An Eternity with You (Bridgerton oc x oc)

Chapter 2

Episode 1- The Diamond of First Waters. 

Chapter 2: The Other Side of the Fan

The crowded streets of the lower ton seemed never to stop moving, men and women of all ages working to make ends meet. As the chatters and chuckles echoed along the road, a young girl could be spotted with a gentle smile. Any discerning eye could see that she was in a good mood. Well, that would be because she had finally gotten to reunite with an old friend after quite a long time. Simon's return was both a joy and a hassle to the girl, but then again, almost everything was. 

Her body moved through the narrow streets with ease, as if she were vastly familiar with its nooks and crannies. The girl wandered about the lower ton, taking precautions against the moving crowds and speeding carriages, with no exact destination in mind. 

Truthfully, this little escape of sorts began with Lady Danbury's insistence that she find some normality in her monotone life. The old duchess instructed her to find a hobby outside of social expectations to ensure Anastasia did not go insane with the stress of being so full of responsibilities. 

Anastasia did not find her reasoning to be accurate, but nevertheless gave it a shot by dressing as a commoner and wandering the streets of London undetected, after all, there is no way one would suspect a village girl to be the Lady with a Fan.

As her thoughts wandered, the girl was forced back to life by colliding with another body. The little boy remained steady on his feet, moving forward in her opposite direction a little too quickly. Anastasia, however, did not find an opportunity to balance herself. Her body swayed backwards, soon to slam against the brick pathway below, as the girl squeezed her eyes shut and braced for impact. 

Just then, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her shoulder and forearm, steadying the girl from behind while preventing the fall. The man's arms were gentle, as they continued aiding her through stabilizing her feet. Anastasia released a breath she didn't realize she held as she turned to face the man. 

She couldn't help but pause at the sight.

Handsome was not enough to describe the man's features. The Bridgerton boys were already quite good-looking, so Anastasia was not one to falter by beauty, but this man would certainly come under the exceptions. 

His auburn hair swept over the right side of his face, fringes slightly acting as curtains to the ebony orbs of his eyes. The man had a thin beard on his chin that extended to the sides of his jaw and up. The stubbles added to the messy air he wore. Yet, Anastasia was sure he was no commoner, simply because of the natural charisma and grace he carried just by standing there. 

There was no way a mere commoner could have that. 

The man watched her carefully as if amused by her varying expressions. 

"Do you like what you see, miss?".

His words were quick to snap the girl out of her daze. Anastasia almost leapt out of his hold, placing a considerable distance between the two as quick as she could without seeming rude. 

"Thank You for your aid, Sir", She began, ignoring his previous comment. 

The man seemed rather surprised at her quick escape, releasing an amused chuckle, "It was my pleasure". 

He then turned to catch a glimpse of the boy who ran into her a thoughtful expression in his eye, "You must be careful, miss. The streets are rather unruly down here". 

Anastasia smiled politely, the surface level of courtesy she should give to her saviour, "Yes. I shall be more careful next time".

Her eyes drifted to the belt on her waist, searching for the sack of money she carried for emergencies. She supposed a monetary reward would be good compensation for the man's aid. However, she found that the hook that held her bag was no longer connected to her waist. The girl paused at its absence, blinking slowly before sighing in defeat. It was a rather common method of stealing, and she wasn't so poor as to chase a starving child for a mere five pennies.