1x1 discussion

Hi :) I'll play the guy

Ok. So did you have any ideas or did you want to hear mine?

like to hear yours

Sorry missed the notification! Give me a sec

1. Guy A, one of the popular guys in school, meets Girl A, a shy introvert. Guy A falls in love with Girl A, but she rejects him. Guy A keeps on trying. Will Girl A give in?


2. Girl A is a police detective. When working on an important case that will get her promoted, she realises that she doesn't have some important evidence. The evidence is with Guy A, a private investigator. Girl A demands Guy A for the evidence, but it is legally his because he was hired by the victim's family to solve the case. Girl A tries all tactics, from arresting him to threatening him. Guy A won't give in since this is the case which could make him famous. Finally, when Girl A uses her beauty to convince Guy A, he gives in, even though he knows she doesn't really like him. But she soon realises that she does...


3. Girl A meets Guy A and falls in love with him instantly. She knows it will never work out, since Guy A is dating Girl B, Girl A's best friend. But when Guy A comes to Girl A's house, she knows that he has fallen for her too. They end up dating secretly, even though they feel really bad about betraying Girl B. Will they be able to keep their relationship secret?


4. Girl A and Guy A meet online and start chatting. Months pass and they feel like they know each other pretty well. Maybe they're falling in love. To see if they really like each other in real life, they decide to meet up in real life. But when they do, they discover secrets about each other that they did not reveal online.


5. Girl A is just an ordinary girl. Or so she thinks. Guy A, a spy, tells her she's in danger but she doesn't believe it. When he says that her mother is a spy too, Girl A thinks Guy A is crazy. Unable to convince Girl A, Guy A kidnaps her to protect her. As they spend time alone together, not only does Girl A believe Guy A, she also falls in love with him.


6. When Kingdoms A and B are at war, the princess from Kingdom A must be protected from the enemy. She is kept in an isolated cottage in the woods on her side of the border. The prince from Kingdom B must also be kept safe, so he is sent to a small house in the woods. The woods are never entered by the enemy. One day, tired of being cooped up, the princess and the prince sneak out of their houses. After a while, they meet. They don't reveal their true identities and they talk a bit. After several more meetings, they fall in love. But when they reveal their true identities to each other, will the relationship hold? And how will their families feel about it?

Sorry, internet blinked out for a moment. I think I like either 2 or 6

Could we do 6? Haven't done that one before

Yeah sounds good, should I post the charrie in a minute?

Sure

Alright almost done

Sorry, watching my siblings and sorry if this is bad

Name: Emer Lennox
Age: 19
Appearance:

History: He is fourth in line for the throne, so his parents chose yo raise him as an politician rather than a warrior prince since it was very unlikely for him to ever take the throne. He does not feel bitter about missibg out on his chancr to rule because he feels that he is more suited to the courts rather than the batte fields anyway. While his brothers and father fought in the war, he had helped his mother manage the kingdom in their absences. The sudden and violent death of his second oldest brother, Peter, caused his parents to send him to the woods for safety. His death not only separated him from the life that he knew, but also sparked a deep resentment and a want for retribution towards the opposing kingdom. Now he spends his days studying to someday fulfill his position in the palace.

Kingdom: His people value honor above anything else and believe that death in battle to one of the most honorable acts imaginable. They are people of strategy, justice, and war.

Name: Leila Barrons
Age: 19
Appearance: http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/o...
http://www.hdwallpaperscool.com/wp-co...

History: Leila is the yougest child and the only daughter of the king and queen. Her two old brothers will rule the kingdom when their father passes away. When war broke out inevitably, her brothers and father went to war. Being their only daughter, her parents did not want her to be in danger, so she was sent to the woods to live. She has been living there for a year. She enjoys it because she gets to read every day, but she hates being left out of politics. She doesn't see why she can't get involved in her own kingdom.

Kingdom: The people are peace-loving, kind, caring and considerate. Quite the opposite of their enemy kingdom.

Do you want to name the kingdoms?

Looks good, sorry I fell asleep. I'll name mine Brisbone. Oh yeah, and are you okay with their ages? I forgot to ask.

Yeah the ages are good. I'll name mine Pacific

Who wants to start?

Alrighty, and would you mind starting?

Leila sat down at the window seat of her room and looked outside the window. Back at the palace, she would have seen her kingdom, the sea and the sky. But here it was all trees, trees and trees. She sighed. It was a nice woods, but living here for a year was a bit too long for her. She was so bored. There was no one else here but the old housekeeper and she wasn't someone she could talk to. She had no idea what was going on with the running of Pacific. She sighed again. She just had to leave this house. At least for a day.

((Sorry, I'm on now))

Emer was leaning over the stone bridge to look at the creek flowing just under his feet, a short walk from his cottage. He glanced back at his guard, whose dark eyes burned into his shoulders, and he grimaced. This was ridiculous! He should be at the palace helping his mother, not cooped up here in a forest that he knew nothing about. The only faces he'd seen since he was sent away were those of his guards and the occasional visit from his brothers. The farthest he could go was this bridge, and he hated not being able to atleast explore his new domain. His books simply weren't enough to keep him busy. He desperately missed being able to talk with someone, anyone, especially those from the court. Clenching his jaw, he turned his eyes towards the trees and wondered what lay beyond.

Leila was normally a good girl. But not today. She got up and peered into her housekeeper's room. 'I'll just be in the garden, Lorna,' she said then walked outside. Once outside, she scanned the perimeter. She could barely make out the figures of the four guards who stood in a circle around the house, but she knew they were there. From the corner of her eye, she saw two fresh guards coming out from their hut to relieve two of the other guards. She knew they would not be so alert during the change. Knowing that this was her only chance, she ran as hard as she could, without looking back once. When she was out of breath she stopped and looking back, she couldn't even see the house or a guard.

Looking out at the tangled trees before him, he silently decided that today was as a good a day as any to make a run for it. Perfect, in fact. "It's time for my studies." Smiling to himself, he turned and walked past the guard towards his cottage. His guard let out a breath of relief as he joined the other sentries surrounding the house. He locked himself inside his study immediately looked out his window to check for guards. In his time there, he had discovered a hole in their perimeter that only grew larger with each month due to idleness. Normally he would be concerned for his safety, but right now it seemed like a godsend. Besides, he doubted anyone would put any real effort into kidnapping him anyway. Who would want a prince with virtually no power anyway? He threw on his cloak that matched the color of the forest's needles as well as a sword before slipping out the back door. He moved over the ground without making so much as a crunch, thanks to his years of sneaking around the courts. He didn't lift up his head until he heard the sound of a river nearby, giving a rough idea of where he was.

((sorry I'll edit later))

Once Leila had gotten her breath back, she grinned widely. A sudden feeling of freedom and rebelliousness swept over her. She could barely believe what she had done. She was kind of glad that her parents hadn't been there to witness her actions. They would be so mad at her. Leila walked slowly through the trees until she heard the sound of a river rushing by. She walked towards the sound and along the bank of the river. It was more like a stream since it was shallow and slow-moving at some points. She wondered how she could not have known that such a beautiful place existed so near to her house. Even if she had lived in the woods for a year, she knew nothing about it.

Knowing that he had successfully gotten away, he laughed aloud and followed the sound of the rushing water. His the guards found out that he had escaped his mother would definitely have him sent to an even more isolated hideout out in Gods know where. But right now he could at least enjoyed his temporary freedom and take this time to explore this strange yet beautiful forest. Most of his kingdom lay nestled in the mountains and he had never been to this forest that rested at the feet of those very mountains until he'd beef forced to move here. He'd tried to look over maps of the area, but they were all rather old and had long since become pretty inaccurate. Emer grinned when the river came into sight, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a flash of movement on the other bank. His fingers curled around the hilt of his sword, a weapon he barely knew how to use, as he darted away to hide behind a thick tree.

From the corner of her eye, Leila saw a gleam on the opposite bank of the river. It was a reflection of the sun. Leila thought rapidly and started to panic when she realised that only metal could reflect light like that. It was a sword, she was sure of it. But who could be holding a sword in this isolated forest except for an assassin after her life? She stopped dead in her tracks and looked around for a place to hide. The strip of bank that she was walking along happened to have no trees nearby. She would have to run for the closest tree and by then the assassin would be after her... Oh why did she have to choose this day to escape?

Stupid, stupid, stupid! What had he been thinking? Of course someone would take the time to hubt him down, he was still third in line at least! He couldn't defend himself, he wasn't his brothers, so why did he even bother bringing this damned sword anyway? Cursing himself, Emer covered the sword with his cloak and peeked out at the stranger. He could see them, or her, clearer now that he was a bit more focused. She wore no armor and wielded no weapons, nothing indicating that she was a fighter. Actually she looked to be a peasant, maybe even a lady judging from her finer clothing. Also she appeared to be in just as must distress from seeing him, if not more, as he was from her. Okay, so maybe this isn't as bad as he had thought... He stepped out from the tree and drew back his hood. "Hello!" he called hesitantly.

Leila turned her back on the figure and was about to head for the forest again when she heard him call out to her. She froze, unsure of what to do. She had to take several deep breaths to calm herself down before she could think rationally again. If the person had revealed himself to her, that would mean he wasn't planning on killing her...right? Taking another deep breath, she turned around slowly to face him. She was startled for two reasons. First, because the guy seemed nearly as nervous as she felt. And second, he was kind of cute. Disregarding her second reason, she focused on the first. She was quite sure that he was not out to kill her. But who was he? He was not a peasant, as she could tell from his clothes. Not moving from where she stood, she called back, 'Hi.'

Emer wondered if showing his face had really been a good idea. No one except his family and the guard was supposed to know that was anywhere near these woods. If she was a lady, then there was a big chance that she would recognize him from court. But there was a chance that her parents hadn't taken her... maybe she was just wealthy? He walked over to his bank of the river and got a better look at her. He sighed with relief when he didn't recognize her, but he register this stranger's delicate beauty. But he shouldn't focus on that, he should focus on who she was and not how she looked. "Do you live around here?"

Leila hesitated. She put on a shy and slightly scared look to buy her some time to make up a story. She couldn't tell him who she was, and it seemed that he didn't know who she was anyway. That hurt her pride a bit, but she was mostly relieved. 'I live here in the woods. In a cabin deep among the trees. It's because of the war, you see. My father grew worried and thought I would be safe here.' she said. She wasn't exactly telling a lie. It was mostly true. 'And what about you?' she asked warily. She had no idea what he was doing here. Did people really live here normally?

Emer casually rested his hands on the hilt of his sword, considering her. So, we're here for more or less the same reason, the thought. But he found it strange that out of all the woods in their kingdom, her father chose to hide her in the same one not far from a prince of Brisbone. She did appear to be hiding something... but it couldn't be anything that sinister. When she'd seen him, genuine fear and surprise had taken over her, so he just assumed that she hadn't been expecting him. Oh well, she can keep her secrets, at least she's someone to talk to. "I had an uncle that owned a small estate in these woods. He died recently, so my father sent me out with a small guard to protect it from looters. There's been a lot about since the war began." he told her with a completely straight face, holding up his right wrist for her to see. In Brisbone, when a loved one dies the family is required to wear a black cuff for a year after their passing. Right for a male, left for a female. If they had died in battle, the cuff would also be embellished with red and black designs. He jad been wearong this red and black cuff for months except it wasn't for his uncle but his brother.

Leila listened to him in silence. She seriously doubted that there would be any looters in the forest. No one seemed to come here. That was why she had been sent to the forest in the first place. But instead of frowning, she nodded. 'I see. I'm sorry for your loss.' she added. She knew about the wristbands that the people of Brisbone wore when someone passed away. It confirmed her suspicion and fear that they were from different kingdoms. Well, as long as he didn't find out who she really was, it didn't matter. She could talk to him for now. There was not much danger in it. Except for the fact that he was holding a sword. That did scare her a bit. 'How long have you been living in the woods then?' she asked.

He watched her reaction to the cuff to see if she recognized it or not. She seemed a little uneasy at the sight, but from that he couldn't discern much else. She didnt wear anything that identified her as Pacfic or Brisbone, so just staying there was risky. Why would anyone want to live in these woods, especially the rich? Why choose this woods out of all the others in this part of the country to send his daughter? Was she some kind of spy? Emer sighed and tugged his sleeve down to hide his cuff. He knew that his excuse was weak, but he just didn't want to give the same one as hers. Anyway, he figured that he would never see her again so it didn't really matter all that much what he said. But he thought that he should leave before he said anything else stupid. His parents had been right, he was safer out of sight. "I've been here about five months..." he answered her, starting to take a step back. "I should probably get going, sorry for ruining your walk."

Leila knew she was acting weird and that he would soon see through her pretence if she stayed there any longer. She should have felt relieved when he said he was leaving, but instead she felt quite the opposite. He was the first person she had had a real conversation with, since the old housekeeper and the strict guards weren't very talkative. Even if he was acting nearly as suspiciously as her, she needed someone to talk to. Her loneliness suddenly overcame her and she couldn't help herself. Her words rushed out. 'Wait - you didn't ruin my walk. In fact, you made it more interesting. It's kind of boring, living in the woods by myself. There are some servants,' she added vaguely, not wanting to reveal that she had guards, 'but they're not the kind of people who like conversation.' she said with a small, shy smile. She was desperate to talk to someone. That was why she had escaped the house today after all. 'I've been here for a year and it's awfully boring.' she admitted.

Emer stopped his retreat when she spoke up, immediately getting his attention. It seemed like she was in the same boat as him, but he still kept in mind that she was dangerous to be around. His guards had spoken only a handful of words since they had arrived at the cottage, no matter how much he had tried to strike up a conversation with them. Sometimes he thought that sending him here had been some kind of punishment, but he knew that that was irrational. It's not like it was his fault they hadn't been a letter to end the war after so long, or that Peter had died. But at least talking with his guards didn't risk bringing unwanted attention to himself. Although, this was the most excitement he'd had in months... "I'll stay a bit longer then, my servants aren't great conversationalists themselves," he said, taking off his cloak and sword. He wrapped the blade with the fabric and laid it on a dry part of the bank, out of his reach. It was risky, but he'd seen her eyeing it this whole time , as if he would jump over the creek any second and slide it into her heart. Hopefully this would get her to relax a little, and hopefully she wasn't hiding a dagger in the folds of her dress. He crossed his arms and met her eyes, "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this... meeting."

When he put down his sword, Leila breathed a sigh of relief and she felt the colour return to her previously pale cheeks. She reminded herself that he still might be dangerous and might even be concealing a smaller weapon somewhere in his coat. She had been taught by her parents that it was never a bad idea to be extra cautious. The many fighting lessons she had received while still living in the castle had given her some useful moves if she ever needed to use them. But seeing how this guy was slightly taller than her and probably stronger, she doubted they would be of any use if she had to fight him. Moreoever, she hadn't brought a weapon of any kind from the house. She did have her own sword, dagger and bow and arrows in her room but, naturally, 'being a girl', she had forgotten them. She cursed herself in her head for forgetting the rules of basic safety. Perhaps her parents had been right sending her here after all.
Leila nodded after hearing what he said. 'Of course. I don't really want anyone to know about this either. Talking to strangers isn't exactly encouraged.' she said with a wry smile as she brushed some hair away from her face. She wondered what else she should say. She had wanted to talk so badly, but now that she was talking to him, she had run out of things to say.

Now that he had faced a potentially dangerous situation, he severely regretted convincing his parents to not give him training with weapons. While his brothers had shared lessons with their soldiers as well as having private tutors through most of their childhood, Emer didn't have any fighting experience beyond basic self-defense classes. He had insisted that, because he wasn't ever destined to go out into battle, that there was no use wasting time that could be spent studying. Also, he always had his guard... As soon as he bot back to the cottage he would right a letter to his mother to request an instructor. He looked over at the stranger and wondered how they would do in a fight. She was a bit smaller than him, but that didn't matter if her father had given her any kind of training as he had seen with his aunts dueling with his father when they were all younger. His main advantage was the sword, even though he didn't know how to use it, but by now he doubted that she would try anything. If she wanted him dead, she would've tried something by now. He smiled back and went to sit on a fallen, moss-covered log. "Frowned upon actually, what with the war. So, what name should I call you?" he asked, crossing his legs. He knew that she most likely wouldn't give him her real one, but that didn't matter all that much to him.

Leila moved to a relatively flat rock near the edge of the stream and sat down, covering her legs with her dress. She was not very surprised at his question. She had expected it would be asked sooner or later and had already prepared an answer. 'Erin. Erin Mason.' she said calmly. It was easy for her to take on the identity of Erin, since she had created that character herself. As a child, she would pretend that she was a noble, without the burdensome duties of a princess. Playing with her maids and sometimes her friends from the court, she would act out scenes, always as Erin. She had chosen the name as it was her favourite name, after her real name. She had gotten all of Erin's life and personality down over the years so if this guy asked her about her family or her likes and dislikes, she was more than ready to answer. She figured that he would expect her to lie anyway, so it didn't really matter how well she pretended. As long as she didn't reveal that she was actually the princess of his enemy kingdom, things should go smoothly. 'And what's your name?' she asked.

She looked comfortable enough giving the name that he almost believed it to really be her's under different circumstances. It didnt matter, though, just so long as she didn't find out his real identity. "Nice to meet you, then, Erin... My name is Aedan Brennen," he told her smoothly, giving her the name of his long time friend that he had had to leave behind when his parents forced him to leave the palace. Aedan was the son of one of his father's most skilled generals, and they'd known each other for as long as he could remember. Since they had been closer in age, he had more like a brother to Emer than any of his blood siblings. Until they'd reached their teens they had spent almost all of their time together while their fathers were busy drawing up battle plans. Then came the age where their training began. Aedan would be the next generation's general while Emer would be the advisor. Although their lives had gone in different direcrions, they still managed to stay close. He had no idea what he was up to now, seeing as he hadn't answered his letters in recent months.

Leila nodded when he told her his name. She knew that it had to be a lie, unless he was part of a different Brennen family. He could not be the son of General Brennen because if he truly was, he would he helping his father with the war or at least getting involved somehow. She had heard of Brennen from Brisbone, the general that could possibly defeat her own kingdom in battle with his excellent strategies and battle plans. Her father had often complained in dispair that Brennen had been born in the wrong kingdom. When her mother heard him, she would then remind him that Pacific had their own outstanding generals as well. Leila remembered how she would then add, 'We should be peace-loving people father. That's what you taught me, remember?' How innocent she had been just a few years ago, before the war had become a much more serious threat to her kingdom. Turning her attention back on 'Aeden', she was about to ask him why he didn't have to fight in the war. But on second thought, she realised that it would make both of them uncomfortable, and they would have to make up more lies to answer it. She decided on a question that was not so serious but allowed for more open and relaxed conversation. 'So what do you normally do every day to pass the time?'

He knew that if she had any knowledge at all about Brisbone politics that she would know that his name was a blatant lie. Oh well, just so long as she didn't put it together that he was a prince he didn't care for what she thought of him. However he did hate that his first real conversation in months had to be full of lies. An embarrassment. At her question, Emer relaxed a bit and wondered if he should lie again. Considering how this exchange had been going, he opted to just tell the truth. "I like to sketch in the garden, but I spend most of my time studying the kingdom's history as well as philosophy." Since the guards rarely let him go beyond the gate, he spent most of it inside. He read every book in the cottage's library and sketched scenes of the forest from his window on his breaks. He learned more about his kingdom these past months than he ever had at the palace. At first he almost liked the break from court, giving him time to mourn away from the eyes of the public, but it quickly grew old. "What about you, Lady Erin? What do you do to keep yourself occupied?" he asked, leaning forward.

Naturally, 'Lady Erin's' hobbies were extremely similar to Leila's. After all, she just couldn't pretend to be someone with hobbies that she hated in reality. And besides, she didn't need to lie about something so trivial as this. So she felt absolutely no guilt or fear that she would be suspected when she answered. 'Well the cottage has a library room which is filled to the ceiling with books, both fiction and non-fiction. I love to read the old classics as well as the history books. I like to write poems as well, but they are nothing compared to the works of professional writers. I paint the forest scenes as well, once in a while, and my memories of...home.' She had nearly revealed that the palace had been her home which would have been a fatal slip-up. 'And the beautiful palace which I only got the chance to visit a few times, but which I dreamed of living in every day,' she said, since she knew that many of the nobles wanted to live in the palace. With all the stress that came with a royal life, she wasn't so grateful about living there though. 'I don't even know what's going on back there,' she added with a sigh. But making herself smile again, she continued, 'I often write songs and music as well. I have a small piano in the cottage which I play every day. So basically my life is just reading, writing and music. Rather simple, really, even for a lady. I do some needlework but I tire of it very quickly.' She stopped herself from talking anymore, realising that she had been going on and on for a while. Perhaps that just showed how lonely and desperate for conversation she had been.

Even if by this point she was doing most of the talking, he didn't mind. At least it was some kind of human contact, and he'd always preferred to listen anyway. Emer rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, listening closely as she listed off her many hobbies. So she liked reading, writing, and the arts. Same as him, more or less. He read and wrote mostly because he feared that he wouldn't have the wisdom to help his brothers and kingdom when they needed it. But it wasn't like he could tell her that, he still wasn't sure if she was one of his own. She mentioned wanting to live in a palace, but not which one. He knew that nobles in both kingdom's often frequented the palaces, but for different reasons. In Brisbone, the rich and powerful flocked there because of it's secure location. It was the safest, most heavily guarded structure on the mountain, but the death of Peter within it's walls proved that they had grown too careless. The Pacific palace however was revered for it's beauty, balanced over the waves. He used to dream of visiting at least once to see if the stories did it justice, but he knew now that that would never happen. He saw that she missed her home, wherever that was, and he couldn't help but feel a deep sympathy for this stranger. "Hopefully this war will end sooner than everyone thinks, so we... can both return to our homes," he bit his lip and smiled after a beat. "So, what is your favorite book?"

((What if his brothers and father all end up dying and as king (or maybe one of his brothers) he tries to assassinate her family?))

((That's a good idea. How many brothers does he have by the way? So one of his brothers has to be king. And he kills one of her family members first, then she starts to suspect who it is. And she goes to Emer and tells him who she really is and asks him to help her stop his brother?))

Leila felt a bit bad that she hadn't even told Aeden which kingdom she was from. She kept considering whether to tell him or not, but she knew it would be dangerous since he was from Brisbone. If only a war between their two kingdoms wasn't going on, she probably would have talked more openly with him. But then, if not for the war, she might never have met him in the first place, and he seemed pretty nice. 'Hmm...that's a hard question. There are so many wonderful books written by writers recently and from the previous centuries.' She paused to think about her answer, then said, 'The War in the Waves is probably the best one I've read. It tells the story of six people. Three are from Brisbone, and three from Pacific. And how they learn to understand each other and stop the war which happened fifty years ago. But I suppose you would know that, since it's a rather famous book.' she said, smiling a bit at her unusual talkativeness. The author was born in a time of peace and her parents had come from both kingdoms, so she had yearned for peace and wanted to spread his message through her book. Leila had always wished to be like that author. 'And what's your favourite book?' she asked.

((He has three older brothers, but the middle one was the one who died. He also has two nieces and a young nephew. What about her brothers? And sounds good, should she already start suspecting who he was by the time she tells him?))

"Really? I loved that book! Great, neutral depictions of both kingdoms. No bias, which is getting harder and harder to find these days..." He smiled brightly as she named War in the Waves, a book he'd read several times since he was a child, as her favorite. It was a very Pacific-esque book, but he enjoyed it all the same. As an aspiring advisor, he often read literature centered around ideas of peace when he came up with strategies to reference in the future. Her favorite book was one of the few that he drew most of his inspiration. Although he came from a family, a kingdom, that loved war he knew that they all wished for an opportunity to compromise but they were all too proud to give up now. At this point it was either win or lose, and Brisbone never lost. This feud had been going on and off for centuries and he hoped that one day he would have a hand in stopping it for good. Emer rubbed his eyes and went over his mental library, trying to determine his true favorite. "I would have to say Stone to Sand. Have you read it before? It's a memoir about a man born in the mountains who grows up during a period of peace. He falls in love, marries, and raises a family without much incident. Now, this was quite a while ago so tensions were even more unstable as they are now. Anyway, the courts burst into a sudden rage and sent their armies after each other. Within a year he loses not only his now grown children in the war, but also his wife to suicide over their deaths. Alone and consumed with grief, this man wanders from the Brise mountains to the shores of Pacific. In his journals he records all of his encounters with the villages of both kingdoms-" he pressed his lips together before he continued rambling. He reread the book everyone he needed to remind himself that it wasn't just soldiers that they were sending to their possible deaths, no matter how honorable, but people. It never failed to to incense him, and after reading it he had always kept the authors ruined family in mind when he formed battle plans.

((She has three older brothers as well. The eldest has a son. I guess she should suspect him first.))

Leila nodded, smiling, when Aeden agreed with her book of choice. She thought it was surprising that someone from Brisbone should even care about peace at all. But when he said that Stone to Sand was his own favourite book, Leila was reminded of how not all Brisbones were so belligerent. She smiled at his lengthy account of the classic, but she didn't mind listening to it. When he had stopped, she said, 'Yes, I read that book too, several times. It was a great insight into the people of both kingdoms. It was good to read a true account of his travels. I realised that not all people really fit into their kingdoms. Some Brisbones were rather peaceful, and some Pacifics were actually a bit eager for war.' She remembered how, when she was younger, she had always imagined herself taking the same route that the author took, but the opposite way instead. She would write a book about it and call it Sand to Stone. All she wanted was to see for herself was if Brisbones could really be so peaceful. But unfortunately war had broken out again and the fanciful dream had completely disappeared from Leila's mind. Her parents were strictly against it, anyway, warning her how cruel Brisbones were. Even if some of them had been more peaceful in the past, they would certainly not be the same nowadays. And yet this Aeden, apparently a general's son, was interested in peace. She just had to ask him more about this, find out more. Find out who he really was. After hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth to speak. Then, trying to think of a better way to phrase her question, she closed her mouth again. 'I had no idea that Brisbones were still interested in peace these days.' she began cautiously. 'I mean, if you like those kinds of books, you must be open to a peace treaty between the two kingdoms, I suppose?' she asked, raising her eyes.

((Alrighty sounds good :) ))

Emer smiled when she said that she had read the novel, but it slowly faded away when she spoke of Brisbones like she wasn't one of them. So his suspicions were true, she wasn't from his own kingdom. He should leave right now and notify his father that there was a Pacific settlement near his cottage, because he had been raised to never trust the 'enemy'. Even in times of peace. Yet he didn't move from his spot on the log. This girl didn't seem like the type to turn a Brisbone in unless they meant her harm. Erin truly appeared to be a woman of peace and intellect, and he wanted to stay and see what else he could discover about her. At her question he sat back and folded his hands in his lap, his thumb absently grazing his cuff. "We all want peace, even if we won't admit it, but we also have different ideas about when and how peace should come. Some want it now before anymore lives are lost and some want it after we've won, gotten revenge for past grudges. But in the end it's up to the royals to decide when enough is enough. Both mine and yours." he said, looking back over at her.

Leila nodded calmly, even when he mentioned that she had her own royals and he had his own. She had expected that this would happen. How could she possibly ask the question she had wanted to ask without revealing her kingdom? Well, at least it was fair now. They both knew each other's kingdoms. She scanned Aeden's expression for any signs of anger or violence towards her, but he seemed fine talking to a Pacific. Maybe he felt the way she did. Bored from his mundane life in the forest and curious about someone who was not supposed to be in the same forest as him. When she thought of that, another question popped into her mind. When they had met, why had he been so surprised and scared? If he truly was a general's son, he would have been more than comfortable with defending himself with a sword. And why did he seem threatened that someone else was in the forest? Leila had been scared because, well, she was royalty and she knew that attempts to take her life were more than possible. But what was his reason? Who was he really? 'Yes, I suppose that is the case. Although, as you will know, most Pacifics do tend to want peace as soon and as long as possible. But there are some in my kingdom who do feel vengeful, unfortunately.' she answered, keeping her expression as calm as she could, even though she was practically dying with curiosity over who he really was.

Emer tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible, but inside he was buzzing. A Pacific, right in front of him! The only ones that he had ever seen in person were prisoners and the occasional citizen when he was a child, the last peace period. Those from the court described Pacifics as being weak and cowardly, but she didn't seem to fall into those categories. He saw a strength in her built by both her noble upbringing and her character. Although her expression remained serene, he could feel Erin's eyes analyzing everything about him. They were strangers in hiding, what else could they do? Considering that he hadn't been exactly truthful, it would only be a matter of time until she fit the pieces together. He'd made too many mistakes already... "Well, generally, your people do have good reason to be angry with us. Brisbone has been trying to win power over Pacific's resources for centuries after all, sometimes going so far as to overthrow your royals. However, your people are not entirely innocent either. All we're fighting for now is for revenge for what we have done to each other in the past. Biting each other's tails. The three generalized options that the royals have in front of them are they can either keep trying to even an impossible score and maintain their ancestor's honor, write up a peace treaty, or agree to merge the two kingdoms." he sighed, realizing that he had spoken a little too much. He looked up at the position of the sun and back towards the cottage, wondering just how long he'd been gone. His hand reached down for his cloak and, after a moment's hesitation, the sword's hilt. Slinging the cloak back over his shoulders, he looked back at Erin and stood. "I'm afraid that I really must be going. It's been... quite wonderful talking to you. Will you be in this part of the woods anytime soon?" he asked tentatively, hoping that this wouldn't be their last encounter.

((Maybe when they reveal themselves to each other, some of her guards could follow her back from her house and they recognize him? Then they could try to kidnap him to use him as a hostage))

Leila wondered what he thought about talking to a Pacific, his enemy. She could tell that he hadn't known before which kingdom she had come from. She kept asking herself who he could possibly be. Which noble of Brisbone? Because he was most definitely not a general's son, she decided. Suddenly she started seeing some similarities in his appearance and the king of Brisbone's. He actually did remind her of the king, now that she looked closely. She would have let out a gasp but luckily he started talking at that moment. She brought her attention to what he was saying instead. She nodded, agreeing with everything he said. 'Yes, I am fully aware of the true situation. Brisbone wants the resources from Pacific. Pacific wants the large spaces of empty land in Brisbone, and of course some of its resources as well.' she answered. Since Pacific was surrounded by sea on two sides and it was smaller than Brisbone, it needed more land to develop and support its ever growing population. And of course, who wouldn't want to own the beautiful forests of Brisbone? The part of the forest that belonged to Pacific was actually a very small patch, but it was isolated, and therefore the safest place for Leila to stay, or so it was supposed to be. She continued, 'It's really quite unfortunate, how everything got to this state. One terrible deed after another. Every time any of the kingdoms commit one, it's because they think it will be the move that allows them to conquer the other kingdom. And yet, it never works out. So the mistakes keep on piling up. And we end up with a war that never ends.' Her heart sank a bit in disappointment when he got up to leave. 'Oh, now that you mention it, I probably ought to be going as well.' she said, standing up too. As she looked into his eyes, not only was she sure that he was somehow related to the king, but she was also sure that she wanted to see him again, no matter who he really was. 'It was lovely to meet you. I'm not sure when I'll be able to come back, but maybe in a few days. I hope we'll see each other again.' she said, smiling. And this time it wasn't just a polite smile, but a genuinely friendly smile.

((Ooh sounds good! And then he could be imprisoned in Pacific, but she tries to save him and things get revealed to their parents?))