Barbatos's heart

Mysteries

There will only be two more chapters after this until the end of this book. Thanks for all the views, votes, and comments.

ELAINA'S POV

I woke up shivering. The heat of my husband was no longer surrounding me. After the battle we had been through, I was amazed that even he was up at this early hour. I was pretty restless and couldn't fall back asleep. I checked on the girls and that's when I noticed the note sitting on my bedside table. I opened it to read some disturbing news, Barbatos had left.

I ran down to the kitchen that was being renovated. I figured this was all just a prank, Barbatos had been awfully silly lately, before the war that was. Surprisingly, the rest of the servants were up and cleaning. "Brigette, have you seen Barbatos today?" I asked nervously. "No, my lady. I am sorry, I haven't seen him today. Maybe he is with Victor and the other butlers." That was a good lead. He and Victor were very good friends, maybe he would know what was going on. Maybe Barbatos was with him and I had no reason to worry.

I made my way to the gardens where the men were picking up debris from the battle. "Victor, Victor!!" I yelled frantically. I had passed multiple butlers looking for him but no Barbatos. I was starting to lose my patience. "My lady? I'm over here!" Victor called. He had his arms full of rubble from the courtyard wall. "Are you alright my lady?" He asked. "Have you seen Barbatos? Is he with you?" I was out of breath. "No, my lady. I haven't seen him yet today. I figured he was taking time with you and the babies." I started to shake. I couldn't stand and I sank to the ground. Victor dropped his wall and was immediately by my side. "What is it? What has you so worried, my lady?" I handed him the note as he kneeled by my side.

Victor had helped me to my greenhouse, which was untouched by the war, and he called Asmodeus. I needed him right now and I was lucky Victor knew me so well. He took the children for a while and let me collect my thoughts as he too tried to make sense of all of this.

Asmodeus came as fast as he could. He immediately put his arms around me as I broke down in his arms. "W-why would he leave m-me?" I sniffled. "Barbatos has always been an enigma, sweetie. He'll be back soon. There's no way he would stay away from you or the girls for very long.

BARBATOS'S POV

I trudged my way up the mountains into the hills of Devildom. I finally knew where I was going. When I was a younger demon, before Diavolo's father found me, I remember living in a cabin with my pack out in the mountains. We were all pretty primitive. I wasn't even sure if we were sophisticated enough to build the cabin ourselves, I think we may have taken it by force. I couldn't remember and I didn't want to but I figured no one would have come across it since. The area was very dangerous nowadays but I knew I could handle it.

It was now what Devildom called daylight, as I reached the top. I'm sure Elaina would be up by now. As if on cue, I felt my heart snap. Our connection had confirmed my theory. Tears fell from my face as I realized what a terrible thing I had done, to abandon her and my daughters but after what I had done to them, I knew I couldn't be around them. I couldn't risk losing myself again. It hurt so badly, but maybe I would find solace in my seclusion.

I hiked through the forests and had a few scuffles with the wildlife. There were hellhounds, Púcas, wraiths, and many more of the most dangerous monsters. After a few hours, I found the cabin and it was dilapidated, to say the least. There were a few holes in the roof that I would need to patch up right away but it wouldn't take me long. I started to busy myself immediately, that way I wouldn't linger on the pain in my heart. After a few hours of cleaning up, it was...decent. This was my new home. My new, broken life alone.

ELAINA'S POV:

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't concentrate. Hazel was bouncing up and down in her walker, Wendy was playing "Go Fish" with Uncle Mammon, and winning mind you, and Asmo was trying to talk to me but all the noise and all of the stress had me zoned out. "hon, honey? Yoo-hoo... Elaainaa?" Asmo waved his hand in front of my face. "Did you hear anything I just said?" He asked. "No," I answered without hesitation. He pouted and let out a little huff. "He said we should all go for a walk," Mammon repeated as he hiked Wendy upon his shoulders. "Yay!! Piggy ride, piggy ride!" She squealed making me smile for a brief second. These two idiots always made me smile no matter what, but it was hard for even them at the moment. I accepted their offer of a walk, if only for the children. They were the ones who wanted to go and who am I to let them suffer with me. Asmo took Hazel and Wendy refused to get off of Mammon's shoulders.

The garden that was normally filled with life and color was now lifeless and grey, not only from the war but also from my view of things at the moment. I couldn't shake the feeling. Diavolo had heard the news about Barbatos from Lucifer. He hadn't been seen the rest of the day, he didn't take it well either. Not only did he have to deal with Aurelia and her progress but now he had to deal with losing his dearest friend and butler. We needed him, more than anyone would ever know. Neither one of us wanted a life without his nagging butt in it.

After Mammon and Asmo left, and I put the girls to bed... I sat in our bed staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep and I wondered if Barbatos was struggling as well. I hoped he was, he deserved it to be honest. After a while, I realized that I couldn't mope about it. Not with my girls starting to miss their father. I was going to do something... I was going to go look for him. He wasn't going to walk out of my life that easily. That wasn't how this was going to work. I was bringing him home!