First story in a long time enemies ish to lovers non con and coercion ahead, Emma is 19.
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An easy job she thinks quietly to herself, observing the moonlight reflecting over the town, she watches as all is quiet in town as the moon is starting to set soon, four hours before sunrise. She looks up to the cloudy sky as the cold night air bites at her as she stalks down the town's alleys to her target. A bounty, no an assassination contract. A big one worth a lot she travelled all the way here to an unfamiliar kingdom to carry out, she thinks glancing to her left as she views the palace sitting still a few hours walk away from where she was In the city.
To her right a half-hour walk the gate of the city leading to the wilderness, her escape. She looks ahead into the street as she leans against a wall now facing towards the gate. A heavy set of footsteps approach as she watches them pass. Her target, right on time. A high-ranking knight named Ekira said to be part of an elite force slaying beasts, bounty hunters, and assassins for the king.
As she comes out of the alleyway holding her knife stalking behind him. At that moment he turns a corner and as she approaches she hears the distinct sound of an arrow fly from behind her as she is shot in the upper left shoulder, the poison from the arrow works quickly as she tries to run looking back only to see six men following her with malicious intent as she runs straight forgetting her target, as she makes it to the gate leading into the forest only to collapse onto the dirt road, looking back seeing a blurry bloody commotion she collapses.
A while later she awakens as a large dark figure stands over the bodies of the men who had chased her, looking up at that figure she recognises him as her target. His back towards her protectively, She grabs her dagger and stands quickly suddenly falling forward dizzy as the poison is still in her blood. He turns and looks at her his armour resembling something evil and terrifying dripping with splatters of fresh blood from his kills.
"you need to rest," he says his voice husky and commanding, without even looking at her.
Ella sits holding her dagger tightly, teeth clenched. He turns towards her stopping a few steps from her, so close to him she sees just how formidable he is, standing taller than most men he towers over her. His dark armour reveals nothing of what hides underneath. He kneels slowly and gently not wanting to scare her as he reaches out his hand,
"Will you let me deal with the arrow" He huskily whispers.
Emma glares at him and lunges at him to attack, he swiftly leans back as she tumbles, he raises an eyebrow at her attempt, feeling pity for the girl. He grabs the dagger preventing her from doing anything reckless as he glances at her, she sees his dark brown eyes widen slightly in both amusement and curiosity. She looks at him unsure of what to do.
"Please.. let me help." He says softly in a husky whisper trying not to scare her "You're hurt."
She pauses and gives up and nods, slightly angry. The knight chuckles quietly, admiring her fiery spirit.
He gently grabs her shoulder with one armoured hand to steady her as he grabs the arrow with the other as he gets ready to rip it out, he winces in sympathy as he pulls it out swiftly Emma yelps in response. She pulls the shoulder of her dress down allowing him to see the wound the arrow had left as he reaches into his trousers pocket behind his cuisses he pulls out some bandaging and starts applying pressure to the wound and bandaging it swiftly. She looks up at him both confused and appreciatively.
"Your name?" He asks boldly, she looks at him
"Emma," She says softly in an embarrassed whisper.
"Come, I will accompany you to your home... Emma" He says loudly taking time to pronounce her name enjoying how it rolls off his tongue.
"I don't have one," She says softly.
"Perhaps to the inn then?" He looks down at her and offers his hand
"You need rest," He says with concern in his voice as he looks at her wound.
She glares at him, slowly attempting to stand still dizzy. Sighing she looks up at him and nods feeling shame in accepting her target's help. She reaches for his hand as she stands closer to him his sheer size casts a shadow on her in the moonlight as they quietly walk to the nearby inn. He holds the door open for her as she walks into the warm inn, before she can go to speak to the innkeeper he hands the innkeeper enough gold to pay for five nights for her. A sly smile on his face is hidden by his helm as he looks at her having paid for her room so kindly. He takes a breath remembering his duties as his smile fades and he heads to leave for the door. The door shuts as she stands looking at the door so confused by this terrifying man, she turns and walks down the hall to her room. Entering the cozy room with a large bed, as she closes the door she walks to the bed collapsing for some well-needed rest.
She wakes the next morning at the sound of birds singing their morning dues, she sits up suddenly recalling last night's events. She stands up as she dresses her mind runs through everything that happened as she slowly realised the true target of the contract she took was her, those men were after her head.
She stops to question why this elaborate plan, "I suppose Efren the man I got the contract from was paid by King Matri to offer it to me and lure me here." She muttered to herself as she headed out of her room and out the back door of the inn into the quiet street as the sun beat down.
It was evening the streets were full and lively, so she stuck the alleys she gazed out at the streets longingly as she passed through the shadowy alleyways holding her cloak tightly against herself.
She had spent so long moving from place to place, never being able to stay anywhere for long. As she headed deeper into the city scanning the crowds for a sight of that man, she shook her head, unsure of why she even wanted to see him. She stopped under a bridge with many archways underneath she hid herself In the shadows glancing out into the world under the sun, the lively streets, seeing so many people coming in and out of their homes with their families and loved ones. She stared out for a while before stepping back further into the shadows as she walked deeper into the city her eyes surviving the people in markets, shops, streets, and finally those in front of the palace.
Watching as people pass her on their daily errands or just going for a stroll, seeing kids running and playing in the street something tugs at her from within a soft sombre feeling. Her eyes snap up as she sees someone up the street moving through the crowds in armour that seems similar she quickly makes her way through the crowds of people as she gets closer she stops in her tracks it's just a guard who happens to be tall, she continues wandering through the streets aimlessly as a shop of cloaks and furs catch her eye.
She walks up to the open stall like shop and leans over the bench feeling the furs on display as the old shopkeeper speaks to another customer further down. She eyes a beautiful soft white fur cloak a white bear fur cloak lined with white reindeer fur, a very rare find.