Escape from the Witch Hunters ✓

Chapter 7

Okay, this wasn't up yesterday because I was gone for most of the morning, and then the internet was being erratic. Enjoy! :) (I've fallen in love with the King's Singers over the weekend.)

Ryia opened her eyes. The sun was just about to rise, sending a pink hue through the trees and onto the forest floor.

But she wasn't outside. She was in a house. A very familiar house. Gillian's house.

She let out a squeak. How had she gotten back here? The last she knew, she was crumpled down in the woods with a coyote howling in the distance.

She looked at the edge of her bed to see Gillian in a crumpled heap lying against her, well his, bed.

"Oh no!" she pulled her covers back and carefully got out of bed, trying not to disturb Gillian.

She grabbed her crutch and made her way to the front door. A loud creeeaaak sounded as the hinges opened the door.

She held her breath as Gillian shifted.

He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the escaping figure of Ryia. "Where are you going?" he stood up quickly.

She looked nervously at him. "Since it's morning I'll be on my way, I'm terribly sorry for the way I inconvenienced you. If you will just point me in the right direct-"

"Ryia you aren't going anywhere." he walked over to the door and grabbed onto her arm and dragged her back inside. "Ryia look, I'm sorry for what I said last night. I wasn't thinking straight and I just let things get out of hand," he looked down guiltily, staring at the floor.

He paused for a couple minutes and Ryia wondered if he was going to continue. His hair was sticking up all over the place, making him look all the more harmless.

"i don't think you're capable of sorcery, and even if you were, I'd still hide you if the authorities came for you, and I actually found that I kind of maybe like having you here," he scratched his neck awkwardly, "and so maybe if you would reconsider turning yourself in..." he back at her with his sea blue eyes.

Ryia's breath got caught in her throat. "If you're sure I'm not being a burden or anything."

"Oh, you are a bother, but kind it's kind of nice to have a bother once in awhile." he answered quickly.

Ryia sighed. "Alright."

Gillian smiled before going outside to wash up.

How come he always has to ruin the sweet moments by saying something rude? she shook off the disappointed feeling and went over to the cupboard to get some flour, coming out empty.

"Gillian did you get more flour?" she called out the window.

She heard a muffled groan and something along the lines of, "I totally forgot about it."

"You forgot to get it?" she walked out the front door and stood there with her hands on her hips. (As best she could with a crutch under one arm.)

"No," his mouth twitched, "I just kind of tossed it on the front steps, and the sack may or may not have spilled."

He walked to the front steps where a bundle was sitting and started opening it up.

Thankfully there was no flour on any of the items in the bundle.

"Oh yeah." Gillian muttered.

He pulled a silk piece of scarlet material out of the bundle. Ryia gasped.

"I thought you might want this." Gillian mumbled. "Since I burned your other dress and all. And you said you could sew."

Ryia bit her lip, trying to keep her smile from getting too big. "Thank you so much, Gillian. It will be wonderful to feel like an actually lady again."