Love & War
Chapter 5

Elliot

I don’t say anything in response. Her small frame fits perfectly in my arms. I rest my head against her back and close my eyes again. She doesn’t move an inch. She smells like lavender and wild daisies. It is almost relaxing.

“Elliot!” Illiana yells.

She sounds frightened or surprised. I don’t know which. My eyes shoot open and I grab the axe that is beside our makeshift bed before jumping to my feet in front of her. My father stands at the entrance of my tent.

His eyes go from my wife then back to me before averting his gaze to the side away from us both.

“Once you’re dressed, son, we are having a discussion outside of this tent. And good morning to you, Princess Illiana,” he says before making his exit.

I drop my axe by my side and look behind me at her. She has the blanket pulled tightly to her chest and her golden hair shrouds her face.

“Are you okay, Illiana?” I kneel in front of her.

She is shaking like a leaf. Probably over my father entering the tent. I reach out to brush her hair out of her face but stop myself short. Maybe she wants a minute to herself?

“I am okay.” It’s just above a whisper. “Where is my dress?” I look over to the heap of ripped purple material on the ground.

“Your dress has been destroyed. Last night it ended up ripping.” Illiana looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

“What?” Her voice broke and guilt washes over me. Over a dress no less.

What the fuck is happening to me?

“I will get you something to wear. Just wait here.” I pull on my clothes and shoes.

She doesn’t move from where she sits. She doesn’t even look up.

What’s with her? She is the one who wanted this. She approached me. So why do I feel guilty?

I leave the tent and my father stands there with his arms crossed.

Ah. Yeah. I almost forgot about him.

He raises an eyebrow. Saying he looks furious would be an understatement.

“You must be wondering why the Fae Princess is in my bed.” No use in beating around the bush.

“Well, that’s a start, Elliot. Are you trying to start a war, son? We don’t have the resources or the soldiers for another one.” He nearly yells.

I run my fingers through my hair. “Well, Father, she is my wife. Per all of the laws. It is a legal marriage.”

His other eyebrow shoots up in surprise. Not to mention the vision I had of her. The gods are trying to tell me something, I’m sure.

“Of all the stupid things, Elliot! Have you thought about how this will affect the girl? She isn’t used to the way we survive. She is fragile. Do you think she would be able to survive a raid or an invasion by whatever beast it strikes a fancy with?” His face is red and the vein in his neck is poking out.

Oh yeah. He’s pissed.

“If you must know, she is the one who approached me. She proposed to me. This union was her idea. I see that she is fragile, Father. I will protect her. Do you have anything else to say about my wife or can I replace her something suitable to wear to this last meeting?” I cross my arms.

His eyes look like they are going to bulge out of his head. He shakes his head and gestures for me to leave before heading back to his tent.

Now to replace my wife something to wear. My wife, huh. That’s a weird thought. I never thought I was the marrying type. Theos help me.

I snap out of my thoughts and take two steps before Syrafin meets me with a simple cotton shirt and brown leather pants in her arms. She stops and turns slightly to face me.

“From the sounds of last night, I assume yer blushin’ bride needs these,” she holds out the clothes. I take them from her and chuckle.

“Thank you, Syrafin.” She shakes her head.

“Yeah. Yeah. I know. Now get. You have a meetin’ to get to. Both of you.”

She pushes me toward my tent. I smile and go back into my tent. Illiana hasn’t moved. She looks up at me. The tears are still in her eyes.

Fuck.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

“Here are some clothes for the meeting. I will- uh- get you something more comfortable when we get back to the village.”

I set the clothes down beside her and take a step back. She picks up the shirt and looks at it for a moment before standing up to put it on.

Gods, she is perfect. Her petite form is flawless. Absolutely beautiful.

The thin scratches on her legs were fading and the bruise on her arm is a lighter shade of blue today. Her hair cascades down her back as she pulls it through her shirt. She picks up the pants next and stares at them for a moment before a blush crosses her cheeks. She pulls on the pants and tucks the shirt into them before slipping on her shoes. I pick up and fasten my axe to my belt then gesture for her to come to me. She bites her lip and cautiously walks over to me.

Is she still afraid of me? Why would she be?

“Yes?”

She asks when she is less than a foot away from me. Her gaze glued to the floor. I lift her chin and look her in the eye.

“Do not lower your gaze to me, Illiana. I am not your superior. I am your equal. Now, may I braid your hair? It is custom in my village for married women.”

She holds my gaze for a moment before nodding. She turns on her heel and faces away from me. I take a step closer to her and run my fingers through her hair. It is soft. She has a distinct scent. The scent of lavender and wild daisies, just like earlier. It is still just as calming. Peaceful. Addictive. My fingers move on their own and braid her hair into a plaited low bun. She never once moved. Once I am done, I place my hands on her shoulders. She immediately tenses up. I pick my hands up off of her and frown.

“Is there something wrong, Illiana?”

“I am just nervous about facing my father and Prince Trey is all,” she sighs. I frown. That toadstool again.

“There is no need to be nervous, my wife. I will always protect what is mine. Now, hold your head high. You are royalty of two kingdoms and my wife,” I extend my hand to her.

She slowly places her hand in mine. Her hand is soft, unlike my calloused ones. I smile at her.

I promise I will protect you.

I hold the entrance of my tent open for her to go through. My father stands on the other side. He doesn’t even bother with his cloak or crown this time. Those glitter shits aren’t worth the effort. Illiana squeezes my hand a little as she stands beside my father.

“Hello again, daughter-in-law. Welcome to my family.”

Father smiles down at Illiana. Illiana gives him a shy smile and something in my chest squeezes.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

“Thank you, King Gabriel,” she says quietly. Father raises an eyebrow before looking straight to the enemy.

“Shall we get this foolishness over with?”

“Let’s go. I would like to get my wife home.”

Illiana still has a decently tight grip on my hand. I maneuver my hand so our fingers interlock. She looks up at me, her green eyes wide.

“Come now, wife. It is time I met the glitter shit that is my father-in-law.”

She turns her head and looks straight forward. The field looks different today. Rather than just tall, dying grass, a trail of white daisies dot in a line from the faerie camp to my tent where Illiana entered last night. I look over to my father and raise an eyebrow. Flowers growing on Elven land, hell, even close to Elven was just unheard of. Now daisies appear? Father keeps looking over to the daisies as well as we walk to the central meeting place. The glitter shits are late, as always. Illiana trembles beside me.

“Are you cold?” She doesn’t meet my gaze.

“A bit, but I will be fine. I suppose it’s just nerves,” she starts chewing on the side of her bottom lip.

I frown and wrap my arm around her waist. Her skin is cold to the touch.

“Theos! Illiana, you’re freezing. Come here. Let me warm you.” I look down at her.

She doesn’t even look at me as she sidesteps toward me. I pull her in front of me and wrap my arms tightly around her.

Note to self my wife gets chilled easily.

She eventually leans back into my chest.

Where the hell are the fairy brigade?

I kiss the top of Illiana’s head. I look up again toward the direction of their ridiculously large tents. Finally, three figures appear to be coming this way. Illiana tenses up. I rub her arms and lean down to her ear.

“Don’t worry, my wife. I will not allow anything to happen to you. You may not trust me yet, but I made a vow to you, and I will keep it.”

She turns her head slightly toward mine and takes a breath.

“Thank you, Elliot.”

It is just a whisper but it is enough to make my chest tight. I kiss her head again and look up. The three people walking toward us are much closer now. The glitter shit king, the dragon scum, and a servant of some kind. Illiana begins to tremble again. That stupid dragon has his eyes on her. On my wife. I glare at him and move one hand to my axe.

“Before we begin, why do you have my daughter?” Glennwood faces us.

“She is my wife,” I hold Illiana to me.

Her breathing is borderline hyperventilating. She is terrified, and that really pisses me off.

What did they do to you, Illiana?

“Your wife? Ha! You must be more ignorant than I thought. That wench is my fiancee. And she will be coming back with me,” the dragon scum grabs my wife’s wrist. I feel myself going numb again.

“Close your eyes,” I whisper to Illiana and I swing my axe.

Without time to think about what I am doing, I feel the blood from Trey’s now severed arm splash across my face. I pry his hand off of Illiana’s wrist and throw it on the ground beside his feet.

“What’s wrong? Afraid of a little blood?” I laugh as he stands there in shock.

Glennwood screams for his servants and a medic. I roll my eyes and look down at Illiana. Her eyes are squeezed shut but she got splashed in that stupid Prince’s blood.

“This is an act of war!” Glennwood screeches.

“Careful Bartholomew. Do you realize to whom you speak? Per the old laws, they are wed.” Father smirks. Glennwood looks like he is gut-punched.

“This is not over Cottonwood. I will have my daughter back. She will wed Trey!”

He is almost manic. Trey is swarmed with people in front of me. He presses a towel to his elbow nub and glares at me. There is a magi by his side, attempting to reattach the lower part of his arm.

“Your so-called wedding probably isn’t even consummated! That bitch is such a prude she would never give it up!” He screams.

He is obviously in a great deal of pain. I smirk as I fasten my axe back to my belt and pull Illiana into my embrace again.

“That whore is my fiancee! She and this kingdom will be mine!”

I grin and raise an eyebrow. “Oh don’t worry. I have claimed my beautiful Queen’s flower and she will be my right hand. You come for her or near her and I will gut you alive and feed you to the briar beasts.”