King Henry

Chapter 61 - Henry Leaves

***** Henry's Point of View *****

"Maybe you should go lie down for a bit," Eleanor said, holding onto Henry's arm and looking worried.

He took a deep breath in and shook his head as he ran a hand up through his hair.

"I can't. There's no time."

"What do you mean, no time? What do you have to do?" she asked with scrunched eyebrows.

He thought for a minute, trying to decide how much to say because he didn't want to worry her. "I have to go away for a while. There are some things I need to take care of. Some wrongs that I need to make right while I still can."

She looked even more confused and he let out a sigh, shaking his head. "I promise I'll explain everything to you when I can."

"Can you at least tell me where you're going?" she asked, looking worried.

He shook his head. "No, I can only tell you that the places I need to travel to are far away and it will take a long time to get there and back, but I have to go Eleanor. I have no choice."

She nodded hesitantly and Henry reached out, pulling her into his chest and kissing the top of her head as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you," he whispered.

She lifted her head and looked up into his eyes, studying them. "I love you too," she whispered softly.

Then he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss before laying his forehead against hers and closing his eyes with an exhale. After a few seconds he pulled back and looked down into her watery eyes.

"I want you to stay close to Lord Buxley while I'm gone. With me and Merlin both out of the castle, he's the only one I trust to keep you safe."

She nodded and whispered, "Okay," looking up into his eyes. "Promise me you'll come back?" she asked with a sniffle.

Hearing that and seeing how upset she looked hit him really hard. He didn't want her to get hurt in all of this after everything she had already been through, but this heartache was something he couldn't protect her from. He had no control over it.

"I don't make promises I'm not sure I can keep," he whispered, gently brushing strands of her hair away from her face with his fingertips as he looked down into her eyes, giving her a weak smile. "But I can promise you that I'll try my hardest," he whispered.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest, hugging him tight. He rubbed on her back, trying to comfort her for a few seconds before finally whispering, "I'm sorry Eleanor. I really have to go now."

She lifted her face to look up into his and he gave her one more soft kiss before stepping back, giving her a weak smile before turning and walking away.

Right as he was about to leave through the cathedral doors, she shouted, "I love you Henry!" through her sobs, with the sound echoing loudly through the tall ceilings. She looked surprised at how loud it was.

That brought a smile to his face and he shouted back just as loud, "I love you too Eleanor!"

He hesitated as he looked back at her, standing there at the end of that long aisle crying, looking so vulnerable. He really hoped that wouldn't be the last time he would ever see her beautiful face.

He let out a sigh before finally turning and heading through the cathedral doors, walking towards the carriage that was waiting outside for him.

**** Three Weeks Later ****