Aribelle runs from the dining hall, extremely upset

Assignment 5

Outline for Short Story by Chris Mallory

1) Aribelle runs from the dining hall, extremely upset. She has just met Dustan for the first time. Her father has arranged their marriage in order to create an alliance between their two families and the wedding is to be held in three days. As she turns a corner, she runs headlong into a young man and they’re both knocked down. They help each other up and he asks her what is wrong. She, still upset and angry, says she cannot marry Dustan -- he’s rude, crude, lewd, etc. The young man replies that maybe Dustan is not really as bad as she thinks he is.

2) Aribelle decides to run away. She waits until morning to leave because the outlying land around the castle is filled with bogs -- treacherous even in daylight, it is certain death to attempt to go across country at night. Just before daybreak, she takes her horse from the stable. The young man she ran into the night before sees her with her bundle of belongings, guesses that she is running away, and decides to follow. Aribelle becomes aware of his pursuit and gallops her horse across country despite the hazards. As she reaches safe ground, she hears cries for help. The young man has ridden his horse into a bog. She turns back and pulls him out. He reveals that he is Dustan; the man she had met at dinner is his servant. He hadn’t been any more pleased at the thought of marrying a total stranger than she had been. They return to the castle together.

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