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Demetri and Alexandria were like night and day, so very different, yet they were perfect for each other, it had officially been a year since the two met, Alexandria had turned 15 and Demetri 18, the two were practically inseparable, where ever you saw Alexandria, you saw Demetri, he helped her carry water for her family and in return she helped him care for his sick father who had been enabled in the war under Nikephoros II Phokas in 961 that had reclaimed Crete from the Arabs. Unfortunately in spite off all Alexandria and Demetris efforts he passed away about four months prior.
Still overtaken by sadness Demetri hit a new level of low when the news of a looming war came to the small village of Archanes, the Bulgarian army had overtaken Serbia and was now campaigning Croatia and Hungary, and it wouldn't be long before the Tsar, Samuel, would direct his war gaze against his neighboring country, Greece. Demetris sadness gravely affected Alexandria, who wanted nothing more than for the boy that she had come to care so deeply for, perhaps love even, to be happy, but alas there was nothing Alexandria could do, that she hadn't already done for the young man.
Tragedy had been so close when Demetris father died but never had Alexandria imagined it would hit the small Pirenne household in the form of a deathly illness that had consumed her mothers health.
For weeks Alexandria kept the house running, her mother had taught her well and when push came to shove in form of her mother falling ill, Alexandria handled the house chores like the grown woman she had become.
Just like Alexandria had helped him with his father, Demetri helped her with her mother; He carried the many heavy buckets of water, he helped light the fire to keep the two women warm when Adonis worked late, as the two men were under the impression that it was too dangerous for Calliope and Alexandria to light the fire themselves.
The evening was dark and the hot air lied around Alexandria and Calliope like a heavy blanket, Adonis was still at work, and would be until dawn, but it was becoming clear that Calliope would not make it so long.
ARCHANES, CRETE
PIRENNEHOUSEHOLD
Alexandria was Calliopes jewel, her riches, her heart, she didn't doubt for a second that giving Alexandria the experience of a life time by traveling to Heraklion that year and a half ago, but now things were beginning to look somber, Alexandria didn't have a dowery - her father had only just been able to afford the family's survival, and with Alexandria already being 15, she was no longer young enough to be a desired wife, or bearer of children.
But none of this mattered, because the one thing Calliope had always wished for her daughter was to marry for love like she had with Adonis, and she was not prepared to leave this world before she saw that happy, luckily for once fate was on the Pirenne's side, because Calliope knew, even if Alexandria didn't, that said girl had found that love in the form of a handsome soldier, that always got up extra early to help the girl carry water buckets.
"Alexandria" Calliope croaked, sounding extremely weak, "marry him" she said "mother, I do not understand" Alexandria answered with a worried look in her eyes not liking how frail her mother sounded "marry him" she repeated, "Demetri, you love him. I wish to see you marry him," she explained to the young and confused girl "Mother I can not-" "you love him do you not?" Calliope cut Alexandria off, Alexandria thought for a second, before replying "yes mother, I think I do," "my love, I will not make it through this night..." Calliope said, having made peace with her fate, Alexandria got tears in her eyes, she loved her mother so very much "My last wish is to see you marry the man you love, then I will be happy in my death," the sick woman said to the young girl who was now openly sobbing.
SOMEWHERE IN ARCHANES, CRETE
Alexandria ran through the town at full speed, almost falling over her dress several times, before she reached the Woden door belonging to no one other than the Demetri, she knocked on the door franticly before he opened looking down at her with a confused expression , "marry me!" she exclaimed, Demetris expression went from confusion to surprise , and back to confusion in a split second "marry you?" he asked with a wondering voice Alexandria drew in a breath before saying "my mother is dying." tears resurfaced in the girls eyes "it is her final wish to see me marry for love. And well... I love you Demetri" the girl finished, looking up at him expectantly, yet even as she went over the hundred different scenarios in her head she was surprised when he put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her.
The two lover ran through the streets hand in hand while laughing at life before getting to the pastors fancy house and knocking on the door, he opened with a grumpy expression feeling quite displeased with being disturbed at this hour, but his mood couldn't help but lighten when he saw the two love birds beaming up at him "We wish to marry" they chorused.
And so they did get married in the Pirenne house just when the sun was beginning to rise and Adonis made it home, he held his wife hands as the young couple laughed their way through their vowels, not having single care in the world.
A mere hour later Calliope Pirenne passed away from a deathly illness looking up at her husbands hand in hers, and seeing her daughter having a teary smile in the arms of her beloved, her last words being: "I love you"
