Forcibly married to the person whom rejected me

XLII

Oliver Quill's pov:

I woke up feeling drained, throughly exhausted. I shift my eyes and the emptiness we're mountains by my side. She wasn't there and so came the coldness. "Gosh.."I sigh as I rub my face slowly. "Oliver?" A familiar voice says. I look up and see mother. I stay silent as she senses the sadness filling this cup of a room. "Where is Elizabeth, Oliver?" She asks walking towards the bed.

"She left" I say as I get off of the bed, heading to the washroom. "Left? What do you mean left?" She states, voice rising in tone so does the worrisome. "We fought and she left" I reply. "How could you allow her Oliver? She's your wife! Have some shame" my mother yells in pain. I understood how she felt so I stayed quite, for I felt that pain yesterday. "How could you have slept, knowing she is somewhere other than home". And that moment her voice breaks and her eyes tear up.

Look at her. See yourself in her, see how you were feeling yesterday.

The glare she gives leaves no mercy and I felt it all again. I'm an idiot, I was bilious. "I know I did her wrong it's just that-" and before I could continue a knock was heard on the door. We both turn to look and our eyes were met with Adeline. "Ma'am they're here" she softly says before bowing and leaving. "You're not my son unless you bring her back" my mother warns me as she makes her way out of my room.

Out of our room.

I shake my thoughts as I get ready for the meeting that decides the future of Asbury.

Elizabeth's pov:

I wake up in the morning before mother does and I start cleaning the place up. As I do I realize, how I missed this. The simplicity, the kindness, the feeling of love even from objects. That, you fail to have in a royal family. It was 7 am in the morning and I've got everything done from cleaning to breakfast. "Oh darling, you didn't have to" my mother steps in, all covered up in her warm clothes, in the clothes she once wrapped me up in to keep me warm. I smile brightly at her glowing face, "nothing is a burden for you and Lucas".

"The breakfast looks scrumptious Elizabeth" she says as she swings her body around me and lays her chin on my shoulder, looking over at the small held up table. I stroke her fingers slightly as a young Lucas pops out of the room besides us. "Good morning, mother, Elizabeth" Lucas says making his way to hug us. We hug him back before mom pulls away and says "come on children, it's time for breakfast. As you know it's the most important meal of the day, we don't want to miss it, do we?".

We chuckle as we sat in our old places. I look to the place of father and it was empty. I look down as I try to control my sudden burst of emotions. "Elizabeth" mom whispers as she pats my back. "No. I'm fine don't worry" I smile hurriedly. I look at little Lucas who has been bolting his food down way too fast. "Take it easy young man. You're not in a hurry, are you?" I giggle. He grins as he tries to slow down.

"Have no one sat there?" I ask my mother as she already knows what I'm talking about. "No darling. Ever since your father passed away, we never sat in his place" she says with a voice broken like a glass shattered on a metal wall. I look over to the seat and then to Lucas, "Lucas, go sit there" i move my head towards father's place. And I can see the worrisome and confusion in Lucas's actions and eyes. He looked up at mother as she looks at me confused. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure dad would want you to be the man of the house." I state.

After that Lucas slowly moves his plate and place in father's seat. "Forgive me father. I'm obeying rules here" I hear Lucas whisper gently looking up. Mom and I giggle softly at his admirable actions. "Promise to keep this family protected, stable, and happy" I raise my eyebrows at him. He nods in agreement, "it shall be my duty from now and on".

........

"Where are you heading off to?" Mom says as she sees me headed towards the door. "It's 5 pm mother" I smile cheekily at her, "I'll be back at 6". She chuckles softly "it's like you were never gone". And with that I feel her comfort and love as I head into this enchanting forest I longed for. I walk down my common way as I admire every leaf on the ground and every sound around me. It was beautiful, it was peaceful. After the long walk I finally reach the river. The place I always sat in as my mind runs in a specific pattern to make me fall in love with Oliver even more, every time.

I chuckle softly to myself as I remember how delusional I was, how innocent I was to my beliefs. I carry the sea shells that I found unique and now I hold a quite small number of them. I sit down on a stable rock and I look at them. The seashells were light in my palm. They were a semi-translucent white and pink. Each one was like a perfect design with a spiral running from the tip to the opening at the base.

I lay the rest as I hold onto a very unique one. It wasn't like the others, it stood out and spoke to me spiritually. It was a mixture of pink, white, light blue and yellow. Inside it was iridescent, shining with the colors of the ocean. Blue curves swirled with greens and shone prettily in this perfect atmosphere. "Oh who would have thought, I've found you" I speak to the shell and the only person who comes to my mind was him. Oliver.

"Oh. Well I know you don't care about my feelings or opinions but I just want you to know that despite your cover, there is a beautiful side that I once saw in you" I say quite dramatically, enjoying my time. "Yeah you're right. I should probably head back home and help mother, also not to bump into you and end up hurt like the first time" I place my palm in the cold water as it washes the dirt deep within. "If water was the solution Oliver.." i whisper.

I hear trees rustling and I immediately stand and turn on all my awareness. "Hello? Who's there?" I speak aloud, voice firm as a wood, "I know you're here, might as well just show yourself". And with that moves out a figure of a man.

A figure I've always feared.