𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄.
chapter forty-one; Off To Conquer
" If I die while you are alive tell them to bury me shallow, because I will always come back to you, Elspeth Liens."

ELSPETH LIENS ONLY had two hours of silence between messages. When she received the first, that Demetre was meeting with the Duke of Guise and would miss their planned time in the art wing, her hope wilted.

  But Elspeth remembered his words the day before and decided to start without his attendance.

  She was perfecting the snowy landscape on a canvas when Hugo Laurent entered the wing with a nervous expression.

  "Let me guess," Elspeth sighed, dropping her paintbrush into a jar of water as she turned, "His meeting has run long."

  Hugo twisted his lips nervously.

  "It's alright, Hugo," She said quietly, reaching around to untie her apron, "I'll retire to my chambers until dinner, I only hope he'll be finished up by then."

  Elspeth pulled her apron off, over her head, and hung it on the side of her easel. She inspected her painting for a moment, telling herself she would return to finish this piece tomorrow. She wouldn't push it off the way she had been doing so often.

  But she turned to Hugo and her heart sank.

  "What's wrong?"

  "My lady. . ."

  "It's not his meeting, then?" Elspeth questioned, hurrying toward the man, "What is it?"

  Hugo seemed to be struggling to speak at all, but when Elspeth met him face to face with worry knitted in her brow, he spit it out.

  "His Majesty King Henry has sent troops to march on Calais. The army of the Duke of Guise leaves to join them today; they are preparing as we speak. . . The Dauphain and Lord Langlois will join the army."

  "What--?"

  "Lord Langlois will meet you at the front gate before he leaves, but the window is slim-- they must hurry if they are to arrive before--"

  "Take me there, then!"

  "Of course, my lady."

  And then they were off. Poor Hugo Laurent wasn't in the best of shapes, so he was huffing loudly trying to keep up with Elspeth's hurried pace; he'd attempted to slow her multiple times, assuring the woman Demetre would not leave before seeing her, but Elspeth hadn't faltered once.

  Her heart lurched to her throat as they arrived at the front gate-- as she saw the army. The men loaded up, mounting horses, preparing for a war.

  "Where is he?" Elspeth questioned, grabbing Hugo's arm as he doubled over to catch his breath, "Hugo, I can't see him."

  "He's. . ." Hugo panted, "Here."

  Elspeth pressed herself onto her toes, attempting to search for the familiar face. But the men were all dressed the same, some already wearing helmets-- it was nearly impossible.

  Until she spotted a bright blond bed of hair.

  Francis was talking quietly with Demetre Langlois.

  He looked like a real soldier, Elspeth thought. Strong and tall and harsh. With a helmet under his arm and his sword at his side, Elspeth wondered if he had done this before. If he had gone to battle-- he almost looked more at ease out here than he did in noble parties.

  Elspeth pushed through the crowd with Hugo on her heels, begging her to slow down now. Soldiers eyed her as she elbowed them, but Elspeth didn't care.

  She didn't care that they questioned why she was there or some snickered about her lack of a cloak. She didn't care that a few whispered she was crazy while others watched in adoration.

  She didn't care.

  "Demetre."

  His eyes locked onto her instantly, his arms opening as she collapsed into him. Even with the chainmail, even as a soldier, even as a monster, he was soft. Warm. Comforting.

  "Petal," The word came out breathy as he lifted a gloved hand to cradle her head to his chest. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself."

  "You can't go."

  Demetre frowned as she lifted her head to find his eyes.

  "You could die, Demetre, I won't have it."

  Elspeth clung to him as if he was the only thing keeping her tethered to sanity-- her eyes were wild and scared, but her tone was unbreakable.

  Demetre breathed, his posture falling as he lifted his hands, cradling her face.

  He did not care about formality. He did not care about the eyes of the onlookers. He did not care that he was acting in front of Francis, or soldiers, or the Duke of Guise.

  "If I die while you are alive," Demetre said quietly, "Tell them to bury me shallow, because I will always come back to you, Elspeth Liens."

  "You cannot come back from--!"

  "I would defy it," He said as if it were so simple. "For you."

  Elspeth blinked, shaking her head.

  "I don't want you to go."

  "Oh, but I must," He said so tenderly it hurt, "It is my duty. To Francis. To France."

  "Please don't leave me," Elspeth whispered, "You told me you would abandon it all for me, Demetre, please. . . I can't. . ."

  Emotions were rising up that Elspeth had not dealt with. Ones that she had tucked away into the darkest corners of her mind, ones that had started collecting dust and dinge.

  She could hardly believe the words she was saying as she was saying them, but she knew they were true. She knew she wasn't ready for him to leave, she knew the idea of him going into battle terrified her, and the thought of him never returning made her stomach churn terribly.

  "I would," He whispered, running a finger over her cheek and cursing his gloves for separating their skin, "Petal, I am only leaving because Francis convinced his father to leave you be if we conquered Calais for him."

  "He's left me alone, Demetre--"

  "Only because of Catherine and I," Demetre said tightly, "He thinks you're a threat. That if you tell your family of his plot on you and Bash, they could turn the whole of Scotland against him."

  Elspeth couldn't fathom it. An entire country uproaring because a king tried to kill her?

  Her fuzzy mind attempted to make reality of it, despite Henry's madness, it could cause unrest. Her family was not only respected but loved by the people in their Duchy. And her parents had made a point of knowing as many people as they could; of the people knowing them and their children.

  Perhaps the entire country was a stretch. But her Duchy wouldn't have stood for it.

  "I need to do this to ensure you are safe," Demetre's gentle voice pulled her from her thoughts, "Hugo will watch over you while I am gone, along with the rest of my guards. Go wherever you wish, as long as they are at your side."

  Elspeth felt her heart grow heavy as she realized there was no case to plead anymore.

  He would leave. And she would stay.

  "Please come back to me."

  "Henry thinks we are going to conquer Calais for him," Demetre whispered, "I am conquering Calais for you, Elspeth Liens."

  She smiled sadly as tears burned in her eyes.

  Demetre Langlois had held back the entire time he had known Elspeth Liens. Since the very first night he watched her paint, he had restraint for a million different reasons. For himself, for Elspeth, and eventually for Sebastian too.

  But today, when Elspeth Liens was a single woman of House Langlois, looking up at him like he was the only person in the entire world, Demetre decided perhaps he had become enough. Good enough, strong enough, powerful enough, kind enough.

  Enough that he wouldn't feel guilty.

  So he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, smiling honestly when he saw her shock wipe away all her sadness.

  "I will come back to you, always."

  Elspeth stared up at him for a moment, before throwing her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. Demetre melted into it instantly, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her there tightly.

  "Conquer quickly."

  Demetre's chest rumbled as he laughed, letting Elspeth go gently.

  "Yes, my lady," He said with a grin.

  Elspeth twisted her lips, glancing to Francis who looked a bit surprised but mostly smug.

  "You be safe, too," She pointed a finger, her brows scrunching into anger, "France needs its next King."

  Francis let out a breath as a smile fell on his face.

  "Are the two of you finally going to sort this all out when we're back?"

  "Francis!"

  "Ellie!" The man mocked with a growing grin, "Give me something to look forward to."

  Elspeth let out a breath, shaking her head. She glanced at Demetre, who suddenly looked all too vulnerable.

  She hadn't even sorted out her own feelings, let alone had time to wonder about Demetre's. This was an entirely new reason for her heart to sink and confusion to swirl in.

  "Look forward to returning to your friend, or is that not enough for you?"

  Francis laughed, pulling Elspeth into a hug.

  "It is more than enough, Ellie."

  The woman smiled as he let her go, letting out a long breath.

  "I hate watching the two of you leave."

  "We hate it, too. Believe me."

  She nodded gently, taking a step back to join Hugo's side and instantly feeling the cold winter around her.

  "Get inside," Demetre said gently, "Get warm. I expect stories and new paintings when I return."

  Elspeth could only nod. All her words had dried up in her throat, leaving nothing more to be said.

  She watched Demetre and Francis each mount horses before she let Hugo escort her back inside the safety of the castle. But even then she cemented herself to one of the archways, watching as the army began a slow march to Calais.

  And as Demetre Langlois looked over his shoulder, his eyes finding hers instantly, Elspeth figured she needed to sort her own feelings out before she returned. Because the way her heart fluttered meant something more than met the eye.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Demetre said Hozier who??
LOL but no for real I was indeed
listening to work song and could
think of nothing other than Demetre
ALSOOOO I love Hugo
so much I hope you guys
like him too