"Elizabeth, you are not permitted to leave." Mr. Bennet stopped his second eldest from leaving Longbourn for a brief walk along the lane. "Mr. Darcy and Miss Boording are on their way here. Mrs. Ariti privately requests your presence at Netherfield Park." He handed over a letter addressed to him along with a sealed letter addressed to her.

"Charlotte and Maria expect me at Lucas Lodge in an hour, Papa." She planned this day around everyone else, to include Lydia pestering to visit Maria despite Lady Lucas expressly telling Mrs. Bennet it would not be permitted the day prior. Mary begged her to go to the parson's cottage to call upon the cousins and Mrs. Brook, and while sorely tempted to join her middle sister, she owed a greater service to the Lucas family.

"I will warn them that you were detained by your sister. Jane is the priority until she marries, Elizabeth." He patted her shoulder. "Tend to your blood first. Jane needs you."

She sighed. "Jane is her own adult, Papa. She no more needs me than I need her in this moment. Mary has Mr. Brook and his family to entertain. Kitty is growing into her own person, and Lydia won't change. Jane needs to stand on her own feet."

"Jane is not the one requesting your presence. Your mother does not want Mrs. Ariti's presence in this home, and I am for one in rare agreement with her. Tend to her demands, and you'll be free to call upon the Lucas family tomorrow." Her father smiled, kissed her forehead, and closed the door to his study.

Mrs. Hill sympathetically handed over the gloves, coat, and bonnet to a peeved Elizabeth.

A sealed letter to answer creeping questions accompanied her in the drawing room. Curling up on the settee, she picked at the wax seal reluctantly. Charlotte looked forward to their visit today, and they intended to go over Charlotte's art portfolio and the new snippets of information gleaned on Mr. Hawthorne from his sparse visits with Mr. Barnett. Maria wanted Kitty to join Elizabeth but Kitty's plans for the day involved Miss Crown and Miss Long, two young ladies that were a proper influence for the young lady.

Pretty handwriting detailing the lessons Jane suffered at Mrs. Ariti's sharp mind and willful pride distracted Elizabeth from the passing of time and lingering disappointment. She covered a yawn and mumbled "Poor Jane." multiple times, the extent of the lessons as dry as they were specific to the laws Jane needed to abide by to not suffer adverse consequences in the supernatural community.

"Miss Bennet, are you ready to travel to Netherfield?" A small voice asked.

Her eyes lifted from the strict curriculum to Miss Boording in all her shyness. "I lost myself in your letter." She teased.

"Mrs. Ariti is quite severe if her lessons are improperly learned." Miss Boording bowed her head. "Miss Jane Bennet shows mild interest, which irritates her frequently. Forgive me when I say that with them to be in Scotland soon, Netherfield Park will become an easier place to live in."

Elizabeth sympathized. Dressing quickly, she pitied Mrs. Ariti. Jane, sweet as she was, lacked the motivation the rest of them adapted over the years. She liked to believe that Jane simply planned a different future where playing the pianoforte or learning French or attempting to draw or read more extensively wasn't important. A part of her knew Jane relied on her beauty to provide for a future and it bothered her. Beauty faded. Motivation and intelligence clung to the person much longer.

Miss Boording attached herself to Elizabeth and walked her out to the waiting carriage. Mr. Darcy read a book, barely lifting his gaze from the pages upon the ladies stepping into the enclosed space. "I have missed your company."

"How so, Miss Boording?" She asked, clutching onto her lady companion as the carriage jolted forward and they set off for Netherfield Park.

The lady dabbed at her forehead with a handcloth. "Your opinions are always firm and delivered without doubt to where you stand. You are not like most ladies. You are not afraid of society's wrath- "

Elizabeth laughed. "You give me too much credit, Miss Boording. I fear society as much as the next lady. I simply know who I am and how I feel, instead of it being dictated to me by others. To be sure of who I am, as age and experience have permitted me." She softened under Mr. Darcy's sneaky glancing and clutched her hands on her lap.

Miss Boording leaned inward. "Your confidence is beautiful. I envy it."

"One day you will be confident. You live among the most respected gentlemen who speak well of you and society does not speak ill of you. It is a rare gift that not all ladies are permitted. My own father mocks Kitty and Lydia all the time despite the consequences. Kitty is improving and Mary has transformed under the adorations of Mr. Brook. She adores his cousins and they adore her. His mother is hesitant because of our family's reputation as a whole- "

"But they are perfect! Their love of the church- "

"Most mutually shared, I assure you." Elizabeth gushed. "She brightens a room whenever he is near, and to hear her laugh with him in arm's reach. Truly she is a different, happier person because of Mr. Brook."

Mr. Darcy closed his book. "He is taken in by her piety and humble beauty, Miss Bennet. There is no doubt my mind that he will offer marriage before the end of the year."

"For Mary's heart, I pray so, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth admit. "Miss Boording, you will find your own strength. There are those who insist you must find your worth through your husband, but no lady needs a gentleman to be strong or worthy of society's adoration. What she needs is to know who she is and that she needs only her own approval. Society is fickle."

"Too fickle." Mr. Darcy agreed and returned to his book.

They ladies exchanged smiles and Miss Boording clutched Elizabeth's hand in her lap comforted by its touch. Upon arrival at the grand home, Mrs. Ariti helped them out of the carriage and encouraged Miss Boording to start her musical lessons with Mr. Cull.

"Miss Bennet, I apologize for the urgency, but I could not risk your mother's frail nerves or your father's sarcasm elevating the severity." Mrs. Ariti motioned for Mr. Darcy to walk ahead of them. "I wanted to be the one to speak to you. I respect you, and I trust you'll give it the due weight."

They mounted the steps carefully and entered the building solemnly.

Not much changed in the decorations other than a breathtaking Egyptian neckpiece on display next to golden crown adorned with a winged lady in the center.

"Memories of my past." Mrs. Ariti shared fondly. "We all carry with us remnants of the lives we lived."

"You were powerful – are powerful, but you also descended from power." Elizabeth stated boldly. "Were you a strong adherent to Egyptian beliefs?"

Mrs. Ariti relaxed and lifted the crown off the bust. She gazed upon the polished metal in great reverence. "While you worship a being you call God, I worshipped three. Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The last of the Greek Ptolemaic leaders of my motherland. To watch my motherland waste away…it kills the soul." She swallowed hard and faced Elizabeth with the crown. "Would you like to hold it?"

"I wouldn't dare for fear of dropping it."

"It is made of gold, not glass." Mrs. Ariti placed it in her shaking hands. "The weight of my people in a simple but sacred crown."

"You ruled Egypt?" Elizabeth clenched the crown in disbelief.

"Yes." Mrs. Ariti admitted. "Are you not curious who I am?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "You are Mrs. Ariti, the other half of Mr. Archwood. It is all I ever needed to know."

Mrs. Ariti embraced the younger lady. "I wish many blessings on you, Miss Bennet, but you must know when I made Julian I had grand plans for the future. Plans that did not involved a humble lady like your sister to become a member of my blooded family. Unfortunately, the gentleman who accompanied Mr. Hawthorne in Meryton do not respect the peace. Mr. Bingley was attacked while walking the property. Whilst bleeding out of a poisoned wound unable to heal itself, he stumbled on your sister in the kitchen making late night tea. No one foresaw it. No one could have prevented it."

Tears leaked down Elizabeth's cheek.

"We intended to carry out a ceremony to properly introduce her to the vampiric society and lifestyle, but that has been robbed from her. Mr. Bingley's control has always been fragile, and now I hold myself responsible for not assigning him a constant bodyguard like Saji-san. I know you thought you had more time with your sister as a mortal- "

Replacing the crown on the bust, Elizabeth steadied herself and breathed. "Are she and Mr. Bingley to marry?" She whispered.

"Yes." A firm hand gently rubbed her back much like a mother to child.

Throat tight, the loss seeped to her human core and corrupted the happiness wrapping her in a soulful embrace. "How soon?"

"Two days from now. A vampiric parson has been summoned to reduce the threat she is to your family and Meryton."

Faint footsteps broke the moment, and Elizabeth looked into the lowered gaze of Saji Nagayasu. "Why am I here?" Elizabeth demanded bravely. Wiping away the tears with her hand, she promised herself to be happy again. This day was inevitable.

A slender arm curled through hers. "Julian wanted to personally apologize."

"It is unnecessary." She labored to breathe properly and relaxed the moment the stranger disappeared around the corner and out of sight and earshot. "I do not hold anyone accountable except the person who harmed Mr. Bingley."

"That is charitable of you, but poor Julian demanded you be given the fullest respects." Mrs. Ariti insisted in overriding authority.

Giving in, Elizabeth squared her shoulders and erased all but a hint of emotional devastation behind a wall of indifference. A pacing Julian rushed toward them the moment they entered the study. He stood across from her wringing his hands and stumbled over the same words in full regret.

"Please, Miss Bennet, you must know that we protected your sister. No one expected- "

"I need to sit." Feeling faint, she held onto Mrs. Ariti, soon to be seated in a nearby armchair. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she wished someone other than a former ruler of Egypt and the other half weren't closely observing her. Dear, dear Jane no longer human. No longer permitted to contact any of the family except through letters. And poor Mr. Bingley! "Is Meryton safe?" She asked finally.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, a power couple who weathered history and witnessed miracles and atrocities her heart could never fully survive in its current mortal state of existence. She was a fragile mortal compared to these grand beings, and she bowed at their feet in reverence for the memories they carried forth from the past onward into the future never to die. A leader and a historian, each strong separately and invincible together, now wanted her to be held in the same esteem as them.

Julian clasped his hands meekly. "Meryton is safe. We are not. We have no proof it was the companions of Mr. Hawthorne, but they are the same individuals responsible for harassing our comrades in the cities and towns elsewhere in England."

"Am I threatened?" She asked.

"Why would you believe yourself to be threatened, Miss Bennet?" Mrs. Ariti demanded.

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Mr. Darcy has won my attentions." She whispered. A pin could be dropped and be head throughout the house. "I fought it, argued against it. Two different worlds, but he is a gentleman and I am a gentleman's daughter. We see eye to eye on much. I know I will never hold his affections, but I can not close myself off from my heart. It is too stubborn."

Silence crushed the lady into the armchair until she could no longer tolerate it. On her feet, she walked right into Mrs. Ariti's open arms, captured by her unusually sharp gaze and strong hold. Mr. Archwood watched passively, still as a statue, as the ladies measured each other on an invisible scale of judgment.

"We approve." Mrs. Ariti finally said. "If he sees sense, we will gladly welcome another Miss Bennet into our coven."

"You're making her nervous, Selene."

"Yes, I am, but she is stronger than her nerves. She rises above them, does she not?" Selene challenged.

Elizabeth inhaled and exhaled. "Mr. Hawthorne knows I will not betray this coven's secrets."

"We do not demand your loyalty. We are able to defend ourselves." Mr. Archwood assured her.

She felt reassured, but it did not remove the threat against her or the problem that presented itself. "Mama can not know. Nor Papa. They will demand justice. They will blame you because you are immortals." She wrapped her arms around herself and found a smidgen of calm in the knowledge Jane was safe as a new immortal, soon to be married to the man of her choosing, and soon after to travel to Scotland to live among only immortals.

Their eyes followed her back and forth.

"I can bear it no more. I must return home. I need to return home." She announced. "Please take me home."

"Of course. I will have Miss Boording accompany you." Mr. Archwood permitted. "Selene, find Fitzwilliam. We need to address the threat that is in Meryton. Miss Bennet is correct. Keeping our secrets is dangerous, and they will target her to wound us. It is inevitable. We must head it off."

"One of them is to marry soon." Elizabeth said quickly.

"It is child's play to prevent a wedding." Mr. Archwood dismissed. "It will only anger them further. We need not anger or fear, but something far more formidable. An understanding that they do not want their sins exposed at the expense of forcing us out as well."

She nodded once. "Good luck and may the heavens be on your side."

"Pray for us, Miss Bennet." Mr. Archwood asked.

Mrs. Ariti walked Elizabeth to the front of the home slowly, careful to say nothing and observe everything in the fragile lady. Before she thought better of it, Elizabeth wrapped herself around Mrs. Ariti and held on for dear life. "I beg of you to look after Jane. She is a soft lady in need of guidance and strength even if she is a beacon of quiet dominance."

Appreciating the vulnerability, Mrs. Ariti promised to protect Jane and speak sense into Mr. Darcy. At their parting, the elder of the pair already plotted Elizabeth Bennet's future with as much eagerness as she planned to ambush the unsuspecting Mr. Darcy.