Step Back (AU)

VII

When I woke up, I noticed Elias was still here, but Greg and Luke had joined us. Luke raised an eyebrow but stood up and handed me a dress to wear.

Greg gave me stern look that made me shrink a little. He shakes his head, "I knew you shouldn't have gone fishing! You came back delirious and ready to fight. If Elias wasn't so perceptive, we'd be dead."

I narrow my eyes at him, "You went and started to play knights and dragons, Greg!"

Greg sighs and looks at Ruby, "You said she was calm."

Ruby shrugs and sighs, "Greg. She was half asleep when she got here. I told you I didn't know. Listen, dude."

Elias stands up and smiles, "Well, now that she's awake and well, I have to thank you for feeding me well and letting my clothing dry. It's past midday and I should start trying to catch up with the other two."

Ruby nods her head, "Anytime. Here's food for the ride and take hay for your horse, as well. Ride careful, will you?"

Elias chuckles and nods his head as he dresses up for the cold weather. He looks at me and smiles, "Oh, my lady, what a mess you've created."

I couldn't help, but look at Elias in shock, "I know."

Elias shakes his head, "No you don't. Let me explain it to you as you help me tie things to, Giselle."

Luke passes me my boots and Ruby's thick cloak. I shove them on and follow him out carrying the food that Ruby handed over to me. She gave me stern look that said, 'behave'.

I look down at my snow-covered boots as Elias saddled Giselle.

"Ruby insisted that Giselle should get a break from the saddle and get a dry blanket. I think Giselle liked it too much," Elias says with a light tone.

He hands me the blanket as he buckles the saddle up.

"I can tell that both you and Ruby grew up with strong mothers. Their strength is within the both of you. Knowing your reason of your anger. That makes sense to me as well, and I agree as well. You have the right to be angry. As a sister, you were correct to be worried. Perhaps you should've been a little more trusting as they are men and have risen to the occasion to protect you girls in a patriarch." He looks around and saw that nobody was close to listen. He grabs some hay and lets Giselle feast on it then turns towards me. "Harry has a lot on his plate as a traveler believe it or not. He has an important job being a traveler." He smiles at me kindly, "He has taken a liking to you and is quite curious of you." He laughs and shakes his head, "I guess he got what he was asking for, but I hope it doesn't weigh him down. He cannot afford such complex things to plague him."

I nod my head, "Elias, it wasn't to weigh him like that. When everything happened, I told him of things that haven't happened yet."

Elias nods his head, "I understand that, my lady. While you were sleeping, he came and just watched you as he ate. He's furious with you."

I felt confused, "Why?"

Elias laughs again, "You questioned him, my lady. You asked not to be slain by him. To him that is the worst thing possible. If your death is preventable. The man will be seeking the answer for you. Then you couldn't trust him. To him that breaks his heart."

I go to say something, and Elias shakes his head at me, "I know that is something weird to give, but for us it comes after a gift."

My eyes widen, "The swords." I press my hand against my chest, "Crap."

"Pardon?" Elias says.

"Oh! Sometimes that means like, verflixt. Darn." I sigh and continue, "If I wasn't so worried."

Elias puts his hand on my shoulder, "You had every right to be. I must go. I hope to see you sooner than later, my lady."

"Ride safe, Elias. Tell him I'm sorry for being so angry. I should've been calmer," I say scolding myself.

Elias snorts, "No, my lady. Surviving this age. You did what was right. I would've done the same. Your anger was correct. Do not dwell."

I nod my head, "Go, hurry. The snow is not letting up."

Elias smiles. I could only hope that one day he'd stop his travels and find a woman that loves him. "They aren't that far, my lady. They like me too much to leave me astray. Go back into the warmth."

I nod my head, "Okay. I will see you then." He nods his head and speeds out of the small town.

I walk into the house and put my outdoor wear away.

Ruby shakes her head, "Harry likes you. And you are being a dweeb! You are being a little clueless dweeb. Why are you being a dweeb?"

I sat there in shock, "He likes me?"

Greg groans and Luke picks up his sword, "Please cut my throat. Although this is amusing, it's also very painful."

Greg sits next to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders, "Wait, what do you mean? He was very obvious, Alina"

I start to fidget with my fingers but Ruby crouches down in front of me and grabs my hands. She raises a teasing eyebrow.

"Ruby! Don't make fun of me," I groan covering my face with my hands.

Greg laughs and hugs me close into him. "Has our little Alina ever had a boyfriend?"

I shove him and shake my head, "One, like freshman year. It was a senior and was trying to get into my pants."

Greg and Luke's expressions change into serious looks, "He didn't do anything did he?"

I shake my head, "No. When I said no, he backed off. I was lucky that it was him. We stayed together because he knew of other seniors that wanted me. He didn't want anything bad to happen. We stayed pretty good friends after that. Nobody messed with me. Which was awesome."

Ruby nods her head, "Which is the reason why you ultimately stayed single as well. The threat was well known."

I nod my head, "Yeah, but that is a good thing. Otherwise. I would've turned out to be someone different."

Luke snorts, "You think you wouldn't have met us if you had sex?"

I glare at him and roll my eyes, "I don't know. Maybe, I might've picked a different area to study." I lean back on my hands and look at all of them. "You know we all were specifically picked, right?"

Ruby nods, "For sure. They want people who are capable to survive. We are all very educated about the time era and have obvious athletic capabilities."

Luke nods, "I haven't really given it much thought. Right at the moment when we got here it was game on. Survive. Survive. I didn't give myself a chance to really dwell or try to reason why I was here. I just knew I needed to get home alive."

Greg lays down beside me and stares at the ceiling, "I can't believe we've been here for over a year."

I shake my head, "I don't even want to think about what has happened at home. I feel like when I think of it too hard, I start having a life crisis."

Greg shakes his head and groans, "No. Why did you say that? I hadn't given it much thought."

I hit his stomach, "Yeah, well I have. I've determined that nothing happened. Nothing happened."

Luke snorts, "In our ever-evolving world, heck yeah it did. Don't sell our world short. How dare you." Luke was being playful with us all now.

Greg stands up and pulls Ruby up hugging her close tucking his face into her neck, "We should start delivering food."

My stomach growls, "Then can we have dinner? I'm starving."

Ruby laughs and pulls me up, "Yes, child. Goodness." She hands me her head garment and I help her put it on then she re-does the braids in my hair. The boys were packing up the food as Ruby and I got ready to go outside. Then we switched jobs.

We stayed our distance when we delivered the food. I just hope the sick got better before Christmas came for the children's sake.