Though her small victory was short lived over Crystal, that playful and jesting smirk....slowly curling downwards with the furrowing of her eyebrows at the sudden shift in the girl's demeanor towards the woman, that being a sharp decline from the Princess' more accustomed playful self, that cheeky sneer of hers, to a more fragile and considerate smile...that didn't seem to reflect as much cheer, but more of a disheartening in the beautiful lass, brought upon more or less by Irina's quick and witty remarks. A slight of guilt Irina felt, wondering if what she said bothered her lady deeply, rekindling the scorching flame of tormented memories Crystal would rather forget than recollect in every single ghastly and heart-wrenching detail. What torment it must be for her, suffering from those tragic and horrendous mental images of her attendant, fighting to grasp to what life was left in her battered and bloody body, undergoing the horror of such agonizing pain and practically having been reduced to nothing but a terrible mess. 

Not to mention, Crystal must also be suffering a great lot from her terrible plight earlier yesterday, being tormented and treated as nothing more than a rodent by those loathsome curs in armor, those disdainful knights of Narsil, which Irina had the pleasure in ending their miserable, hate filled lives.....but still wondering of them, if evil was truly rooted in all or if these men...were just swayed to the wrong by their nefarious Lord. Speaking of whom, it was certainly becoming rather alarming that Varros was stepping up his game, so to speak, no longer going for the [i]subtle[/i] approach, but downright attacking head on. Twas only a matter of time before the fiend plotted something more....drastic, and the very thought of such weighed heavily upon Irina's mind, not to mention that sickly drop in her stomach...wondering which other lives his next strike may claim....other than her lady's.

A great deal she worried for Crystal, but not in the sense that her appointed task would be at stake, no....rarely now did she see the girl with hair white as the peaceful winters of Alegasia as such....rarely did she see her lady as just another job. Crystal....she was her dearest friend, someone who despite how much she agitated the woman, someone Irina held dear to her heart, and the knight be damned if anyone were to steal the very life she swore to protect, not just swearing oath to the Royal Daughter of the King.....but to her closest companion...

Glancing tiredly to that face she cherished to see, she noticed a telltale glistening from her lady's soft and delicate eyes. [i]Tears?[/i] and yet not a single drop had fallen across the Princess' cheeks, as if she were fighting desperately the urge to break down and sob before Irina....but for what reason Irina pondered, well...other than the knight's foolish jests exhuming some painful recollections that should be long buried and easily discarded from the mind, and again there was that tinge of regret for doing so. She closed her eyes for one more blissful moment, one more gentle touch from her lady upon her cheek, before the hand of Crystal receded and the Princess was giving her farewells to the knight, reminding Irina....that due to her recent injuries....she would no longer be able to compete in the Annual Tournament. [i]Damn! How could I have forgotten. Oh Goddess...now what am I to do?[/i] Pray to the Goddess Irina's recovery was speedy, but broken bones aren't ever mended in a day, so said Nurse Rosie to Irina once, and how Irina wished they were. Oh well, there was no point in whining over it, perhaps next year it would be Irina's honor to serve Alegasia in the tournament, so good fortune to the knight who should take her place...even if it was either Pindel or Versetti. 

The Princess was readying her leave, but before she could, Irina moved her good arm to reach for her lady's hand gently, a whisper being the only voice she could manage with a smile tenderly tracing her lips, "Must you leave so soon?" She asked of Crystal, but carefully did her hand slip away. As much as she wished for the Princess to be with her for just a few more minutes, just a few more moments of casual conversations, the exchange of gentle smiles, Irina must realize that Crystal was the Princess, and as such had many Royal obligations to fulfill. Best not to keep her from them. "I suppose you should explain to His Majesty the reasons behind my injuries....." Irina sighed....yet paused with another furrowing of her brow. Would it be wise to speak of the attack? To rouse His Majesty into such a fury over the ill treatment of his beloved daughter and to conjure forth the flames of war? Or to again be dismissed as paranoid and chided for accusing a [i]Noble[/i] Lord for such atrocities committed? Irina honestly didn't think so, and as much as she loathed herself for lying to the King, it would need to be done, at least to save His Majesty from making...a terrible mistake. "But M'lady, before you go-" Grabbing Crystal, she pulled the girl closer to her, her voice dropping to a more discreet whisper, "I must ask you not to speak of those knights. Tell His Majesty that it was..a bear that attacked you and I. I know this sounds farfetched, but believe me. Telling the King of such an attack from Narsil....it could lead to war."