Chapter 1 : The Beauty and the Beast

The moon was bright in the sky, illuminating the street and providing enough light for Sig' to see each detail of this scenery.

The cold wind blew his clothes, so cold that he gripped his teethes, but even so, it was the best moment of his life.

He was finally free, after three years he was able to do whatever he wanted, with whoever he wanted and wherever he wanted.

That was the true meaning of freedom.

But there was still a little problem.

Sig' was alone, no beloved family, no friends, and he didn't even have a home to return!

Well, this sort of detail wouldn't be able to sully his first day of freedom!

Nothing prevented him from making new friends and find a place to live.

As a new adult Sig' was pretty sure that he could do whatever he wanted.

But at first, he needed something to eat, after spending his whole day walking alone he was so hungry that he could eat a horse.

Old Jack' gave him some money for his departure, enough for a few meals, but it won't last long so he also told him to find a job.

Sig's nodded at each of his advices but he knew he wouldn't be able to do half of them.

Surely because the young man had no diploma, did no studies and spend all his youth in the street, fighting with gangsters, stealing their money to provide foods for his mother and him.

She was sick and couldn't work so it was his duty to bring back what they needed.

His mother wasn't really a good woman, she didn't teach him anything or gave him any love or care until she catch this disease.

At this moment, she seemed to remember that she had a son, and begged him to help her.

This scene was still vivid in his mind, she was lying on the ground, blood flowing from her mouth, and her eyes wide open as she struggled to breathe.

"Sig' please help me! I'm dying, I need you, save your mom!" she said.

It was the first time she called him by his name, and he was already 13 years old.

Sig kept his mouth shut, caught her taut hand and helped her to reach her bed.

This situation lasted for two months until she finally died during the night, Sig' wasn't sad, in fact he felt nothing for this woman, who was almost a stranger for him.

The young man kept the flat, he chose to incinerate his mother because it was free and continue his life.

After all his woman hadn't been there for him during all his childhood so he was used to live alone, by himself.

Sig' shook his head, chasing away all those useless memories, that was the past and now he needed to focus on the present!

"You little bitch !"

The sound of the insult echoed in the quiet night, followed by a scream, a scream of a woman.

It came from a narrow street not far away.

"Sig' please remember, whatever happens, stay away from the troubles, you're free now and don't want to see you back there before a long time. In fact, I don't want to see you ever!"

The last word of Jack came back to his memories.

But it was the same Jack who also told him to always protecting the weak against the bullies, and to save the damsel from the bad men.

Honestly it really sounded like a damsel.

Sig' sprinted toward the voices, jumped over a frightened cat and reached the alley.

In front of him were two person, a middle-aged man, probably drunk judging from the smell, his fist ready to hit and his bloodshot eyes wide open, staring at the second person.

It was a young woman, probably in her early twenties, with blond hair and a beautiful pair of blue eyes. Even if she was the one screaming earlier, she didn't seem to be afraid, her gaze was vigilant and stared at the man before her.

Sig' stopped a few meter away from them, he was busy contemplating the woman, after three years it was the first one he met, and she was gorgeous! A smooth and bright skin, a fairly big cleavage which promised to hide a beautiful treasure and she was wearing a skirt which emphasize the curve of her butt.

Sig' was in a daze until their gaze met each other, she then raised an eyebrow and he directly looked away, feeling ashamed without knowing why.

Breathing heavily Sig' came closer.

"Leave the girl alone" He ordered while putting his hand on the shoulder of the middle-aged man.

The drunker spun around, looked at him from head to toes and then smirked.

"get the fuck out of here brat, this is none of your business !"

Sig' shrugged "sorry old man, I know I promised to not be involved in any fight, but he really deserved it."

With his fastest speed his fist reached the face of the poor nobody, breaking his jaw in a hideous crack before sending him to the ground.

While rubbing his fingers, Sig' started thinking, was it protecting the weak, or simple bullying? This man was surely a bad man so Jack wouldn't be able to say anything, but for someone to stay on the ground with only one punch, it was really awful.

Well there was a witness, so the lady would surely tell to everyone that he saved her.

Speaking of her…

With his best smile Sig' turned toward her, only for discovering that she was staring at him too.

"You take your time" she said with an air of disapproval.

"I beg your pardon ?" Sig' asked, he learned this expression with the old man, this one told him that it was the good way to address an unknown lady.

"Yes you can, at least I hope that the sight was worth it !"

Oh, she was talking about him checking her out before acting.

By her way of talking, the young man was able to tell that she came from another background compared to him, she had that special dignity, even when she was in trouble.

"Did he hurt you?" Sig'questionned her, knowing that they didn't start off on the right foot, there was reproaches and hostility in her tone.

Well it was pretty normal, she was assaulted just before, even if she did her best to keep her calm, that sort of thing still touch you.

"Not really, you came at the right time, hopefully" She said while staring at him.

Her gaze was piercing, as if she was able to read his mind.

"So tell me now, is it a sort of habit for you to help whoever you meet?" It was her turn to questioning him.

Sig's blushed, before regretting it immediately, why was he acting as the victim there?!

"No, so I'm gonna take my leave, bye and be careful on the road!"

Sig' was prepared to leave when she called him back

"Wait!"

He gave her a wondering gaze.

Her expression softened, she smiled at him.

"You probably save my life, so at least let me offer you the meal, come with me to my house."

Sig' raised an eyebrow.

"You gonna bring an unknown man at your house just after escaping what seemed to be a rape? Seriously?"

She giggled.

"You save me earlier but you didn't ask for any reward, you were in a position where you could do whatever you wanted to me, but you didn't act and were about to leave. To put it simply it makes me think that I can trust you, at least for a meal."

Sig' wasn't sure about what he should do now, what if it was some sort of trap and she wanted to take advantage of the situation to blackmail him?

What? It was totally possible!

"Don't look at me so suspiciously, you doesn't seems to be in position of refusing a free meal, aren't you?"

"Are you insulting me?" asked Sig' while staring at her.

"Listen, I may not seem to be that type of woman, but I'm pretty observant. Look at you, your hair are close-cropped, you clothes are really common and your shoes are covered by dirt. There is a hump at your ankle and there is a jail not far away from there, at least if you walk by yourself. It's a lot of details, but if you put them together it indicates that you were a former inmate who get released today, that's why you are out in the street during the night, hungry because you spend your entire day walking until there".

The young lady said that with a satisfied smile, as if she was proud of being able to deduct all of this by herself.

And Sig'? Sig' had his eyes open wide before finally remembering to breath.

He took a long breath, closed his eyes before staring at her with awe.

"I guess I'm right mister prisoner?" She asked.

"Well, yeah…kinda"

In fact she was totally right, he was taken to jail at the age of 15 and spent 3 years there because of a stupid mistake.

Obliged to fight every day because he wasn't able to communicate with his roommates, he ended in isolation most of the time, training his body to avoid boredom.

His only one "friend" was the old prison guard, Jack, who brought him his daily lunch.

When the last day of his sentence came, the old man gave him his actual clothes, a little bit of money and a lot of advices.

And here he was, starting his new life, tasting the freedom after 3 long years.

"Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble. Let me introduce myself, I'm Morgana, nice to meet you" She offered her hand to him.

"I'm Sig', nice to meet you" Without knowing what to do he just shook her hand, making her giggle.

"Okay Sig', come with me, my car is parked not far"

"Oh, you have a car?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we are in 2039, everyone has a car! Or are you implying that since I'm a woman I shouldn't drive? Are you some sort or retarded macho?"

"What? No, I was just surprised because personally I don't know how to drive…"

He said the end of the sentence while lower his voice, ashamed.

She saw it and smiled without saying anything else.

While she was focused on the road, Sig' took advantage of the opportunity to look at her in detail.

She had immaculate nails, long and thin fingers with only one ring, which had a pattern carved in.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked while smiling playfully.

"I should be the one complaining about you observing me" he mumbled.

"Stop complaining, you look like a scaredy-cat compared to earlier, when you beat this guy".

"It was different…"

"Why? Because he was a man and I'm a woman?"

Sig' sighed. I didn't know how to talk to a woman, in the past he always felt awkward, didn't know what to say, and this Morgana made things even worse because she seemed to enjoy teasing him.

"You're starting to regret following me isn't it?" She questioned, smiling.

"…Yes".

When he saw her house, Sig' was obliged to pinch himself just to be sure he wasn't dreaming.

A paved path leaded to a villa located on top of a hill, there was also a luxurious garden and a vast swimming pool, this was truly the home a rich lady !

"Is it really your home ?" Sig' asked, dumbfounded.

"Not exactly, it's the house of a friend of mine, she leave it to me while she travels around the world, so I'm alone there. Comforted ?"

She drove him inside the garden until they reached the door and entered the house.

The inside was well-decorated, the owner seemed to have good taste, it felt comfortable and welcoming.

While he sat at the table, Morgana looked inside the fridge, leaning exaggeratedly while he averted his gaze.

She prepared two dishes before sitting in front of him.

"So tell me Sig', you just leave the jail, have you a place to rest ?" She asked while he was enjoying his first real meal since three years.

"No, and no one is waiting for me if it's what you want to know."

"Oh I see." She responded.

Sig' restrained himself from telling her that she behaved exactly like a kidnapper because it was the first thing that you shouldn't tell to a kidnapper.

Morgana put a strand of hair back behind her ear while looking at him with a smile which sent him a shiver in his spine.

She was like a wolf staring at a cute little rabbit, and he was that little rabbit.

Her gaze was mesmerizing, all he wanted was to lost himself in it, and in this cleavage that she purposely put in front of him.

"Tell me Sig', how about I offer you a job ?"