Morning brought a light nip in the air that had the two reluctant to leave the comfort of the bed, though Elle finally managed, leaving a still groggy Mias to sit up as he returned to consciousness. He perked up once his vision adjusted and saw Elle in all her naked glory quickly padding over the fireplace to stoke the embers and toss a fresh log onto the pyre.
She shivered a bit and rubbed her arms as she then crossed the room to rummage through her chest of clothes for something suitable for the day, unintentionally providing a flattering view of her hindquarters as she fussed over which off-white peasant smock would transition best once the sun had time to warm things up.
Mias smiled and reclined in bed to take in the view properly when he felt a twitch between his legs and glanced down to see the sheet slowly tenting over his nether region. Wanting to make sure it wasn't his imagination, he lifted the covers, took a good look, and lowered them with an eager grin spreading across his face. "Elle~"
"Hm?" She asked as she slipped on a shirt for the time being, knowing he only called her with that sing-song voice when he was up to something.
"Don't 'hm', come here," he beckoned with his hand.
"Gimme a sec, would ya? I just got up," she yawned, taking her time by fetching a glass of water and her tooth brush to rinse her mouth out at the sink, leaving Mias to sulk in bed as he waited for her.
"Eeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllleeeeeee…" he called for her again.
"What?" She asked with an exhaled breath of amusement. "I know better than to spoil your laziness. If you want something you can get up and get it yourself."
It appeared he had no choice. Reluctant as he was to get out of bed, Elle's barely visible posterior was a good motivator. He made his approach quick to not let the cold catch him and was at her back in moments, ensnaring her waist and pressing his crotch against her supple backside.
"Mias!" Elle jumped in surprise, expecting he just wanted her to fetch him something from the kitchen as she began the preparations for breakfast.
"You said I should get it myself," he smirked into her ear before kissing her neck.
"S-So you're better?" She squeaked as the prodding turned into a gentle rubbing. "Already?"
"Mmhmm," he answered and bent her forward. He worried if he waited too long, the blessing of morning wood would pass him by.
"C-Can't we go back to the bed?" Elle asked, blushing fiercely as she glanced over her shoulder at him when he already was positioning his hands on her hips. "I… feel like I should be facing you…"
He smiled and eased his grip, giving her the mobility needed to turn around.
"If we do this, there's no easy way out anymore. It means we'll be together for a long time… is that really what you want?" She asked.
"Yes," he smiled without any hesitation and perked her head up with a light tickle under her chin, though he guessed Elle was asking herself the same question. "I love you, Elle."
"I know," she smiled back, but immediately looked guilty for not returning the sentiment. "About you, I… You're…"
He knew and accepted her inability to say it yet. Love took time after all, and if they were going to be together for the rest of their lives, chances are it'd happen sooner or later. For now, the commitment and trust she gave to him were far more dear to him, and he vowed never to betray her trust again.
He took a gentle hold of her hand and walked her to the bed, stopping at the edge to remove the unnecessary shirt from her body. He kissed her cheek and then her lips while weaving his arms around her and sitting them both down on the mattress. He kept kissing her, swiftly and tenderly along her cheek and down her neck as her hands grabbed at him, wanting to bring herself as close as she could to him.
"Mias…!" She called his name with growing aspiration. She wanted him, wholly. She was willing to risk her heart one more time for him, even though her brain still argued the negative outcomes of such a risk, but she simply couldn't imagine her life without him anymore and she told him so in lieu of words of love. "You drive me crazy… even when you're not there, you're on my mind and I hate it because I can't stop it…! It's totally unfair…! Why is it you…? Why do I want you as badly as I do? There's got to be something wrong with me, and yet maybe that's why… I don't know…! None of this is ever gonna make any sense, is it?"
"Probably not," he agreed, flashing his teeth at her as they finally reclined. "But fuck it. We think too much. I want you; you want me – let's stop trying to be rational about it and just…"
Elle hooked a leg over his thigh, bringing her heat against his and bracing against him as she did so. Her eyes were wide and come hither, and her lips lusciously puckered on the brink of a moan she set for him to produce, and so he did by swiftly and gently pressing into her.
"Fuuuck…" He concluded his sentence and expressed his pleasure simultaneously. She still felt so damn good, as if she and she alone was molded to be the perfect fit (in far more ways than one). Perhaps that's why he loved her, or maybe because he loved her that he felt that way, but any deeper philosophical thought would have to wait. He had a wife to attend to now, and he wasn't about to fall negligent in any aspect.
"Mias…!" She called his name again as he thrust forward, knowing how his name on her lips always spurred his best efforts. It honestly didn't feel like anything had changed in the weeks they'd been apart, and yet there was an odd veil hanging over them that Elle didn't recognize. Maybe it was because they were beginning something new, or maybe she'd just gone too long without satisfaction, but she knew it was important. Aside from consummating their 'wedding vows', it was a true commitment she was making to him in that morning. Good or bad, she wanted to be there with him.
"Everyday…" He panted near her ear as he rolled them off their sides and into missionary. "For the rest of my life… I'm yours…"
Elle responded by tilting her head and seizing his lips. Beautiful as such words were, they became noise as passion rose and needs grew fervent. He didn't mind one bit, knowing her kisses conveyed their own sweet meaning.
Time became irrelevant, as did the rest of the world outside their bed as Mias proved his recent hangup thankfully hadn't affected his performance. It may even have improved it given how mindful he became. By the end of their high, both were hot and sweaty and yet perfectly comfortable with it so long as they were slicked up next to the other, listening to their breaths steady and heartbeats relax.
"Mm… we're gonna be in trouble for being late…" Elle smiled and kissed his lips one more time before curling up against his chest.
"I'll argue this was far more important," he grinned, rubbing a hand over her side.
"Hm, does anything change now that we're… official?" She asked.
"We can finally open that bottle of wine," he suggested. "Have a little celebration all our own."
She giggled, knowing he really meant they'd just have more sex. "Then I'll bake a cake or hopefully something close to one."
"That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Dormaeus," he smiled and tilted her chin up to kiss her lips.
"What makes you think I'm taking your name?" Elle giggled, saying it more to tease him than anything else.
"Because you deserve it," he told her proudly. His surname was much more than a name, it held prestige and power – why shouldn't such a name fit his beautiful bride? She'd earned it. "Mm, one more round."
"Mias," Elle scolded but didn't object to his pushing her up and onto his hips. "Oh, so that's how it is, huh?"
"Pretty please with you on top~?" He batted his eyelashes in the hopes of charming her into it.
She smiled and held back a giggle as she slid back onto him with a slight gasp. "Mm…"
Mias gave a light moan in agreement and reached a hand down to rub her side as she slowly worked her hips back and forth. "I'm beginning to think it was stress…"
"Hm?"
"Celibacy is probably unhealthy for me. I didn't have my vice… and now I already feel a thousand times better after doing it only once."
"I suppose I'll buy that," Elle said as she rocked forward a bit harder. "Mmn!"
He placed his other hand on her opposite side and held her the strength she needed to continue the pace for her own benefit.
"Are you going to want me as frequently as before…?" She asked.
"Heh, worried I'll exhaust you?"
"No… I just feel I'll need the preparation; I love having sex with you," she admitted, quickly blushing when she realized what she said and seeing his grin as a result.
"Say it again," he teased, gliding a hand up to cup one of her bouncing breasts.
"Mm! Isn't once enough? You don't need your ego getting any unneeded inflation," she said while bringing a hand over his to feel him as he touched her.
"Heh," he smirked and rocked upright with the leverage of his legs, his arms catching and holding her on his lap as he did so. "It's never enough."
She shook her head in understanding belief only to be kissed rather gently compared to the gyration of their hips. It brought her mind back to the art of pleasure and focused her on making the most of it: being sure she was skin to skin with him and kissing him whenever she could. Elle felt like she'd melt from the warmth, but didn't mind the idea of it. Moments like this made her aware how deeply connected she was to Mias, not just literally. If only she could feel that self assured all the time, she might have the courage to be in love with him again, but maybe such things just took time… or the right set of circumstances.
Luckily their late appearance at work largely went unnoticed due to everyone else being to busy to give a damn, even the usual lazy Kay seemed to be working hard for once. By week's end the field work was finished and further preparations began within the village itself, making for busier, bustling streets, but also bringing with it sales and resources Trevan didn't have year round.
Mias and Elle still found themselves kept plenty busy, what with the men now helping at the mill to get the flour grounded, bagged, and shipped off with a few merchants who could bring fresh revenue to the village, a feat also easily accomplished at the Big Drink where the outside workers tipped well for their meals and ale as well as a smile from a pretty face.
Given the noise from the rowdy bunch and the added volume from the band of musicians that gathered to provide more merriment, Mias retreated from the usual table in the corner to the far seat at the end of the bar that also provided more occasional glances with Elle as she shuffled back and forth between the kitchen and floor.
On her latest trip, she held back on her return to the kitchen to check in on him. "Doing alright?"
"Hm? Oh, yes. Just sitting with my thoughts as I usually do."
"You don't want to go dance with the rest of your lot?" She asked, glancing over at the couples who were taking advantage of the cheery tune to work off their remaining energy for the day.
"I don't recognize the steps, if there even are any. I'm not about to make a fool out of myself," he grumbled and downed the remainder of his pint.
"I don't think they're doing it for the aesthetic of a dance," Elle giggled and walked back around the bar to take his hand. "C'mon. Let's have a little fun."
"What? Elle, no—" he tried to object, but didn't want to make a scene by doing so either, and so he reluctantly followed her to the cleared portion of the floor where the other couples allowed their entry and the onlookers kept the rhythm by clapping.
"You owe me a dance from Corrine's wedding, remember?" She smiled and curtsied.
It was difficult to deny that smile, especially when she hiked up her skirt a bit and began moving her feet from side to side and swaying her hips in time with the song, at least making it appear like there was some choreography to her steps.
"Come on," she encouraged when he still refused to move and grabbed his hand to spin him around.
"Elle…!" He gulped under his breath and finally moved his feet.
It may have looked a little awkward to a sober eye, but the patrons of the bar were all drunk either on alcohol or the energy, making it hard for anyone to give a damn about anything at this point. The atmosphere filled with laughter and the fluttering of a flute that carried well on past midnight, although Mias and Elle left shortly after eleven to enjoy their quiet time together before bed.
Any lingering thoughts of unhappiness found themselves swept away each time they made love, further implementing their trust and commitment in one another. Somehow it had turned into a genuine marriage, and if were to continue as such, there were still a few things he wanted to do to insure his quality as a fine husband.
When Mias woke up the next morning, he decided to put into action a plan he'd been mulling over the past few days. It simply wasn't proper for him not to have given her a wedding present. They had the funds now for a little shopping, and knowing Elle, something small with more sentiment would mean far more to her than any luxury he previously tried to provide her with. He left her a note and kissed her cheek while she slept in before heading into town with his mind set on finding something from one of the traveling vendors that might be suitable.
He found no shortage of things he knew she'd like and appreciate, but the sort of gift he had in mind ought to be something special, shouldn't it? A reminder she had the greatest, most gorgeous man in the world for her husband now, but could something that extravagant be available in such a small town? An hour into his browsing and it sure seemed that way.
Mias sighed as he sat himself on a bench outside the bar near the town's center. He had to think. His resources were limited, but he was creative enough to make use of what he did have. What did brides usual receive? His mother had a very elegant betrothal necklace, but the usual token was a ring, wasn't it? He cursed himself for not having hindsight to grab one of his, even a simple band would have—
He slowly raised his fingers to the lobe of his left ear, grabbing, and promptly unhooking the hoop he always wore. He tested the width of it on his pinky finger, finding it still a bit small to fit over, but on Elle's ring finger it would probably fit perfectly. He'd have to close the hook, but all he needed was the use of a blacksmith and he'd be home before lunch.
Meanwhile, Elle awoke to find herself alone in bed – a first in quite some time, but a small bit of paper resting on Mias' pillow let her know she need not concern herself with his absence: 'Went to town. Be back soon,' followed by a heart and his first initial.
"And what is he up to?" She wondered out loud before proceeding with her morning routine. With the harvest done and the pub not needing her until the afternoon, she had the morning to go about any housework that needed doing, but there really wasn't all that much for her to do other than make the bed once she finished with breakfast.
The results at the blacksmiths had Mias in need of a shower, but after smelting down the hook and evening out the circumference, his earring had become a ring. A little dented from where the clasp had been, but only a smith specializing in jewelry could refine it better and unfortunately there wasn't one available. Still, it seemed fitting. He could say it was a metaphor for their relationship: not perfect, but at last complete. That was the sort of sentiment she'd find very moving, wouldn't she?
He hurried home, eager to present her with the token of his affection, but slowed his pace and let his footsteps fall silent as he approached the door and entered as covertly as possible.
Elle hadn't seen the door open given her back was to it as she stood at the table fussing with an arrangement of late summer blossoms to add some color to their home. She had her hair pulled up and her smock was struggling to stay up over her right shoulder, presenting him with a perfect area of skin to target.
He stepped forward quietly, his lips planting a kiss on the nape of her neck while his arms snaked around her middle to keep her from jumping too far.
She was a bit startled, but after the initial jump only giggled and earned more kisses to her neck and up to her ear.
"I'm home~" he cooed.
"You were gone a while. Everything alright?" She asked.
"Everything's fine," he smiled and kept on hand around her waist as the other fished into his pocket to extract the ring. "I have something for you."
That phrase earned her curiosity, but when he pulled out the small, simple band between his thumb and pointer finger, her eyes widened.
"A wedding ring," he said with a proud smile as he watched her reaction.
Elle's expression shifted to concern. "Mias, we talked about this. You didn't waste all our money on this, did you?"
"Nope," he kept smiling and turned his head slightly to the right to show her his now bare left lobe. "I smelted my earring."
"…You didn't have to do that," she said, immediately feeling guilty as he took her left hand to slide the ring onto the proper finger.
"Nonsense. You needed a ring; what better than my earring?"
Elle looked at her hand and felt her eyes watering as she shifted her glance between his happy face and the ring. She never expected something like this.
"…You don't like it?" Mias cautiously asked, unsure of why she suddenly looked so upset. "I promise I'll commission a proper one when I can."
"No…" Elle smiled with her tears and tugged on his shirt collar to bring him down to her lips. "Thank you, Mias. I love it."
He smiled again and hugged her again. "Happy?"
"Yes…!" She laughed a little and snuck a finger up to wipe the moisture away, before holding his lower jaw and pressing her lips to his again, followed by several quick pecks around his face to assure him her tears were the good kind and resulting in several hours of love making that evening to properly celebrate their nuptials.
The reintroduction of sex provided Mias with his vice, making life in the village possible for him to continue with. He still complained, but Elle theorized he feared any stress may once again cause impotency. She certainly didn't predict penis problems would be the solution to getting him to open up and talk about the harsher points of life, but she was grateful for the opportunity it provided, and secretly happy to know how fiercely he desired her without the command of his lower brain.
However, the flattery was short lived when he tried to be a little to helpful with family planning by renaming her period and ovulation days with crass, non-vaginal sex options. Elle'd keep her calendar to herself after that discussion, to which he was actually a bit upset by. When prompted, his answer was surprisingly considerate.
"I ought to know. It's just as much my responsibility as it yours if you get pregnant, isn't it?"
"Yes, but 'Fellatio Friday' is not going to become a thing no matter how much you beg me," she stood firm on this.
He pouted for a moment before leaning his forehead against his propped up hands. "I'm utterly terrified of you having a baby…"
"…Because of your mother?" She asked cautiously.
"That's part of it. It's dangerous – you could die, the baby could die, but it's not just that… even if we wanted to become parents, my family isn't going to let us raise it on our own and I don't mean in the supportive way. You won't want to bring up a child in the same shadows I was reared in, and frankly, neither would I, but if ours is the only heir, you see how complicated things could get, don't you?"
"Yes, and I'm totally fine with not having any right now, but it irritates me to think they have any say over what grows in my uterus solely because you're the father."
"I know it sounds bad, but being raised collectively did have its advantages for many generations – and need I remind you the mother was committed to the family as well."
"But that's not the case with either of us. I don't think they'd harm a baby, but… I know there's a better life I can give them, even if it's a poorer one."
"Which is why we can't have any yet, not until I at least have my powers back or some sort of understanding with Durias. You'll want to raise them the way you want and given how well I turned out, I think that it's best," he said with a tiny smirk.
"Oh, you turned out alright," Elle smiled and lightly punched his shoulder as she stepped behind him.
"Alright? Darling, I'm fabulous," he said as she reached around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder.
"You're already such a good daddy," she teased.
"Just because I'm considerate of the future does not have any bearing on my ability to parent a child, and I am by no means ready, so will you please let me track your menstruation?"
"It still seems like something a creepy stalker would do," Elle noted, before remembering Mias did fit that profile.
"If you don't tell me, I'm simply going to have to try and have sex with you everyday," he warned, turning in his chair to latch onto her and bring her onto his lap.
"And everyday I'll tell you 'no'," Elle poked a finger to the tip of his nose.
"You won't be uninterested all the time," he grinned knowingly. "The desire will build – the temptation will be too great and you'll be clawing my trousers down in desperation."
"Will you at least have the sense to shut up when that happens?" She asked with a sly smile as her finger slid down to trace his lips.
Mias promptly tensed up in surprise and slowly nodded his head.
She couldn't help but crack a light laugh before replacing her finger with her lips, kissing him firmly and shutting them both up for a few moments. An odd conversation to be had was finally over, and with a responsible mindset now in place, the future of their marriage was at least in their control – for the time being.
The dwindling warm days of what Elle assumed to be October passed rather quickly in her opinion. The time for wearing a cape to work, and needing both hood and gloves past sunset came and left her both excited and concerned for the coming winter. It was all still new to her when she reminded herself she hadn't even been with Mias a full year yet. So much had happened since that spring day that at times it didn't seem real. It made her once again wonder what would happen when life slowed down for the two of them. Not that they disliked their peaceful and quiet existence as newlyweds in a small village, but deep down both of them knew it was never to be a permanent life and the wondering when it would all change again every once and a while crept up on them.
And yet it was so easily chased away regardless of who raised the issue first, the other always bending to console and comfort as need be, assuring both of them they'd deal with it when the time came. It was nothing they would prepare for any more than they could an accident at work, which coincidentally became their next endeavor when Rhodemon and Finn carried home a limping Mias to concerned Elle.
"What happened?!" Were the first words out of her mouth as she helped the men seat him down on the bed. His foot was already bandaged and elevated, but the strained expression on Mias' face had her far more panicked than the others.
"He was foolin' around and backed into the lumber wagon, knocking one heavy log right onto his foot," Rhod explained.
"Fooling around?" Elle's concerned abated and she scowled at Mias. "What. Did. You. Do?"
"It was quite funny actually. He can do a great impression of Kay," Finn said in Mias' defense, but gained no sympathy from Elle.
"Sorry," Mias said meekly, knowing that face meant he was in far more trouble with her than his employer.
"You idiot," Elle heaved with a sigh and massaged her brow. Had he got into an accident that was not a result of stupidity, she might be more tentative, but this was hardly a convenient time for either of them to be laid up.
"We set him straight away, but the pain is pro'bly settin' in now," Rhod told her as Elle escorted the two to the door.
"I'll take care of him. Thanks for bringing him home," she smiled politely, but was eager to shuffle them out so she could vent her true feelings.
The moment Mias heard the door closed, he gulped and eyed his approaching wife like she was his executioner. Sure enough, she had her arms crossed and her brow furrowed.
"Are you alright?' She asked first, still keeping an upset frown.
"It hurts like hell, but I'll live…" He told her.
"I never pegged you for a comedian," she exhaled out a bit of anger, moving her hands to her hips. "You weren't caught, were you?"
"No, he was off with the other group ahead of us, and my entertaining performance was more impromptu than planned. He'd been bitching about the cold when he's the one who forgot his damn gloves. I swear he leaves his genitals at home as well because the man has no balls."
Elle couldn't resist giggling at that observation and resigned her scowl in favor of something more relaxed. "Tell me again how you managed to hurt yourself?"
"I was making the others laugh, and I guess I got carried away…" he admitted with an embarrassed blush, knowing full well this was his ego's fault.
"How bad is it? Don't you need to see a doctor to fix such things?" Elle asked, eyeing his right foot.
"I'm pretty well versed with treating numerous injuries as you know, but Thom, the man who handles the horses, has a skill with setting breaks – usually for animals, but he's mending the men before," he finished his sentence before hissing through his teeth. "It's really hurting now… can you get me something?"
"Medicine or alcohol?" Elle asked as she stepped into the kitchen area to pull which ever he specified from its respective cupboard.
"Alcohol, please," he groaned as he dropped onto his back.
Elle rolled her eyes and shook her head a little, but brought him an entire bottle of whiskey with the knowledge he'd want most of it anyway. "Drink as you need it, but don't make it a habit."
"I have no intention," he said before uncorking the bottle and downing a fourth of it immediately.
"I mean it Mias," she scolded.
"Mm, I won't," he assured her as he lowered the bottle from his lips and set it on the nightstand while he removed his work coat. "Um, could you…?"
"Yes, dear," she said with clear demeaning attitude as she took it and hung it up on its hook near the door.
"I know you hate doting on me, but it's not like I did this on purpose."
"It's not that," she told him as she returned to his side. "If I could just stay home and take care of you, I would, but now this is going to mean my working more for a few weeks and then who's here to look after you?"
"I'm not unable to get around and do things," he reminded her. "I'll be alright on my own when you go to work."
"You say that, but I know the moment you stop feeling pain you'll be hobbling around trying to do something you shouldn't," she eyed him knowingly. "Am I wrong?"
"No, you're not…" he averted his eyes with a guilty expression.
Elle heaved a sigh. "I suppose it's a good thing that I've been working as long as I have already then. I'll go into town right now and ask Morwen if I can have a few days off to make sure I can trust you on your own. Maybe even bring you some whittling to do – we lost a few spoons and bowls with the harvest crowd."
She would have gone on detailing her new plan of action had he not leaned against her shoulder and smiled up at her.
"…What?" She wondered if the liquor had taken its toll already.
"I love you," he told her, smiling wider.
Her alone expression asked 'why'. He always picked the oddest times to tell her that, but he didn't elaborate on what she'd said this time to earn the words.
And perhaps she didn't need to, she thought as she set out for the pub dressed in her cape and gloves and moving quickly to out run the cold. The reasons why mattered very little compared to his feelings for her. He loved her, even when she was holding him accountable and refusing to dote on him completely – actions she thought that might view her as a rather cold, uncaring wife, but she knew better than to baby Mias even when he was injured. It'd be just like him to feign an illness or injury all to earn some affection from her if he thought he could, but he knew better by now.
Her days at home with him weren't exactly peaceful what with him moaning and complaining mostly about not being able to walk anywhere and despite having the use of his hands now realized how much simple movement such as sweeping a broom across the floor relied on him having two feet on the ground. He was not happy, and worst of all, incredibly bored. Only so many spoons and bowls could be whittled and even then his skill wasn't improving very much, leading to more complaining.
"How can a man's foot be his life?!" He whined from the rug in front of the fireplace.
"Mias, remember what stress does to you," Elle reminded him.
"This break in no way prohibits sex," he reminded her.
"Yes, but if you keep whining, who knows when your body will shut down on you again. It's not going to help you, and I didn't stay home to listen to you complain all day."
He responded with another long groan.
"Have you been drinking the milk Finn and Talia brought you? The calcium will help heal you faster."
"I can only drink so much of it… and I prefer the whiskey."
"I know," Elle said from the kitchen as she went about gathering a stack of books from a secret storage area she had in one of the lower cupboards Mias rarely went through. She made sure to purchase a good few from one of the vendors that had passed through during the harvest, but was waiting for the right occasion to give them to him. Given how busy he'd been, he wouldn't have had the time, but now seemed to be the ideal moment – although she wished it could have been over something more meaningful, but she didn't think even Mias could top the gift of her wedding ring so now was as good a time as any.
"You're still going back to work tomorrow…?" He asked, his voice sounding sad.
"Mhm, I know we're stable financially for now, but we don't want to fall behind on rent. This isn't the ideal season to be evicted in after all and who knows what else might happen before spring?" She carried on their conversation normally as she gathered the nine worn volumes into her arms and carried them over to him.
"I promise I'll be exceeding careful when I go back to—" He stopped talking when she saw him standing over him with the large stack. His initial thought was she was going to drop them on him before he realized they hadn't had any books in the house before. "What's this?"
"They're for you," she said as she placed the stack next to him and sat down beside them. "Um, I know they're very old and beat up… and of course I don't know if they're any good, but reading something is better than nothing right now, isn't it?"
Mias sat himself up with more help from his arms than his legs and took the first book off the top. The title wasn't even visible on the old leather and he had to open it to the first few pages to assess its contents.
"I figured novels would be more fun, so that's what they all are – the merchant I bought them from had very few non-fictional ones that I figured you wouldn't find interesting," Elle explained. "But I read a few of the titles and skimmed a few paragraphs here and there, so I hoped they'd be… tolerable."
"I can't say either," Mias admitted. "I don't recognize the title or the author, yet they're very old…"
"I know," Elle lamented, knowing her thoughtfulness clearly fell short. "But I guess that's why they're cheaply sold. Most are used for kindling in winter, or so he told me. Some might even be missing pages, but I picked out the best ones I could."
"I'll read them," he told her, half of his mouth curling into a smirk. "Are you hiding any other presents for me?"
Elle giggled and shook her head. "No, just these."
She felt his hand brace the back of her head and promptly felt his lips pressing against hers. It was a good kiss too, not one of those simple pecks they exchanged rather often now, but a slower one, a passionate one, a kiss that left her blushing and hot beneath her dress.
"Did I… really deserve that?" She asked shyly.
"You deserve a lot more," he told her, moving his head down to her neck.
"Mias…" she felt her skin prickle and sucked in her lower lip before breathing in deeply and turning to kiss him in return, gently, but firmly as she snuggled up to him to feel his warmth.
It felt so wonderful, his love for her… and her feelings for him, feelings that had never really left her heart, but were still trying to break free from the lies and betrayal. In her mind, it was still premature for her to say those three words to him, but more and more it seemed like something natural to say to him, like 'good morning' or 'have a good day at work'. She ought to tell him, but for whatever reason it never came out. Perhaps she was still scared, or maybe internally she wanted a better moment for it, or possibly it was simply better never to say it to him. This was Mias after all…
A knock at the Dormans' residence a few days later led to Mias limping to answer it, and much to his shock met with four sets of wide eyes gazing up at him, the smallest of which belonged to Haddie, but the messy haired housewife looked tired as well as desperate with her glistening eyes.
"Haddie, what is it? Is Rhodemon alright?" Mias asked, assuming something regarding her husband would be the only reason for her and her brood of youngsters to visit.
"He's fine, at work as always," Haddie said, adjusting the baby in her arms. "But I have a huge favor to ask of you."
"…Yes?" Mias asked hesitantly.
I just received word my mother in the town over is sick and while I would take them with me if I could, the ride's much easier if it's just me. I'd ask one of the other women, but they're all busy enough with their own children and housework, and with Morwen spending more time working herself, I don't really have anyone else I trust to look after them."
"I-I don't know anything about children," which was sort of a lie, rather he had no idea how he'd keep the older ones entertained. A baby was simple enough: put down for a nap and have it stay put, but Rhodemon often told tales of his destructive toddlers.
"Please? They're not unruly children, just… energetic," Haddie's tired expression was desperately trying to sell him on the idea, and Mias cursed his empathy for taking pity on her and agreeing.
"Alright, I guess if it's for the day. Elle will be back before it's late anyway…"
"Thank you!" Haddie expressed great relief as she passed her infant into his arms along with a satchel of childcare items, and shooed her toddlers into the house. "You two behave for Mr. Dormans. He's hurt his foot."
"'Kay," the two little voices answered as they busied themselves by exploring their new surroundings.
"If I don't come pick them up, Rhod will," Haddie told Mias as she stepped away from the door. "Thank you so much, Mias!"
"U-Uh, s-sure!" Mias replied nervously as he watched her cape disappear down the road. He stepped back into the house and shut the door, just as a chair toppled over with loud clatter that of course started the baby fussing and the toddlers running for cover. "Hey! You two get over here, now!"
The oldest, a boy halfway to the age of three with blonde hair and big brown eyes, and his sister, a girl a year younger with curlier brown hair like her mother and lighter, vibrant brown eyes slowly peaked their heads out around from the table.
"Ben, Caitlyn," he spoke their names and they seemed surprised that he knew them. "Come here."
The boy bravely stepped forward while his sister hid behind him, clinging to his cape as they slowly crossed the room to Mias who was busy rocking the baby to quiet him down again.
"I ask that you not make a mess of my house, is that clear? I'm assuming your mother packed you some toys so you'll sit on the rug and not move from there, got it?"
"That's borin'," Ben said.
"Borin'!" Caitlyn repeated, obviously in her parrot stage where most of her talking was done by repeating others.
"I want mum."
"Mum!"
"Well too bad, we're stuck with each other. If you want this to be over without incident, I suggest you do as I tell you."
"Why?" Ben asked.
"Because I'm the adult and your mum left me in charge."
"Why?"
Mias rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Listen kid, that's how it is. I'm not particularly patient with whelps either, so you've been warned."
The two toddlers exchanged confused glances before their eyes wandered elsewhere.
"Wha da?" Caitlyn asked, pointing intensely at Mias' bandaged foot.
"I fractured a few bones in my foot," he explained, but clearly neither sibling understood. "Er, it's to make it feel better."
They seemed to comprehend that explanation better, but had no further interest in it once he answered.
Deciding there was little he could do aside from monitor the two to make sure they weren't getting into anything dangerous, he slowly dragged himself to a chair by the fire to adjust the weight in his arms. For a baby that was less than two months old, he was already a heavy little thing.
"You… are round," Mias told him as he tested the babe's squishiness by lightly poking his finger into his cheek, which the infant allowed without fuss. He hadn't held a baby since Marius was born, and even then the actual time he spent with his baby brother didn't amount to much knowledge when it came to child care, but he knew enough to support the head properly and keep the rocking gentle.
Another crash from the kitchen had Mias turning his head to find the two toddlers opening cupboards and pulling out pots and pans.
"Stay outta there!" He barked.
"'Kay!" He heard them answer, but further rattling around indicated he hadn't been heeded, and then there was a moment of silence. Suspicious silence.
"What are you two doing now?!" Mias called, wondering if he was better off just leaving the baby on the bed in order to wrangle the toddlers, but then they appeared, the boy slowly waddling toward him with his sister padding behind. "…What?"
"…I pooped," Ben admitted, tugging at his trousers.
"Pooped!" Caitlyn exclaimed with more excitement than was necessary.
Mias opened his mouth to say something, but there were no words to express the godly intervention he desired. This was going to be a loooong day.
Elle had gone to work early that day to make the most of the light hours so she could be home before dusk. There wasn't a whole lot of cooking and cleaning to do at the pub, but that opened time for Morwen to teach her recipes again and with Mias laid up at home, Elle made good on her word to bake a cake, although it was more a sweet bread and not very sugary, she assumed a more mild flavor would suit his pallet anyway, and paired nicely with the right liquor, it would probably taste even better.
However, she wasn't expecting to return home to a disaster: the entire room was a mess from the bed to the kitchen. A baby lay on its back on a blanket on the bed surrounded by a fortress of pillows and cushions while a distraught Mias was trying to dry off a wriggly and wet toddler from the wash tub in the kitchen. She was speechless, forgetting to announce she was home, but still catching the attention of the eldest sibling who quickly ran over to her.
"Hi."
"…Hello," Elle said slowly as she tried to put two and two together. It didn't take long for her to realize they must be Rhod and Haddie's brood, but as to why they were here and bringing Mias close to tears was another question. "Mias…?"
"Welcome home," he turned his head back towards her, his expression pleading for help as he tried to keep hold of Caitlyn.
"DOWN!" She insisted.
"You're still wet!" Mias tried to reason with her with no success.
"Oh dear," Elle said to herself as she hung up her cloak and set her basket on the table before hurrying to his side to grab the girl. "This is Caitlyn, right?"
"Yes. Would you please take her?"
"What makes you think I'm going to be any better at this?" She asked, but was able to wrap the towel around her like a burrito thanks to Mias already having somewhat of a hold on her. "Got her!"
Caitlyn continued to voice her protests with babble as Elle took full hold of her and Mias dried off her hair and tiny torso.
"You wouldn't believe the things that come out of this one…" Mias said in a moment of horrific reflection.
"Why don't you go sit down?" Elle told him with a kind smile as she brushed away a few tuffs of stray hair from his face.
"Thank you…" He said, grabbing Ben on his way over to his chair because the boy was standing on one of the table chairs, preparing to invade Elle's basket. "Don't you dare."
"I was just lookin'!" The boy argued back, but was powerless to break free even from a tired Mias.
It didn't Elle all that long to clothe the girl and bring her back towards the fireplace. The girl had finally stopped putting up a struggle and was nestling against Elle to prepare to sleep.
"Oh sure, now she falls asleep," Mias said in spite, being sure to keep an eye on Ben as he played with a little wooden wagon and horse on the floor. "She was barely down for fifteen minutes this afternoon for a nap."
"She must have been excited," Elle suggested. "I take it Haddie needed a sitter?"
"Yes, something about her mother in the next town being unwell and no one else being able, or willing, to take them."
"Ah, so it just for the day?"
"She'd either be back to get them or Rhod will."
Elle laid the girl out on their bed to let her sleep properly and of course was drawn to check on the baby who still had his eyes awake and made a little coo when he saw her. She immediately picked him up and cradled him in her arms to allow Caitlyn full use of the bed while she took a chair to get a good look at the latest addition to their friends' family. "He's so cute."
"And oddly the best behaved despite being the youngest."
"Babies aren't that difficult really. It's once they start moving that there's trouble," Elle giggled as she admired his big baby blue eyes. "He hasn't been christened yet, right?"
"No, and from what I hear they're still debating the name."
"Hm," Elle smiled warmly, watching the babe take a tight hold of one of her fingers. "Aww…!"
"Elle…" Mias said her name with warning.
"Oh, don't be so paranoid," Elle tutted him before turning her attention back to the baby. "You have to be affectionate with them so they grow up to form good relationships with people, yes you do."
The baby let out a happy sounding 'ah' and shook Elle's finger as she continued to cradle him.
"Aren't you just precious?" She beamed.
Her fawning words annoyed Mias at first, maybe even raised a bit of jealously towards the babe for so easily enchanting her, but what was odd about the whole situation were wandering thoughts of the future, and in it, Elle was holding his child. A scene he scolded his mind for producing and wondered if a punch to the testicles would stop the procreating urge, but he sat quietly with his thoughts still, watching her.
"Hm?" Elle looked over to him when she detected his gaze. The baby had fallen asleep against her breast and his big brother was also out for the count on the rug, a toy horse still clutched in his hand.
"Is this what it'll be like someday?" He asked honestly.
Elle smiled. "I don't know if I'd want three in three years, but I think I'd like two; a boy and girl – not that I have a preference. It's not something I've had much cause to think about. In my world, there isn't a rush to get married and have babies at a young age anymore. Lots of women wait until their 30s, so I assumed that's when I'd have mine – provided I found a husband."
"And you already have the best," Mias grinned confidently. "But I don't want to be pushing 40 and just starting with an infant."
"Like you'd do any of the work anyway," Elle flatly judged.
"I'm serious," he said firmly. "And why wouldn't I take care of my child? As much as I love myself and you, any life we create together I'm doomed to spoil rotten."
"Aw, careful Mias, you're exciting my ovaries," Elle giggled softly.
"Then calm them as I am not still not ready or willing to share you with anyone else," he said after getting up from his chair, limping past Ben, and bending down over Elle to kiss her. "You forgot that when you came in."
"So I did," she smiled and puckered her lips again to give him a proper homecoming kiss, making the entire scene of their one room cottage the picture of familial bliss, but they both were rather relieved when both Haddie and Rhodemon arrived to take the three sleepy children home that night and could sleep peacefully through the night without interruption.
The rain came as it did in autumn: washing the earth in cold, cold water and covering the land in a mist that only grew with every exhale of the man or beast caught in such weather. It didn't downpour as often as it did in the summertime, preferring to stay in a constant state of drizzle to leave the world unable to dry, and of course Mias had to work in such weather.
With his foot well on the mend, he had to be mindful of bearing weight and so found himself in charge of the work ledger where all he had to do was record who was doing what and what needed doing. It was a simple enough job, but one that yielded a surprising complication when not even Mr. Harbook could read his fine penmanship, resulting in his having to redo the papers at a slower paced as he tried to simplify his hand for the benefit of the lesser learned.
He felt like a child again, carefully drawing his pen on the paper with a look of both determination and frustration. It didn't help that Mr. Harbook's clerical office was in his house and thus subject to the habitation of the man's son who seemed to take way too much interest in prodding at his nerves.
"I'm surprised a man like you as such a… developed background," Kay said as he meandered into the office as Mias was trying to finish up the last few pages of the rewritten work. He approached the desk casually and slipped one of the papers into his hand to examine. "Such beautiful calligraphy… yet I nearly can't read it."
"It doesn't require much skill," Mias told him, discreetly mocking Kay's intellect.
"You said you were disowned," Kay ignored him and prodded further. "But I think if you were from a family that taught such writing, I would have knowledge of it. I can't say I've heard of any Dormans'."
"Just because you don't have knowledge of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Mias commented dryly. He was used to his brothers poking their heads around him when he was working and so ignoring them to continue was one of his skills he could put to good use.
"True, but there's something about you that I can't put my finger on," He leaned back against the desk, his hands holding the edge as if they were having a pleasant conversation for him to so freely relax. "You've scruffed up a bit since you arrived, but there's no hiding the way you carry yourself. You've fallen further than middle class."
Mias ignored him this time.
"I had thought your wife might have been a servant you took a liking to, but she's not tame enough to be subservient now, is she? Perhaps she was a prostitute? Now that would be a cause for being disowned."
This whelp didn't have an unuttered thought, did he? Mias commented internally as he tried to steel himself to the insult of Elle's honor, knowing defending it openly would only lead to trouble – and there was very little he could do to prove Kay otherwise. He'd think what he wanted to think regardless of what Mias told him.
"You know, it's rather rude of you to not carry a conversation," Kay said with a slick back of his hair.
"It's also rude to interrupt someone while they're working and accusing one's wife of being a prostitute, so let's agree we both don't have the manners necessary for civil conversation and end this trivial exchange."
Kay's eye twitched in irritation. Mias' wording was too smart to not have insulting undertones. "You better watch it. We pay your salary and a house to rent."
"Are you threatening me?" Mias glanced up from the paperwork, always amused when Kay acted too big for his britches.
"Am I?" He smirked. "You wouldn't want to find out, would you?"
Mias cringed at the thought of what he must have been like at that age, making the same threats – and granted he could back them up, but the mist youthful arrogance wafting around such talk was nearly nauseating. Maybe it'd be in Kay's best interest if he brought him down a peg or two, but striking a man in his own house was a tad barbaric for Mias' tastes and so he didn't acknowledge the man.
"Hm, yes, that's right. Good to see you know your place."
The thought of setting Kay on fire brought Mias enough comfort to finish his work and set the desk right before grabbing his jacket off the chair to head home. "If that's all, I'll be leaving."
Kay didn't have a snarky retort for that, and surprisingly let Mias leave with the last word with only a discontented look on his face.
Mias felt a chill run through him the moment he opened the door and started down the hill, having to be extra careful given the slipperiness and his limp. He was slowly putting weight back on his foot, but today wasn't the day to be strength training. He just wanted to get home before the rain smudged the concealing makeup around his eyes. He kept his head down to guard them and watch his feet, but it didn't save him from a slipping on a mud patch and falling face first into the wet ground.
Definitely not one of his finer moments, but his fear of embarrassment at least remained at bay given the growing dark skies and scarce folk out this way. He sat himself up and sighed as he wiped his face off and slowly got back to his feet with a slight wobble.
When he arrived home he was shivering a bit and eager to build up the fire and boil some water to both warm and clean himself. He had the small bathing tub and stool set up and was in the process of undressing when the door opened and let in another chill and with it Elle, already back from work.
"I'm home," she announced with a smile and pulled back the hood of her cloak.
"BRR!" Mias shivered out loud as the cold air hit his bare skin and he curled up on the stool to keep in what little body heat he could.
"Sorry!" She apologized as she hung her cloak up and hurried over to convey her full penance for the act by throwing her arms around him to squeeze him tightly. "I'll warm you up right away!"
"Hehe, I'm alright," he chuckled before they exchanged a quick kiss and Elle touched his cheek. "Hm?"
"You're filthy," she said flatly.
"I'm aware," he answered.
"Your make-up smudged," she noted, moving a finger up to his eyes.
"It was on my way home. No one saw," he told her as he watched her hand fish out the wash cloth from the hot water and bring it to his face to clean it off.
"Well I figured that much or we'd have an angry mob at our door," Elle smiled and wiped away all the dirt and makeup after a few strokes before smiling wider. "Besides, I don't know if I'd want anyone to see how handsome you really are."
Mias smirked and of course pulled her in for another kiss. "How was work?"
"It's alright. Just slow," she said as she dipped the cloth into the water, rung it out, and took it to his back for him. "You?"
"Completely abysmal. They think my handwriting is too fancy to be legible."
Elle giggled. "They always find something, don't they?"
"Not that I fault them entirely for not knowing how to read a finer script, but I can only dumb-down so much."
"And if you want to move some place else where you can find a better job, I won't argue. We've made progress here at least, haven't we? Saved up a little money. It'll be spring before we know it."
"To be honest, I didn't really think we'd be on our own this long," he confessed, enjoying the feel of the hot cloth on his back and grateful to Elle for taking up the task.
"You have to face reality Mias – we might very well be on our own for years."
"I know," he nodded his head and glanced back at her. "And in a way I hope for it, but I know the likelihood of this lasting is…"
"We hardly need to talk about it again," Elle smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "I'm more concerned about your foot."
"It's healing, I assure you. I'm just being overly cautious," he smiled back before sneezing and feeling his nose run cold as a bit of mucus dripped out. "Ugh… Bloody weather…"
"I suppose we should prepare for any of being ill this winter," Elle suggested as she let him take over washing himself so she could start a supper for the two of them. "Make sure we have plenty of extra blankets and some honey for sore throats."
"It was just a sneeze, Elle," Mias said as he lathered up the bar soap in the wash cloth before giving himself a thorough scrub. He understood she wanted to be prepared for something they could handle, as opposed to when his brothers would make their move, but combating little things like colds seemed silly… until a week later he kept complaining about a runny nose and a sore throat.
"It's a cold – they happen, be grateful it's not the flu," she told him as she poured him a cup of tea after work and brought the duvet over his shoulders. "Of course if you were bedridden you'd probably gripe a lot less."
"Are you honestly complaining about my complaining?" He asked in an unamused and hoarse voice.
"I know you're uncomfortable, but if you'd stop groaning and concentrate on getting some rest you'll feel better sooner," she tried to phrase it gently, but even Elle admitted she was sounding like a told-you-so mother. She cleared her throat to acknowledge her tone, and physically suggested they move to the bed (which they had moved toward the center of the room to get better warmth from their hearth in the coming colder days) to relax. "…Do you resent my not being the pampering sort…?"
"A little, but you're probably right not to spoil me…" He said between small sips of his tea. "It makes when I need you to be more sympathetic worth the pain… I guess…"
"Well that wasn't my intention. I still care about you despite not coddling you," she leaned against his right side and nuzzled against him. "It still takes some getting used to… being close to you… especially when we aren't having sex."
"We can certainly have sex if you'd feel more comfortable that way," he beamed, only to be taken over by a brief coughing fit.
"Hehe, I don't think you should have that exertion right now," she declined and snuck a hand under his shirt to rub his bare back.
"Yeah, but colds never end quickly…" he lamented.
"You'll be alright," Elle said softly and continued to rub his back until he finished his tea and decided to have a lie down. "Gonna turn in early?"
"I'm hoping all I need is a long rest…" He positioned himself on his side to ease his breathing while Elle pulled up all the covers for him to tuck him in. "…Elle?"
"Hm?"
"Would you…" His cheeks turned a light red, causing the concern over a fever to cross Elle's mind first as she leaned closer to him. "…stroke my hair…?"
"You're embarrassed to ask for that?" Elle raised her skeptical eyebrow.
"It's a rather childish request—"
Elle shook her head as she curled up next to him, body half propped up on one arm while the other extended to his head where her fingers raked through the thick dark locks. "Consider your usual requests, I welcome the childish ones."
"Heh… soon as I'm better, you'll be rewarded for nursing me."
"You hush about rewarding me and sleep, Mister," she scolded, although it was hard to maintain a straight face. Mias was quite a handful, and being the lucky receiver of all ill fortune hadn't made things any easier for him, but as far as Elle knew he was handling them in stride as his mental health had yet to cause any relapse of the physical variety. She could only hope winter didn't have any more surprises in store for them.
A couple weeks later finally had Mias recovered from his cold and moving around capably. He needed a few more weeks of stretching and building muscle in his foot, but it was by all accounts healed. His morale, however, faired differently due to the recent frosty weather that slowly began to freeze the tiny village of Treven in preparation for the snows of winter, resulting in a long sigh as he tucked himself back under the comforter after seeing the sight of the first fall of white powder out the nearest window.
"You alright…?" Elle asked quietly while taking him into her arms to help warm him up faster.
"Just cold…" He told her, unable to keep from smiling as she began rubbing up against him.
"Then let's get you warmed up," she smiled, making sure they both were snuggly under the covers and skin to skin.
Mias smiled and relaxed on his side, tilting his head up on his pillow as her lips found his neck. Perhaps the cold was good for something after all. "Mm~"
It was rare for Elle to wake up in a frisky mood, but she couldn't help herself this particular morning. It was just cold enough to want to cuddle closer and warm up with a light round of lovemaking. Kissing his skin felt good, and while his reactions to her touch always held their own pleasure, today it amused her as well to make him squirm for once as she and her tongue grew bolder with their exploration.
"Mm! Did you wake up on my side of the bed, my dear?" He chuckled happily, before a nibble on his nipple made him hiss back a moan. Subsequent kisses downward made him forget speaking altogether and as Elle disappeared under the covers, he sprawled onto his back and took a deep breath.
He couldn't see what she was doing, but he could feel it – her breath, her lips, her fingertips, all in tender contact with his nether region before being swallowed by the moist heat of her mouth.
"MM! Elle…!" He squeezed his eyes shut and curled a fistful of sheet in one hand while the other reached back to grab the headboard. Staying still when she gave head was quite the challenge, especially since her skill for doing so had only grown. It made him ravenous for her, but he was constantly torn between letting her finish or hastily taking her in his arms and ravishing her tenfold for the pleasure she gave him.
His internal debate finished abruptly with Elle throwing back the sheets and making a mad dash for the nearest bucket in the kitchen and subsequently retching to vomit, though he didn't hear any sound of sick empty into the bucket.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah…" she groaned weakly and spit out what saliva she could to try and give herself some sense of relief. "My stomach suddenly lurched…"
Mias crawled out of bed using one of the blankets as a shawl and walked over to her to hug and cover her as the sensation returned and she wretched again, this time bringing up a bit of sick. He held her quietly, knowing if she was ill the best course of action was to let her puke out what she could in the hopes it'd relieve her suffering all the sooner.
"Ah… that came out of no where…" She said as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, pushed the bucket away, and leaned back against him.
"Better?"
"A little… but it just hurts," she said, placing a hand over to stomach and then they both fell silent for a few seconds. "…You don't think it's…?"
"No… You can't possibly be…"
"Maybe we didn't time it right…?"
"We shouldn't jump to conclusions. I mean, you're due for your period aren't you? Could it be cramps?"
"It's possible, but it's never made me sick like this before… Maybe I caught a bug at work. I'm cooped up while you're outside – makes sense I'd catch the flu or something."
"Do you ache anywhere else?" He asked, putting his hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
"Not really… but throwing up does make you feel weak all over sometimes."
She did feel warm, but Mias could attribute that to her arousal. Still, he had it in his mind to be cautious and with her done throwing up for the time being, carried her back to bed to rest. "Mias, I'm alright."
"I want to be sure," he said as he tucked her in and fluffed her pillow behind her. "You'll stay home and rest today."
"I'm almost certain I'm not pregnant," Elle told him. She knew her body fairly well, leaving only a little bit of doubt for the answer to be pregnancy. It felt more like a stomach bug to her, and as she rested, the ache was already dulling. "There's no need to look like it's the end of the world."
"I worry," he told her as he brushed his fingers passed her cheek. "And there's very little I can do to help you if you are…"
"It's a big if Mias, but if I am, there's nothing you need to do differently, alright?"
"That's not going to be possible," he said flatly.
She smiled at him. "Then could you bring me some water?"
"Of course, my love," he smiled back and kissed her cheek only to be swatted on his posterior as he turned away.
"You use way too many terms of endearment," she playfully scolded.
"Because you only ever use my name," he argued from the kitchen. The peaceful squabble lightened the mood in the cottage to one where Mias finally felt confident enough to leave her alone to rest while he went in to work, although there was still some reluctance.
"I'll be fine," Elle assured him.
"But we're out here all on our own. Can I at least send one of the women from the village to check on you?"
"If it'll make you feel better…" she consented.
"It will," he smiled and kissed her. "I love you."
"Mhm," she smiled gently from the bed as she settled back under the covers to close her eyes. She was very tired for some reason.
"Alright, get some rest now." Mias kissed her forehead once more for good luck before leaving for work. He stopped in at the pub first to tell Morwen that Elle wouldn't be in today and if it were possible to have her or one of the other women check up on her. She promised she would and with that, Mias made his way up the hill to the Harbrooks' to see what sort of clerical work they'd have him doing today.
Meanwhile, Elle slept the morning away without much concern for her well being until she woke up dreary eyed past noon. She felt… wet, and not in the good way. She put a hand to her forehead and felt a noticeable heat from her body. Fever.
In a way, she was relieved to know it was an illness and not pregnancy, but at the same time it posed a dilemma. She was on her own for the time being and would have to treat herself. She overestimated the severity of her condition first by peeling out of her nightdress on her own and pouring a bit of cool water for a wipe down. It felt good, but every action fatigued her further.
Deciding her best course of action was to crawl back into bed and sleep it off, she did so. She'd have to bear with being uncomfortable and sweat it out. It was a good plan, until another wave of nausea hit her and this time she couldn't make it to the bucket.
"Oh… god…"
A knock at the door came about an hour later and knowing Elle had been ill, the less reserved Ginny saw no harm in opening the door to poke her head in. "Elle? It's Ginny. Morwen said you were sick. I'm here to check on you."
No answer, and curiously Ginny didn't see Elle. The bed was empty and the hearth was only burning embers, causing her to wonder if anyone was home.
"Elle?" The girl stepped inside and after a few paces spotted Elle collapsed on the floor, curled into a ball and unresponsive. After a shriek and a cuss, Ginny rushed to her aide. One touch to her skin and she felt the fever, and it was high too. Not knowing what else to do at the moment, she gathered Elle up in her arms and trudged outside into the cold. "Oh jeez! Oh jeez! What do I do?! What do I do?!"
Elle coughed and her skin prickled against the cold, but she didn't move.
In a bid to get her fever down, Ginny bent down with her and scooped up a handful of the powdery snow. It was hardly the packing sort, but Ginny gathered as much as she could in her hand before pressing it to Elle's forehead where it quickly melted. She repeated the process a few times before realizing she'd have to do something else, and leaving her out in the cold wasn't the answer.
"Mnnn…" Elle made a groan that sounded like she was coming around as Ginny took her back into the house and set her on the bed.
"Elle, can you hear me?" Ginny noticed the sick on the floor and cussed again under her breath, but kept her focus on Elle as she brought up the blankets and opened the window to get the girl some fresh air.
"Mi…" She muttered in a daze.
"Your what?" Ginny kept trying to get her talking.
"Mias… sorry…" Was all Elle was able to mumble.
"Oh great, she's delirious…" Ginny said aloud, realizing just how out of her depth she was when it came to nursing the sick. She'd have to go get help. "Elle, if you can hear me, please just stay in bed. I'll be back with help as soon as I can."
Another bit of mumbling was all Ginny got in response.
Elle wasn't aware of how bad her health had deteriorated since the morning. She knew she didn't feel well, knew that her stomach felt hollow and the lack of nourishment was only making her weaker. She didn't notice the fever after a point, not that she could. Everything was a daze, making her wonder if she was conscious or dreaming – she couldn't be sure. She knew she heard voices, all of them female and familiar: one panicked, the other concerned, and the other calmly taking control over the situation.
Where was Mias?
Her mind wasn't in a state to recall he was at work. All she knew was he wasn't there and she wanted him to be. If Mias was there, everything would be okay. So why wasn't he there? Had she done something…? Was he not there because she didn't tell him she loved him or because she didn't give him a loving nickname? If that was the reason, she was sorry…
"She's extremely dehydrated," Talia told Ginny and Delith as she finished a quick examination of Elle's condition. "Ginny, you run and get her husband. I'm not sure what good he'll do, but if she gets any worse he ought to be here with her."
"R-Right…" Ginny didn't question Talia's instruction and was out the door once again to put her athletic prowess to good use.
"Delith, help me get some water down her throat," Talia ordered as the two pressed on with treating Elle.
Elle was vaguely aware of being made to drink. The cold water came from melted snow this time, chilling her internally in a way that began shivers. The filling of her stomach returned the nausea, but she didn't vomit, leaving the discomfort to settle and make her feel worse. And Mias still wasn't there.
"Pardon my intrusion Mr. Harbrook!" Ginny called out as she slammed the man's front door open and hurried inside past the stunned butler and maid who didn't quite know how to react to a girl just suddenly barging in.
"What's this now?" Edric was enjoying his pipe in the parlor when he saw Ginny run by.
"Mias works in your office for you, doesn't he?!" She'd only been in the house a few times, but she was pretty sure she remembered where the office was.
"Er, yes," the toddled after her, his gut and smoking habit not making for the greatest agility, but her panic had him curious about the situation.
"Mias!" Ginny called for him as she threw open door after door looking for the office when she finally succeeded on the fourth attempt. She found Mias attending to a pile of paperwork while a bothersome Kay tried to prove his worth by seeing to another stack of more important documents. "You gotta go home!"
His heart sunk. "Elle…?"
"C'mon!" Ginny beckoned with her arm and Mias was up in an instant, grabbing his jacket and struggling to don it as he ran.
"H-Hey! You can't keep bailing off work!" Kay shouted after him.
Mias ignored him and the pondering Mr. Harbrook as he and Ginny ran back to the door, leaving the older man even more bewildered and coughing from being out of breath.
"What do you suppose that was about?" He asked once his lungs relaxed.
"Who gives a shit? He's an irresponsible employee, Father."
"Perhaps, but he does a good job. He can't help that life complicates when he gets to do it."
"You're far too lean on him. He's a rude, self-centered man who's sole focus is his wife."
"Don't speak on what you cannot understand, Kay," he said before coughing again. "Mn… I need to go sit down. You'll see to the rest of the paperwork, won't you?"
Kay didn't answer, rather he grit his teeth and clenched his fists. He was getting sick of these write offs and wasn't about to stand for it much longer.
Mias' lungs were burning from the cold air by the time he and Ginny arrived at his house, but it didn't stop him from calling Elle's name with what breath he still had. He knew the fever was bad the moment he laid eyes on her and the fact that both Delith and Talia were sitting vigil for her told him there wasn't much more anyone else could do at this point.
"I think we've brought her fever down slightly, but she hasn't regained consciousness," Delith told him.
"And we don't have much in the way of medicine. It was hard enough to get water in her," Talia added.
"Elle…" Mias' fears over the worst crept closer, but he pushed them away as he went to her side and touched her cheek. Her skin felt clammy and looked a bit pale up close. Whatever illness befell her struck quickly in the hours since he left her. He was grateful his worry saw fit to have her looked in on otherwise who knows how much worse it could have been by now. "Can you hear me, dearest? I need you to wake up."
She groaned in response, barely aware of his presence, but indeed acknowledging it.
"There's no time for your stubbornness." He encouraged as he helped her sit up and let her lean against him as Talia handed him a cup of water for him to put to her lips. He tilted it back for her, but most of it dribbled out of her mouth unconsumed.
"I fear she's too weak," Talia told him.
Mias feared she was right, and wished desperately that he had his magic, or at least one of Percy's remedies. He remembered the chef had given them some useful aids, but they'd been in Elle's pack which was subsequently lost when fleeing the ghoul, and since their health had been fine up until now the thought for acquiring more hadn't crossed his mind. "Is there no one in the area with better medical skill?"
"Closest city with a proper doctor is the port south of here, but that's a long ways away," Delith answered.
"Shit," Mias cursed again, but one look at Elle taking shallow breaths in his arms made everything else seem irrelevant. "…What about post birds?"
"Um, I believe there's an owl in the next town," Delith looked to Talia who confirmed with a nod.
"I need someone to send a message, and I want no questions asked with what I'm going to tell you, just remember it and see that it's delivered: Send it the manor of Mathias Dormaeus. Tell them we're in Treven and that Elle has a high fever and needs urgent care."
"Mathias Dormaeus?!" The three women were visibly shocked.
"Do not question the location, just see that it gets there!" He barked, scaring Ginny off right away to take care of it.
"…Mias… is the preferred name for Mathias Dormaeus." Talia said slowly. "Is this a coincidence?"
"Do you really want to know?" Mias asked as he tried to get Elle to drink again.
The two women could tell there was a connection, but a silent aura of intimidation being directed at them if they inquired much further.
"Elle… please…" Mias begged when she once again was unable to swallow much of the water.
"Um… Do you need anything else?" Delith asked.
"No… you can go…" He said quietly, and so they left without another word – not that there was much that could be said. All he could do was pray taking the risk would insure Elle's life.
Hours passed without word of whether or not his message was even sent, nor was there any change in Elle's condition, which was good for the sole fact she didn't seem to be worsening. He managed to get a little more water into her, but it did little to lower or fever or return her to consciousness. Still, there wasn't anything else Mias could do for her and he hated it. Helpless was a state he despised with his entire being, but such was the cost of being a normal man.
It was dark when he finally heard a knock on his door and left Elle's side momentarily to answer it.
"Master Mias?" Hilda cocked her head to the side, surprised to find her master without his marks.
"Hilda…" He heaved a relieved breath at the sight of his post bird and wiped his eyes clean. "Yes, it's me."
"You're lucky 'the only little house outside the village' is a specific enough address for me to find," she said as she pulled out a letter and a package from the holster on her belt. "But that owl you sent was fairly haughty. White feathered bitch – thinks she's all that because she's a better winter flyer."
"That's nice Hilda, but I don't have the time to chitchat. Fly home now."
"Can't do that…" She said slowly, eyeing the letter she handed to him. "Not yet anyway."
"Then sit down and wait. I have to tend to her."
"Yes sir!" She saluted, knocking a few items off the kitchen table as her wings and then making more racket as she tried to pick them up.
Mias ignored her and went to the small package first – finding a variety of useful medicines from Percy all sent in small paper envelopes with the one to be used immediately for fever marked for him to do so. He got a fresh cup of water for Elle and emptied the packet into it, turning the fluid to a pale greenish yellow. Knowing Elle still wasn't likely to drink properly, he took a sip first and proceeded to pass it with his mouth all while being observed from the kitchen table by a very happy bird woman.
"You look like a mama bird feeding her baby," Hilda grinned.
"Hardly the same circumstance," Mias told her as he wiped his lip on the back of his hand. At least he knew she had something in her now to help fight off the illness. It gave him a little breathing room to address the letter he'd tucked into his belt. "I'm not going to like what these say, am I?"
"You are not," she said with calm certainty.
Bracing himself, Mias broke the seal and opened it.
"To my dear brother Mias, how nice to finally hear from you. Is the honeymoon over so soon? My, my, you must be desperate if you're already contacting us. I must say it's surprisingly naïve of you to think we wouldn't seize control over your manor and servants. You should have seen the runt try to maintain his lordship – it was adorable, but the boy has his studies and simply doesn't have the time to be master of such a domain. I hope you don't mind my overseeing things. A pity to hear our little bird is ill, so I'll allow medicine to be sent as it's my deepest wish for you both to be receptive when I visit you in a few days. It's only proper to welcome family into your new home, is it not? I've been dying to see your humble abode. All my love, Elias Severin Dormaeus."
The look on Mias' face as he finished reading it was surprisingly calm. He might have known Elias would do something like this, but the optimist in him hoped his string of bad luck might have finally broken. "…How bad is it?"
"I honestly don't know," Hilda told him with her head bowed. "Lord Durias was against it, so I think he's been cautious with his brutality, but I know they're all scared…"
"Fuck… this is entirely my fault…"
"I'm supposed to return to Lord Elias with the confirmation. He was already departing when I left."
"Is it just him?"
"Just him, but he sent word to your brothers of course and he's leaving Duncan and Iedra in charge while he's away."
"He let that woman back into my house? My gods, it's all gone to hell then…"
"Do you… have a plan, sir?" She asked, knowing that Mias usually did have a plan of action for such situations.
"I don't…" He admitted, looking back at Elle. "All I could think about was her… I knew the risks, but…"
"That sounds like love then, sir," she smiled. "None of us ever expected you to care about our well being anyway, so we knew what we were getting into when we joined your staff."
"Hilda, you're not just my messenger," he reminded her.
"Yeah, I know, but I like flying to your houses best. You keep the best gardens. The winter house is still only frosted over and it's so pretty!"
"Elias didn't seize the winter house?"
"Huh? No. Everyone is still at the summer manor, which is no fun flying around in the winter with those cold sea winds. Brr!"
"Hilda, I take it after you report to Elias you'll fly to the rookery?"
"Well yeah, where else would I go?"
"I want you to go back to the manor, avoid being seen by Duncan and Iedra if you can manage and talk to Malcolm. Tell him to take a few vials of my oblivion water and have Percy spike the wine. I want you then to make sure all of them get out and retreat to the winter house. I have better spell protection for them there, at least I did before these…" He said with a glance of his cuffs. "Will you do this for me?"
"You can count on me, Master Mias!" She smiled wide with anther salute.
"Then go do what you do," he smirked as she readied herself and hurried out the door, silently taking off into the night and once again leaving Mias on his own with Elle, who despite the medicine, still had yet to awaken.
Version II. Chapters 73-75. Originally written in 2015.