The path curved back toward the river as they drew nearer the village. They hiked up further until they were high above the water, which was now more of a gorge, splitting the land in two. Sam panted at JB's side and he felt her grab onto his elbow for balance on the rocky landscape.
"This . . . feels . . . treacherous!" she huffed.
"I won't let you fall," he promised. "Look, there's a big bridge that will take us to the other side and straight into the village." He pointed several yards ahead to a long arched bridge made of stone. On the other side, small waterfalls sprayed down a large mound of moss below clusters of stone houses. He watched Sam's eyes dart up from her feet and then widen at the view. They sparkled under her lashes, radiant as galaxies. Sam released his elbow and scurried ahead of him, practically leaping onto the bridge. He almost tripped over the edge of the cliff trying to catch up with her. "Good God, Sam, don't do that!"
"Hurry, I see some people on the other side!" she called. "I can't believe we're actually here!"
JB had barely caught up with her when she took his hand and flew across the bridge. She tugged him along and he skidded after her, out of breath and speechless. It was only when they reached the other side that he finally found his voice. "SAMANTHA!"
He clutched her shoulders firmly so she couldn't run off again, though it seemed the loudness of his voice had stunned her into stillness for the time being. "Sam, I know you're excited, but could you please try not to spontaneously run off?"
"Sorry," she said. "I would have waited for you to catch up, you know. I'm just anxious to see everything and find those people I saw." As she said this, she smiled at her surroundings. "I can't believe this is real!"
"Could you please just try not to disappear?" he said. "Last night really scared me with you falling into a trance and running into the forest. I keep worrying it might happen again and it doesn't help when you're nervous one moment, and the next you're dragging me across a bridge at full speed."
He felt her shoulders sink in his grasp and her smile faded. "I didn't even think about that," she said. "I'm so sorry."
JB offered her his arm and she rested her hand on it, letting him lead her into town. It didn't take long for them to spot passersby on their way. A man atop a large brown horse trotted past, tipping his hat at them. JB tipped his own hat in response and Sam curtseyed with an enormous grin on her face. As soon as the man was out of earshot she whispered, "He tipped his hat at us! We just interacted with a real eighteenth century person!" He could feel her hand trembling on his arm in excitement, though luckily she somehow maintained a posture that resembled composure.
JB turned into a narrow stone alleyway to avoid unnecessary run-ins before getting to the center of town. Sam grazed her free hand against the golden brown stone walls on the houses they passed, carefully scanning every crack in the cobblestone road, every shutter on every window, every leaf on every vine that drizzled across walls and arbors and fences. Occasionally they would spot herds of children rushing past with wooden toys and makeshift swords, all agiggle in the sunlight. A couple times they had to dart out of the way when window shutters snapped open and women flung their towels against the sill to beat off dust. JB's mood brightened as they traveled—probably because it was such a lovely day, he told himself. It certainly had nothing to do with the sheer delight on Sam's face or the way her hand squeezed on his arm each time something new excited her.
He knew they were close to their destination when the mingling sounds of voices, footsteps, and hooves crescendoed into a full on symphony. Flashes of movement and color zipped about on the other end of the alley. JB led the shaking Sam out into the wide open square where they finally had a full view of a bustling marketplace. Several tents and makeshift storefronts lined the square while shoppers and pedestrians mingled and sampled products. Occasionally, women glided past, balancing trays of cheese and other goods on their heads, kids scurried about with bundles of vegetables and flour, vendors with wheelbarrows and baskets made their rounds and approached potential clients. To their left, a stand labeled Boulangerie displayed a variety of bread products, from little rolls to bulky round loaves. A short, stocky man in an apron and white cap held out a tray of steaming buns while a boy inside the shop slid dough into an earthen oven, which exhaled clouds of a warm, yeasty aroma only recognizable as fresh baked bread.
JB could not help but glance at Sam to watch her reaction. She gazed with her mouth slightly agape, eyes glistening. She was all passion and stardust and dreams as she whispered, "It's even lovelier than I imagined."