Ambrose saw the barest flare of shock cross the rescuer's face as he reached out to snag the girl. Watching as the man pulled his way back toward the river bank, Ambrose saw the other end of the rope firmly tugged by the girl's father, the end tied to a sturdy tree.
Both arms wrapped around the rock, Ambrose closed his eyes in relief.
The hand grabbing his arm shocked him out of his daze and his eyes flew open, spitting out a mouthful of water. The rescuer had returned.
Ambrose's arms were frozen stiff, too weak to let go of the rock. He felt a deceptively strong arm wrap around his chest and pull him free. His legs had no strength left in them and he let himself be dragged to the edge of the river.
Hands on his arms, face, tugging at the waist of his soaked trousers. He was lowered to the ground carefully, a thick blanket wrapping around him and a firm body supporting him from behind.
Shivering violently but pathetically grateful to be alive, Ambrose let himself be held for a few moments before opening his eyes. Nearby, the woman held her daughter in her arms, swathed in another blanket. The father was hovering next to Ambrose, the voices beginning to cut through the water clogging his ears.
"We got almost all the way across before the wood started to buckle under the rush," the man was explaining to someone. "My wife and son made it, but our horse got caught in the collapse. My daughter fell into the water before I could catch her. I jumped down and let the horse go across on its own, but I couldn't see where Lizzie was. Didn't get a chance to find her before this young man came from the other side and went in after her."
"Idiot nearly scared me to death, letting go of her like that," a deep voice above his head made Ambrose tilt his head up. The stranger looked down at him, giving his body a firm squeeze. "Yeah, you," he said roughly. "That was a brave thing, kid, but I could have caught the both of you."
"No reason to risk it," Ambrose rasped through a tight throat. "Knew you would catch her."
"You figure on me coming back for you, too?"
"Didn't matter, so long as she was safe," Ambrose shook with the reality of what had almost happened. He knew the Queen would be horrified if she found out what he had done.
The body supporting him released a shaky sigh. "Matters a lot," came the rumbled response. "People like you are a rare breed."
Both arms wrapped around the rock, Ambrose closed his eyes in relief.
The hand grabbing his arm shocked him out of his daze and his eyes flew open, spitting out a mouthful of water. The rescuer had returned.
Ambrose's arms were frozen stiff, too weak to let go of the rock. He felt a deceptively strong arm wrap around his chest and pull him free. His legs had no strength left in them and he let himself be dragged to the edge of the river.
Hands on his arms, face, tugging at the waist of his soaked trousers. He was lowered to the ground carefully, a thick blanket wrapping around him and a firm body supporting him from behind.
Shivering violently but pathetically grateful to be alive, Ambrose let himself be held for a few moments before opening his eyes. Nearby, the woman held her daughter in her arms, swathed in another blanket. The father was hovering next to Ambrose, the voices beginning to cut through the water clogging his ears.
"We got almost all the way across before the wood started to buckle under the rush," the man was explaining to someone. "My wife and son made it, but our horse got caught in the collapse. My daughter fell into the water before I could catch her. I jumped down and let the horse go across on its own, but I couldn't see where Lizzie was. Didn't get a chance to find her before this young man came from the other side and went in after her."
"Idiot nearly scared me to death, letting go of her like that," a deep voice above his head made Ambrose tilt his head up. The stranger looked down at him, giving his body a firm squeeze. "Yeah, you," he said roughly. "That was a brave thing, kid, but I could have caught the both of you."
"No reason to risk it," Ambrose rasped through a tight throat. "Knew you would catch her."
"You figure on me coming back for you, too?"
"Didn't matter, so long as she was safe," Ambrose shook with the reality of what had almost happened. He knew the Queen would be horrified if she found out what he had done.
The body supporting him released a shaky sigh. "Matters a lot," came the rumbled response. "People like you are a rare breed."
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Thanks so much!
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