She felt her face flush and her breath stop as she listened to his words, when he took her hands in his she felt her insides turn into goo.
Think Sel, Think. Her brain poked at her as she felt hooked and drawn by those beautiful eyes.
"You'd... you'd really want to stay with us? Are you sure you'd be able to live with me? Like my brother tends to say I'm terrible." She said with a nervous chuckle.
Oh she couldn't deny the attraction. She wasn't sure what it was that drew her to him, but what she always had regarded as foolish fawning of the other girls from her village over the young men, she now couldn't deny that she was just as guilty of the same behaviour.
What saddened her though was that he was so set upon leaving. She really didn't want to think of that. 
But to leave herself? Leave her family home? If she had been alone she would have cast it all aside, but she wasn't alone. She had siblings that depended upon her. Her brother required medicine and treatment and if she pulled away Ella now, she would not be able to offer her any possible future of her own making. 
Her sense of reason reminded her romantic heart that love was nice, but was not enough to survive upon.
"Alaska?" She frowned at his words. "And live where? In what? What will we do for food or other supplies?" She felt like she needed to force some reality on him.
"If we just go with the clothes on our back we'll starve within the year." She said, knowing she had to pedal back and not scare him off.
"Listen..." She took better hold of his hands stepping even closer to look at him with earnest eyes.
"If it just had been me then I would have followed you to the ends of this world, but I have more than just me to worry about." She sighed heavily. "Edric's health is frail and he needs medicine regularly and if Ella wants to have a choice in her own future than I can't uproot them. The village and the Elders despite your protest have provided for their needs when I wasn't able to pay for it. They care in their own way, but if that shackles you too much I understand. I however am not as free to go as I please as you are. I suggest you stay for a while at least, garner some supplies before you begin your trek up North. I couldn't bear the thought of you starving out there." She stated before she took his face in her hands and gave him a chaste kiss upon his forehead.