Fan Fiction ❯ Dangerous Beauty ❯ Running ( Chapter 1 )

Two different worlds came together one dark desperate night. A woman dressed in a white cloak came running down the dark alley way. Her cloak flailed behind her as she ran. At the end of the alley way stood a man in a dark cloak. He was of a nobel personage. She collided with him. She had a fleeting glimpse of the man before she fainted.

All was black around Elise. She had the vague sense of movement but knew she was not walking. Kidnapped?! Her mind raced and she desperately tried to open her eyes. She peeked through her heavily lidded eyes. Her capture was tall and by the feel of his hold on her he was strong. She panicked. Elise knew she could not run from him. He would be able to hunt her down. She could do nothing but let sleep engulf her again. And again blackness took over.

The man looked at the exhausted girl in his arms. She was a mystery to him. He was on a mission for his king. He had been taking a shortcut to the village blacksmith to grant him sanctuary when he came upon this desperate creature. She had been wearing a cloak at the time she ran into him. As she stumbled backwards her hood came off to reveal cascades of long black curls. She looked up at him with fearful eyes. He need pulled at him. Then from over fear of over exhaustion she fainted. He ran to her and gathered her petite form to his chest. His mission pushed to the back of his mind, he headed back to his manor.

Elise awoke to a brightly decorated room. She was lying in a bed of the finest ebony. the sheets were satin and a creamy color. She focused on the rest of the room. The walls adorned beautiful paintings. Most were of the country side in the summer months. To her left were four floor to ceiling windows with satin draperies. Straight ahead of her was a life sized portrait of a man. To the left of the picture was a family coat of arms and to the right was a shield with two beautifully forged swords. the man in the painting stood at about six feet tall. He had dark strong features and hauntingly beautiful green eyes that pierced through Elise's skin as if trying to sear her soul. He was holding the shield and one of the swords. Was this the man who brought her here? Why? What was his purpose with her? And how did she get into this situation? Her mind began to rapidly think to everything that happened to this point.

A man had been visiting her father in the recent weeks. She knew he was leader of the Arots and was trying to proposition her father for weapons for a war. That was all she really knew of the man. He was rough and not pleasing to the eyes. It was one week ago today that he had last visited her father. She was told to leave the room when her father heard the horses. She decided to conceal herself in the next room to listen. She saw the man saunter into the room and take a seat at her father's table. “Where is she old man.” he snarled out. “She is out gathering supplies my lord” came her father's reply.

“It is of no matter. I require your assistance. I can pay you ten fold what the king can for your alliance.”

“My lord is generous but perhaps a better suited blacksmith could help you” replied her father.

“You are the best in all the lands of King Bilmarath. You wish no harm to your family.” he said knowingly.

This had the blacksmith's attention and the daughter's. What could this man want with her?

“You will forge weapons and armor for me. Have them ready in one week. And your daughter. She will be wed on that eve to me, or she will die.” the man walked out of her father's house and slammed the door. Elise ran from her hiding spot to comfort her father.

“Please father! Take comfort! What shall we do?” cried Elise.

“Elise, my only, you must flee! Run to King Bilmarath. He will give you sanctuary. You have a week to say goodbyes.”

She had tried to talk him into going with her but he would have none of it. So that night, one week later, she ran. SHe had heard the sounds of the horses, she screaming of people. She ran in terror of being discovered. The whole time praying for her father. It was then in the dark alley way she ran into a man. The same man she guessed who brought her here. And now she waited in a state of agitation to what will become of her. Exhaustion set in and she again fell asleep.