Etienne

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 Etienne watched Marisol play outside. She heard him and watched him run around with some imaginary friend. Her sense of calmness suddenly felt prickly and out of tune.

The door shut loudly behind her and she turned around to see Harken.

"Hello, Harken. Where have you been at? I was starting to get worried."

"Oh, I'm sure you were." He stated squinting at her.

She didn't need to smell the alcohol to know he had consumed enough to not be himself or rather to be his true self.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm watching our child play outside. Would you like to join me?"

He was expecting to be chided by her not welcomed like this. The alcohol swirled around his brain antagonizing him.

"Does that monster play with him out there?" Harken spat out the question.

Etienne turned around.

"What a horrible thing to ask," She stated. "If you're so drunk why don't you lay down?"

"You do not command me in my house!" Harken shouted.

"Then act like a man who needs no command!" She snapped back at him.

She turned around just as he got to her and grabbed her arm. Etienne grimaced at the grip.

"Let go of me, Harken!" She commanded trying to pull herself away.

"You are my wife and you will listen to me!"

"My life is for my son. You will not shout me to servitude. Nor will you threaten my family. Milo is my family. I would be dead without him and you would have no wife or child. So you should be thankful to that monster as you call him."

Harken scoffed his face contorting in disgust.

"Thankful to that beast. That would be like damning my very soul. In fact, I question the state of your soul. Perhaps I should bring by the holy man and see what he thinks of the whole situation."

"Go right ahead, Harken! The only true monster who has shown themselves is you."

Harken let go of Etienne's arms and reached up slapping her and grabbed her hair, dragging her away from the window. This allowed Etienne to reach up placing her hand on Harken's face. Within moments his body thudded to the floor.

Etienne's heart raced as she looked down at the pitiful excuse of the man she had married. Once she had managed to calm down herself she dragged Harken into the bedroom leaving him on the floor since she had no strength to lift his body. She walked back out and glanced out the window to make sure Marisol was still playing.

With this confirmed she quickly packed a bag for the two of them and walked outside.

"My darling," She called grabbing his attention. "Come on we are going to go visit Nonno."

The prospect made him light up and he quickly met her at the path so that they could be on their way.

They arrived at Milo's house just as the sun was setting.

"Perfect timing," Etienne whispered to herself. She let herself inside and put Marisol to the bed who had fallen asleep in her arms on the way over.

"What a pleasant surprise," Milo stated when Etienne walked out of the room.

Etienne walked closer to him, her face long.

"What weighs heavy on your heart my child?"

"Oh Milo," The emotion spilled out of her.

He quickly wrapped her up in a hug pulling onto the couch to be more comfortable.

"I fear that I bring you trouble," She stated thinking of Harken's threat.

"You could never bring me trouble," Milo reassured her.

"Harken threatens you. To bring somebody by like a religious man to invade your privacy and persecute you."

Milo reached up wiping away her tears.

"My darling I have lived many lives. I would like to see them try to persecute me," He smiled as he said the words to reassure her.

She pressed her face into his shoulders.

"Now don't let this upset you any more about me. Harken is a fool and you certainly deserved better."

Etienne didn't object like she normally would have.

"Let's not speak of him." She finally stated rather coldly for her emotional state.

"I'll never utter his name again," Milo answered.

Etienne pulled him tightly to her, cherishing the moment even though it had been something done so many times before.

"You told me when I had Marisol that you would watch over him as you had watched over me. Promise me again that no matter what happens you'll watch after Marisol."

"Your words speak of darkness that will not come true."

Etienne looked straight into Milo's eyes touching his cheek. "Even if my words are the nonsense of a terrified woman make me this promise: If anything happens, you take care of Marisol. Harken showed his true worth today and he deserves no part of Marisol's life. Marisol's light is too bright for that."

Milo reached up caressing Etienne's hair. "Of course, my love. Marisol will always have my guidance and protection in life just as you always have."

"Thank you."

She pulled her hand away and offered up her wrist to Milo.

"You're upset..." Milo stated trying to push her wrist away.

"Your words have put joy back into my heart. Besides, you must be famished."

After a moment of contemplation, he nodded and leaned down, biting into her wrist.