Love Finds a Way, Even Through the Darkness

1

T HE MOMENT VANESSA LAID EYES on the strange man, she knew. Exactly what she knew, presented her with a bit of a dilemma. She wasn’t even sure she believed in love at first sight, though she supposed it could happen. She didn’t even know how to describe these sudden and new feelings that flooded her heart and mind. His handsome face and dark eyes caused her breath to shorten—but it was more than that. It was the way he moved. He moved with a masculinity that bespoke confidence and purpose.

She knew only that she felt right, but trying to understand it eluded her inundated mind.

She caught herself staring at him as he crossed the street in front of her. Blinking, she turned away, feeling a blush spread across her face. Quickly, before she could think better of it, the young woman darted behind a building and crossed to a lesser used street. She hesitated at the corner of a wooden building in the town of Munich, Germany, trying to catch her breath.

I’m acting like a child, she berated herself aloud. She absently smoothed her Sunday dress, the best one she had and the one she always wore to church. She noted a small smudge, a food stain, on her sleeve and immediately felt relieved that the strange man hadn’t noticed her. At least she wouldn’t have to suffer the embarrassment of him seeing her carelessness.

She briefly considered running back home and cleaning it before going the rest of the way to church, but dismissed it. It was only a small stain, and she really wasn’t that fastidious about her appearance that she wanted to be late to church. She thought of Nikolas who always made it a point to sit near her in church. The young man had been trying to court Vanessa for months now, but Vanessa just didn’t have the same level of interest. She sighed, poor Nikolas probably wouldn’t even notice the stain on her sleeve.

Pardon me, Miss, a voice spoke behind her.

Vanessa started and spun around to look right into the strong chest of a tall man wearing a rather rich tunic that somewhat followed the current trend of the late seventeenth century, after the birth of Christ. She swallowed, as her eyes traveled up his well muscled frame to his dark eyes that seemed all that much more intriguing under his shock of dark hair. Sure enough, the stranger stood before her, his face reflecting his sincerity and his soft cap politely in hand.

Do you know where I might find Dogan’s smithy? My horse threw a shoe, and I need it repaired.

His voice sent little thrills through her, and she had to force herself to focus on his words or she would only end up staring at him having heard nothing he said.

Uh, y-yes, she stammered, feeling foolish. She blushed and then felt foolish for doing that. It is over that way, she said pointing. I mean, that is, it’s over that way, she corrected, feeling completely flustered and blushing even more furiously. She pointed in a new direction.

Thank you, Miss…? he prompted, raising an eyebrow.

Walter, she blurted.

His eyes narrowed in confusion and the edges of his smile slid down towards the briefest of frowns. At first, she thought she had somehow offended him, but then it hit her. She nearly fainted when she realized she had inadvertently given her surname—a distinctly masculine name—instead of her first name.

Vanessa Walter, she corrected hurriedly, hoping the handsome man would miss her mistake. At that moment all she wanted to do was crawl in a hole somewhere and hide. She couldn’t believe how foolish she was acting.

His smile flared back up and he bowed to her. A beautiful name, Miss Walter. Again, thank you. He put his cap back on and bringing a well tanned hand up to touch its brim in respect. Oh, you have a stain on your sleeve, he pointed out helpfully as he started away.

Vanessa stared after him, her emotions completely jumbled. She would burn the dress, she decided, and bury the ashes where no one could ever find it. No, first she would tear it to shreds and…her thoughts ended as she suddenly realized that she hadn’t gotten his name. You’re welcome, Mr…? she also prompted before he could get too many steps away.

Marcus, he returned, casting his broad smile over his shoulder.

Marcus rounded a corner of the next building, heading to the smithy. He shook his head, thinking himself an absolute fool. What had possessed him to follow the girl to begin with? He recalled his first sight of her as she had stood there in the middle of the street. She had seen him first and had been looking at him curiously. Marcus got that a lot and would normally have ignored it altogether, but something about this girl had attracted him in a way he had never before experienced.

To be sure she was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on. Her green eyes had taken him completely, and her dark brown hair looked soft and shone with a vibrancy he found highly attractive. Her white skin looked creamy and soft, and his fingers tingled with just the thought of a chaste touch. Still, he wasn’t normally one to be so caught up in a girl’s beauty. To Marcus, beauty inside meant more than beauty outside.

But then why did I follow her? he asked himself, shaking his head. And why had he asked her something so mundane as where the smithy might be? He already knew where the smithy was. His horse was there now getting fitted with a new shoe! So what on earth had possessed him?

He thought of his comment about the stain on her sleeve and wanted to bang his head into a stout tree. What was I thinking? he asked himself. How dumb and idiotic could a man be? He had actually liked the stain. It made the heavenly vision of the girl seem more real…more attainable? No, that wasn’t the right word! He grumbled to himself, thinking he had better start acting like and behaving like the Christian he was, or he would have to spend several hours on his knees getting his heart right with God.

Of its own accord, however, his mind went back to thoughts of Vanessa. Still thinking himself a fool, he veered away from the smithy and entered the common room of a local inn. He didn’t have rooms here since it was actually dangerous for him to remain in town or to be seen by the wrong person, but places like this could be beneficial in gathering information.

The room smelled of pipe tobacco and stale beer. The crowd that sat around the various tables were not the type to go to church—probably why they were here instead of on their way to services. Several men sat in a corner, probably nursing an early morning beer and trying to come fully awake from late nights of carousing.

Marcus hated places like this. He didn’t feel comfortable in the slightest, but he had come here for information, not to drink. He made his way to a table near the corner and sat within ear shot of those around him. He knew from experience that this was the place to be, if you wanted information. It wasn’t just women who liked to gossip.

The rough looking men around a nearby table grumbled some about the new taxes King Joseph had imposed to raise additional funds for his war effort in Hungary. King Joseph’s father, Emperor Leopold, had given his young son, newly crowned King of Germany, the responsibility of quelling the rebellion there, and the young king had taken to it with a vengeance it seemed. He had left Rogers Wolfe in complete control of the kingdom during his absence.

Indeed, one of the men that sat at the table was dressed in the livery of the newly appointed Regent of Germany. Marcus turned his face away in the dim light, unwilling to allow the man to catch a clear glimpse of him. The very last thing he wanted was for his presence to be reported to Rogers. That wouldn’t be good, not at all.

Aye, one of the men raised his voice and slamming his cup hard on the surface of the stained table. It not be fair, I say, why do the happenings in Hungary concern us here in Germany? Let Leopold fight his own wars, I say!

We wary, you fool, the man dressed as one of Regent’s guardsman growled back. Show some respect for your Emperor and King.

The first man scowled back. And why should I? What have they done for kin or country, I ask?

If the Regent hears such talk, he will have you arrested, the guard replied.

Bah! Why does he even care? He’s got the whole country to run. He sat back and snorted disdainfully. Why I hear that he hasn’t even come within half a mile of the palace since he was named Regent. It seems Queen Wilhelmine threatened to cut off his head if he so much as got within spitting distance of her.

The guard’s face had tightened up more and more with each word that poured from the drunk’s mouth. So it was with little surprise when the guard suddenly threw a punch across the table that connected solidly with the loud mouth’s face. The drunk gave a little screech of surprise and went flying backwards, skidding helplessly across the slick floor. The man came to an abrupt stop against the chair of another man at another table. Surprised at the sudden intrusion, this man promptly kicked the drunk in the face.

This started a general melee in which Marcus hurriedly retreated from. He managed to get through the front door with only having to fend off one of the men in the room.

Places like that ought to be gutted, cleansed, and if necessary burned, he thought to himself. He brushed himself off, glad that he had gotten ought of there without too much trouble and thought about his next step.

He found it odd, but good news that the Regent had not chosen to rule from the palace. Marcus already knew of the tension the existed between the Regent and the Queen, so it did not come as much of a surprise. Unfortunately, Marcus dared not get too close to the palace either. Just as Rogers would not be pleased to see him, neither would the Queen be glad to learn of his presence either.

But he needed to find out more. Ever since Rogers had become regent, reports and rumors of dark deeds had begun to reach Marcus’ ears. Strange disappearances, strange deaths, and brutality had become common place around Germany. The Regent was grasping for more and more power—not surprising to Marcus. Most of the people knew Rogers was behind it all, knew that the man had ambitions to the throne itself once Joseph was named Emperor and replaced his father. But no one could prove it. Rogers was too careful, too deliberate to allow proof of his deeds to reach the King’s ear.

More frustrating than that was the fact that King Joseph seemed to intentionally turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the whole thing.

Marcus intended to change all that. Only he didn’t know how.

His mind inadvertently returned to the girl, Vanessa. He knew from the way the girl was dressed that she was going to church. After what he had just seen in the inn’s common room, he found that refreshing. Marcus knew where the closest church was and found himself moving that direction. He wanted to get another look at her.

Yes, he realized with a sigh, he was acting like a fool. But for some reason, he just didn’t really care. He wanted to see those beautiful eyes again.

2

V ANESSA SAT IN FRONT OF her mirror, humming to herself. She tugged at her hair with a brush absently, her thoughts not really on her actions. In her mind, she saw that stranger again. She ran every detail she could remember through her imagination, trying to learn more about him, but she kept coming back to his eyes, those dark eyes.

She had seen him again, that same day they had first met. She had come out of church to find him passing in front of the building. He had spotted her, and touched the brim of his cap again in greeting, casting her his heart melting smile.

Her parents had come out right behind her, but had not seen the stranger. Embarrassed over her own emotions, she had decided it best not point him out.

Now she couldn’t get him out of her head. His dark eyes followed her even into her dreams. Last night she had dreamed of falling into a pit from which she barely escaped from. The only thing that had given her strength to climb out were a pair of dark eyes that peered at her from beyond the darkness.

It had been both frightening and exhilarating. She desperately wanted to learn more of this Marcus. Who was he? Where did he come from? More importantly, how long would he stay in town?

Vanessa, a strong voice said from her doorway. You best come down and eat before you pull all your hair out with that brush.

The young woman jumped slightly, startled, but a grin blossomed on her face as she turned towards the man in the door. Father! You startled me.

Never, he said, coming all the way in and smiling mischievously. Would I do that to my favorite daughter? Of all my girls, you are by far the best!

"Daddy, I’m your only daughter!"

He looked surprised, playing out the game the two had taken part in since Vanessa was a little girl. She loved it and hoped they would never outgrow the need for it. Why so you are! he exclaimed with exaggerated incredulousness. You’re still my favorite, anyway.

Vanessa hopped up from her stool and fell into her father’s strong embrace. She had to squirm a bit to avoid getting jabbed by his sword hilt since he was dressed in his palace guard uniform. Queen Wilhelmine doesn’t understand how blessed she is to have you as Captain of the Palace Guard, she informed him, smiling.

Captain William Walter, her loving father, shrugged. How could she? he responded with a wink. Your mother got me first and has never let my captured heart go.

Good, she replied, giving him another hug. Her father stood maybe a half inch taller than Vanessa, short by most standards for men, but his stocky and solid build belied a strength and skill that had allowed him to rise within the ranks of the German army. Eventually, her father had come to the attention of Joseph himself and received an appointment to the Palace Guard. When King Joseph had left to stop the rebellion in Hungary, he had made her father Captain of the Guard and charged him with protection of the King’s wife.

Now, we better be getting down before your mother decides to feed our food to the chickens.

Her stomach growled in response, and she preceded her father down to the kitchen. Her tiny mother, Marie Walter, bustled about the small kitchen, setting out food and several tin cups of milk. There you are, she said, smiling. Breakfast is almost cold.

I found her trying to brush all the hair off her head, her father whispered loudly in a not so subtle attempt to tease his daughter. You may want to have a talk with her.

Marie turned twinkling eyes, green like Vanessa’s, on her daughter. Is that so? Is there a young man behind this attempt to become hairless?

Vanessa blushed and sat heavily at one of the wooden chairs in a vain attempt to hide her crimson cheeks. Well… she trailed off, not really sure she should mention the stranger, Marcus.

Vanessa, her mother said with mock sternness. You are twenty years old. Most girls have been long married by now. It is okay to have an eye on a young man.

Mother, she muttered, suddenly uncomfortable. You know I want to do it right. I want to find the one God has for me. I want the right man.

Good for you, her father announced, already halfway through his plate of food. Best get the right one, so I won’t have to hang him later.

Daddy! Please!

The Captain just chuckled and continued to eat.

Who is he? the older Walter woman asked. Is it someone from church?

Vanessa fell silent, not sure how to answer that one. Marcus was new to town so hadn’t been in church. That didn’t mean he didn’t go to church somewhere, but Vanessa didn’t even know if the man was even a Christian. He was polite though, so maybe he was. Vanessa knew she was reaching with that thought.

It’s not anyone in particular, she finally said. Maybe it’s just time that I meet more people.

Nothing wrong with that, her mother agreed. You keep too much to yourself. Didn’t Audo seek to court you? He seems like a nice young man.

Vanessa screwed her face up. Him? Mother he’s more interested in his pigs than girls right now.

Vanessa! Be nice.

Sorry. She bit her lip, trying to come up with a way to escape the conversation.

"What about Nikolas? Even your