800 Years, the Long way Around (Join with Permission)

Erika rode down the street past neighborhoods with her windows rolled down, admiring the French country side. As the Massive pink vehicle drove down the little rode the smell of food wafted in from a little restaurant to the truck prompting Erika to pull over and park. Are you hungry? Erika made a duck bill with her hands and motioned to her mouth to try and get her point across, but would remove the keys from the ignition and exit the vehicle to go eat regardless of the knight's answer.

Anne-Marie's eyes followed Erika until she was out if sight, then turned to look out the front windshield. She suddenly opened the door, rushing out of the semi and out along the road. She managed to run a good 100 yards before she collapsed to her knees, coughing as her stasis took its toll on her body.

After about 7 minutes Erika would come back outside with two to go trays that contained baked chicken, fries, and aioli each seperated within the box. After she returned to the truck and looked inside and saw that the Anne-Marie was missing, a quick scan of her surroundings caught the glimmer of her armor. She quickly sucked on her tooth. Dummy. She felt a bit anxious and regretted leaving her to her own devices. Erika sat the food down and ran to the knight, carrying her back to the vehicle if necessary.

Anne-Marie loathed what she was feeling right now. How weak and clumsy 800 years had made her. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into the deepest pits of hell at that moment, but she could do nothing more than continue onward at that point. She more or less collapsed into the semi once she was brought back to it, closing her eyes and trying to sleep.

Here. Reaching back behind the passenger seat, Erika draped a pastel pink blanket over the knight. Though she knew that its softness would go unnoticed because of the maidens armo, it was the thought that counted, right? Erika sat the two to-go trays of food on the dash board. You should probably eat something. Oh right. She cleared her throat then said,
Set nourriture est le votre. tapping on one of the to-go boxes as she did so. Erika headed of to the airfield to drop off Anne-Marie while occasionally picking at her food, and letting her passenger rest.

(This food is for you)

Anne-Marie was quiet for a long time. She managed to make herself look so small despite her stature and the armor she was wearing, curling in on herself. She had, long ago, thought herself beyond tears, but an errant thought had hit her in the gut and caused her to silently cry as she rested. Anyone and everyone she knew was dead. The poor boy who had insisted on being her squire. Dead. The steed she had tamed and made her own. Dead. Every villager who she had ever met or made friends with. Gone, dead, buried, dust, ash. She let out a choked sob, and then pushed herself to sit up. "Laisse moi sortir. Laissez-moi sortir , je dois partir . S'il vous plaît. S'il vous plait, laissez-moi partir." She said suddenly, her voice broken and uncertain.

(Let me out. Let me out I need to leave. Please. Please let me go.)

Eat, rest, and then you can leave. The words were soft coming out of Erika's mouth. If you want to somberly wander in this place I won't stop you, but The professor's face gree deadly serious as she continued. But I can't help but feel that if I let someone like you die I won't be able to forgive myself. So please, manger et se reposer.

(Eat and rest)

Anne-Marie looked up at her, confused by her motivation. She had understood most of what she had been told, and it confused her. She had only just met this woman, and here she was, saying that she didn't want her to leave. To die. Anne-Marie. looked at the floor of the semi, then slowly reached for the take-out box, digging her gauntlet into the top and tearing it off, looking inside inquisitively.

Chicken, fried potatoes, and a garlic based dipping sauce, The professor matter of factly informed her passenger. It looks pretty tasty, you see. Erika kept facing forward focusing her attention towards the road. She reached to the pocket to her side and put on a pair of reflective sunglasses that had four eyelash-like protrusions on each side. Thanks.

Anne-Marie looked down at the meal curiously, then slid her left glove up. Her hand was a little bigger than the normal woman's, and the skin of her palm was rough and calloused from years of farmwork and holding a sword. The back side, however, was fair and unblemished, smooth, and almost beautiful.

A smile grew back on Erika's face as the knight began eating, and the professor visibly relaxed a little. Her driving also became a little smoother to accomodate for her eating passenger. Through her sunglasses and seemingly closed eyes Erika ever so slightly glanced over and noticed Anne-Marie's fair, beautiful skin, and felt her face grew warm. Her grip lightly, but audibly, tightened against the leather steering wheel.

Anne-Marie paused, glancing over at Erika curiously as she heard her hands tighten around the wheel. She searched for the words, and then slowly asked. "For...Forgive me, maiden fair... Are you well?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and sending her fiery red hair drifting over her face, casting her nose and cheeks in a red glow.

Hmm, Erika focused on her breathing: In, out, In. Yes of course. Erika turned the A/C on in the Semi, and completely lowered the temperature until her cheeks stopped being flushed. Even when the redness left her face though, she only lowered the force of the A/C not the temperature. All the while she would check to make sure that the blanket that she gave to Anne-Marie was doing its job as she tried to avoid looking directly at the beauty beside of her.

Anne-Marie frowned. She was conflicted. Obviously the woman beside her was not ok. She took off her other gauntlet, setting it on the floor beside the first, and then reached over to Erika, pressing the back of her hand against Erika's forehead and looking at her with some concern. "As-tu de la fièvre?"

(Do you have a fever?)

With a sudden inhale at the physical contact, Erika braked to a gradual stop. Erika's skin was silkily soft, but the layer of protective material that she laid over her skin made it feel tougher than it actually was. As they sat in the semi blocking a lane of none existent traffic, Erika felt a pang in her chest. Somewhere between jealousy, hunger, and anxiety. I, am, no. I um.

Anne-Marie slid closer to her, gently cupping one of Erika's cheeks with a hand. Not out of any romantic reason, but because she believed that the woman was having some sort of crisis. She held up four fingers, moving them in front of Erika's eyes, and softly asked. "Combien de doigts que je tenais jusqu'à?"

(How many fingers am I holding up?)

Anne-Marie was now holding Erika's face and the red came full force now through her protective layer of armor. Erika put the vehicle in park and turned her head away from Anne-Marie as much as she could without actually making the hand leave her cheek. Um, uh Erika struggled to make her tongue cooperate and do french. door, tra, no twa, katr. Yes katr. Erika rubbed magenta lips together and then swallowed nervously.

(One, two mispronounced, three mispronounced, three, four, and four again)

Anne-Marie pursed her lips, moving closer again to look in Erika's eyes once again. "Savez-vous où vous êtes?" She asked, growing more and more concerned by the moment as her new acquaintance continued to behave strangely.

(Do you know where you are?)

Of Course. Erika's mind raced down the streets that she had traveled today trying to remember their precise location. Instead she settled. France. Erika's hand slid to her own hip as she started to become self-conscious. You, kind of- Erika swallowed the words before they could leave her lips.

Anne-Marie's brows furrowed, and she looked around at the cabin of the semi. She shifted in her seat, knocking her food onto the floor of the front seat as she grabbed her cloak. She tore a piece of red cloth off, then grabbed a water bottle. She dumped the water on the strip of cloth and pressed the soaked rag to Erika's forehead, trying to cool her down.

As Anne-Marie wet her brow, Erika's breathing quickened. In, Out, In. Erika's hand went from her hip to slowly grabbing the the knight's towel holding hand. Wh, what about you? Erika said fully facing Anne-Marie. How are you? Erika placed her other now-warm hand on the side of the face in front of her and rubbed her thumb from over Anne-Marie's to her ear to brush away a few strands of the red-hot hair that made her face glow.

Anne-Marie looked at her curiously, unsure as to why Erika had made her stop. She felt her touches, gentle caresses that she handled felt in so long. She let out a long, deep breath, then smiled at Erika. "Je vais bien... Votre peau est très douce..."

(I'm fine... Your skin is very soft...)

I don't... This isn't how I usual- Erika swallowed again. Erika held Anne-Marie's hand slightly tighter, and as she did so she felt shame and guilt weigh heavy on her soul. There are people who deserve good things. I want too be one of them too. I think I'm. Erika's breathing got heavier and she scooted slightly closer to Anne-Marie.

Anne-Marie noticed her move closer, and stayed where she was. She continued to smile sweetly at Erika, moving her hand so that the grip was to ways, and giving the professor's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Je pense que vous êtes mieux que vous pensez que vous êtes..." She mumbled.

(I think you're better than you think you are...)

Anne-Marie was too good for her, so Erika needed time to get her mind straight. You see. Erika clenched her teeth together and tilted her head up to the ceiling as she slid her hand out of Anne-Marie's Maybe this could have been possible in a different time or a different life. Erika opened her door, and backed out of the vehicle.