"Wheat porridge is pretty sad for a last meal, isn't it?"
Even as he said it, Jame's brain was trying desperately to stop his mouth. The awkward air between them had forced him to go off half-cocked in an attempt to dispel the silence. Well, he technically did succeed in that, though at the cost of appearing to be the most insensitive person in the world.
"Oh God, I'm sorry. I was just trying to make conversation. I didn't mean-"
"It's fine, I understand. It's not like holding a grudge against you is going to help, anyway. If you want to apologize, you can keep me company for a while."
Perfect, now he felt like an even bigger ass. James sat on the stone floor, thick iron bars separating him from his new-found conversational partner. He hugged his legs close, making himself as small as possible while avoiding eye contact. He felt so terrible that he could barely look at her, and not just because of his little faux pas earlier. At dusk, her blood would be on his hands, as well as those of everyone else in the village.
He tried to justify her sacrifice, claiming that the lives of many justified the death of one, but he knew the truth. He was afraid to die. They all were. Most people would probably sacrifice another to extend their own lives, the weight of numbers only helped them justify their selfishness. Perhaps they did not even realize what they were doing. To be so ignorant would certainly be a blessing.
"Don't be like that, you're making me nervous. Everyone here refuses to look at me."
There he went again, upsetting the only guiltless person in this godforsaken town. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax before finally meeting her gaze. He had avoided looking at her much until now, but he was dimly aware that she was beautiful from the first time he saw her. Looking at her up-close, he had never imagined how much he had missed the mark.
She was beyond beautiful, almost unnatural. Long, immaculate crimson hair ran down her back, straight and smooth despite the days spent on nothing but a pile of hay. Her pale skin too showed no sign of her distress, a light dusting of freckles the only visible imperfections on an otherwise flawless expanse of creamy white, her tattered robes preserving her modesty and little else. It was perhaps fortunate that she had little to protect, her bust barely large-enough to visibly distend the loose cloth covering her. What she lacked on top was repaid and more by the curve of her hips, her thighs set wide-enough to instantly draw the eyes of any man, regardless of the depths of his self-pity.
James caught himself staring and lifted his eyes to meet hers, hoping that she did not notice. His breathing stopped when they met, breath stolen by the seemingly bottomless depth of the emerald pair staring back at him. Beauty, wisdom, nobility, maybe even perfection lay deep inside them, just beyond the surface. So much more laid inside, beckoning him further with promises he could not even begin to understand. He drew himself forward, his vision dimming around their vibrant glow. Then, nothing. Or rather, everything.
It took a moment for the young man to regain his senses, noticing too late that the girl before him was blushing something fierce, eyes cast down at the bowl in her hands. He hadn't been staring at her, had he? He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously, unsure whether he had caused her sudden discomfort. He grasped for words to fill the silence, still wary of his idle mind after his earlier blunder.
"Uhh, so where are you from? I don't remember seeing you around her before the other day."
It was true. Though the village was rather large, it was odd that such a woman could have avoided his notice, particularly when his brain simmered in hormones at the end of adolescence. Truth be told, when he looked at her, it was more of a rolling boil. She seemed about his age, so it would stand to reason that they would have met as children at some point, though he could not remember anyone quite like her. Such a woman would certainly stand out, even as a child.
"Oh, I only got here a few months ago. My family couldn't afford to support an adult, so I left. I guess I guess you could say I came to look for a husband. Ironic, isn't it?"
She was speaking, of course, of her misfortune. She was either a little too early or a bit too late. The sacrifice needed to be a virgin, a notable sticking point that would have saved her, had her search been just a bit faster or her arrival a bit later. More than her tragic virginity, James was struck by unfairness of her situation. She had no responsibility in this matter, yet she was going to have to die for their sins. She probably did not know about the town's patron before she was chosen to die for him. Few spoke about him even among family, much less to an outsider or new resident.
Even he knew relatively little. Despite being an adult in the eyes of the law, most of his kin considered him too young to bear the full weight of their responsibility. What little he knew could be summarized quite easily: by ancient contract, his town was was permanently indebted to some kind of demon or spirit for some long-gone favor. From his understanding, their benefactor had made relatively few demands during that time, so no one was ready for what had happened. They were hard-working, God-fearing men. The idea that they would be made to sacrifice a human had never even crossed their minds. Still, they could not really refuse. James himself did not know exactly what happened if they did, but the sense of desperation that permeated the town was a pretty good hint.
"You know, you never did tell me your name."
"James. I never got yours, either."
"Anna. Pleased to meet you."
Her hand slipped through the bars, grabbing his and initiating a weak shake. It was so small, so delicate in his. He could feel her heart beat, fast and hard with fear. She was trembling. He bit back the lump that grew in his throat. This was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. It wasn't just because she was so beautiful or that she did not even understand what was going on. Sacrificing someone in order to fulfill a contract made by one's ancestors was absolute insanity. How could anyone sign such an agreement, knowing what may happen to their descendants? Why were they held accountable? Regardless of what happened to the town, wouldn't giving her over be the same as murder? The whole thing was so fucked that he did not even notice his steadily tightening grip on Anna's hand until she squeaked, cringing in pain yet otherwise silent.
He let go of her hand and moved, his body acting before his brain caught up and stopped him. He knew what he was doing was stupid, but he also knew that he could not live with himself if he did nothing. More than that, he refused to acknowledge a world that would allow such a thing to happen. He would accept whatever happened from here on out, no matter the cost. Such a cruel world was not worth living in, anyway. With a loud clack, the door swung open, his key clattering inside the lock edifice. How about that, he was shaking.
"Get out. Run. I don't know how long my resolve will last."
She stood in the doorway, stopped at the threshold of her prison. Her hand found his, halting his shaking. She pulled on his softly, closing the door slowly. Before he knew it, his foot was in the door, his grip and will hardening against her gentle insistence. No fucking way, this was not happening. If he had to knock her out and drag her to safety, he would. From the moment he unlocked the door, he sealed his fate. He would be a traitor no matter what happened next, but he would be damned if he became a traitor and a murderer.
"I won't let you die."
"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me. Go and live, there's no reason for all of you to die." She was crying now. Distantly, he wondered if he was as well.
"This can't happen. Don't you see how wrong this is? Anyone who would ask that we sacrifice another human doesn't deserve our loyalty. I'll die if I have to, but I won't let them kill you."
"So what? If you walk away now, you'll forget all about this in a few years. Death is forever, James. You can't just throw your life away like that. You're too young to-"
"Don't you think I know that? I'm scared to death, but I've made up my mind. If I'll ever think that letting you die is fine, I don't want to live that long. Come on, we're getting out of here."
There he went again, speaking and acting without thinking. His hand held tightly around hers, whether from fear or a desire to prevent her from escaping he would never know. What he did know is that he needed to run. She dragged behind him, likely far less fit than he. He could not sneak past the outside guards, so he would need to catch them by surprise and escape before they knew what was going on. The forest was only a few hundred feet away. Once inside, they could likely escape. It was already dark and the wolves were on the prowl. Few would pursue them for long. Once he got there, he would figure things out. He had to.
