I step out of the apothecary and admire the weather. The sunshine glints of my blonde waves and my green dress looks especially bright. The weather's been good as of late, and I'm glad, because of the toll the recent cold weather had taken on the district. I feel a slight breeze and welcome it as I sigh, continuing on my journey back home.
Father had asked me to get some minor pain medications, because mother uses these if she feels well enough for anything other than morphling. I am lost in thought about my mother's condition when I'm grabbed and pulled into an alley.
Startled, I wrench my grip from the offending hand and turn to face my... Attacker? Kidnapper?
There are two men leering at me. I gulp. They're from the Seam, and not the nicer part. I've heard stories like this; town women stolen and taken advantage of. Used, because we have money. Abused because we don't starve. I'm terrified.
The taller one, the lighter brown haired one, leans forward and says, "Hey, pretty. What d'you have there? Mind if I see?" He gives me a sinister smile and snatches my apothecary package.
"No!" I protest, "I need that."
"Please." I beg. I'm so scared. What will they do to me? Are they that cruel, to take advantage of me, in this alley?
He merely raises an eyebrow at me and rifles through the package. I look around me, and try to inch my way away from them, but the other man spots me and throws his arm over my throat, effectively keeping me up against the wall. I'm choking.
"Ah-ah-ah, little lady. You're not going anywhere." My eyes swim with tears. The taller one comes drops the package and comes forward. This is it. I think. Please, God, no.
One of them, I can't see which one through my tears, reaches up to my chest.
No.
The other one touches the hem of my skirt.
There's a hand on my thigh.
NO.
One button is undone. Another one follows.
I squeeze my eyes shut. I want to die.
And all of a sudden, the hands are gone. I hear commotion a few feet away. Blinking, I look up and see the taller man getting punched. The other one is already on the ground. I hear my savior say something, but I only catch snippets.
"Innocent". "Disgusting." "Go to hell." "Run, you coward!"
I've slidden down the wall, my tears have finally escaped. I only hear the sounds of running feet on the cobblestones.
I feel warm, gentle hands on my arms.
"Are you okay?" My savior asks. I can't do a thing but whimper.
He, whoever he is, scoops me up and makes soothing shh-ing noises, while I sniffle into his shirt. He smells like the earth and rain and fire. After a few minutes of walking I feel myself being lifted onto a table. I finally look up to see my savior.
What I see are dark grey eyes, in them a mixture of worry and relief. I take in his perfectly tanned skin, his strong jaw. I see his dark mussed hair, and note the bruise on his cheek.
I look away, embarassed at how he found me, he, who always occupies my mind. Why him? I don't like this train of thought and decide to pay attention to the older blonde woman fussing over me; the bruises on my neck and the one on my thigh.
My savior says a few words to the woman, takes one last look at me, and leaves.
I try not to think of my savior and his beautiful eyes. I try not to think of the bruise on his cheek. I try not to think about how Gale Hawthorne just saved my life. Because I surely would have died inside had those men gotten what they wanted. Gale saved me. And I had no idea how I could ever repay him.
