A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 7: My result of choices. (Part 1)

Chapter 7: My result of choices.

I drove the carriage absentmindedly as the light faded. Hours had paced since the incident. Ronalt and the others had cleared up the rest of the bandits and once we arrived in Greytree a more appropriate team would be sent to clean up. Due to the waste of time I had to push Pina faster but she chirped understandingly and continued easily.

We set up camp and I made the sandwiches for Marley. She was happy but her smiling face did little. Even as I ate with the Hero and the others, while I acted like nothing was wrong, I wondered when I would feel normal again. Tomorrow we would reach Greytree and I would have more work to do than today. More than ever before I wanted to live. I didn't want to have to deal with Faith again. I wanted it to be over. Even if I had to repeat it... I really might just leave them alone.

"Rain we need to talk," Taylor surprised me but my body refused to react and instead I faced her blankly.

"Do you see this?" I held Ronalt's armour. It had cuts and dents all over it. "I have this and everyone else's, including yours, equipment to deal with. I don't have time to talk."

She frowned, "It's an order."

My chest lurched and tension spread through my muscles, "So you're ordering me around as well?"

She ignored my glare and gestured outside of our camp, "Meet me by the large rock half an hour from now."

"Fine," I shrugged her off and got back to work. Taylor walked away slowly and joined the Hero and the others as they sat at the table. Whatever she wanted to talk about she didn't want anyone else to be suspicious. After we were separated and I was kidnapped we hadn't talked but I couldn't think of a reason for her attitude, if anything she should have been glad I put her life ahead of mine.

When the time came, the others aside from Ardent had all entered the carriage. I finished up what I was doing and walked nonchalantly to where Taylor wanted to meet. It was far out of earshot and hidden behind the nearby foliage. As soon as I touched the rock a shadow moved past me.

"So what is it?" I turned to see Taylor standing with folded arms.

Her eyes met mine, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" A slight panic entered my heart. Did she see me when I killed Faith?

"You made Pina run off with me still on the carriage," she glared at me. "I surrendered myself for you and you just up and made it worthless. They could have killed you right there."

"...." I was honestly surprised. "What are you even talking about? Weren't you the one who said you'd off me if it was worth it?"

"I-I wasn't being serious," she looked away.

"Really? Because honestly I thought you were really going to let me die back there."

For a moment Taylor paused unable to meet my eyes, "And to be honest with you I really did think about it. It was the smarter thing to do. With you dead I wouldn't have to hold back. I could disappear and kill them in the shadows...."

"Then why didn't you?" I was genuinely curious.

"Because I changed my mind," she met my gaze. "In that moment I really did think that it would be better to have you alive. Not just for what you do for us... I wanted you to live. So I gave myself up." She let out a soft smile. My heart clenched involuntarily, thankfully she glared at me soon after. "Which makes me all the more pissed off as to why after all my effort you made me ditch!"