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Thought/Flashback/Dream


Chapter 8

When their search party arrived back in Cloister, Elmont was the first off his horse. He surprised Elissa by helping her to dismount, he hadn't addressed a single word to Elissa and that was making her uncomfortable. She wished to talk to him openly, knowing what he was thinking but the presence of Roderick, Wicke and some Knights prevented her from doing so.

"You okay, princess?" he whispered to her as she slid down his body.

Elissa looked to him, doe-eyed and smile slightly. Elissa's hands rested on the shoulders of Elmont, while both hands of Elmont were resting on her hips.

"Yes and you Elmont? You seem distant..." she saw his eyes flash with desire but also hurt. Why he was hurt? She touches his cheek and Elmont closes his eyes to feel the delicate touch of her hand.

How much he missed her? How much of what happen was his fault? He fails to her!

"I'm so sorry my lady..."

"Why you sorry?" her voice was soft, Elissa didn't understand why he was saying that, Elmont opened his eyes and she could see the pain in his beautiful eyes and that make her blood instantly turned to ice in her veins with the intensity.

"By failing in protect you, by make you go through this..." with an act of courage she put a finger to his lips and smiled. At that moment he understood how much he missed her smile. That simple smile warmed his heart, he was happy to see her alive.

They were too close, she wanted that, for a few moments, wanted to feel his strong arms around her. She knew that she would not feel safe after, so Elissa wanted to drain some force of this simple approximation and she needed strength.

"There's nothing for you to apologize for, Elmont" she said "You haven't done anything wrong, the decision was mine, and you don't have anything to do about..."

"No, the last word was mine..." It was He who made the decision... They were close, he could feel her breath. Elissa's hand slid down his cheek gently and tried to memorize. Touching him was like realizing all she ever wanted was right there in front of her. "I'm glad you are alive..." he whispered.

What she could say to him? She wanted to say so much... But it was not the right time and not the right place, maybe she never find that time and place, maybe she never tell and ask what she wanted to know...

"You look different" she whispered, Elissa couldn't tell what was different about him, maybe the light in his eyes, maybe the determination and confidence that she felt in every word, a determination that had always had been inside him but he never show, a confidence that only appear when he saw her alive. Something was different...

Elmont like the way she was touching his face, the way her hand traveled. The gaze of Elmont was caught on her lips, he wanted nothing more too close the small gap between their faces and presses his lips to her and she wanted too.

They had forgotten the world but the world didn't forget them... Unfortunately...

"Elissa" the voice of her father flooded her ears and broke the moment. Elmont quickly got away from Elissa noticing how his body was near to the Princess. When he pulled away she felt a raging anguish, she was flying and didn't want to return to the land. She was dreaming and didn't want to wake up.

The body of Elmont was replaced by the embrace of the king. She hugged him but the sense of loss was installed in her being, making her feel incomplete.

"Father"

"My dear... You are alive..." His voice was pure happiness and relief.

"I'm here father..." He pulled away and kissed the forehead of Elissa. The feeling was incredible, Knowing that his daughter was alive, seeing her alive and well, again. The King wanted to thank to the God...

"Do you know what feels like to think you were dead?"

"I'm sorry father."

"Don't ever do this to me again... Promise Elissa..." she was crying, the tears sprang from her eyes.

"I-I... Promise Father..." the embrace was tight like he was afraid to lose her.

She understood, understood very well the feeling of losing someone important and thinks that she had made other people feel that feeling tore her heart. Elissa did not want anyone to feel that feeling so empty and painful...

"I'm grateful to you, Elmont"

"There is no reason to be grateful, Sire" The king looked at the captain and shook his head, denying his words.

"There is, you bringing my daughter back... If you need anything, ask anything..." The king approached Elmont and put a hand on his shoulder. Elmont was honored and it was unquestionable but if he'd only never had failed in his duty he would not hear those words... They would never have thought she was dead.

"Sire, there isn't..."

"I know what you're going to say. Think... Is only what I ask."

The King guide Elissa into the castle and on the way Isabelle joined with a blissful smile adorning her face. The King looked at Isabelle with a disapproving look as he try to surpass the happiness he felt, but without success. Alyn had accompanied the knights to explain and report everything that happened to Elissa, from the moment they found her body. At the end of the day was a celebration that was prepared initially to announce the engagement of Isabelle, now would be to celebrate the return of the As she left her things in her room, were untouched as if only a few hours had passed since the last time she entered there. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she entered in her room.

The hours seemed to happen too fast and she felt that something was going to happen... In the distance, when she stood in the garden with her sister and father, she could see the preparations and before she knew it she was before the mirror. She looked at the image of the mirror and ran her fingers over the small scar that adorned her forehead, symbol of what happen, she knew that always will remain on her forehead, testimony but didn't care as she thought she will.

Elissa arranged with care, knowing that this would be a crucial day in her life; somehow she felt that something would change... She knew that Roderick would have some plan for the marriage and that he had the permission of her father, she felt that this day would be marked and this time she didn't have hypotheses or words for delay the marriage. That meant she had to do something and quickly, hoping that someone would help in this case but even if most people have good intentions, as Isabelle, she had and should find the answer, alone. If things went badly, she would have only one chance and that would run away... It would be a very complicated situation, risky and dangerous. Her father and Roderick were very powerful, and someone to play with what Roderick thought his was is a great madness and therefore she couldn't involve anyone in her plans to flee to the wedding if her main plan failed. She would play his game until she can... and in the end she had to win. Elissa knew how smart he was, but she had advantage because Roderick never consider her intelligent, or that what she thought.

The sky-blue dress sat her perfectly. Elissa looked at a web that was bobbing, the white butterfly seemed to scream. "Please, help!" while the spider advance. Like that butterfly, Elissa felt trapped in a web. And without knowing she was about to face one of the biggest challenges of your life, accept the date of her marriage with Lord Roderick with a smile, as if it represented a great honor, when in fact, she wanted to spit in his face.

She thought in leave and disappears while she moved carefully down the stairs. The dress embraced her curves in a divine way from the square neck all the way to her hips. Elmont was waiting for Elissa to escort her. When he saw her as she came downstairs in a dress of ceremony his heart stopped. The intense look she received from her Knight made her skin burn and made her remember how close they had been from each other, felt her face hot, testimony that she was blushing. Her elation increased with every step she took and when Elissa put her hand gently in his and Elmont bowed, the heart flutter at a rapid pace in Both chests. The contact only served to start a slow burn in both hands that threatened to engulf completely as they looked into the eyes

"My Lady..." His voice betrayed no emotion "If I was allowed to be bold princess, then I would say you look lovely... No, you are beautiful..." he was being sincere in what he was saying and wanted to say more as she waited to hear...

"Elissa..." She blushed slightly and he lost himself in the gray eyes.

"What?" he whispered and she laughed softly before the confusion in his eyes.

"Elmont, you can call me Elissa when we are just the two of us. I remember saying this more than once..."

She saw him swallow, trying his best to keep his gaze anywhere other than her. Unfortunately his eye kept betraying him and she smile.

"I seem to forget" He chuckled in the deep way that she had always loved. Elmont offered his arm and she took it, the smile that had been plastered on his face had melted away into a more serious look as he led her over to the salon.

"Thank you, Elmont..." He looked at her "... for protecting Isabelle and when you have been present when I was not." He stopped and looked at the face of Elissa

"...Elissa..." She could not resist adorning a wide smile on her face after hearing her name coming from the mouth of Elmont "After I failed to protect you... After you've made me promise to protect her, after you made me promise to watch him... It was the only thing I had to do, the only thing that I could do for you..." She interrupted

"You could have do it because it was your duty" his face became hard but his voice continued to show the emotion that the matter caused him

"It has always been more than that..." Elissa wanted to know the real reason but found the she didn't have the courage to ask. In almost every matter she had courage but to ask one simple question to Elmont she couldn't do it, she couldn't find her determination.

The rest of the way was done in silence. She couldn't stop listening to the voice of Elmont in her mind, she knew she should have more important matters to occupy her head but she couldn't forget what he had said.

As they approached the large door both could see the servants moved like busy ants. The tables were set up around the great hall, and it was necessary to distribute the food and drinks for the guests as they began to appear. People were multiplying around her, smiled and congratulated her for being alive and was in one of those moments where Elmont disappeared.

Everything began with the feast and in that moment, one of the things that Elissa most feared, convert into reality, Roderick rose from where he was sitting and for all who were present announced the date of his marriage to Elissa. Upon hearing the words he spoke Elissa's eyes widened surprised and startled. It hurt to see the happiness of her father knowing she was not happy with this marriage. Vaguely felt Isabelle's hand on his arm desperately asking her to react.

The wedding was being prepared to be held in the next summer, after Isabelle completes 18. Elissa's heart threatened to stop, she was right, her instinct had been right from the moment she looked into the eyes of Roderick and realized that he was preparing something that she would not like.

Roderick's lips took an eternity to separate from her hand. Then he led her to the middle of the hall, as the music began to play.

"You're shaking, Elissa" he found, as he guided the steps. "Do not be nervous, darling."

Elissa never like when he calls her that, she did not find courage to answer it and kept her eyes on the ground. Fooling Roderick was not easy. If he saw her eyes, he will realize that she was panicked for reasons very different from those he anticipated.

She danced with her father and heard from his lips how proud he was, she was a woman, very beautiful, intelligent and with a bright future ahead! It hurt her to hear it, but she had to convince... It hurt too much to know that her father was proud when she just lied and deceived about her feelings... The real Elissa lived hidden beneath the carapace that she created to deceive Roderick and hide her true feelings.

Elissa sighed in relief when Isabelle saved her. Dancing with her sister was a whiff of fresh air in the stifling night. Her heart somehow come back to beat in the time she circled Elissa's wrists with the delicate fingers that belonged to Isabelle. Isabelle knew very well that Elissa was not happy and for a few moments she just wanted to see her smile. She danced with her sister.

Elissa was feeling her body numb, she barely registered hearing the voices yelling and hands circled her as she slipped into the darkness.


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