The Lion's Heart | A Stepmother's Marchën Fanfic

Chapter 1: The first meet

Karina was doing her daily routine of visiting the town. She had just finished volunteering at the orphanage.

Karina was a young lady of 15 years old, and it may seem unusual for her age, but her best interest had always been in taking care of children and spending time with them. It may look exhausting--- trying to keep up with the energetic children at the orphanage, their cries and whines only adds up to the pressure of one's mind but for Karina she finds it to be a thrilling thing to do.

Caring for children, feeding them, or reading them storybooks! Recalling their bewildered and adorable expressions managed to make Karina forget all about the sufferings she goes through to settle them all down.

"Let's stop here for a bit, I'm quite famished from today's events," Karina told her coachman.

"Certainly, my lady."

As the carriage makes a stop at the entryway of the shopping district, Karina steps down from the carriage gently pressing her hand against the palm of her coachman.

"I heard from the maids that a dessert shop recently opened up and their pastries are fantastic, especially their blueberry muffins. Your favourite!", Mandy--- her personal maid said.

"That sounds delicious, we should give the dessert shop a visit," Karina eagerly said. Drooling at the thought of fresh, hot baked muffins being served.

Once Karina and Mandy entered the bakery and found a seat at a table near the window, Mandy excused herself and went over to the counter and brought over a plate of blueberry muffins to their table. Karina eyes glistened with excitement as she grabbed a muffin from the plate.

She stared out the window, and before Karina could take a bite, her eyes wandered down and saw two very...very adorable small children staring at her. Their eyes shaped into puppy like eyes and their hand cupped together.

"Mandy, those adorable children!", Karina cried. Aww-ing at the two kids with light blonde hair and bright green coloured eyes.

Mandy could only sigh in response to Karina's comment. Her mistress had always had a weak spot every time she encounters children. Karina put the muffin back on the plate, "Wait for a moment."

"Mandy, you should stay here so that no one will take our table".

"But...young miss!", Mandy frowned.

"Don't worry, last time won't happen again! Besides you can watch me through the window"

Mandy reluctantly gave in. "As you wish my lady"

Karina stepped outside, but to her disappointment, the two children had already disappeared.

Karina decided to head back to the bakery and finished eating the blueberry muffins, "What a shame, those children ran off."

Mandy reassured her that the children would be fine and that by now, they must have already gone back home with their guardians

Karina only nodded to what her maid said, but somehow, she was still very worried. She had a bad feeling.

Karina sipped the last droplet of her herbal tea and instructed her maid to pack up the leftover muffins, and they left the dessert shop.

Karina and her maid decided to go to the bookstore next. The bookstore was particularly quiet and had no customers , so the two busied themselves and skimmed through the books displayed at the front of the store. Karina suddenly felt something was off near the alleyway of the store.

She glanced at her maid and was about to call her to leave before she was yank backwards. Her mouth was covered by a hand, and her hands were tightly--- harshly clasped together behind her back. She was pulled inside a quiet and dark alleyway and found herself in the far end corner.

"Hey, pretty lady," Karina got pinned against the wall by a stranger with a not so well kept appearance. His eyes were sharp yet shadowed with a hint of lust and sinister. Karina gulped. She had never expected a criminal from the slums would be so daring to commit crimes in broad daylight. "What do you want?"

The man from the slums smiled, "Straight to the point I see."

'All of my gold coins is with Mandy..'

"Money? I can give it to you if you let me go safely. "

The man snickered. "Bargaining now?". The man turned back to Karina and carassed some strands of her hair. Karina shuddered but tried her best to hide her fear.

Out of nowhere, a rock made its way to the man and made a direct hit to the back of his head. The man grunts in pain and shoots his head towards the corner of the wall.

Two small figures gasped and scurried to hide, but it was too late. The man had already seen them, "WHY YOU BRATS!"

'Those children are from the dessert shop!' Karina thought to herself.

Karina had to think of something fast, and as absurd as it sounded, she took off her left high heel and lunged it towards the man---- striking the sharp heel to the side of his head.

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT THEM!" Karina shriek, knocking the man down in one hit. Karina carefully examined the lifeless body of the stranger--- poking him with the heel of her left shoe that she was still holding. The man only stayed still. Afterwards, Karina scurried over to the corner of the wall and knelt down to find the children she saw earlier being safe and sound. She let out a sigh of relief.

Karina look at the two children and notice how much they resemble each other, from their face and height. 'Twins', she thought, "Are you two okay?"

"Big sister, it's dangerous!" the little girl screamed alarmingly. Karina looked behind her to see the man whom she thought was unconscious, charging straight at her while holding a metal rod. Karina braced herself and put the two children behind her, protecting them from getting attacked.

All of a sudden, a frame of a young boy appeared. His movement was swift and in just a second, the boy slammed his sword at the man---, pinning him down to the ground.

"Are you alright?" the boy spoke, looking back to the three.

Time seems to go slower at the moment for Karina as she locks eyes with her saviour. His eyes --- so green that it resembled priceless gems of emeralds. His gold coloured hair --- so gold, like the colour of sun setting down at shore.

Karina couldn't understand why her heart started beating fast. Was it due to fear from being seconds away from getting attacked? Was it from relieved that she and the children were saved?

Maybe...

But Karina knew exactly what she was mainly experiencing during that time.

She fell in love. At first sight.

>>>
A/n : I believe in love at first sight. My parents were like that. They are each other's first love. Together, they experience their first romance and find out how to love, date, and interact with each other.