Travellers

Seeing Reason

They rode in silence for only a short time before Amber decided she couldn't bear the silence a second longer.  Carefully turning her head to look at Alex, she found his eyes trained straight ahead, not acknowledging the glance that she knew he could feel.

"How did you know that man?"

"Which one?"

"Watson."

Alex snorted as she said his name.  "I've known him since childhood.  He was cruel and vindictive as a child, and he has only gotten worse with age."

"So your from here."

Alex finally looked down at Amber, and he could see the curiosity burning like an open flame in her brown eyes, before resuming his gaze straight ahead again.  "Yes.  I was born and raised here.  I was only sent to your time in order to protect you."

Amber's eyes widened.  "Who sent you?"  But she knew as soon as she asked the question he wasn't going to answer.

"You'll find out in time," he finally said, a slight smile causing the corner of his mouth to tip up as he saw her pout.

"I can't see why you just can't tell me yourself," she grumbled.  "Why does it have to be such a big secret?"

Alex looked at her again, and she could see the amusement that had crept onto his face a second before had fled.  "There is a reason for everything," he said so quietly that she struggled to hear him over the pounding of the horse's hooves.  "By keeping my silence now could ensure someone else's survival."

This time Amber felt her eyes narrow as her confusion grew.  Glancing at Alex, she saw that he looked slightly apologetic, but it was clear that he wasn't going to back down.  So she gave a huff of annoyance as she gave up - for now.  Looking around, the landscape flew by them as the horse charged full-speed ahead, and it wasn't long before a village came into view before them.  Tugging on the reins, Alex slowed the horse down to a trot, and Amber got her first proper look a village back in the year 1522.  People who were going about their daily routines stopped to watch them pass by with curiosity.  The laughter of children soon changed into sounds of awe at the sight of the magnificent horse on which they sat, and it wasn't long before people began to recognize the man that sat behind her.

"Alex!  Alex is back!"

"Alex!"

"Alex!"

Amber glanced from one face to the next as the curiosity changed to warm welcome, and Alex finally pulled the huge beast to a stop in front of a humble-looking hut where a man and woman stood with smiling faces.

Gently, Alex lowered Amber to the ground before leaping down himself, only to step forward and pull the man into a tight hug.

"Alex!"  The man spoke in a booming voice as he stepped back to get a good look at him.  On closer inspection, Amber realized that this man was an older version of Alex, though only by a few years.  His chestnut brown hair fell to his broad shoulders, and his sharp green eyes looked with warmth at his younger brother.  "It's about time you showed your face around here again," he joked.  "I was beginning to think you had fallen off the face of the earth!"

Alex grinned back as Amber looked on in amazement.  It was the first time she had seen Alex with a completely unguarded expression on his usually closed-up face.

"Perhaps I did," he joked back before turning his attention to the pretty dark-haired woman at his brother's side.  "Miriam."  She stepped up to him as he gave her an affectionate hug before stepping back.  "Keeping my brother out of trouble, I hope."