Raella

Four

Regret was the only thing Raella felt when she opened the door, seeing as the fact that Theoden was standing just behind it did not once cross her mind. As the door swung open with the force of a nervous, and minorly terrified woman, it made immediate contact with an equally, nervous and terrified man, both just as unsuspecting as the other. The door crashed into Theoden, knocking him over more from the force of surprise than from the force of the actual door.

It took a second for the both of them to process what had actually happened. Raella looked down at the man on the floor, the shock of the door making them both forget their skittishness. Theoden was rubbing his arm vigorously, obviously his shoulder and upper arm had taken the brunt of the impact from the door. Raella's brain was working sluggishly, apparently feeling that it was the perfect moment to go blank and not provide any information as to what she should say or do.

Then out of nowhere the door to Raella's room slammed shut, pulling Theoden's   attention away from his shoulder. The sound gave Raella's brain the jump start it needed and her thoughts began to pick up speed again. Her brain finally registered and she realized she should apologize.

"I'm so sorry, Theoden, I was not thinking. I should have warned you," Raella stumbled over explanations as she stretched out her hand to the man who had not glanced up at her once since she had opened the door.

When she spoke, however, his gaze seemed to fly up against his will, shock written across his features as she met his eyes. His eyes took in her own appearance, something flitted through his expression, and then he was jumping up and backing away from her.

Raella did not seem to notice the almost-fear in his eyes and continued on, "Are you alright, is your shoulder okay? I'm really, really sorry," the small knot in her throat making her voice quiet and soft.

Theoden stood silently for longer than Raella expected and she used that time to survey the hallway while she tried to loosen her throat. It was nice and bright, contrasting harshly from the environment she experienced last night. Raella even noticed a few windows that she was sure she wouldn't have missed last night. Her confidence, however, was washed away when she looked down the hallway towards the ballroom only to find a doorway.

"Wait, the Castle can change around the rooms?" She turned back around to face Theoden. The wrinkles in between her eyebrows relaxed as she looked at him for an explanation. But as she asked it seemed like a silly question. The Castle was quite powerful to begin with, what kept it from rearranging the rooms? Raella wondered if when a room disappeared so would it's occupants or if it still existed just without any points of access.

"Uh," Theoden's voice startled Raella out of her thoughts, "Yes, yes the Castle can move the rooms around," Theoden stared at Raella now, concentrating very hard, like he was trying his best to read her mind.

"Are you alright?" Raella stepped towards him, reaching out to gesture to his shoulder.

"Yes," he stumbled over his words, "I just," he reached his hand up to grip his shoulder, "You aren't scared of me?" His eyes held a vulnerability that Raella wasn't prepared for.

"No?" she made a face at the ridiculousness of the question but then her thoughts took over for a second, "You aren't scary, why were you being overdramatic?" Raella's expression shifted from confusion to accusatory, and she rested her fists on her hips.

"I'm sorry, I-," he paused and took a breath, "the horns, the sharp teeth, the snout, the excessive fur," Theoden gestured to himself, "None of that scares you?"

Now it was Raella's turn to be confused, "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"You can't see any of it," he paused, "the fur on my-" he went to hold up his injured arm only to stop in shock.