This chapter is from Alanis Morissette - Uninvited. Though I had this song for Maxi it oddly fits this chapter

For whatever reason Riftan wasn't able to meet up with Maximilian for the next couple days. It would have put him on edge if it wasn't for the fact she seemed just as disappointed as he felt. With her being kept from him, Riftan found himself spending time at the training grounds with any knight that would approach him. Currently it was Hebaron while Triton stood on the side lines next to Gabel and a few other knights.

Riftan couldn't help but be reminded of their first fight in the tournament. Back then, his heavy swings took Riftan by surprise just as much as he surprised Hebaron by being able to block them. Now, both knew each other's strengths and abilities. Despite Hebaron's love of ale and chasing anything with a skirt he was a fine knight and nearly an equal match with Riftan. Their sparring continued on and off for a few hours, leaving both drenched in sweat with their tunics long ago discarded.

Their swords sparked and rang out across the training grounds with each clash loud enough to have drawn the attention of a few noblewomen. Hebaron was quick to point out the ladies watching them from the castle and they made no attempt to hide their gawking at the two. Hebaron seemed to be basking in the attention, making his movements a little flashier despite Triton's protests while it put Riftan on edge. It didn't help that he caught a glimpse of red hair as he was forced to turn his back to the crowd.

Riftan tried his best to focus on Hebaron's movement or Triton's words, but his mind kept going back to the feeling of Maximilian Croyso staring at him. Riftan could swear the lady's gaze was burning a hole into his back. The feeling left Riftan hyper focus on his movements, not with the goal of countering his opponent but to ensure he didn't do anything foolish in front of her. As the current match went on with steel ringing in the air Riftan tried to pivot to see her again but Hebaron forced Riftan back to where he was before.

Chuckling, Hebaron slowly grew bolder with his attacks.

"You're distracted today, Captain."

"I'm not your Captain."

"Fine, Commander."

"Vice Commander."

"No, that'll be me."

Riftan snorted and quickly used the other man's recklessness to his advantage. As Hebaron moved with a heavy swing, Riftan quickly focused back onto the fight and noticed a perfect opening. Expertly dodging the aggressive move, Riftan quickly pivoted back to facing the castle and its audience. Before the other knight could react Riftan twisted his blade to smack the back of Hebaron's leg, possibly a little too harshly, causing the other knight to buckle just enough for Riftan to point his sword at the partially kneeling man's neck.

"Alright, that's enough for you two." Triton called out with a smile while the others chuckled. "I think you've given the ladies enough entertainment for today."

"I thought serving a noblewoman was one of our duties?" Hebaron said with a smile as he moved to stand back up straight, all while making sure to flex a little towards the ladies still observing them.

"From what I've heard you've done quite enough servicing."

"Ha! Don't act so virtuous, Gabel. I know you've serviced just as many as I have."

"Damn you two," Triton grumbled before speaking up. "If either of you dare sire a bastard while under the duke's roof, I'll make sure to personally castrate you."

Riftan huffed a laugh along with the other knights despite himself. It somewhat helped him in ignoring the feeling of being watched as he approached a barrel full of rainwater. The cool water helped soothe his heated skin and calm his mind. However, when Riftan brushed his wet hair from his face his eyes landed once again on Maximilian causing his face to heat up again. Some small stupid part of him wanted to wave at her. It would no doubt make the lady flustered and blush, she'd possibly even start playing with her hair. It was something he had seen her do a dozen times now, but he would gladly pay his weight in gold just to see it a dozen more. However, he bit down the impulse. Instead, he watched as one of her maids whispered something to her before continuing to wash the sweat off him.

"It's rather peculiar."

Riftan glanced over to see Gabel standing near him. He wasn't that surprised that he had somehow weaseled his way out of Triton's wrath leaving Hebaron to take the brunt of it.

Riftan was about to ask what he meant until he noticed that Gabel was looking at their audience.

"How so? All they do all day is drink tea and gossip."

Gabel chuckled. "Oh, I don't mean that. I mean the rumors surrounding lady Maximilian." Riftan tried to be indifferent to her name being spoken but he still felt himself flinch.

"What rumors?"

Gabel lazily glanced up at Riftan before shrugging. "From what I hear she has some sort of affliction. Her father had to build a chapel on the castle grounds just to ensure she had hierarchs at her beck and call." Gabel moved to lean against the fence surrounding the training grounds, his eyes going back up toward Maximilian. "It's forced her to stay on castle grounds which has made her quite the mystery."

Riftan's ears began to ring as Gabel casually spoke of her health. That knife twisted yet again as all he could think of was the moment he just stood by and watched while she stood up to that lizard.

I should have been faster. Why did I hesitate?

Riftan kept his head down, watching the cloudless sky reflected in the water. The palm of his hands was starting to hurt from how hard he was clenching the rim of the barrel. Clearing his throat, he attempted to keep his voice level.

"I still fail to see how it's peculiar for her to be standing there."

The younger knight didn't answer right away but Riftan could feel his eyes on him. "I just never expected a lady in poor health to show up as often as she does...another thing I find quite peculiar is your trinket."

Riftan looked over with a dark expression, his mood fully soured. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Gabel smirked, seemingly unfazed by his vice commander's mood.

"That." he lazily pointed at the necklace. "I never figured you for the superstitious type. Or am I wrong in assuming that's some sort of luck charm?"

Riftan's expression instantly softened as he stole a glance at Maximilian.

"I suppose you could call it that." he mumbled before moving to snatch up his tunic, it forced him to miss the peculiar look on Gabel's face.

As Riftan came up along the path towards the back garden, he found Maximilian standing there already waiting for him pulling anxiously at the sleeve of her dress. The fabric was a soft muted purple and the necklace he had given her sat just above the neckline. Her hair was sadly pinned up though he could tell she had been playing with it as a few curls had broken loose around her ears. Spread out on the ground behind her where they had sat before was a blanket with wine and a small assortment of fruits and tarts that looked to have been from yesterday's banquet.

When he asked her how she acquired the stolen goods Maximilian attempted to look casual but her stretched out sleeves gave away her nervousness.

"I-it's a s-secret."

It made him chuckle, which made her smile. Riftan supposes he shouldn't question it and just enjoy the little picnic she had created. He helped the lady pour out the wine and gladly took one of the offered stolen desserts while taking a place next to her.

The wine was a little too sweet for his liking, but the desserts were still good despite being a day old. He was mostly just happy to see her eating something instead of ignoring her food. It made Gabel's comment of her health slowly fade away from his mind even for just a moment.

As they enjoyed the warmth of the wine, and the cool shade of the trees Maximilian asked him to continue with his story of the wyverns. Though there wasn't much left to tell, Riftan gave into the lady's pleading look with a soft smile. In the end he wasn't surprised to see she was still fascinated by Ruth and Maximilian, a look of relief washed over her face when she learned he had given some of the money to the mage.

"Wh-what h-happened to Ruth?"

"I couldn't shake free of the bastard no matter how hard I tried. He ended up becoming a mage for the Remdragons when I joined them." He attempted to keep his voice steady, trying not to show too much irritation. He still didn't like how childish he was feeling, she was free to find another man interesting no matter how much it hurt.

"Is h-he here?"

Riftan shook his head, not trusting his words at the moment. Sighing, she all but started pouting as she popped a grape into her mouth. He wasn't sure if it was his jealousy, the wine or the simple act of her quickly licking her bottom lip after eating, but his chest was starting to feel a little too warm.

Why the hell am I like this? Over a fucking grape?

"Wh-why not?"

Riftan stayed still for a bit, silently panicking as he wondered if he had just said that out loud.

"What?"

"Wh-why isn't Ruth...h-here?"

The tension he had suddenly built up in his shoulders quickly relaxed.

"Ah, he stayed at Anatol to watch over the construction while I'm gone."

She gave him a slightly worried look while tilting her head to the side.

"Did...s-something h-happen?"

And like that the tension returned as Riftan felt his stomach drop at the question. He wanted to be proud of his land but even after all the money he poured into it all he could show was dying crops, goblins raiding the fields and a half-built wall. He didn't want to lie to her but the thought of her seeing him as some pathetic upstart with a dying land made him feel sick. It didn't help that the lady seemed far more focused on his moments than normal, her eyes following his hands as he brushed away some of his hair.

"It's...it was abandoned after the Roem Empire fell so the castle and lands around it was crumbling when it was given to me." He tried to sound nonchalant about it while running his thumb over the edge of his goblet.

"B-but you're f-fixing it?"

"Naturally, it's my land now. What sort of lord would I be if I left it crumbling and defenseless." He quickly stole a glance at the lady fully expecting to see a look of disappointment or disgust, instead he found her smiling sweetly.

"What?"

"I was j-just th-thinking..." she started to trail off a little as her eyes went from meeting his to trailing down back to his hands. Frowning, he looked down to see if there was food or anything to make her stare, but they were clean. Feeling self-conscious about them he involuntarily flexed his hand out.

"Of what?"

"Wh-oh! W-w-well..." he looked over at her to see she was blushing while staring down at her own hands now. "A-anatol is t-truly b-blessed to h-have you."

Fuck.

What magic did this woman have to make his emotions twist and turn in such a violent manner. Over the years he had built up an image of the girl in the gardens, of a girl he once believed would always just be an illusion. Everyone had heard rumors of how cold and calculating the duke was, of the schemes he played out to keep his influence. It was inconceivable that a man like that could raise someone to be so gentle and sweet.

He watched as she continued to look down at her hands, twirling the stem of a grape between her fingers as that one curl broke loose to brush over her cheek. Riftan remembered his daydream from the other day, of her enjoying a feast at Anatol as his hand reached out towards her. The tips of his fingers gently ghosted over her flecked cheek as he slowly pushed the curl behind her ear. When the lock of hair was back in place his fingers continued to move across her skin, slowly brushing along her jaw stopping only when she turned to face him. The look in her silver eyes was indescribable but it still knocked him back to his senses like a bucket of cold water.

Why did I just do that?

The silent tension building up between them broke at the ringing of the bell. Quickly, Riftan started to pack the picnic, needing something to focus on other than the pounding of his heart. After he was nearly done, Maxmillian seemed to have broken from her own trance and started to protest against him cleaning on his own. However, there was little force behind her words due to her flustered state.

Sighing, Riftan stopped and looked up at her, she was still looking at his hands. Sighing, he began to apologize but was quickly cut off by her speaking up.

"D-d-do you t-t-train e-every d-day?"

What?

Riftan gave her a puzzled look, not that it did him any good as she still seemed more focused on everything but his face. Really? That's what she wants to talk about right now?

"Why do you ask?"

"You c-c-caused a... s-scene y-yesterday." she mumbled while moving to brush that curl behind her ear only she seemed to realize he had already done so making both blush.

Riftan quickly cleared his throat. Maybe her sudden change of topic wasn't such a bad idea.

"Is that so?"

Riftan took her hand and effortlessly helped the lady back to her feet. He watched as her eyes once again focused on his hand before moving to stare at his arm. He still couldn't find anything on him to fascinate her so much...unless. Testing out a theory, Riftan flexed his muscles as subtle as he could, the act made him feel completely foolish until he saw her eyes go wide. His face started to warm up again and it felt as if he was having an adrenaline rush. If this was what Hebaron felt got each time he flexed in front of any woman paying attention Riftan could understand why the oaf did it any chance he got.

"I-it's all t-the...maids and l-ladies can t-talk about...lady D-duranne has b-become q-q-quite t-taken w-with you."

Her voice broke him out of his thought and the small smile he had faltered slightly. He was sure she had mentioned that name before. Was this someone he should know? He tried to think back to his past introductions, but his realization mixed with the fact her hand was still in his was a little distracting.

"Sh-she finds you...q-quite h-handsome...and is d-determined to d-dance w-with you."

"Well, lady Duranne will be disappointed."

"Y-you w-wouldn't...dance w-with her?"

Riftan subconsciously ran his thumb over her knuckles as he thought about it for a moment, unknowingly making the lady blush like mad as he did so. A week ago, he would have given in and danced just to keep the peace with Triton. But now...looking down at her he couldn't ignore the worry in her eyes or how quickly they shifted to a look of relief as he shook his head. While he brought her hand up to kiss it, he couldn't help but find this situation to be truly baffling.

How could you be jealous of anyone?

"And what about you?" The question spilled from him before he could think. It was stupid, foolish and a little egotistical but still...

"Do you find me handsome?"

Maximilian's blush only seemed worsen as it spread from her ears and down her neck. Her eyes darted once again to his hand and arm before going back to his face as she quickly nodded before slipping her hand out of his.

Over the years countless women have called Riftan handsome and made comments of his body, even back when he was barely a teen. Not once did any of their attempts to win him over have the same effect on him like Maximilian's simple little glances and timid nod.

It wasn't until a few hours later when Maximilian had long since left the banquet and half the knights were deep in their cups that Riftan felt as if he had just been punched in the gut as he bit into one of the deserts.

Dropping the honeyed bread, Riftan quickly shot up to his feet and promptly left the banquet. He didn't say anything to the other knights as they questioned or asked him to stay. He just sped up his pace while keeping his head down. When he found an alcove in the candlelit halls of the castle, he didn't hesitate to head towards it and let out the breath he had been holding. There, hidden away from sight, Riftan slammed the back of his head into the cold stone wall as his face felt on fire and his stomach twisted in knots.

"Way to a man's heart is through his stomach..."

He had the sudden urge to hunt her down, to ask her about the meaning behind the picnic but it would be easier not to. Everything would be so much easier if what he felt could be ignored, if every touch or every look was just his imagination, that she didn't find him attractive or pleasing to be around, that the picnic was just a coincidence and had nothing to do with what he had said earlier. Because if it wasn't it would mean Maximilian Croyso was attempting to court him.