Sorry for the wait, I've been busy, a lot this past months. Anyway, I don't feel happy about this chapter and I really struggled with this chapter. I do know it's very short but the next will long, I promise and will be in the next week.

Thought/Flashback/Dream

Chapter 26

"Elmont, please… I'm asking you to say goodbye to her," Isabelle said as she tried to stop him from walking.

"I will not, princess. Forgive me." He said softly, reaching for his sword and turning away from Isabelle. He approached his desk and opened a drawer, searching and finding the ring he had given to her, symbol of his love.

"Don't be such an idiot. Just say you will leave or that you will be back safe." He shook his head, his hand closed around the ring. He had to stop thinking of her, especially now he was going to fight; he was going to protect this land as its people. He couldn't let his emotions get the better of him during the heat of the battle, he couldn't, not even for the slightest moment… It could meant his life.

"You are asking too much of me, Princess"

"You're being ridiculous; I thought you would never give up on her" he looked at her, a flash of pain passed through his face. How could he keep on trying, now that she had said that it had been only a game for her, how could he keep on hoping they would be together. Even if he had wanted, he never would or could give up on her.

"And I will never give up on her" he said, his voice mixed with pain and love. His beautiful eyes searching for Isabelle's "But you have to understand…"

"Why won't you talk to her?"

"It's complicate," he whispered.

"I'm listening" Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest, her head held high and he marvelled how much he looked like Elissa in that moment.

"It's hard to understand"

"I'm sure I have the intelligence to"

"Certainly you already heard…" he shook his head.

"Elmont, stop rumbling"

"Princess Elissa made clear that she didn't love me" Isabelle didn't seem surprised and he knew she knew more than him.

"And you are a complete idiot to believe, for a second in her" Isabelle's voice raised, and he knew she was beginning to get annoyed or even angry.

"I shouldn't?" he asked softly.

"Of course not!"

"Then give me a reason why she is doing this? If she loves me, like you are trying to say to me, why then? Why is she pushing me away?" Isabelle shook her head.

"I can't tell you. I don't know all the reasons but, please don't go and leave her alone."

"You know I can't, Isabelle" he said her name softly "I need time for me as I need to try to help your cousin James with the attacks in his land."

"She loves you, she truly does" he looked at her "Promise you will be back to my name day, Please, I want you here" he nodded.

"I will do what I can." Isabelle approached him and embraced him.

Lanna embraced Elmont, pulling him close to her body.

"Don't die" when he step back he smile softly to her, his hand caressing her face softly.

"I will not," he promised.

"You have to come back," Crawe said beside her.

"Of course. Crawe take care of Lanna; don't let her make some irrational thing while I'm gone"

"Don't worry" Crawe said wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to his body, a small smile formed in his lips, and Elmont knew it was for Lanna, the sudden gentle look in Crawe's eyes made Lanna blush intensively before looking away and step away from him.

Crawe heard a soft, amused laugh come from Elmont, which only made her blush, more than she was before.

"Stop Crawe" Lanna said before turning away from them.

Crawe laugh and Elmont join him.

"Well, well… It seems that the mighty Crawe is interested in someone" Crawe looked at him.

"Fuck you!" Elmont laugh again.

"You don't need to feel offended; I can see the look in your eyes"

"Shut up Elmont"

"Stubborn, why can you just say it?"

"Even if I was she doesn't seem interested in me, but in someone else" he snapped, Elmont shook his head.

"I already said to her that I love her only as a friend, nothing more"

"She did not believe in you" he accused.

"I can assure you she did. Lanna knows" he said softly "I tried to deny but I know she didn't believe in me"

"What? She knows about… Elissa"

"Yes…" Elmont smile to his friend and shook his head "Don't worry, my friend. I know you can make her happy, something I could never had done. But don't give up, for your sake"

"Elmont, she still loves you…" The captain shook his head.

"She doesn't, she never did. I was only…"

"Elissa! I'm talking about Elissa" Elmont step away from his friend and shook his head.

"I can't believe in that, if she did she would never said those things to me"

"Elissa still loves you" Elmont shook his head, trying to pretend he didn't hear Crawe's words.

"Go do your duty; I still have to prepare the horse. You are in charge now"

"Not for long I hope. Don't die!"

"I won't"

"Elmont, wait" he turn and looked at her, she bit her lip, glancing at him. Elmont reached over and took the bag from the floor, draping it over the horse and tying it to the saddle.

"Do you need anything, Princess? I have people waiting for me" Elmont looked at her, watching her closely, his intense eyes roaming over her as though committing her to memory. He would miss her; he would miss everything about her. He watched her approach him, slowly and Elmont tried to relax.

Elissa placed a hand to his cheek, and brushed her lips against his. Immediately, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, deepening the kiss. His goatee tickled against her skin, and his lips were warm and insistent, full of promise of pleasures she could never have, he increased both the speed and intensity of their kiss.

She gripped his shoulder, holding him. He pulled her closer as the fingers of his free hand worked their way into her hair, Elissa fingered his hair cautiously and his tongue slipped between her lips to brush against her own. A moan rippled through Elissa's throat as his tongue flickered across the part of her lips; she opened her mouth for him.

Gasping, they broke the kiss, and he pressed his forehead against hers. His breath ragged and hot against her cheeks. Her eyes met his and he removed his hand from her hair to drag it up to her cheek, rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb, swollen and deep pink, much like his own. He clenched his jaw, he shouldn't have kissed her, he shouldn't have let her do it.

"You shouldn't have done that," he murmured, his voice low, and she shivered. "But I will treasure this memory you gave me. Thank you"

"Elmont" He pressed another, chaste kiss to her lips, and then released her and stepped away. "Please wait…" she slipped her necklace in her hands and place it in his hand "I'm going to give you this to make sure you will come back" he looked at the necklace.

"Why? Why you have this if…" You do not love me, he thought. Elissa closed her eyes and she kissed him soft and slow. Kissed him so she would forget everything. Kissed him so she would forget everything and stop feeling so guilty. And he kissed her back, again, trying to commit the kiss to memory.

"Goodbye, Elissa" he murmured.

He mount the horse and looked at her. She blinked, and found that her eyes were full of tears.

"This isn't a goodbye because you will come back" he smile.

"I will, I promise Princess." And then he nudged his horse and rode away from her, perhaps forever.

He was gone. And Elissa could hardly believe it, but Elmont was gone and she feared that it would be forever. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to think or what to say. Elissa only endure the pain the best she could.