Stay Strong

The Town Guard

The weeks that followed their quiet evening by the Thames passed in a peaceful rhythm, though Carina could feel the world shifting again, like the calm before a storm. As much as George had helped her acclimate to life in the 1930s, as much as they had found joy in their time together, there was always the shadow of their difference hanging over them. Carina’s modern clothing, her foreign mannerisms, and her reluctance to adhere to the strict gender roles of the time had earned her whispers from townspeople and the occasional cold glance.

But none of that had truly threatened her—until now.

It was late one afternoon when the tension she’d felt in the air for days finally erupted. Carina had been walking through the cobbled streets near the market when she saw them—the town guard, a group of burly men in their dark blue uniforms, blocking her path.

At first, she tried to keep her head down, walking past them as if nothing was amiss. But the lead officer, a man with a thick mustache and a look of disapproval, stepped into her path, forcing her to stop.

"What's this, then?" he grunted, his eyes narrowing as he took in Carina’s dress, which was far more modern than anything any woman in London should have been wearing.

Carina’s stomach tightened. She had dealt with stares and whispers before, but this was different. These were the law, and in a time like this, they held the power to make her life much more difficult than it already was.

"I’m just passing through," she said, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling beneath the surface. She was no stranger to confrontation—she had faced it back home, but this was different. This was 1930s London, and she wasn’t sure how far she could push her luck.

"Passing through?" The officer’s voice rose, and he stepped closer, inspecting her like a piece of livestock. "You don’t belong here, do you, miss? You’re wearing strange clothes, carrying yourself like you're above the rules. We don’t take kindly to outsiders like you."

Carina’s heart pounded. She could already feel the eyes of the people around her, some curious, some judgmental, all aware of the scene that was unfolding.

"I’m just—" she started, but the officer cut her off.

"Just? You’re not just anything, miss. You’re making a mockery of our fine city. And we don’t tolerate that."

The officer’s words were harsh, but it was the crowd that made Carina’s chest tighten. They were watching, whispering, some with pity, some with disdain, and some with outright hostility. Carina could feel their judgment burning into her skin.

It was then that George appeared, his figure breaking through the crowd. His normally calm demeanor was now replaced with something fierce, something protective.

“Is there a problem here?” George’s voice rang out, and the officer turned his attention to him, sizing him up with a dismissive glance.

“She doesn’t belong here,” the officer said, pointing a thick finger at Carina. “And I’m going to make sure she knows that.”

George’s jaw tightened, and Carina could see the tension building in him. She stepped forward, touching his arm gently to calm him, but she could feel his muscles rigid beneath her fingers.

“I don’t need you to fight my battles, George,” she whispered, though there was no mistaking the gratitude in her voice. “I can handle this.”

But George wasn’t listening. He was already addressing the officer with a cold, measured tone. “You don’t understand, do you?” he said, his voice carrying authority despite his youth. “This woman isn’t a threat. She’s a person—just like you and me. And the fact that you think it’s okay to treat her like this—well, that speaks more about you than it does about her.”

The officer didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stared at George, perhaps measuring the weight of his words. But Carina could see the tension in the air, the unease in the officer’s stance.

“You’re a fool if you think that’s how things work here,” the officer muttered under his breath, but George stood firm, not backing down.

“Maybe I’m the fool,” George said, his eyes never leaving the officer’s. “But I know right from wrong. And I know that treating someone this way isn’t right.”

There was a long, heavy silence. Then, the officer looked at the crowd that had gathered, and his posture softened just slightly. “This isn’t over,” he said, but he stepped back, signaling to the others to disperse.

Carina let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The crowd began to slowly drift away, muttering among themselves, some shaking their heads in disapproval, others looking somewhat satisfied that the confrontation had been resolved.

George’s hand found hers then, his fingers curling around hers in a firm grip. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice low and soft.

Carina nodded, though she could feel the tremor in her hands. “I’m fine. But that... it was close.”

George shook his head, his expression hardening again as he glanced at the retreating officers. “You shouldn’t have to go through that, Carina. No one should.”

“I’ll be all right,” she said, though her voice was strained. “But thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I would do anything for you,” George said quietly, pulling her into his arms for a brief moment, as if grounding them both in the face of the chaos. “You’re not alone, Carina. Not now. Not ever.”

The warmth of his embrace brought some comfort, but Carina couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. She knew that the challenges she faced in this time were only going to grow more difficult. The people who judged her, who saw her as different, were only a small part of the larger obstacle she faced.

And yet, despite the tension and the growing hostility, Carina felt a spark of something inside her—something she hadn’t felt before. This wasn’t just about surviving anymore. This was about standing up for herself, for the life she was building here, with George by her side.

It wasn’t going to be easy. But Carina was learning how to fight back.