Beyond the Castle, part one. (Two person.)

Araline:

I slid down the rocks clumsily then went over to Ario.  I put my hands on his shoulders and leaned on him a bit.  "What are you doing?" I asked.

I looked up at her and smiled. "Carving a tree." I said showing it to her. It was only half done, but it was easy to tell what it was.

Araline:

I smiled looking at it. "That's really good, I cant even carve a point in a stick without botching it." I said ruefully.

Ario:

"I can teach you if you want me too." I said looking up at her.

Araline:

I looked back at him for a second then took my hands off his shoulders and straightened up. "I don't know if you could, I'm too clumsy and untalented." I said with a shrug.

Ario:

"You'll never know until you try." I said giving her a small smile.

Araline:

"No, you never know, I always have." I said haughtily sitting next to him.

I raised zn eyebrow before shaking my head as i looked at her with amusement.

Araline:

I looked over at him and grinned, my heart skipping beats as I did so.

I grinned back at her and asked. "Are you sure you dont want me to teach you?"

Araline:

"Well I can try, I guess, if you're up for it." I said with a little shrug.

I dug out another block of wood and a knife which i handed to her. "Thectrick is to think of what you want and go slow."

Araline:

"I don't know that I want." I said, the irony of that statement ringing out loudly in my mind.  

I smiled at her. "What is your favorite thing in the world then?"

Araline:

I thought and came up blank. "Uh turtles, yeah turtles, that would be easy to carve right?" I asked looking up at him.

I chuckled and nodded. "Yes, Turtles are easy to carve." I said smiling at her.

Araline:

"Yes! I love turtles I've decided." I said happily, slowly shaving wood of the chunk he gave me."

I smiled softly happy to be able to just be next to her.

Araline:

"This is taking too long and it looks not even a little bit like a turtle." I told him flatly holding the slightly rounded block of wood up to examine.

I smiled and taking the block from her i took a small stick that was mostly charcole and i drew on it where she needed to shave more wood. I offered itvback to her with a wink.

Araline:

I sighed but took it and started carving again, my face screwed up in a mask of concentration.

With the guidelines i was able to watch her slowly carve out a turtle from the wood. It wasnt perfect but in all she had done a really good job.

Araline:

I smiled proudly at my turtle handing Ario the knife back without taking my eyes off my little creation.

"You did really well." I said smiling at her softly. Sometimes it was the little things that were so cute about her.

Araline:

I turned my smile to him, folding my fingers around the turtle. I tilted my head a little, my gaze locked with his and my heart sped up.