Chapter one of my newest Ever After story. If you like it let me know it. hit the old review button and drop me a line or two.

1.

It had been three weeks since the Baroness had sold Danielle. Danielle had been keeping track althought she wasn't sure what for. She had been cruelly rejected by the man who only moments earlier had professed to love her. Humiliated in front of the king and queen by her stepmother. And now sold to an inn keeper In the largest Inn and Taveren in Brussels Belgium.

Now clad with irons on her ankles she made her way around the room serving food and drink to paying customers. Up at the bar was old Marcos. He was there every night bumming drinks until the inkeeper had him thrown out.

There were men sitting at the tables eating, drinking, and playing cards. While the musicians who were half soused themselves were stumbling through another song.

The most noise in the room came from the pit and drifted up through the cellar door. The pit was a fifteen by fifteen feet wide and seven feet deep hole in the cellar floor. Currently there were two gladitorial looking mercenaries down in it who were trying to beat each others brains out!

The shouting came from the onlookers who gather around the edges of the pit and made bets on the fights. Danielle reached the Bar and the bar keep filled her tray again. While he was doing this she eyed the key to her chains that was currently on a string around the Inn keepers neck. As he stood a few feet away. All she could do now was bide her time.

She would get away some how. for now she would keep working. She would decide where to go once she was free. Just then the door opened and gust of wind blew into the room. In with that gust of wind walked a tall young man about Danielle's age. He had dark hair and sharp blue eyes. He wore a bright red shirt, black trousers, and black animal skin jacket.

But what most of the men in the room were looking at was the black handled cutlass that rested in the scabbard on his back. Danielle watched with interest as the young man's eyes scanned the room and with a single look dared anyone to start something. Some of the men who had been boasting of their bravery now seemed to shrink in their chairs.

The bar keep turned to the Innkeeper.

"Gerard," he said, "That's Liam of Cranstis, the most feared Mercenary on the continent!" before the Innkeeper could reply he saw the young man coming toward him. The young man stopped next to Danielle but looked straight at the innkeeper. Then at the menu board. He laid a gold coin on the bar.

"Stew and Bread," he said in a voice that was quiet and commanding all at the same time. With that the young man turned and started toward a table over by the wall. He Had only taken a few steps when the bar keep spoke.

"Would you like some wine with your meal, sir," the young man turned and leveled another steely eyed stare at the bar keep that seem to say 'you know better than that'.

"Water, yes sir," replied the Bar keep. The young man turned and countined to his chosen table. Like a true mercenary he sat with his back to the wall. Within minutes his food was ready.

"Well, Francios," said the Innkeeper to bar keep, "Take him his food you know he doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

"Are you crazy," said Francios, "I'm not going anywhere near him again. Send the girl." For the first time her life Danielle was a little intimadated as she approached the young mercenary. He looked up at Danielle as she approached looking straight at her for the first time since he arrived. She was momentary taken aback when he gave a noticable start at the sight of her.

Quickly recovering her self she placed the food on the table in front of him. She was again surprised with for the first time since he had been there the young man smiled. And a very nice smile it was too.

"Thank you," he said graciously, placing another gold coin on her tray.

"Thank you, sir." She said. She walked back over to the bar. With her back to him, she didn't see his face change to a frown when he saw the irons on her legs. Danielle sat the tray down on the bar and reached for the coin. Suddenly she was slapped across the face, by the innkeeper.

"How dare you!" he snapped grabbing the coin. He was sticking it in his coin pouch when the room went silent again. The young mercenary had risen to his feet. He leveled a stare full of cold rage at the innkeeper. Danielle stood there holding the red mark on her cheek and watching as the courage drained out of the inn keeper. Without a word the inn keeper turned, laid the coin in Danielle's hand and hurried to the other end of the bar.

Nobody in the room drew an easy breath until the young man sat back down and resumed eating. A few minutes later the young man finished his meal and Danielle came over to collect the dishes.

He smiled again and she felt herself smiling back. The sensation was a little strange to her. She had not had much reason to smile since she had been there.

The heared the man say, "Beautiful red hair."

"Thank you," said Danielle, It was to hear a sincere compliment for once instead of the lude proposals she usually got from the rough characters in this place, "I don't get to take care of it as well as I used to."

Danielle gave the young man one more smile before turning and walking away. The young man's mind was racing.

"She doesn't even realize that I didn't compliment her hair out loud. She has an ability she's not even aware of yet, She must be who I think she is. Her telepathic abilities are a family trait. And the only family I know of besides mine who has them is the De Lancret family. She must be the long lost daughter of Nicole De Lancret!"

To be continued….

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