The Archive

Percy and Elodie (3/?)

~Chapter 3 let's gooo!~

~~~~~

A loud knock echoed throughout the dark and silent room, making both a still teary-eyed Percy and a very lethargic Elodie jump.

"Who?" Percy called, his voice cracking.

"Your mother," Marjorie growled while shoving open the door.

"What do you want?" Percy asked as flatly as he could.

"When were you going to tell me that you were back? And married for God's sake!" She yelled and Percy rose from his place in his wife's weak arms but didn't turn to look at Marjorie. His gaze stayed on Elodie's face, scanning it for any hint of incoming death.

"It was for the Barclay family's reputation. I wasn't going to damage it more than I most likely already have," He stated, finally turning his head to side eye his mother over his shoulder.

"Yet you go and marry the matriarch," She grumbled, and Percy turned to face her fully with a glare.

"I did not marry her for fame or fortune, Marjorie. I married her because I love her," He spat coldly, and Marjorie saw the hint of a smile on Elodie's face.

"Love means nothing when it comes to nobility,"

"I am not you nor my father. Love actually means something to me," He growled, green eyes narrowing.

"Surely you've heard how...how vicious that woman is! That snake could abandon you and crush your family in an instant!" Marjorie yelled and it took every ounce of self-control Percy had to not throw the book on the bedside table at her.

"I know!" He yelled, balling his fists. "I know what she could do but I know she won't! She'd never hurt my family,"

"How do you know for sure, Percy?"

"Because I've known her since we were kids. Elodie has always protected and saved me. Now it's my turn to protect and save her," He sighed out the last bit tiredly, panting slightly from the yelling.

To say Marjorie was taken aback would be an understatement. In all her years of knowing him, she'd never seen him be so passionate and protective over a woman. Elodie couldn't wait to tell her how he proposed just to rub it in her face. Marjorie was right. Elodie could be downright evil to people lower in status. She was raised to be a master manipulator for money and power. And she definitely was one. But her family has known the Hawthornes for as long as she could remember and beyond that. She was surprised that she was the first to marry a Hawthorne though. Her mother always joked that they had set up a secret arranged marriage for the two, sensing their chemistry the day they met as small stumbling children. Elodie didn't regret it for a moment. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Fate standing in the corner. He had a sad frown creasing his features and Elodie only took as deep a breath she could in response, letting him know that she was still kicking. Percy glanced back and gently grabbed her hand in response.

Before Marjorie could say anything else, Signa knocked on the open door before stepping in with a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

"Hello, Cousin," Percy greeted, meeting her multicolored gaze tiredly.

"I brought something to hopefully help with Elodie's allergic reaction," She stated, and in an instant, Percy looked livelier than ever. In a total of three strides, he stood in front of Signa and gently took the teacup from her hands. Marjorie had half a mind to knock it out of his hands.

"All she has to do is drink it?" He asked and gave a ghost of a smile when all she did was nod.

"Thank you, Signa," He whispered as he bent to hug her, shocking her with his genuine gratitude. All she did was nod and excuse herself quietly.

"Leave as well please," Percy requested, standing in front of Marjorie, subtly guarding the teacup.

"Our talk isn't over," She growled before storming out and slamming the door.

"Yes, it is,"

"Was h-hardly a t-talk," Elodie croaked and Percy jumped slightly as if he had never heard her voice. He chuckled quietly before walking back over to her.

"You have to drink this, okay? So you can breathe at least," He said quietly while helping Elodie sit up a little. Percy nearly cried when she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. Muttering a quiet "stop that" with a sad smile, he raised the cup to her lips and helped tip her head back a little. He kept it to small sips and watched each time her throat flexed as she swallowed. He mumbled praises as she drank, stopping every now and then to let her breathe.

When the glass was finally empty, Elodie gently pushed it away with a small gasp. Percy pressed a quiet kiss to her forehead and just held her for a long while. Cradled in his arms like she was a porcelain doll on the verge of shattering.

"Don't leave me, Elodie. Not again," Percy begged, his voice a whisper against her unruly and snarled brown hair. It was normal for him to see her hair just as poofy and frazzled as his in the morning, but he'd never seen it like this. Dark and damp from sweat with flat frizzy knots. It was definitely going to be a pain to brush it out but that was the least of his worries right now.

"I won't, Perce. I'm too spiteful for Death anyway," Elodie joked quietly, her wheeze already almost gone. He could only let out a breath of laughter before moving to gently lay her back down.

"Signa will come up with the cure soon I'm sure of it," He said while laying back down next to his dear wife and gently cupping her cheek. He watched as her eyelids fluttered before closing in contentment.

"I don't doubt that Love," She mumbled, slowly falling asleep.

Percy held a sleeping Elodie for a few more minutes before gently laying her down and pulling the comforter up to rest halfway up her waist. He stared down at her for a moment longer, making sure she was still breathing and alive. He whispered a quiet "I love you" to her before standing up and moving to sit in the armchair by the messily organized bookshelves on the other side of the room. He picked up the beaten-up book on the little round table and flipped open the front cover. 'Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales' by the Brothers Grimm. Percy only smirked fondly at how cute it was to him that his wife still liked to read the fairy tales she had probably heard a million times before. He flipped through the pages, trying to find his personal favorite, The Raven. A tale about a cursed woman and a man doing everything he can to free her. Quite fitting if you'd ask him.

After reading the story way too many times to be healthy, he finally dozed off, the book still in hand while he was sitting in the chair, using the nearby bookshelf as a pillow. The room was quiet except for Elodie's ragged breathing and the hushed bustling of the manor staff.