Elle and Mias Chapter 108

Elle thought for sure she’d have to put up a few more nights in the inn with Elias, but that very afternoon she found herself in riding a hired horse drawn carriage on route to what Elias said was a promising candidate for proper living. The driver stopped outside a long stretch of stone wall with dried vines tightly coiling over the top and constricting the iron gates in the middle. Elle couldn’t see the housing therein given the amount of neglected foliage, but given the other Dormaeus’ estates she’d visited, her expectations were set to view something grand.

“Sir, are you sure you be wanting to stop here?” The driver asked as Elias helped Elle out of the carriage. “Dormaeus land you know. They say the place will haunt anyone who dares trespass.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Elias smiled, tilting his mask up to reveal his face. “Tell the village Elias Dormaeus has returned.”

“E-Elias Dormaeus?!” The driver properly freaked, startling his horse.

“Go on, be off with you,” he said, tossing a few coins from his satchel to the man’s lap.

The driver wasted no time pulling his horse about and racing back to the village like he’d seen a ghost.

“Wh-What did you do that for?” Elle asked as Elias calmly approached the iron gates to pick the rusted lock with one of his knives.

“My name is of no use to me, but it is to you,” he said as he freed the lock. “A nameless man won’t be able to get you the best care, but Elias Dormaeus can. It’s that simple.”

“That may be true, but you’re really going all out here – the exact opposite of Mias. Is there no medium with either of you?”

“You, perhaps?” He smiled at her and pushed open the gates.

Elle sighed in defeat and walked with him up the gravel roadway to the house. And it was a house, maybe a manor if you wanted it to sound grander, but it was significantly smaller than Mias’ by a forth, perhaps even more. It had two stories though and a small third floor attic by the looks of the windows and perhaps by Elle’s estimation probably held only a few rooms, but still, even against the bare trees and brush, she imagined it’d be a beautiful, shady place come the hot summer days when she was due to give birth.

“I think it was one of the safe houses my father would send our mother to when conflict arose at the main estate,” Elias said as they looked up at the main doors. “Some of my uncles were still alive when she was brought here and made pregnant, so to prevent my uncles from interfering my father would send her to a house in the middle of some small village where word and rumor travel slowly.”

“I see…” Elle said quietly, putting a hand on her stomach. “So, how long do you think it’s been since anyone lived here?”

“Perhaps a decade or more,” Elias pulled open the front doors only to be greeted by the stagnant scent of dust and stillness. “Yeah… it’s been a while.”

Elle cautiously stepped inside as Elias began pulling drapes open to let in the light to the open living room. The furniture was covered with sheets and there weren’t very many items on tables, save a few oil lamps and candlestick holders. There was a thick layer of dust on every surface, but nothing a broom couldn’t solve.

“What do you think?” Elias asked.

“I… It’s lovely, but are you sure? I asked Mias to just… help and get himself mentally prepared for this baby, but you’re changing your entire life!”

“So?”

“SO?! Aren’t you even the least bit resentful? Or annoyed it’s not all about you anymore? I mean, you two are brothers so when you’re this bi polar, it makes me think you’re messing with me!”

“Resentful? No. I can always adapt to what ever situation I’m in. I will admit I didn’t think I’d find myself in this sort of situation, but I’m very glad I am. Whether you accept it or not does not change the fact I’m in love with you. The only thing that annoys me is how Mias has treated you, but for that I am also grateful because it has brought you back to me,” he said as he approached her.

“Elias,” Elle stopped him by putting a hand to his chest before he could get any closer to her.

“…I’ve overstepped my boundaries,” he moved back. “Forgive me.”

“I-It’s fine,” Elle blushed. “N-Now we should get some brooms and dust clothes and clean this place out a bit.”

“I can do it.”

“As can I. I think I can handle pushing a broom—OOHH!” She quickly braced a hand against the wall and put the other over her stomach.

“What’s wrong?! What happened?!” Elias quickly offered his body for balance.

“It… kicked,” Elle said, amazed at the odd sensation and slowly smiled. “That was definitely a kick! It kicked!”

Worry fled from Elias expression. He was relieved to see it was something that brought a smile to face.

“It’s still doing it, I think,” Elle grabbed Elias hand and put it to her swollen abdomen without a second thought. “Can you feel it?”

Elias’ cheeks took a rosy color and he nodded his head quietly.

“For a couple weeks now all I’ve felt is a sort of fluttering sensation, but never anything I’d call a kick so I wasn’t sure if it was really moving in there… but I guess it is now,” she beamed.

“Why don’t you sit down for a bit?” Elias suggested. “I’ll clean and air out what I can while we still have daylight.”

“Just for a little while, then I’m helping too,” Elle insisted.

Knowing he couldn’t fight Elle’s stubbornness, Elias conceded to let Elle dust once the kicks in her womb subsided. After readying the parlor, they headed down the hall to make sure the first floor bathroom and kitchen were in working order, and after clearing the dust and testing the water, Elias decided to make a run back into town for groceries and supplies the house was lacking.

Elle sent him off and washing out some of the cookery before returning to dusting, this time up and along the stairwell situated to the right side a few feet from the entry way. She found herself upstairs after a while and began dusting and airing out one of the bedrooms. She found the linens and comforters packed neatly in the trunk before the bed and saw fit to make at least one room up before the day’s end, and given the late winter sun, she only had time to do that much before Elias returned.

With more cleaning and tinkering left to do, the two ended up eating dinner in front of the fireplace in the parlor. The food and conversation were both quite pleasant, finally giving Elle a relaxed atmosphere where she didn’t have to worry so much about her pregnancy.

Elias set their plates to the side and lowered himself further onto the thick rug they were seated upon. He didn’t stop to contemplate asking before wrapping his arms around Elle’s middle and gently laying his head against her stomach.

“…W-What are you doing?” Elle blushed. Even if he was simply being affectionate with the child, it was still her body he was touching.

“Listening,” he said quietly.

“I see that, but…” she wanted to object, but it seemed almost cruel to when he seemed so genuinely infatuated with the unborn child. She held her tongue and allowed him to do as he pleased, so long as he kept it appropriate.

And he did: his hands rubbed her aching back while his head nestled into her belly like he somehow would be able to get closer to the baby.

“Hey… how long do you intend to stay like this?” Elle asked, poking his defenseless cheek.

“I was just thinking…” he told her, still speaking softly. “I know you said these days together will not last, and still I find myself hoping they will… you and me… our child… our children even, in this house… living somewhat normally… it would be… nice.”

“Yes, it would…” Elle admitted. “But I still love Mias and I have to give him a chance to accept being a father.”

“To hell with Mias,” he said, lifting his head from her belly to look her in the eye. “Somehow I think if he were willing, he would have put forth more of an effort by now. I know I cannot change your feelings for him, but I will make you love me more. I swear it. That night with you was the happiest time of my life and I know you having conceived is proof you and I are not done.”

“I-It’s just a coincidence…!”

“Then why are you back with me?”

“B-Because I trust you!” Elle confessed. “I know it might seem really strange, but I know I can count on you… maybe it’s because I know you still have feelings for me and I’m taking advantage of them… and I also feel bad for denying you the right to see the baby… It seemed like what I had to do to protect my family with Mias, but… if it’s a family Mias doesn’t even want… I… I don’t know…”

“I don’t mind being used by you,” he said, placing a hand on her cheek. “Don’t feel guilty. I want to do this for you.”

“But I don’t want to hurt you either Elias…” she said with tears forming in her eyes. “It’s incredibly unfair to you for me to do this…”

“I can handle myself,” he told her, placing his other hand on her other cheeks and holding her head delicately. “Although physically, I’m barely able to restrain myself from taking your lips.”

“E-Exactly, and you shouldn’t have to—”

“I don’t intend to,” he smirked, promptly stealing a deep kiss from her lips. “You take advantage of me; I take advantage of you. Seems a fair compromise, does it not?”

“Mias will never forgive me if I do!”

“Good. Then you can truly be mine,” he leaned in for another kiss.

“I’m going to bed!” Elle announced, managing to get up before Elias could kiss her. “I only made one bed so you’re stuck on the couch tonight!”

“Oh my, I feel like this is a genuine lover’s dispute,” he chuckled as he watched her scurry up the stairs. “Good night, Elle. Sweet dreams, my love.”

“Blow it out your ass, Elias!” She called down to him before slamming and locking the door to the bedroom.