Opportunity (Micah Bell x OC)

Chapter 1

Blackwater, 1899.

In the garden of one of the big house just outside of the city was a party, allowing wealthy people to meet with each other, and boast endlessly about how they spend their money. It was at this kind of social event that Mr. Forcier would bring his unique daughter, Elizabeth, in the hope to finally find a man willing to take her for wife. Mr. Forcier never liked his daughter as he only saw her as the cause of his wife's death. Elizabeth's mother died while giving birth to her. Since then, Mr. Forcier only just tolerated his daughter, and lately, grew even more impatient to get rid of her.

So here they were, walking in the garden, looking for available young men. This on its own was not the hardest part. Elizabeth Forcier was a very beautiful young lady with long brown hair and green eyes. The problem was that she was not the typical kind of wife that those men were looking for. And this is exactly what is going to lead us to the start of our story.

***

A comment deemed too presumptuous and Elizabeth was dragged by her father, furious, inside the house away from the crowd. Sure Elizabeth knew it was never the best idea to talk her mind in these kinds of situations, but lord did it felt good to see the expression of utter shock on the face of this William Fletcher, as boastful as he was boring.

But now she has to face the fury of her father who was looking at her with pure anger.

"You're proud of yourself I guess? Making a fool of this man in front of his family! I already told you, you go on like that and I'll never find a single man willing to take you as a wife!" her father shouted.

Elizabeth tried to defend herself. "But father! You heard what he said about..." She did not get to finish her sentence as her father slapped her violently, causing her to stumble. Elizabeth looked at her father, a mix of surprise and anger on her face as she reached her swollen cheek with a trembling hand.

"You'll regret that!" she spat, looking at her father in the eyes.

He walked toward her, his arm raised again, when they heard footsteps approaching. Elizabeth's father quickly glanced at his daughter before heading to the garden and disappearing into the crowd.

"You okay there?" the stranger asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you" Elizabeth answered quietly before turning around to face the unknown man.

He must have been in his late thirty, with dirty blond hair, just above the shoulders, and blue eyes. He was wearing a white costume with a red shirt underneath. But what stood out the most to Elizabeth was his mustache, a thick horseshoe with side whiskers, as it was not the most common look in those kinds of social events. A rugged appearance, but clearly not unpleasant.

The man was looking at her with a serious expression. He has witness the whole confrontation and has emerged from his hiding in order to keep the father away from the young woman. He was never the sensitive one, but to see her in such a state, trembling, he did not really knew why, but he had to step in.

They both looked at each other for a moment, before Elizabeth, feeling the stinging in her cheek, came back to her senses.

"I... I should go put some cold water on my face if you'll excuse me. Thank you again for your concern, Mister?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Bell. Micah Bell" he said.

She smiled at him before heading towards the ladies' restroom while he quickly nodded at her, his gaze never leaving her until she disappeared behind the door. He then walked out in the garden, having researches to do for his boss, the infamous Dutch van der Linde.