Amazing Grace

[Arthur Pendragon]

Things were a bit busier than usual in Camelot. It was however for good reasons, rather than the city having to prepare for an attack, or send out an army to eliminate threats. It wasn't quite like that . . . for it was only preparing for a festivity. But it was not just any celebration: it was a grand one. Now that the five great kingdoms had signed a peace treaty -- something that took many, many years to do -- Camelot was hosting a Five Day Festival to commemorate this momentous occasion. The preparations were still preliminary, but invitations were being sent out so that nobles and royals would have time to schedule their attendance. It would only be few more weeks until everything was ready to start. Arthur was rather grateful for it! Mostly because it would give people something else to talk about, rather than the Arthur and Vivian fiasco that took place. Something that still made Arthur feel uneasy.

There were only few who knew it was an enchantment: himself, Guinevère, and Merlin. And of course whoever was responsible for it. Arthur had his suspicions but he could not exactly prove it. Nor did he want a cause for war -- unlike King Alined whoever started it. But because no one knew it was magic that was the cause, it made it more difficult to justify. How did one explain that one moment, they were madly in love with a woman, willing to jeopardize the treaty and endanger their very lives for the sake of this love . . . to suddenly not wanting anything more to do with her. Gone were Arthur's days of womanizing, for he had already given his heart to a certain woman, but again, no one else knew this. So really, it probably just made him seem as immature and uncaring to the feelings of another woman as he could have been considered to be, a few years ago.

But it would soon pass. The talk of this, the rumors, the whispers . . . it was all part of the joy of being in such a position where the spotlight was never off of you. Arthur had grown quite used to it; though it seemed that whenever something good was done, it was to be expected; and when it was anything bad, then that is what people seemed to focus on and speak about the most. But no matter. It would soon just become a distant whisper of the past. Arthur pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind, having to concern himself with something of greater importance right now. They had specially invited a guest, not only for the festivities, but a bit before. This was of course not without reason. The Lady Isabel de Massard had suffered a terrible loss, her whole family dying in the course of one night. It was a tragedy indeed, and the Pendragon family wished to offer their condolences to her.

With his father busy, Arthur had been given the task of greeting her upon her arrival and then showing her to her chambers. He stood in the courtyard, already seeing the carriage approaching nearer and nearer. He was not too dressed up, but still, as always, holding the appearance of a prince. The servants quickly readied themselves as the carriage came to a halt, and Arthur moved towards it so to greet the Lady Isabel. He could not imagine how she must be feeling; for Arthur tried to put himself in her place. If he lost his father and Morgana in one night . . . he would be devastated. When she came into view, stepping out from the carriage, he gave a bit of a smile. "Greetings Lady Isasbel, and welcome to Camelot," Arthur greeted in a formal, yet what he hope was a welcoming and friendly tone.

_{Setting: Castle of Camelot
Time of Day: Afternoon
Timeline: Season 2, after Sweet Dreams, before the Five Day Festivities
Tag: Lady Isabel de Massard}

[Isabel de Massard]

OOC - Just thought I'd mention that Isabel will be getting her flirt on as she wants to marry a prince, but I'm sure Arthur will be able to avoid such attentions

This was, of course, not the first time Isabel had been in the company of royalty. Her visit to Sorelia had been an experience which Isabel now considered a rehearsal, a learning curb, before the main challenge. She was not ignorant enough to suspect all princes the same, although she would not be surprised if Arthur proved to be just as rude as infuriating, but it had certainly given her a lesson in how to behave around royalty. If Arthur was indeed the same as Vortigern had been, he would not prove that difficult, well, once she overlooked the lack of manners. Princes, it seemed, needed to be adored and admired. They had spent all their lives being told that they deserved to be royalty, they deserved thousands of servants bending to their will. Isabel had spent all her life telling herself the same thing.

Camelot was such a better kingdom than Sorelia. It was certainly more powerful, richer and, if the rumours were to be believed, much more dangerous and exciting. And for Arthur, well, she certainly hoped the rumours were true. This could be her perfect oppurtunity. While the life of a noble was certainly one to be envied, but the life of a royal...and a royal of Camelot no less...all she needed to do was ensnare a prince. That couldn't be too difficult, after all, she had practiced before.

She stepped out of the carriage to find Arthur already waiting to greet her, just as she had expected. Hopefully this first meeting would be far more pleasant than it was with Vortigern. She bowed curteously, only looking at him properly when she straightened up. He was certainly a handsome man, perhaps the rumours had indeed been correct. "Your Highness," she lowered her eyes modestly, "I cannot express what a pleasure this is, and how grateful I am to be invited here."

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur gave a small smile when she bowed, lowering his head in a bit of a nod. To further show the proper respect, only to women, he took her hand in his, lifted it and lowered himself once more so that his lips rested on the back of her hand. Remaining in his position for only a few seconds, he released her hand and made eye contact with the young noble. It was not an overly intimate action of course, and he was not about to make it such. Had he met her a couple of years ago, these interactions could have been very different. No man could deny Isabel's beauty, and had he encountered her in a different stage of his life . . . he certainly would have try to charm and woo her. But his restless heart had been tamed. Settled; for it was committed. And now, while he saw her as beautiful, no woman could be more beautiful than Guinevère.

Even if nothing could come of it, he would forever remain committed to her; down to his very heart and soul. "The pleasure is all ours," he returned politely. "You have graced us with your presence and are relieved to see you in good health." Unlike her family, but he would get to that soon, not wanting to start off on depressing note that may dampen the mood. As the servants began to tend to the horses and her luggage, Arthur slowly turned as to step away from the carriage, though waited for her so it would not seem like he was trying to impatiently lead her inside. "Did you have a pleasant journey?" He asked, knowing this was her first visit to Camelot and so therefore, the travel could seem long and tedious.

[[ Hahhah!!! No worries!! I actually think that would be hilarious! Feel free to hit him up with a love potion since messing with his hormones seems to be the best way to get him to do what ya want with magic! ]]

[Isabel de Massard]

OOC - oh good! In that case perhaps Is will try the potion after her charms fail

If Isabel were a lesser woman she may have felt her cheeks warm when Arthur kissed her hand. It was certainly not something that Olwyn Caen could have ever dreamt of experiencing. As it happened, Isabel was by no means a lesser woman, one who was supposed to be used to such circumstances, so she just gave a small smile, one that tugged at the corner of her mouth. This was certainly going better than her first meeting with Vortigern. After only a moment or two she had already decided she could not stand him at all, but with Arthur it was a far more pleasant experience.

His comment about her health was no doubt leading towards a conversation about her "family". News that they had all died had travelled throughout Albion, no doubt the prince wanted to offer his condolences. She would just have to smile sadly and thank him for his thoughtfulness. She had done it enough times to be able to say, with quite some confidences, that she did it to perfection. No one would see her as anything else but a lonely young woman, still greiving over the loss of her family. In reality, Isabel had never grieved over anything. She usually didn't care enough.

She was rather surprised that he did not, as it turned out, mention her family at all. The conversation had been heading that way, she had been sure. Perhaps Arthur was trying to be sensitive and not bring up such a delicate topic. Whatever his motives Isabel could only be grateful. She didn't mind lying, but it was always nicer when she didn't have to.

"Did you have a pleasant journey?"

Isabel noticed his small step and followed his action, no doubt he wanted to return inside rather than converse in the middle of the courtyard. At his question she nodded, not eagerly, but with some enthusiasm. "I did, thank you. The lands of Camelot are very beautiful, although quite a distance from Cantia." Despite his friendly tone she doubted he cared that much about her journey, but apparantly the rules of small talk were to be followed to the letter. Isabel never cared much for such convention, princes were never won over comments about the weather or carriage rides.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur listened attentively as she answered his question in regards to her journey here. He continued to politely smile, always appreciating any compliments towards the kingdom. Arthur loved Camelot more than he could say and was proud to be its future king. The lands, the scenery, even all its people . . . Arthur loved it tremendously. It was a great source of his pride so smiled proudly when she had kind words to offer about it. "The distance between both kingdoms is indeed great," he acknowledged, completely understanding the hardship that traveling could be. Especially for those who were not overly used to venturing outside their own kingdom. "Which only makes it more of a relief that you have arrived safely." Who knows what dangerous could have befallen them for even Camelot had its share of criminals.

"I imagine you must be quite exhausted. I will show you to you chambers, and a meal will be prepared for you." He knew that sometimes after a long journey, it was more desirable to eat in peace by oneself, rather than in the company of others, but Arthur could leave it as her choice. "If you would like to dine with me, it would be a privilege. If not, then we can have the food sent to your chamber." The latter would be something Arthur completely understood, so ensured his voice sounded as if neither decision would offend him. Sometimes, it was better to leave the choice up to the guest. He hoped she would not feel too uncomfortable to deny his invitation if she wished to eat alone, since sometimes people could be afraid of causing offense.

[[ hahhaha!! as long as you're ready for enchanted Arthur, since as we've all seen, he can be quite a goof ]]

[Isabel de Massard]

Oh I'm more than prepared for enchanted Arthur hehe

Ah, more small talk, Isabel's favourite. Personally she didn't see the point in it. Nobody actually cared about anything that was discussed, but, she had quickly learnt, such formalities had to be observed, no matter how stupid they were. Perhaps Arthur did actually care about her safe arrival, well not hers, but whatever. Even so, there was only so much one could say and quite frankly Isabel found it boring. She was of the opinion that words were not to be wasted, and neither was time. The whole notion of small talk wasted both. She had a lot of work to do in Camelot, this was certainly not helping her progress.

But she smiled sweetly and answered politely because that was what was expected of her, what was expected of a woman of her standing, regardless of what she thought on the matter. "Your concern is appreciated, your highness, and I am glad of finally arriving. I have not seen much of Camelot, but from what I have I can see it will not have been a wasted journey." It was clear Arthur loved his country, and she had not been lying when she said she thought it was beautiful, yet the scenery was hardly going to satisfy her. No, she had a plan.

She frowned at his words, not quite able to compose herself quickly enough. Dine alone? Was that usual procedure? She had been travelling for two days, she had expected something more than a lonely meal in her room. She would have protested, but he spoke again, his next words being better received and bringing a genuine smile to her face. Dinner would be an excellent oppurtunity for what she had in mind. "I would be honoured to dine with you." She replied with a warm smile, perhaps this was not going to be so difficult after all.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur continued to politely smile at her words. He was glad to hear she was optimistic about her stay here. Arthur knew that sometimes the loss of a loved one caused a person to feel closed off; to want to be alone and away from so much company. But she did not seem like that. Even only having met her for a few moments now, she seemed to be a woman of great strength; able to be confident and sure, rather than broken and devastated. He was not sure which was better . . . but he did know that if he were in her position, he would have tried to be the same way: strong and sure. "Hopefully for the duration of your stay, you will get the opportunity to explore the kingdom, beyond just the castle." A few years ago, he would have offered her a private tour. He would have suggested they go for a horse ride to the woods, where he would then set up a picnic.

He had made such offers to women in the past. But no more. In fact, he doubted he would even offer only his company. It was too intimate for a man and woman to go exploring the kingdom alone . . . especially since this was only their first meeting. He had done enough to give everyone the wrong impression of him -- after the whole Vivian incident -- and he would not cause more hurt to Guinevère. "As I am sure you have heard, we have a large festivity approaching in the next couple of weeks. I hope you will be staying for it?" He asked, wanting his tone to sound encouraging of the idea. They had extended a formal invitation to her, but it was better now to hear if she planned on staying in Camelot for that long. Or if her visit here would just be brief. Arthur could understand the later, but hoped it was the first.

Had Arthur been more perceptive, perhaps we would have noticed her frown. But sadly, he was not, and did not recognize it. What he did hear was an acceptance of his offer to dine with him. "The honor would be all mine," he said smiling, not meaning this in a flirtatious way, but rather, a respectful one. He already had respect for Isabel, and would not do anything to downplay that or suggest otherwise. He would not be a very good host, or prince, if he displayed rudeness to a guest. One that they had personally invited here with the hopes of showing a welcoming and friendly environment for her to find comfort in. "The king apologizes for being unable to personally welcome you. Business had kept him occupied, but I am certain he should like to meet you come tomorrow." Meaning, he would not be present for dinner tonight either. Hence the reason Arthur had been adamant to offer his own company as most other nobles -- his father included -- would be busy.

[Isabel de Massard]

Isabel was sure, or rather determined, that she would have enough to occupy herself with during her stay without having to explore Camelot to amuse herself. But then it could be good to find out more about the people and land itself, especially if all went to plan. “Perhaps I shall, sire. I suppose it all depends on how exciting I find the court.” Her voice probably had a more suggestive tone to it than was thought proper, but Isabel was rather enjoying teasing Arthur and was curious to see if he would follow suit. It would be so much more fun, and easier, if he did, and of course there were all those rumours of his reputation to prove true.

“I shall be staying as long as I am welcome.” She replied, the suggestion in her voice now replaced with modesty. She had not thought about exactly how long she would be staying; only assuming she would remain until her plan had been carried out. This invitation was certainly a promising one, and, setting everything else aside, Camelot festivities were said to be the most enjoyable and entertaining in Albion, and Isabel was rather set on attending. Even if her stay in Camelot did not pass as she hoped, nobles and royals flocked to Camelot for the festivities, she was bound to find herself a fallback.

A genuine smile found its way onto Isabel’s lips. She had a feeling that dining with this prince would be a much pleasanter experience than her previous one. Her mood increased even more when Arthur told her she would not be meeting the king until tomorrow. She was not here to meet the king at all, he was merely a social convention and one she would be only too happy to ignore if she could. He was, however, improving her opinion of him by not being present. She could hardly enjoy dinner with Arthur if she was having to dine with the king as well.

She hid this well, instead nodding with a look of slight disappointment. “I cannot pretend I am not disappointed to meet with him tonight, but I am sure his business is of great import and look forward to meeting him tomorrow.” In truth she did not care about meeting him at all, but appearances had to be kept, and it would do her no good to be disparaging about the king, especially in front of his son.

[Arthur Pendragon]

How exciting she found the court. That much was true. Then again, didn't most woman like the court? In Arthur's experience, they had. As they often gossiped about things in their little clusters, or cast flirtatious looks across the room to another man until he approached them. Arthur used to enjoy such things of court; meeting other nobles, especially the woman. But so much had changed. Now he just found it a place that further reminded him of the barriers between him and Guinevère, as he would be there conversing with nobles, and she would be there serving them with drinks. "I hope it will not be a disappointment then," he told her. Surely, she would find something to talk about, or someone to talk to. The thrill of meeting others incentive enough. But if not, then perhaps she was one of those few women who did not enjoy court.

Though Arthur had yet to come across someone of this sort. "I shall be staying as long as I am welcome." Arthur gave a bit of a smile. "Then you may never leave, for you will never be unwelcome." His comment was a bit of a joke, though not the latter part of it. Obviously she could not stay here forever . . . but she would indeed always remain welcome in their kingdom. He was relieved to hear that she understood the reason for the king's absence. Then again, she was nothing but polite and courteous so he had not expected her to lash out at the fact that she had not yet met Uther. At least she seemed content in Arthur's company. "I thank you for your understanding," he said appreciatively. Some other women would throw a fit . . . thank god she was not like that.

When they arrived to the guest chamber she would be staying in, he waited for her to enter first before following suit. "I hope this will be adequately comfortable. If there is anything you need, ask any of our servants." Arthur used all his strength not to the choke on the word. He maintained his formality and composure though. "If there is nothing else I can assist you with, then I shall see you later tonight for dinner." Nothing intimate. Just a formal dinner between two people. He was indifferent about it, and only hoped that Guinevère would not be serving at it. In fact, he would make sure she would not. He'd get Merlin, or another servant to . . . anyone but Guinevère.

[[ Slight god-mod! Let me know if you'd like me to edit!! And if you want, maybe I can time lapse it to dinner in my next post or something?? ]]

[Isabel de Massard]

Perhaps Arthur was just used to having such conversations with nobles – after all, meetings like these were hardly unique – and was therefore an expert in hiding his true thoughts, or perhaps he was simply genuinely interested in Isabel enjoying herself. The latter was a completely foreign notion to Isabel, who, by her very nature, only forged friendships to suit her own gains. Why Arthur would seem quite to eager that she enjoyed Camelot was, at present, unknown to her, but, if these were indeed his true feelings, it would her life a lot easier. Vortigern had been such hard work, whereas Arthur appeared to be a genuinely friendly young man, and Isabel knew, perhaps more than most, what a rare find that was. “Why thank you, sire. How nice it is to find a host who cares about their guests, in my experience that is not always the case.”

She laughed lightly at her comment, assuming that was what was expected. So far, she was impressed with Arthur and his attitude, and starting to think that perhaps, even if she did not achieve her main goal, he would certainly be a valuable ally. It would do her well to forge a strong relationship with him, even if nothing came out of it. That was not to say that her plans had changed, however, they just now held more options.

Her chamber was certainly far grander than she was expecting. It was embarrassing, really, but she was always in awe of the grandeur of such places. As a child she had not known such luxuries, and even when she had first been introduced to them, they had not been hers. She had simply admired them from afar. Now, however, her life was rich and full of things her family would never dream of. “I am sure it will me more than adequately comfortable.” She replied, realising only after her speech just how enthused she had sounded. It was very likely she was being overcautious, but every now and then Olwyn seeped through into her speech and mannerisms, and even though she was now accustomed to the life of a noble, she could not always keep up the appearance of being born into it. She faltered, trying to regain composure as Arthur continued. She could not afford to be found out now, especially not here. “I look forward to dinner tonight, sire.” Her words were perhaps a little abrupt, but there was a growing panic in her voice. She needed to get her head back, needed to regain her focus but could not do that with Arthur there. Most importantly, she needed to remind herself that Olwyn Caen did not exist anymore, there was only Isabel de Massard.

Eh, Arthur’s a prince he’s allowed to god-mod haha. Time lapse would be good, I was thinking, if we’re still going with the idea of Isabel using a potion she could slip it into his drink? Unless you want to wait for a bit, either way I don’t mind. She can always do so later.

[Arthur Pendragon]

It was rather regrettable indeed that she had not always had the experience of being in the company of hosts who cared about their guests. But Arthur was not naive either. He knew that some royals and nobles were far less hospitable than others. He never wanted others to get that impression when in Camelot. He wished for them to have a positive experience in this kingdom that he was so very proud of. And one of the ways to ensure this was to speak to their guests with the utmost respect and courtesy. He did not ask who she had unpleasant experiences with, for he was not one to speak too ill of another royal or noble family -- nor encourage others to do the same if they felt uncomfortable being put on the spot in such a way. It only made him wish to make sure that she enjoyed her stay here. So that she would leave with a positive impression, rather than add him to her list of poor hosts.

"I look forward to dinner tonight, sire." Arthur gave a polite smile in return to these words. "As do I." He lowered his head in a slight bow. "Lady Isabel," he greeted in farewell. He then turned to leave, knowing he had quite a bit to do before tonight. There were still many preparations that needed to be made, so that was what Arthur busied himself with for the rest of the afternoon. Time had passed extremely quickly that Arthur was rather looking forward to a peaceful dinner, just in the company of their visiting guest. It would be a refreshing change from having to constantly be around everyone, needing to finalize plans, organize rooms of where everyone was staying, ensure that the feasts and events were properly planned out . . . yes, needless to say, Arthur was relieved for the break that would soon be coming.

When the dinner hour neared, he went to his chambers to change out of his clothing and wear something slightly more casual. He removed his armor and crown, put on a clean jacket and then added his cape once more. He could not dress completely down, for he would still be in the company of a guest. And it was important to look presentable. Regardless of the informality of tonight. Once he was dressed, he made his way to the dining hall. The guards opened the doors for him, and he noticed that she was not present yet. Excellent! It meant he was not late and plus, he should always be there first. He made his way to the seat, not at the head of the table -- for even if the king was not present, that was still his designated seat -- but rather on the side of it, the chair that he usually took when seated at the table. He then patiently waited for her to arrive, enjoying the relaxation of just being able to sit down . . . and bring his mind to ease. Or at least attempt to.

[Isabel de Massard]

Isabel watched him leave, closing the door only when he was out of sight. Well, that appeared to have gone well. She smiled, allowing herself to take a moment to congratulate herself. It was no easy task to fool anyone into believing she was of noble blood, let alone a prince, yet Arthur seemed to have left with no reason at all to suspect otherwise. Perhaps this was not going to be as difficult as she had first thought.

The castle servants had already brought in her belongings. She would have preferred to have her trunk on the other side of the room, but its current location would have to do for now. It was not, after all, the end of the world - just slightly irritating. She opened it up and tried to find something to wear to dinner. Although the dress she was wearing at the moment would be perfectly adequate, she had been travelling all day and was now desperate to get out of her clothes. Besides, the one that was currently in her hand was perhaps better suited to her main task at hand. It was of a light blue material which she liked to think accentuated her curves, perfect for what she had in mind.

Dinner would be served soon, but she was in no hurry to arrive on time, and especially not to arrive without Arthur. That simply would not do, her only option then was to arrive late. In an attempt to kill some time before venturing to the dining hall, she went over to the mirror to make sure her appearance was perfect. This was going to be an important evening - everything had to go according to plan. By the time she was satisfied it was probably time to leave, but before she did she took a small glass vial from her trunk and then left her chamber.

As expected, Arthur was already waiting for her when she entered. She gave a quick curtsey before saying, "I hope you will excuse me for being late. I'm afraid I lost my way, this castle is certainly bigger than I was expecting." She finished her speech with a bright smile and waited to be invited to sit down.

[Arthur Pendragon]

When he heard the guards open the door, he immediately rose to his feet and looked towards it, seeing Isabel enter. He gave a polite smile. Her beauty was indeed undeniable, and had Arthur been the man he was years ago, he would have certainly taken advantage of this situation: being alone in the company of an exquisite woman. But, he was not the same man and he would not have it any other way. Still, that did not mean he need be rude. He lowered his head in greeting. "Lady Isabel." He moved over to her chair, across from him and began to pull it out for her, as he heard her apologize for being late. "I should be the one apologizing then. For not having sent an escort to lead you." He had been so busy, it completely escaped his mind to send someone to bring her to dinner.

And for this, he did indeed feel bad. So much for his hope to be a proper host to her. Though, from the way she smiled it did not seem she was too upset with this. Something that Arthur was rather grateful for. After the entire Vivian visit . . . he was not sure he could deal with another woman like her. "It will not happen again," he assured her. At least she did not get to be too lost, for she still made it here on rather impressive time. "Please, have a seat," he said motioning to the chair with one hand, before it regained its position on the chair, preparing to tuck it in some once she sat down on it.

[Isabel de Massard]

Isabel was pleasantly surprised when Arthur pulled her chair out. It was obviously something that was expected of him, yet to Isabel it was still a rarity. She often dined alone or with other women so it a gesture that was certainly well received. "Oh honestly it was no trouble." Isabel replied, her sweetest smile across her lips. Really, there was no need for Arthur to appear so distressed, although it was rather endearing. Or at least it would be if she was more easily won. "I rather enjoy getting lost." She continued, "It leads you to all sorts of interesting places." That was certainly true - it was through getting lost as a child that she had first encountered
Angharad and begun her new life.

Now that they were not only alone, but in such an intimate location, Isabel was at a better liberty to continue her attempt to charm Arthur. From her experience, men liked to talk about themselves and how simply wonderful they were. Surely Arthur would be no different, especially as he was a prince. "So," she began, looking at Arthur with a small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips and tilting her head, "What exactly does the prince of Camelot do when he's not saving the day?"

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was relieved to hear that. He knew some may find offense in his supposed 'disregard' but thankfully, she was not willing to dwell on this. And neither would he. When she was seated, he pushed the chair in a bit for her, before returning to his own side of the table, regaining his position on his seat. He looked to one of the servants standing nearby, and they seemed to understand the motion as they approached the table, pouring the pitcher of wine into Isabel's cup before going to Arthur's to do the same. He refocused his attention on Lady Isabel, smiling at her logic of getting lost. "Did you find any interesting places within the castle?" He asked curiously, wondering if she stumbled across any rooms of interest, or if it was just random hallways that she found herself wandering through. Most of the unused rooms were locked of course, or ones that held valuable things. But it was a good way of getting to know the castle.

"Perhaps if you like, I can properly show you around the castle." If she would be staying with them for some time, it would be most beneficial for her to be familiar with the rooms, especially since they would be getting filled rather quickly. "So, what exactly does the prince of Camelot do when he's not saving the day?" Arthur smiled at this question, finding it flattering yet not in the same way he would have years ago. It would have been such a grand opening to flirtations. To commenting on spending time with a beautiful noblewoman such as herself. But he did not wish to give the wrong impression. God knows how many times that had happened and back fired miserably. "You give me far too much credit," he said politely, the implication of the flattery by her compliment in his response. "But to be entirely truthful, I would not want to bore you with details of a day in my life," he said jokingly.

Well, only somewhat jokingly. He could go on with joking arrogance about things he did, but he did not want to do that. He had matured from wanting to post about his skills to a noblewoman. "I would be far more interested in hearing about your home, for it has been far too long since I've had the privilege of journeying to Cantia." A beautiful kingdom he had no doubt. "I would be rather interested in hearing about it." About Cantia. About what she did there. About . . . how she was coping with her family's death. But he did not wish to bring the subject directly to this, for he didn't want put a damper on the mood. She seemed to be in such high spirits, something he admired about her. And he would not be the reason they were forced to talk about such unpleasant things. Even if he still knew he had to somehow express his condolences. But she were here for a while, and he was certain this would not be their last conversation in the duration of her stay.

[Isabel de Massard]

Unfortunately Isabel had not found anywhere terrinly interesting, which was a pity, she was sure there must some interesting places in the castle. Having said that, she had only walked from her chamber to the dining hall. The most interesting places where probably to be found in the lower parts of the castle. All Isabel had found was a very corridors. She nodded, perhaps a little too eagerly, at Arthur's suggestion. "I would like that very much sire." Learning more about the geography of the castle could only be an advantage, and one such as this was bound to have its secrets. It could not be too difficult to charm such secrets from the prince.

His modesty was probably endearing to most of the young nobles of Camelot, but to Isabel was irritating. She was trying to pay him a compliment and express her interest in him. But he had to go and ruin that, didn't he? Luckily, her expression did not betray her feelings, she had learnt long ago to never express what she was truly feeling. That sort of behaviour would never acheive anything. Instead she remained smiled and averted her gaze for a second. "From what I have heard you can never be given too much credit." When she looked up at him again she did so with slightly raised eyebrows, challenging him to argue against her statement. It was true that she had heard many things about his bravery, she'd heard many things about his ego too, and playing up to a man's ego was never a hard thing to do.

Her flirtatious expression vanished almost instantly, however at Arthur's request to speak of Cantia. Surely he did not truly care about her home? She bit her lip, after all, memories of Cantia were suppossed to bring with them memories of her deceased family. "Perhaps another time." She said quietly, forgetting the conventions expected when conversing with royalty. There was a moment's pause before she was smiling again, albeit a strained one. Arthur knew of the Massards, hopefully she could use this to her advantage. "It is hardly comparable to this fine kingdom." She replied, obviously trying to change the subject and took a sip from her cup, this could be harder than she had previously thought but at least she had her back-up plan, just in case.

[Arthur Pendragon]

"I would like that very much sire." Then it would certainly have to be done. He made a mental note of that, and would have to ensure that he did not forget. Like he had forgotten to send an escort. "From what I have heard you can never be given too much credit." This comment slightly surprised him, though he displayed no signs of that. His youth had been filled with the casual and playful flirtations of noblewomen . . . was he misinterpreting her words now and the tone in which they were spoken? Surely. Though if not, then the last thing he wanted to do was encourage another women. He knew what that could lead to, and he did not wish to give anyone false impressions of his intentions. Nor did he want any woman to feel . . . rejected in that sense. He respected women a great deal and held them in the highest regard.

He would have to choose his words carefully. So he merely politely smiled, and took a small sip of his words. If only he could indeed choose his words carefully. Knowing the right thing to say was never really his strong suit. "Dare I ask the things you have heard?" He asked jokingly with a bit of a smile. He did not want her to tell him all the great things that she's heard of Arthur Pendragon. It was strange but since he'd fallen in love with Guinevère, and befriended Merlin, his modesty had grown and his arrogance somewhat declined. Not leaving too much time to answer his partially rhetorical question, he spoke again. "Thank you for your words." It was not as if he was ungrateful to hear them. They were just . . . unnecessary. "I suppose you will have to be the judge of whether such rumors are done justice." He needed to shift the conversation away from him.

For he did not wish to sit here and bask in the flattery she was giving him. He had hoped the subject of her homeland would bring the topic away from him, but it did not. She did not wish to talk about it? Arthur was not the kind to press for information. "It is hardly comparable to this fine kingdom." Now this was something he could indeed boast about for he was very proud of Camelot and all its people. "Camelot is indeed filled with immense beauty. I am rather glad that you have decided to accept our invitation in coming to visit. As I believe it is your first time here?" He was unsure about the last part. What he did know was that he did not remember her if she had come before. And he doubted he would have forgotten her.

[Isabel de Massard]

Isabel laughed airily and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You can ask," she replied with an easy smile, "But I'm afraid the things I've heard are hardly repeatable." She finished her speech with a smirk and a sip from her cup, all the while keeping eye contact with Arthur. He was certainly an amusing prince, that was for sure, and Isabel was having quite a lot of fun. If all went well she would not need to use the love potion which was currently concealed in a hidden pocket of her dress. At the moment it was no more than an insurance. She laughed again at his next words, "I think I shall. For my sake I hope they are." Her flirtations were no longer subtle, but they were alone and there was no need for such strict formalities.

The way he spoke of Camelot was certainly endearing. He obviously had a great love for his kingdom, something which could only be admired. If all went well to plan, it would not be the only thing he spoke of so passionately. She surpressed a smirk, thinking about her plan and remarking to herself how perfect it was. "I could hardly turn such an invitation down." She replied, trying to turn the conversation back to him. Talking about Camelot was all very well and good, but it was hardly the most romantic of subjects. At this rate, the love potion would definitely be used - not that Isabel minded that much. It might be less fun, but it was certainly a quicker way to acheive her goal. "It is my first time here, yes." The Massards had never really left Cantia, so the real Isabel would not have visited before, and she would have hardly come her herself during her old life. "And what a pleasant time it is."

[Arthur Pendragon]

"You can ask. But I'm afraid the things I've heard are hardly repeatable." Arthur had not quite been expecting that. He thought she would be speaking things about winning tournaments, about rumors of his skill in combat . . . but she was actually referring to, other things. Things that a twenty year old Arthur would have been so very encouraged by. Things he would be pushing her to tell him, if only to see the blush in her cheeks . . . if she was the blushing type. If not, then only to feed his ego. But now, in the frame of mind he was in, in the way he had matured, and the way he was silently and secretly committed to another . . . he displayed no interest in such things. Of course it was good to hear that others thought well of him, but not along such lines. For . . . he knew where she had been going with that. If things could not get any worse . . . . "I think I shall. For my sake I hope they are."

Arthur was no idiot. He could tell when a woman was flirting with him, and Isabel certainly was not shy about such a thing. He showed no signs of discomfort though. Even if he felt them. He remained calm and composed. He hoped he would not regret arranging this dinner for the two of them, and couldn't help but wonder if his actions had been . . . misleading. If he had been suggestive in what he meant when he said that it would only be the two of them at dinner. Where the hell was Morgana when he needed her. He just politely smiled and took another sip of the wine, wanting to dismiss that conversation entirely. He was not about to go into detail about the 'rumors' that caused her to laugh and flirt. When was the damn food coming. It seemed she had no interest in discussing Cantia, so that was off the table. He would have to watch his words. Make sure he did not say anything that would give her the impression that she was returning his flirtations.

Which could easily lead to other suggestive comments. "I am glad you are enjoying your time thus far." He hoped to god it had nothing to do with him. He wanted to be a hospitable host, but that was all. "I am sure your enjoyment will only increase when the festivities commence. We have many events planned: a jousting tournament, sword and archery competitions, hunting games, as well as a great deal of entertainment." Arthur was now trying to land the conversation on the upcoming Five Day Festivity. It was safe, and he could speak about the planned events . . . rather than whatever rumors she had brought up previously. He was of course in no way trying to be rude, but in order to be polite, he did not want to encourage the flirtations. He wanted to find some safe ground for conversation, and hoped that he had found it with the current topic he brought up.

[Isabel de Massard]

Well this was no fun. Arthur was supposed to be matching her flirtations, not trying to change the subject. If she wasn't in the company of a prince she would be inclined to let out a very frustrated sigh. Having said that, she could probably made something out of hunting games and sword competitions... She surpressed a giggle. She was a lady, she didn't laugh at such things. And besides, she was too annoyed with Arthur's subject change.

"I have no doubt of that, sire." She replied politely, although she was inwardly glaring at him. There was no reason for her to be quite so put out, however, as there was always Plan B. It was just irritating that Plan A didn't seem to the working. She had thought it had been going quite well, obviously she had been mistaken. Well, no matter. Isabel was not one to get upset when things didn't go how she wanted them to. No, she always had something up her sleeve, literally in this case. Hmm. She just had to work out exactly how to get the contents of the vial into Arthur's drink. "And will you be taking part in the events, sire?" She asked, feigning interest while she tried to work out the best plan of action. She leant her elbow against the table, resting her chin against her fist. There had to be some way of distracting him. "Oh, what on earth is that?!" It wasn't her best, but it was better than nothing, and hopefully good enough to distract Arthur.