My princess has gone, she’s gone again.
I’m at the end in seconds, my heart beating in my throat as I scan around the buildings for her.
Green eyes find me amongst the small crowd and I audibly release my breath.
Fuck I need to calm down.
Next to the greenhouses are Isla’s group, some of them looking around in awe, whilst others grip their weapons a little tighter.
Isla stands still amongst them, staring right at me.
What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours, princess?
As if she heard my thoughts, her emerald eyes are torn from my body and she moves closer to where Fauna is standing, looking at Ru like he hung the moon. How does that asshole get a girl to fall in love with him in three days, whereas my girl won’t even look at me for longer than a minute and it's been months.
‘Here is where we grow most of our crops,’ Ru motions to where the football pitch used to be. Now it has been made into our allotment. ‘Up there on the steeper stands we’ve made room for more crops to grow, ones that aren’t as dependent on sunlight. Then that side,’ he motions to the far side. ‘Is used for the chickens, and pigs. Over there is more the social side with the firepit and cooking.’
Sam, a large middle-aged man who is our chef, stands around a large pot deep in concentration as he helps little Archie slowlylower some bones — presumably from the cow we butchered last month — into the boiling water.
Some of the girls notice Archie’s cheery presence and the wide grin he gives Sam as the easy-natured gentleman pats the boy on the back. The interaction has a few of the girls murmuring between one another.
Ru notices and leads them over to introduce the newest members of our group.
I speed my way over, getting to the two before the others.
‘Sam,’ I say in greeting, then crouch down to ruffle Archie’s hair. ‘What you cooking up, little man?’
‘Bone broth,’ Archie replies with a gap-toothed grin and I smile back.
‘Smells unreal, I’m starving.’
‘You’re always starving, Liam lad.’ Sam chips in, causing Archie to giggle.
‘What can I say, I’m a big lad and with yours and Pam’s cooking I can never get enough.’
‘I’m Sam,’ he says in greeting to the group of women watching our interaction.
‘These ladies have come to look around, see if they would like to come stay.’ I explain, and someone snickers behind me, in hindsight, calling them ladies is probably not what they’d prefer to go by, but what's a guy supposed to do?
Archie, who has begun to tuck himself into my side at seeing the new group of people doesn’t say a peep. We’ve taught the lad well. Stranger danger and all of that.
‘Would you like to say hello Archie?’ Ru gently asks with as soft a smile as he can manage on his face.
Ru is a big, mean-looking fucker, but at least he tries for the kids. It was some getting used to at the start but now that they know him? They have him and the rest of us wrapped aroundtheir little fingers. He’d taken his mask off at some point and in my hurry to find my princess I’d forgotten to do the same.
I pull my mask backwards, allowing for the air to cool my warm skin.
Archie, seeing that my face is on show, takes it as his time to shine.
‘I’m Archie the sewing Chef.’ He announces with pride, and the cutest lisp in his speech.
Sam chuckles at his mispronunciation but Fauna is there introducing herself before anyone can correct him.
They each take turns saying their names and Archie’s eyes keep getting wider and wider at each one. We’ve not got many women who stay in the stadium, so seeing so many must be a little overwhelming for the little lad. Wee guy just stands there staring.
Before anyone can say anything else an ear piercing scream has us all moving into action.
Chapter twelve
