After she crossed the river, she kept on running. Going nowhere and everywhere. Maddie ran until the sun started to set and night was falling. She decided to stop and try to get some rest.
The next morning, she awoke to a strange unfamiliar scent in the air and could just tell that Rhydian was close by. She started to run, but somehow the scent was now in front of me and not behind, so she changed directions turning back the way she'd come, but it seemed like he was all around her. He showed himself after a few minutes of her trying to get around him.
"Why did you tell my parents you'd help look for me?" She asked.
He smiled a somewhat sad, but rueful smile, "You mean a lot to your parents and if I'm honest I'd like to get to know you."
"What?" She whispered as she shook my head.
Was this guy serious she thought.
"Your parents asked me to look out for you. Now I have a question for you, why did you run away?"
"Why?"
"Why?" He asked as if the answer wasn't obvious, "Why? I don't know maybe it was because I was cornered, because my parents," she spit the word, "and you…"
"What! Why?" He asked somewhat confused.
Yeah, as if he had the right to be confused.
"My parents have told me from the time I was just a little pup that I could marry who I wished. The next thing I know you're on my door step and my parents tell me I am betrothed to you. I have no clue who you are or anything about you and they expect me to just go along with being betrothed to some guy I don't even know…"
"Ok! Ok, stop rambling…"
"No, I am going to keep on rambling because I don't know what else to do," and then she started to cry.
They stood there for a moment just staring. Her with tears running down her face and Rhydian with a blank expression. Until his face changed a soft sad smile gracing his lips. Suddenly he was next to her his arm going around her shoulders.
"Get away from me!" She yelled.
He didn't speak or move just pulled her into his chest.
She allowed it. Allowed a stranger to comfort her and cried profoundly against his chest his arm tight around her shoulders for what seemed like hours.