A/N - so my fave bits of pnp are the parts where Darcy and Elizabeth spar, when she stays at Netherfield, when she's at Rosings. But the parts I always agonise over as a ffn writer are the Netherfield ball, the proposal and the letter. I've read some fab and not so fab versions of these. I find writing angst difficult, I love and hate reading it also.

Anyway the point of this rambling is that your comments about the proposal are all amazing. Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked my crazy powerful, angry, Lizzie. Love the Thor reference btw! Hoping things keep going to your satisfaction. We follow cannon for a little while longer and deviate thereafter, total length is hitting just over 50 thousand words. (No spoilers, sorry - you'll just have to wait and see what trouble Lydia gets in to!)

thank you all for reading. Love to hear from you!.

...

Gaskets Theory of magical lines and Ley energy

S. R. Gasket; 1796

Magical power and the use of line energy

It is possible to assume that the magic that runs in these lines can be a source of power to a careful magician. One would need to be skilled enough to identify the line of energy and could then draw from it without repercussions. Drawing power from a place can be risky unless one is sure that the withdrawing of that power will not cause any damage to the surrounding wildlife. It would not be recommended to withdraw power from an area that did not have a line of energy running through it. The resulting desert could last many months.

...

Chapter 20 - A letter, an explanation, a villain and ... Regret perhaps?

If Elizabeth had any thoughts about what she would find in reading Mr Darcy's letter they were not ones that stayed long enough to register. Why he should write to her, after their painful encounter, was beyond her. She stood for a minute looking at the strong script across the envelope. Her name neatly yet beautifully written in a masculine hand. It was not long before her curiosity overcame her hesitance and she opened the seal and began.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet,

Be not alarmed, Madame, that this letter contains any renewal of the sentiments that were so abhorrent to you only yesterday. But I must be allowed to defend myself against the charges laid at my door. I will begin by addressing your accusation about your sister, seeing as this is likely to be causing you much concern. I may express sentiments which are not welcome to yourself and I am sorry but I cannot fully explain myself without expressing the feelings behind the actions. I will not demean myself by pretending that your family is of consequence however...

She huffed and very nearly threw the letter on the floor. She paced and muttered about the insufferable pride of Derbyshire men. Her curiosity was still piqued however so it was not long before she picked it up again, what could he possibly say to justify his awful words?

... Your position in society will always be of consideration to any suitors. This is not my opinion but a fact of the society we live in. For my good friend, a gentlewoman is essential if he wishes to cement his new position in society, magic is also something he would consider essential, connections would be of benefit but not necessary. That being said my objection to your family is not their situation but the total want of propriety that is universally displayed by every family member of yours I have had the pleasure of meeting.

Not long after our arrival in Hertfordshire I could see my friend greatly admired your sister and I realised that his attentions were raising expectations in the neighbourhood. I watched your sister closely, at the Netherfield ball, but could perceive no symptom of particular regard. She displays such a serene countenance that I was convinced her heart was not touched. In that position I was faced with little choice but to advise my friend to separate himself from a situation before his honour became engaged. To be married to someone who feels no affection for you, and comes attached to difficult relations, was not a situation I wished for my friend and felt compelled to act accordingly. We left Netherfield the following day and it did not take much for me to convince my friend that such a connection, in light of your sisters indifference, would lead to naught but misery.

With regard to his desire to marry a magical family I did pose some concerns about your family. Your parents may both be magical but showed no sign of great power and your younger sisters clearly are very limited. I had no reason to believe that your sister had an excess of power and came to the conclusion that the magical blood lines of your family were minimal. I realise your sister had some magic but as it was never displayed and I concluded it must be of an insignificant amount. Although the genetics are not well understood it is believed that a family showing a decline in magic is likely to die out in the next few generations. I knew my friend did not wish that and explained my observations accordingly.

I will only add that your display of magic last evening was as spectacular as it was surprising, you obviously have been hiding your exceptional ability and I cannot think why you would do such a thing. I was clearly mistaken in my assumptions about you, and likely your family in this matter, and I apologise but given your efforts to conceal your true power I hope you will not hold it against me. You can be assured of my discretion in this matter as I will respect your decision to conceal this.

If you are not mistaken about your sisters feelings then I must have been but I cannot fault my observations of the whole affair. My conclusion that she would accept him under the influence of your mother, who was quite vocal about her expectations, is not something that can be denied. My actions thereafter were in the service of a friend, and I cannot condemn them...

"I'll bet you don't you hateful man" she huffed again and itched to throw a few sparks at the neat paper and have the satisfaction of watching it burn. She stopped herself, took a deep breath and shook her shoulders a little to relieve the tension before starting again.

...I shall now address the issues with respect to Mr Wickham, I know not under what form of falsehood he might have imposed himself on you and I can only hope that the recital of his involvement with my family will not bring you too much pain.

Mr Wickham is the son of a respectable man. He ran our estate for many years and my father counted him a good friend. Wickham and I were boyhood friends and I knew from early on that he had no magic. His manners were engaging and he spent a good deal of time trying to convince many people that he had both magic and money. In particular at Cambridge, which he attended on the good will of my father. He even managed to convince some of the masters at Cambridge of his magical abilities. He spent many a evening discussing magical matters with those men. Mainly the theory behind acquisition and storage of magic. I could not condone such behaviour, which was also accompanied by a want of principals in his personal life.

When my father died he asked that Wickham would be provided with a valuable family living. Wickham declined such advancement but requested, and was granted, a sum of three thousand pounds in lieu of the living. I knew he was not suited to the life of a clergyman and was relieved when he left Derbyshire after these events.

I did not try to find out how he lived but I believe he joined a cult of disreputable people whose main objective was the study of stealing magical energy from others. Unbelievable though it seems he did apply for the living in question when it's incumbent passed away, you can hardly blame me for refusing him and his response was so vile that I cannot write the words to anyone, much less a gentlewoman. He left in the most foul temper and I had hoped our connection was dissolved.

I would love to end our story there but last summer he most painfully obtruded on my notice. I am sure I can count on your secrecy regarding the following events I am about to relate. My sister, who is ten years my junior, is a quite gifted witch. She shows talent in earth magic only but her basic knowledge of the other three are more superior than most. She is not a true magician by any account and has not a second gift but her innate magical ability is significant. Couple that with her strong magical bloodlines and it seems she became a target for the aforementioned gentleman.

She was on holiday by the sea, in Ramsgate, to practice her water ability and thither also went Mr Wickham. He persuaded her to believe she was in love and consent to an elopement. She was but fifteen years old. Throughout their time together he was systematically draining her energy, through an acquaintance of his as he is unable to do so himself, and storing it in magical gems. He was trying to figure out how to wield the magic in those gems.

I joined them unexpectedly to find my sister weak and unwell. Some of the books were suggesting that his plans were to try and transfer her magical spirit in to another being, likely his own. He had yet to figure out a successful ritual but I am convinced that my sister would have been harmed in the process. You may imagine how I acted. Only my sisters poor health and my concern for her reputation stopped me from chasing him down, after he fled, and challenging him to a duel. I cannot help but think his choice of victim was a means of revenge upon me, he could not have chosen a better target to accomplish this.

This, madam, is a faithful narrative of my connection with Mr Wickham, and for its veracity I can appeal to the testimony of colonel Fitzwilliam, who knows the particulars of these events. I hope that you will no longer be duped by him although I would take this opportunity to advise you that many wise and perspicacious people have been fooled by him in the past. I hope that is of comfort to you.

I will only add God bless you.

Fitzwilliam Darcy.

.

Elizabeth by turns felt every emotion possible. At first she could not believe a word but soon her practical nature began to assert itself with regard to his narration of Mr Wickham. To make up such stories, involving his own sister, was unthinkable. The allegation of intended elopement would be enough to ruin the young girls reputation. That part at least must be true, and if so would it not follow that the rest were true?

The story of the living, so similar to Wickham's own account, was easy to believe given the support of a second source, something that Wickham never offered. His allegation about Wickham being without magic had Elizabeth pause, she had never seen him use magic, although tricks were a common source of entertainment in the parlour. His aura had always looked suspicious and Elizabeth now thought that it would fit well with someone wearing a magical infused gem. She had heard of such things but rarely had thought much on them, so meaningless to her own life.

Some of the gentleman's assertions were starting to have that ring of falsehood, his attentions to Miss King, a girl of relatively strong magical ability so recently out in society, were concerning. Her own family was so welcoming of the man, for he no longer deserved gentleman. She remembered the incident with Jane at Netherfield, drained of magic, but no that was before Wickham came to Meryton. Could one of the other militia be a conspirator in this cult that Mr Darcy spoke about?

She decided to put aside her concerns about magical theft and focus on the issue of Mr Darcy's letter. She re read the part about Jane and Bingley. With her new insight, those events became less certain in her mind. She could not help but agree that her family were uncomfortable to be around. She knew that Jane was reserved and if he genuinely did not detect her affection could she really blame him for his intervention?

Her families magical ability was their own fault. Mr Bennet was quite powerful but had been wary of just the type of threat presented by people such as Mr Wickham. When Elizabeth had shown such power he had been even more concerned about people wishing to use her, or worse yet, experiment. He had taught his two eldest to hide their powers and convinced them to downplay their abilities. Her younger sisters were purposely under trained to hide some of their power, from themselves as well as from others. Mrs Bennet had never been fully aware of Elizabeth's power and she was taught to conceal it from her younger sisters also. Only Jane and Mr Bennet knew. The thought that their concealment had led to such a misunderstanding grieved Elizabeth. Now Mr Darcy knew. She hoped that was not a mistake.

She spent a bit of time thinking about her poor sister, suffering due to her families idiocy. There was too much to contemplate, she returned to the house and busied herself with mending from the poor basket, the repetitive motion of thread through material allowed her mind to go blank, a kind of meditative state, so she could think without really thinking.

An hour later she was much calmer, she would figure out what to say to Jane when she was facing her. There wasn't much that they could do to improve her lot anyway, she did not know if Mr Bingley still cared for her sister, or if her sister could forgive his lack of trust, only time would tell. Mr Darcy was gone, so she no longer had to feel trepidation at seeing him. She was unlikely to come across him again. Her feelings for him were in such a tangle and not something she could sort in a short time. Her main concern was what action to take regarding her family and the militia.