I once was a Duchess

Page 31

                After many long hours had passed. And everyone was at the brink of collapse everyone began to groan and moan in agony. The sun was now high up in the air, Glazing our foreheads in sweat. I was growing hot with Elijah's body heat melting into mine. And no space for me to stretch my legs. Although everyone seemed more tired than me since I was still over Elijah's back. My neck was aching though and I could feel my arms growing numb.
"Are we there yet?!" Theresa says groaning.
"Seriously man are you secretly some commander? Cause there ain't no way you're still walking unfazed by this all." Gerard says enthusiastically while gasping for air.
"Yea seriously Eli I'm tired I need water." Atticus says stopping in his tracks
"Yea maybe just a litt-" Soon as Gerard stopped you could see his eyes growing dizzy. He collapses onto the ground huffing and puffing exhausted with his lungs sucking up all the air it could.
"I would never ever put you guys on a front line in war."
"You say that as if you're a commander." I said sighing
"Hey let me down I need to stretch my legs." I said twisting to see him better.
"See you're carrying Ralftilia as well! You just aren't human, man." Gerard says huffing before each word
"Your ankle is sprained so I'm good." He whispers to me.
"What do you mean you're good?! Put me down! I'm losing blood in my legs!" I groan trying to push out of his grasps and to no avail did it work.

Theresa then collapses onto the ground placing her hands into the dirt and tilting her head back trying to breathe. 
" Stop struggling you're not stronger than me so just sit tight." He says dryly
"Why are you so calm about this?!" I say groaning in frustration 
"Cause it's funny." Elijah says teasing me
"Elijah seriously let me down I have some business to attend to, Unless you want it on your cloak."
"Dang a few years in the trenches of this world and all decorum is deprived out of you."
" Elijah!" I say smacking his back
" Yes princess?" He says grinning smugly 
" Okay fine."

I start to push my body upwards for a second slithering out of his grasp trying to slither down his back. I might land on my bottom but at least I'll be away from him. But right as I began to make my way. He grasps my dress and digs his hand into my thigh holding me to tightly to escape from him. 
He rises his hand up my thigh almost to close to the inner part of my leg. I shiver with him trying to only find a way to keep me and stop moving. 
"Elijah." I croak 
"Keep doing this and I'm gonna keep going." He whispers
 I know that sound of tone from anywhere. Elijah was serious and if I didn't stop he wouldn't listen. 
"That's improper!" I whisper. By this time Elijah was already farther from the group as they laid in the distance stiffly gasping for air. 
"What ever do you mean? I meant I was going to squeeze your leg." He says chuckling. I could feel my cheeks flush red and I could see him grow smug in his face.
"You're red again." He grins
"Elijah so help me when you sit me down I'm goin-" 

He suddenly takes me off of his shoulder sitting me gently onto a rock as a small river lays at the side of us. He leans over to me causing me to back my body up not wanting to take a step further away. With his eye aligned with mine gazing so deeply into the, Both cloudy and dark as night reeling me in as he gets closer and closer. Leaving me on an edge.
"Or else what?" he says grinning slyly. His arms rest on the sides of the large rock as they flex strongly bending as each second he grows near. He's too close.
"You're too close." I whisper
"Want me to back away?" He says glancing at my lips and back up to my eyes. I couldn't reply but in truth I didn't want him to. For with each second he grows near, a strange feeling spills within. 

Suddenly an abrupt noise lingers within the trees as everyone finally catches up and emerges from the trees. Elijah shifts his body towards the river dipping his tip container into it and gathering water. He takes a sip as the water drips down his throat and his adams apple bobs up and down with each gulp he takes. I observe him as the veins in his arms flex spreading to every part of his body.
He began to walk over to me, As Atticus splashes into the water and drinking from his hands along with everyone else. 

"Here, drink some." He says handing me his container.
"You just drank from it." I said pushing it away
"So? Aren't you thirsty?" He says while wiping his mouth. But all I was focused on was his lips drinking from the tin can. Those pink and moisturized lips with a slight line on the middle on his bottom lip. So soft and plumped they looked while my mind replays what he had just done.
"So do you want some?" He says swirling the can in my face. I snatch the can out of his hands taking a big sip of it gulping it all down. 

But all I was focused on was the fact his lips had been on the same container. I stop handing his container back as he walks over to the river and gets some more water. Drinking out of it once again maintaining all eye contact with me. 
~Why's he staring at me?~ I thought to myself. 

He averts his gaze somewhere else covering his drink and putting it into his cloak's pocket. Lifting me up off of the rock and gently placing me back into his arms. 
"You guys ready?!" He yells as everyone is slightly in different areas with Theresa collecting nearby berries. They all yell back quickly making their way back to Elijah who was already walking away from the river. My eyes stayed stuck glued to him with no way and no intention of averting my gaze. Because in that moment I knew exactly how I had felt about Elijah even though I tried to hide it, These emotions kept rising to no avail. 

I like him.

~But how can I? I am a lady after all! I am meant to be married to another man I am destined to Ajun. But the person I want isn't him~ 
~This is all just a small crush because he saved you. After all you've spent months with him it isn't no big deal~
Thoughts floated around my head with the constant denying of my own self. But I knew what was awaiting for me. A nice road of confusing thoughts and emotions I had never felt for anyone not even Ajun. 

"You okay Princess? You've been staring at me for a while."
"Have I?" I said quietly
"You have." 
"Stop observing me, You notice each thing its annoying." I said eyeing him
"I don't want to stop."
"You do know I am meant to be wedded right?" I asked him, digging my self an even bigger grave
"Yes I do, You are the Duchess after all." He says looking at peace.
"So what was the re-" 
"Stop asking questions and sit tight."

He shushes my questions, But all I wanted to do was have him realize we couldn't be together. I had spent my whole life waiting to be married to Ajun. I needed to stay focused for in the end me and him will only go back to our own ways to never cross paths.
But within this moment that he holds me in his arms. I will cherish it as his heartbeat sings me a lullaby lulling me to sleep.
I flutter my eyes closed, Slowly falling asleep.

"Sleep well princess."