Though the eye contact had not been established, Brad was still hopeful and content that at some point in the evening he would get the chance to speak with Maria. For the moment, he distracted himself with the twins and with beguiling them with a tale from one of his many “close calls” while out in the world alone. Truth be told, he exaggerated a bit and he was certain the two young men knew of this to be true, but they enjoyed the story regardless and so it continued.<br/><br/>“The bear loomed over me, ready to devour my very heart and lick the flesh from my bones,” he looked between the two faces, just to see what level of excitement he had them at before he continued. “My hands desperately searched the ground around me for something to grab, for anything that I could possibly use as a weapon…” another pause and each of them were on the edges of their seats. “Just then my hand grasped hold of something sold and I…”<br/><br/>Before he could finish, the nosey bitch interrupted him and Brad did not even bother to hide his annoyance as he rolled his eyes. The action caused those he had been entertaining to snicker, while he wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin before he stood to join her off in another room.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold">After leading him out of the dining hall, she glanced around to make sure there were no guards wandering around and no one within earshot of what she was about to say. Once she was certain there were no people too interested in their goings on, she plunged ahead. “What are you playing at with her highness?” Simprina asked pointblank, tone curt and cold. “We’ve spoken about this before, and you’ve apparently gone and made things worse by that reaction she had at your voice. It needs. To. Stop. Can’t you see that you’re hurting her and this whole arrangement by pursuing anything? Even talking to her is a danger.”</span><br/></span><br/>Brad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to alleviate the headache he felt fast approaching. “She and I are friends. Nothing more,” he stated simply. “I am merely concerned for how she is feeling, nothing wrong with that is there? I mean besides you, what other friends does she truly have in this place?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> Had it been anyone else, she’d not have questioned it. She’d not have known his words to be false. But…since getting there, they’d been nearly inseparable, and then once she was married, it’d stopped. Maria had finally started getting her head where it needed to be, and only slipped up when Brad started poking his nose around and “seeing how she’s feeling”. “If you were only friends, you’d not have danced with her the way you did the night she married. You’d not have been so angry at me for deterring you the week following. You’d not get annoyed at me for doing my job, as a friend would see it necessary. Besides...she has her husband. They are friends just like she and I. She has what is needed."</span></span><br/><br/>Another sigh, “Do you really think that he is her friend? Honestly? Can you know that to be true and know that<span style="font-style: italic">HE</span>has her best interests at heart?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> “She knew what she was getting into when her father and the king struck the accord,” Simprina answered simply. “She’s done her kingdom a great service, along with this kingdom. Would you really wish it to be different and make that task harder on her than it already is?”</span></span><br/><br/>“That answer there, says it all,” he replied sadly. “Duty or not, she deserves to be happy and to feel loved. To not have to suffer alone in silence in a place so far from her home, a place that is as cold and uncaring as the man she was forced to marry,” he paused to look away for a moment before he advanced on her. “Can you say that she was happier when she was with me? Looked better? Was healthier? I made sure she was taken care of, that she ate and everything else. Now, can you tell me it is the same? Can you tell me she is going to survive living in this place without someone to be there for her as I have done in the past?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> “The past?” she repeated, stepping up to him much as he did to her. “You were there for her over the course of seven days, and then continued to linger long after your job had ended. Was it not you who had complete and utter disdain for her when you met? I may not have been directly in the room, but your reaction caused quite a stir…Daring to put your hands on her and try to make her feel bad about the price that was discussed for assuring her safe arrival to Sirmia.” Her head tilted to the side as her eyes narrowed. “Pardon my lack of understanding, but how is <span style="font-style: italic">that</span> keeping her best interests in mind? Simply changing your tune doesn’t make you any better for her than he is.”</span></span><br/><br/>“Have you asked her?” he asked simply. “We bonded over the trip and if I had such disdain for her, I could have just left her to die. I would not have saved her more than once, nor would I have nearly died myself to save her. Why don’t you stop thinking about her duty and your job and instead think like her friend and see what she needs and ask her about me. If she says anything but good about me I will leave her be, you have my word.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> “In another world duty and jobs may not be necessary to focus on…but even if you do have her best interests at heart—a fact I highly doubt—you make everything <span style="font-style: italic">harder</span>. You understand that, don’t you? Just being around her and trying to share those looks, constantly seeking her out, it makes her life harder by the minute… “ There was a pause, taking steps away from him to examine a painting over the hearth. “Friend or not, you know this situation is precarious,” Simprina started after a long, drawn out pause. “You know that a war hangs in the balance. If there’s even a hint of this marriage not being what it should be, the war could be started up again without so much as a warning. Maria could <span style="font-style: italic">die</span> if her intentions are questioned and, I’m certain you’ve noticed, her ability to speak false is not a strong suit.” Glancing back at him, an eyebrow lifted. “Can you tell me that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, your intentions are wholly pure? No romantic intentions or physical ones to be had? That you are, as you say, only being a friend to her and that I’m only overreacting?”</span></span><br/><br/>Brad smiled, “My intentions have only ever been for what was good for Maria and no one else. Even with this war that hangs in the balance. I am certain that it will all be fine and work out for the better, but do not think that it is more important than her. It should never have come to such a deal to begin with, for the Kings should have been able to come to peace through good will and trust. Not through the essential ransoming of their children.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> His smile wasn’t returned, being met with a brow that rose higher and momentary silence. “Kings are only as strong as those behind them. In this instance, it took the ‘ransomed children’ to end what was started before their time.” Turning more fully to face him, she started a slow walk back. “I’ve a sinking suspicion that what’s good for Maria goes against everything that’s been set in motion, and that you’re just selfish enough to think that things will work out for the better. Just know that…should this go south…it won’t only be Maria’s head on the chopping block.” Her steps stopped just shy of him, eyes narrowed in a way that only she could do justice. “…I won’t deny that she was happier in your company up until the wedding, which is where my suspicions stem. And, where she’s going to need to keep happy if that child is to be healthy, I won’t bar all of your time with her.” <br/> <br/>Another step and her finger poked hard at his chest. “…But the moment I think she’s no longer happy and wants you gone, you’ll be removed, post haste. If I think your intentions have shifted, you’ll be removed, post haste. No preamble required. You’ll be looked after by my watchful eye when you’re around her.”  </span></span><br/><br/>Brad smirked at the poke and took her hand in his own strong grasp, “You have my word she will be happy and that I will do everything in my power to protect her and her child from harm.” With that he managed a bow that would have made any noble proud for the grace and elegance it contained, and kissed the back of her hand.<br/><br/>“Shall we return back to dinner?” he asked as he offered her his arm, so that he might escort her back properly.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"> She eyed him hard then, watching each movement like a hawk as he bowed and kissed the back of her hand. “For a ranger…your bows are impeccable,” the woman remarked, forgoing the arm entirely. “…But you should have known that there is to be no escorting me back in such a manner. The gesture, though appreciated, isn’t appropriate.” <br/> <br/>Walking past him entirely, she glanced back with a coy sort of smile. “If you’re going to be around her more, you may want to brush up on your etiquette.” A quiet knock and the door was opened from the other side. “</span><br/></span><br/>He looked over his shoulder at her before he turned and walked over to join her. “Well, you of all people should know that not everything is not as it seems,” he grinned. “And I know the etiquette, I just think that every women, regardless of her station should be treated like a lady,” he gave a sincere smile. “It is something that my mother taught me,” with that he left to return to dinner and take up his seat once again, the twins eager for him to pick back up the tale that had been interrupted.