C1 Chapter 1
On a dark and ominous night in the heart of the forest, Jane galloped atop her majestic black stallion, Midnight, desperately trying to escape from the clutches of four heavily armed men who were hot on her trail. Despite the danger that lurked behind her, Jane was reassured by the fact that Midnight was both swift and powerful, and there was no way that the gunmen could catch up with her.
As Jane made her way towards a clearing, she was struck with horror at the sight that greeted her eyes. There were ten more armed men who had captured a group of innocent people and imprisoned them in a cage. The fury inside Jane was ignited, and she desperately wanted to free the captives immediately. But she knew she had to be cautious and think through her next steps carefully before making any rash decisions.
She decided to seek refuge for the night and rest before taking any action. The next morning, she woke up to find a stranger cooking by a campfire. Jane was filled with fear and trepidation at the sight of the unknown man, but he calmly reassured her that he meant no harm and even invited her to join him for a meal.
The stranger introduced himself as Jake and was curious to know why Jane was out in the forest alone. Although Jane was hesitant to reveal her true intentions, she eventually told him that she was also a traveler with a destination in mind. Jake, a fellow traveler and hunter, gave Midnight some food and offered his expertise when Jane mentioned her desire to rescue the prisoners.
However, Jake was hesitant to join Jane on her mission, as he believed it was not worth risking his life for strangers he didn't know. But Jane was determined to save the captives and asked Jake for his gun since she had experience using one. Although taken aback by her request, Jake eventually agreed to help Jane, even going as far as to train her in aiming and firing a gun.
Together, they made their way towards the captives' prison, with Jane leading the charge with her sword and gun in hand. Despite facing insurmountable odds, Jane was relentless in her pursuit to free the prisoners, and Jake joined in the fight to help her.
However, Jane found herself cornered and disarmed in a fistfight with one of the gunmen, which was her weakness. The huge man began to strangle her, but Jake was quick to act and shot him, saving Jane's life. After the fight, they shared a moment of intense connection, with their hearts racing and their eyes locked in a gaze that felt like it could last forever.
As Jane tended to the prisoners and helped them escape, an old man approached Jake and advised him not to let go of this rare opportunity for love. The prisoners expressed their gratitude towards Jane, with one elderly lady giving her a white stone, which she called the "Stone of Luck," and giving her a message for the king.
The lady's final words echoed in Jane's mind as she stood there, holding the stone in her hand. "Two love, one soulmate," she repeated to herself, trying to make sense of the mysterious woman's message.
She couldn't shake off the feeling of intensity that came with the task she was given. What did the lady mean by a heavy heart and a soft heart? And what was the significance of the white horse with snow?
The lady told Jane to seek out a white horse that had snow and take it to the king, who was gravely ill. She instructed Jane to have the king confess his wrongdoing before he could be healed and warned her about the two paths of love, one soft-hearted but fickle, and one heavy-hearted but protective.
Jane was left puzzled and overwhelmed by the lady's words, but she knew that she had a mission to complete. And so, she set off on her journey, determined to save the king and fulfill the prophecy.
Jane inquired where Jake was headed, and he replied that he had no particular destination in mind, as he was accustomed to traveling aimlessly. In turn, Jake asked Jane where she was headed, and she revealed that she was on her way to visit a friend at the palace.
After learning of Jane's plans, Jake eagerly accepted her invitation to accompany her, albeit with the caveat that he would not enter the palace with her. Jane acquiesced to his request, relieved to have a companion for the journey.
As they prepared to depart, Jake retrieved his firearm and offered it to Jane for protection. She accepted the weapon and mounted her horse, Midnight. However, when Jake attempted to mount the steed, Midnight forcefully kicked him away.
Despite the setback, Jane found the incident amusing and dismounted to comfort Jake. She reassured him of her loyalty and affection, and Midnight approached her, nuzzling her in agreement.
Encouraged by Jane's approval, Jake made another attempt to mount Midnight, and this time he succeeded. With the duo on horseback, they continued their journey towards the palace.