Valentine

Chapter Five - Elizabeth

I don’t know what anyone in this situation would have done but run. The man in black posed a great threat, not that it was aimed at me. That’s why I started feeling less threatened with every passing second. The mysterious stranger’s attention was solely on William, so I was free, right?

How wrong I was.

I made my way in whatever direction I could. I had no comprehension of where I was on these barren roads. The cloak of darkness proving to be a burden, since there was no way of making out any landmarks. But seeing a match strike catch alight in the distance brought only more terror.

The stranger had caught up with me. I didn't know how he could have found me, not after the route I took, or how he got in front of me. I turned to the right and darted off in that direction, but before long he stood in front of me again. Like a specter that vanished and appeared wherever he chose.

“What do you want from me?” I cried out into the darkness.

“I just want to get you home safely,” The stranger replied.

“What?” I asked. I’m sure he could hear the nervousness in my tone.

“I want to see you get home safely. I don’t believe that your friend was the right one for the task, so I spoke with him and he promised not to do it again.” Even in the black of night, I could see a smile on his face. I summed it up to the ember on the tip of his cigarette.

“Thank you,” I replied. I wasn’t sure what else to say. I didn’t even know if I was safe yet, “What about the car?”

“What about it?” His reply, turning in the direction I was running; starting down it. I followed.

“Why didn’t you take it?” I asked.

“I don’t know how to drive. And even if I did, it wasn’t mine to take. Well, that and I destroyed the engine.” He didn’t know how to drive? That struck me as odd. In today’s society, driving was everything. Without a car, there was no way to get around. And the mysterious stranger was young, so he couldn’t have had the same views as our parents. The way they walked everywhere they went, that’s just not what our generation knew.

“So we’re gonna go for a little midnight stroll? Great.” I wish I never took this day out instead of heading home. I could have been home and in bed by now, comfortably drifting off to sleep.

I never wanted to be in that shitty house so bad.

“I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself. My name is Orion Valentine.” He said.

“Your name sounds like it comes out of some fantasy novel,” I teased, “But I’m Elizabeth. It’s nice to meet you, Orion.”

“Likewise.” His long steps were hard to keep up with, but I tried my best, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around Meyerton before, and well, it’s quite a small town. Everyone knows everyone around here. So what’s your business? Not the same as William, I hope.”

The nerves built up again. What if he was here for the same reason and he was just better at lulling me into a false sense of security?

“Not in the slightest. William as you call him, is a coward," He turned down to look at me, "I believe in serenading and courting a beautiful princess. Forcing oneself onto the innocence and helpless is worthy of the worst kind of torture."

Orion’s statement was odd but it didn’t give me any negative feelings towards him.

“As for why I am here, my mother has turned ill. I find it difficult to explain the entirety of the situation without sounding insane so I’ll leave it at that for the moment.” I didn’t want to pressure him into talking further, but I did want to know what he meant. His mother was ill, that’s why he was in this terrible little town?

Interesting.

“So where do you come from?” I asked.

“A small farming community not far from here. Meyerton is our closest city.” He replied. That explains more about the situation. Maybe he was Amish and came to the city to find medicine for his mother. How would that explain his speed, though? How he caught up to the car and then me later on? I guess there were a lot of questions that weren’t going to be answered tonight.

We walked in silence for a while, but with every step we took, I felt more comfortable with Orion Valentine at my side. He tried nothing, didn't reach for me, only following my lead onward. It took some time for me to catch my bearings, but when I did, I found that we weren't all that far away from my home.

“Do you have the time on you?” I asked, “I left my phone in the car.”

"Yes," Orion took a small, round object from his pocket, pushed a small button on the side and it popped open to show a watch. Until that day, I'd never seen a real pocket watch and ever since I don't recall having come across one. It was beautiful, from what I could tell, but the darkness kept me from truly admiring it, “It’s currently a quarter past ten.”

“Still early enough not to cause suspicion. My parents freak out sometimes if I get in too late.” I replied.

Orion slipped the watch back into his pocket. I looked up again, taking in his wide frame. He looked strong, the thick coat around his shoulders accentuating his size. Noticing the weapons across his waist, with the coat billowing at his steps, I considered the need for so many tools. But there was only one way to find out what they were for, exactly.

"So what's with the armory?" I gestured with a hand over the weapons on his side.

“You can never be over-prepared. My mother raised me under strict and harsh conditions. In doing so, she ensured that I would be fit to serve as a knight of her court. That was many years ago, and none of it matters anymore, but ever since I was a young man, I’ve always felt naked without my weapons.” Orion replied. The information was shocking, unsure what to make of it. A knight of his mother’s court? That sounded dangerous and definitely had child cruelty vibes. Then he mentioned himself as a young man, but he was young now?

“I stay just over that hill,” Contemplating everything that Orion said, brought about another lengthy pause to the conversation.

"I know this may seem peculiar, and I know that we've not spoken much so there would be no reason for me to offer, or for you to say yes, but would you be interested in taking the time to see me again? I would understand that if the evening's events have betrayed your trust in men, but I enjoyed your company. More your presence than anything else. I’ve not spent much time with others in recent years.” He said abruptly.

“Two dates in one night. I must be some kind of special.” I teased the situation and everything about it. Unlike with William, I feel that spending time with Orion would be more fun. His natural charisma, even in silence, was alluring. The way he held himself, and the deep mystery in his actions, “Sounds good to me. When do you want to do it?”

“I must return home tonight, but I’ll come back to visit when I have the time. Does Friday suit you?” He said.

“Sure. Friday sounds good.” I knew that it was the stupid answer. After what happened tonight, there was a chance that it could happen again. Most girls probably would have been shocked to the core, but Orion was the perfect gentleman. He didn't seem like a bad guy and when we stopped at my parent's property, he stood at the gate. He bowed, taking my hand and kissing over the knuckles like an eighteenth-century lord and turned around, walking back in the direction we came.

Not another word was said between us.

“I’ll crack the mystery of you yet, Orion Valentine.”