Elle and Mias: Chapter 13

Duncan walked calmly through the forest with his arms folded behind his back. He was used to the night and stepped confidentially towards Mias' mansion. He had no clue as to what he was looking for, but if he came back empty handed, he'd be subjected to punishment from Elias.

He spied the estate in the distance and thought it odd for all the windows to be dark at this hour. A large crow swooped down from the roof and cawed as he flew over Duncan's head. In all his years serving the Dormaeus, there was no mistaking the elegant way such a dark bird rode the wind.

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"Here are your meals!" A well endowed waitress said cheerily as she placed the plates on the table for Elle and Abernos. The two had finally made it to the small farming village and their first stop was the local pub and inn for some food and hopefully a bed to sleep in. The atmosphere in the whole community was warm and inviting, so much so that Elle finally allowed herself to relax and get Mias off her mind.

"Thank you," Elle said as she picked up her silverware and the waitress went to serve a group of lively gentleman in the corner.

"I always like coming to this place. Good food, nice people, oh, once that group of old men have had their meals, there'll be music and dancing. That waitress that served us has way too much bounce to her, but I'll be damned if it isn't fascinating to watch."

Elle narrowed her eyes at him, until Abernos made her giggle by twitching his ears. She ate her meal and engaged Abernos in casual conversation. She didn't know if she could call this a date, but if it was, it was the best date she'd ever been on, and then the music started.

"Please tell me you dance," Abernos' green eyes gleamed hopefully.

Elle nodded slowly and was suddenly whisked away from the table on to the area of the pub cleared for the patrons to dance on.

"Stags are natural dancers," he smiled as he swung Elle into his arms.

She giggled, "I believe you."

"Oh, there she goes." Abernos directed Elle's attention to big breasted waitress who was taking a spin on the floor with a visibly stunned middle aged man.

"Good god, she's going to fall right out of her top!" Elle was stunned a woman with such cleavage would even be comfortable having her breasts flail about in such a manner, but she did seem to be enjoying herself, as did every male patron in the pub.

Abernos laughed out loud and spun Elle around, being extra careful not to let his hooves step on her feet. Every few measures, they exchanged partners, and by the time they found their way back to one another, Elle had adapted to the steps of the festive arrangement.

"You're a natural too," Abernos smiled as he put his hands on her waist.

"I've never tried any sort of folk dancing before so I didn't know," She laughed as this time she pulled Abernos back into the small sea of other dancers.

From outside, a crow silently swooped down past the lit windows of homes and businesses alike until he caught eye of something in one of the pub windows. He landed on the outside sill and peered inside, his eyes focused on the girl with honey blonde hair dancing merrily with a Stag.

"Ah, I think I need a break Abernos." Elle said as they moved back into the seating area.

"Aw, already?"

Elle smiled, "I'll get some fresh air and be right back in. I promise. Why don't you ask that waitress for a dance?"

"And be slapped by her cleavage? No thank you." He laughed, "Alright, but we're going to pick it up a notch when you come back."

"Sounds fun," Elle waved as she went out the door to catch her breath.

The night air was warm again, a welcomed sign of summer's approach. The waning moon still provided plenty of light with the accompanying starlight. Elle sat down on a bench outside the pub and sighed happily. This was definitely the best date she'd ever been on.

A caw from the crow caught her attention as the winged creature flapped over to the other side of the bench. He turned his head to the side, a single dark eye looking at her intently.

Elle tilted her head at the creature and smiled, "You want to dance too?"

He cawed again, as if saying yes.

"Strange bird," she giggled. Crows and Ravens weren't exactly the most appealing of birds what with their unmelodic voice and ebony feathers, not to mention they were companions of the Reaper himself as common folklore taught her.

The crow hopped along the back of the bench and cawed at her again before hopping back to the other end.

"Oh, um, I'm actually taking a break from dancing," Elle found it a bit weird to explain herself to a bird, but for all she new, the crows of this world could understand her. "I'm tired as well. My life has become so stressful you see."

The bird tilted his head as if in inquire as to why.

"I suppose young girls like me often dream about being spirited away by a handsome stranger and falling in love with him, but now that I've been swept into this world by such a stranger, I don't think such a happy ending awaits me." She tried to fight the urge, but her eyes teared up despite her efforts, "I'm grateful I've found someone willing to help me, but I'm still so scared about what's going to happen to me."

The crow hopped back towards her.

"Sorry," Elle dabbed her tears with her fingers, "I don't want to burden Abernos with my sniveling so here I am taking it out on a crow…"

She watched the bird hop about on the back of the bench before he took back off into the air and hovered right in front of her. His talons elongated themselves into a pair of dark legs while his wings flowed into a cloak that wrapped around his entire body. When the robe was swished back behind him, Mias stood before Elle with calm expression on his face.

"Mias…!" Elle gasped as he flung his cloak over them both and carried her a safe distance away from the village where no one would hear her scream.

Much to Mias' surprise though, Elle didn't scream when he set her down on a tree stump in the middle of patch of cleared forest.

She whimpered weakly, hot tears seeping from her eyes uncontrollably. There really was no escaping Mias. She'd only gotten a little farther away than last time and still, despite his injuries he managed to track her down all too easily.

"Elle," Mias said gently as he laid his hands over hers. He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped when he realized he had no idea what to say to her.

"Why…?" Elle asked through her tears, "If you are so damn set with bedding me, why won't you simply rape me and get it over with…?"

"Because I love you and refuse to stoop to such vulgar methods," he said as he rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand.

Elle was taken back for a moment, she stared at him as if she desperately needed confirmation she had misheard him. "Love? You call kidnapping me and holding me captive "love"?! What sort of sick, twisted mind do you have that'd even allow you to label such things as expressions of love?!"

"Have I ever harmed you?"

"N-Not physically…"

"Have I not cared for you?"

"No…"

"Have I not clearly expressed my desires for you?"

"No."

"Then how can you not believe me? I can give you anything your heart desires; all you have to do is agree to be mine."

"And when you become bored of me?"

Mias chuckled. "Somehow that doesn't seem like a possibility Elle. You're far too interesting a woman for me to grow tired of."

"Well I'm sure somewhere there's an interesting and disturbed woman who'd love to reciprocate your feelings," Elle tried to lower her head, but Mias lifted her chin up with a single finger.

"Elle, I love you," he repeated, his gaze unfaltering.

"I don't love you," Elle said plainly, her statement clearly affecting Mias. She felt stupid for saying something so obvious, but it wouldn't surprise her if Mias' arrogance had caused him to over look this minor detail.

"And how would I make you fall in love with me?" He asked in all seriousness.

"I don't want to be in love with you!" She burst into tears again. "Why would I want someone like you? You can't make me laugh the way Abernos has. You don't treat me kindly at all or acknowledge any of my wants. If you love someone, you certainly aren't supposed to imprison them either. If you want to have my love you need to be able to trust me and give me the freedom to choose who I want! And it might not work out the way you want, but if you really loved me, you'd want me to be happy and able to smile, right? When have I smiled in front of you Mias? Name one occasion since I got here. You don't make me happy and that makes it impossible for me to love you."

"I won't hear such nonsense about impossibility," he said in a calm tone as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'll see to it that you fall in love with me."

"I won't… I… I already love Abernos." Elle wasn't exactly sure of that, but she'd say anything to detour Mias.

"Is that so?" He squeezed her tighter.

"Don't you even think about threatening him!" Elle warned him, knowing very well Mias would if she didn't address it.

"Heh, I'm not so under confident that I see myself losing to the Stag."

"But you are jealous of him, aren't you?"

"Yes, incredibly. I'm filled with many dark emotions Elle and each one them is powerful enough to kill should I act on them, including my affection for you." He placed a kiss on her forehead.

Elle blushed, "Mias…"

"Yes?"

"You want me to come back with you, right?"

"Nothing would please me more."

"Then can I please tell Abernos? I don't want him to worry about me."

"Very well. I too would like to inform the Stag that all his efforts are futile."

Elle heaved a heavy sigh as she and Mias returned to the pub. Abernos was outside looking for her when they came out of the brush. The Stag's ears fell as Elle sadly told him their time together was over so soon after it just began. Mias simply grinned victoriously at the Stag and when the conversation was finished, he put his arm around Elle's waist and led her off to another inn where they would spend the night. It was far too dangerous even for a sorcerer to travel a great distance in forests known to carry demons.

One such "demon" had already been following Mias for quite some time now, his dark eyes entranced by Elle and the odd power she held over Mias as well as the Stag. This was exactly the sort of information Duncan would be all too happy to report back to his master.