𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄.
chapter six; Beyond The Blood Wood
" I find no enjoyment in coyly avoiding the truth. "

  THERE WAS A CERTAIN heaviness surrounding the castle the remainder of the day. Another attempt had been made— though, this time it was on Mary's life. A dress of hers had been poisoned, saved only by a maid who'd tried it on before her.

  And the part that set her most on edge, was that when she and her fellow Scottish friends talked to every servant and guard possible they all said the same thing.

  "No one posted outside any of our doors or in that corridor saw someone leave your room with a body or a dying girl."

  "And they would have."

  "They must have used the passageway."

  "What. . . passageway?"

  Mary quickly caught Elspeth up on the stone passageways Francis said ran through the castle, connecting old sectors to new ones. Though, no one used these anymore.

  No one except for, perhaps, whoever would do anything to keep Mary from wedding Francis, and not becoming the queen of France.

  "I'm glad to know this room is finally getting some use."

  Elspeth looked up from her canvas, furrowing her brows at Demetre's sudden intrusion. She gently set a paintbrush back into a glass of water, wiping her hands on a tattered apron she'd pulled from the only cabinet in the room.

  "I spend quite a good amount of my time here," Elspeth confirmed, "Thank you for showing me."

  "Is this Mary?"

  "It's going to be," Elspeth laughed, shaking her head as Demetre dissected the portrait.

  "You're painting her a queen."

  "Because she is a queen, with or without Francis."

  Demetre pressed his lips together, nodding his head and clasping his hands behind his back.

  "Straight to the point, aren't you?"

  "I find no enjoyment in coyly avoiding the truth."

  The man bit back a smile at the hidden sharpness of her comment.

  "How have you been?" The man questioned, "It seems you have a rather busy life."

  "Only at court," She nodded with a small smile. "What do you do with your time, then, oh, Hunter of Grim?"

  "Heh, I'll tell you I stay out of those damned woods," Demetre chuckled, scratching the back of his neck, "Most of it is divided between the king's sons— I make sure Francis has got his head screwed on straight, travel with Bash, so long as it's—"

  "Not into the woods," Elspeth concluded, squinting her eyes just slightly, "What's in them?"

  Demetre's face drained of color, just slightly. His breath was caught in his throat at her piqued curiosity, and for a moment, Demetre thought he may very well be sick.

  "Do you think I've gotten the color of her hair right?"

  The man's eyebrows furrowed at Elspeth's question, she turned to her work in progress and studied it for a moment.

  "I fear I've gone too light."

  "I think it's right," He replied, though his confusion still lingered, "The perfect shade."

  "I may go over it," Elspeth mumbled, "I'm just glad there are endless supplies here."

  "More than your supplies at home?"

  "I don't believe even the king and queen of France can hold a candle to my mother's art wing."

  Demetre watched her paint for a little while. He cleared off a chair previously stacked with unpainted canvas and listened to her occasional conversation. 

  But all Demetre Langlois could think about was how quickly Elspeth had thrown out her curiosity of the Blood Wood for his comfort. How Elspeth Liens, a woman he'd met only days prior and did not know (though he was becoming quickly acquainted with her sharp tongue), had done the one thing no one else seemed able to do; Elspeth seemed to care about Demetre beyond the monsters he'd conquered.

↬

  Elspeth was in no way immune to the contagious laughter spreading amongst her friends. They'd taken to a picnic, somehow putting the chaos of the days prior behind them for childish antics.

  "Alright, Kenna, it's your turn. not your first, but your best kisser."

  "It was a man," Kenna smiled, "Not a boy."

  "Who? You must tell us."

  "All I'll say is that there's no point in waiting for boys our own age who have no idea what they're doing. Either find yourself a man or. . . take care of your needs yourself."

  "Kenna," Elspeth laughed, nudging the girl to her right.

  "Alright, then, Elle, how about you?" Kenna grinned, "Though, I have a feeling we all already know your answer."

  Elspeth blushed deeply, playfully shoving Kenna's shoulder, earning a laugh from all the ladies.

  "Sebastian is a wonderful kisser," Elspeth finally said bashfully, rolling her eyes at the grins from all her friends.

  "Do you think you two will marry?" Aylee asked with a childlike fascination.

  "It's much too early to think of all that," Elspeth pushed the idea aside in a rush, making Kenna's bright smile waver barely, "Marriage, I mean."

  "You needn't decide the rest of your life just yet," Kenna assured, "Anyway, I think it's Greer's turn, isn't it?"

  "My first kiss. . ." Greer began, sighing, "Is in the very near future. I'm not like you, my family's not titled, I can't afford even little mistakes. But. . . I think I've found a man. He's tall, dark, and noble. Tomas, the son of the king of Portugal. He's here negotiating some kind of trade deal, but he's taking his time about it, and I think it's to stay with me."

  The girls exchanged subtle looks of concern.

  "Greer, it's dangerous to get involved with a prince," Aylee spoke, "You know they marry for alliance— your family are commoners."

  "Tomas is a king's bastard, like Bash," Greer said gently, not offended by the blonde's blunt statement, "Favored, too, but with money and land. I'm not a fool. I know a true royal would never look at me except to ruin me. I can take care of myself."

  "Your Majesty," A meek blonde girl approached quickly, "Your uncle, Claude de Guise, is here and wishes to see you at once."

  And Mary was not one to argue with this request.

  "So," Kenna spoke once she and Elspeth had departed from their friends, "You aren't eager to marry Bash?"

  "I'm not eager to marry at all," Elspeth corrected with a small sigh, "I love spending time with Sebastian— but, Kenna, we've only just met; allowing him a kiss so soon would send my parents into a panic, let alone an engagement?"

  "But was it not just. . . magical?" Kenna sighed dreamily, hooking her arm with Elspeth's, "He's the first man you've given a moment of your affection to."

  "That is not true!"

  "Real affection, Ellie," Kenna rephrased, pulling the woman to a halt, "Not like those boys in Scotland we pecked on the lips or the ones that would chase you around with flowers and books and paints. You've let Bash court you, this alone says something."

  Elspeth faltered, her ever strong exterior fading for a moment.

  But Kenna had been there. Kenna had seen beyond it more than once. Kenna was her best friend, and sometimes, Elspeth believed Kenna knew her better than she knew herself.

  "There are feelings, this, I am sure of," Elspeth admitted hesitantly, "But, if I jump into marriage, and Sebastian turns out not to be the man I think him to be. . . what am I? Even my art will belong to him, Kenna."

  "You're just scared of lack of freedom."

  "Aren't you?"

  Kenna shrugged, looking down at her feet as they approached the castle.

  "There's a certain freedom in letting a man take charge, isn't there? In being his?"

  "Who is this man, Kenna?"

  "You have to swear not to tell anyone."

  "I won't—"

  "Ellie, I know we've always been close friends and I trust you more than I trust myself most days," Kenna said strongly, "But this is something you can't tell Mary. Or Bash— especially Bash."

  ". . . Alright, Kenna, you're scaring me."

  "King Henry."

↬

  Elspeth Liens lightly eyed the throne room, in a last-ditch effort to find Sebastian, and she'd never say it aloud but her heart did a somersault as she spotted the man standing alone with two wooden swords.

  "Training takes two, you know?"

  Sebastian turned, letting out a breathy laugh as she approached. He was never not taken aback by her beauty, it was the kind that could not be ignored, even on days as casual as this. When all she wore was a pale blue dress and a ribbon tying her hair back, a small white flower tucked into the base of the ponytail. Even on days when she was just Elspeth, not Lady Elspeth, she was so beautiful it stole the breath right out of his lungs.

  Admittedly, this simple fact was the reason she'd caught Sebastian's eye. But day by day, he was only discovering more things to love about the woman.

  "I don't suppose you can offer a worthy opponent?"

  "Oh, Sebastian De Poitiers," Elspeth laughed, shaking her head and accepting the mock weapon, "You truly do not know who you're speaking with."

  Sebastian was taken aback at her swift strike. Sure, her dress restricted full movement, but this didn't seem to soften Elspeth's fight.  Underestimating her would cause a loss, this was clear as he rushed to block another, and his intention was to win, not to go easy on this woman.

  Elspeth smiled when she thinly dodged Sebastian's wooden weapon, and it didn't take very long for this sparring to become a serious struggle for power. So much so, that neither noticed Henry re-joining the room, watching from the sidelines. His son was good, this much he knew, but it appeared so was Elspeth.

  The little spitfire from Scotland, Henry decided then that surely— surely his son would marry her. She was more than he'd ever give his son— a title, land, wealth. But not only this, Henry would be glad his son was marrying more than just that. Catherine was a vice, she provided wealth, but not much else in his eyes.

  Elspeth was everything. She wasn't obedient. Not in the way Henry thought a wife should be, but Elspeth seemed to bend to make way for Sebastian. To give for him until she almost broke.

  "Impressive."

  Elspeth jolted slightly, causing her strength to give and allow Sebastian's wooden sword to send hers flying to the stone floor, posing its end at her neck.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," Elspeth spoke with dignity, gently pushing Sebastian's wooden sword down with her pointer finger, "Your son is as well."

  "I would hope so," Henry smiled, "But, not many noblewomen can provide such a decent fight."

  "With all due respect, I may have very well won without the intrusion."

  "A good swordsman doesn't allow distractions," The man pointed, looking to his son, "Something I believe you both could learn."

  Elspeth raised her eyebrows, looking to Sebastian who shook his head in an attempt to hide his smile.

  "We will see you tonight, Lady Elspeth?"

  "Of course," The girl smiled to the king, "If you'll excuse me. . ."

  Henry smiled as she curtseyed gracefully, eyes flitting to Sebastian. And, perhaps to him, the light kiss she pressed to his cheek was sweet, but nothing more. 

  But to the King, and the noblewoman, showing affection in front of not only his father but true royalty showed her hand. She was laying it all on the table; Elspeth wanted Sebastian. She wanted to be with Sebastian. In front of all of France.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Demetre is so soft for Elle,
let's be honest. I love the
friendship between them--
but come on, guys, can we
please imagine for a moment
if there was a canon character
like elspeth?? FIGHTING WITH
BASH ON HER FIRST WEEK
AT COURT?? 
God, I love Elle's character
so much.