Snippet #2559122

Come With Me.

Yvette was annoyed. She prefered the shadows. Escort duty was not something she excelled at. On top of that the woman was known for being as eccentric and out there as they came.

Her scarf was draped around her neck. There was no need to hide her face for this job. In fact doing so might set off the professor. Perhaps that was the part that bothered Yve the most. The professor was a mess of phobias, fears and rules but they were not always consistent.

Yve had briefly considered hiring someone to pose as her to do all the meeting and talking to the professor so that she could watch from the shadows. She decided against it knowing that if the strange woman found even on inconsistency with things or began to think someone was watching her she might go ballistic. Even the woman’s reactions were all over the place. One minute crying because sand had somehow gotten into her shoe and thus meaning she had to change her whole outfit to yelling about how someone coughed on her to lecturing on the dangers of wind burn.

Yvette waited at the arranged meeting spot. When the blonde approached everything about her screamed odd woman walking.

“Professor. Nice to meet you. I will be your escort-” She put her hand out but was stopped in her tracks by the woman’s look.

Shit. Not even five minutes in.

“I do not shake hands. Now then do you have my transportation ready?”

Yve realized that it could have gone much worse and thanked her stars it hadn’t.

“Yes of course.”

“It is secure I trust and comfortable? You checked for damages or wear? You know one can die if one’s transportation has not been adequately maintained. In fact last year-”

“Yes professor. I checked on everything and ensured its most recent work.”

The woman wrung her hands. She did not look entirely convinced. Yvette looked her over. Her tone of voice did not fit the worried, wide eyes or the constant fidgeting. Yve had a feeling that the words, the requests were well practiced, like she was coached by someone within the group on how to appear less terrified than she clearly was.

Yve was still stiff and tense but the professor seemed to lose some of her practiced edge. “You know there are many dangers out there. In fact between random bands of-”

“Why don’t we discuss this along the way? It will keep our minds alert and watching for things if we talk about them.” Yve interjected not wishing to hear about the dangers that potentially lay ahead. She was well aware of them and someone listing them off made it feel like all of them could happen. Unlikely she knew but the things this woman said made it feel like the sky could drop on them any minute.

The journey won’t be the hard part it is not letting her drag me into her neurosis that will.
********************
A while later Yve sat in the back of a small but well maintained carriage with the professor. They were already behind schedule as the woman decided that Yve’s promise was not enough and she needed to inspect the passenger carriage for herself.

Midway through listening to Prof. Coleman talk about the design and engineering flaws Yvette was ready to pound her head against a wall. In her mind she pictured herself tying the woman up and gagging her for the entire journey. On the outside she remained calm, standing still and let the woman go about her business. It was no sense arguing with her.

They sat, Yvette staring at the back of the carriage and the professor staring fearfully out the window.

“Is that a coyote? I think I saw one. They hunt in packs you know.”

Yve sighed. “It is fine, the horses are faster and the driver is equipped with a weapon.”

“One can’t be too careful you know.” Alexia wrung her hands.

Yvette removed her scarf from about her neck. “Here, twist this. You are going to rub your hands raw.”

The woman looked up and then down at her hands. “Oh if I do that there is a 78% of infection due to foreign bodies.” She frowned and took the scarf. “Though there is a risk of infection from using something that has been in contact with your skin.” She looked torn for a moment.

Yvette, as gently as she could muster at that moment, put the scarf in the woman’s hands. “Lower risk with the scarf.”

“Yes. Yes.” The professor seemed to be mentally calculating it all out.
***************
They stopped for water at the halfway point. The land around them was sand, dust and the occasional scrub grass.

“I am surprised they sent a woman. Though I am quite-” Alexia struggled for the words. “Overwhelmed. No. Confused. No.”

“Anxious, nervous, awkward…” Yve offered. She received a heavy frown in return.

“Men are not my first choice of companion. Truth be told neither are women. Such fragile bodies and though able there is something to be said for human error.”

Yvette gave a huff. “You’d rather a machine I take it?”

“But of course. I designed well...you know.”

Yve barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Yes I know and I know you are working on something new. All secretive, I understand.”

“I simply find human beings to be illogical at times.”

Yve forced a smile and gestured for the cart. “Shall we get moving?”

The professor hesitated. What now! Yve inwardly screamed. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes. I exited this side but when I first entered the cart it was from the other side. Perhaps, for consistency I should enter once more from that side and reserve this side for exit only.”

Hands wiped her face as Yve tried desperately not to yell at the woman. Why it mattered what side she got in or out of baffled her.

“Well you do what you are most comfortable with but we should not delay too long. The horses are freshly watered and rested.”

“Yes of course but if I could have a moment to ponder this out….”

Yve’s hands balled up. “Of course.” She spoke through clenched teeth.

Turning her back on the professor her eyes raked over the land behind and to the distant sides of them. To the far east a dust cloud was forming.

Riders. It could be nothing but it could be something and Yvette wasn’t ready to risk it.

“Professor have you decided? The-” She turned and found herself alone. Stunned but not worried she went to the other side of the cart. Must have gone around to get in. The other side was empty as was the interiour.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Yve threw her hands up and began to look for the woman. Surely she couldn’t have gone far. She looked over the shoulder. The dust cloud was headed in what could be assumed to be their direction but there was a lot of land between them still.

“Professor? Professor?” Yve’s eyes raked the sand for footprints. What she found baffled her even more. It looked as if the woman had walked in a circle and then was gone. Not possible her lip twitched in annoyance.

She turned to check the dust cloud and saw shadows visible in the bottom. Riders. Their intentions were not clear but Yve wanted to move on before they had the chance to show that they did not mean anything good.

Something moving just in the corner of her vision made her head turn. With a low growl of frustration she ran over to where the professor knelt in the sand.

“A curious thing this little plant. See how it holds water inside? Imagine what we could do if we could carry water with us all the time and keep it fresh. Not just in canteens or such but I mean great loads of it or other liquids?”

Yve wanted to strangle Alexia. “I thought you were deciding what side to get into the carriage on?” She attempted to hide the anger behind the words.

“Oh yes...that...now let’s see.” Alexia stood and brushed off her dress.

“No time now professor.” She grabbed her by the arm and steered her towards their waiting ride. She put herself between Alexia and the approaching riders. The last thing she needed now was the woman in a panic when they had no idea if the small band was even coming to them or simply riding on.

“In we go.” Yve practically shoved the woman in.

“I do not-oh-stop pushing-what if this is-” Yvette turned a deaf ear.

“Go. Now.” She ordered the driver. She stood in the open door, balancing on the edge of the cart as they took off. She still couldn’t tell if they were coming to them or not but she was happier to be away.
*************************
They weren’t accosted. Yve had managed to get the moving with enough distance that it was not possible for the riders to catch up.

For her trouble she endured a lecture that lasted the greater part of the second half of their journey. The professor had an opinion on every point of the matter, all except the fact that they might have been followed, potentially attacked but Yve ensured that didn’t happen. Of course she might have had something to say about it if she had been aware that it had occurred. Yvette was grateful that the woman was blissfully unaware.

They arrived and Yvette was never so happy be alone as she was when Alexia went off with her new guards.

And I have to get her home again… Right now she was just happy to be rid of the woman. She didn’t know where she went or what she was doing while here but it was none of her business. Her job was protect her there and back.

Yvette went off to relax and find a very important thing.
***************
They met once more at the prescribed place. It was time to head back.

“Good morning professor. I hope your time here was productive.”

Alexia frowned, “Well I wouldn’t say productive I definitely hoped for better.”

Yve grit her teeth. “Well shall we get going?”

Alexia looked over the carriage just like last time. Yvette stood there trying not to look bored, just like last time.

They climbed in and set off.

“Here, I wanted to make sure we had plenty of water. I have heard it will be particularly dry this day as we head into the wastes.” She handed the other woman a canteen.

She received a nod of thanks and Alexia went back to staring out the window.

“I hope we do not see any coyotes this time. I am sure that is what I saw.” Alexia began rambling on and Yve tuned her out as best she could offering ‘yes’, ‘I see’, and interesting where applicable.

The canteen was opened and Alexia put it to her lips. Yve watched with baited breath as the woman drank.

It was long after the canteen was closed that Yvette watched as the woman’s eyes grew heavy, her speech more garbled and her head bobbed.

Yve smiled. The journey back would be far more enjoyable.