Whatever It Takes

Chapter 5

*Liam's POV*

Two Months Later

Mathilde entered the room, a bowl of her almost famous potato soup in hand. She must have known that it could make any day better as I had been feeling depressed.

I missed the sky. I missed Elizabeth. I missed home. I missed Elizabeth. Wait, I said that I missed Elizabeth twice. Well, that showed how much I missed her.

You have a letter from a Elizabeth Scott." she told me in her rough English.

"I do?!" I asked her.

"You do."

I happily took the letter.

Dear Liam,

I am beyond happy that you are okay. You family and I had been so worried that you were dead. But now that we know that you are alive and well, we can all rest far easier than we could before.

It does seem a bit odd that a German woman has take you in, but I would rather have that than have you been killed. As long as you eventually return home to England, that's what really matters.

Charlotte was overjoyed about receiving a letter from you for her birthday. She said it is the best birthday gift she has ever gotten, or will ever get. Thank you for giving her that simple gesture, it means so much to me. As well as your sister and mother. I can't say the same about your father as I have seen him twice since you left. He is always at the factory anymore. I think that is how he has coped with having you gone. As well as potentially losing you. Especially after almost losing you. Your parents lost your brother, don't cause them more heartache by losing you.

Do you know when you are coming home? I cannot wait for that day to come. The day that we are reunited once again after this horrible war. There is some news about the war in the papers, but I feel that the government has the papers hide most of it. They don't want us to know just how bad it is, I am sure. The war cannot be as mellow as they are making it appear. No war has even been that mild. Not the American Revolution nor the French Revolution nor any other war.

I cannot wait until you return home. Sometimes, in my dreams, you return home and I am beyond overjoyed. But that is usually when I wake up and realize that it was all a dream. When the day comes that it is not just a dream may just be the best day of my life.

I love you and miss you so much.

Yours Truly,

Elizabeth

Reading her letter made me feel better. It made me feel stronger. It remind me of why I needed to return home to England.

But Elizabeth also mentioned Henry, my younger brother. He'd died of polio when he was eight. I was 13 at the time and it killed me watching my younger brother die. Charlotte was four and understood enough of what was going on that she saw his death coming. We all did. Maybe Elizabeth mentioned him to give me purpose.

*Elizabeth's POV*

I sincerely hoped that Liam received my letter and that it was not intercepted by anyone. Nothing would hurt more than that.

"Elizabeth, darling, you really should get some fresh air. You're not doing yourself any good by staying inside all day." mother told me.

"I know, mother." I replied.

"I know that you miss Liam. But moping around will do neither of you good."

"I know that."

"Why don't you go down to the horse barn and take Lily out for a ride?"

"I think I will do that."

She smiled at me and left.

I found my riding gloves and was about to walk down to the horse barn when I decided to get her some carrots and sugar cubes.

"Miss Scott, I was not expecting to see you." Fergus, our horse caretaker, said. He was from Scotland originally, so he had a very thick accent.

"Mother suggested that I take Lily for a ride to get my mind off of things." I told him.

"I see. Would you like me to get her ready to ride?"

"Please."

He went to get her things to get her ready.

I walked to Lily's stall.

"Hi, Lily." I said to my horse, a large smile formed on my face.

She approached me and nudged my bag of carrots and sugar cubes.

"Yeah, I brought you some treats." I took out a couple of the sugar cubes.

She happily ate them and whinnied softly.

"Yes, you're my very beautiful girl, aren't you?" I petted her mane gently, occasionally giving her a carrot or a sugar cube.

"Your horse adores you, miss." Fergus told me.

"I have had her since she was a foal. Since she was to be my horse, Allan asked me if I wanted to see a horse being born. That was the first time mother allowed me to.

"She also let you when she gave birth to Abel."

I smiled a little. The little foal was more adorable than anything else. He spend most of his days wandering around the fields. He wasn't even a year old yet. "He mightn't be a yearling yet, but I can already tell that he will grow into a fine stallion someday."

"With a mother and father like his, nothing less should be expected."

Fergus finished getting Lily ready and out of the barn.

"Thank you, Fergus." I said and kissed him on the cheek.

His face turned a light red under his scruffy beard. when he'd first came here two years ago, he'd fancied me a bit. But, Liam and I had just began courting.

I gave him a smile and he helped me mount Lily. There was only one thing that would make me enjoy riding more: not having to ride side-saddle.

Lily trotted onto our familiar path. Ever since I had been able to ride her, we'd almost always taken the same path. Occasionally I disobeyed mother and father's orders and took her off the path. They could tell by my torn garments and scratched skin that I had been off the path. I always told them the same story that I wanted to do something exciting for a change. Father would then tell me that a woman's life was not to be exciting. Mother would then tell me later when father was not around that I had plenty of life ahead of me for excitement.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Lily stopped trotting. The reason was a large tree trunk right across the path. It must've fallen during last night's storm. I backed Lily up and had her jump over it. With that out of our way, we continued down the path.

This was nice and calming. Nature always took my mind off of everything. Even the war.

But then a large bird flew down from the trees, which spooked Lily. She reared and I nearly fell off, but just managed to barely stay on.

I felt my grip slipping as she careened through the forest. Eventually, I felt myself slip and tumble off my horse, hitting my head on something.

The pain I was in was too much to move and I eventually felt unconsciousness take over me.

*********************

AN

So sorry it's been, like a week since I last updated! Life is crazy busy! Not that anybody really care, since maybe on person is reading this. If I'm lucky.

Anyhow! What d'you think will happen to Elizabeth?! She's supposed to be the one who's scared that Liam won't return home alive! Not the other way around!

But, to anybody reading, you'll just have to see what happens in my next update, which should be on Sunday! If not, then I don't know when it'll be. Sorry.

Love you mah petite croissants! ♥♥♥

-Sarah