Einah & Magnus

Attack and Rescue

“Oh, I missed you last night baby. You weren’t at the White Pony.” My gaze flew to the soldier that I had stood up last night when I had pretended to be a prostitute. I carefully controlled my features to assume a haughty glare.
“Excuse me, sir. I certainly have no idea what you are talking about. Now release me before I yell for my husband.” I felt for my trusty dagger and was disappointed to find it missing. It was attached to the cross garters on my tights. Again I cursed the fact that I was wearing this damn gown.
“Truly? And what is a properly married woman doing by herself in this alley in this neighborhood. And wouldn’t a noblewoman be quivering in fear and pleading for mercy? No, I think you’re not exactly what you claim.” The dagger was pressed onto my skin and I felt as it sliced my flesh open. Fear overtook me at that time, as I looked into his eyes.
“Ah yes now you know I mean business. Well, I believe you owe me something.” He said, his hand closing around my breast. I swallowed in revulsion, and he just smiled down at me. “And I mean to collect on my debts.”
Fear and anger mixed in my blood until I decided that I would fight this man. Glaring at him, I ducked my head out of the way even while I pushed up my knee aiming for his groin. I missed but in shock he let go of me and that’s all it took. I ran down the alley blindly, trying to get away.
Because of my gown I didn’t get far. The man fell on top of me and we rolled until he was on top of me, one leg on top of mine so that I couldn’t move. Blindly I bit and clawed at him but it didn’t seem to do anything except make him mad. He reared up and slapped my face hard, making tears come to my eyes, but even then I didn’t give up and still fought. I knew that he was going to overpower me and the fear that realization brought made me claw harder.
Suddenly, my attacker’s weight was lifted off me. I staggered to my feet in time to see Magnus throw the burly, smelly man against the wall of the building, knocking him unconscious. Trying to retain some sense of dignity, I stood up, and looked up at Magnus with hair hopelessly askew and my gown dirty and torn on one side. He stared back at me with concern in his eyes, and at that moment he could’ve had a halo around his head, he looked like an angel and savior to me. I ran to him, and threw my arms around his shoulders, pressing my face into his chest, smelling his masculine scent. I felt his arms close around me and for the first time in years, I felt safe and protected. I clung to him tightly, and I felt him hug me close. I could smell the soap that he had used this morning to shave, and felt the roughness of his jerkin against my cheek, and felt his chest swell as he breathed in my scent. I hope my own was as pleasing to him as his was to me.
With that thought, I pushed away from him, almost violently. What was I thinking; this was the man that had sent me to the dungeons once before, and I had just gotten away from him. I busied myself by straightening my skirts, and trying to avoid eye contact with him. Not to be ignored, he gently grasped my chin and made me look at him. He turned my head to the side so that he could see my neck where the knife had made a small slit in my neck, and blood was oozing slowly. He looked into my eyes quickly and I saw genuine concern there, which threw me off balance to say the least.
“I’m fine.” I said huskily. In answer, his hand slowly traveled down my neck, his thumb dragging my lower lip a little as he caressed me. Involuntarily, my neck arched and my eyes closed, my face pressing against his hand. I couldn’t deny it any longer; I was attracted to him, regardless of his past actions. When I opened my eyes, his dark blue gaze held me completely, regarding me with interest. To my shock and horror, I could feel my cheeks heating up in a blush for the second time I had met this man.
“Thank you, Magnus.” I said it quietly, trying to put distance between us. I bent down, picked up my pack, and slung it across on my back, heading down the alley without another glance at him. Before I got too far, I felt his arm come around my waist and pull me backwards. He slung me over his shoulders, walking in the opposite direction that I had been heading.
“What are you doing?” I asked after I realized that pounding on his back and kicking had no effect on him.
“I’m taking you to my horse. You didn’t think you would skip town all of a sudden, did you? That would definitely seem like suspicious activity.”
“What suspicious activity? I’m going to get the Soul Reaper, and that’s it. I’m not on a secret mission from Malkanen or anything. I’m trying to get out of this city.”
“Well, that I can help you with.” Suddenly I was deposited onto the back of a huge black stallion. He snorted and shook his head. Apparently, he was irritated that someone he didn’t know was riding him. That was fine with me because I wasn’t planning on being up there for much longer. In fact, I made to slide down and back on the ground, but before I got the chance to, Magnus vaulted into the saddle behind me, and positioned me so that I was in front of him, riding with both legs on one side because of my skirt. That position threw off my balance so I had to lean upon Magnus’s arm a lot more than I wanted to.
“I believe this is officially referred to as kidnapping.” I told him coldly, staring him down.
“Only if you’re unwilling. Surely you don’t have a problem with an escort out of the city? These are dangerous parts, and you are a well-born lady of high stature, obviously unused to dealing with the baser nature of men.” He said sarcastically.
That came a little too close to the truth, and I eyed Magnus suspiciously. “Well, I think I will be fine, so just let me go so that I can go on about my business.”
“And leave such a beautiful woman out on her own? That wouldn’t be very courteous of me, considering all you have done for me already.” His hand tightened around my waist, and he pulled me closer so that my head was lying against his chest. I could feel the warmth seeping through his body. The man was like a furnace. I found it impossible to resist the temptation and soon fell asleep against him.