Chapter 5.5

Isolde was still uneasy about the men leaving, but at least she had ole Belle with her to keep her company. Upon thinking of her beloved dog, she heard her whine. Isolde looked up to see Belle staring at her intently through the fencing.

"What is it, ole girl? You miss Louis, aye?" Isolde giggled.

Louis was a sheep dog, like Belle, and he belonged to Elias. She recalled the first time Elias had come home after years of no word.

'"What was that?" Isolde asked her husband. They had been laying in bed after another failed attempt at love making. This was becoming a rather unwelcome occurrence. Sitting up in bed, pulling the blanket to her chest, Isolde turned to look out the window. She thought she saw something moving outside their house by the lane, but it was gone almost as soon as she saw it.

"Go to bed, wife." Tristan said, his back to Isolde. He was angry. Isolde felt it radiate off of him like heat from the fire. It made her cringe.

It'd been only a month since she'd lost the baby. The Doctor tried telling Tristan that he needed to give it time. To let Isolde heal before attempting to have another child, but Tristan wouldn't hear of it. Isolde felt that he was trying to replace the void in their lives that's hung over them since they lost Alice. Getting up, Isolde grabbed her nightdress off the cold wood floor, and pulled it over her heard. Glancing back at her husband, who's snores were more apparent giving signal that he'd already fallen asleep, she reached over and took his hunting knife that he kept by their bed.

Isolde tiptoed out of their chambers, closing the door only just, then headed upstairs to check on her son. At the top of the stairs, Isolde pressed her hand to her now flat belly. Choking back tears as she remembered that not too long ago she could feel her baby move inside of her. Pushing open Bash's door, Isolde poked her head in to see her son resting peacefully, the moonlight casting enough of it's beam for her to make out her son's small features.

As she closed the door, she thought she heard footsteps outside. Carefully making her way down the stairs and to the front door, Isolde placed her ear against the cold wood and tried to quiet her heart who's beating suddenly was so loud she were afraid it would give her away. Not hearing anything, Isolde slowing opened to the door and stepped outside, closing it behind her. The night air cut through her nightdress, chilling her to the bone. Shivering, Isolde held her husband's hunting knife close to her breast. Looking out to the lane, Isolde saw nothing but blackness. As she turned towards the Old barn that rested next to their silo, she heard Belle growl.

 

'Good girl.' Isolde thought to herself, she slowly made her way around the house to come up from the other side. Just as she was about to head around the silo a figure appeared out of no where, knocking her unbalanced. She felt herself falling backwards, dropping the knife as she closed her eyes preparing herself for the impact when she felt his arms around her. His hot breath on her neck. His arms were strong and held her weight as if she were nothing but a mere feather.

"Isolde?" His voice familiar, caused her heart to skip a beat. Her breathing became erratic as she stayed motionless, unsure of herself.

'It couldn't be him!' Isolde she thought.. a single tear escaped as she slowly raised her head to look into the eyes of a man that she'd not seen since he was a boy.

"Isolde!" he quietly exclaimed. He looked at the house and back at the woman he cradled against his chest. It was freezing out and she was wearing practically nothing.

 

"E-Elias?" She stuttered, shivering. Isolde clutched his shirt and pulled herself closer to him, feeling his warmth. Elias took her into his arms and held her close, picking her up he turned and carried her in the house. Setting her down in the rocking chair, Elias turned and started to add wood to the hearth. The flames licked at the new piece of kindling, becoming brighter with each passing second. Once the fire was roaring, Elias turned to Isolde.

He stood before her, illuminated by firelight from the hearth behind him. He looked her over, she was different. Her body was more rounded, from child baring. Her breasts, larger.. more fuller. Her hair was longer, but she wore it differently than she had when he last saw her. She was also very pale. Sweat beaded her brow. He went to the well and retrieved a buck of water, bringing it inside, he hung it in the fireplace to boil. He quietly went about the kitchen and grabbed a cloth and some mead.

Once the water was hot enough, Elias took it from the it's spoke, and submerged the cloth into the water. Wringing it out, he turned back to Isolde and became wiping her face and her neck. He lingered at her chest, he could see her breathing was uneven. He looked up and saw Isolde was looking at him. Her eyes wide as silent tears flowed freely down her face.

 

"Elias." Isolde said, her voice filled with a pain that he cut through to his heart. She was in his arms then. Her face buried in his neck as she started to cry. "Oh, Elias!" Her hand was in his hair, gripping a handful. Her other hand, clutching his shirt. She clung to him as if he were nothing but a dream that would disappear as soon as she opened her eyes.

It'd been a long time since anyone had touched him. Sure, he'd taken woman in his bed. Burying his sorrow into them, but he wasn't a pig. There had been very few. He wasn't his Father. And his heart.. belonged to another. He pulled Isolde away from him, his hands on her fragile shoulders. He wiped the tears away from her face and she smiled at him. That had never changed, her smile. Her smile and her eyes. Those were constant. Before he could stop himself, he pulled Isolde towards him, and he kissed her. He kissed her with a passion and love that he held only for her for the last nine years. And she returned his kiss, her hands on his neck, pressing her body to his. Suddenly, she pushed him away gasping. Isolde got up and ran into her chambers, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Minutes later, Tristan came out of their room. Naked as the day he was born, and drunk.

"ELIAS!" Tristan exclaimed, giving his older brother a welcome embrace! "Look at you! Ahh, welcome home, big brother!!" Smacking Elias on the back, Tristan called over his shoulder for Isolde. Who had let Louis in. He'd been scratching and whining at the back door.

"That's Louis." Elias had stated, mostly to Isolde. Wanting, needing her to look at him.

"Louis.." she said as she smiled at his dog. Isolde giggled as Louis, in answer to hearing her say his name, licked her face.

"Louis?" Tristan asked, seemingly much more sobered. Tristan glanced at his brother and then smiled. "Well.. the second room upstairs is yours as long as you'd like it to be. My wife and I have something to discuss in private."

Elias, without looking at his brother or Isolde, turned and headed up stairs. Louis following his master not needing to be beckoned.'

 

Isolde smiled to herself. Tristan was  not happy about his brother having a dog, 'another mouth to feed,' he'd complained to Isolde a few days after Elias had been staying with them. Isolde loved it, though. She loved animals. Especially sheep dogs. She'd had one when she was younger, but it was bitten by a wolf and had gone mad. Her Father had to put him down. She noticed how close Belle and Louis were getting and it worried her how Belle would react when Elias went home and Louis with him. She sighed and went back to her gardening.. she was almost done planting this years plants when she heard the call.

Isolde stood up, making herself dizzy.
"My goodness," she laughed. "I must have gotten to much sun, Belle.. I am but faint." Looking up at the sun she knew that it was not yet supper time.

"The men are back early. We best get Supper on then, right?" Isolde walked out of the garden and stopped dead in her tracks. A coldness that she has never felt before washed over her. She couldn't move. Couldn't speak. She hardly felt like she could breath. Ole Belle's barking was what brought her 'round. Isolde tore off as fast as her legs could carry her to where her Tristan and Elias were racing down the way with Bash draped over her Husbands horse.

"QUICKLY!" shouted Elias.
Tristan slowly lowered Bash into his brother's arms and jumped down off his horse. Grabbing his son's legs, Elias supporting Bash's weight by gripping under his arms. Tristan and Elias raced Bash into the old barn. After laying him in the bed and covering him up, Isolde came rushing in with a bucket of water and a clean cloth. Elias grabbing the bucket from her as Isolde shoved past Tristan, dropping to her knees at her son's bedside. Elias placed the bucket next to her and had just wrung out the cloth when Isolde held her hand out to him, not looking away from Bash's face.

"WHAT HAPPENED!?" she demanded between sobs. "My beautiful... boy, Mother's here, Bash.. Mama's here," she crooned softly to her son as she wiped the blood from his face and neck.

"Isolde.." her husband said to her calmly.

"NO! NO!" Isolde screamed shaking her head.

"Brother, take your wife outside." Elias said quietly to Tristan.

"My love, you must come with me," Tristan stated softly to his wife, but when she would budge he looked to his brother who nodded and Tristan picked up his wife, throwing her over his shoulder and taking her out of the room. Isolde was screaming at her husband. Words he'd never in all the years he's known her, has he ever heard her use before.

"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU, YOU BASTARD!" She started.

Elias was beside himself with grief. He sat by his nephew, holding his hand, knowing that he was going to die. He was enraged for not listening to Bash's worries more intently earlier. If he'd taken him more seriously, he could have prevented this. It was like losing Louis all over again. And Isolde... 'Isolde will never forgive me for letting you die!' Elias chastised himself. Bash started making choking sounds and his grip on Elias's hand got harder. Elias looked up and met Bash's gaze.

"Tell them I love them." Bash's words strained as he started spitting up blood. "Tell them it is not their fault.. tell Ma..ma.."

Elias was crying now, "Bash.. shh.. don't speak, shh.." He tried to get up to go fetch Tristen and Isolde, but Bash pulled him back down to him. He could feel his nephew getting weaker as he knelt down by the bed, closer this time as Bash was having a harder time breathing.

"The.. cre..shurr.." Bash's breathing was becoming ragged as he tried to speak to his Uncle. "hiit..wursh.. HERSH!" screaming the last word, his last, as if he knew he didn't he wouldn't be able to get it out. Bash's whole body went still.. and his breathing stopped altogether. That's when Elias lost it, holding his nephew screaming at the top of his lungs.

"BASH!! NO, BASH!! TRISTAN!!!!" sobbing into his nephew's hair, kissing his head. "NO! NO, NO, NOOOO!!"

Hearing Elias's screams, Tristen and Isolde looked at one another. Both knowing that their son was dead. Both knowing it was Tristan's fault for not heading Isolde's words.

"Isolde.." Tristen started, his voice thick with unshed tears. 'So, this is what this feels like,' Tristen thought as he looked at Isolde and saw the hatred and unsaid accusations in her eyes. 'This is what it feels like to be responsible for the death of your own child. Oh, Isolde.. I am so sorry. My love. Come back to me.'

Isolde stood up and slapped him, as hard as she could, across the face and took off running. Tristen stood and marched out into the field of Wheat. As soon as he was in a good ways, Tristen dropped to his knees, covered his face and cried like he was a child. A child who watched his Mother in front of his very eyes. A child who watched his Father, carrying his baby brother down the lane, dead in his arms. A child, who lost his older brother.

Elias ran into the house looking for his brother and Isolde. Though if he was being honest with himself, he was really only looking for Isolde. He searched the entire house, but no one was here. He was about to run back outside when his chest tightened as if someone had punched him. His breathing became erratic and shallow. His vision was going black. It happened in a matter of seconds. Elias dropped, his knees connecting hard with the floor. 'Mama had these,' Elias recalled. What had the Doctor called them? An attack of some sort, brought on by too much stress. Gripping the door frame, Elias pulled himself to a standing position, while clutching at his chest trying to catch his breath. He stumbled out of the house and headed towards the old barn. He needed to be with his nephew.

Upon entering the old barn, Elias looked over at Bash. He laid on the bed, soaked in his own blood. 'Just like Louis!' That's when Elias started to scream again. Turning away, Elias saw Isolde running and went after her.

He could hear Elias screams, fainter now, but still just as sharp. Like a knife cutting into his heart. Wiping his nose on his sleeve, Tristan tried steadying his breathing before standing. He needed to say goodbye to his son. Standing, Tristan turned to head back the way he'd came when he heard it. It was faint at first, but he knew he wasn't alone in the wheat field.

Tristen looked around trying to not make any sudden movements to give away his position. He sensed a threat.. the same feeling he had just before the creature leapt out and took down his son's horse. He knew it had followed them home. Taking out his knife, he crouched, ready to fight if that's what it came down to. Then he heard Isolde's cries coming from not too far away.

Tristan's heart sank into his stomach when he heard the creature change it's course and head straight for his wife.

Isolde ran from Tristan, not stopping until she got to the old well in the Garden.
Her son.. her beautiful baby. She cried so hard she couldn't breath and her whole body shook. Elias, tried to comfort her, but she slapped him, too. They should have listened to her!

"Not my boy!" She cried, beating her small fists against Elias's chest.
Elias tried to hold her, but she wouldn't hear of it. Turning away, her words hitting him harder then her fists could ever do, Elias grabbed his bow and arrow off the ground and headed back to where his nephews body resided. Isolde's screams of agony followed after him. He shut the door, dropped his weapons on the ground and walked over to his nephews body. Elias, slowly knelt beside the bed and continued what Isolde started earlier. He proceeded to clean his nephew's body to prepare him to be put into the earth.

Isolde's screams quieted. Sobbing, she leaned against the well for support.
"Not my son, my Bash," she dropped to the ground wrapping her arms around her legs and burying her face. How is she still crying? How is she still breathing and her son is not!? Suddenly, a sound cut through the silence and the cries of hers and Elias's. She heard a battle cry that made her heart stop. She leapt onto her feet ran after Elias.

"ELIAS!!! QUICK!" she screamed at him, as she entered the old barn. "TRISTAN NEEDS YOU! HE'S IN THE CORN FIELD AND SOMETHING IS ATTACKING HIM!"

Elias jumped up and was out the door with his bow and arrow before she could finish. Pushing past her, Elias took off towards the wheat field. You could see the tops of the wheat thrashing about where Tristan was.. fighting something that was 100 times bigger than he was.

"GET INSIDE AND LOCK THE DOOR! BARRICADE IT WITH WHATEVER YOU CAN FIND! DO NOT OPEN IT UNTIL I COME FOR YOU!" Elias screamed over his shoulder.

Isolde, not wasting any time, threw the door shut and locked it. Then she dragged the bed, with her son on it, and pushed it up against the door. Isolde stood there in the quiet of the barn, the smell of blood filling the air. She turned away and lost whatever food she managed to eat that day, and then she fainted.

Elias was fast, the fastest out of all his brothers. Quick on his toes and even quicker at analyzing a situation. When Elias ran into the Wheat what met him there was not what he expected. A few feet in he tripped over something soft but firm, he rolled over and was on his feet in seconds with his arrow drawn and pointed at what had tripped him.

It was Tristen..

"No.." Elias barely breathed the word before Tristen screamed and pointed behind him.

Elias reacted without thinking. Raising his bow he turned on his knee, letting his arrow without needing to see his target. There he was.. William Hersh. Elias was immediately enraged.

"YOU!!! YOU KILLED MY NEPHEW! YOU ATTACKED MY BROTHER!!!" He screamed at William.

Elias jumped to his feet, picked up his brothers knife and charged at the wounded William Hersh. The creature that attacked his nephew's horse and killed him. The creature that stalked his brother's home. Elias raced, seeing nothing but red, he plunged his brother's knife in the heart William's heart. Elias did this a few more times, staring into Hersh's face as he did.

"TELL ME!" Elias began. "TELL YOU BASTARD! DID YOU MURDERED MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHER?!" William started coughing up thick, red blood. "TELL ME!" Elias demanded.

"Ye..yes." Was all William could say, clutching at Elias.

Elias, taking his brother's knife in his firm grip, grabbed William by the hair. He turned him around and kicked out his knees so that he was kneeling in front of him. Pulling back his head so that he could look into his face one last time, Elias slashed William's throat. Holding him in this position until there was no life left in William's eyes. He let the man and the knife drop to the ground and slowly turned back to his brother.

"Tristen," Elias whispered as he looked over his brother's torn and bloody body.

"Brother... I don't.. have much time left." Tristan's words were pained and Elias could see it in his eyes that he was dying.

"No, I cannot lose you, too. You have to hold on. You have to live. Live Brother.. live for me. Live for Isolde!" Elias whispered to his brother urgently knowing it was a lost cause.
 "ISOLDE!" Elias yelled as loudly as he could, "ISOLDE, I NEED YOU! NOW!"
Tristen grabbed Elias's shirt and pulled him down close to his face.. their noses almost touching.

"You will NOT let my wife see me like this, do you understand?" Tristen said raggedly.
Elias could only nod, not trusting his own voice. He needed to be strong for Tristan.

"Promise me, brother.." Tristen started coughing bright, hot, red blood.

"Anything, anything at all." Elias choked out.

"Promise.. to take care of Isolde. Marry her." Tristen pleaded with his brother.

"I cannot," Elias hung his head starting to cry.

"Yes, you must. She is delicate.. she will.. learn.. to.. love.. you.. promise.. m-me." Tristan's words were quieting. Elias looked his brother in the eyes for the last time, and vowed to protect his brother's wife and love her like his own for the rest of his life.. then as if he just drifted off to sleep, Tristen closed his eyes and sighed.

"Tel..l.. Is..ole.. I..luuher." Tristen breathed before going limp in his brother's arms. Elias did not know how long he sat there holding his brother, crying, rocking him back and forth.. silence and the smell of hot blood filling the air around them. Lost in his memories of he and Tristen as small boys, playing in these very fields, were interrupted when he heard Isolde's the faint footsteps coming towards the wheat field. Elias knew he must keep his promise to his Tristan and stop her before she happened across his body. Not even Elias wanted Isolde's last memory to be of his brother, a mangled and bloody corpse. Closing Tristan's eyes with his fingers, he gently laid his brother on the earth and stood. He was going to stop Isolde from entering this field. Even if that meant he had to carry her back to the house and lock her in her room.