Chapter 46: Movie Night Round 2

"So Elise, tell us a little about yourself," I said, breaking the silence. "Where are you from?"

She sheepishly looked around before replying. "My full name is Elise Certf. I grew up in a village in the neighboring kingdom," she paused. "I’ve been an adventurer from a young age. I always had a knack for healing."

A look of fear crossed her face before she looked back down at the water.

"Take it slow. We aren’t going anywhere," I said, the others chiming in after. "If you don’t want to talk right now, we can just lounge, honestly," I said, kicking my legs up to float on my back. "Can you do this?" I teased.

Elise didn’t respond to my joke. She continued to sit there, frozen. Unfortunately, my joke fell completely flat. Elise stared blankly into the steam, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her knees.

The water rippled around her waist, but she looked like she was miles away, trapped back in that dark cavern.

Damara shot me a sharp glare, silently telling me to drop the subject. She waded across the pool, keeping her movements slow so she wouldn’t startle her.

"You don’t have to float like an idiot to relax," Damara said, settling onto the stone bench right beside Elise. She grabbed a small wooden bucket from the edge and scooped up some warm water. "Ignore him. Lean back and let me wash the rest of that cave out of your hair."

Elise blinked a few times, the present moment finally snapping back into focus. She slowly relaxed her grip and offered a tiny, trembling nod.

After washing, we dried ourselves and split into our own rooms to get dressed after saying goodbye to Sarah. Elise followed Damara to her room with Micro-Sarah perched on her shoulder.

Several minutes later, a knock sounded at my door. I opened it to reveal everyone in their jammies. Elise was dressed in one of Damara’s gowns. It flowed freely on her small frame.

"Wow!" I gasped, truly taken aback by the scene in front of me.

They followed me down to the main living area. I grabbed my phone, ordering a few items. They appeared instantly on the table next to me. I then typed DVD into the search bar.

"Here," I said, handing Damara my phone. "Find a movie to watch. I’m gonna go make us some snacks."

Grabbing the boxes, I made my way into the kitchen and began opening them one by one. A box of Rice Krispies, a large bag of marshmallows, and a tub of butter later, and I had made a large batch of Rice Krispie treats.

Another box contained candies and sweets to enjoy during the movie. I grabbed it and brought it to the living room, where Damara was currently trying to insert a disc into the TV screen.

"That’s not how that works..." I muttered, chuckling as I walked up to her. "Here," I said, grabbing the disc and placing it in the DVD player just below.

The intro sequence to Toy Story started to play.

"Ahh, classic. I’m sure you’ll love it," I added, making my way back to the kitchen and returning shortly after. "This is something I really enjoyed on Earth."

"Are the toys actually alive?!" Micro-Sarah gasped, pressing her tiny hands against the glass screen.

"Just watch and find out," I whispered, taking my spot on the couch.

I passed the plate of fresh Rice Krispie treats around the room. Katrina took a massive bite, her eyes going wide as the gooey marshmallow stretched between her teeth.

She chewed happily, pulling the sweet square apart with sticky fingers. Damara proved to be much more careful, taking small nibbles while keeping her focus locked on the bright screen flashing in front of us.

Elise sat nestled between them with a thick blanket pulled up over her knees. She held one of the treats in both hands, taking small bites. The bright colors and moving shapes on the screen completely captured her attention.

The heavy fear that had gripped her earlier was gone, replaced by a quiet sense of wonder, for the moment at least.

I leaned back into the cushions and let the familiar music wash over me, watching the glow of the television reflect in her eyes.

By the time the movie was over, all but myself had fallen asleep. The movie cut out, leaving a cacophony of heavy breathing sounds. Listening to them, I found myself being lulled to sleep.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Who could that be?" I groaned, cracking my eyes only to be blinded by the morning sun. "Shit, we all slept down here? My poor back," I moaned, rising to my feet.

The knocks came again, heavier, waking Elise in a panic as she grabbed Micro-Sarah almost immediately after. I got her attention, calming her down. Pointing to the door, I said, "Someone’s here," and left the room.

Opening the door revealed Calvin holding a basket with a bow on top. His burliness was even more apparent today as his shirt was skin tight.

"My guy. Where do you work out at?" I said, laughing after. "What brought you to my house this morning, Calvin?"

"May I come in?" He asked, walking past me. "Thank you. Uhh, these are from the bakery in town," he explained, placing the basket on the dining room table. "I came to check on Elise. And hopefully get some more answers."

He took a step toward the living room, but I moved faster. I slid into the hallway and planted my feet squarely in front of him, holding up a hand to cut off his path.

"Hold on a second," I whispered, keeping my voice as low as possible. "You cannot just walk in there."

Calvin stopped short. He looked down at me with a mix of confusion and mounting frustration. He was easily a head taller and built like a tank, but I refused to move an inch.

"Sam, I need to speak with her. My daughter is running out of time. The guild master is also breathing down my neck about what happened in those ruins."

"And Elise was tortured in that flooded cage for who knows how long," I shot back, keeping my tone firm but quiet. "She just had a massive panic attack from you knocking on the front door. She is terrified."

Calvin let out a heavy breath. His massive shoulders slumped as the adrenaline seemed to drain right out of him. He rubbed a thick hand over his face and looked back at the table.

"I understand," he muttered. "I apologize. My mind has been racing all night."

"We can talk," I said, pointing to the dining chairs. "But we do it out here. You do not ask her anything until she is fully awake and actually ready to speak."