Jerrick's lips curved at the petite woman hanging from the window arch. Her arms were shaking unable to hold on. Her fluttering skirt must add double her weight.
His childish side awakened, and he wanted to see how long she would hold on without any help.
He remembered their first meeting. She was hanging like this then too; except it was from a tree.
No, that was not their first meeting.
He met her on the streets. On their first meeting, she was pinning down a boy twice her size and hitting him. The hem of her pastel-yellow dress was drenched in mud and her long hair was undone. No one dared to stop the eight-year-old "young lady" hitting the boy. After all, she was the only daughter of the Baron of Ravensworth.
'Why did you make Imogen cry?' She screeched with every slap and every hit, not caring for herself, like a common myna fighting with other birds. He admired the mynas for its resilience and fighting spirit.
She loved Imogen that much to pick a fight with a boy twice her size. She managed to win even. What was not to admire?
He didn't know what got him. He was an orphaned, battered, hungry, homeless ten-year-old boy on the streets, but watching her, he forgot everything else.
'You!' she pointed at him after she finished with that boy. Standing on the chest of the defeated boy, she gestured for him to come closer with her index finger.
He still remembered that moment that caused him goosebumps all over him. His voice didn't come out and his mind went blank. Not even considering the possibility that she might hit him next; he went to her.
'Follow me,' she said, her voice authoritative as that of an aristocrat. 'You're mine, handsome boy!'
He was someone who hated the ilk of the aristocrats, knowing his family's history. But looking at her blue eyes, he followed her like a dog would follow its owner.
She didn't bother to fix her hair or dust off her clothes. Making sure Imogen was smiling, she skipped her way to her castle. He followed her amazed. She was like a fluttering little bird with no care in the world.
She brought him home. Not minding the protocols, she held his hand and brought him inside. The maids tried to stop her from making the carpet dirty; they told her that she couldn't bring strangers into the home, but she walked like a blinded horse to her father's office. She didn't let go of his hand.
The Baron graciously offered him a job as a gardener. He got a nice place to stay and three hot meals a day thanks to her. He tried to meet her to thank her, for the next couple of weeks, but he couldn't see her.
On the fifteenth day, he saw her hanging from the mango tree. Her skirt was bundled and by the yellow stain, he could say that she had collected mangoes in her skirt. The layers of fabric in her skirt weighed her down. Her hair was messy and flowing freely in the wind.
Her arms were shaking just like today, but she had managed to hang on.
Jerrick looked at the dogs now jumping in an attempt to take a bite off her feet. She reeled her legs into her skirt and now the dogs tried to grab her skirt.
"Jump. I'll catch you," Jerrick said, unable to control his smile.
Then or now, she's the same.
That was why he was not shocked to learn that she was the Purple Hood. He didn't have a strong body but her spirit was strong enough to weather any storm on her way. He didn't like she had sworn her allegiance to the Council not fully well knowing what they are and who they serve, but he admired her strength.
Jessamyn looked at him with a weird smile on his face. It irritated her. "Call off your dogs!" she said gritting her teeth.
She didn't find the need for any help in getting down. If only the dogs weren't there, she could make a safe landing.
Jerrick waved off the guards approaching there. He didn't ask them to get the dogs either.
"Come on!" Jerrick stretched out his hands.
Jessamyn was on the brink of losing her strength. She observed closely to see another set of shoes behind Jerrick. She figured it must be the Grand Duke. She was ashamed to be caught in an uncouth position by the Grand Duke.
"Trust me. I'll catch you…"
His gentle voice brought back a memory for her. She was hanging from a mango tree that day and ants had gathered around her and some were on her hands. She didn't know when she would get bitten by those venomous ants.
He said the exact same words that day too—Jump! Trust me. I'll catch you… He was smiling at her and in his eyes, she saw something she couldn't describe. Although he didn't look strong enough to catch her, she let go of her grip. He did catch her that day.
"Jessamyn…Jump. You're not even wearing your shoes," Jerrick urged her.
She pressed her lips. She didn't find the need to take a leap of faith anymore. She can help herself.
Closing her eyes, she kicked her legs and released her hands. Unless she made an effort to jump into his arms, he wouldn't be able to catch her. That was why she jumped away deciding to take a chance with the dogs.
"Lady Jessamyn!" She heard the panicked shout of the Grand Duke as she released her hands.
Her heart started to pound and her mind went blank.
She jumped with blind faith that he wouldn't let his dogs maul her in front of his guest. With or without a guest present, she wouldn't allow herself in his embrace. That would be too shameful.
She expected a hard landing, possibly a twisted ankle, but she was grabbed by the waist before she reached the ground. Unconsciously she wrapped her hands around the neck of the man whose arms wrapped around her waist.
Her heart was pumping hard and her chest heaved up and down. A manly scent entered her senses. She could feel the raised heartbeat on his strong chest.
Slowly she opened her eyes.