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

Araline:

“Because you were the first person other than my mother who didn't add 'lady' before my name.” I told him with a soft smile. “And I saw you acting just the way I was and I thought you probably felt the same way about it as I did.”

Ario:

I smiled sadly. "I act around you, I have done it for so long now I'm not sure who I really am anymore." I shrugged and then brightened. "And I still remember the first time we met. Didn't I fall into your lap?"

Araline:

I laughed. “Yes you did, I never understood how for the longest time.” I smiled at him.

Ario:

I smiled at her and winked. "I can't let you know all my secrets." I said smiling just for her.

Araline:

“I don't understand why that is, after today there would be no possible way I tell any one.” I said as I watched him. The sun was now beginning to set and we were nearly to the wall. My heart was beating fast.

Ario:

"Because, you might not like who I really am, and part of my secrets are part of who I am." I said simply.

Araline:

I didn't say any thing for a long moment. “I don't like you for the way you act, I have seen you be different people, that isn't why I stayed around you.” I said softly looking ahead.

Ario:

I looked at her confused. "Then why did you stay with me?" I asked my tone showing what my face did.

Araline:

“For selfish reasons.” I told him with a smile. “One of them being I don't don't feel like I have to act around you at first probably because it didn't matter what you thought but now because I trust you. That along with the fact that you are fairly easy on the eyes.”

Ario:

My jaw dropped in shock. I had not been expecting that answer at all. In fact it had been one of the last things I expected her to ever say.

Araline:

I flushed when he didn't say anything, and I rarely blushed, I ducked my head so my cloak hood would hide my face. I cleared my throat quietly. “We are nearly there.” I said.

Ario:

"R-right." I said stumbling a bit over my words. I winced at that, knowing that since I had known Araline I had only done that at most ten or less times.

Araline:

I didn't dare to look at him, I didn't know what was the matter with us, we were saying things we never would have if we had been at the palace. Maybe it was knowing that know body could stop us from doing what we liked if we did get out. Finally, finally we got to the base of the wall and I got off my horse bulling my sack from the saddle bag.

Ario:

I watched her my expression caught before confusion, and curiosity. I wondered what she really thought of me, and also I wondered what I really thought of her.

Araline:

I took my fathers journal out of the bag and opened it scanning for the spot where it said the door was in the stone. “I can't read it, it's too dark.” I said in annoyance as if it was only dark to thwart me.

Ario:

I climbed off of my horse and taking a piece of wood off the ground I dugg into my pack and wrapped a cloth around the tip of it. Using flint and steel I caught the oil soaked rag, creating a make shift torch. "Here, use it quickly though I don't want others to see it."

Araline:

I blinked at him for a moment in the fire light, impressed. I took it and held the book up so I could see the messy scrawl of writing that was much like my own. The description of the door was vague, it just said to go along the wall where we were now until you found a set in stone. He said he had found a couple so it wasn't likely that we couldn't find it. I put the book back in my back with the strap over my shoulder and holding the light up. I took a deep breath and started walking with my hand trailing along the wall.

Ario:

I led the horses behind her, watching her carefully, while also keeping an eye out for anyone else.

Araline:

“I'm scared.” I whispered looking at my feet as we walked.

Ario:

"Don't be, if anything bad happens...you can hit me." I said smiling at her, hoping to make her feel better.

Araline:

I smiled slightly for a moment glancing up at him. “What if some thing bad happens to you though, and I am left on my own, I don't know if I could do it by myself.” I said. “Or what if we get separated or what if- ow.” I dropped the makeshift torch as it burned close to my fingertips.

Ario:

I took her hand and looking at her fingertips I let her hand fall. "You aren't burned, but your fingertips might be tender." I said smiling at her.

Araline:

“Oh.” I touched the tips of my fingers with my thumb as I looked up at him, they weren't that hurt. I looked away, down at the wall.

Ario:

I watched her, my head tilted a bit to the side. I wondered what was going through her head right now.

Araline:

After a little while of silence, my hand running along the wall sank in. I pulled it back then looked at the stone pressed in fiver or so inches more than the others. I stuck my hand in and slid it under a notch then pulled, hard. I hadn't been expecting I would be able to open it but a door swung open when I pulled. I was breathing shallowly as I studied the door, the stones on it were very thin and underneath were panels of wood, which explained why I was able to pull it open.