I Hate When They Call Me Snow White

“Hunts…men…” I said slowly.

Blaine nodded encouragingly. Despite the nervousness in his eyes, he seemed excited.

“There’s more than one of you,” I continued.

I was trying to piece it together in my mind, but was having a hard time.

“Yes, there’s not just the Huntsman. We’re the Huntsmen.”

By the tone of his voice, Blaine seemed to believe that he was clarifying, but in fact I was becoming more confused.

“So you’re all the Huntsmen?” I asked again.

“Yes,” Blaine said.

“Why?”

I didn’t think it was a stupid or unreasonable question to ask. I had no idea what I had just stumbled into.

“We’re a secret order that was created to help bring back peace to the kingdom,” Emmett said.

I stared at this giant stranger. He wasn’t as tall as Blaine, but he vastly larger. His sleeveless shirt revealed incredibly large, incredibly dangerous looking arms. His dark skin gleamed, almost reflectively. His eyes were a bright amber, almost gold. I knew this because he was staring at me so intensely. They looked familiar.

“An order set up by who?” I said skeptically.

“It’s an order for justice,” Blaine said quickly.

Emmett turned his gaze to Blaine sharply. Not saying anything, but it led to me believe that I wasn’t receiving the whole truth.

I glared slightly at Blaine, silently accusing him with my gaze.

“Trust me, Bella,” Blaine said, as he walked towards me.

I didn’t move as he got closer, so I had to lift my head up to meet his gaze. He stood a few inches from me.

“Trust me,” He said again.

“Blind trust is dangerous,” I murmured.

“Not if it’s well-placed,” Blaine said.

I looked into his celestial eyes. I saw the desperation and the hope that lied within them. He wanted me to believe him. He needed me to believe him. Beyond his needs, I saw what struck a chord in me. The plain honesty that lit his eyes and face. I could not doubt him. Not now.

“Let’s hope it is,” I said.

I turned to look at the men surrounding us. Emmett was glaring hardly at Blaine’s back, for reasons I could not fathom.

“How many are there of you?” I asked.

“Well this just a part of our small brotherhood,” Blaine said.

I heard someone scoff in the background.

“Brotherhood? Are you kidding me?” A loud voice rang out.

I turned to find the owner of voice. His skin was richly tanned. Not quite olive, like my own, but a darker more intense bronze that reflected and captured the rays of the sun in a way that created a strange depth despite his stature.

“What would you like me to call it, Ivan?” Blaine retorted.

Ivan, who now looked aggressively short standing near Blaine, crossed his arms and strutted closer to me. He was clearly only a few inches taller than me.

Armie growled at his approach.

“We’re an Order with the sole purpose of restoring rightful power to the throne,” He said arrogantly, but looking warily at the hound by my side.

“And whom might that be?” I snapped.

Ivan opened his mouth, but Blaine shot his arm out and stifled Ivan’s words his hand.

“Hey,” Ivan yelled at Blaine.

He reared up, as if to pounce on Blaine, when suddenly another arm shot out across his chest. It was a man I hadn’t noticed at all.

He was average height, not quite near the height of Blaine, but much taller than Ivan. He wasn’t incredibly bulky like Emmett, but he possessed a dangerous aura. He turned to look at me and I felt the hairs on my body rise.

One of his eyes were a strange light blue, almost white, and the other was so dark you couldn’t tell the difference between the iris and pupil. His skin was pale, but scattered with small scars, like he had been locked in a cage of angry birds.

He said no words, but the tension in the air immediately reduced.

“Reeve,” Blaine said, holding out his arm in hello.

Reeve grabbed his arm by the elbow and the two men shook. Blaine smiled and Reeve’s expression became less ominous.

“It’s time to eat,” Emmett said.

The men all immediately followed, leaving Blaine and I. I stared at the men as they walked to where I assumed the food was waiting and I felt no need to move, even though I was hungry. I stared as panic built up in my body. I felt my breath coming faster and then I felt him.

Blaine placed his hands on my shoulders.

“Bella,” He said worriedly.

I looked up and felt my breathing slowed slightly.

“Everything is okay, I promise,” He said.

I stared at him and nodded. I couldn’t explain what it was about him, but I felt safe. I felt like I was going to actually be okay.

He took my hand and led me to where the rest of the men were sitting around a fire. I hadn’t realized the sun was setting.

We sat on a log facing the fire as Emmett handed me a plate.

“Thank you,” I said kindly.

“Finally” Ivan groaned as he launched into his plate.

I stared at him confused.

“Emmett wouldn’t let us eat until your Royal Highness was served” He said with sarcasm.

I blushed slightly.

“That’s not necessary” I muttered.

Blaine chuckled and grinned when I glared at him.

“It is, Your Highness” Emmett said seriously.

“You don’t have to call me that. Arabella is fine” I assured him.

Emmett simply frowned but said nothing.

We ate silently for a while. The only sounds were Armie munching on her meat and the slight clinking of spoons on plates. I was still curious about this “Order,” but I was nestled near Blaine so I was rather comfortable. We had been walking all day and I felt myself droop over my plate after a while.

“I think it’s time to turn in” Blaine said quietly.

Exhaustion had begun to hit me rather hard. It had been an emotionally trying day, and I was beginning to feel it. I felt Blaine take the plate from my hands and talk quietly to the others for a few minutes before turning to me.

“Would you like to me to carry you?” He asked me gently.

Perhaps if it was just us, I might’ve said yes, but I didn’t want to appear so weak in front of these strangers.

“No,” I said, even though it sounded quite slurred.

Blaine smiled at my obstinacy.

I stood up, rocking back a bit, and began to walk away.

“Thank you,” I said turning around to face the other men, “for dinner.”

“No problem, doll face,” Ivan said grinning.

“Oh, please,” I muttered and rolled my eyes, before stalking away.

I felt Blaine and Armie walking next to me, but I wasn’t actually seeing where I was going.

“They can’t see us anymore,” Blaine said, “You don’t have to walk, if you’re tired.”

“I am perfectly capable of walking,” I bit out.

“I know,” Blaine said, clearly amused.

“Where are we going?” I muttered.

“This way” Blaine said as he took my arm and guided me to a tent.

“Emmett said you’re supposed to stay here,” He said.

Blaine unfastened the flaps of the tent and led us both inside. A small bed was all I noticed. I walked slowly towards it, groggy in my motions. I sank down into the hard mattress and tried to untie my shoes.

My hands picked at the laces without luck for a few seconds before a pair of gentle calloused hands replaced my own and deftly removed my shoes.

“Thank you,” I said sleepily.

I brought my hands up to my corset, trying to untie the suddenly intricate knots.

“I can help you,” Came Blaine’s voice.

He sounded guarded and unsure.

I nodded and let my hands slip to my side.

I felt gentle tugs at my chest and was suddenly overcome with the garish desire to press his hands to my chest, holding me there. Before I could muster the strength to do so, Blaine pulled my corset free. Leaving me in a thin white shirt and my trousers.

“Come now. Into bed,” He murmured gently to me.

He lifted me up and slipped me under the blankets. I was suddenly filled with panic once more and reached out to grab his hand.

“Will you stay with me?” I asked. Looking at him pleadingly.

He looked torn at the idea.

“The others” He said quietly.

“I don’t care,” I said, “Stay,” I paused before adding, “Please.”

Blaine pursed his lips and wrestled with the decision for a few more minutes before sighing.

He took a step back, and I thought he was going to leave me. Instead he stripped off his boots and vest before lifting the covers and sliding in.

It was a small bed, so we were pressed closely to each other. His arms came around me as he sighed again.

My head was nestled on his chest, our breathing matching.

“Goodnight, Blaine,” I said sleepily.

“Goodnight, Bella,” He whispered, as I drifted off to sleep.