<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/>Cade could barely feel her fingertips. With her rushing heart and the cool breeze on her limbs as they strode from the forest, she was sure that she was going to freeze. Her eyes took in the scenery, catching glimpses of the castle as they strode on. It was through the trees. The lights of the castle were magnificent. She could see the flames from her seat on the horse in front of the man who was directing them back home...He was hesitant...Even as she spoke about her helping him. He had been all for her knowledge beforehand, now he seemed to be regretting his choice of finding acquaintanceship with the lady. Her eyes followed his shadow on the ground as they had come up to the back entrances of the royal garden outside of the castle walls. She watched him walk carefully over to the front of the horse. Just by the touch of his hand, gliding across the hair that covered the beast, taming it with the gliding motion, she felt ease in it. She felt calm herself just watching it, but turning her head away from him and looking up at the castle, it all seemed to fade away. She could only imagine how her father would feel at this moment.<br/><br/>She wasn't alone as a daughter. Two more joined her, and even a brother alongside them. Her shoulders began to slump as he reached up to help her down from the beast. Keeping her skirts in check, she gathered her wits as she finally stood on solid ground. Standing there, she touched the horse's neck trying to feel the calmness once more, but it no longer blessed her with it's presence. In the process, she had heard the man's voice and immediately she felt her heart fall to the ground. The way that his words took a tone that gave her warning. The woman wasn't kind to words of mockery, but before even giving a emotion on her face, she stayed neutral, controlling what she immediately felt so then she wouldn't make a joke of herself. His explanation of where he was coming from was clear. Why would he want a lady of all people, one who he barely knew the origin or name of to join him on a quest that was to find the answers so he could make the journey home....The only thing that she had going for her was her knowledge. Knowledge of the maps and their location within the walls of the library, somewhere he could not get to without her guidance and connection.<br/><br/>She resisted the urge to purse her lips.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"Cadelle. Cadelle O'Connell is my name."</span>She paused, glancing at the horse for a moment until he started to lead her toward the castle.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"My point...my reasoning behind this desired journey of mine is not to only help you, but to give more insight of the world around us more than what we already have..."</span>She hesitated. Cade was great at speaking with people. Talking and getting to know one another very easily. It had been the reason why the King had always asked her to write his speeches that he gave at the court. It was also a reason why she didn't like going to them. His assistant always changed it up and the results were always horrendous. She pressed her lips together at the thought, but returned to the matter at hand. She wanted to go. Badly.<br/><br/>The words that he spoke, the wisdom that he put forth was all taken into consideration, but her thought was final...She was a rather stubborn one...<span style="color: #00BFFF">"My desire isn't to leave this life, despite how I may sound. It is more to get experience, so that maybe one day I would be equal to the elders that feel as if I have nothing to offer them."</span>She lifted a brow.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"It is more than breathing fresh air....It is seeing how things are in a more uncivilized world. Definitely to the place that you wish to go."</span>She shook her head for a moment, glancing up at the castle as they came up to the entrance.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"I'm not going to beg you, but I wish you would think about my offer. My knowledge of the forest could be of use, as well as the location of the maps of these woods would definitely help your journey take less time so you can return to your family." </span><br/><br/>Her eyes left his and she didn't say another word, leaning to go back within the castle walls when something must have spurt through the man. Bulging eyes stared at him as he suddenly had felt the power jolt through him. A epiphany perhaps...A smile pulled at the corner of her lips as he spoke of letting her go and joining the trip of a lifetime that she probably would never receive again. Sharing the excitement, she nodded her head, glancing into the entrance.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"Follow me. We must get all the materials we need before taking off."</span>It was as if she had a little more bounce in her walk as she followed suit through the gardens. Reaching to the entrance though, her eyes scanned the area. Maids would wonder, but they wouldn't speak to many. Guards might question, but that is a given. The moment she says that the man is with her, they would understand. A man of his suiting would be likely to get in without much hassle.<br/><br/>It was past a few hallways, past the hall of paintings of family portraits, down and through the marble statue room dedicated to the king himself before finally reaching the big wooden doors leading into the lovely library. Her eyes sparkled just a little bit as the old smell of leather and paper reached her nose.<span style="color: #00BFFF">"And welcome, Dear Julian, to the Royal Library. With every book and piece of literature or information you could ever imagine needing."</span>It didn't take her long to go through the stacks, finding the atlas's and maps of different locations around her kingdom. The forest wasn't much traveled due to the many different consequences and dangers that it proposed, but it had enough information to get them there safely.