<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll353/JackieD0509/40f7ab7f-f775-4e63-b190-0f10ab305f7c_zps02659961.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/>The man was strange. Stranger than others that she had met before. Standing there in the chill of the night with a person that was unfamiliar, she felt oddly comfortable. In honesty, it might have been the excitement of that ship being his own and he having plenty of stories of the world around them. She was always interested in listening to the stories of people who traveled since she lacked in that department. Watching him carefully, he had looked down at his own clothing at her response. The movement had made the woman smile as she touched her fingers to her lips for a moment in which she studied him as he had done the same. The man had a thing for looking women up and down quite a bit. Was she just as strange? She glanced down at her skirts, seeing the dirt from when she had fallen and quickly, she wiped herself off, feeling blood come to the surface of her cheeks. Her body got hot and she straightened up after she was sure that she was clean enough again and glancing up, he had finally responded to her question.<br/><br/>Just listening to the man, he was certainly one to respond so soundly. The more he spoke, the more that she couldn't figure out the accent that hung on to his words. He had separated himself from her as he stared at her again. What was with the man looking at her?<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #00BFFF"> "One might call me curious."</span></span>She shrugged her shoulders and glanced over her shoulder. She could see the light of the castle through the thick trunks, but it was tiny. How far had she truly walked? Pulling her attention back to the man, her brow began to arch.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #00BFFF">"I wouldn't dare come at me, my scream is actually pretty shocking at it's volume."</span></span>She said for a moment, hoping that would turn away the man from trying to hurt her, but as she looked at him, he had a kind look in his eyes. The kind of look that said that he wouldn't harm her...at least not yet. She had to keep herself at alert, paying attention to every detail. Though, why would he look at her in such a way to make her think that he was sizing her to the occasion that she might come at him?<br/><br/>The man parted his lips again and it was simply perfect. She wouldn't say such a thing, she had more dignity than give too much to a man in conversation. Her eyes lifted to his though as he said that he would answers to her questions. But still, he had not given her his name. Frustrating man, he was! As he started setting up a little blanket, a smile pulled at the corner of her lips. He seemed excited now. Excited to give news and stories of the places that he had seen. Now, it was time for her to compare notes to the books that she had read in their immense library. This was going to be fun. She sat down beside him and joined him on the green blanket, her eyes catching attention of the journal set to the side. She wasn't sitting too close, but she wasn't too far away. A comfortable distance for the maiden with a man that she hardly knew. Oh, the things that her father would say...<br/><br/>Turning her attention back to the man, she settled her hands in her lap and she laced her fingers together. Never had a man asked her to sit down with her on a blanket. It was all about the formality of the court...Courting for superficial men that all did the same thing...She could only sigh at the thought, but instead, she simply felt grateful that this experience was not the same. Though, the man wasn't courting her. How foolish of her to think such a thing!<span style="color: #00BFFF"><span style="font-style: italic"> "I didn't particularly mean that your clothes would fit in Misthaven, I am just connecting dots in relation to your strange origins and your now desired destination. The town is always superstitious to even the thought of Misthaven. They say someone very dark lives there...someone no one should visit."</span></span>Sitting there, even as he had gotten up, showing the intensity of his passion as he crushed the branches in his hands, she could only giggle.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #00BFFF">"Your destination might even cause your death! What is it that has gotten you so riled up to go and risk your life? With your knowledge from your trips on the sea, I'm pretty sure that whatever you are desiring, it is certainly not in Misthaven. I would have to call you ridiculous or even crazy for even considering heading in the darkest direction of the forest."</span></span>She threw her hands up in the air as she motioned toward the forest around them.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #00BFFF">"We are practically breaking law by sitting in this very spot. Being in the forest had been forbidden by the king. He spoke of it's oddness, even though I have not seen it from the many a time I have been out here."</span></span><br/><br/>Now...the man that had said she was one to ask a lot of questions, he seemed to come at her like the King's Fool. Doing so many things at once, just like his words coming from his lips in such a motion. Her brow arched as a grin came across her lips.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #00BFFF">Coming from a man that had named me as the one asking so many questions. I will not answer another question until you give me your name! That's my only condition, then I will give you more of my reasoning for being here."</span></span>Seriousness in her eyes and a smile on her lips, she would figure out this man's name.