Sarah's Companion 33

The man knelt down before Sarah's bowed shivering figure.

Sarah felt so embarrassed. She thought she could do this with his training, she had felt so ready . . . but she'd fallen to the first thing that had gotten in her way.

A hand entered her view.

It moved to the underside of her head, under her chin.

With gentle force it pushed her upright to meet his gaze.

A tear streaked down her face removing any chance of her pulling off the tougher look she wanted to get away with in front of him.

The terrifying look of a few moments before had been replaced by one of the gentlest she'd seen him pull off . . . gentle for a battle scarred face which clearly hadn't seen society for a while could pull off anyway.

"That's it" said the man, "I'm coming with you"