out saying a word he took her mouth in a deep kiss; knowing how to give her all the color she would need.

[isadora]

Isadora gave a slight gasp of alarm when he suddenly pulled her in a different direction, surprised when he seemed to know exactly where he was going as he got her into a...closet? But she didn't have time to further contemplate his choice of romantic locales, because no sooner did he have her inside than he had her pinned to the door they'd just entered through, lifting her off her feet as easily as ever. Almost reflexively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him steal her breath away with a hot and heavy kiss.

She rested her arms on his shoulders, letting her fingertips trail through his hair and over his scalp lightly. But after a moment, she turned her head to break the kiss, unable to help herself. "Tell the truth now," she spoke, her breathing heavy and husky, a smile playing on her lips. "Did you memorize the locations of all the disused rooms in the castle?" He had seemed to know exactly where to find a room they'd have some privacy, and he hadn't had long to think on it. And it wasn't the kind of thing she'd put past him.

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[Alistair]

"Tell the truth now," When she turned her head away from him; Alistair followed her jaw line to reach her neck and start a slow descent. "Did you memorize the locations of all the disused rooms in the castle?" His chest moved as if a silent chuckle came out; but when he looked up at her, he wasn't smiling; his hands instead moving from her waist to slide up higher; letting his weight be what pined and held her to the door. Had a maid been in here; it would have been awkward as hell to explain.

His first week here; he had started trying to map out the castle. The stone walls made it hell to find his way around; and the unending maze had left him feeling disoriented and lost. Mapping it out; finding the exited and the shortest paths to them from the major points--her room, her throne room, and any place she'd been for most of her day--helped he his bearings and plan his outs for when danger hit.

But that was not how he found this room. It had been spoken about on the training field; for it was a mostly unused room in the middle of the day for maids only visited it int he mornings and evening to get and drop off their cleaning supplies. One of the younger more idiotic knights had suggested it as good place to try to steal a kiss from a maid. "Not all." But he was willing to bet that in her over protective state from her father that she didn't know about some of the other rooms and going ons int he castle.

[isadora]

She leaned her head back against the door as he let his lips wander, smiling when he assured her he didn't know all the disused rooms in the castle. Just the ones he needed to, she supposed. She didn't know that he had also mapped out their escape routes and had plans to get her out the second anything went wrong, she was just kind of glad that he was getting used to the castle layout.

"Are you sure no one will find us?" She never really stopped worrying about getting caught, especially since they were in a broom closet...a public broom closet. In the middle of the day. It was completely inappropriate, and if they were caught; oh, she didn't want to think about it. Except that it was kind of exciting, and she knew she shouldn't really like the danger of sneaking around, but she did. She giggled when he moved his hands, a blush rising up in her cheeks at his actions.

She couldn't imagine how awful it would have been if there had been a maid in here when he'd pulled her inside; oh, we took a wrong turn, and wound up...in a broom closet. Maids were not well known for their ability to keep things quiet, either, and she was pretty sure that would keep her people busy with gossip for far longer than she liked.

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[Alistair]

"Are you sure no one will find us?" No; but it was a risk he was willing to take for her. The others had said the room was never used unless there was a large gathering and they needed the extra supplies or something; or maybe it was just a backup storage or hell; it could have even been that they did not come around until work was over to drop off their crap--he didn't care at the moment; he only wanted her.

"No one will see you exposed." He let his hand move over her until he found the tires that bound the layers of clothing; and started to pull at them to loosen it enough for him to get to where he wanted. He knew that if she did not trust him; she could stop him with but a word; for he would not risk her if she did not wished to be risked. It did not mean that he would not try to change her mind.

[isadora]

Isadora's heart rate quickened, and she bit her lip to keep from giggling out loud, his touch ticklish against her skin. Even if no one would come in here ordinarily, if they made too much noise it would doubtless attract attention. She wasn't sure that she believed his promise to keep her dignity intact, as he seemed a little distracted even as he reassured her, but she decided that it was worth the risk. It was becoming a bit of a habit for her to just put aside her concerns about what the worst that could happen would be until later, at least, as far as he was concerned.

"No one but you, you mean?" Isadora smiled, placing her hand along his jaw and tilting his head so that she could lean in and kiss him, a long, lingering kiss that left her bereft of breath. After she had caught it again, she leaned down to press her lips against his neck, trailing soft kisses over his skin and running her hands back through his long, messy hair.

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[Alistair]

There was a strong difference between him seeing her; and other men seeing her. She might not like some of his names for the difference; for they were all possessive and un-pretty; but it was there. He'd let her go the first time; and walked away from her the second time. When the stars still brought them together; over and over; he no longer fought that they told him.

She belonged to him; chained to him by whatever magic that controlled people. As he was chained to her. She might hate magic; yet nothing else in him mind could explain how their whole lives brought them to this one moment. Fate perhaps; but was fate if not some contorting force you could not see or hear or touch. The same as magic. "I want you wearing nothing but the pearls." He told her; no longer caring about being quick or in the wrong place.

[isadora]

Isadora could tease him about how possessive he was of her, but the truth was, she didn't mind it as much as she used to. Maybe she just got used to it, or maybe she just liked that it meant that he belonged to her, too. And she didn't want anyone else to see her but him, she didn't want to be with anyone else. And she didn't have to worry about that happening anymore; they were going to be together forever, and that thought made her very, very happy.

They were meant to be...but Isadora didn't think of it as magic bringing them together. It was their destiny, a greater power that kept finding them and letting them find one another. Not magic. She blushed at his words, lifting her head from his neck, she kissed him on the lips briefly, then smiled at him. "If that's what you want." She shrugged permissively, giving him an invitation to do what he wished with her.

Later, when Isadora had her feet back under her and they were both tired but happy, she pulled her dress back up around her, and looked over her shoulder at him. "Help, please?" She asked, nodding to the hastily undone laces on the back of her dress, the ones she couldn't reach on her own, but he seemed to enjoy helping her with instead.

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[Alistair]

Alistair reached for the laces she offered him but used them to pull her backwards; and closer to him. Sliding his hands between the dress and her skin; he locked his larger arm around her. He did not know what else she had planned for today; but he knew that explaining to her maid as to way her hair was messed up in the middle of the day was becoming normal.

With some luck; and a bit of explaining he hoped the woman believed that stress was making her touch her hair more--rather then the woman assuming the truth. After a gentle bite on her shoulder; he finally let her go and started to pull the laces together to allow her to be able to walk out of here on her own. He never asked her; nor pushed her toward a date for when they could stop hiding; however after every encounter like this he did wonder what her grand plan was.

[isadora]

Isadora gave a soft gasp of surprise when Alistair pulled her back against him, his hand on her skin again. She knew that running around and dallying in closets was hardly appropriate, even if they were married, which they weren't. She giggled at his touch, blushing again, and turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, only he wasn't there. She felt the scrape of his teeth against her shoulder, and she laughed again. "You can't possibly still be hungry." She said teasingly, before he started lacing her back into her dress.

While he was busy tightening the laces, she ran her fingers over the smooth pearls of the necklace he'd purchased for her, thoughtfully. Their little 'event' in the market today would not go unnoticed. The whole city would be buzzing about it by now, and it would draw attention to Alistair. She ought to warn him about that. "People will be talking about...what happened in the market this morning. If anyone asks you about it...you can tell them you're courting me." Or, he could do as he usually did and maintain his trademark silence. It shouldn't matter too much.

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[Alistair]

Whenever someone got bold enough to ask him about the princess; he normally gave them a silent look meant to make them eventually feel awkward for asking him that and they would end up walking away. In the woods there was a rule of sorts with animals; you didn't walk away first. When you fought that unspoken battle and stared at someone long enough; they had to be the one to back down first. It showed them you were the stronger one.

His silence worked on so many levels for him; it left him looking strong rather then an idiot who did not know what to say; and as if he refused to answer rather then afraid to say the wrong thing. Once he was done with her lances he spoke in reply to her; "I will not say anything to feed the lose tongued idiots who take pleasure in being the first to tell everyone something new." He would remain silent unless it was someone whom he had come to respect asked. Such as Sir Garrett. Even then he would say little on the topic of his wife.

[isadora]

Isadora smiled with amusement at his reply...that was what she had been expecting. She knew that she could never treat people like that, and she knew that it was bad, but she absolutely loved that he could. And it helped that she never had to worry about Alistair inadvertently revealing sensitive information; he was the ideal man to have a secret affair with, because he didn't feel the need to impress anyone around here, so she didn't need to worry about him bragging about his conquests.

She turned around to face him, reaching up to adjust his armor so it wouldn't look as though it had been disturbed throughout the day. "That's fine too," she told him, she wasn't going to chastise him for keeping to himself, it was what he usually did, and it wouldn't cause trouble for him to hold his tongue. Once she was satisfied with his armor, she reached down to smooth the wrinkles out of her own dress. Quite frankly, she feared for the state of her hair, even if she couldn't see it. "Should I even bother to ask about my hair?"

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[Alistair]

Hair? He looked at her's and reached up to run his fingers through it; bring them down so it would fall free and lay down. "You are a princess; you out rank everyone here. If someone gets nosy, tell them to go to hell." He hold her; knowing she would not do it and that she would think he was joking with her. "Politely."

Alistair wasn't a fond of the gossips and the games they played here; for it was too hard to fight what no one said to your face. When words were the weapons of choice it was harder to let his steel take down the foe. It was a game he'd not learned to play; but had managed to make them uncomfortable playing around him. It was one of the many games he hated of her world.