Let’s check up on the girl

It is just too cruel to leave a girl like that. Guys should know better. I wait until the twins are no longer in sight, then I crawl out of the ditch and head over to the girl. She lies there with her arms and legs wide open and her eyes half closed.

I kneel next to her and hold her hand. When she turns her head and sees me, I ask “Are you alright?”

“Uh, yeah.” She says. “Just … overwhelmed.”

“I can tell.” I tell her. “The twins got me like that 3 years ago. Shame on them for abandoning you like this. They should have stayed until you could tell them you were alright.”

“I-it’s fine.” The girl says as she touches her forehead. “I’ll be alright. What about you? Have you had your guy yet?”

“Not yet, I still have to find him.” I answer. “But I’ll make sure you are alright first. My name is Riannon. Need me to help you up?”

“Yes, thanks.” She says. “My name’s Igraine.”

“Well met, Igraine. Let me help you to the path. You will feel much better once we’re there.”

I know all the girls in the village, yet I have never seen Igraine before today. That makes it very easy for me to discover that she is with the traveler clan. So, as we are walking to the path, I tell her a bit about myself, and also about my father and how he used to be with her clan. At least before I was born.

“I see. So, you are the reason your dad had to leave his clan.” Igraine accuses me.

“Please don’t say it like that.” I say shyly. “It’s not like I meant for it to happen. Rather, I prefer to see myself as the person who kept my parents together.”

“It was just a joke. Don’t worry about it.” Igraine tells me. “But yeah, it’s great meeting you. I kinda feel it’s like meeting an estranged cousin for the first time.”

Igraine is right about that. I have always felt this particular traveler clan to be somewhat like a family to me. So, she really is something like an estranged cousin.

I keep on talking to Igraine about several other things and she is a really good listener. Eventually though, we start hearing footsteps. Igraine and I both turn to see who it is. A thick cloud has gotten in front of the moon, so it has become hard to see. All we notice is a humanoid figure. I pull Igraine to a tree. That way she and I can maybe blend in with it due to the darkness and remain unnoticed. As long as we stay calm. The person keeps getting closer to us, seemingly unaware, as he is simply walking and not stalking. I wonder if I can make out who it is. When he is close though, the clouds leave a little bit of moonlight through and I can actually see his face.