𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

XI - Upon The Surface

"See ya!" Isabel beams.

***

-3 days later-

"I'm so excited!" Isabel exclaimed. I chuckle at her enthusiasm as I continue to adjust my saddle on my horse during the early hours of morning. The sun was just peeking through the leaves that clung to trees branches.

"That's good. I'm sure my parents will love you." I respond checking my satchel. Clothes, snacks and water resided in the pouch and I mentally tick things off in my head. I look down at my attire. The usual uniform with my straps keeping everything secure. The cloak hanging effortlessly from my shoulders.

"What if they find out where I came from?" Isabel hesitantly asks motionless. I glance at her, her skin glowing in the morning sunlight. I smile at her warmly before approaching her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Where you come from doesn't matter. You're passed that place because you're beside me now." I pull her into a hug. "You're okay now. You, Farlan and Levi are all safe." I close my eyes and rest my chin on her shoulder, her arms slowly reaching around my figure. As she relaxed into the embrace, I heard multiple footsteps hurriedly approach us from the main building.

My eyes snap open to meet the boys and Hange sprinting towards us with Farlan and Levi lingering behind them more sensibly. I pulled away from Isabel and she turned in the same direction, a large smile stretching across her face as she watched the six people come towards us.

"You really planned on leaving without saying goodbye?!" Reece shouted. I flinched at the sudden outburst, considering it is still pretty early in the morning.

"Uh, no. I was going to finish up here and come find you guys." I lie. Truth is, I wasn't going to find them otherwise they'll drag the goodbye on for far too long. I mentally groan.

"Well we found you first!" Hange exclaimed as she tackled me to the ground and peppered my face in kisses. I screw up my face in a sense of happiness and disgust with a hint of pain from the fall.

"Hange, come on, this isn't necessary!" I strain with laughter. She ceased to show any sign of stopping until the weight was taken off me. I cough a little as I sit up and see Zion offering a hand out to pull me up and Sam gazing at Hange in his hand with a raised eyebrow. I turn to look at Isabel who was blurting something to Farlan and Levi before Levi placed a hand on her head.

"I still can't believe you're trusting someone you met a few days ago to take you to a completely different district." Farlan says with a dry chuckle.

"Of course I trust her. If you'd give her a chance, she's actually really kind." Isabel defends making my heart flutter with warmth. "You would know, right Bro?" She looked at Levi whose hand still remained on her head.

"I tolerate her. I don't trust her yet. But if you come back harmed in any way I won't hesitate to decapitate her." Levi blankly states resulting in me rolling my eyes.

"We'll be fine guys." I turn to the four people who stood looking at me. "We'll be back in a week."

"You better. But if she hurts you in any way, it's all of their lives at stake." Sam warns making me punch his shoulder at his bluntness.

"Alive or not, I will come stop you." I retort making us chuckle. I hug them all individually, a prolonged embrace for Hange who was being extra dramatic at our departure. Isabel sighed as she added to the hug and made the hugging circle larger. The three boys who stood aside eventually joined in, the remainder of Isabel's trio stood motionless watching the embrace clump slowly disperse.