literature

Elle and Mias: Chapter 20

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Elle's fingers slowly turned her teacup around in her hands that afternoon as she watched the horses in the pasture. The owners of the estate, a middle aged couple who bred and trained horses as a full time hobby, offered them lunch on the veranda, which Mias and Elle gratefully accepted.

Ares had been unhitched from the coach and allowed into the pasture with the other horses, but his sights remained focus on the white mare he had been introduced to earlier. He trotted behind her, whinnying and trying to catch her attention, but the mare never once replied and simply kept putting distance between them.

"She doesn't seem to care for him at all," Elle commented.

"The owners told me she was a difficult filly to break," Mias said before chewing on a bit of bread.

"Maybe she just doesn't like the idea of being forcibly paired with a mate she barely knows," Elle suggested, her tone hinting at the parallels between the horse and herself.

Mias looked at her for a moment before chuckling, "I see. Have you thought of a name for her?"

Elle put a finger to her chin, "Given the discord between her and Ares, I was thinking Eris might be appropriate."

"Eris," Mias repeated. "Yes, I like that name as well. It suits her. Now since that matter is settled, I assume things went well with the tailor?"

"Yes, the staff was very courteous." Elle said as she nonchalantly placed her hand over her chest where she felt the ring hanging behind her clothing as she continued telling him about her shopping experience.

However, she didn't tell Mias that when she had first stripped down back at the shop, one of women asked her if she was engaged to him. Elle vehemently denied it, but that didn't stop the rest of the ladies from fishing for further details about her relationship with the notorious noble. The power of female gossip would no doubt ignite the rumor mill and before long the whole region would be whispering about her and the Dormaeus heir.

Not that it really concerned Elle because she knew it wasn't true, but the idea made her wonder exactly what Mias wanted with her. He had already proclaimed his love for her, but how easy was it for him to say those words to a woman? She didn't want to make herself another notch in his belt, she knew that for sure, but over the past few days she felt herself being curiously drawn to him. She had even cared enough about helping him erase the stigma against his name that she gave permission for it to be used to sell feminine undergarments. She still wondered just what had possessed her to do such a thing that had only great potential for embarrassing her and not Mias.

"Hm, is there anything else you'd like to see before we head home?" Mias asked, pulling Elle away from those thoughts.

At first, nothing came to mind. The city no doubt had its share of colorful shops, but Elle wasn't really feeling as adventurous as she had been earlier in the day, but she didn't want her day of semi-freedom to be over after a few short hours. She thought the offer over, and then announced her decision. "Is there a beach nearby you could take me to?"

Mias nodded, "there's a small stretch of shoreline not far from here."

"I'd like to go there, please." She said calmly.

Mias sensed the change in her mood and became concerned. However, given the delicacy required in handling Elle, he decided not to inquire about what was troubling her just yet. They finished their simple lunch before rounding up both horses and bidding farewell to the couple who had hosted them.

"How is it they aren't afraid of you?" Elle asked once they were back in the coach. Ares was strapped in the harness and Eris was trotting behind the black carriage with a rope tying her to an available bar of framework.

"Because they're living on Dormaeus land," Mias said. "I've been acquainted with them since my childhood and nearly all my family's horses were bred and raised by them. Ares was a gift from them for my twentieth birthday in fact."

No wonder there was a familiar feel to the estate, Elle thought as Ares led the coach further down the road.

It wasn't long before they reached their intended destination: the ocean. Elle stepped out of the carriage, not waiting for Mias to extend his hand to assist her.

"Elle?" Mias watched as she climbed down the embankment of tall grass and onto the beach covered in a mix of both gravel and sand.

Elle kicked off her shoes as she approached the waves that were gently lapping up onto the shore. She held up the skirt of her dress as she stuck her bare feet into the tide all while her eyes gazed longingly at the horizon. A part of her simply wanted to dive into the water and swim for freedom, or drown trying.

"Elle!" Mias said her name louder as he caught up to her. "My dear, the ocean isn't going anywhere."

"I know…" she said quietly.

A breeze from the sea blew her bangs back, allowing Mias to see the tears staining Elle's cheeks. "Elle?"

"Huh?" Elle looked up, unaware her eyes were watering in the first place. "Oh, sorry."

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

Elle shook her head as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "I'm fine."

Mias didn't seem convinced.

"Really, I'm okay." Elle smiled. "I was just … oddly comforted by the fact the horizon looks the same here as it does in my world. Heh, it's so strange. You'd think it'd make me feel homesick, but I'm honestly not. The only thing on my mind is what lies ahead."

"Hm," Mias looked out toward the horizon as well. "Keeping that perspective in mind isn't a bad thing, but if you focus on it too much, you'll only end up stressing yourself. You should… limit your gaze to what is beside you in this moment in time and not what awaits you beyond what your eyes can see."

Elle narrowed her eyes and sarcastically replied, "How convenient for you that you're the one beside me in this moment."

Mias glanced down at her and grinned.

"You conniving crow," Elle smirked as she kicked a bit of water at him.

"Ah!" Mias held up his arms to deflect the water from his face. "Hey! That's cold!"

"I know," she giggled as she splashed him again.

"Ah! Elle!"

Elle kept laughing as she ran back up the beach, grabbed her shoes, and climbed up the embankment toward the coach.

Mias, with his sleeves and leggings wet, stomped after her in his equally as wet boots.  "You little minx, I'll get you for that!"

"Let's see you catch me then," she stuck her tongue out at him as she ducked behind the coach and took off into the open field on the other side of the road.

Elle had to loosen up and ease her mind of worry over what rumors she might have started and what the future held for her. Even if Mias found the behavior frivolous and childish, sometimes it felt good just to run barefoot and play like she was still a kid with the freedom of innocence.

She glanced over her shoulder and slowly came to a stop. Mias wasn't pursuing her, she hadn't expected him to, but he was watching her, intently, with a pleased smile on his face. "W-What?"

"Nothing," he kept smiling. "Your happiness just leaves me awestruck. When I finally made you smile in the library, I thought that'd be the extent of my power, but hearing you laugh is honestly something I wasn't sure would be possible in my presence."

Elle wasn't quite sure how to respond. She remembered telling him how she'd never fall in love with him because he couldn't make her happy, but over the past week, that wasn't proven to be entirely true. She had her fleeting moments of happiness with him, not only in the library reading books, but with the conversations they'd have; she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy arguing with him. And he had been able to make her laugh before, though not to his knowledge: every time she kicked him out of her bed, the positions he'd land in and remain asleep in were often hilarious.

"I'm glad you're having fun with me," Mias grinned sincerely with no mischief hidden in its intent.

Such a handsome smile, Elle thought as she couldn't help but smile back at him, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

Mias walked across the field towards her and stopped about a yard shy in front of her. He extended his hand forward, silently requesting for hers.

The gesture was more than what it appeared, Elle knew that, but that only made her hesitant toward both options. Not taking it meant things would continue as they had between them these past few days, she'd reject him and he'd relentlessly try to woo her anyway. Taking it, however, would lead her down an unfamiliar path that she couldn't see the ending of. It was fitting that Mias was now in front of her with the horizon in the background.

It took Elle only moments to find her answer. She stepped forward to Mias' side and extended her hand to him. "It's not all about you, Mias."

Mias was initially dumbfounded, but pleased. He turned and placed his hand in hers, but the honor of drawing their bodies into an embrace remained all his. He felt Elle squeeze his hand nervously as his free arm wrapped around her shoulders and held her close to his chest. He placed a kiss on top of her head and nothing more, for now anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After their touching moment in the tall grass of the plains near the shore, the atmosphere on the ride home became tense. Elle and Mias sat next to each other rather than across from one another and Mias was already trying to burst Elle's personal bubble. Even with the thick skirt of her dress to protect her skin, having Mias' hand on her knee was uncomfortable. What he needed was good lashing, whether it be from a tongue or a whip, to understand that holding hands in no way meant she had consented to touching, kissing, and what lay beyond kissing.

Mias sensed her uneasiness, and tried his best to comfort her worries. "I'm not so uncouth to have our first time be in a carriage. We'd save that until the fourth time at least."

He wasn't helping at all.

"I'm not beyond holding your hand at this point in time," Elle said firmly while blushing. "You're just going to have to accept we'll take things at my speed and not yours because you know you won't get what you really want by forcing me."

Elle was unfortunately right, but that didn't bring Mias any solace in having to settle his body's natural urges and settle for merely holding hands with her. Still, this was progress in their relationship and he'd didn't want to be thrown back to start after nearly two weeks of hard work.

"Mias," Elle called as she glanced out the window. "Where are we?"

Mias turned to his window. "Oh, it's the farming village you and that Stag fled to."

"I thought it looked familiar," Elle said as she kept looking out the window. Her eyes widened she spied something on the side of the road. "Stop the coach!"

"Huh?"

Too late. Elle had already thrown open the door and jumped out.

"Elle!" Mias quickly clapped his hands together to cancel the driving enchantment and went out after her.

"Abernos!" Elle rushed to the figure lying down in the grassy roadside.

Abernos opened his eyes and slowly sat up right, his body wobbling back and forth and his face red with the blush of alcohol. He had his custom pair of pink knickers dangling from his right antler and as for the rest of his clothes, well, they weren't there.

"Abernos?" Elle knelt down by his side and looked over him. He stunk of beer and his own musk, the intensity of which indicated he hadn't bathed in quite some time. "What happened to you? I thought you went home to Berenos."

"Elle…?" His eyes couldn't seem to focus on her and he fell back onto the ground.

"Elle, what's going on?" Mias said as he approached them.

"Mias," Elle said his name so sweetly and her eyes glistened like those of an innocent puppy, he just knew she was going ask him if Abernos could come with them.

Mias hung his head and brought up a hand to rub his brow, "I'll take care of him, get back in the coach."

"Thank you," Elle said as she headed for the coach door. She looked back to make sure Mias was keeping his word and indeed he was.

He took off his cloak and made sure it covered the stag properly before he began the difficult task of hoisting the much larger Abernos upright, but he managed and brought him over and into the coach.

"Poor Abernos, he must have been so depressed after I went back with you." Elle said as she cradled Abernos' head on her lap.

"Let's just get him home to his brother. Berenos will sober him up better than you or I can." Mias was clearly not happy to be back sitting across from Elle while the drunken stag was having his head cradled on Elle's lap. Whether he liked it or not, Abernos could prove to be a rival for Elle's affection if he didn't keep a careful watch over the tiny and delicate bud that was their relationship.
Here's to 20 Chapters!! I'm up to 100 pages in my word document I type this in so that's pretty good if I do say so myself. And there's still so much that needs to happen! This really will be a full fledged novel by the time I'm done. X3

Anyway, through sickness I have prevailed and finished this. I had a headache yesterday and then I came back to do more writing and got another one! But I'm not going to let it beat me. Even though I've also had tummy trouble too today, I refuse to let my body keep me from the rush of goodness I feel when I complete a chapter and get to read all your comments. Thank you all very much for your support. 21 will be out whenever I damn well feel like writing it!

For those who read but don't comment, SHAME on you. SHAME!! So please, leave me some feedback X3

Main Characters (c) :iconstressedjenny:
Horses (c) :iconsuirenshinju:

Chapter 21: [link]
© 2011 - 2024 SuirenShinju
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trollduck2001's avatar
I didn't want to be shamed, so, THIS IS AMAZING!