ღ A U T U M N ღ

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Henry didn't speak for a long time, and when he did, it was an incomplete sentence. He just said her name, and trailed off. And then about a minute later, he told her he wanted her to go home, and she turned her back to him, obviously upset. He didn't want her here anymore. Henry no longer wanted--...His touch stopped her thoughts, and she stood still for a moment as he explained he wanted to go back for a visit. For a week or so. And then he said he loved her, and he still wanted to marry her. He swore it. At first, Elena believed him, believed his words to the extent that she wanted to turn to face him, and kiss him passionately. But, she didn't...Because she had a million questions for him, questions she wasn't sure she wanted him to answer anymore. She didn't move to face him for a long time, or even speak, but finally she found something to make her turn. Curiosity. She wanted to see if he could look at her, look her in the eyes with his green orbs of kindness she once knew.

"How could you possibly say that? How could you say you love me and want to marry me when you can't even stand to look at me? Look at me, Henry Toole!" she demanded, reaching up and taking his face in her hands, turning her face toward her. She didn't care about the bruises or cuts. She wanted him to see her. To look her in the eye and not be afraid of her, or what happened to her. She didn't even want him to be frightened for her. She needed him to be strong, for him to be able to look down at her and call her beautiful, even with the marks of another man on her face. To be able to hold her, and trust her to tell him when she was frightened...Trust her to tell him when he was going too fast, or going too far. "Henry, I love you...Several weeks ago, I made you a promise. I made a promise to you that I would not let these rumors and hurtful words get to me; that I would keep my head high and rise above it, for your love for me would protect me. Remember? It's time to return that promise. I want you to be strong for me, Henry. I want you to promise to not let...to not let William come between us more than he already has. Promise me that you'll be there for me, and not fear your own actions. Promise me..." she whispered, her eyes swimming in his. She wanted him to know that she still loved him, and that she still wanted to become part of his family.

That she didn't blame him for anything that happened with William.

"I think a visit to my family would be nice, though. A good change. And we could visit your uncle who doesn't get to see you as often as he should..."

[IrelandKiss]

ⒽⒺⓃⓇⓎ ⓉⓄⓄⓁⒺ


ριcтυяє ρєяғєcт

♚ I'ℓℓ ɢιvє чσυ єvєячтнιиɢ... ♚

Henry didn't really know where he was acting from. He looked at her when she told him to, taking in her battered and bruised appearance. He listened when she asked him to promise that William wouldn't come between them, that he would be forgotten and elft behind like he deserved. She agreed with him, saying that a visit with her family would be nice. But eventually, all of it was just words to him. Just words, noises made when a tongue moved with lips and teeth to form sounds. What was really behind them? Spoken promises and swears, all of it lost the moment you spoke them. Nothing was there to keep them down in stone. Just because a king swore he wouldn't go to war with another country didn't mean he wouldn't. Just because a man swore he wouldn't hit his wife again didn't mean he wouldn't. Just because they swore William wouldn't come between them didn't mean he wouldn't. She kept talking, and talking and talking until Henry felt like he couldn't breathe. Too many words, too many meaningless pointless words...!

Finally Henry reacted. Finally he gave her his answer, his final conclusion. He let her know what he really thought about all of it, what he really thought about her. Henry broke away from her hold, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her deeply. At first it was a little rough. Rushed, as if he was afraid she'd pull away. But after a moment his kiss softened, and as he craddled her to him he trailed his lips over every wound William had inflicted on her. The cut across her nose, the scraps on her cheeks, the bruises on her jaw... He left none of them untouched, and then he kissed her forehead before stroking her hair and smiling gently down at her. "He was never there in the first place," he murmured. It was half-true, really. William had been there, none of them could deny it, and in a way he was still there. He'd probably enver be completely gone. But they could get past it. They could learn to live with it, instead of in fear or trying to ignore it. And he guessed that at this point that was all that really mattered. Was that they tried. And they loved each other and they didn't give up after something so stupid...

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Elena blinked as Henry first pulled away, then took her back into his arms, kissing her roughly. It hurt, but she didn't dare pull away; it seemed to be the thing that she needed. And eventually he softened the kiss, holding her to his chest as he kissed every wound on her face. It took everything she had not to cry; not from pain. No, it didn't hurt nearly as much as it made her feel loved and accepted again. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She let out a relieved sob, hiding her face in his shoulder for several moments. He still loved her. He still wanted her, and though he never said that he promised, she knew...she just knew. Henry Toole still loved her, and they would marry, and have lots of children, and live happily ever after. Someone would become the new talk of the town, and she would be left alone, even accepted. Their children would have the finest tutors and professors, and the most loving parents any child could ask for.

Finally, she took a couple of deep breaths and pulled away, wiping her eyes, shaking her head, laughing a little at how silly she was crying. "I'm sorry," she laughed, using the sleeve of her nightgown to wipe away her tears. "So silly of me to be crying. I-I just...I didn't sleep last night. I was so worried that you'd avoid me...Not want me anymore. I was silly for thinking so, I suppose. But, enough of that. When shall we leave for my family's home?" she asked, a true, bright smile coming to her face, reaching her eyes as it had failed in such a long time. She wanted to show her sisters her new gowns, and see her parents, and check on her aunt and see how the baby was coming along...Yes, she missed them so. And she was truly excited that she would get to see them. And Henry would come with her. A week away from this house, and Elizabeth, and the cruel words of others...

[IrelandKiss]

ⒽⒺⓃⓇⓎ ⓉⓄⓄⓁⒺ


ριcтυяє ρєяғєcт

♚ I'ℓℓ ɢιvє чσυ єvєячтнιиɢ... ♚

Henry couldn't help but smile as he watched Elena. She was wearing a simple dress that she had bought a week or so ago, her hair falling in styled curls around her shoulders. If it wasn't for the fact that the dress was made of silk and there were small flower-shaped decorations made of diamonds in her black hair, she would look the same as she had when he first saw her, the daughter of poor farmers with a broken heart and a brave smile. Now she looked like she belonged in his world, with it's fine clothes and parties and feasts. She looked as if she had been born into it. No one would guess that they were going to visit her family in some country village where they had a rundown farm house. Elena was ecstatic to be going back, he could tell. She was rattling on and on about how she wanted to show her sisters all of her new fine things. Gabriella would love the jewels and Cristina, though the stubborn woman would never admit it, wouldn't be able to help herself once she saw all the dresses and gowns. She couldn't wait to see James, and to see how her aunt was doing with the baby. Elena reminded him, again, that she fully intended to be back here for the birth, even if they had just been married. She wanted to know if the baby was a boy or a girl and she wanted to help them name it. She was going and on about so much that after a moment Henry couldn't help but laugh.

"Someone's excited," he teased, reaching over to where she sat in the carriage and touching her cheek. Her cheeks turned a little pink and she smiled at him, but before Henry could speak again, the driver tapped his hand on the roof of the carriage.

"We're here," he said. Henry looked away from Elena and stuck his head out of the window. He grinned when he saw that they were pulling up in front of the farmhouse, glancing back in at Elena and winking at her. They hadn't told her family she was arriving. It was to be a surprise for them...

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Elena hadn't stopped talking since they got in the carriage, only pausing for breath and some much needed sleep in the beginning of the trip. It'd been a week since William had tried to force her into bed with him, just enough time for most of her wounds to disappear. She didn't want to show up to her family's home with bruises all over her face. In fact, she didn't want to tell them about it at all. She wanted to just forget about it completely, but Henry said that they had to know, because they were her family. They had to know. So, she agreed. She didn't want to discuss it any further. But, now that she was almost to her family's home, she was very excited, and Henry took notice, making her blush. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the driver announced they had arrived, and she let out a squeal of delight.

The carriage had hardly come to a stop when she flung the door open and ran to the house, disregarding any silly customs and traditions of the upper classes. She didn't even wait for Henry. She ran for the door, opening it with little trouble to find her family sitting around the table eating and talking about something. Slowly their eyes came to her, and her smile widened as she took a few steps into the house, embracing her father who had jumped to his feet quickly to greet her. "Papa!"

"Darling, beautiful Elena! You've come home! Where's Henry?" he asked, quickly looking out the window to see Henry approaching a large smile on his face as well. So, his daughter was doing well. Her letter had calmed her tortured heart. He thought that she wouldn't fit in, and perhaps that she'd have a difficult time adjusting. However, she had explained the lack of writing she had done was due to her busy schedule, and that it seemed to be that she had been born into high-society life. Henry's parents loved her, and his best friend Elizabeth, had befriended her and made her feel at home. Yes, he was happy to hear such news, as everyone was, he was sure.

"You should have known you couldn't keep me away for too long," she whispered before kissing his cheek.

[IrelandKiss]

ஐThe price of independence is often isolationஐ

Elena had been gone for over a month. Things were going alright. They had been better, of course, but they were all getting along. Gabriella had sunk into a minor depression after losing her baby, but she was doing better now. James was planning to surprise her by getting their own place in the village soon. Rosaria's baby was strong. They had calculated that she was due in June, and the baby gave it's mother no rest. Cristina couldn't think of how many times Rosaria had been found wandering the house at all hours of the night begging her child to stop moving and kicking so wildly. James Sr. couldn't be prouder of it, but everyone could see the worry and anxiety they both had about it. And James Jr... He said nothing, but Cristina knew that he didn't want that baby to exist. Whether he was afraid it would replace his brother or jealous that his mother's child lived while his was dead, Cristina didn't know. But she saw the look in his eyes when he looked at his mother's swelling abdomen, and he was the only one who hadn't begged Rosaria to let them feel it move. Sometimes Cristina feared he hated it... She said nothing, though. It was James's problem, not her own. No, she had her own things to worry about.

Like Elena. Everyone else was so happy that she was doing well in her new home. People were accepting of her and friendly, especially Henry's friend named Elizabeth. She loved it there. It was as if she had been born for this world. Cristina knew the truth. Elena hated it. She was tormented constantly by others, Elizabeth leading the flock, and even the servants had started whispering about her. She had been humiliated at her first public outing with Henry, and though he insisted it meant nothing to him, Elena feared he was just being kind. She feared he would wake up one morning and realize what a terrible mistake he had made, send her back without so much as a goodbye. Cristina had only gotten the letter a week or so ago, as a snowstorm had prevented mail carriers from traveling. It was hidden in her drawer now, beneath the few pairs of wool winter stockings she had. She had shown it to no one else, not even her mother or Gabriella. It had weighed on her mind ever since she got it, which was why as everyone else sat around the table now, eating and talking and laughing, she stood at the window, eating an apple in silence and her eyes locked on the floor as she thought on it. Her little sister was suffering for her race and her class, and Cristina could do nothing to help her. She hadn't even started a reply yet. What could she say? What could she tell her that--

She blinked and looked up when she heard her father exclaim loudly. Her first thought was that he had cut himself on the knife he was using or Rosaria had collapsed, but as she looked around, she saw the truth was far less sinister. Elena was back.

"Elena!" Cristina exclaimed in pure shock. Their father had rushed forward to greet his middle daughter, pointing out that she had never told them she was coming home. Elena just smiled and kissed his cheek, whispering that he should've known they couldn't keep her away for too long. Everyone else rushed forward then, their mother reaching Elena first and pulling the girl into a tight embrace. She started crying a little, stroking her daughter's head of thick black hair and smiling brighter than Cristina had seen in a long time. Gabriella took her turn next, squealing and practically knocking Elena off her feet. Then Rosaria and her husband and son took their turns, everyone ending in a crowd around her and Henry. They were all talking over each other, Gabriella rattling on about the latest gossip and their father asking protectively if she was sure she was alright and James pulling on her arm because he wanted her to see this new book he had found just the other day... Cristina did not move from the window. Her eyes were fixed on Elena in some sort of tunnel vision, her heart going still in her chest and a great sigh escaping her lips.

"Elena..." she repeated, only this time her voice was a whisper, completely inaudible over the noise of everyone else. Her sister. Her baby sister, looking like a royal princess with her gown and her hair... And still Cristina could only see the little girl she used to be...

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Elena went to her mother, and then Gabriella, then her aunt, uncle, James...they all talked over one another, obviously glad to have Elena back for whatever time she had come back. However, Elena knew one person had been missing to come greet her. Cristina. She dismissed James and her father with a small wave of her hand before walking over to her older sister slowly, a small smile on her face. "Have I done something to make you not even welcome me?" she teased, before taking her sister into a tight embrace. She knew her sister wouldn't tell the rest of the family Elena's troubles. She had begged the girl not to do so in her letter. She knew it would distress them all if they knew. Her father would probably come kidnap her and tell her to forget Henry Toole. No. She couldn't have them know. It was bad enough Henry wanted them to know about the whole molestation/near rape thing...She didn't even want them to know about that.

"I've missed you so," she whispered, pulling back and looking at her older sister with a large smile. She could tell that Cristina was taking in her new appearance, and Elena looked down at herself, laughing a little. "I suppose my wardrobe as changed a little since I left, huh?" she said, sighing as she pulled away, looking back to her family. "Henry will tell you all how happy I was to visit you all. I've been talking about it for days," she admitted, laughing as she walked over and took her fiance's side. She smiled up at him before taking his hand, then turning back to her family.

They had hardly changed, apart from her aunt who was now more swollen with child. This made Elena smile; she was excited for this new baby, and she couldn't wait to have her own. She dreamt of it every day, once she and Henry were married. That was the first thing she wanted. A child. A son, to make Henry happy. And then she didn't care, all she wanted was at least one of each, a boy and a girl. Strong, healthy, smart like their father, and graceful as she. They would be taught all of the basic subjects, and they'd learn different languages, and histories of the world. And when they grew tired of studies, she'd bring them here to her parents and sisters to laugh and play as she once had...

"So! Tell me everything that's happened since I've been gone! I've been dying to know."

[IrelandKiss]

ஐThe price of independence is often isolationஐ

Cristina smiled slightly when her and Elena locked eyes. She was going to step forward then, but she stopped when she saw what Elena did. She waved her hand at the others, as if commanding them away from her, especially to her father and James. Cristina blinked, as did everyone else, and her father's eyes seemed to go darker in color, as they did when he was angry. Elena didn't seem to notice, however, stepping forward and pulling her into a tight embrace before turning back to everyone, asking that they tell her everything that happened since she was gone.

"There has not been change here so much as there has been for you," Rosaria muttered quietly, but still loud enough for all to hear. Cristina swallowed roughly. Yes, change was apparent in Elena... In far more than her clothes as she had pointed out.

[IrelandKiss]

ⒽⒺⓃⓇⓎ ⓉⓄⓄⓁⒺ


ριcтυяє ρєяғєcт

♚ I'ℓℓ ɢιvє чσυ єvєячтнιиɢ... ♚

Henry stayed back as Elena was surrounded by her family. Her parents were ecstatic to have her back, and Gabriella was hanging all over her older sister, James was babbling on about a book or something and her aunt grabbed her hands to press them against the swell in her stomach... He chuckled a little. It was obvious they had missed her desperately. Henry almost felt a little bad for taking her from them. She embraced her older sister, and Henry blinked at how Elena had simply waved off her father and James, but he said nothing. She was just a little overwhelmed to be back home... Yes, that had to be it. But Elena moved back into the center of the room, asking for them to catch her up on everything that had been going on, but Gabriella rushed forward then and kissed her sister's cheek.

"Why don't you tell us what's been going on with you?" she asked quickly, as if trying to distract from the subject of what had happened here. At her words, though, Henry swallowed roughly and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His awkwardness did not go unnoticed, and when Elena's mother turned to him, her eyes filled with concern.

"What's been going on?" she asked, making everyone turn their eyes to him. Henry took a deep breath under their stares before looking back to Elena.

"We need to um... Talk with you for a moment. You and your husband, I mean."

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Elena stood silently for a moment at her aunt's comment, but Gabriella gave her no time to really ask what her aunt meant. She asked what had been going on with her, and Elena smiled and brushed her younger sister's hair out of her face. She didn't want to ruin the mood right now. She didn't want to say anything until later in their visit, when they had time to just...be happy. She didn't want to see shame, or disappointment, or...or rejection in her father's eyes. She didn't want to see the hurt in her mother's eyes, or the sadness in her family's eyes. Not yet. She wanted just a few days to be home, and to be happy to be home. But, this wasn't the plan obviously, because when her mother asked what had been going on, a concern clear in her tone, Henry cracked, and Elena shook her head a little as he started speaking.

"Henry, please," she whispered, but he continued, telling her mother that they needed to talk to her and Jesulo for a moment. Everyone stood in silence, obviously curious. Elena couldn't do it to all of them, even though it'd be leaked out eventually..."Alone. Now," she hinted to the others, a slight growl of frustration in her voice before she looked over at Henry. "I didn't want to tell them yet! We just got here, Henry...It's going to ruin the whole point of coming here."

"What is?" her father asked impatiently, and Elena glanced around to make sure the four of them were alone before taking a deep breath. She opened her mouth to speak, to tell them that William had nearly raped her, and that she had gone along willingly at first to save them, but she couldn't. The words wouldn't come out. "Elena, what happened? What's going on?" her father pressed, and she just shook her head, walking over to the table and sitting in one of the chairs.

"I-I...I was--...There was an incident with--..." Her words failed her, and she looked back over at Henry, begging him silently to tell them.

"Would someone tell me what the ******** is going on with my daughter?!" he said loudly, taking a step towards Henry, almost to scare him into talking.

[IrelandKiss]

ⒽⒺⓃⓇⓎ ⓉⓄⓄⓁⒺ


ριcтυяє ρєяғєcт

♚ I'ℓℓ ɢιvє чσυ єvєячтнιиɢ... ♚

"Jesulo, stop it!" Maria quickly rushed forward, intercepting her husband before he could advance anymore on the younger man. Henry didn't look scared of Jesulo per se, but he did look as if he was dreading this moment. This entire situation. She could see how devastated he looked as the memory of whatever it was haunted his eyes, and Maria knew Jesulo yelling and screaming wasn't going to help the situation. Henry looked close to tears already. She put her hands on his chest and pushed against him slightly, trying to gain his attention before he ran her over in attempts to scare the words out of Henry. When he seemed calm enough, though his eyes were still dangerously dark, Maria stroked her hand gently over his heart and smiled softly up at him before turning to face Henry.

"Henry, please. Tell us what's happened," she whispered, her eyes turning to her daughter who was sitting at the table, her eyes downcast and her shoulders hunched as if she was fearing she would be struck. Maria saw it then. The same victimized look, the same broken expression, the same fear in her eyes... Oh, god... It had happened to Elena. It had happened to one of her babies, too.

"There was an incident with a family friend," Henry finally managed to choke out the words, unable to look at Elena's mother and father. Her father still looked like he was going to murder him, but her mother... Her mother was staring at Elena. As if she already knew. Henry's heart broke all over again and he had to take a deep breath to force out the rest of the words. "A family friend of ours who was staying with us at the time took advantage of his proximity to Elena. They were found in her private room in a... a compromising position... both naked... Elena admits she took him willingly to her bed, but only because he threatened to harm her family if she did not. When he got rough with her she cried out and I heard and I ran to help her... She swears things did not go far enough for him to take her virginity, and if it makes any difference to you, I beleive her. The man is in prison and he'll be locked up forever. He... He can't touch her again..."

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Jesulo looked down at his wife briefly when she stopped him from advancing any further towards the young man. And he took a deep breath before nodding, letting her know that he had calmed down and wouldn't attack the poor lad. Well, it hadn't started out that way; in fact, the moment that he spoke the words that another man had been with his daughter, naked, his eyes growing dark as he turned to look at his daughter, who looked as if she were fearing his strike. She didn't even look at him. And he didn't even hear anything about the man being in prison. He turned from his wife and walked over to Elena, furious. He had taught her better! He had taught her better than just to....to throw herself at a man, even if it were for something like protecting the family. "What the hell were you thinking, Elena?"

"I couldn't let him hurt--"

"IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THIS FAMILY, ELENA DAVLOS! It is mine, and mine alone!" he shouted angrily, causing Elena to develop tears in her eyes. He could hardly focus on it right now though. All he knew was that the daughter he always expected to be good, and to follow the Lord as he did...she had failed him. He had sent her away with Henry and she tossed everything he had taught her out of the window. "If you do that for every person who ever made a threat against this family, you'd be known as the whore of Ireland. Do you want that? Do you want to have whispers and stares and laughs follow you, Elena? Do you want people to laugh at you because...because you decide that you're going to throw away everything I ever taught you away..."

"Papa, you don't understand! He threatened--!"

But her father was no longer turned at her, he was focused on Henry again, shaking his head as he took only a few steps forward. Henry...he was going to yell at Henry, possibly attempt to kill the poor man. Elena blinked, and raised to her feet. "And you promised me, Mr. Toole, that you would keep her perfectly safe. From what you're telling me, you broke that promise to me--"

"Henry, leave. I need to speak to my parents. Alone." she said quickly, looking over at her mother, and then back to Henry. "Go! Now!"
talking.

[IrelandKiss]

Maria knew it. She knew it the moment she saw Elena sitting in that chair, her shoulders hunched and her eyes clouded with memories. She knew her daughter had been hurt by a man in some way. She had prayed to God in the few seconds before Henry spoke that it was something small. Men had made lewd jokes at her expense. One of them had tried to kiss her in a drunken stupor before she fought him off. Something, anything, but what Henry told them had really happened. Elena had been found with another man in her bed. She admitted the sex was willing, but when he got rough with her she cried out and Henry arrived in time to save her virginity. Maria understood why her daughter had done it. It was the same thing she had done so many years ago. She sold herself to a man to ensure her family's safety. Maria had been humiliated, as Elena was now, and she had been ashamed and angry with herself and terrified no one would understand... But they had. Jesulo had understood, and James and Rosaria had understood.

So when Jesulo exploded in anger at their daughter, asking her how she could do that and if she wanted to be known as the whore of Ireland, Maria was frozen in shock. That man was not her husband. Her husband wouldn't be shouting at Elena as if this was her fault, as if she hadn't done it because the man threatened to hurt them if she didn't. This man was... he was the man Maria met in the Tower. Cold and angry and rash and unfeeling to how others felt about something. Especially something like this...

Henry fled the room when Elena told him to. That was when Maria finally reacted. She grabbed Jesulo's arm and pulled him around to face her, smacking him hard across the face she had loved these past 21 years. He fell silent at that, and Maria shook her head up at him. "How dare you?" she breathed, her voice low in her throat, "How dare you shout and yell at her as if it was all her fault? As if it was her idea all along? How dare you blame her for almost being raped?! Yes, Jesulo. You raised her to be a good Christian girl. Don't have sex before marriage, Elena; stay true and faithful to your husband, Elena. You raised her to be right with the Lord, but you raised her to be true to herself first! You raised her to love and cherish her family and her integrity above all else, even God! And now you treat her like a criminal for it? So she gave herself to some pervert. She did it to keep us safe! She did it to protect us! No one asked you to be the self-proclaimed guardian of the family, Jesulo. It's a job we all share, and Elena understood that! Am I happy about what she did? Do I condone it? Certainly not. I wouldn't be her mother if I did. But I understand why she did it, and God damn it, Jesulo, you should to! You're her father, damn it! Why don't you try acting like it?!"

[Losing Our Very Existence]

Elena watched as Henry ran, then her mother slapped her father, silencing him for a good long moment, just blinking at his wife. Elena begged for the two to stop arguing, but her pleas were unheard. Her mother growled at her father for yelling at Elena, blaming her for it all, and even went as far as telling him that he should act like her father. He didn't look happy, and the moment he opened his mouth, Elena's thoughts were confirmed. She felt horrible, like a little girl again, invisible to her arguing parents. And even worse they were arguing over her. Elena had expected her father's reaction. She had expected her mother to tell her that she didn't need to protect this family, not yell at her, but be much more forceful than she had been...or perhaps she just hadn't gotten to Elena yet.

"The day I said 'I do', I became your protector. The moment those girls were born, I became their protector. That is what a father and husband does, Maria. If I learned one thing from my father before I was taken away, it's to take care of your family. That is a man's duty, above anything else. I do not need to...encourage her to put herself out there because one man makes empty threats! I protected you, all those years ago. And if there's one thing I regret, Maria, it's not being able to protect you the second time. I swore the day I came back that I would do everything in my power to protect my family, and that they would never have to--"

"He didn't threaten with himself. He threatened the Mortanian army," Elena interrupted, looking up at her father, who turned quickly to her at her words. Elena could feel the intensity in his eyes, and after a moment he shrugged, and claimed that no man could tell the King of Mortania anything to send his troops out for a murder of a simple family, all because a woman wouldn't sleep with him. But Elena shook her head, and stepped closer, so there was no way that her words would have to be carried into the other room. "It was no ordinary man. It was William Cromwell, the Duke of...something...Or, he was. In England. Mother was supposed to marry him, but then didn't...He knows, Papa. He knows everything. He knows about James and Rick, and Rosaria and you...He knows! And even if you're as good as legends say, Papa, you're older and out of practice. You can't take on a whole army..."

[IrelandKiss]

Maria's face contorted in anger as she looked up at her husband. "This is not about you! This is not about what you did or didn't manage to do, what you swore or didn't swear! This is about her! Can't you see the only reason she came back was because of this? Jesus, Jesulo, she doesn't need a warrior raging through the battlefields defending her honor! She needs her father. That's all. She needs her father and the rest of her family to hold her and take care of her and tell her it's alright! Not some--" Maria had been shouting over her husband, both of them speaking in anger and a rush of emotions on the matter, when Elena suddenly interrupted them. She told them that he hadn't threatened them with himself, but with the Mortanian army. Jesulo turned swiftly to face her, his eyes dark.

"The army?" Maria asked, having fallen silent as well and her dark eyes clouding in confusion. Jesulo told Elena that that was ridiculous, that no one could convince the King to send his soldiers after a simple family just because a woman refused to sleep with him. But Elena interrupted again, telling them more detail about who the man actually was. Maria heard nothing after the name William Cromwell escaped her daughter's lips.

She felt as if she'd been doused in cold water. William? Her William? The William from over 20 years ago, the William who she had become engaged to and then broken up with? He was the man who did this?! Impossible... Impossible! Maria was slowly shaking her head at her daughter, stepping forward slowly past her husband towards Elena with a shocked look in her eyes. She took several deep breath and then put her hand to her forehead, looking down as if suddenly unsure of where she was. Maria wasn't sure of anything at this point, though... William?!

"I... It was William? He... It couldn't have been! He- He was killed when England fell to the Mortanians, I know he was! His parents were killed, surely he--"

"He escaped somehow. He came here, like so many others, and he connected with Henry's family and he... He says I remind him of you... Of your lips..." Elena interjected, her voice going quiet and weak as she told Maria what he had said to her daughter about her. Maria cringed when she heard that William had spoken of kissing her. Like a pervert trying to seduce her daughter. But those thoughts quickly fled her head. Far more sinister ones took their place, and after a moment Maria's knees gave way and she only kept from crumpling to the floor by grabbing onto the back of a chair.

"Oh, God..." she murmured, struggling to keep herself standing, "He does know. He knows everything, Jesulo. He knows about you and me and Rosaria... Oh, God, he'll kill us all!"