Him and I (Declan Harp)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Just when you think you're so cold you could barely move, something makes you move. It was like I was frozen to the ground until I felt someone grab my arm and turn me over to face the sky. Out of instinct, my hand grips my knife and I'm quick to point it at the person.

Rivard stumbles back, away from us. His eyes go wide in shock, one of his hands holding out to calm me.

"Bloody Hell."

My hand shakes from the cold, the knife barley even steady. If it was a solider instead of a friend, I don't know what would happen.

Lowering my head and arm, Rivard is quick to grab me and sit me up. "Help him," I manage to shake out, nodding lightly over to Declan who seems to still be mostly unconscious.

Rivard grabs one side of Declan, hoisting him up. Somehow, I manage to stand and grab the other side of him.

I let Rivard lead the way while we seem to stagger in follow. We reach some of his men before I eventually drop to my knees. Two of Rivard's men take Declan and lay him in one of their small boats. They wrap him in fur as Rivard rushes over to me. He throws some fur over me, my body shaking from the cold.

"You have to get away from here, you understand?" He say and I nod. "We cannot keep you safe. Go North," He says, grabbing onto me and helping me up to my feet. I stagger to Declan's boat, laying opposite of him as my fur tickles my neck.

Looking at me, Ricard sighs and offers me some water that I eagerly take. "I'm sorry, this is your only chance of survival my friends."

With those words to hang in the air, we're pushed off into the river. The water is smooth, reminding me of the many rides Samoset had given to us. It seems to put me to sleep, the fur keeping me somewhat warm.

The small boat seems to shake slightly, waking me up from my sleep. The sky holds no close and the sun seems to heat up the ice that is starting to collect around the boat. Sitting up, I realize that the boat has come to a stop on the snowy ground.

"Declan," I said, my voice coming out raspy.

The man at my feet stirs slightly before his eyes open. When he speaks, it's so quiet that I wonder if I've heard him correctly, "Anna."

"It's okay, we'll find a place, soon," I said, holding the fur close to my body. My eyes look around, noticing a figure just up a small hill. "There's someone on the hill," I said, standing and climbing out of the small boat.

Declan lightly sits up, trying his best to help me as I pull him out of the boat and on his feet. We stagger our way through the deep snow, up the hill, until Declan collapses to his knees in front of the young girl. I do my best to hold him up, the weight and my side becoming too much for me as I look up at the little girl.

"Please, help us. Please."

With that, my body falls into the snow next to Declan and darkness takes over me.

I didn't dream when I fell unconscious, but I could tell that I must have come in and out of consciousness. I recalled being dragged through the snow as a language that I had never heard was spoken. I remember feeling warm, then pain.

My eyes opened, immediately meeting the ceiling of a tent. I hear the crackling of fire near me and can feel the warmth of fur draped over and under me. I start to sit up, my side aching slightly. I move the fur to see that I have fresh wrap over the wound, no blood showing.

The language I heard before comes to my ears, making me jump and look to the left of me. A man, looking somewhat similar to the young girl, sits by the fire with the young girl.