"So what if the distance is too great?
What matters is that we have the courage of love to cover any distance which dares to separate us."
-Anonymous
Prologue
It started out as a summer day like any other for young Fitzwilliam Darcy. He rose and dressed before descending to the morning room to break his fast with his father, hoping that his mother would feel well enough to join them. She had been quite ill since the birth of his baby sister, Georgiana, and often didn't leave her rooms for weeks at a time, so it was a rare treat when she was able to break her fast with her husband and only son.
Fitzwilliam's hopes were dashed however, when he entered the morning room to see his father seated alone at the head of an empty table.
"Good morning, Father," he said (in what he felt was a very grown-up voice for a thirteen-year-old, why it didn't even crack!).
"Good morning, Fitzwilliam," his father replied. "What are your plans for the day?"
"I don't have any particular plans, Father. I had hoped to accompany you on whatever estate business you need to attend to," he answered, careful not to let too much of his eager hope bleed into his (very grown-up) voice.
George Darcy smiled slightly at his son's attempt to conceal his youthful energy. He wished young Fitzwilliam would find another playmate, one who wasn't George Wickham. He didn't know what had passed between the two friends, but a kind of distance seemed to have grown between the boys while they were at Eton the past year, and Fitzwilliam was far too shy and reserved around strangers to make friends easily.
"In that case, son, I hope you won't mind accompanying me into Lambton to pick out something to help cheer your mother. I thought the bookshop might be a good place to start, what say you?" The excitement in his son's eyes at the prospect was answer enough for George.
A/N: This is a Work-in-Progress, and as such I have not set a definite posting schedule. I do have the prologue and first 2 chapters ready to go, but it will probably be about 10 chapters when all is said and done. Reviews and input are welcome, especially as I am still trying to determine whether or not this story is worth pursuing. I like it, but I don't know if anyone else will ;)