Armor

Story

Aiden glared at Eric the following morning in his room. "She did what?! Kicked you in the face? I knew that boot mark looked rather peculiar." Eric laughed louder and Aiden glared more.

"How can you laugh so?! The chit struck me!" He rubbed his sore cheek and vowed to get revenge later.

"Mate, you talked about her bedridden father. I don't really blame her. You deserved it." He patted Aiden's sore cheek and laughed when Aiden winced.

Eric left the room bellowing in laughter with an angry Aiden swearing still rubbing his cheek.

*******

"How is he?"

"Milady no movement but his breathing is constant so he is alive. He has shown no sign of consciousness." The physician bowed and exited the room.

Isabella sighed just as Edwin suggested, "Maybe you should go get some food Princess, clear your head a little, train and then come and visit. He would not want you to waste away. Besides, you still have the Jarians to deal with."

She nodded and smiled before walking to the dining hall. Upon her entrance she saw Eric, Charles, and Mary sitting at the table breaking fast. She had walked into a lion's den. Turned, ready to walk back out, she heard Troy call to her in a clear friendly voice, "Princess Isabella!"

Troy entered with a scowling Aiden, and he jogged across the large hall to greet her.

She turned and pasted a smile onto her face, "Troy, I thought I told you to call me Isabella."

"Sorry Princ-- I mean, Isabella." He bowed anyway. "I have been practicing my footwork and was hoping that maybe you could teach me the cool wall climbing trick."

She smiled geniunely at the lad's eagerness to learn and ruffled his hair. "I will take a look at your improvement and from there I will decide whether or not you are ready. 'Tis not as easy as it looks you know." She winked.

Aiden's eyebrow rose at the encounter and Eric laughed at the pure love on the boy's face as he faced Isabella. "Troy, come here." Aiden ordered.

"Isabella why don't you join us, there is plenty of food dear." Mary said warmly. She had seen the shock and fear in the girl's eyes and knew that her guard would be up more than ever while he father lay bedridden.

Isabella composed her features to a blank slate and sat down stiffly at the table and thanked a maid who provided her with a large plate of food. Aiden sat down as far from Isabella as the table allowed, the bruise on his face hidden from her view.

The table was silent when a voice rang out, "Aiden! Honey, what happened to your face?!" Myra rushed through the french doors and fussed over the bruise on his face. Isabella's eyebrow rose and she leaned over enough to see the giant bruise.

"It was an accident Myra, nothing of your concern."

"What type of accident?!"

"Nothing of importance, just a little misunderstanding." At this Eric laughed and Isabella scoffed and smirked.

Charles spoke, "Aiden what accident was this?"

"Nothing Sir, I fell off of a horse."

Isabella spoke, "Yes, off of a very high horse." She smiled at Aiden's glare.

"You were there?" Myra asked a little angered.

"Yes, I was in fact, Aiden had a mighty great fall off of that high horse of his."

Eric laughed, "His horse is mighty large isn't it Bella?"

Isabella nodded and finished her meal in silence while the Jarian's discussed little nothings. It was mostly Myra complaining about maids, her hair and anything else that she could complain about. Isabella wanted to punch her by time she was finished with her food.