Once in a Life-Year

She focused. Sort of. She came to? Her hands… She could feel them, they tingled. But they were not tied. They were on her face, she was warm. There were arms around her. She was conscious. She pulled away abruptly. And then she could hear, and she remembered the conversation.
“Who are you? What are you doing? Don’t untie her!”
“She’s scared.”
“She is my prisoner!”
“She is not going to run away, she’s scared.”
“Who are you?” His voice had lowered. That is when she had pulled away, they both stared at her. Her eyes met a pair of red concerned eyes. He had high cheekbones and a prominent jaw. His hair was dirty blonde, long, tied in the back. His tunic so different than James’. Brown, and untied at the top. New, from the looks of it. He had woven trousers, that too, looked new. She glanced at her captor. He looked like he was ready to jump on her or kill her savior.
“Lucius, you can call me Luke.” He smiled at her, bowing with a kiss to her hand. She stood there stunned, “You are the woman I have been looking for all my life!”
“She is not! How do you know?” Her captor grumbled, moving to shove him aside.
“A prophecy told me. I would find her, ‘unbeknownst to her power she has been bound by blood and guarded’. I thought she was going to be bound by a blood contract, but she was bound by twine and the blood of her guardian was spilled. My Lady, if you would allow me. I would like to accompany your party.”
“No! You are not allowed to accompany us! I am getting rid of her to a bounty hunter in the next town!” She smiled,
“Anabella Burli-. Anabella Burton.” She curtseyed and smiled, “Why have you been searching for me?” His eyes darkened, nearly to black as he turned from her. With a frown he began,

“There was a village, far to the east of here, Heidlberg, a small village that had been overrun with Tzaders. Weists love Tzaders. And Dragons love Weists.” He hesitated.
“Your village was destroyed.” She stated for him, he nodded solemnly. “How can I help?” His face light up as a grin spread across his face. He placed his hands on her hips and spun her around.
“You are going to help!” She smiled,
“Help what?”
“Help create a new home!” She laughed,
“Alright then! Where shall we go?” He set her down, only for her to be jerked away.
“We are leaving.” He said simply, angrily.
“Wait- Wait- Wait! I said Wait!” She stopped, dug her feet into the ground, she stunned him, he let go. “How did you find us?” She turned her eyes to Luke, suddenly skeptical. “If you were so far east…”
“Jack!” He said gleefully, and then looked guilty, “I promised him you would help get the gold from my village.”
“How will I ...?” A short angry looking dwarf stepped out from behind a tree, black hair, braided beard, and bright blue eyes filled with skepticism. He walked up to her and reached for her skirt, but her captor smacked his hand away. The dwarf glared at him.
“Let us be gone. The more time here the more gold wasted.” He turned and walked away, Luke offered his hand to her and they all set off East, away from the path to town. She hesitated and glanced back to the grey-eyed man. Luke noticed.
“I thought you did not like him?” She looked at Luke,
“I do not.” She said quietly, Luke turned with a bright smile,
“Come on, Captor. You are a part of this too.”

He followed them. She never understood why. No- She did… A long time afterwards when she had stopped thinking about it. One day, she sat under a tree, next to a large still lake. She understood.