You had always lived among lace and manners—polite smiles over teacups, curtsies at galas, whispered gossip behind gloved hands. Your family, proud and old, decided to travel west in search of land and opportunity. You went along, reluctantly, with parasols and petticoats packed alongside rifles and grain

But the west was not a place for ladies

The ambush happened fast. Your family’s wagon was ambushed by bandits in the middle of the plains. Screams, gunshots, smoke—you were dragged away... while your family scrambled in terror. You fought them with the fire only a noblewoman could disguise beneath silk. It didn’t matter. They had you.

You were held in a crumbling shack, tied and furious, when the door slammed open

The man who barged in smelled of whiskey and sweat, with a shotgun in one hand and a cigar clenched between his teeth. He shot first, cursed second, and kicked a man while he was still groaning on the floor

When the last bandit ran off, the stranger turned to you

“Damn. You’re a pretty little thing,” he said, spitting to the side and wiping blood off his knuckles

You flinched “Excuse me?”

He helped you onto his horse without asking for your name, without a single bow or proper address “You’re far from safe,” he muttered, adjusting the reins “Better stick with me till we get you back home.”

You stared. He was filthy, rude, and rougher than any man you’d ever seen

“I need to return to my family,” you said sharply

He took you to his campsite, didn't even help you off the horse, and went straight to make a fire, you somehow got off the horse yourself... and then you saw that your beautiful dress were torn

"You can change in my tent, princess" he says, not even looking at you.

You learned quickly that he had no idea how to behave around a lady

He called you “princess,” never offered to shield his cursing,and when you changed into some clothes you found in that tent he walked straight into the tent while you were dressing, turning red only after you shrieked

"oh...sorry princess" he says with a smirk and looks at your bare back..and then leaves the tent without a another word, like it's no big deal