For two weeks, Maria was in a constant state of worry, worry founded deep in her soul all centered around the one person in this world she cared for the most: Bradach. The doctors had said he would recover, the worst of the initial injury over which took a weight off of her chest, but she could see another pain during her visits with him. Yes, the physical pain remained, but there was another that was growing each day he was being forced to stay in bed and forced to stay on the grounds. He was like a fierce beast, brought to kneel and kept in a cage, waiting to get back to where he was comfortable.<br/><br/>Anywhere but there.<br/><br/>Long nights were spent worrying about him and his mental state. How much was he lingering on how he felt physically? How many "what ifs" were going through his mind about his future? No matter how much she attempted to assure him things would be fine, that he would be back to his old self soon enough, the look in his eyes never truly left.<br/><br/>Her other big worry came with a bad attitude and an obnoxiously loud mouth. Outwardly, she refused to allow the woman the satisfaction of knowing just how much their last conversation had gotten to her, but it was eating her up inside. When the rest of the world around her grew quiet, those words would come back to echo in her head and it made the morning sickness she'd once fought seem like nothing. Food was tasteless. Anything she was required to do as part of her title was done on autopilot (unless Abby was anywhere in the vicinity). Her sleep wasn't easily gotten, and many a night, she'd spend countless hours going over her own "what ifs": what it'd be like if Brad was made to marry someone else, to consummate with someone else, if he had to leave because Abby exposed them for what they'd done, if Brad was hurt for what they'd done.<br/><br/>There were far too many for her to count, and it kept her mentally on edge and exhausted.<br/><br/>For Brad, for his own recovery and when they were together, she did her best to keep that side of things hidden.<br/><br/>But Simprina was very aware of what was going on. Her diminishing emotional state was taking a toll on the lady-in-waiting, so she was going to extra lengths to try and keep her mind occupied. Or, if she saw an opportunity to give her more time with her friend, she'd try to arrange it.<br/><br/>Like that day. She'd heard the twins and their plan to take the ranger outside for his first exercise since the accident, and made her own plans to take her out to the gardens.<br/><br/>"I thought it might be nice to get out of the castle walls," Simprina remarked, walking side by side with a tired princess. Their path led them down to the gardens, through wilting bushes and petals scattered about the gorund. Keeping a close eye on her, she gauged her reaction as the voices drifted over to them on the breeze, long before they came into view.<br/><br/>Maria, the moment she saw him sitting there, her steps slowed to a stop. The usual feeling of love washed over her as her eyes fell on him, but dread also made itself known now, worried that seeing them together so much would cause Abby to move up whatever plan she'd concocted.<br/><br/>Even with that knowledge, she couldn't force herself to go back inside.<br/><br/>"Wonderful to see you both, as always," she greeted Edgar and Earl with a smile. Trying not to allow her gaze to linger on Brad too long, she continued, "Which one of you had the idea to break Bradach out for some time outside?"<br/><br/>Simprina remained a few steps back, within respectful distance of her highness, but far enough back that she wasn't to be seen as part of a circle of her betters.