"Wait!"
A high-pitched voice called. Then, a gray woman's back stood in front of him. Actually, a woman who wore gray.
"Stop", she said. "I have men there".
Was she talking to them or him, Aaron wondered. He could only see her brown hair tied in a neat chignon.
She moved her head sideways, just a bit, not enough to view her face.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll save you".
She was saying that to him. She was here to save him! Aaron blinked.
Was she stupid?
No, idiot! You are stupid, he thought.
She was kind. Kind and brave. But this kind and brave lady interrupted his plan. Now, he would have to save her first and then fight the men.
Aaron flexed his shoulders. She did, too. Her little shoulders. One side of his mouth involuntarily pulled up.
She was holding something in her hands against the men. She had defence! He craned his neck to look at it.
A parasol!
A wooden stick and cotton against, he counted, six daggers.
Good god.
The woman was stupid and brave.
Count your two daggers too, you fucker! She is on your side, he thought.
Okay, two daggers, a wooden stick and cotton against six daggers.
Well, it won't be much difficult for him.
"You will be alright, sir", she said again in her sweet voice. Aaron's heart skipped a beat.
One of the eight men chuckled.
"Get away, little girl. We spare you".
"Huh, but I won't spare you", the sweet voice said.
Was she little girl? Aaron didn't think she looked like a little girl from her back figure. He eyed her up and down. She got delicious figure. She must be of age.
"Fine, then fight us". One man moved forward towards her.
Aaron snatched a dagger from his coat. No time to take out his other dagger. Aaron moved forward and before the man could reach her, he was in front of her. And with his left hand, grasped the man's hand and bent it. The dagger fell from the man's hand and he winced.
Then, all seven men lurched forward. Aaron swiped his dagger at a wide circumference, and it cut the skin of four raised wrists.
He kicked one man and punched two. They all fell.
He bent and removed his other dagger from his boot and threw it over his shoulders towards the woman.
"Use this and give me that". Without turning, he snatched her parasol.
The seven men got up at once. Aaron charged like a thunder.
He sliced with the dagger and stabbed with the parasol. Two were injured seriously and fell. Five fought him.
Where was one?
Oh shit! That bastard went for her.
Aaron sliced, punched, stabbed and kicked. Four fell. One punched him back. His head, with a force turned backward and he saw the woman's back fighting the one man. She didn't know how to use the dagger. Fuck!
The man kicked him from behind and Aaron's back bent with the force. The man climbed over him, squeezing his throat.
Aaron placed one foot on the tree in front of him and used it to to flex his body backward and the man's back hit the other tree and his hold released. Aaron turned and sliced the man's chest.
He fell down with an, "aarghhh!"
When Aaron turned towards the woman, he saw the man push her and Aaron rushed forward to catch her. Her body turned and she fell right in his arms. Taking her upon him, Aaron fell on his back, the fallen leaves crushing beneath his weight.
"Ah!", the sweet voice screamed.
The smell of roses engulfed him. Then she raised her head and he finally saw her face.
Her beautiful face. Wide Brown eyes, pink cheeks, little nose, lush lips and some strands of hair that had escaped her pins, flowed over her face. The soft body in his arms stared right in his eyes.
His breathing increased even more than it was increased during the fight.
Good god, the woman was gorgeous.
The man was gorgeous, Mariana thought. Black hair, wide cheekbones and the most marvellous blue eyes. His chest was solid beneath her. He was solid everywhere. But his arms were around her gently.
Her hair flew over her eyes, disturbing them and she blinked. Her hands were trapped between their bodies.
Coming out of the trance, she widened her eyes. The man who pushed her must be coming to them.
She tried to get up but the hand on her back stopped her. She looked down at him and he was looking at her. His right hand left her back and swung something behind her without moving his eyes.
She blinked, her hair disturbing her eyes again and then she heard an, "aarghh". This man had targeted the other man without even moving his eyes away from her.
She blinked again. His right hand came to her face and his fingers, without touching her skin, moved the strands behind her ear.
She blushed and started breathing even harder. His eyes left hers and roamed over her face. She tried to get up again and this time, he didn't stop her.
She got up on her feet and dusted her hands. The man got up too, and flexed his neck.
"Are you alright?, she asked him.
He fought seven men. Eight, if she counted the last man. He was really skilled.
She waited for his answer but he frowned at her and then smiled. "You are asking me if I am alright?"
His smile was beautiful and his voice was deliciously musculine.
Mariana nodded her head. "You fought all of them".
She looked around her. All eight of them injured but not dead. She shivered, thinking they could get up anytime.
He moved near her. "They won't get up. Do not fear".
She met his eyes and wanted to tell him that as long as he was near, she wouldn't fear. After all he fought eight strong men. Then surely he could fight eight injured men.
"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He scanned his eyes all over her body.
"No, I am fine. You saved me".
"Actually you saved me, my little saviour", he smiled
She frowned. "You shouldn't be alone on the woods", she sook her head. "What if you weren't able to fight them?"
"You would've saved me then", he grinned.
Mariana knew he was teasing her. No way in the world could she have saved him. So, she frowned again.
He pointed a finger towards her. "Actually, I should tell you the same things".
"Oh, no, I'm not alone. My carriage wheel got stuck and my companions couldn't get it out. So, I came searching for help".
"And then, you became my help, my little saviour", he smiled again.
And Mariana frowned again.
It was he who had saved her, not the other way around. She opened her mouth to say that but he started looking for something around them.
He turned and bending down, retrieved somethings. His one dagger and her parasol.
He gave the parasol to her. "I'm sorry it's ruined". He winced.
Mariana eyed her parasol and found it bent and dusty. "No problem", she smiled. "I'm glad it helped you fight".
He chuckled.
Mariana wondered why and then remembered he had given her his dagger in exchange of this . The parasol was actually his minus point.
Looking at him, she laughed, too.
Before any of them could talk about something else, they heard the sound of people running towards them. Both of them stood alert. His saviour stood near her and she too, clutched her parasol, prepared to fight.
People came from both sides. The side she saw, came Mr.Roberts. She ran towards him.
"Miss Mariana, I was so worried". He looked really worried.
She looked chagrined. "Pardon me, I was just about to come back".
"Let's go, we got the wheel stable".
"Yes, just a moment".
When Mariana turned back, she saw the blue-eyed man talking to some men. It looked like they knew each other. So, he would be fine.
"Let's go, Miss Mariana. We would be late to meet the princess", Mr. Roberts hurried.
She cast one last look at the man and went towards her carriage.
After takling with Charles and instructing about taking all the thugs, Aaron turned and saw her gone.
Earlier, when he saw, she was talking to a man who seemed familiar to her. He sighed. Perhaps he should have asked her where she stayed.
His little saviour.