Heavy Burdens 《Completed》- -

Chapter 18

Liz POV

She tried to stop him.

Her fingers grabbing on to his coat, but Declan was too fast and too strong. Liz' hands slip of the fur and can't help the begging scream that leaves her lips. It was dark, but the moonlight shed rays onto the forest, so she could see the dagger that Declan was holding.

He didn't hold back, not even when she stood up and went after him. But by then, it was too late...

Declan managed to surprise Chesterfield, Liz could see it in the Captain's eyes. First there was surprise written all over his face, but it quickly shifted to anger and he drew his own weapon that was hidden underneath his winter coat. Red... his coat was red.

In that moment, Liz could only reflect on the colour as blood red for some reason.

She wasn't aware of her screams anymore. Trying to move as fast as she could, terrified of Declan getting hurt. Or worse...getting captured.

But her green dress got stuck on a thorn bush, holding her back and a curse rolled of her tongue while pulling the fabric frantically.

And in that exact moment, the two men collided with each other.

Her eyes shifting from the bush to them, her eyes small while trying to see details of the fight that was going on. She heard the punches...Dry sounds of fists meeting skin and the growls emerging from both.

"Declan!"

Another curse when Liz rips the dress, leaving a piece of cloth on the bush and without hesitating, she runs into Declan and the Captain's direction. But she gets side tracked...hearing voices and footsteps nearing from her right side. But because of the night, Liz couldn't see a thing. She tried counting them...

'One, two, three, four,'

Stopping at four when hearing a groan out of pain coming from Declan and she swiftly moves towards his side.

He had Chesterfield in an iron grip pinned against a tree but at the exact moment Liz arrives at his side, Declan drops one of his arms, letting it hang loosely against his side.

"Declan," her voice hurried, eyes flickering between Chesterfield and Declan, "there's a patrol coming or way."

A loud laugh emerging from Chesterfield makes her head snap into his direction while she lets her hand rest on Declan's shoulder.

"Aye," the Captain said. "There on the way."

Blood was trickling off his lips and Liz turned to Declan again.

The man was breathing heavily, his eyes seeming to decide whether to kill Chesterfield here on the spot.

Her fingers slowly tracing down his back and coming to a rest between his shoulder blades. Liz had to get his attention somehow. Had to differ his focus onto her instead of the Captain in his grip.

"Declan, we have the go," she whispered, standing on her toes. "Let him go, he'll get his punishment later."

In that moment, Chesterfield started to yell to his men. Letting them know where he was and to make matters worse, he added that Declan Harp was threatening him.

Liz felt panic rise in her chest, her heartbeat in her throat and she licked her lips.

"Declan," she begged now, "please."

"Go," was all he said to her not even looking into Liz' direction.

Shaking her head, Liz drops her hand and stares at him.

"No," her voice firm, her hands shaking. "I'm not leaving without you."

The footsteps nearing from behind them now...

Declan's eyes meet her and for a moment, Liz doesn't know him. His eyes are filled with rage and something else...And Liz' heart broke for him. It was agony. His lips pursed and eyes sad. Fingers coming to rest on his shoulder.

"Please, come with me," she begged him now and even in the darkness, Liz saw his eyes shift from her to the Captain and back.

And it was as if he recognized her for the first time since he jumped from behind of the bushes, his hands letting go of Chesterfield and one of them coming to a rest on her shoulder. Urging her away from the captain and the nearing footsteps.

"Hurry," he urged her, speeding up their pace.

Elizabeth couldn't help but take a deep breath out of relief while she starts running. Not only the footsteps of the red coats were heard this time, but voices echoed through the forest and the dark. The cold grass creaking under her feet made her scared that the sound would give their position away.

Liz was about to give up on running when Declan pulled her back in one swift move; making her tumble sideways into the grass and into ditch. Luckily...it was winter and there wasn't any water in it. It only snowed here, it almost never rained during wintertime.

Her face was turned away from Declan, her back pressed against his chest and Liz felt his arm circling around her from behind. Pushing her closer against him while the red coats above them spoke in hurried tones. The angry voice of Captain Chesterfield was heard clearly when he was shouting orders towards his men to find Harp.

Liz' fingers find Declan's hand that was resting on her stomach, her heartbeat fast. Not only because the men above them were eager to find them before the night ended, ... also because Declan's warmth engulfed her. Resting her back against him and Liz closed her eyes, praying to God the Red Coats wouldn't find them.

The woods wouldn't feel so safe for her if Declan wasn't holding her, his warm breath in her neck and only when the footsteps of the men above them were only an echo in the distance did Declan look up. Pulling his arm away from her and looking around before falling flat on his back. She could here his sigh of relief and finally turned to face him.

Eyes locked, and Declan rolled on his side to face her fully.

"Next time I say you've got to run, you fucking run," he grunted, his right hand grabbing his left shoulder and Liz saw the pain written on his face.

"Don't tell me what to do," she snapped back, her voice stronger then she thought while she goes to sit up straight and reaching for his shoulder. "You're wounded. What was the plan? Getting yourself killed by that narcistic bastard of a Chesterfield? Let me see..."

"I'm fine," his eyes resting on her face but his voice cold while Declan is turning away from her again.

And Liz shook her head, grabbing his face in both her hands and making him look at her in the dark.

"I would never just run away from you," she said, voice filled with gravel and she couldn't help the tears that suddenly appear. "Don't ever ask me to leave you like that."

The intensity of his eyes while scanning her face made her blush and she thanked the Heavens that it was too dark to see the red colour forming on her cheeks.

Declan turned slowly towards her and sat up. Offering her his wounded shoulder and Liz quickly teared a piece of her dress when seeing the blood of the wound. Probably a knife wound... but it was too dark to see much more.

She worked in silence and Declan didn't gave a sound. But she could feel his eyes burning on her and when Liz pulls her hands away after tying up the cotton, she feels his warm hand coming to rest in the back of her neck.

"Did I...," she wanted to ask if she'd hurt him, that he was fine, but the words never left her mouth when Declan's lips suddenly meet hers.

The kiss was slow, passionate and it made her knees weak. Something she only read in books and never could Liz imagine it would happen to her. Answering his kiss by circling both of her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss rapidly.