Falling for The Enemy, d.n[1]

PROLOGUE

A young girl, hair as dark as night, skipped through a town with her father, following behind her. Noticing a small cart on the side of the gravel path, she let out a small gasp and turned to her father, "Daddy!" Looking down, he saw the smile beaming on his daughter's face, "Can we stop by that cart?"

"Of course, sweetheart," He answered and laughed as he watched her run off towards the cart, to look at all the trinkets the Merchant was selling.

The Merchant looked down at the young girl, "Anything you like in particular, Little One?" He asked her.

The young girl's chocolate, brown eyes darted across the cart, looking over all the little toys and gadgets, until she came across a small, cloth doll. Her lips parted, a subtle gasp escaping her lips. "That one," She said with a small smile.

The Merchant smiled, "An excellent choice for a beautiful young lass."

Her father walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Is that what you want, Nessa?"

Looking up at her father, a pleading look in her eye, she answered, "Can I?"

Daniel smiled, "Of course," he looked at the Merchant, "How much for the doll?"

"Typically, a handmade doll like this would be ten shillings," The Merchant answer, making Daniel's smile fade, "But, for the sweet little lass, I'll only charge three."

Daniel looked at him shocked, "Really?" He questioned in disbelief.

"Of course," The Merchant insisted, sending a friendly smile to the father-daughter duo, "I've never seen a child so impressed by a small cart as this one."

"It's a really nice cart. There's so many nice things," Vanessa told him as she plastered a smile across her face.

"Thank you, dear," The Merchant said.

"No, thank you," Daniel handed The Merchant four shillings, "Keep the change," He said and The Merchant nodded gratefully.

The father-daughter duo walked away together and Vanessa looked up at him, "Thank you, daddy!" Vanessa said with a smile, before looking back at her new doll, "I love it."

"Anything for you, sweetheart," they stopped walking in front of a small feed store, "Okay, I need to run in here, and grab some more feed," he looked at Vanessa, "Will you be okay out here?" Daniel asked her.

Vanessa nodded, "Yeah, I have my doll to protect me," She said as she hugged the doll.

"Okay, I'll be right back," Daniel said and walked into the small store as Vanessa sat on a bench just outside the door.

Just then, a woman, Ruth, stopped in front of the same store with her son, who was about the same age as Vanessa, and looked at him, "You wait right out here, David. I'll be right back."

"Okay," David nodded and Ruth walked into the store as David made his way to the bench, "Um, excuse me?"

Vanessa looked up from her doll to him, "Yes?"

"Um, do you mind if I sit here?" David asked, pointing to the spot next to her.

Vanessa shook her head, "No, I don't mind."

David sat beside her, "Thanks," he glanced at her slightly, "I like your doll."

"Oh, thanks," Vanessa smiled, "My daddy bought it for me," She said and looked over at him, "What's your name?"