Heavy Burdens 《Completed》- -

Chapter 17

Declan's pov

He tried to listen to Sokanon. He really did. But Declan can't help to let his gaze flicker to Liz a few times while Sokanon expressed her concerns about Lord Benton and Elizabeth. He didn't even notice that the native woman suddenly went silent and that she followed his gaze toward Liz.

The woman was busy talking to Michael, a frown between her brows and a worried look on her features. Declan couldn't help noticing that her cheeks were tinted red because she was sitting so close to the fire. Her wild curls escaping the beautiful pin she was wearing in her hair. The few locks caressing her face made her look younger and the flames of the fire threw shadows on her features.

When a pair of blue eyes suddenly look back at him, Declan feels a smile forming around his lips. Which was answered with one of Liz's gorgeous smiles. He didn't want it...but he could feel his heartbeat speed up slightly and felt disappointed when Liz her gaze shifted from him to Michael again.

"Do you trust her?"

The voice of Sokanon made Declan turn his head back to his sister in law. He just shrugged, not answering her question right away but pulling out one of his daggers that needed sharpening. After a few minutes, he could feel Sokanon her stare burning imaginary holes in his skull and he cleared his throat. Annoyed that his friend wouldn't let the conversation go.

"She proved herself," he grunted, his attention back to his dagger and the small whetstone.

Sokanon opened her mouth again making Declan sigh and he felt a hint of annoyance rising in the back of his throat. He wasn't known to be a patient man. But he always tried his hardest for Sokanon...he wasn't the only one who lost his family.

"Was there something else you needed to talk about?" He asked, eyebrow raised and waiting patiently. Although his knuckles turned white from holding the hilt of his dagger too hard.

Sokanon her eyes flickered from his face to his hands and back again. Slowly shaking her head and standing up.

"I'm going hunting. We need more food," she snapped her bow and arrows from the ground and glanced to Liz. "Stay put or you'll ruin another good meal."

At first Declan thought she was being serious but when he saw the women shared a smile, he decided to let it go. Sometimes he didn't understand Sokanon's way of making friends. But apparently, she had decided to at least be friendly to Liz.

He saw her disappear into the tree line, silent and graceful as if she was never hear. And he felt a sudden pain clutching his heart...Declan's wife had been an amazing hunter. Graceful like Sokanon and as silent as a rabbit that was hiding from a predator.

Memories flooded his mind and he shook his head to get rid of them. There wasn't time for these emotions to surface. Not until Lord Benton was six feet under. And Captain Chesterfield next to Benton, the man had a knack to give Grace trouble and the woman had already proven to be loyal to Declan no matter what.

His mind was too busy, too chaotic ... And he needed to distance himself to clear it again. He needed a clear head for what was about to come so Declan wiped his hands on a piece of cloth before standing up and walking away from the fire.

Night had fallen by now, making the forest dark except for the moonlight breaking through the trees. Leaving Michael and Elizabeth by the fire; he knew they were safe, and he wouldn't be too far away. If something happened both Sokanon and himself would be able to hear it. 

And although Liz was small of frame, she had a voice that could carry miles. Of that he was certain. And it made him grin while making his way through the dark, knowing the path from heart where he was going.

Declan always went this way when his mind needed clearing. When the chaos in his body almost became too much to carry. And when grief struck him unexpectedly, like it just did when the face of his wife flashed before his eyes. That of her and their daughter. His little girl; innocent and beautiful.

She had his eyes, not as dark as the natives from the land. And the smile of her mother. He still remembered how the little one would spread her arms and laugh loud when he entered their tent from a day away. Declan would pick her up, swing her around and hug her until the toddler fell asleep on his arms.

He would have cried...but tears didn't come. His grief was tucked far away inside himself, turning into a rage and vengeance. Vengeance for their deaths. Too early. Too fast. There weren't any goodbyes except for the ones he said when he left to hunt with Sokanon. But it had been a hurried one, needing to track a pack of wolves.

Declan shook his head, making a sharp turn to the right. He couldn't help but smirk because he had heard the footsteps since he left camp. Someone was following him for the last half hour and tried to do a great job of trying to hide their steps. But not good enough; a branch cracked, or a bird flew up because it got a scare.

He ducked down behind a small bush and waited patiently. He expected Elizabeth because the footsteps were light but when the form of Captain Chesterfield came into view. Declan frowned but immediately went to sit up a bit. Leaning his elbows on his knees and one hand on his biggest dagger bound close to his chest.

For a moment wondering why Chesterfield came this far into the woods at night or why it looked like he was following him but when the Captain continued his walk without even glancing at the ground, Declan decided it must've been a mere coincidence. But a good one...

Declan silently crouched forward, wanting to take this opportunity to scratch one name of his list of people who deserved to die.

But the sudden appearance of Liz made him stop in his tracks. His gaze nervously flickering from her to Chesterfield. The woman had no clue the Captain was so close to her while she scanned her surroundings. She was looking at the ground and Declan knew she was trying to track him.

He wanted to shout at her, to get the hell away from here as fast as she could. Instead he remained silent, hoping Chesterfield would start to walk faster and leave this place before Liz caught up with him.

Declan bend a bit forward, placing one of his hands in the cold snow beneath him so he's sitting more stable. Every fibre in his body ready to jump up and to intervene when something went wrong. The snarl escaping him when Chesterfield suddenly turns around and starts walking towards Liz is almost feral like. The woman and man had no idea they were about to bump into each other and Declan his eyes found Liz's frame again.

She was standing still now, gazing at the prints and suddenly backing away again. Like she just realized they were two set of prints and one of them belonged to a red coat...

Liz came closer towards Declan, standing with her back towards the bush he was hiding behind, and he saw his chance. Reaching out with his hands, he grabs her around the waist with one hand and swiftly covers her lips with the other. Pulling her fighting body against him behind the bush and escaping a few well pointed hits from her elbows.

He turned her slightly, so Liz could face him, her eyes growing big when noticing it was him and he let her go. Quickly motioning towards Captain Chesterfield who was standing still, no doubt he had heard the disturbance in the silent forest and the man's eyes slowly turn towards the bush Declan and Liz were behind.

Declan let Liz go. Seeing the Captain's face made him see red and his original plan of killing the bastard was now priority again.

He grabbed his dagger, stood up and swiftly lunged towards Chesterfield. Barely hearing Liz her protests and begging words...