6

6

ANNALISE

My head throbbed like a drum solo after a particularly raucous night. The smoky haze of the tavern clung to my clothes, and the memory of those hulking men loomed large. Yet, a sliver of amusement bubbled up through the fog. My mysterious savior, with his fancy clothes and misplaced bravado, had waltzed in and saved the day.

“Who are you?” I repeated, the question echoing in the quiet night.

He chuckled, a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. “Someone who fancies himself a knight in not-so-shining armor.”

“A knight?” I scoffed, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “More like a gambler with a lucky charm.”

“Perhaps,” he conceded, a glint in his eyes that made my stomach do a nervous flip. “But a gambler who won you a fair shake, wouldn’t you say?”

Fair shake. The phrase hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. This stranger, whoever he was, had rewritten my future with a single, audacious move.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, the words inadequate but sincere. “You have no idea what you’ve done for me.”

He tilted his head, studying me for a moment. “Actually, I have a pretty good idea.”

His gaze held mine, a mix of amusement and something deeper, something that sent a blush creeping up my neck. This was madness. Here I was, a woman on the run from a future filled with accusations and a potential death sentence, flirting with a man who appeared out of thin air.

“Look,” I blurted out, breaking the unsettling eye contact, “I appreciate the rescue, truly. But who are you, and why are you helping me?”

He sighed, a hint of regret flickering across his face. “Let’s just say... I know what your future holds, and it’s not pretty.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. Did he know about Spencer? About the accusations, the trial, the execution?

“So, you’re here to save me?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“In a way,” he said, his voice carefully neutral. “But ultimately, the choice is yours.”

My mind raced. Trusting a stranger, especially one who spoke of futures and choices, felt like a gamble even riskier than the one at the tavern. Yet, the alternative – returning to a life filled with Spencer’s manipulations and a looming death sentence – was far worse.

“Alright,” I finally said, the words tasting like ashes in my mouth. “I’ll trust you. But for now, let’s just focus on getting me out of this city, out of this whole mess.”

He smiled, a genuine one this time, that crinkled the corners of his eyes and made him look less like a mysterious savior and more like... well, a rather attractive man.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said, his voice warm and inviting. “But there’s one thing you should know. This whole future-altering business comes with a few... complications.”

Intrigue battled with caution in my chest. “Complications?” I echoed.

“Let’s just say,” he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “that things might get a little... complicated between us.”

My breath caught in my throat. The air crackled with unspoken possibilities.

“Like what?” I managed, my voice barely above a squeak.

A playful glint danced in his eyes. “Let’s just say, if you keep looking at me like that, you might just call for a fall.”

I huffed, a mixture of annoyance and something else entirely bubbling up inside me. “Oh, please,” I scoffed, trying to sound nonchalant. “Like I’d ever fall for a charming stranger who speaks in riddles.”

He raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his lips. “Is that a challenge, Annalisa?”

My cheeks burned. “Maybe,” I mumbled, unable to meet his gaze.

He threw his head back and laughed, a rich, infectious sound that filled the night air.

“This,” he said, shaking his head, “is going to be interesting.”

Interesting indeed. But for the first time in a long time, there was a flicker of hope, a spark of something new, all thanks to a mysterious stranger and a gamble on a future yet unwritten.

*****

The carriage rattled along the cobblestone streets, each bump sending a tremor through my already churning stomach. Beside me, Adrian, my newly minted husband (courtesy of a quick ceremony officiated by a rather nervous-looking priest), seemed unfazed.

“Relax,” he murmured, squeezing my hand. “They’ll come around eventually.”

“Eventually?” I squeaked, my voice barely audible over the din of the carriage wheels. “Adrian, this is the Duke and Duchess of Wales! My parents! They’ll disinherit me for sure!”

He chuckled, a low rumble that did little to soothe my frayed nerves. “They might shout. They might throw a tantrum. But trust me, they won’t disinherit their only daughter, especially not over a perfectly delightful fellow like me.”

“Perfectly delightful?” I parroted, raising an eyebrow. “You do realize we’ve known each other for a week, right?”

“A week filled with adventure, danger, and a near-death experience,” he countered, a playful glint in his eyes. “That practically translates to years in the world of normal people.”

I couldn’t help but smile. This whole situation was ridiculous. Here I was, defying my parents’ wishes for the second time, only this time, instead of the brooding and frankly, dull Spencer, I had chosen a charming stranger who claimed to be from the future (a claim I was still trying to wrap my head around).

The carriage lurched to a stop, jolting me back to reality. The imposing oak doors of the Duke’s mansion loomed before us, a silent testament to the impending storm.

Adrian offered me his arm, a silent reassurance. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and followed him up the steps.

The grand foyer was bathed in a golden light, casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. A tense silence hung in the air, broken only by the staccato tick of a grandfather clock. Then, a voice, laced with icy fury, shattered the stillness.

“Annalisa!”

My mother, the Duchess, materialized at the top of the grand staircase, her crimson gown a stark contrast to the pale white walls. Her usually carefully styled raven hair was a mess of loose strands, and her eyes, usually sparkling with amusement, were narrowed with anger.

“Mother,” I stammered, my voice cracking under the weight of her disapproval.

“What in the world is the meaning of this?” she boomed, her voice echoing through the vast hall. “Who is this... this stranger you’ve brought into our home?”

Adrian, bless his heart, puffed out his chest and took a step forward. “Actually, Duchess, I’m Annalisa’s husband.”

The air crackled with tension. My mother’s eyes widened, then narrowed to slits. “Husband? Since when?”

“Since this morning,” I mumbled, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

A strangled gasp escaped my father, the Duke, who had materialized beside my mother, his face an even deeper shade of red than his usual florid complexion.

“Married? To a complete stranger?” he roared, his voice booming through the hall. “Annalisa, have you completely lost your mind?”

“It’s not like that, Father,” I pleaded. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” my mother echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is that what you call defying your parents for the second time? First, that brooding Spencer, and now this...” she gestured dismissively at Adrian.

“He’s not like Spencer, Mother,” I interjected, my voice gaining strength. “He cares about me.”

Adrian shot me a grateful look, then turned to address my parents. “Your Grace, Duchess,” he began, his voice surprisingly calm. “I understand your concerns. But I assure you, I have nothing but the best intentions for Annalisa.”

My father snorted. “Intentions? We don’t need good intentions! We need a proper husband for our daughter, someone with a title, with a future!”

“And apparently,” my mother added, her voice laced with icy venom, “that someone doesn’t include a charming stranger who claims to be from the future.”

Adrian blinked, his composure momentarily shaken. “The future?” my father boomed, his voice tinged with confusion.

“That’s a story for another time,” I interjected quickly, before this whole charade unraveled completely.

The argument raged on for what felt like an eternity. Accusations flew back and forth, voices growing louder and more strained. Adrian, bless his heart, tried to reason with them, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Finally, at the end of my tether, I slammed my fist on the table. The sound startled everyone into a halt.

“This is Adrian, and he is the one I want to be with, you might have not agreed with my relationship with spencer and that made you not to come but with Adrian, I will be with him, no matter what,”