Author's Note's: This story is set in 1910 it is an AU, Lord Edward Crawley is alive and one of the head Watcher's in The Watcher's Council; This story will be told through Letters, Diary entry's, thoughts, feeling and anything else that might come to mind, it will also mention all of the Downton characters; i hope you enjoy and please read and review. Thank you for your time and please forgive any spelling, punctuation and general kack handedness, I do not own any of them except Lord Edward Crawley, TTFN. XXX
Chapter 1
"No!, Please you must be wrong it can't be her, it just can't; there must be a mistake, you must have gotten it wrong, Oh God!, Please tell me it's not true, tell me your lying..." The elderly man said as he sat in a rather ornate wooded straight backed chair in the middle of a shadowy room that was only lit by a few candlesand surrounded by several shrouded figures; "I don't want this life for her, she will not know love or marry or have children and she will die before her time, i'm one of you leaders for Christ sake," he spat out the last few words with destine.
One of the taller of the shrouded figures spoke in an eerie almost soft whisper "It is no lie Edward, she is the chosen one she will become the next vampire slayer and there is nothing you can do to stop it, all you can do is tell her her destiny and prepare her for it; we have decided that you are the best candidate to be her Watcher, as you are her grandfather and you are in a better position than most to guide her in the right direction and you have the most experience" Edward pressed his palms onto his forehead as the tears that where threatening finally fell on to his shirt front, then all of a sudden he asked through a strangled moan "What happens if i die, as you know i am not a young man, i could walk out of this very room and drop dead, who will be my replacement and look after her?"
The same taller figure stepped even closer and placed a gloved hand on to the elderly Lord Grantham's shoulder and said "Edward, you know we can not tell you who he is; that we operate in the shadows and that i could not tell you even if i wanted too, it is for the safety of our family's and friends, plus, you of all people should know that we do not find out until the previous Watcher has failed in his duty's or worse died." Lord Grantham straightened up and took the white silk handkerchief from his top pocket and wiped away his tears, he cleared his throat and spoke in authoritative tone "I wish an audience with the Coven a specially with Ariadne the Seer, i need to know that my Granddaughter will be alright?"
Lord Grantham could see that they where about to protest "It is not a request it is an order, i have given my life to three important legacies, firstly my estate, secondly my work for the Watcher's council and thirdly but most importantly my family, if i am to sacrifice my favorite granddaughter to our cause then i think i am owed this favor."
The shrouded figures congregated to a corner of the room to discuss his request, they returned to the seated elderly gentleman and bowed to him, a smaller figure stepped forward this time and said in a echoed voice "Your request has been granted, it will be at seven o'clock in the evening tomorrow but for it to be accurate you require three things for Ariadne to see in to the future, Firstly a lock of your Granddaughter's hair, secondly a piece of paper with her name written by her and thirdly something she wears on a regular basis, do you understand?" all Lord Grantham could do was nod.
~ § ~
Edward walked in to his library later on that evening and slammed the door behind him, slumped into his chair by the hearth, he ended up resting his elbows on his knees and then placing his chin on his knuckles and just stared into the fire, it had felt like just a few moments were in fact it had been half an hour had passed before he was brought out of his sad thoughts by a gentle knock on the door and it being opened by his fifteen year old middle granddaughter Edith, she popped her head through the door and looked around the room and then saw her Grandfather sitting by the fire, she walked over towards him, knelt at his feet and rested her chin on one of his knee and stared up at him with a worried expression and then asked him "Grandpapa are you alright, Granny was concerned when she heard you come home so she sent me to see if your alright?, you do look rather pale and have you been crying?"
He leaned over her and placed a soft kiss on top of her head, he then straightened up and said "I'm fine Kitten, it's just that i've heard some rather distressing news today" Edith raised her head off of his knee and looked at him "Why won't you tell me; it might ease your mind, Grandpapa?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow Kitten, i promise, i just have somethings to find out tomorrow." and Edith knew that was an end to the conversation "Oh Edith, i see your bracelet clasp has come undone again, give it here and i will get it fixed tomorrow when i'm out." he popped the bracelet into his waistcoat pocket, he then stood up and she followed and straightened her dress, they walked out of the library arm in arm.
~ § ~
A Day Later
Edward sat in the quite Watcher's reading room waiting for his audience with the Coven to begin; the night before he obviously couldn't get to sleep and all day he could not shake the constant thought of the meeting and the questions he wanted to ask, then all of a sudden a footman came up to him and said in a whisper "M'lord, they are ready for you, if you'd be so kind as to follow me, i was asked to see if you managed to get the items for the ritual?"
"Yes, i have, i've got all three items, should i give them to you or should i keep a hold on to them?"
"I'll take them from you M'lord and give them to the lady's for them to have a quick look over; i'll come back and get you in just a moment if you don't mind waiting here." the footman opened a large oak door and disappeared behind it; Edward started to pace the hallway, then before he knew it the footman had returned and opened the door to him and said "M'lord they are waiting for you, please go through the double doors at the end of this hallway and sit in the chair" the elderly gentleman stepped over the threshold and the footman was gone into thin air;
So he quickly walked to the double oak doors and stepped through and what her saw was incredible, the room was empty and all white, pure white with no windows and it was quite a contrast to the room he had been in the previous night, he sat in the chair that was in the middle of the room, he took another look around the room, in the blink of an eye a table appeared, then he blinked again and a small cauldron appeared and then when he blinked again three identical beautiful woman all in white dresses with jet black hair, bright emerald green eyes and soft features stood before him, although they where actually floating in midair with their hands clasped together in front of their chests as though they where praying, they all bowed their heads and then stared at the man seated in front of them, they all said in unison "M'lord, you wished to talk with us three, what are these questions you need to know the answer too?" he cleared his throat and started to ask his questions "I asked to speak with Ariadne the Seer, i mean no disrespect to your sisters but i need to know what will happen in Granddaughter's future, if she will live past twenty, if she will fall in love, if she will marry and have children; Oh and who will be my successor, when i die?"
Two of the sisters bowed to their sister and disappeared, Ariadne swiped her hand across the top of the table and the three items appeared, then she made each item levitate and placed them into the cauldron, then smoke emerged out of it and over the table, she breathed in the vapors, all of a sudden her green eyes turned white and she spoke in a heavenly voice "Your Granddaughter will live passed twenty, she will fall in love and be loved, her and her husband will go into legend and she will have Children, your successor will be a good man and he will guide her through the up's and down's of her life, i can not give you a name but i will give you two clues one you have meet him before in his youth and second he has a mole behind his left ear."
Edward blinked and she was gone, the room had turned cold and gray, he quickly left the room and the same footman that had lead the way before, had handed him the three items and his over coat, he left the building in a flurry.
Please read and review. TTFN xxx