The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

A/T More and more within a day. Be well, stay safe.

A reader had some good questions

- An assignment is an regency-Victorian term for meeting with someone for sex.. Charles had many women, and treated them carelessly. Darcy didn't like his behavior, particularly when he tried to make Jane his lover. Jane is Darcy's family Now.

- Argo, is Jane, Elizabeth and Lydia's father, no wife, she was murdered.

-Argo's brother, just named him, Leo, he was/is Mr. Bennet. He is Argo's twin brother.

- Raven. He took George Darcy's place; he had two children, a son William, mother is Analee. A daughter Georgiana Mother: Zoe.

He took both children to replace Lady Anne's dead children.

Healing Part 2

Elizabeth heard about Lady Zoe and Fanny Bennet. Thinking about, Lizzie was sad remembering that her stepmother had not loved her, because she had. "Is her family like her?" She asked her father.

"Probably, but you said your uncle wasn't bad. Being a witch doesn't make you bad, there is no way to tell." He answered.

"Maybe Mary and Kitty are witches, we should find out. But neither is wicked, I am sure." Elizabeth worried.

Alesa looked at Zal, then at Green. She wasn't sure why the other females liked Zal; he was no half as handsome as her love. It had some truth, Green was called Green the Beautiful.

Zal saw Alesa and bowed slightly. Alesa was a beauty, but it would have been a mistake. He could imagine what would have happened the first day he saw Elizabeth. He was trying to quiet his mind, well, and his body, but it was going to be difficult. He had been told time moved. Differently, years on the human side could be a short time here. He hoped that was the case. He had patience; better said, he hoped that he did.

Georgiana finally got tired of Darcy not seeing her. She stood to hug him. Dee was on her arms, like usual. "Who is this beautiful lady, does she know I am taken?" William teased her. It was Georgiana, a version of her. He finally realized why neither of them looked like George Darcy or his wife, other than their coloring, blonde, auburn colored hair, and so on.

Georgia harrumphed, "You are still the same, silly, but I am happy you are back." She lowered her voice, "The pretty man likes Lizzie. Be careful, I don't trust him." Darcy nearly guffawed but knew better.

"I know, I'll keep my eye on him, though he is very nice."

Drinks and food were brought in. Sally didn't have to beg, she was the queen.

Georgiana asked Zoe, "Why did you leave me?' My mother was okay. But I would have liked to be with you."

Darcy knew why Georgiana had asked, Lady Anne was very reserved; she was gentle, kind, but not affectionate, qualities that Zoe seemed to possess.

Raven didn't want to lie, "My child, it is my fault. I will tell you when we are alone."

The day was not over, an attendant came in, "My Lord, Lady Analee is here, she asked to see you."

"Bring her in," he told the attendant.

Angus was quiet watching, he had asked about his father, they would go the next day with Fergus, but he wished to go this day. Everyone else was here.

Analee froze when she saw Darcy; she looked at him, begging him not to say anything.

"Analee, meet our son." Raven stood, his eyes filled with love, she was quiet, not sure what was going on. Why was Raven looking at her like that, like when he asked her to go with him. She still loved him, had never stopped, but he had chosen the human. Analee saw Argo, who was sure that she was the one. She looked at him with interest.

Argo knew she was for him. He saw how it could work and would tell Raven, he had a theory, but there was time. He wasn't like William and saw a great advantage, even better than his daughters' marriages to bring peace.

Darcy was still pale, Analee worried. Darcy asked, "Are you, my mother?"

She nodded, Darcy went to her and held her, "Please come and be with me, I want to know you."

Raven said, "Do it if you wish, he is your son, I was so very wrong."

"Thanks, I was coming to ask you if I could meet my son. I know you said you would start a war if I told him who I was. But, I hoped things had changed since you freed me."

"Yes, of course, look at him. He is a lot like you. You gave me the best of sons."

Zal realized she was the Princess Analee. Zoe had told him about her long ago, of meeting Analee during a battle. Zoe had captured Analee, who had escaped after being trapped. Because of that, Zoe was ridiculed by many for years to come. There were songs made about her mistake. It wasn't a mistake, Zoe had finally learned Analee could open portals, most of her people did to some extent.

Zoe had told Zal, and, now, Zal understood the need for secrecy. He also realized he might have that ability. He wouldn't tell anyone, much less his father, who dreamed of revenge. Zoe caught his eye and nodded.

When Analee was told her son had nearly died, she held him tighter, her eyes filled with tears. "Mother, don't cry, I am well thanks to a great healer and Prince Zal," Darcy explained it to her. She looked troubled, she would talk to the prince, when she looked at Zal, her heart filled with affection. Analee heard inside, 'Don't worry, I knew about you, your secret is safe.' She answered Zal in the same way,' Thank you, my son.'

Alesa went to her since Analee had been her baby; they hugged, "Your son is in a union with the Great King's grandchild. Let me introduce you to Prince Argo and his daughter." Alesa explained.

Analee lowered her eyes when she met Argo. When he kissed her cheeks, her scent made him feel drunk.

Raven finally asked, "Analee, did you know Argo?"

"I won't lie, I visited my son as often as I could, during his sleep. You must know about me by now. I saw him the only time William woke up." Analee's answered defiantly.

"Yes, I know about you, I just learned about it. I am glad you saw William growing up." He couldn't help it and touched her cheek with his knuckle, "Sorry, a force of habit. You look lovely, as usual."

She didn't say anything, so Darcy dared to hope his parents would marry.

Analee saw Georgiana sitting by Zoe, she had no idea.

"Who is the lovely young lady," she could see Raven on her.

"My sister Georgiana, she just met her mother today," Darcy told his mother, still by his side, holding her hand.

"Yes, I have done many things wrong. I hope I can atone." Raven sounded very sad.

"Don't lose hope," Analee answered.

Argo's brother had just arrived. He had been looking from across, Leon, understood the odd feeling around Lady Zoe. He was ashamed at the shabby way he treated the children. Argo looked at his brother, feeling his sorrow.

"I think the witch made you not care for the children, Miss Mary, is yours I think, she is a half-human. You are lucky to have her, not many, half-humans. She is lovely. But you need to tell the girls what happened."

"Our father said that I was in thrall to a witch. I must have. I did despicable things. My father reminded me of the things I did. He remembered how I rejected the loveliest of them all, loveliest to me. Had I accepted to see her just once, Father told me, I would have known."

Sally was flirting with Zal, "You smell sort of like my daddy. He is very pretty, I heard that. My daddy had many ladie..."

Darcy heard her and ran to get her. Elizabeth was busy. Thank god. "Miss Sally, what have we said about gossiping?"

Zal guffawed, it got worse. "It is the truth, you did, you visited them." Her growly voice was ornery. Zal couldn't stop laughing.

Elizabeth, she narrowed her eyes and looked towards them. "Who did William visit?" She asked Sally.

When Sally detected the sharp edge to her voice, Sally surprised Darcy, "His friends." Sally jumped and went to her babies. Zal couldn't stop laughing. Elizabeth knew that nothing else would be said, narrowing her eyes further, she left.

Darcy explained, "I didn't know Sally could talk. It was a surprise. Imagine, she is bossy and a gossip,"

"My way is the best, I never had anyone else," Zal told him, looking at Sally, "she might be a gossip, but they are all beauties. They are unique because of nature; to date, there are only a few bred with a local wild canine. The beast has been domesticated by a few, it is cunning, fierce, and can morph and talk."

"Never?" Darcy barely listened to the spiel about Sally's kin, because he was still hearing Zal's statement. The one about never having a lover. He knew that Zal was more than a hundred years old. Darcy couldn't get over; never had he a lover? He had to have many females after him.

"No, why should I? We are different, we wait to be in a union, less conflict. Now that I know my Lady Elizabeth, I will wait longer." He looked at Darcy, hoping Darcy would soften.

Darcy knew that Lizzie would admire Zal, and would think less of him. He had just broken up with his mistress as he remembered, right before Kent. He had been ridiculous, proud, and a bit of an idiot. Thinking of the night in Kent...no best to put that away.

Maybe he should tell Lizzie about his mistresses, not those many, or that often. He did it mostly because it was expected of him. She might understand. No, that was a bad idea, she had a temper. He could still hear her words about never marrying him if he were the last man on earth.

Best to keep quiet. Darcy remembered what Argo had said. If Lizzie rejected him before a formal marriage, he would go back to the future where he had lost her. An uncertain future where Georgiana and Lydia were dead, and he had married Anne. The thought made his insides hurt. Zal was right, his way was better.

At the Hurst manor, Charles had a feel of wrongness, of danger. It had saved him at least twice. He was regretting his former decisions, not liking to be excluded from William's life. His looks and charm made it easy to get assignments and lovers, but they never brought him much satisfaction. He would change, he would show William he was a worthwhile friend. He could swear his life was in peril, but why? He could smell something wrong.

a/n Oh oh. Hopefully I can publish this chapter, I have tried for nearly a day.