𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄. chapter sixty-seven; Husband, Father, Son, And Brother " I think I want to come home. "
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE SUN WAS setting as the siblings made their way through the orchard.
Fraser was leading, despite Douglas and Elspeth knowing the path well, as the sun painted the sky hues of orange and pink. It's last stand before disappearing for the night.
Elspeth had discarded her shoes about five minutes ago, letting them hang limply in one hand as she trudged through the half-cobble half-dirt path.
Shoes were the first thing Elspeth Liens had protested. A wee girl, aged five, who had been otherwise pleasant and well-mannered. But one unusually hot summer day, Elspeth Liens tugged off her cream suede shoes and tossed them aside in favor of chasing Hans Liens through the front lawn.
Her father was in a tizzy, shouting about rocks and twigs and anything else that could cut sharply into Elspeth's tender bare feet. Her mother had accepted defeat after Hans tried to put the shoes back onto Elspeth and the girl began wailing; resulting in Hans assuring her shoes weren't that important anyway.
And when Elspeth waddled inside, leaving a trail of small dark footsteps, Fraser scolded her, and Douglas cheered, announcing his own protest against shoes.
It was such a strange thing. And by age sixteen, Elspeth had discovered very well why her father had been so worried; her feet had become calloused and strong, but even so, punctured often by the wilderness outside.
Eventually she'd grown out of this idea. Found comfort in a pair of riding boots or hand crafted shoes to match her gowns. She gave up this aspect of rebellion, simply because one day she decided to.
But she figured her first night home where she would be visiting Hans Liens's grave was a wonderful day to abstain from shoes once more.
So she walked, her feet sinking into the dirt with every step. The sky had begun to cast a pink glow down on all of them, and the soft breeze ruffling the leaves and keeping the sticky heat off of her neck made Elspeth believe she was dreaming.
But Elspeth Liens was reminded this was real as the thick lines of trees came to an abrupt stop, and she spotted those all too familiar hedges.
Fraser didn't falter, so neither did Douglas or Elspeth.
They climbed the steps carved into the side of that hill, each one giving a better view until they arrived at the ornate gate.
It was a beautiful cemetery. Full of flowers, multiple benches, and in the center a towering oak tree that was nearly as old as the estate itself.
They walked through the winding path, past ancestors so far removed they'd hardly remembered their names.
But Elspeth felt her chest tighten as she began recognizing the names.
