The hangman's first love

01 The prisoner and the hangman

'She is so beautiful!' Cole sighed and kept observing the prisoner. 'I really wonder how she's keeping her beauty in such an awful surrounding.' 

Of course, he had helped her and imprisoned her in the upper chambers where the rats couldn't bother the prisoners and the stench of faeces, pain and death didn't effect them the same way it did some floors down there, but she still stucked in an empty, naked stone cell without furniture or even a window. Only a narrow recess in the masonry provided ventilation.

He sighed again and the woman lifted her head. Bright blue eyes met his charcoal blacks and he suddenly smiled.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked and his voice went soft. Way too soft. He knew it but he couldn't avoid being a love struck fool whenever he saw the adorable freckled face of hers.

He had fallen for her the very moment they met; ages ago, deep down in the woods. He remembered the dancing sunlight on her auburn hair, which was falling over her shoulders like flowing, glistening water. She had had rosy cheeks and on her lips has been the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. She had been like a mysterious fairy, sitting in the middle of the forest and looking in awe at the tiny blue flowers that covered the glade. Oh, how much he wished she would finally look at him in this manner. But all she did was starring at him like a wounded animal.

"Uhm I dunno", she muttered and narrowed her eyes.

Cole knew that she once had that little habit of hiding behind her long reddish hair but due to the imprisonment they cut it short and now it barely covered her ears.

He sighed again, entered the chamber and brought the tray whit bread and water inside. He placed it next to her on the floor. What other options where there; the room was empty except for the bunch of old straw and a bucket for her ... well ... natural needs.

"You must hate me."

He flinched and almost dropped the tray. "Excuse me?"

"You're the boy who was calling me to help his mother, aren't you?" She avoided locking eyes with him again and her lips were thin lines.

"Uh, so you remember me?" His heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help but smile. She nodded and he sighed once more. "I don't hate you. What reason should I have?"

Her eyes widened in surprise and she forgot to keep her head down for a moment. She blinked and said with angry voice: "Well, let's see. You called me to save your beloved mother but I couldn't and after her sudden death your chickens were killed by a fox. A fox whose fur had the same color as my hair, I was told. I heard people say that it was all my fault. And you heard them too, didn't you?" The anger reddened her cheeks and the dark blue eyes glistened.

At first he didn't know what to say but when he saw the sad little smile on her pink lips, he sighed once more.

"I heard them. And I see what their stupid blabber caused."

Cole's heart ached seeing her upset and in despair but he managed to hold his hands still and not to touch her. But everything in him cried out to do it. To show her that she wasn't alone, that he would never accuse her for the things that had happen. But he knew, the stigma of his profession forbade to touch others.

Her eyes widened in disbelieve but she remained still.

"Listen, I know you think I'm mad at you and I might hate you. But you did your best to help my mother. It was out of your hands to avoid her death." He clenched his fists and it took some seconds to fight against the dark feelings that threatened to overwhelm him whenever he talked about his mother. "I'm probably not the best to reassure you that not everyone thought about you as a witch due to the fact that I'm the hangman. But it's nothing but the truth."

She didn't reply but he wasn't really surprised. It was quite uncommon to forgive someone who could be blamed for a loved one's death. As long as it seemed to be purely arbitrary and one was not allowed to accuse God, such a sinner came just in time.

He stood up and wiped the dust off his pants. "I've got to go but I'll return later and pick you up for your bath. The judges don't want you to ... to be smelly." He cleared his throat. "I just have to find a woman who'll take care of you."

"Wait, what?" She flinched back and her beautiful blue eyes widened in horror. "N... no! I can do it myself! I don't need any help."

"I know but the authorities decided to keep an eye on you to avoid you drowning or something like that."

"No, I ... I won't do that! Please!"

Cole didn't quite understand the issue and furrowed his bushy eyebrows.

The woman muttered and stuttered and finally she covered her face with her hands. "Please, can't you stay instead of ... someone else?"

His heart skipped a beat and his face felt hot. "Well, that would be highly inappropriate."

"No, you don't understand! I beg you!" Her face was burning red and her eyes filled with tears. "If they find out they'll ..." her voice broke.

"Find out what?" Cole blinked in confusion. He didn't even have any idea what she was talking about.

Her gaze went down to her feet and she bit her lip. "I can't!"

His heart broke seeing the women he secretly loved from the bottom of his heart in such despair. He couldn't help but to kneel down in front of her and look her in the eyes. "Tell me!"

"You'll hate me!" She replied quietly and the tears welled up again.

"Stop telling me that. I would never ..." He stopped himself before he could accidentally reveal his true feelings for her. "I promise!" He told her instead.

She wasn't convinced. He could see it in her sparkling blue eyes but he didn't know what to say in order to help her opening up but nevertheless he tried: "Look, I know that they accused you as a witch, but I'm not the only one thinking that you're just a strong and independent woman."

"That's not true."

"What?"

She made a quick step back and her hands trembled. "Every single word is not true." She bit her lips and a few tears run over her cheeks.

He couldn't help but smile. "Well not every word can be a lie. At least you're a woman."

She squeezed her eyes and again welled thick tears up from under her eyelashes. "Not a single word!" She repeated voiceless and Cole froze on the spot.

"What?" His gaze searched for hints that she was lying, but ... no, her breasts were way too flat and her cheeks and chin were covered with soft light stubble. "No", he breathed out and his hand covered his lips. "That ... that can't be! You're a guy?"

With trembling voice she confirmed and Cole had the feeling he couldn't breath anymore.

Later he couldn't tell what exactly happened after he had slammed the door and had run away. The only remaining and continuously repeating thing he heard in his head was: run!

And that's what he did.

~~~

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little work. I guess there are some mistakes left since English isn't my first language. Fell free to comment if you find some mistakes or strange grammar.

I had the main plot in mind for several years now and I'm so happy that I had the idea of writing a bruiseshipping story with this plot. I'm a multishipper but bruise is my favorite.

 Ah, fyi I guess there will be 6-8 chapters, updates unfrequently.

If you liked 'The hangman's first love', don't forget to like, vote and (perhaps) comment.

See y'all for the next update!