Of Pearls and Stars
II
When Elizabeth awoke the next morning, the bed was cold. Will's place beside her was empty, with only the imprint of his body left upon the mattress and pillow from the night before.
With a yawn, Elizabeth rose out of the bed and dressed slowly and simply. She brushed her fingers through her hair absentmindedly as she checked the washroom for any sign of her husband. When she found it empty, she stepped out and proceeded out of the room and down the stairs into the kitchen.
Her search ended here, for Will was standing at the kitchen counter, staring broodingly out of a window. He gave no acknowledgement and she did the same as she began to set about preparing breakfast.
Setting the table, Elizabeth looked over to her husband, a bit perturbed that he hadn't said anything or moved from his spot since she'd come down.
"Have you eaten yet," she asked gently, searching for any way to break the silence.
"No," was his curt reply.
"Well… I think I'll just make tea and toast this morning, if it's alright with you." Without waiting for an answer, Elizabeth turned and began filling the teapot with water.
At this moment, Will turned to look at her preparing their morning meal, and his gaze was saddened and resentful. "Do you think," he began in a near whisper, choosing his words with great care, "that things would have been different if the baby had survived?"
The question took Elizabeth completely by surprise, and she dropped the heavy kettle onto the floor, spilling the water everywhere. She chose this as an opportunity to ignore Will's question and search her cabinets for a cloth to clean up her mess.
However, Will was unrelenting and would not take his eyes off her. The weight of his gaze soon became too much to bear, so she sighed and stood to face him.
"Yes," Elizabeth replied simply. "Things would have been very different."
Then, she turned away, hoping to relay the message that the conversation was now closed. Will took no notice, and if he had, he paid no heed.
"I think of her everyday, you know," he said quietly.
Elizabeth stopped her actions and stood still with her back to him. When she spoke, her voice shook, sounding unlike anything he had heard from her before. "Why are you doing this?" she turned and William saw that her eyes were brimming with tears.
"I want to talk about it," Will proceeded. "I need to talk about her. She hasn't even been mentioned since the miscarriage."
"Well I don't want to talk about it, Will!" Elizabeth cried in protest. "Why do you have to bring it up?"
"Elizabeth," Will began softly, moving toward her. "It's destroying us… it's destroying you. Can't you see?" The man's heart broke at the sight of his wife before him. Her being was now wracked with sobs and she covered her face from him.
"Just leave me alone," Elizabeth cried out furiously.
"No, Elizabeth! Stop pretending to be so strong! You don't have to be!" Will reached his arm out to take hold of her shoulder, but she whirled around to glare at him angrily.
"I do have to be strong, Will," she whispered in a quiet rage. "If I were not strong, I would have died with our daughter." At her own words, Elizabeth's rage and resolve broke, and her shoulders shook once more. "It's not fair. It wasn't her time."
Will approached her slowly and enveloped her into his arms. When she gave no protest, he kissed her forehead gently. "Elizabeth… I'm not saying I believe in such things, you know I'm not religious, but perhaps a higher power deemed it appropriate that we should not have a child just yet."
Elizabeth cried silently with her face buried in his chest. "I loved her so much," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him for support now. "She should have had a chance to live."
"I know," he replied soothingly. He rubbed her back, fighting to keep his own tears at bay.
A knock on the front door caused him to jerk his head up quickly. Pulling away from Elizabeth, he stroked her tear-stained cheek. "I'll be right back," he whispered, and placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead, he left the kitchen to answer the door.
Once he had left, Elizabeth wiped at her eyes and bent to pick up the dropped and forgotten kettle. Her appetite had gone and she no longer wanted to eat breakfast. She wished instead that she were back in bed with no motive or reason to ever leave it.
The woman heard voices from the front hall as she took out fruit instead, opting for something quicker to make this morning. Removing a large knife from its place on the counter, she began to slice an apple.
The voices in the hall stopped, and Elizabeth heard the door close. Her husband entered a moment later carrying a piece of parchment, looking stricken and angry.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.
Will looked down to the floor and cleared his throat. "It's… it's a summons. They're making me fight in America."
Elizabeth gasped pushed the knife down unintentionally. She felt a sharp stab of pain in her hand and saw that she had cut her finger.
"They can't," she whispered.
"Elizabeth, your hand," Will said quietly.
"They can't make you fight," she answered. Her eyes once again felt hot with tears and she let out an unsteady breath.
"They can, Elizabeth, and they will. Let me see your hand."
Elizabeth looked down once more and with a small start at how much she was actually bleeding, she held her hand out to him.
Reaching for a cloth, Will wiped her hand free from blood and examined the small wound. "It's not bad," he said simply. "Where are the bandages?"
"In the cabinet to the left of you," she answered.
Will retrieved a bandage and unrolled the fabric. He took her hand and wrapped it gently. He couldn't help but notice how close she was to him. He could feel her breath fan his face.
Elizabeth had started crying again. She still hadn't recovered from their previous conversation, and now she realized that her husband was being sent away from her just when things had started to seem as if they would try to make things better. Her hand throbbed dully which did nothing better for her misery.
"When do you leave?" She asked quietly, staring fixedly at their hands.
"In two weeks," Will replied shortly with a sigh. He had finished wrapping her hand. "There," he said as he secured the bandage. He looked up to her with a grim smile. She did not meet his eyes and instead looked away as a tear dripped down to her nose.
Will moved his hand up to brush it away. He leaned forward then to kiss the tip of her nose.
Elizabeth didn't back away from him, and William remained close to her face. He missed being able to touch and kiss his wife freely. He could not even recall the last time they had been intimate.
Inching forward once again, Will placed a chaste, innocent kiss to her lips. He was surprised when she responded and kissed him back slowly and uncertainly.
He closed the gap between them by stepping closer. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek and held her lips to his, as he never wanted to part. Tracing his tongue along her bottom lip, she opened her mouth willingly and the kiss deepened considerably in desire and passion.
Will was dimly aware of Elizabeth's hands wrapping around his shoulders to entangle in his hair. The string that bound his long hair lay forgotten on the floor. Her lips upon his were familiar territory that sparked a burning hunger within him that had been dormant for a very long time, and if the way Elizabeth was returning his starved kisses were any indication, she felt the same.
Chills swept through Will's body as he wrapped his arms around her waist and moved her back against the kitchen table. When he felt the wood at his knuckles, he lifted his wife to sit on the edge.
Elizabeth felt his hands move to the bottom of her dress and start to lift it up her legs quickly. In turn, her hands pulled his vest from him and tugged his shirt from his trousers, immediately grappling with his belt buckle.
The fury between them was evident as Will gasped at the pain in his lip where Elizabeth's teeth clamped down. He heard a loud thump, but didn't bother to look down, for he knew it was his belt.
A soft, but unyielding hand grasped onto the small of his back and dragged up his skin, leaving a scorching trail as another hand pulled on the front hem of his trousers. Elizabeth opened her legs as he pushed the dress up and tugged him in between them, still kissing him furiously.
He lifted his hands and pulled roughly on the ties of her simple dress, quickly pulling the garment from her. There was a sound that resembled a ripping noise, but neither of them paid heed, for the dress was gone.
Elizabeth pulled her mouth away from Will's and gasped, still tugging on his trousers as she felt his arousal protruding from his pants push against her stomach. Will became angry as she kept tugging at the trousers, as if she meant to rip them from him, but he was preoccupied with the ties in the front of her skimpy under dress.
Red clouded the young woman's eyes as she thought of the body before her, and the hate, pain, anger, sadness poured from her eyes. Tears cascaded down her wanton cheeks as she finally unbuttoned his trousers and tugged them down to his knees quickly.
Standing only in his torn open shirt with his trousers round his calves, Will struggled still with the ties of her under dress. Impatience took over him, and he forgot the task altogether, grabbing onto her hips tightly instead.
The flimsy dress was gathered around her waist as she sat perched on the edge of the kitchen table, her lips and eyes swollen. Her hands grasped at his back, scratching, taking out all of her fury as she cried. She scooted forward on the table and wrapped her legs around his thighs, grabbing his face with her rigid hands and pulling his lips to her breasts.
As he bit down her skin through the thin fabric, he felt her nails dig into his back as she pulled him even closer. The most intimate part of him pressed against her and she gasped, whimpered, crying harder as her hand moving to tug at his hair.
He took her without warning, groaning with tears of his own dripping down his cheeks. The table creaked with each of his thrusts and Elizabeth cried out, throwing her head back as large, red marks formed on her husband's back. The harder he moved against her, the more hatred poured from her. She imagined the child that could have been, would have been as she cursed herself and Will for ever trying.
Another image flew to her mind as she moaned and moved her face to bite his ear, feeling his teeth against her earlobe and the soft, but tensed skin of his thighs grinding against her petite ankles.
Will lay in a heap of men, blood pouring from a wound in his shoulder. He was in a red uniform, a gun lying across him. His eyes were wide and lustful and burning with rage, but he was dead.
He was dead.
She opened her eyes and looked at him, seeing wide, lustful eyes glaring at her with rage.
His hands grasped at her waist as he pulled her against him to meet each of his movements until finally, still staring into his hurt, pained, angry gaze with eyes to match his own, she threw her head back in her climax, hearing him follow as she felt warmth spread throughout her center.
She audibly gasped for breath, her chest heaving as he stood with her in his arms, his body quivering in his release. Her tears flooded down her face at what they had just done and her lips trembled. But all she could do was bring her hands from his back to her face as she bitterly cried, her body shaking as he took his hands from her and collapsed into the chair behind him, tears littering his cheeks as well as he turned his head from her and pulled his trousers back up and buttoned them again.
Will calmed down his pumping blood enough to regard her quietly. She had never looked as vulnerable as she did now. She made no effort to move and only stared blankly at the floor when her tears had ceased.
With a tired sigh, Will stood and took her into his arms. She collapsed into him willingly, like a small child. He cradled her in his arms and carried her silently out of the kitchen and up the stairs to their bedroom. No words were exchanged, as Will did not know what to say and Elizabeth wasn't eager to speak either.
He entered the room and pushed the door closed behind them with his boot. It was still morning and the sun streamed steadily in through the windows. Setting her down onto her feet, Will quickly found a robe and draped it around her form.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, looking away from her in shame.
At this, Elizabeth regarded him quietly. "So am I."
There were no more words exchanged. There simply weren't any words left.
.ooo.
When it came to improvement, neither knew where to start. For the first few days after the morning encounter in the kitchen, only polite words and soft glances were exchanged. The underlying awkwardness was obvious. The prospect of Will's departure in not but over a week brought a deep sense of urgency, and yet neither yielded.
Will was working longer hours now, trying desperately to fulfill new and old orders before he left. Elizabeth saw no point in continuing to take on new projects, and told him so. He simply laughed and kissed her forehead.
"I'm doing it for you," he had said. "For if I don't, what money will you have to spend?"
The hours Will was at work left Elizabeth alone at home most of the time. Left without much to entertain herself with, she had taken up cleaning and packing things for William she knew he wouldn't really need anyway. When nearly everything he owned was folded carefully and placed in the bag he would be taking, she had tried to busy herself with other things.
Any other attempts proved to be in vain, and often, Elizabeth found herself sitting for long moments, with nothing left to do but think, reflect, and wait as the days inched by.
It was on such a day that she found herself sitting on the front porch of their house, slouched lazily in a cushioned wicker chair overlooking their yard. She looked along the fine, polished woodwork of the porch and smiled bitterly.
Will had built this himself by hand, she knew. It had taken him weeks, and his hands were usually left raw and red from the shaping and cutting of the wood. It wasn't necessary, she also knew. They didn't need a porch. He built it because she had wanted it.
Elizabeth realized that she had not mentioned the porch again since that day. She had not acknowledged it or noticed it. She hadn't even thanked him for it.
And suddenly, with sickening clarity, Elizabeth realized everything her husband had ever done for her, and she remembered every time she had forgotten to thank him.
When was the last time that she had told him that she loved him? Elizabeth could not remember. Surely she had told him in the months following the miscarriage?
The woman stood from her chair stiffly, still staring down at the wooden floor. Will had tried so hard to make sure she was safe and happy, and she did nothing except wallow in her own self pity and offer him nothing more than coldness and indifference.
Before she knew what she was doing, Elizabeth was walking rapidly down the path that led to town. She broke into a run, not caring that her hair was loose and trailing behind her, or that she was dressed in the simplest of clothes that would be frowned upon in the marketplace.
Her thin legs carried her down the gravelly road until she reached the outskirts of the small town. She didn't stop, and sprinted through the wide streets filled with stands selling fruits and vegetables. The girl earned quite a few stares and comments of disdain, but she did not care. Her mind was set unto only one task, and soon she found herself standing in front of the blacksmith's shop.
Her face flushed and her chest heaving rapidly, Elizabeth pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped inside the stifling shop. She called out her husband's name frantically, but then stopped, realizing she wasn't the only one inside the shop with her husband.
Will, accompanied by two men, looked up from a drawing laid out on a table, wondering who had caused the interruption. The two unfamiliar faces looked Elizabeth up and down with a slightly puzzled frown, and Will looked startled.
"Elizabeth?" He asked uncertainly as an awkward silence ensued.
Pushing back her thoughts of embarrassment and regret, Elizabeth swallowed and then spoke. "Will, I need to speak with you. Alone, please."
After a moment's pause, Will stood straight and cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this meeting short. You both have wives, so I'm sure you understand."
Both men gave a hearty chuckle as they took turns shaking the young blacksmith's hand. With a slight nod and another curious glance to Elizabeth, they left the building swiftly.
Elizabeth approached Will quickly as he wiped his hands clean on a rag. "Elizabeth, is anything wrong?"
She did not answer, and instead brought her hands up to cup his cheeks and bring his lips down to hers in a chaste kiss. "Will, thank you," she said, and kissed him again. As she pulled away, she noticed Will's puzzled, yet pleasantly surprised expression.
"For… for what?"
Wrapping her arms around his torso, Elizabeth felt tears spring to her eyes as she felt Will's larger ones wrap around her almost instinctively. She buried her face into his neck and sniffled quietly, causing Will to place his hand under her chin and raise her face to his.
"For what, Elizabeth?"
Everything, she wanted to say. For supplying her with such a wonderful home and a wonderful life; for being so patient and understanding for the past few months; for doing anything she asked without question; for loving her unconditionally.
"The porch," she said quietly. "The porch is so beautiful. It's exactly what I wanted. Thank you."
Will's puzzled expression grew deeper. "That's all?" He asked in his gentle baritone.
Elizabeth nodded her head slowly and a smile grew on his face. He bent down to kiss the tip of her nose.
"Well then, in that case, you're very welcome, my love."
She laughed then, and he smiled. "It's been awhile since I've seen you laugh."
"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth whispered then, bowing her head. He kissed her hairline and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Let's go home," he stated gently, removing his arms from around her. She nodded and wiped her cheeks dry from the residue of tears.
Reaching for his cloak, Will wrapped it securely about Elizabeth's thin frame and placed a protective arm around her waist. They proceeded out into the town, which was now silent and deserted as the night descended.
The walk home was soothing, and Elizabeth enjoyed the feeling of their bodies gently brushing against each other due to their close proximity. A warm bubble that she thought was long forgotten had resurfaced in her heart, basking her in deep content.
They entered their home quietly and didn't bother to turn any lights on, opting to retire to bed immediately instead. Their room was softly lit with silvery moonlight as the source peeked in through the window above their bed. The face she had always presumed to be sad now seemed to smile at her from up in the sky, and she smiled softly as she began to undress.
Rough hands soon met bare shoulders as the heavy cloak dropped to the floor heavily. He pushed her heavy hair out of the way and Will's fingertips were soon followed by the soft caress of his lips hovering over the back of her neck.
The ties of her dress became loose and soon that was discarded as well, leaving her soft body bare in the moonlight. Elizabeth turned then, and faced her husband as he stared down at her with smoldering eyes.
His hands rounded her waist gently as she raised her own hands to the buttons of his shirt. She unhooked them slowly, making sure to run her fingers gently over each inch of exposed skin. His shirt joined the growing pile of clothes at their feet, and once he too was completely bare, they pressed their bodies together. They reveled in each other's warmth as their hands sought to caress and stroke every bit of soft skin within reach. Their lips were only satisfied when met with each other or a plane of skin to rest upon.
Both husband and wife broke the silence occasionally with a sharp intake of breath or a soft whimper. Their attentions continued until Elizabeth's heart pounded in her ears and she trembled where she stood. Will's lips latched onto her pulse point, and he suckled at the sensitive skin, causing her to whimper his name.
As if this were his cue, Will bent slightly and scooped up his wife in his arms, only to place her gently atop the bed. She sighed contentedly as her husband continued where he had left off, kissing her neck and gradually working his way down.
Will bit down on her collarbone and Elizabeth gasped in reaction, arching her body into his. A low chuckle rumbled through his chest, and he swiftly settled his mouth upon her breast. Her gasp morphed into a soft groan, and her hands twisted themselves into the sheets by her side. Will lavished attention on both peaks before lowering his mouth to the center of her belly.
He felt a pang in his heart as he remembered performing the same action when her belly was rounded with child, and he had imagined the baby could feel him through its mother's skin. Will glanced up to Elizabeth's face and saw that her eyes had slipped shut and her mouth was parted slightly. He didn't know if she knew exactly how beautiful she was.
Resting his weight upon his arms, Will brought himself back up to her and claimed her lips softly, letting his tongue explore the cavern of her mouth gently. His fingers skimmed her ribcage and she giggled into his mouth, bringing a smile to his own face. After long moments, Will pulled away, stroking the corner of her mouth with his thumb.
Elizabeth offered him a loving smile as she raised her arms around his shoulders and separated her legs to fit Will's body between them. She settled her fingers into his hair as his lips latched onto her neck. He was poised at her entrance, waiting for her signal, and so she turned her head to bite at his earlobe gently, nudging her hips against his simultaneously.
Will groaned softly and entered her with a slow, gentle stroke. He found her body receptive and warm, and he enjoyed the feeling of being this intimately connected, both emotionally and physically this time, with his wife.
Elizabeth raised her knees at his side and her soft voice spurred him to begin to move within her. Her murmured words soon gave way to low groans and soft whimpers and gasps, which he found far more exhilarating. He matched hers with moans and growls of his own, his hips repeatedly thrusting slowly within her.
Giving a quick squeeze of her legs, Elizabeth gave a frustrated moan. "Please," she gasped, and Will was more than willing to give her what she asked for.
His pace sped up and Will reached the point where he could not longer control the movement of his own hips due to his long pent up desire and want for his wife. His thrusts became stronger and more virile, while her cries heightened in volume and passion.
William's hand grappled her thigh, holding it firmly for leverage. He grunted and increased his pace further still, now thrusting at wild abandon, yet being gentle enough for his wife. He was quickly losing his control, but his stamina held fast through his own will power to please Elizabeth before himself. He was aware that this was their first coupling on such an emotional level in months, and to leave her unsatisfied would make him ashamed.
The young man rocked his hips harder against his lover, and she groaned loudly in reply. He continued this motion, enjoying the reaction he seemed to be able to elicit. After mere moments, her breathless voice resounded in his ears.
"Will… I can't…" she gasped, moving her hands down to dig into the skin of his back.
"You don't have to," William grunted back. "Let go."
Her body arched into his almost convulsively and she called out his name as he felt her center release around his manhood. That was all that was needed to send him over the edge as well, and he released a guttural cry.
His body collapsed against hers limply, but he did not care enough to remove himself to the side. He was too content to lie against her, his upper body enveloped within her arms, and the rest connected in the most intimate fashion.
The couple breathed deeply, clutching each other's body tight. Will rested his head against her breast, still quite out of breath. He closed his eyes as her hands moved up to stroke his hair.
After he had regained his breath, Will removed himself from her body and moved to lie at her side. By default, Elizabeth curled up against him, her head resting comfortably in the crook of his neck. With a small smile, Will turned tilted his head and kissed her forehead gently before reaching down to pull the blankets over their bodies.
Elizabeth nuzzled her face gently into his skin, kissing his neck at random. Her fingertips trailed a lazy path down from his torso, to his abdomen, and then back up repetitively.
They had both missed this: the ability to make love and then bask in the afterglow wrapped around each other. They felt like newlyweds again, a thought that brought a faint smile to both of their lips.
The young couple was soon falling fast asleep, and Elizabeth sighed and shifted herself comfortably. Her soft, "I love you," was not lost on Will, however, and he wrapped his arms securely around her. He bent his head and they shared a sweet, tender kiss.
"I love you too," he whispered in return, before dropping his head back to the pillow and closing his eyes.
000
A/N: So, I probably couldn't even begin apologizing for the long wait, but I think I've made up for it in this chapter. I figured I'd be nice to our favorite couple by letting them reconcile a bit before they're viciously ripped away from each other. I have big plans for this story, so keep watch! Thank you for reading.
By the way, I think everyone should go and give a huge hug to Williz, for she helped me write this. Yea, Karen! You're the best! Love you daaahhhlin 3!