Post by Elena Sandoval on Mar 6, 2015 22:21:30 GMT -5
Calm finally settled over the village of Anzio as the last of the night's storm clouds rolled to the north and east, bringing an uneasy silence to the dawn. Already, the bodies of the mercenaries had been removed and the wounded Montefiores tended, cleaning underway within the inn to remove the signs of the pitched battle within the halls that left the family shaken to its foundation. For her part, Elena needed an hour or two of quiet to clean herself up and calm down once she'd reassured herself that Niccolo was alive and relatively unharmed. A physician had been called to tend to Demetrio, Piero and the ladies, ensuring that any wounds were tended and those who needed to rest could do so. Niccolo, she felt sure, needed some time to himself.
Dressed in a clean gown of dark green, her hair left down to dry, Elena moved down the stairs to join Niccolo. A nod greeted the two men standing diligent guard over their Duke as they met her gaze cautiously. She studied them for a moment, asking quietly, "Are you both unhurt?" They exchanged looks and nodded almost sheepishly, then hastened to open the door for her, stepping back to allow their future duchess access to their duke. "Thank you," she murmured before crossing the threshold and glancing back to ensure they closed the door. For the forthcoming discussion, Elena demanded privacy for Niccolo and herself.
For a moment, she gazed at Niccolo, concern and sympathy manifesting in her eyes before she slowly approached him. Elena did not speak at first, instead crouching down before his chair to gently reach up and draw his hands into hers. Shifting in an effort to catch his eyes, she said nothing, only letting him see that she was there for him and more than willing to do what she could to help and support him. They could weather this together, if he would allow her to do so. If he rejected her, she wasn't sure what she would do, but the choice was offered. Would he take it?
Niccolo Montefiore