AN: Ah! I'm sorry I fell behind! I'm just so slow at editing and then Darth Real Life really got in the way last week as well. However, this chapter turned out much longer than usual! So the lead up to the Mature chapter is this one here and the next part will be posted in Closer to Heaven very soon. Please review and let me know what you think! A million thank-you's to cantate who gave me some fantastic, much needed suggestions for this chapter! If you haven't read her stories, search them up :) Enjoy :)

Oh! And you guys! I met Ewan in New York! He was so amazing and nice, he took a pic with me, and even remembered me when I saw his play a second time, asked me how I was, told me to take care and then commented on my Instagram! One of the nicest guys out there :D

Cold, dry snow fell to the ground in flakes so large they seemed more like chunks - frozen doom, hell bent on burying everything below. Even her. Elleree prayed she might pass out and be spared the rest of this night. Damn the early snow, and damn every man alive. Damn all of England too.

She could not take one more step. Her entire body had begun to shake. Elleree pulled her cloak tighter around her body, crossing her arms protectively over her chest but it made no difference. She could not stop her body's trembling.

For some reason though she couldn't convince herself that it was because of the cold; she couldn't feel it. Her mind was foggy and she couldn't feel anything except the sharp sting that burned the entire left side of her face. That was all she could think of.

Smack!

He'd hit her. She wondered if he'd broken anything, it certainly hurt well enough.

Gritting her teeth, Elleree forced herself to cross the street, spotting an archway with no snow beneath it. Not yet, anyway. At least she could huddle there for one moment, catch her breath and gather her wits without fear of being buried alive.

Slow, stumbling steps took her to the little alcove. No one else was about and the snow made it seem eerily quiet although she could tell a storm was kicking up. It would be a blizzard before long.

Her legs gave out as soon as she stopped moving but she was able to press against the stone wall, sliding down until she was huddled on the cold ground. Just one moment, she thought. I'll just sit here for a minute.

She couldn't think. Her brain felt as frozen as her fingers. She tucked her hands further under her arms, cursing herself. She couldn't think of where to go, what to do. She couldn't think of anyone. She didn't want to bother Annie but perhaps that was her only choice. Still her house was on the other side of town and she had no idea if she could make it there. Elleree didn't think she could.

Smack.

When she had taken the job helping the baker, she'd known what kind of man he was but it was a good job with a room to sleep in. Money and keep she earned and she had been proud. She thought she could handle him. How stupid she'd been.

The stinging slap he had bestowed her played in her mind over and over. Nothing, nothing had ever hurt so much. The shaking grew worse. Elleree buried her face against her arms.

Just one more minute she thought. Then everything grew hazy.

The ale was good and the company was decent - an evening with his men - but after an hour or so Elmont found his heart was just not in it. The men were becoming a little louder and a little more rowdy with each glass yet Elmont was thinking only of his quiet chambers and his bookshelf. A glance out the window told him the snow was picking up. The lads were sure to be here for quite awhile, but the last thing Elmont wanted was to be stuck at that tavern for the night. The servants were probably lighting a fire in his hearth at this very moment.

That thought was enough to spur Elmont to finish his ale and decide to call it a night. With a jovial slap on the back he bid his farewell to Crawe and was able to slip out unnoticed by anyone else amidst the good cheer.

Peace and prosperity seemed to be reigning in Cloister at the moment, with the aid of a bountiful summer, but Elmont knew those illusions could never last forever. If this early snow was any indication it would be a long, tough winter. Something more than that niggled in the back of his mind, something unsettling that he could not quell, and he was glad to be leaving.

The tavern was near enough the castle, but snow was beginning to collect in powdery drifts along the streets and Elmont took his horse at a slow pace, enjoying the peace, contemplative.

He wished he could put a finger on what was bothering him - perhaps only the unseasonably bad weather. He worried whether all the kingdom's inhabitants had been able to prepare for the storm that was sure to

build through the night.

It was then he saw a figure in the distance, on the otherwise deserted street. His worry and alertness peaked as the figure stumbled a little and then sat to huddle under the arch of nearby doorway. He had a bad feeling about this...

Elmont urged his horse forward with haste.

As he approached the poor soul, he felt he could discern from the stature and form immediately that it was a woman. He jumped off his horse, concern spurring him into action.

The cloak looked familiar. No...no it could not be. She had a place to stay, she was safe. This person was smaller...younger...

Elmont crouched, grasping the girl by the arms. When her head did not raise, he gave a little shake to her shoulders, growing more anxious by the second. She made a little murmur and Elmont could not stand not knowing any longer. He gently grasped her head, lifting it so he could peek beneath the cloak of her hood. His heart froze.

"Elleree!"

"Hmmmm." Her eyes fluttered, meeting his for one moment. "John..." Then they slipped closed again.

"Elleree," he shook her again. "What happened?"

Her eyes opened, dark and hazy and she shook her head once. "He hur...hurt."

Elmont helped her to sit up, drawing her closer and he felt her trembling. "Elleree..." Oh, this was not good. Someone had hurt her, he had an idea just who it might've been and now she was out here freezing. He wondered how long she had been outside then he jumped into action, his mind whirring with a list of everything he should do - he had to get her warm, someplace safe and sheltered. He had to save her. It was the right thing to do, afterall.

Elmont had seen men suffer before from prolonged exposure to the cold, seen them tremble and freeze and pass from this world. He prayed this would not be her as he shifted to scoop her into his arms. Perhaps she had not been out here for too long. He had only just seen her stumble to the ground. She was shivering still, that was a good sign.

Carefully he slid his arm around her waist, brushing his lips over her ear. "C'mon Elleree. Can you stand? Stay with me, Elleree."

She murmured, insensible, in response. It's something at least, he couldn't help but think.

Elmont helped lift her to her feet. She could barely hold her own weight at first but then she seemed to gather herself and was able to walk leaning heavily on him.

"Elleree?"

"I - I'm okay."

He kept his arms tight around her, hoping it would warm her as well as support her and somehow managed to get her on top of his horse before swinging up quickly behind her. She fell back into his chest, cold and trembling and he wrapped one arm tight around her waist to keep her secure and nestled against his body.

For one moment he spurred his horse forward with no clue of where he was going to take her. She had nowhere to go and he could not bring her to the castle. He needed to watch her, to care for her and make her safe - he felt this with the same determination he had done everything else in his life. He did not pause to wonder how she had so quickly become so important to him.

At once the answer came - his home, on his family's estate. It was not too far and it was secluded and private. He could light all the fires, wrap her up in every quilt in the house and watch her all night. The thought made him feel a surge of protective affection, and he could not help but draw her tighter against him.

She murmured again, soft, but her shivering had lessened and he gave a sigh of relief. She wasn't as tense in his arms, and he felt her breathing deepen and even with each passing minute. As her heart seemed to grow stronger, his finally began to calm.

After ten minutes they were approaching his home. Elleree was relaxing cozily against his chest and her breathing was normal. He was almost loathe to break the moment.

"We're here, Elleree," he spoke gently as he slowed his horse to a stop.

"Hm. Where?"

She turned to look up at him, her eyes soft but clear and he couldn't help but smile. "At my home."

"The castle?" She frowned, shifting in his arms and lifting her head.

"No," he drew her closer, comforting her. "My home, on my family's estate. We need to get you warm, and get you something to eat and drink."

"Oh - 'kay."

He breathed, relieved. "Alright?" He asked as he helped her to sit forward, his lips brushing against her ear.

Elleree took a shaky breath and nodded bracing herself with her hands against the horses neck. Elmont pressed his hands to her waist as he moved back, to assure himself she was steady without the support of his body.

When he was as sure as he could be, he dismounted swiftly. He helped her down easily, wrapping his arms around her and setting her gently on her feet. She wavered a little but did not collapse. When she was steady, he guided her, slow and careful, into his home, letting go only to open the door. Seeing her standing on her own, he breathed a sigh of relief at the strength she had seemed to regain and took a look around his home.

The house was dark and cold, Elmont had not been there in weeks, but everything was as he'd left it and the sturdy walls kept out the biting chill of the wind and the snow.

Elleree followed his outstretched arm through the doorway and came to stand in the very center of the room her arms wrapped around herself as she glanced about warily. Since she had now began to recover physically, he could see her emotional hurt as she raised her guard. Fear was clear and sharp in her eyes and he wondered again what had happened, how badly she had been hurt.

Elmont secured the door and then he kept one eye on her even as he went to work, lighting the lanterns and starting the fire in the hearth as if she might collapse or bolt for the door at any second.

For one moment he considered changing out of his armor, but then Elleree looked to him, her hazel eyes wide and vulnerable, her lips full and almost trembling. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, take her to bed and never let go - as his chest tightened, his heart thudded inside it and he decided he could use all the armor he had for now.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, his voice unexpectedly gruff. He cleared his throat.

Elleree took a breath, then nodded after a moment.

Elmont returned her gesture with a curt nod of his own and went for his satchel where he had rations left over. Elleree turned to head for his table, but he shook his head, nodding toward the couch in front of the hearth.

"Go and sit by the fire, I'll be there in a moment."

Elleree nodded, and they looked at each other for one moment, blue eyes locked on hazel, before she lowered her eyes. She had not said one word since he'd brought her into his house and Elmont repressed a sigh. If only he could figure out what was in that head of hers...

He thought back to their encounter a month ago. The kiss. He'd kissed her - and she had most certainly kissed him back - but clearly now she was completely on guard. Afraid. Afraid of men? Afraid of him.

He made a mental note to give her as much space as possible. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he had brought her here for his own gain, to take advantage of this situation.

Elmont grimaced. It was a vile thought and he truly hoped she knew he would never take advantage of her; he had far more honor than that.

Efficiently, he unwrapped the cloth around the cut of cheese and dry bread he had, arranging them on a plate he pulled from his cupboard. He set a kettle of water to boil for tea - one thing he knew he always had in his kitchen - and then went back to his bag. He was sure he had a bit of dried fruit in there and Elleree looked like she needed any and every bit of food she could get.

As he waited for the water to boil, he took the food to her, letting her take the plate and giving her the most encouraging expression he could muster. "Eat," he said. "Please. You need some strength."

Elleree nodded softly taking a nibble of the dried fruit. She kept her head down though, her hood still pulled up and partially hiding her face. A tendril of icy fear curled down his spine. This was not the Elleree Rowan he knew. A handful of scenarios flipped through his mind, each one worse than the last, and he felt a fierce sort of determination to make this right. No matter what, she did not deserve to be hurt, in any way. He wished he would've found her sooner.

The water was boiling then so reluctantly he left her side to make two mugs of tea. He found he could use a little something to calm his own fraying nerves at this point.

When he returned he saw she'd eaten half the food he'd given her. Not a lot, but something at least. He held out the cup of tea for her to take and she moved her plate to the table near the couch. Slowly she took a sip, her hands curling around the cup as if it was the only thing she had to hold onto. The mug was surely warm on her frozen fingers.

Elmont watched her closely, patiently waiting, the light from the flickering fire was dim. She took another sip and then finally seemed to relax, taking a deep breath as if it were her first in ages. Her shoulders fell, losing some of the tension and she lifted her head, pushing the hood of her cloak back.

That was when he saw.

A deep, purple bruise marred the far left side of her face, right over her cheekbone, from her temple to her ear and over the apple of her cheek, tender and awful.

A frisson of fiery anger flared to life in Elmont's chest and he growled a curse before he could temper himself. He couldn't remember feeling anger like this before.

"He did that to you." His voice sounded low and dangerous, even to his own ears. Elleree did not look up or meet his eyes.

"He was angry," she said after a minute. "I couldn't finish an order he wanted. It was impossible, but he didn't care. He yelled. He threw out what I had made and told me I was useless. He shoved me against the wall…. I told him to go to hell."

She looked up then, her eyes wide and bright - her own innate strength warring with fear and uncertainty. The pain she felt was clear. Elmont had been hit more than once; he knew she must be hurting terribly with a bruise like that. He wanted to kill the man that would do this to her.

Standing up, he turned away, anger surging like fire through his veins. "Justice will be served, I guarantee it."

Elleree's voice was quiet but steady, pleading. "Elmont, please. Not now. Not tonight."

He sighed, letting his anger release as if through a valve. She was right. The only thing that mattered right now was her. "I wish I would've been there."

The side of her mouth quirked. It was a good sign, at least. "Me too."

Elmont took a deep breath and retrieved a blanket for her before retreating to his table to have a bite to eat himself and to give her some space while she thawed by the fire. Out of the corner of his eye, he checked on her every minute. She sipped her drink slowly while her color evened and all the tension left her posture until she was relaxed, sunken cozily into his couch, amidst the extra pillows and the blanket. When he was finished eating, he moved to stand before her again, caution in his approach. As he looked her over, she tilted her chin, and the corner of her mouth turned up in a soft, reassuring smile.

"Are you warmer now? Yes? Let me get you something for...that," he gestured toward her bruised cheek.

Elmont found a towel and went outside to pack a lump of snow inside it. Sitting next to her on the couch, he had her lean back and pressed the cold towel gently to her cheek, hoping to keep the swelling down. He wished there was more he could do, but her contented sigh minutes later as she closed her eyes made him feel better.

At least she was no longer scared of him, and she seemed much more herself. The tension seemed to have all but melted away between them.

As soon as he was convinced she was fully warm again and the snow to sooth her injury was turning to water, he gave her a measure of wine and watched with increasing relief as her cheeks pinkened, softening her features. She was okay, she would be, if only exhausted.

"I'm tired," she murmured as if she had read his thoughts. "I should..."

He didn't know what she was planning to say next but he would hear none of it. She was staying.

"You'll stay here. At least for tonight," he amended. "The weather will only get worse, it's too treacherous out there."

Elleree nodded; he couldn't read the expression in her eyes.

"You'll take the bedroom." He stood up but Elleree reached forward, grasping his wrist.

"No, no. I won't take your bed. It's not right. I can stay on the couch."

Elmont looked down at her. "I won't hear of it. Not after the night you've had, you need rest, decent rest."

"We'll have to share then."

Next chapter in one to two weeks! Cheers :)