An Unexpected Love Ch.1

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    It was a cool October night in the hills of Scotland, when Adam, a young blacksmith, came across a young woman laying on the side of the road. Her silky purple dress was ripped in many spots, her long blonde hair was matted with mud, and her ivory skin had bruises forming on it. Adam jumped down from his horse and hurried over to the girl. He bent to check to see if she was still alive and was surprised when she gasped and clutched onto the neck of his shirt for dear life. “P-please…” she muttered with fear in her eyes before she slipped back into the darkness. Adam couldn’t leave her there. It just wouldn’t be right. She could, and probably would, die if he left her there on the side of the road. He picked up the girl’s limp body and climbed back onto his horse with her. Then he turned the horse around and headed toward his cottage on the outskirts of the small town.

  Jocelin awoke to a sharp pain in her side. She pulled her sheets closer to her only to realize that they were not her sheets. She quickly looked around and began to panic. She wasn’t in her room. She had no idea where she could be. At that moment, the door to the room opened and in walked a tall man with shoulder length hair and a tray of food. “Ah good! You’re awake!” he said sitting the food down on the side table. “Where am I?! Who are you?” The man looked at her with curiosity. “You mean you don’t remember?” Jocelin shook her head no and he nodded. “Ok well my name is Adam McKinnon. I found you on the side of the road about two days ago… Do you know what happened to you?” Jocelin shook her head again. “No. The last thing I remember was walking into the castle and being hit in the back of the head.” Adam looked shocked. “You live in the castle? Are you… royal?” Jocelin gave a small laugh and looked up at him. “Oh heavens no! I’m a maid! Whatever would make you think I was royalty?” “Well, it’s just that your dress was of very fine quality. Um, well that was before it was ripped up, and your hair was really soft and clean… aside from the mud. You just didn’t look like a maid to me.” Jocelin cocked her head and gave another laugh. “Well, thank you Adam. And the only reason I looked the way I did was because I was the princess’ maid. Actually, she thinks of me more like a sister than a maid. She always said she wanted me to look nice.” Adam nodded again and asked, “So do you have a name or would you just like for me to call you lady?” Jocelin smiled up at him and held out  her hand. “My name is Jocelin, Adam.” Adam took her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of it. Jocelin felt a blush begin to creep across her face. Adam smiled at her then said, “I brought in some food. I was hoping you would be awake. I will send word to the princess right away to let her know that you are ok and at my cottage.” Jocelin nodded and thanked Adam as he walked out of the room. She reached for the food as her stomach growled. “I guess he came just in time,” Jocelin laughed to herself.