The Adored Shopkeeper

Specter Knight

You closed your shop and pocketed the key before turning around, walking towards your home. It was late at night again and your stomach grumbled, signalling that you haven't eaten yet.

"I know, I'm getting there." You mumbled to no one in particular as you kept walking.

A sudden sound next to you nearly made you stop but you kept going.

"Why, hello again." You hear a man's voice say, causing you to stop.

You turn around and grew scared upon seeing the same man who was bothering you in your shop.

"W-what do you want?" You asked, nervously.

"Me and my friend just want to have a.... chat with you." He replied.

Then there was another man behind you, making you even more scared.

You were trapped.

You didn't say anything as you watch both of them slowly approach you. And without thinking, you bolted into the forest with them behind you. You jumped over tree roots and fallen branches as you ran as fast as you possibly can, hoping to lose the strangers.

"Aw, c'mon, we're not going to hurt you!" The same man called out menacingly.

You picked up your pace after hearing this sentence, not faltering when you heard them get closer. You then made the mistake of looking back briefly only to trip over a root, making you faceplant into the dirt. You quickly stood up and looked to see that you were somewhere else, seeing abandoned houses in the distance.

You hadn't even realized you weren't in the forest anymore.

You took one step forward only to be stopped when a knight suddenly appeared, lighting flashing and thunder booming.

"This is the land of the dead." She spoke coldly, her cloak flowing in the wind. "Yet you are living."

"I'm sorry, it's just-" you spoke.

"There she is!" You hear a voice exclaim, making you panic.

You turn around and step back upon seeing the two strangers that were following you. You widened your eyes in fear as they stopped away from you and the knight.

"We were looking everywhere for you." One of them says.

"N-no, you're lying!" You yelled, stepping back again and bumping into the knight.

"Now, now, don't be like that." The other says, taking a step forward.

"Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!"

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do?"

You trembled in fear as they walked closer to you, frozen in your spot.

"You dare trespass on my land?" The knight says unexpectedly.

"Well, we came to get her." They said, referring to you. "She's not well."

"No, you're lying, he's lying!" You exclaimed and turned to the knight.

She looked down at you and saw the fear in your eyes, feeling slightly angered.

You watched as she took out a scythe and looked towards the strangers, feeling a hand on your shoulder.

"Close your eyes and cover your ears, young one." She spoke gently, somewhat making you confused.

You didn't question it, however, and did what she asked, closing your eyes and covering your ears. You didn't turn around either, not wanting to witness what was about to happen regardless. You suddenly heard muffled screams of pain, which made you tremble slightly but didn't remove your hands. You feel your stomach grumble, almost making you uncover your ears.

You should've eaten something before closing your shop.

You then feel a hand on your shoulder again, making you open your eyes and look up. You see that the knight is kneeling in front of you, her scythe in her hand. She put away her scythe and brought her hands towards your hands, feeling her thumbs gently stroke your knuckles.

"Are you alright?" She asks quietly.

You felt strangely comforted by the knight's words, and you nod your head.

"Yeah, thank you." You reply.

She helps you stop shaking and you feel uneasy walking alone again.

"Um, I don't feel safe walking alone." You state. "Can you walk with me?"

"Hm, alright." She simply says. "Lead the way."

You nod your head as you both start walking towards your cabin. You walk in the direction you came and find yourself in the forest again. As you both were walking, you jumped at almost every sound you heard, still on edge after what happened earlier.

"Are you sure you're alright?" You hear the knight ask, making you look at her.

"I'm still paranoid after what happened earlier." You admit.

"Oh, well, here."

She then gently grabbed your hand, causing you to slightly blush.

"Is this better?" She asked.

You stared up at her then nod your head slightly, blushing more.

"Y-yeah, it's better." You reply, smiling.

The knight hummed as you both continued walking, the silence in the air being comforting. Soon, you found yourself back on the road to your cabin.

"It's just down this way." You spoke, pointing ahead of you.

After a bit of more walking, you both arrived at your cabin and stopped at the door.

"Uh, thanks for walking me home." You say. "Your presence helped me feel a lot safer."

"Ah, no need to thank me." She spoke before letting go of your hand.

You smiled widely as you unexpectedly hugged her, which made her tense up. You guessed she wasn't used to hugs.

"Oh, sorry about that." You say after pulling back. "I got carried away."

"It's quite alright." She says. "I just wasn't expecting it."

You laugh a little before an idea pops in your head.

"I know we just met, but you can visit me sometime." You suggest, scratching the back of your neck. "If you want to, that is."

"Oh, well, if you want me to." The knight says.

"Okay, um, see you soon then?"

She hums slightly, acknowledging your statement. You both bid farewell and you stepped into your cabin, closing the door behind you. You sighed happily as you thought back to the knight, preparing dinner as you did.

─────────ೋღ 🌺 ღೋ─────────

Specter Knight sat upon the tower ledge as she mindlessly gazed at her amulet, the wind blowing gently. She thought back to the person who managed to accidentally step onto her land. She closed the amulet before putting it away as she remembered the fear on their face, feeling no emotion but anger from it.

'How was I not able to hurt them?' She wondered.

She hated mortals, despised them even. Why was this one different? And why, of all things, did she hold their hand?

It didn't matter, however, and hoped that her sudden obsession would go away the next day. But a small part of her hoped that it didn't.