The Rhine River Jewel

“SNAP,” Went a branch somewhere behind me. I hugged Jolt more closely. I must have fallen asleep riding her after the past few days of unsuccessful demon-hunting. Jolt wined to alert me of the stranger.
I grabbed my bow and arrow from my side bag on Jolt. I cocked it while pointing it in the direction of the sound.
“Hey now, I don’t bite. Why don’t you give your arrow back to it family in your bag?” a voice came from the surrounding wood. I was definably un-nerved as how the voice, most likely coming from a man, played with its words. I heard the man approach. “Is it not a great night to rob somebody Boy moons are the best for robbers and bandits?” The voice started circling us. For I couldn’t see the robber I slowly withdrew my arrow and put it and my bow, back in the bag. Then I drew PaPa’s sword from its sheath on my belt. “Little boy, am I scarring you? Say something or else I will slash the horse’s legs. You wouldn’t want that would you?”
I thought better of replying and whispered like a small child, “Sir, please let me go. My Mummy and Pappy are waiting for me at the village. I simply fell asleep on the horse.” I felt proud. There couldn’t have been a better afraid-little-boy voice even if it came from the boy we saved from the weasel-demon. My mouth took a bitter smile.
“Well give me the sword that you hold so steadily and I will spare your life. That is IF you choose to live.” He stopped at my right. My head swerved so quickly I was afraid it might snap. “I would so hope you do because I hate killing un-necessarily, especially women and children such as yourself.”
“Why wouldn’t you try for the horse? Wouldn’t it be simpler to take from a child without getting injured?” I asked in the small boy’s tone again.
“Well, first of all your horse could very well kill me while unless you are a master swordsman, to that I seriously doubt, the sword hold no real threat to me. In addition, you would be able to run away after I took the sword to help that nasty cut of yours.” He said as I felt a cold metallic object slice my cheek and the blood begin to pool.
“Well I hope you’re okay. Especially after you lose your horse.” I heard a whip crack somewhere near Jolt’s back legs. She shot up and started running. I fell off somewhere in the chaos trying to grab a hold of her reins. Instead I grabbed my bag which tore and fell off of her, I could tell by the sound, not long after I did. The bandit soon towered over me. I hoped my death would be swift and painless. God, I prayed, please help me!
No sooner than the bandit had picked me up by the front of my suit, than did I realize I sensed a shard. I closed my eyes. Then I saw a glowing object on a man’s physical outline. I was about to grab them when light came into my closed eyes. I opened them and saw a man with piercing dark blue eyes stand behind the bandit, holding a torch. Suddenly I was on the ground. When my head stopped spinning, looking up I saw my guardian angel smashing the bandit’s head into a tree. The crack was stomach curdling. I felt bad for the tree, as it had split in two from the force of the man’s power. I was glad he did not kill the bandit as I too, did not like un-necessary death.
The mysterious man sheathed the bandit’s sword and flipped him onto his shoulder. He then looked at me. He had creases on his face on account of the extra weight of a body hanging off of his shoulder. The man looked me up and down, and then yanked on my arm which put me into a standing position. He threw something at me, my bag! I didn’t notice it when he was saving me. I felt a little dumb standing there with nothing on my face except blood and hair strung pasted by sweat. In my still in tacked suit, I looked like a teenage male.
Standing in front of me was the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on, and he believed me to be a young boy! He looked into my eyes and said, “Come with me.” Then he turned around, his lengthy, midnight black hair flying behind him like leaves in the wind. I started feeling a major case of Deja vu. ‘Had I felt this before?’ I wondered as I followed the man through the forest onto a hill covered by plum trees. There was a small village down by the river where he led me to a small hut near the fisher’s homes. He opened the door with a key he pulled off of a string from around his neck. There was a small kitchen containing a stove, multiple food jars, a washbasin and a few counters. The room shared with a round table that could only hold three to four people at most. The man led me down the short hallway to a three door break-off. “That is the lavatory,” he said as he pointed straight, then to the left. “That is my room, come in if you need something. I will have this fellow in here as well so you do not have to worry.” He pointed to the right door. “That is my guest room. It has a set up bed, a water bowl with a towel to wash your face, and an oil lamp which I will light in a minute when I come back in here. Please set up or arrange the room to your liking.” Then he went left into his room with the still unconscious man on his shoulder.
I went into my room and saw the cotton-stuffed leather bed he had talked about. It was covered in an old blanket with a pillow covering almost its whole top. I set my bag onto the chair that resided next to the table containing the lamp and took off my helmet. Because this man had saved my life with no questions asked I decided to trust him. I disarmed myself and slung my belt onto the chair. Then I changed into my clean underclothes consisting of a thin riding top and loose pants that went down to my knees. I cleaned my face and put a bandage I found in my armor over my cheek. After that I started brushing out my hair. A knock on my door startled me. I had been in my own little world until the man stuck his head in.
“Is it suited to your standards…” he trailed off as he looked at me with shock in his eyes.
“What is it?” I asked him as I looked at myself. My shirt was thin but not see threw so I didn’t have that to worry about that.
“Nothing Miss. I will light the lamp then I will retreat to my room. Please remember if you need anything I will be right across the hall.” He crossed the room to the table and lit the lamp and turned it down low. “Good night Miss….?”
“My name is Eve, and yours?” I asked in return.
“Sephiroth, Eve. And please do not be startled in the morning. Night Ma’am.” With that he shut the door and left me with only a small light to keep me company.