𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄.
chapter sixty-eight; Inside The Home
" I care little for where we go, as long as we go together. "

  THE FOLLOWING DAY Elspeth Liens wanted to show Demetre around the estate. So she put on her finest riding attire and had two horses tacked early that morning.

  Demetre rose earlier than Douglas, but after Fraser, just in time to meet Elspeth and her parents in the dining room for breakfast.

  "Ah, Demetre," Rowan greeted as the man entered, "Come, sit, eat. I believe Ellie already has a day planned for the two of you."

  Demetre raised a brow as he approached the seat beside Elspeth, who was grinning as she ate another piece of fruit.

  "I wanted to take you around the grounds today," Elspeth informed, "Show you the estate, and a bit of the duchy."

  "I'd love nothing more," Demetre said, beginning to fill his plate.

  Elspeth hummed in happiness, eliciting smiles from both of her parents, as Fraser entered.

  "Good morning Mother, Father," He greeted stiffly, taking his own seat across from Elspeth, "Ellie, Demetre."

  "Morning," Elspeth hummed, "What are your plans today, Fraser?"

  "Ah, I've elected to help Blair with Nessa this morning," Fraser informed, "I think I'll set out for home tomorrow."

  "So soon?"

  "I have things to tend to, Ellie."

  "Ah, yes, your garden," She noted with a smirk.

  Fraser glared, though it was more playful than Elspeth was used to.

  "Gardening is a delicate art, Elspeth," Fraser stated, "Perhaps I'll teach you one day soon."

  Elspeth grimaced, and Fraser seemed to catch his mistake a moment too late.

  "Teach her to garden where Fraser?" Malcolm prodded, raising a brow.

  "Ah, Father, I only meant. . ."

  Fraser seemed to falter under the stares of both his parents.

  "The three of us spoke last night," Fraser admitted, clearing his throat, "It seems we all wish to return home after so long away."

  Rowan let out a shout of happiness before she could contain it, slapping a hand over her wide grin as Malcolm chuckled heartily.

  "You mean it, truly?"

  "The details are hardly ironed out," Fraser said quickly, "I'm sure Ellie still needs to speak with Demetre on the matter, as I must with my wife and Douglas--" 

  "Oh, take a year, take two years, I don't care, I'm just so happy to know my children are coming home," Rowan gushed, "Oh, Blair will be ecstatic!"

  Rowan stood, rushing to Fraser hastily. She grabbed his face, kissing the top of his head, before hurrying out of the room, presumably to inform Blair herself.

  "Well, suffice it to say your mother will be busy," Malcolm smiled, leaning back, "I'm glad to hear it, as well, son."

  Fraser smiled a bit uneasily but nodded before digging into his breakfast.

  Elspeth however, turned to Demetre sheepishly.

  He only grinned, staring ahead as he ate his own breakfast.

  "I did intend to speak with you on the matter before anything was set in stone," Elspeth said softly, "Fraser only has a big mouth."

  Fraser glared.

  "I care little for where we go, as long as we go together," Demetre said gently, turning to Elspeth, "Not to mention I can hardly grasp how you would be Duchess here if we remained in France."

  Elspeth breathed out, nodding as Demetre gave her a reassuring smile.

  "Well, I assume Fraser let it slip."

  Elspeth cracked a grin as Douglas sauntered into the room, his hair still messy from sleep as he slid into the chair beside Fraser.

  "Douglas, we have a guest, you simply must--"

  "Brother, if we are to live in closer proximity shortly, you simply cannot find yourself distraught over something as fickle as my appearance," Douglas said, propping his elbows up on the table, "Ellie Bellie, what are your plans for the day?"

  "I'm showing Demetre around the duchy," She said with a smile.

  "Oh, very nice," Douglas noted, raising a brow, "Perhaps save some energy, we'll have a game in the garden tonight if you're up for it?"

  "I'd love to," Elspeth nodded quickly.

  "Demetre?"

  Demetre couldn't hide his surprise at Douglas's eager expression.

  "Oh, come on, it's a rather easy game really," Douglas urged, "And if you team up with me, we can take Fraser and Ellie down easily."

  "He's on my team, thank you very much," Elspeth said quickly, grabbing Demetre's arm as if he'd depart otherwise.

  "If you want to switch after the first round, I'd allow it," Douglas said, tossing a wink to Demetre.

  Elspeth protested loudly, and Malcolm Liens laughed as Fraser began trying to diffuse the siblings.

  But Demetre sat in quiet shock.

↬

  Elspeth had noticed Demetre's tense shoulders before they even mounted their horses. She had clocked it rather quickly after leaving the dining room in fact, but had chosen to prolong questioning it.

  She knew he was carrying something. And she wanted to carry it with him.

  So, when they had ridden past the gardens and the orchard and the cemetery, and they were approaching the thick forest behind the main house that separated the estate from the rest of the duchy, Elspeth spoke.

  "What's on your mind, Demetre?"

  He glanced as she rode up to his side, her brows pinched together gently.

  She wore her concern like rogue on her cheeks.

  "I can't get anything past you, can I?" He teased half-heartedly. "I suppose meeting with your parents reminded me of my own. . . or perhaps the opposite. They reminded me of what my parents were not."

  Elspeth frowned.

  "How do you mean?"

  "Only that mine were caught up in the legacy of the House Langlois," Demetre admitted, "Worried about who I was. Who I wanted to be. . . They wanted me to be great. No matter the cost. . . your parents have only just met me, and they seem to only want for our shared happiness."

  Demetre realized his words were strained, and as he looked down, his hands gripped the reigns so tightly his knuckles began paling.

  As if his very body was protesting the idea of sharing too much. It had been beaten into him, after all. To hide things like this. Emotions like these. They were a weakness; feeling sad or frustrated or grief. Grief for something that never was. It was useless and pointless, and carrying it around only made him less effective.

  Briefly, Demetre felt a wave run through him; sharing it now made him weak. He was meant to protect Elspeth, and care for her, not the other way around. If he let himself get too comfortable, she may yet see that he wasn't as strong as he pretended to be.

  But Elspeth's hand came to rest atop his own. And Demetre's spine relaxed, his shoulders slumping forward as every ounce of tension escaped his body.

  Because he did not have to be strong or weak for Elspeth Liens to love him. He did not have to be a villain or a hero. The monster or the hunter.

  He only had to exist.

  "I wish I could take it away. All the hurt you carry," She said softly, "I can only carry it with you. Provide you a safe place to store it. . . I love you, Demetre. My family will, too. . . I know it is not the same as your own. But I want you to know you have people who care for you, beyond what you can do for them."

  "That's it, though, Petal, I. . . I don't know how to grapple with that. How to live with that. I'm used to fighting, to arguing and scolding and being thrown out into the woods. . . I am not used to being welcomed inside the home."

  He looked to Elspeth, his expression a pleading sort of a panic. Like he wished for nothing more than a quick solution. As if she could produce a thing to resolve the raging storm inside of him.

  "Then it may take time for you to feel as though you are truly being welcomed. . . all I ask is that you still come inside."

  It was then Demetre realized Elspeth wore an expression of sadness to match his. It was then Demetre realized loving someone meant bearing their emotions as well as your own, even if those emotions were unwanted and unwelcome.

  It was then Demetre realized he hadn't quite accepted the idea that Elspeth loved him.

  He had let himself enjoy the words and time, he had outpoured every emotion he'd held back, but he had still believed, somewhere in the deepest parts of his mind, that she couldn't love a monster. That one day he would wake and her words would have only ever been a sweet dream, and he'd be forced to return to a solitary life once more.

  But looking at her now, Demetre Langlois knew it was true.

  Not that she had ever tried to fool him. Not that Elspeth had ulterior motives. Just that, perhaps, he wasn't such a terrible thing to love. Perhaps, he was worthy of being looked at the way she looked at him. Worthy of the time and words she spent.

  "Always," He said hoarsely.

  Elspeth squeezed his hand, nodding in return.

  And Demetre Langlois felt the weight of the ring in his pocket for the rest of the day.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Demetre and Ellie <3