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[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

Who: Isabelle and Richard
What: Lunch on the King.
When: Wednesday afternoon
Where: Just outside John's apartment, then wherever from there!
Warnings: None

Slipping her purse on her shoulder, Isabelle started to the door. Maribelle whipped against her legs a few times for a pet between the ears. "I have to go, girl." She sighed squatting to rub under the kitty's chin. Usually she came home for lunch hoping to catch John on his way in or out. Usually, she didn't see him at all and Maribelle was her companion for the few hours in between classes. She'd decided to skip out on her morning class, sleeping in for the day before meeting Richard.

With a little kiss atop the cat's head she left her behind and headed out the door. Richard was already there when she came down the steps. She gave him a bright smile. It felt good to be eating lunch with someone for the day. John was starting to take her for granted. She knew he was busy, but maybe she'd just lost that luster for him. She tried leaving him little notes around the apartment just to remind him she was there but he never replied to them.

"So where to my knight?" she gave him a sweet smile. For the day Richard was her knight in shining armor.

Comments

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He really wanted Isabelle to know who she was with. John took so many things for granted, and he wasn't good for anyone. But he had no proof, except his old ring. George was the proof, and he was tempted to call his friend and inform Isabelle. Richard knew John would never do it.

When he spotted her he smiled at her. She looked sadder then before and he was going to fix that. "My lady." with a wink he took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "You look lovely. And wherever you like. Today is your day."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"Why aren't you a gentleman," she kept her smile though she was agitated at how things had become with John. She wasn't sure just what was going on or even why John and Richard's sibling rivalry seemed unnatural. Richard had never shown her anything but kindness. She wasn't going to be a doormat for any man, so she wasn't going to flake out.

"Thank you," she linked her arm into his and started to walk. "How about Italian?"

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

"I try." Smiling he took her arm and began walking towards one of the restaurants he knew of nearby. "Whatever you like. I'm at your command." Thankfully it wasn't cold enough to need his car just yet.

Determined not to let his brother's ghost ruin this he smiled at her. "How is school? Have you started again?"

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

She patted his arm, stopping him a moment, "thank you," she said with all sincerity. "I know John was being a bit unreasonable earlier, but I'm thankful you offered me an afternoon out." She wasn't covering for John's bullying, but she wasnt going to let him be her voice. She had her own mind.

"School is going well. I forgot how bad I am with math problems." She laughed softly.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He paused with her before giving her a smile. "It's alright. Me and John will never get along. He shouldn't be dragging you into that either." which she'd understand if she knew, but he couldn't exactly go saying that. He'd sound mad.

"Aren't we all?" He'd always had others to do it for him. Even know he'd hired an accountant. It seemed safer. "I forget what you're studying though."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"I know he doesn't like you much," she shrugged, "but he doesn't dictate what I think." She was a far more independent woman than the other girls John may have dated. She wasn't a show off, she wasn't greedy, nothing at all like the man she lived with. Then again, Isabelle was just getting a small taste of the selfish man behind the charming face.

"I don't even know really," she said with a sweet chuckle. "I'm just kind of taking a few required courses until I get an idea of what I want to do." She may have come from money herself, but she was not a pampered brat.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He wished he could help the poor girl, but whatever he did John would counter. Richard admitted he and relationships didn't always agree, but he felt he was at least a bit better at them then John was. "Doesn't like me much, is probably a big understatement." He shrugged, "but I agree he shouldn't be telling you what to do."

He gave her a smile then, "fair enough. You are young. You'll figure it out." He'd found his calling early in life, the minute he'd first held a sword. Life was different now.

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"I'm sure I would understand if I had brothers and sisters myself." As the sun peaked out from behind a building she sheilded her eyes with her free hand that wasn't latched to Richard's arm. She felt John was a very misunderstood individual. "Maybe he has never liked being under your shadow. I've heard..." as she had no first-hand experience obviously, "that younger siblings tend to feel outdone by their older siblings." She tried to understand it as best she could considering she wasn't John, she saw it from an outside perspective. "Though he was being a bit childish the other night, I will say," she shook her head looking off to a passing store. John liked to pamper her with gifts and presents, but she mostly just wanted the company not what his wallets could afford.

"Yes. I turn twenty this year," she seemed excited.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

She had a point but yet didn't. There was more to it, but it was hard to explain. Not for the first time he cursed John. And to even play with her like this, not even trying to offer something more permanent. "Here," he offered her his shades and nodded, "you're right. Our parents were separated and he was raised by our father and I my mother. It didn't help. After our older brothers passed away, I was left as the heir to the money. I figure John's mentioned we come from money." It made the most sense to explain it like that.

"And our father had a lot of properties, and John never really got any of them. Then I decided to join the military and kept climbing the ranks. John's just always had to hear about what I did, and I didn't have a clue how to run a company." He sighed, "I'm really not meant to sit behind a desk, but I have no choice now. Drives me nuts."

She was terrifyingly young, really. "Congratulations. I'd buy you a present but I don't want John to think I'm trying to get with you."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

It gave her a little more insight, explained a few things about John's behavior toward Richard. She didn't expect to get into talking about John to Richard, but she was glad at least someone was open with her about what had exploded in her journal the other night.

She gave him a nod when he handed her his shades. "How do they look?" she said with a posed face. They drooped a little from her nose, slightly larger but it made her all the more adorable.

"Oh please," she smacked Richard's arm playfully. "Why on earth would it appear that way?" Richard had always been nice to her. "I enjoy your company."

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He chuckled, "a bit big but otherwise rather nice." He sighed then, "exactly. John can get jealous easily, and he'll think I'll do anything to get under his skin. This includes trying to steal his girlfriends." He gave another shrug setting his hand in his pocket.

"And you're nice, but not my type. And John doesn't see that. He just thinks I'll get you to break up with him." Even though John needed no help with that. "John is strange. He has some issues he needs to work through. Most of them revolve around me."

He motioned to one of the Italian places nearby, "how about that?"

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"Well," she held her chin up and out, "I don't find you a threat at all. You are my knight in shining armor today, so take the compliment." She didn't know what kind of girls John, or Richard was used to seeing John with---but she wasnt one of them.

She moved the conversation away from John for a moment. "What is your type Richard, I'm curious?" She wiggled her nose.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He gave a light chuckle to that. "It isn't really about you, but alright. I'll take it." He didn't want to keep going over the topic either way. Talking about John was both tiring and depressing.

He opened the door to the restaurant for her as he thought. "Not too sure. Fellow soldiers or singers, mostly. Someone I can relate to. Someone who will challenge my mind and body. And someone who can deal with me."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

She unhooked her arm from his as he opened the door, sliding in to greet the hostess. "A table for two please," she said with a small small.

"Are you seeing anyone?" She asked him with a curious eye.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He knew this information may go back to John, but he didn't much mind. As he waited he gave a shrug. "Not anymore. I was seeing someone but we split up. Didn't work out." It had ended well enough. They just hadn't been too suited to one another. "Just me and my dog now."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"Oh no!" If anything she wondered if she could make it her mission to find him someone new. He seemed too nice to be alone. "I'm sure you'll find someone again." He was handsome too, a lot like John.

The hostess seated them relatively quickly, introducing their server and handing out the menus. Isabella thanked them softly, pulling her seat up to the table.

[distantwars.insanejournal.com]

He pulled out her chair for her, sitting down in front of her. "It's different for me I suppose." He took a menu with a smile. "I have the military to consider, and other things." Mainly the fact that he liked men more then women at times. Even with the law reapealed things were still difficult. "But I don't mind. I have a lot of issues of my own to figure out."

[do-gooddarling.insanejournal.com]

"I don't mean to pry," she apologized hoping she didn't sound too rash in his personal affairs. She was a hopeless romantic. "Im a romantic at heart. I like seeing people happy," except sometimes it sacrificed her own happiness.