𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒍

servo

I make my way quickly through the grass, growing closer and closer toward the hut of supplies. Many people are already inside the building, and when I'm about fifty feet away from the entrance, my right foot catches on something. I'm thrown to the ground, my heart stopping as I recall the details of my vision. All of my senses scream at me to stand up and get out of here as quickly as possible, but I ignore them painfully.

This is all part of the plan. Stick to the plan.

I wait for a moment, hoping that what I'm doing will end up helping me. But when it's been almost ten seconds of me on the ground, I begin to pick myself back up. That is, of course, until a flash of pink and black grabs me by the arm and yanks me the rest of the way up.

Gamora's eyes search me quickly, her height over me making me feel even smaller under her intense gaze. I expect to hear a loud, deadly voice, but instead hear a soothing, motherly tone.

"Are you alright?" I now see that her eyes don't hold an anger at me, but concern. "You need to get out of here. It's not safe."

I can only nod in response, and I turn to make my way to the supplies building but she grabs my arm tighter.

"No, you can't go in there." Her eyes widen in worry as she shakes her head. "They aren't hurting each other yet, but it's only a matter of time."

She pulls a large pack I had neglected to notice off her back and I begin to step away, unsure of how to handle this situation. She quickly pulls out a knife, along with some other small supplies and a small tote, shoving the items into my hands. I flinch when she forces the knife in my direction, but she gently opens my hand and places the handle in it, closing my fingers around it. She hastily puts the other supplies into the tote before I can get a good look at what she's given me, but I accept it gratefully as she steps back.

I open my mouth to try to say something, but only two words come out: "Thank you."

She smiles softly in return. "What's your name, young one?"

"Aveline. Aveline Ridley. You're Gamora, right?" I ask the question quickly, knowing that at any moment a fight could break out, putting the two of us right in the center. She nods her head with speed, acknowledging the lack of time as well.

"I am. I'd like to continue our chat, but could we meet at a different place? Here is... not safe." She speaks with a softness and vagueness that could only be attributed to a mother trying to explain something to a young child, and I can't help but wonder if she was taken away from a family.

"Sure. I'm probably going to try to get across the water, can we meet up at the shore at dusk tonight?" I make the proposition off the top of my head, and realize that I had already had my mind set on crossing the water though I hadn't put thought to it.

"A wise idea. I will attempt to make it to the shore by dusk, but do not worry if I'm not there. If I'm not there tonight, I will be tomorrow night. It was lovely meeting you, Aveline. Keep that knife on you, and don't go down without a fight." At this she turns and jogs off, and I can see the handles of two large swords poking out of her pack.

I pause for a moment, trying to understand the strange interaction, but am quickly thrown back into reality as an arrow flies in front of my face. I gasp and retract back, quickly beginning to run in the opposite direction of the arrow. I look over my shoulder in the direction that the arrow originally came from, but as I do I trip over myself once again, landing strange on my left knee. I go to stand and keep moving, but instantly fall again, my leg being unable to hold my weight. My breath quickens at the thought of not being able to move when I'm surrounded by a familiar blue. I'm lifted off the ground in an instant and raced across the field, the strong arms not letting me go even after I'm back on the ground. Pietro looks at me with a passionate worry, his hands already testing the swelling on my knee.

"Piet, I told you not to worry about me. And I barely even hurt my knee, I just wasn't expecting it to hurt as much as it did when I stood. You should be somewhere safe," I lightly scold him, though having him near for just the past few seconds has already calmed me down.

"And I told you to be safe, and look at you. You're talking to dangerous strangers, almost hit by an arrow which could have killed you had it been just a few inches closer, and a broken knee. I should be the one scolding you, not the other way around." Pietro doesn't take his eyes off my knee as he speaks, his worry boiling into a caring anger. Coming from anyone else, the words he spoke would make me nervous for what's coming next, but I know he isn't here to reprimand me. I take one of his hands in mine, and with my other hand I tilt his head up so I can meet his eyes.

"We both know my knee isn't broken, love. And I'm sorry that I was a bit irresponsible, but considering you had supposedly left before I spoke to Gamora and was almost hit by an arrow and shouldn't know that either of those happened, I think it's safe to say that we've both made some bad decisions already." I give Pietro a teasing smile as he rolls his eyes. He then scoops me up in his arms without warning, making a gasp escape my lips, which he laughs at lightly.

"Where to, princess?" Pietro asks, preparing to run to wherever I say. I look up at him as a thought comes to mind, a playful smile growing on my face.

"Can you run over water?"