Bandit Bride
Ten
“How big is the bounty on your head, anyways?”
“Probably not very big.”
Felix had been trying his best to be active and awake despite his head injury and the awful pain in his back. He had been good about sticking to the Colwort, though the taste hadn’t been favorable in the least. He had to admit, he was glad to have Elisa there. He probably owed her his life. Even if she talked a little too much at times. Waking up next to her was strange, but he wasn’t uncomfortable with it. It was actually kind of nice.
“What makes you say that?” she asked. “You’re not confident in the severity of your crimes?”
“No,” he chuckled. “I really have never done anything that bad. Petty theft and highway robbery. Just enough to get by and provide. I’ve never hurt anyone. Or killed anyone. I’ve never messed with anyone who could afford to charge anything against me. Well, up until now, I suppose.”
“I came willingly,” she said. “You didn’t hurt me. You wouldn’t have.”
“This could be considered kidnapping,” he shrugged.
“Well I know that I would never do that to you,” she promised.
They walked in silence for a little while, both looking down at their feet. It was almost alarming that Felix felt so at ease around her. It had been a long time since he had been this way. He could’ve sworn it was in his head, but he had begun to wonder if she had felt that way too. He shook the thought from his mind. That wasn’t possible. He must’ve looked too far into the excessive hugging. She would’ve hugged everyone else too, if they weren’t menacing like Allen.
“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t hurt you,” he said. “You don’t know me that well.”
“I do,” she said confidently. “You would’ve done it by now.”
Felix raised a brow, then reached over and pushed her to the side. She helped and stumbled a couple of steps before falling on her rear in the soft grass.
“See?”
“That’s different,” she said, glaring at him. “That’s just being a jerk.”
“I am... criminal scum,” he said, sighing dramatically. “The lifestyle. It changes a man- Hey!”
She had gotten up and shoved him back, but he grabbed on to her elbow. They both fell back against a tree and Felix winced, the force of her running into him causing him to hit his head again.
“Oh,” she said softly. “Okay, truce. We’re done. Are you alright?”
“I’m... fine.”
He realized how close they were, with him still holding her arms and her up against his chest. He found himself leaning in to where their noses brushed, but felt her tense up. He quickly drew back, letting go of her.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I overstepped.”
She seemed frozen and stunned as he stepped away, picking up the compass that had fallen during their little scuffle.
“No,” she said suddenly. “You didn’t, I just-“
“We should really get back,” he interrupted.
She still seemed a little off her guard, and he gave her a reassuring smile.
“It’s okay,” he promised. “We can think about it later. Maybe after we sell everything off. From your wedding.”
She snapped out of her daze and nodded, clearing her throat. Felix had remembered all too suddenly that she had been engaged to be married not too long ago. She ran from her wedding. Felix didn’t need to be putting that sort of pressure on her again, especially if she didn’t want it.
They didn’t talk much more until they finally met everyone else, who had made camp and had been waiting along the river. Jack took off running and hugged Felix, who tried not to wince in pain.
“You can’t do that!” Jack shouted. “You can’t leave me all alone!”
“You weren’t alone.”
Jack stepped back and gave Felix a look, and he knew what his younger brother really meant. He was afraid Felix would leave the same way Anthony did.
“I’ll never leave you alone,” Felix assured him. “Someone has to remind you that you’re a little twerp. Even if I go away for a little bit, I’ll always come back.”
This seemed to ease Jack’s mind a little bit, and they walked back to everyone at camp. They explained everything that happened, save for the few moments they had chosen to keep between themselves. The only one who seemed to notice the new shy divide between them was Burns, who judged him lightly.
“It’s nothing,” Felix lied.
Burns gave him a look.
“Fine,” Felix sighed. “Its a little more than nothing. I don’t want to talk about it. I just made a bad move.”
Burns seemed to understand, nodding and patting Felix on the back. Luckily, the rest of the trip to Camsir went without incident. As they neared the town the sea came into view, and Elisa’s eyes lit up like the glimmer of the sun reflecting off the water.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, breathless. “The water looks so clear.”
“It’s nice,” Felix shrugged. “We can get a better look tomorrow. Once we’re settled.”
She glanced over and he felt himself turn red.
“I mean us, as in all of us,” he said. “You know what I mean. Uh, let’s just go.”
He mentally kicked himself for making it so awkward, moving a few feet ahead to create a bit of distance between him and the rest of the group. Some leader he was. He felt like nothing but a pile of goo.
“Probably not very big.”
Felix had been trying his best to be active and awake despite his head injury and the awful pain in his back. He had been good about sticking to the Colwort, though the taste hadn’t been favorable in the least. He had to admit, he was glad to have Elisa there. He probably owed her his life. Even if she talked a little too much at times. Waking up next to her was strange, but he wasn’t uncomfortable with it. It was actually kind of nice.
“What makes you say that?” she asked. “You’re not confident in the severity of your crimes?”
“No,” he chuckled. “I really have never done anything that bad. Petty theft and highway robbery. Just enough to get by and provide. I’ve never hurt anyone. Or killed anyone. I’ve never messed with anyone who could afford to charge anything against me. Well, up until now, I suppose.”
“I came willingly,” she said. “You didn’t hurt me. You wouldn’t have.”
“This could be considered kidnapping,” he shrugged.
“Well I know that I would never do that to you,” she promised.
They walked in silence for a little while, both looking down at their feet. It was almost alarming that Felix felt so at ease around her. It had been a long time since he had been this way. He could’ve sworn it was in his head, but he had begun to wonder if she had felt that way too. He shook the thought from his mind. That wasn’t possible. He must’ve looked too far into the excessive hugging. She would’ve hugged everyone else too, if they weren’t menacing like Allen.
“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t hurt you,” he said. “You don’t know me that well.”
“I do,” she said confidently. “You would’ve done it by now.”
Felix raised a brow, then reached over and pushed her to the side. She helped and stumbled a couple of steps before falling on her rear in the soft grass.
“See?”
“That’s different,” she said, glaring at him. “That’s just being a jerk.”
“I am... criminal scum,” he said, sighing dramatically. “The lifestyle. It changes a man- Hey!”
She had gotten up and shoved him back, but he grabbed on to her elbow. They both fell back against a tree and Felix winced, the force of her running into him causing him to hit his head again.
“Oh,” she said softly. “Okay, truce. We’re done. Are you alright?”
“I’m... fine.”
He realized how close they were, with him still holding her arms and her up against his chest. He found himself leaning in to where their noses brushed, but felt her tense up. He quickly drew back, letting go of her.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I overstepped.”
She seemed frozen and stunned as he stepped away, picking up the compass that had fallen during their little scuffle.
“No,” she said suddenly. “You didn’t, I just-“
“We should really get back,” he interrupted.
She still seemed a little off her guard, and he gave her a reassuring smile.
“It’s okay,” he promised. “We can think about it later. Maybe after we sell everything off. From your wedding.”
She snapped out of her daze and nodded, clearing her throat. Felix had remembered all too suddenly that she had been engaged to be married not too long ago. She ran from her wedding. Felix didn’t need to be putting that sort of pressure on her again, especially if she didn’t want it.
They didn’t talk much more until they finally met everyone else, who had made camp and had been waiting along the river. Jack took off running and hugged Felix, who tried not to wince in pain.
“You can’t do that!” Jack shouted. “You can’t leave me all alone!”
“You weren’t alone.”
Jack stepped back and gave Felix a look, and he knew what his younger brother really meant. He was afraid Felix would leave the same way Anthony did.
“I’ll never leave you alone,” Felix assured him. “Someone has to remind you that you’re a little twerp. Even if I go away for a little bit, I’ll always come back.”
This seemed to ease Jack’s mind a little bit, and they walked back to everyone at camp. They explained everything that happened, save for the few moments they had chosen to keep between themselves. The only one who seemed to notice the new shy divide between them was Burns, who judged him lightly.
“It’s nothing,” Felix lied.
Burns gave him a look.
“Fine,” Felix sighed. “Its a little more than nothing. I don’t want to talk about it. I just made a bad move.”
Burns seemed to understand, nodding and patting Felix on the back. Luckily, the rest of the trip to Camsir went without incident. As they neared the town the sea came into view, and Elisa’s eyes lit up like the glimmer of the sun reflecting off the water.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, breathless. “The water looks so clear.”
“It’s nice,” Felix shrugged. “We can get a better look tomorrow. Once we’re settled.”
She glanced over and he felt himself turn red.
“I mean us, as in all of us,” he said. “You know what I mean. Uh, let’s just go.”
He mentally kicked himself for making it so awkward, moving a few feet ahead to create a bit of distance between him and the rest of the group. Some leader he was. He felt like nothing but a pile of goo.