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

a/n no more, have fun, be well. One more chapter, and it will be the end of part 1. Then a few chapters of PP. I am not sure there is enough interest on fantasy PP, I like it. but then I write about it. Imagine, to the outside world they look normal, but they lead dual lives; have fun.

At22

Finding a Vermin Hunter

Raven wanted to locate George. He went around, asking for ideas.

Zal remembered something, "I was thinking, Sally's great-grandfather is famous for his ability to smell vermin, even the ones who hide well. He was paid fortunes to find them, but now he lives alone. There is a tragic love story, his and Sally's great-grandmother. He found her once he crossed to the human side. Sadly, she died when she had Sally's grandmother, he brought her to healers, but she died. I think he stayed around. Maybe we should visit the healers, they live on Argo's side."

Afterward, they talked about a grand ball, to announce the Union, make it official, and to introduce the daughters.

"I would like to invite William to meet my father. We could go on a short visit with my Lord Raven; it would make it easier to explain. Maybe if Lady Elizabeth could come, my father might understand," Zal grimaced. "I am afraid of his reaction over my blood sharing."

Darcy agreed, it was more than fair. Elizabeth wanted to come and bring the puppy as a show of good faith.

"My Lady, I cannot accept your generous gift, it saddens William. I know he has a deep attachment to them," Zal looked at Darcy, whose face broke in a grin.

Darcy surprised him back. Zal had a generous spirit; it was a good thing to learn, so Darcy told him, "The day our lady makes a decision, I will honor her wishes. There couldn't be a better choice than you. That day, we will have enough girls to get us in trouble."

Zal moved in front of William and hugged him with great affection, but said nothing.

Elizabeth was smiling, William was full of surprises. She wasn't ready for anyone else, but one day, she knew that it would happen. Analee told Elizabeth how fortunate she was, to be chosen by the king's son, and by Zal, whose father was powerful. Not only that, but he was also wanted by most females, and probably by some males.

Raven and Argo grinned and looked at each other conspiratorially, so Analee wondered about their exchange, she had seen their friendliness and dared to hope. Seeing William in his Fae form, looking so much like Raven and made her yearn for Raven, but not for the way he'd treated her. All she wanted was to be with her son. He would need to go to her court. He would be their ruler when he was ready to take over, and her uncle and family wanted to meet him. Now she had two sons, one was Zal, who besides his looks, he had a dragon spirit, generous and kind.

Georgiana didn't share everyone's opinion about Mr. Pretty as she called him. At that moment, she didn't like what she saw or heard, Mr. Pretty is a scaly snake, trying to steal Lizzie; William is blind, liking the conceited thieving Prince. Georgina thought looking at Zal with displeasure, and harrumphed.

"Your brother likes Mr. Pretty, the scaly snake trying to steal his Lizzie. William is silly," Vicky said quite loud, feeling Georgiana's displeasure she repeated Georgiana's complaints. She loved Georgiana and stayed by her side.

Zal laughed, knowing that Georgiana didn't like him. When Georgiana turned bright blue, Zal said, "So Mr. Pretty, the scaly snake, uhu! Poor Georgie, another victim of the gossipy sisters."

The little incident made most laugh and cleared the anger.

Sally, Vicky, Sally's mother, Raven, Analee, and Georgiana were to stay with Smith; Vicky said she would stay behind to feed the puppies if Sally went. Sally's mother wanted to stay to guard the puppies, not wanting to leave their sight.

Zal, Darcy, Argo, Elizabeth, and Dee were to go, but Georgiana wouldn't let Dee go. So, Sally stuck to Darcy, saying she was a better choice than Dee.

Argo said. "If we bring Sally, we need to keep an eye on her. I know where to go; I know about the family who has Sally's grandmother."

The Hunter

They arrived at a place where you could only see thick trees, though it looked like a town with roads.

Argo smiled, "This is the place of the healer's people. Those are houses, as you call them. Many of our people live inside trees, or they make houses that look like them."

They arrived in front of a big tree. Arrows were being shot at them.

Sally started to bark, and it stopped.

A Sally look-alike came running, Sally saw her, they sniffed each other, and took off playing around.

Two stick fairies came out, and two more flying dogs flew by them. The fairies kneeled when they saw Argo, apologizing for the arrows. Argo told them not to worry, and explained why they were there.

"Yes, Erzo, the father comes around. If his daughter calls him, he will show up." The female told them.

Sally stopped playing and told them about the 'Bad George,' and how her daddy was nearly killed by the vermin George brought. Her daddy was the princess's husband. Her mommy lived with King Raven.

They waited after Sally's grandmother barked many times, calling her Papa.

A large mastif, sort of, looking like a terrier but in giant size, appeared. He was a scary looking beast, with matted, dirty fur; he had curved fangs, and a tail ending in a spike. When he saw Sally, he shrunk in size and flew to her side.

Sally sneezed, Apparently he stunk. A strange growly laughter and, "Ah, she is like my love, I smell of the swamps. A smell of flowers filled the air; the matted fur was clean and glossy; he was a handsome dog.

"Who are you precious? I never met you." Erzo asked.

"You grandchild, Sally," Elizabeth told him.

"You look like my love. The same color, she was a beauty." He sighed.

"She has babies," Zal told him, a lure to tempt him to help. "Her sister does too, six babies all together."

Immediately, Sally's relatives all wanted to come. Erzo's daughter told the stick fairies, "We'll be careful; they are dangerous enemies. You hate them," they said, looking at Darcy and at Zal, who had the darker coloring, "they are from the dark kingdom, probably wicked."

The couple turned bright blue, making Darcy and Zal laugh, "You see where the gossip comes from, it runs in the family.''

Sally's great grandfather looked at Sally, "The bad George, nearly killed my daddy. I love him." She ran to Darcy flying into his arms; Darcy noticed that Sally was shivering. He kissed her, "My Sally, my best girl."

Many of the resident were coming out to look, when they saw their prince all were in awe.

Elizabeth added, "Sir, we need your help," she told Erzo more about George, of how dangerous he was.

Sally's great grandfather looked at Sally, who told him, "He almost killed my daddy. I love him." She ran to Darcy, flying into his arms.

Darcy noticed that Sally was shivering. He kissed her, "My Sally, my best girl."

Many of the residents were coming out to look when they saw their Prince Argo, everyone was in awe.

Erzo said, "The human world is dangerous, it makes me sad. The creatures that escape from here hunt there. So you know not all vermin are rotten. Some live quiet lives, not calling attention to theirselves. I was paid to capture the bad ones, but I am not well these days. Though I already feel better with such a visit, with my precious beauty."

Sally flew to him and licked his face a few times, "Papa, Papa," she kept saying, he actually chuckled. He transformed into a huge, muscled male. Scary looking, but apparently he could morph into many beings. It made them all wonder if Sally could morph.

He picked up Sally, "For my little beauty, I will do it; but first I want to see the little ones."

They went back with three more dogs, and the strange whoever. Argo invited the couple to see the king after they went by Raven. They came with their dogs, one male, and two females. The visitor dogs were weary until they saw the little ones.

The giant dog melted with the puppies; he picked them up and kissed them.

He surprised them all by crying. "I didn't see the pups growing up, I was too upset, I left them with the healer. The pups are so beautiful. I would like to be around to see them grow. My love was mostly like me, the humans didn't know. " He had to stop, to gather himself.

"She told me her parents died in a fire, they said they were witches and were burnt. Luckily, they had taught her to hide her nature. I didn't know that she had been injured running from the attackers; having the babies was too much. She was having a hard life when I found her. She was hiding, and didn't have much to eat, my poor love, we only had a few years together." Most of the females present cried with him.

Darcy invited him to stay with him, someone very useful to have around. Georgiana's puppy, Dee adored him. All the dogs called him Papa.

"Now, I am ready. You stay, my Sally loves you," he told Darcy in a bossy voice.

Darcy could not believe Erzo ordering him.

Argo said, "I will go with Green, Alesa, and Zal."

Zal said, "No, I promised my father I would never cross. I have disobeyed enough."

"But we might need you," Argo tried to convince him.

Elizabeth wanted to go, "I am coming along."

Argo thought about it, "If you have your mother's gifts you should go, they will be useful. I should have let you go before."

"What are they?" Elizabeth asked.

"They will manifest if you need them, you will 'see' things minutes before they happen to you, bad things. That was why your mother was able to hide you three when the murderer came."

"Who was he?" Lizzie asked.

"A suitor, one of Raven's princes, I have no proof other than some saw him, but he wanted the children dead and to take her. He brought an army. They were cloaked. My wife and the girls were walking with Green and one of his cousins. They chained the dragons, and they told her the dragons couldn't help her. She hid the children inside a cave, Green finally freed himself, by the time he found her, she was mortally injured." Argo stopped to think.

"My father put her body in a special chamber. It is a special place where she could be healed if anyone has the power to do it, but the chances are next to none. We tried a few things, but nothing worked. She is dead, even if neither her parents, nor my father can accept it. My mother, and the other husband, are in there as well. What is more tragic is that her suitor was her one. To this day, he swears he didn't do it. They said he cries often. I think that she married me, loving another, nut she was a good wife. Her parents were nobles with great ambitions, and forced the marriage on her." Argo didn't tell them that they had tried to change the past, but the results were always the same.

With this, they went to see Zal's father.

The sad Prince.

Zal was scared of his father's reaction. Sally came along, announcing that if she had another baby, it would be for Zal's father.

Raven, Darcy, Zoe, and Elizabeth came along. They entered the glass structure; inside, it looked a lot like Raven's place. In here there were singing birds, small ponds, flower gardens, short tree, and small water falls, it was beautiful. The round creature from before came to greet them, they noticed that it looked like a bear. Lizzie smiled, "Pretty lady, my child is lucky." It made Lizzie giggle; Zal grinned.

A tall male much like Raven, met them. He was elegantly dressed, he wore a jeweled half helmet and a short chain-mail vest. He wasn't taking any chances, "Ah, son, you are back. My Lord," he bowed when he saw Raven.

"Call me Raven, no formalities, please."

"Zal, same as my son, my love wanted it so." Lizzie noticed how handsome he was, no wonder Zal looked like he did. But he looked sad. His eyes zeroed on Darcy, he looked puzzled.

He finally saw Zoe. She came to him, and they kissed twice, "My mother misses your company, do come." They had been best friends, a union was planned until he saw the dragon beauty. The same day, he backed out the Union. Zoe's mother had been broken-hearted, but she was now content. Content, but she was always a little sad.

"Maybe later, and who are they?" He pointed at Lizzie and William.

Sally flew to sniff him. Zal was happy, the first time he had seen his father smile in a while. "I am Sally, I like Zal, he likes my mommy."

Zal didn't see this one coming, he wanted to growl, naughty girl.

"My beauty," he kissed Sally, "Who is your mama?"

"My mommy is with my daddy," was Sally's astute answer, when she felt the displeasure.

Zal rushed, "Father, this is Lady Elizabeth," his father tensed, he blamed Argo's people for his wife's death. "Lady Elizabeth is Prince Argo's daughter. He is the heir." His father looked upset and angry, but waited, "And this is her consort, Prince William, King Raven's son."

Now his father looked puzzled. "Wait, a prince? I didn't know we had one," he looked a Darcy, "you are in part one of Argo's people. Why are you are in a union with a daughter from our enemy?"

"Because it is time for peace, we are tired of war. We have bigger worries, the armies of darkness grow; thus, we need to unite. William's mother is Lady Analee, she was one of my, ahem, my ladies. He grew up with the humans, and she did as well."

"I don't like the fascination with them," Zal senior interjected. "Humans are dangerous, primitive, and brutal. I dislike them and have no use for them."

Sally asked, "Why are you sad and angry?"

Darcy wanted to put a muzzle on her, Zal agreed, this was not going well.

"When I have more babies, you can take one, they will make you happy." She went and licked him, and he grinned.

"Thank you, my lady Sally, so we can visit."

Zal talked before Sally said something worse.

"So, my son Zal likes your mommy?"

"Yes, Georgie called him a snake thief."

"Sally enough, you are a gossip," Zal told her.

Zal's father was guffawing, "No," he repeated something Argo had said before, "she is informing me."

Ravens shook his head, he'd advised not to bring her, like mother, like daughter.

"Yes, I have told Lady Elizabeth that when she is ready to accept me, I am waiting for her," Zal told his father.

"I see. But why do I feel so much affection for our Prince? There can be only one explanation, one I can neither condone or agree with it; one that would make me very angry. Zal, tell me that you haven't done something stupid." Zal's father was not smiling. His handsome face reflected his concern.

Everyone in the room was afraid, Zal was worried, he knew what could happen when his father was angry; he had seen the fear caused by his anger killing others.

Charles

The price to call whatever powers he might have was to give up something he liked. He had to promise, not just a promise, he had to be committed. If later on, he were to renege on his promise, the consequences could cost him his life. He made the promise, performed the short ritual, cutting his finger. He wrote his name at the bottom of the page with his blood. He didn't feel any different, until he heard like an army of mice coming from Louisa and Hurst's room. He looked for a piece of clean linen, touched it with his still bleeding finger, repeated the words in the book, and the linen started glowing.

He took his pistol, already loaded, and the cloth; with them he walked to the room. Strangely, he was not afraid. Moreover, he could feel that whatever was in the room, was whatever the thing outside wanted.

A/n So now you know, Sally is a quasi-dog; she is a Fae creature. As for Charles, it would seem he has magical gifts, and he is going to use them well.