Love Connections
Chapter three
Again shrouded in darkness, the darklighter was observing his visitor attentively.
The newcomer was a balding man, short in stature and not really impressive, but the Darklighter knew that his colleague's appearance was deceptive.
He had to be careful however. Jacob, the darklighter thought of using for his plans, couldn't know of his true goal. The Darklighter knew that killing the two whitelighters was imperative to his success. However, he didn't want to risk being exposed, even though he still thought that he could do the job himself. His first attempt had been a risky one; he wasn't going to take the same chance again. Jacob would do it, as he was one who particularly hated whitelighters, devoting most of his energies to chasing them. Still, if he had known about Paige, then he most certainly would have gone after her as well, and it wouldn't do at all.
Jacob questioned the Darklighter.
"Why are you so adamant about those two in particular?"
"Do I really need to give you a reason? No matter, they have been a thorn in my side for a while already, and I just thought that you could help me getting rid of them, but if you won't…"
Jacob protested:
"Hey, don't play games with me. I'll see what I can do, although somehow I've got the feeling there's something you're not telling me…"
The Darklighter cleared his throat, faking embarrassment. He already had an all made-up explanation, and it had the advantage to be the truth:
"Well, there's a little problem… One of them is the father of an archangel…"
Jacob took a step back, obviously startled.
"I can't go up against an archangel!"
The Darklighter reassured him immediately.
"He's only half-archangel, which makes him vulnerable. He also has another weakness. He loves a woman and their child. His concerns are mostly with them. I don't think that he'll be a problem at all…"
Jacob seemed to think about it. He was still puzzled by his colleague's need for assistance, but his thirst for whitelighter's blood was almost boundless. These two would just add to his trophies.
"I'll see what I can do…" Jacob finally uttered with a cruel smile.
The darklighter almost applauded, but instead he simply nodded in approval. Jacob vanished in a cloud of black orbs, leaving the Darklighter to savor his upcoming victory…
Phoebe heard Paige's bedroom door closing, and she waited a moment before continuing…
Cole, who was somewhat back from the shock of her first revelation, was now really curious about the next story:
"Hey don't leave me hanging here…"
Phoebe laughed heartily.
"What's the big hurry? Is it really that you're interested in how long we have known each other, or is it because I said that you were supposed to marry Prue?"
Cole took a falsely offended stance.
"I never even fancied your sister and for excellent reasons…"
Phoebe put her delicate yet forceful fist against his chest and pushed hard, only amusing him even more, "You had better not…"
At this point, they almost forgot altogether about the stories, as the game was quickly morphing into something else. But again, they heard a muffled but distinct coughing sound coming from Paige's room and that stopped them, temporarily…
"Hum," Cole uttered then, "you might as well continue. Besides, I really am curious about our past. I never imagined that it was going so far back…"
"Until I got those dreams, neither did I."
'Prue was pacing back and forth nervously the length of her bedroom. Today was the day that she was to meet her promised. To say the least, she wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of marrying him, but her sense of duty to her sisters and cousin superceded her own needs. Her sisters themselves had protested against her sacrifice. They knew that she loved another already, but Prue had been inflexible about it.
She had been raised with the notion that duty came before one's own desires. She intended to see this ordeal through… Still, at the moment she feared what was to come. She didn't want her sisters to know this. It would have encouraged them in their protestations. So that when the discreet knock on the door interrupted her pacing, she fought hard to get her countenance back before acknowledging her visitor…
When she thought that she was ready, she invited them in calmly.
"Come in…"
Phoebe entered decisively, as she was to make one last attempt at dissuading her sister. Prue, however, saw her coming and lifted a firm hand in front of her sister.
"Don't try again, I won't change my mind." She said firmly. "The safety of this house and all who live in it depends on it…"
Phoebe wouldn't be deterred.
"I'm sure that we can find another way. Paul loves you and you love him. How could you not want to be with him?"
Prue grimaced in spite of her best resolutions.
"Paul understands just as I do that it's necessary."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. He looked to me like he might change his mind about duty."
Prue hesitated, and then:
"He will accept it and so will you…"
Phoebe sighed heavily but understood that her sister was too set in her ways to be dissuaded. She still made one last try nonetheless.
"Why can't I do it? I'm not attached to anyone, and I would be willing to do it…"
Prue looked affectionately at her sister. She was grateful to have such loving sisters.
"I would never force you to do this. As the oldest, it's my duty to protect you all. Besides, you know that the Duke has been very specific about this."
Phoebe the prickling of tears coming, and Prue recognized the distress in her.
"Don't be sad, Phoebe. Who knows, maybe it won't be as terrible as we're imagining. True enough, his family is known to be ruthless, but they're also people of honor. They have a strong army and are well off. In addition, this marriage will most probably bring back our own people to us. It's not a bad thing to marry one in a family like that. We will all be safe for the rest of our lives thanks to this. For that alone, I'm sure that I will be able to accept him, however he is…"
"I just wish that we knew more about that man…"
"Well at least he's a young man," Prue smiled sadly. "It could have been worse. He could have been an old geezer."
They both tried to laugh at the joke attempt, but it was only a half-hearted chortle, which died off quickly.
Outside Prue's window, they could hear the sound of horses coming fast toward the castle. The time had come…
Piper and Paige joined Prue and Phoebe inside the great hall, where they were to meet Cole and his escort. His father had come as well; present only to complete the arrangements. As a dowry, they had to offer a piece of their land to the Duke, but at least this had come with the promise of protection. The Duke of course, counted on an heir, so that his family would still end up owning the whole land eventually. This was also why he had insisted on the oldest. Prue, knowing full well the ambitions of the Duke, intended to make sure that her sisters and their descendants would always be under the Duke's protection, no matter what…
The girls stood fast, waiting for their visitors. They were all a little scared inside, but they had all been taught to hide such feelings. Dignity demanded they looked assured, and so did the upcoming negotiations. They could hear the heavy footsteps of their visitors, as they made their way toward the great hall. A servant preceded them and announced, uselessly, the arrival of the Duke of Cairns and his entourage. The Duke, an imposing man of about fifty, almost pushed the servant aside, not bothering to salute the ladies but instead coming directly at them. He was soon followed by two other much younger men, which were just as imposing, even in their dusty traveling clothes. Prue had to refrain from uttering a cry at the sight of them, for the filth made them look like savages. The Duke began loudly.
"So who is the promised?"
Prue was startled by his rudeness and didn't answer right away. She could feel her sisters' hesitation as well. It wasn't starting well.
She had expected a certain lack of polish from those people but never this total disaster. Finally, she took a deep breath and took a step forward:
"I am she, and also the one who will discuss the terms of the arrangement."
The Duke eyed her with a hint of contempt. He wasn't used to dealing with women. However, he was very interested in adding this land to his holdings, as it would not only give him more riches, but also a stronger stand against his enemies.
"What's there to discuss? I thought that the arrangement was mutually beneficial and all taken care of…"
"There's the matter of the future," Prue announced as firmly as she could. Until then, she had not even tried to guess who the man she was to marry was. All that mattered was her family' safety.
"Before I can accept the terms of this agreement, I have to make sure that my family will be under your protection for all time…"
The Duke didn't seem to relish this idea very much. He had counted on ultimately taking the whole place and ousting the inhabitants. This would take much longer than he had thought…
One of the younger men came closer, looking curiously toward Prue, and then the other girls.
"I can assure you," he said, obviously to the Duke's discontent, "we have no intentions of letting you down."
Prue turned to him:
"And who might you be, sir?"
Through the filth, she noticed the piercing blue eyes and the gentle smile.
"I am Cole Cairns, your fiancé…"
Prue thought right then that as luck would have it, at least the man wasn't as bad as his father… Still, she had no idea of what this smile might be hiding, and she was not about to concede anything until she had written proof of his words.
It didn't help his cause that as soon as he had said this, he turned his attention toward her sisters, his smile widening noticeably. She cast a quick glance behind her, only to find that Phoebe was smiling back at him, in the pretend shyness she knew so well how to use in attracting men. She had always been very successful with them, and Prue wondered often why none of them had captured her heart as of yet. Still, she dismissed Phoebe attitude as one more attempt to save her from a forced marriage.
"Maybe, she said aloud, breaking the moment between them, "if you'd all like to wash up and have some supper, we could continue this discussion later on?"
The Duke didn't seem to appreciate her not so subtle allusion to their appearances, but his son and the other man with him smiled apparently more amused than insulted. They then agreed for him.
Prue found this again very reassuring, even as she summoned one of the servants and ordered him to show the men to their rooms.
Cole took leave of them with a half curtsy, which told her that court's manners had not been a big part of his upbringing. What bothered her even more was the fact that all the while he had been looking behind her, no doubts in the direction of her younger sister.
Before leaving, the man who had not spoken as of yet, came forward, trying just as inefficiently to curtsy, and then introducing himself.
"Good day! I'm Leo Cairns, the youngest in our family." Prue simply nodded in acknowledgement and he left the room behind his father and brother."
Phoebe waited only a moment before she exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Oh what a man!"
Prue glanced curiously at her.
"How would you know? He was covered in mud from head to toes…"
"I saw it in his eyes…"
For the first time, Prue wondered if her sister wasn't truly interested…
Although, she knew that her sister had always been very enthusiastic about her likes and dislikes. Their nanny had tried very hard to teach them reserve, but in Phoebe's case it has been almost hopeless. Even if it occasionally made Prue uncomfortable, she actually was grateful for her sister's openness…
Prue returned pensively to her room; only to find Paul there, waiting for her…
"You shouldn't be here, we already said all there was to say."
Paul came closer, undeterred.
"Did we?"
"We can't do this," Prue replied painfully, "you know that our safety depends on this marriage."
Paul dismissed her protests:
"What about my sanity? The more I think about it, the less I can stand the idea of you belonging to another man…"
Prue couldn't look at him directly. She feared her own reaction. For as long as she had known him, he alone had been able to make her lower all of her defenses. She was helpless to resist him and tried her best to stay away.
Paul continued.
"See what you're doing? You can't even look me in the eyes. I know you love me. You can't marry that man; I implore you to reconsider. We'll find another way."
Prue couldn't become weak, not now…
"What other way would that be? Abandon the house of our ancestors and run away toward the unknown?"
"My family…"
She interrupted Paul.
"As much as I respect and love your family, they cannot help us. You know that we need more strength than they can offer to defend this place…"
Paul put his head down, sadly unable to contradict her.
His family and hers had been friends for a very long time. Their fathers had been as close as two men could be, and until Prue's father passed away, it had been a given that Paul and Prue would marry one day. However, after the Duke died and the troubles started, Prue had broken her promise to him. He knew that she had done this out of her sense of duty, and he admired her for it, but it didn't change the fact that he loved her more than life itself. He had tried very hard to accept her decision, but now that it was almost a done deal, he regretted not having insisted…
He couldn't resist the impulse that came to him next, as he went to her quickly and enveloped her in his strong arms. She tried to protest but he stopped her by crushing her lips with his. His kiss was more passionate than ever, and she resisted only an instant before she responded in kind. However, she finally came to her senses and pushed him off, looking away from him. Paul was almost out of breath and barely heard when Prue spoke, nearly a whisper.
"Please leave…"
For a long moment he just stood there, unable to stop looking at her. Then at last, he said:
"I will always love you, know that."
When she didn't turn to him, he understood that she couldn't and he took his leave of her, although reluctantly.
When she was certain that he was gone, she glanced at the wooden door with teary eyes, and in the same voice, she uttered:
"Good bye, my love."
Later that evening and for most of the next morning, Prue and the Duke discussed the arrangements, but without making much progress. She knew that he was pushing hard because she was a woman. He thought that he would get his way eventually by bullying her, and Prue had to use all of her inner strength not to give in.
How she wished that her father were still alive, she told herself that afternoon after another harsh exchange with the Duke. Then, none of it would have been necessary. She retired to her rooms for some well-needed rest, her heart heavy with the weight of her regrets.
Meanwhile, she had not seen her fiancé again since the night before, but her sisters had…
That afternoon, Phoebe and Piper were taking a walk in the meadow near the castle, discussing their concerns for their sisters but also another subject that Prue would have found rather unladylike…
"What did you think of them?" Phoebe asked.
"Who?"
"The young men, who else…?"
Piper feigned indifference.
"Not much really…"
Phoebe smiled wickedly.
"I saw the way you looked at Leo this morning. Your eyes lit right up…"
Piper couldn't help the slight blush at the thought of the young man. However, she wasn't about to encourage Phoebe.
"Don't be ridiculous. He is an unworthy man. I barely noticed him…"
Phoebe pursued, undeterred by her sister's protest.
"Your mouth may be saying this, but I know you Piper; your heart is saying otherwise…"
Piper denied again, although mildly.
"You don't know my heart."
Phoebe smiled anew.
"Don't I?"
Piper then turned the table on her sister.
"And what about you…? I've seen the way you looked at Cole. You know that it's really wrong of you?"
"I just noticed how handsome he is…"
Phoebe couldn't help thinking back to this morning, when she had seen him, clean and shaved. He was the handsomest man she had ever seen, and right then, she had been jealous of her sister. What hurt most was the fact that she knew how her sister truly felt. Prue could never love that man, at least not like she thought he would deserve to be loved.
Even those thoughts had surprised her greatly. Phoebe liked men well enough, but she never found one that she thought would be worth giving herself to. Yet, as she was looking at Cole, she had the feeling that he might have been the one. He suddenly had noticed her staring and smiled. She had turned around quickly, almost running away, as her heart pounded in her chest.
Piper interrupted her train of thoughts when she noticed her distracted stare.
"Phoebe?"
Phoebe shook her head and turned to her questioningly.
"What?"
"I've never seen you like this, you have to get over it, he's not meant for you…"
"Why not? It would solve all the problems… Prue could marry Paul, as she truly wishes…"
"You know perfectly well that the Duke won't accept this. He hasn't offered his help out of the goodness of his heart. He wants our estate ultimately, and only a marriage with Prue will provide this for him…"
The voice behind them made them jump.
"Ladies? Aren't you scared of walking in the open unprotected? The times are dangerous enough, but much worse for young ladies like you…" It had been Cole talking.
Phoebe and Piper turned in block to find themselves facing the two men they had just been discussing. Phoebe felt her face turn red at this, as she was certain that they must have known.
However, if they did, neither one of them mentioned it.
"Will you allow us to keep you safe on your promenade?" Leo asked instead.
Still speechless, both girls nodded in agreement, almost at the same time. After an awkward moment where none of them spoke, Cole approached Phoebe and graciously offered his arm to her. She put her hand on his arm lightly and they started walking slowly as Leo did the same for Piper.
For a while, Phoebe and Cole just walked in silence. More than once he turned to her, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself. Finally, Phoebe couldn't stand this anymore.
"Why did you agree to this marriage?"
He uttered a surprised laughter.
"You are very blunt, aren't you?"
"I don't see the point of circling around the issues, if that's what you mean…"
"Well if you must know… It's true that you have been raised quite differently than we have; but duty was also a big part of our upbringing…"
"So, it's not for our estate, it's about the duty to your father?"
For some reason, Phoebe felt like provoking him.
However, Cole wasn't going to be goaded that easily. He smiled at her instead, somehow knowing better than she did what she was trying to do…
They kept silent some more, still walking toward the nearest tree covered area. He was so calm and confident that she found it hard to believe that his father could dominate him.
"What do you think of my sister?" Phoebe suddenly asked.
"She's a lovely girl…"
"That's not much to say about the woman that you will marry…"
"At the moment, I'm not married yet…"
The tone of his voice had been so suggestive that she couldn't help feeling warmth coursing through her.
"Be careful, sir. Prue is my sister after all…"
While talking, they had stopped and Phoebe could see her sister getting further away with Leo. She wondered about the properness of being alone with her sister's fiancé, particularly one that she felt so attracted to. What was worse, she could sense that it was mutual. She suddenly let go of his arm, and went ahead.
He hurried by her side, catching her arm.
"Have I offended you?"
"It's just the circumstances…" Phoebe replied, again pulling her arm out of his grip.
"Maybe we should return to the castle," she then said, even if she was far from wanting to.
Cole was about to answer when a scream attracted their attention. Turning toward the forest, they saw men on horses; they were coming out of the woods and going straight at Leo and Piper. Leo had already pulled his sword, ready for action, as he pushed Piper behind him. Cole didn't hesitate and drew his sword as well, now running toward them.
The first of the attackers reached Leo and Piper long before Cole could help but, fortunately, Leo was able to fend him off, then another and another came out of the woods. Phoebe thought at this point that they must have heard of the arrangement about to be signed with the Duke of Cairns. She guessed that their intention was to kidnap them to provoke a battle with the Duke, this before the marriage was an accomplished fact, and their own army was back. Of course, their enemies knew that if this were to happen, their land would become practically impregnable.
Cole reached them just in time to fend one of the men, as he was going to hit his brother in the back. They battled fiercely from then on, keeping Piper between them and Phoebe could see that duty was not the only thing that had been taught to them. After a few minutes, many of the assailants were lying on the ground dead or wounded, and the others retreated back toward the woods. Phoebe was just starting to breathe easier when she felt herself being lifted off the ground unceremoniously, and tossed across a horse. The noises from the battle had covered the approach of her kidnapper, but the screams she uttered got heard. The other three immediately saw that she was in trouble and Cole didn't hesitate to take one of the mounts that were now rider less, thanks to them, and he went to Phoebe's rescue. Leo, realizing that the same fate could befall Piper, stayed behind to protect her…
The kidnapper was pushing his horse to the limit, but the added weight of his victim slowed him down considerably. Thus, Cole managed to reach them after only a few miles of pursuit. Without stopping the horse, he jumped at the man, and threw him off the mount while the animal continued a ways, still carrying Phoebe. This one, once free of the man grasp, managed to get a hold of the rein and to stop the horse. She then turned it back toward the two men, who were still battling on the ground. For a moment it appeared as if her kidnapper was getting the best of Cole, as he threw him hard to the ground and Cole stopped moving. Phoebe saw the other man drawing his sword and without any more hesitation, she rammed him with the horse, sending him flying a good ways and hitting the ground hard. Meanwhile, Cole had time to recuperate, as he got back up, ready to finish the bandit. He ran toward him, only to discover that this one had broken his neck in the fall. He wouldn't be any danger to anyone. Cole gave an appreciative glance to Phoebe, as she herself was still under the shock of her ordeal. Now that the danger had apparently passed, she could finally give in to her emotions, and tears ran down her cheeks freely. However, when she noticed Cole' stare, she wiped them almost angrily, not wanting him to see her weak side.
Cole found her prideful gesture even more appealing.
"Well, I thought that I was saving you, and you ended up saving me…"
"I guess we're even then…"
Cole observed the surroundings for a moment.
"Not quite, we seem to be short a mount…"
The horse that he was riding had continued on his way and was now out of sight.
He went on, seeing as she was not answering.
"I could walk of course, but it's not safe in the open as you just saw. I really think that we should try to get back to the castle as fast as possible."
Phoebe acquiesced and he mounted the horse behind her. The moment she felt him against her back, all the desire that she had felt in the morning came flooding back... Phoebe had to fight the urge of just leaning against his strong chest. For a moment, she thought that he was going to try something, as his face was almost to the nape of her neck, but then he took the reins and kicked the horse. However, even though he had hinted at going back to the castle in a hurry, he only rode the horse to a trot, apparently not so impatient to arrive anymore. Phoebe stood very stiffly in front of him, and every time that his arms rubbed against her waist, she almost jumped. At long last, Cole questioned her about it.
"Are you always so stiff on a horse?"
He was bending toward her while saying this, and when she turned her face toward him, their lips almost touched. Phoebe looked ahead quickly, her chest heaving. She thought she felt him trembling against her, but it had been a fleeting moment, and then he pulled himself away from her.
"I guess that I'm just a bit tense from the attack," she lied.
"I suppose it makes sense…"
Phoebe was trying very hard to resist the urge to turn back toward him and she had almost exhausted all of her will, when the castle came into view. She sighed, as much in relief as in disappointment.
She was convinced that he felt the same from the tone of his voice, when he said:
"Home sweet home…"
"Yes," she trailed.
When they were close enough, they saw that a posse was assembling in the courtyard. Obviously, Leo and Piper had alerted them. Prue was there too, and saw them first. This in turn drew the others' attention to them.
Prue and Piper ran toward Phoebe with big smiles of relief.
"Phoebe," Prue uttered, "Oh my god, I thought we lost you."
Cole spoke for the both of them.
"You should not count your sister out so easily, she can defend herself…"
Piper and Prue stared at him and Phoebe in turn with perplexed expressions, but no explanation was forthcoming from either one of them, as they dismounted. Phoebe thought that Prue could read her feelings on her face, but this one didn't seem to notice anything. On the other hand, her strange attitude didn't escape Piper' scrutiny. Nevertheless, she kept her own comments for later.
"Thank you…" Phoebe said softly, again lost in his eyes as she looked back.
"It was nothing," he replied while returning her gaze with the same want as she felt. This time even Prue noticed the way they looked at each other. "Thank you as well," Cole whispered as he kissed her hand lightly. Phoebe quickly removed it, made self-conscious by the burning sensation that coursed through her from even the light touch of his lips. She smiled nervously and directed her paces toward the castle, not waiting for her sisters.
These were about to follow Phoebe when the thundering voice of the Duke stopped them. He didn't care much for the danger that the sisters had faced, but he had felt this attack as a personal affront. What Phoebe had thought a rescue party was in fact meant as a reprisal against the opposing Duke of LaTour.
"You and Leo come with us," he told his sons in a loud voice. "Those brigands will not get away with attacking people under my protection."
His sons tried to reason with him.
"Father," Leo uttered, "we only have a small company here, and those men are probably massing, ready for an attack…"
"Leo's right," Cole approved, "we should send for reinforcement. After all, we promised full protection to our hostesses…"
The Duke seemed utterly irritated at his sons' caution:
"Did I raise cowards," he replied in a hard voice.
Cole stood fast in front of him, and Phoebe, who had heard the clamors and stopped at the door, could now see that he wasn't afraid of his father at all. Against her best judgement, it made her proud, even if she had no right.
"Father, if I thought we could win this war by going now, you know that I would and so would Leo. The fact is the enemy has the advantage at the moment. We shouldn't take the risk now or we'll most likely lose."
The father and his son stared each other down tensely for a long moment. Everyone around them held their breath. Then the Duke seemed to relax visibly.
He smiled and slapped his son rudely across the shoulder:
"Of course, you're right son."
The Duke immediately went back toward the men already on the horses, and then he charged one with the task of going for reinforcement, as his son had suggested. Meanwhile, Cole turned toward the girls.
"As promised, we will protect you. For the moment, we can efficiently defend the castle for more than a week, I'm sure of that. This should give time for our army to come down and present a strong front to LaTour's army."
Prue approved of his plan, but noticed his wandering stare, even as he was talking to them. She turned back to see her sister staring back.
For a moment, even with the distance, there seemed to be electricity passing between them. Prue pursed her lips with serious concern. She had no reason to be jealous, but she knew that it wouldn't do if Cole chose to refuse her in marriage because of Phoebe. She promised herself to have a discussion with her sister as soon as possible.
Phoebe heard the cries first and then Cole did as well after she stopped talking abruptly.
"Oh, oh, time for a break," Cole said, already on his way to get Jason.
He changed him and brought him to Phoebe. As she was beginning to nurse him, Cole asked:
"Can you do that and talk?"
Phoebe smiled.
"Impatient, are you?"
"I do want to know what happens next, that's for sure…this is better than TV."
"Give me a moment…"
"But just that," he replied as he was settling down again to listen…
The darklighter was back at his observing post, his eyes fixated on Paige's window. He knew exactly how far he had to stay from the manor and the whitelighter. No risk of discovery… She was already in bed, and he could almost imagine her. "Patience," he told himself.
Paige had been awakened by the baby's cries, and almost got up, but she heard that either Phoebe or Cole was going to his room, and she tried to go back to sleep. This time, it seemed to take her an eternity as Matthew invaded her thoughts. She wanted to give in to her urges and soon. Carefulness was good, but she had needs and they had to be fulfilled. She tossed and turned for quite a while before she found sleep again…
Chapter three
Again shrouded in darkness, the darklighter was observing his visitor attentively.
The newcomer was a balding man, short in stature and not really impressive, but the Darklighter knew that his colleague's appearance was deceptive.
He had to be careful however. Jacob, the darklighter thought of using for his plans, couldn't know of his true goal. The Darklighter knew that killing the two whitelighters was imperative to his success. However, he didn't want to risk being exposed, even though he still thought that he could do the job himself. His first attempt had been a risky one; he wasn't going to take the same chance again. Jacob would do it, as he was one who particularly hated whitelighters, devoting most of his energies to chasing them. Still, if he had known about Paige, then he most certainly would have gone after her as well, and it wouldn't do at all.
Jacob questioned the Darklighter.
"Why are you so adamant about those two in particular?"
"Do I really need to give you a reason? No matter, they have been a thorn in my side for a while already, and I just thought that you could help me getting rid of them, but if you won't…"
Jacob protested:
"Hey, don't play games with me. I'll see what I can do, although somehow I've got the feeling there's something you're not telling me…"
The Darklighter cleared his throat, faking embarrassment. He already had an all made-up explanation, and it had the advantage to be the truth:
"Well, there's a little problem… One of them is the father of an archangel…"
Jacob took a step back, obviously startled.
"I can't go up against an archangel!"
The Darklighter reassured him immediately.
"He's only half-archangel, which makes him vulnerable. He also has another weakness. He loves a woman and their child. His concerns are mostly with them. I don't think that he'll be a problem at all…"
Jacob seemed to think about it. He was still puzzled by his colleague's need for assistance, but his thirst for whitelighter's blood was almost boundless. These two would just add to his trophies.
"I'll see what I can do…" Jacob finally uttered with a cruel smile.
The darklighter almost applauded, but instead he simply nodded in approval. Jacob vanished in a cloud of black orbs, leaving the Darklighter to savor his upcoming victory…
Phoebe heard Paige's bedroom door closing, and she waited a moment before continuing…
Cole, who was somewhat back from the shock of her first revelation, was now really curious about the next story:
"Hey don't leave me hanging here…"
Phoebe laughed heartily.
"What's the big hurry? Is it really that you're interested in how long we have known each other, or is it because I said that you were supposed to marry Prue?"
Cole took a falsely offended stance.
"I never even fancied your sister and for excellent reasons…"
Phoebe put her delicate yet forceful fist against his chest and pushed hard, only amusing him even more, "You had better not…"
At this point, they almost forgot altogether about the stories, as the game was quickly morphing into something else. But again, they heard a muffled but distinct coughing sound coming from Paige's room and that stopped them, temporarily…
"Hum," Cole uttered then, "you might as well continue. Besides, I really am curious about our past. I never imagined that it was going so far back…"
"Until I got those dreams, neither did I."
'Prue was pacing back and forth nervously the length of her bedroom. Today was the day that she was to meet her promised. To say the least, she wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of marrying him, but her sense of duty to her sisters and cousin superceded her own needs. Her sisters themselves had protested against her sacrifice. They knew that she loved another already, but Prue had been inflexible about it.
She had been raised with the notion that duty came before one's own desires. She intended to see this ordeal through… Still, at the moment she feared what was to come. She didn't want her sisters to know this. It would have encouraged them in their protestations. So that when the discreet knock on the door interrupted her pacing, she fought hard to get her countenance back before acknowledging her visitor…
When she thought that she was ready, she invited them in calmly.
"Come in…"
Phoebe entered decisively, as she was to make one last attempt at dissuading her sister. Prue, however, saw her coming and lifted a firm hand in front of her sister.
"Don't try again, I won't change my mind." She said firmly. "The safety of this house and all who live in it depends on it…"
Phoebe wouldn't be deterred.
"I'm sure that we can find another way. Paul loves you and you love him. How could you not want to be with him?"
Prue grimaced in spite of her best resolutions.
"Paul understands just as I do that it's necessary."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. He looked to me like he might change his mind about duty."
Prue hesitated, and then:
"He will accept it and so will you…"
Phoebe sighed heavily but understood that her sister was too set in her ways to be dissuaded. She still made one last try nonetheless.
"Why can't I do it? I'm not attached to anyone, and I would be willing to do it…"
Prue looked affectionately at her sister. She was grateful to have such loving sisters.
"I would never force you to do this. As the oldest, it's my duty to protect you all. Besides, you know that the Duke has been very specific about this."
Phoebe the prickling of tears coming, and Prue recognized the distress in her.
"Don't be sad, Phoebe. Who knows, maybe it won't be as terrible as we're imagining. True enough, his family is known to be ruthless, but they're also people of honor. They have a strong army and are well off. In addition, this marriage will most probably bring back our own people to us. It's not a bad thing to marry one in a family like that. We will all be safe for the rest of our lives thanks to this. For that alone, I'm sure that I will be able to accept him, however he is…"
"I just wish that we knew more about that man…"
"Well at least he's a young man," Prue smiled sadly. "It could have been worse. He could have been an old geezer."
They both tried to laugh at the joke attempt, but it was only a half-hearted chortle, which died off quickly.
Outside Prue's window, they could hear the sound of horses coming fast toward the castle. The time had come…
Piper and Paige joined Prue and Phoebe inside the great hall, where they were to meet Cole and his escort. His father had come as well; present only to complete the arrangements. As a dowry, they had to offer a piece of their land to the Duke, but at least this had come with the promise of protection. The Duke of course, counted on an heir, so that his family would still end up owning the whole land eventually. This was also why he had insisted on the oldest. Prue, knowing full well the ambitions of the Duke, intended to make sure that her sisters and their descendants would always be under the Duke's protection, no matter what…
The girls stood fast, waiting for their visitors. They were all a little scared inside, but they had all been taught to hide such feelings. Dignity demanded they looked assured, and so did the upcoming negotiations. They could hear the heavy footsteps of their visitors, as they made their way toward the great hall. A servant preceded them and announced, uselessly, the arrival of the Duke of Cairns and his entourage. The Duke, an imposing man of about fifty, almost pushed the servant aside, not bothering to salute the ladies but instead coming directly at them. He was soon followed by two other much younger men, which were just as imposing, even in their dusty traveling clothes. Prue had to refrain from uttering a cry at the sight of them, for the filth made them look like savages. The Duke began loudly.
"So who is the promised?"
Prue was startled by his rudeness and didn't answer right away. She could feel her sisters' hesitation as well. It wasn't starting well.
She had expected a certain lack of polish from those people but never this total disaster. Finally, she took a deep breath and took a step forward:
"I am she, and also the one who will discuss the terms of the arrangement."
The Duke eyed her with a hint of contempt. He wasn't used to dealing with women. However, he was very interested in adding this land to his holdings, as it would not only give him more riches, but also a stronger stand against his enemies.
"What's there to discuss? I thought that the arrangement was mutually beneficial and all taken care of…"
"There's the matter of the future," Prue announced as firmly as she could. Until then, she had not even tried to guess who the man she was to marry was. All that mattered was her family' safety.
"Before I can accept the terms of this agreement, I have to make sure that my family will be under your protection for all time…"
The Duke didn't seem to relish this idea very much. He had counted on ultimately taking the whole place and ousting the inhabitants. This would take much longer than he had thought…
One of the younger men came closer, looking curiously toward Prue, and then the other girls.
"I can assure you," he said, obviously to the Duke's discontent, "we have no intentions of letting you down."
Prue turned to him:
"And who might you be, sir?"
Through the filth, she noticed the piercing blue eyes and the gentle smile.
"I am Cole Cairns, your fiancé…"
Prue thought right then that as luck would have it, at least the man wasn't as bad as his father… Still, she had no idea of what this smile might be hiding, and she was not about to concede anything until she had written proof of his words.
It didn't help his cause that as soon as he had said this, he turned his attention toward her sisters, his smile widening noticeably. She cast a quick glance behind her, only to find that Phoebe was smiling back at him, in the pretend shyness she knew so well how to use in attracting men. She had always been very successful with them, and Prue wondered often why none of them had captured her heart as of yet. Still, she dismissed Phoebe attitude as one more attempt to save her from a forced marriage.
"Maybe, she said aloud, breaking the moment between them, "if you'd all like to wash up and have some supper, we could continue this discussion later on?"
The Duke didn't seem to appreciate her not so subtle allusion to their appearances, but his son and the other man with him smiled apparently more amused than insulted. They then agreed for him.
Prue found this again very reassuring, even as she summoned one of the servants and ordered him to show the men to their rooms.
Cole took leave of them with a half curtsy, which told her that court's manners had not been a big part of his upbringing. What bothered her even more was the fact that all the while he had been looking behind her, no doubts in the direction of her younger sister.
Before leaving, the man who had not spoken as of yet, came forward, trying just as inefficiently to curtsy, and then introducing himself.
"Good day! I'm Leo Cairns, the youngest in our family." Prue simply nodded in acknowledgement and he left the room behind his father and brother."
Phoebe waited only a moment before she exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Oh what a man!"
Prue glanced curiously at her.
"How would you know? He was covered in mud from head to toes…"
"I saw it in his eyes…"
For the first time, Prue wondered if her sister wasn't truly interested…
Although, she knew that her sister had always been very enthusiastic about her likes and dislikes. Their nanny had tried very hard to teach them reserve, but in Phoebe's case it has been almost hopeless. Even if it occasionally made Prue uncomfortable, she actually was grateful for her sister's openness…
Prue returned pensively to her room; only to find Paul there, waiting for her…
"You shouldn't be here, we already said all there was to say."
Paul came closer, undeterred.
"Did we?"
"We can't do this," Prue replied painfully, "you know that our safety depends on this marriage."
Paul dismissed her protests:
"What about my sanity? The more I think about it, the less I can stand the idea of you belonging to another man…"
Prue couldn't look at him directly. She feared her own reaction. For as long as she had known him, he alone had been able to make her lower all of her defenses. She was helpless to resist him and tried her best to stay away.
Paul continued.
"See what you're doing? You can't even look me in the eyes. I know you love me. You can't marry that man; I implore you to reconsider. We'll find another way."
Prue couldn't become weak, not now…
"What other way would that be? Abandon the house of our ancestors and run away toward the unknown?"
"My family…"
She interrupted Paul.
"As much as I respect and love your family, they cannot help us. You know that we need more strength than they can offer to defend this place…"
Paul put his head down, sadly unable to contradict her.
His family and hers had been friends for a very long time. Their fathers had been as close as two men could be, and until Prue's father passed away, it had been a given that Paul and Prue would marry one day. However, after the Duke died and the troubles started, Prue had broken her promise to him. He knew that she had done this out of her sense of duty, and he admired her for it, but it didn't change the fact that he loved her more than life itself. He had tried very hard to accept her decision, but now that it was almost a done deal, he regretted not having insisted…
He couldn't resist the impulse that came to him next, as he went to her quickly and enveloped her in his strong arms. She tried to protest but he stopped her by crushing her lips with his. His kiss was more passionate than ever, and she resisted only an instant before she responded in kind. However, she finally came to her senses and pushed him off, looking away from him. Paul was almost out of breath and barely heard when Prue spoke, nearly a whisper.
"Please leave…"
For a long moment he just stood there, unable to stop looking at her. Then at last, he said:
"I will always love you, know that."
When she didn't turn to him, he understood that she couldn't and he took his leave of her, although reluctantly.
When she was certain that he was gone, she glanced at the wooden door with teary eyes, and in the same voice, she uttered:
"Good bye, my love."
Later that evening and for most of the next morning, Prue and the Duke discussed the arrangements, but without making much progress. She knew that he was pushing hard because she was a woman. He thought that he would get his way eventually by bullying her, and Prue had to use all of her inner strength not to give in.
How she wished that her father were still alive, she told herself that afternoon after another harsh exchange with the Duke. Then, none of it would have been necessary. She retired to her rooms for some well-needed rest, her heart heavy with the weight of her regrets.
Meanwhile, she had not seen her fiancé again since the night before, but her sisters had…
That afternoon, Phoebe and Piper were taking a walk in the meadow near the castle, discussing their concerns for their sisters but also another subject that Prue would have found rather unladylike…
"What did you think of them?" Phoebe asked.
"Who?"
"The young men, who else…?"
Piper feigned indifference.
"Not much really…"
Phoebe smiled wickedly.
"I saw the way you looked at Leo this morning. Your eyes lit right up…"
Piper couldn't help the slight blush at the thought of the young man. However, she wasn't about to encourage Phoebe.
"Don't be ridiculous. He is an unworthy man. I barely noticed him…"
Phoebe pursued, undeterred by her sister's protest.
"Your mouth may be saying this, but I know you Piper; your heart is saying otherwise…"
Piper denied again, although mildly.
"You don't know my heart."
Phoebe smiled anew.
"Don't I?"
Piper then turned the table on her sister.
"And what about you…? I've seen the way you looked at Cole. You know that it's really wrong of you?"
"I just noticed how handsome he is…"
Phoebe couldn't help thinking back to this morning, when she had seen him, clean and shaved. He was the handsomest man she had ever seen, and right then, she had been jealous of her sister. What hurt most was the fact that she knew how her sister truly felt. Prue could never love that man, at least not like she thought he would deserve to be loved.
Even those thoughts had surprised her greatly. Phoebe liked men well enough, but she never found one that she thought would be worth giving herself to. Yet, as she was looking at Cole, she had the feeling that he might have been the one. He suddenly had noticed her staring and smiled. She had turned around quickly, almost running away, as her heart pounded in her chest.
Piper interrupted her train of thoughts when she noticed her distracted stare.
"Phoebe?"
Phoebe shook her head and turned to her questioningly.
"What?"
"I've never seen you like this, you have to get over it, he's not meant for you…"
"Why not? It would solve all the problems… Prue could marry Paul, as she truly wishes…"
"You know perfectly well that the Duke won't accept this. He hasn't offered his help out of the goodness of his heart. He wants our estate ultimately, and only a marriage with Prue will provide this for him…"
The voice behind them made them jump.
"Ladies? Aren't you scared of walking in the open unprotected? The times are dangerous enough, but much worse for young ladies like you…" It had been Cole talking.
Phoebe and Piper turned in block to find themselves facing the two men they had just been discussing. Phoebe felt her face turn red at this, as she was certain that they must have known.
However, if they did, neither one of them mentioned it.
"Will you allow us to keep you safe on your promenade?" Leo asked instead.
Still speechless, both girls nodded in agreement, almost at the same time. After an awkward moment where none of them spoke, Cole approached Phoebe and graciously offered his arm to her. She put her hand on his arm lightly and they started walking slowly as Leo did the same for Piper.
For a while, Phoebe and Cole just walked in silence. More than once he turned to her, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself. Finally, Phoebe couldn't stand this anymore.
"Why did you agree to this marriage?"
He uttered a surprised laughter.
"You are very blunt, aren't you?"
"I don't see the point of circling around the issues, if that's what you mean…"
"Well if you must know… It's true that you have been raised quite differently than we have; but duty was also a big part of our upbringing…"
"So, it's not for our estate, it's about the duty to your father?"
For some reason, Phoebe felt like provoking him.
However, Cole wasn't going to be goaded that easily. He smiled at her instead, somehow knowing better than she did what she was trying to do…
They kept silent some more, still walking toward the nearest tree covered area. He was so calm and confident that she found it hard to believe that his father could dominate him.
"What do you think of my sister?" Phoebe suddenly asked.
"She's a lovely girl…"
"That's not much to say about the woman that you will marry…"
"At the moment, I'm not married yet…"
The tone of his voice had been so suggestive that she couldn't help feeling warmth coursing through her.
"Be careful, sir. Prue is my sister after all…"
While talking, they had stopped and Phoebe could see her sister getting further away with Leo. She wondered about the properness of being alone with her sister's fiancé, particularly one that she felt so attracted to. What was worse, she could sense that it was mutual. She suddenly let go of his arm, and went ahead.
He hurried by her side, catching her arm.
"Have I offended you?"
"It's just the circumstances…" Phoebe replied, again pulling her arm out of his grip.
"Maybe we should return to the castle," she then said, even if she was far from wanting to.
Cole was about to answer when a scream attracted their attention. Turning toward the forest, they saw men on horses; they were coming out of the woods and going straight at Leo and Piper. Leo had already pulled his sword, ready for action, as he pushed Piper behind him. Cole didn't hesitate and drew his sword as well, now running toward them.
The first of the attackers reached Leo and Piper long before Cole could help but, fortunately, Leo was able to fend him off, then another and another came out of the woods. Phoebe thought at this point that they must have heard of the arrangement about to be signed with the Duke of Cairns. She guessed that their intention was to kidnap them to provoke a battle with the Duke, this before the marriage was an accomplished fact, and their own army was back. Of course, their enemies knew that if this were to happen, their land would become practically impregnable.
Cole reached them just in time to fend one of the men, as he was going to hit his brother in the back. They battled fiercely from then on, keeping Piper between them and Phoebe could see that duty was not the only thing that had been taught to them. After a few minutes, many of the assailants were lying on the ground dead or wounded, and the others retreated back toward the woods. Phoebe was just starting to breathe easier when she felt herself being lifted off the ground unceremoniously, and tossed across a horse. The noises from the battle had covered the approach of her kidnapper, but the screams she uttered got heard. The other three immediately saw that she was in trouble and Cole didn't hesitate to take one of the mounts that were now rider less, thanks to them, and he went to Phoebe's rescue. Leo, realizing that the same fate could befall Piper, stayed behind to protect her…
The kidnapper was pushing his horse to the limit, but the added weight of his victim slowed him down considerably. Thus, Cole managed to reach them after only a few miles of pursuit. Without stopping the horse, he jumped at the man, and threw him off the mount while the animal continued a ways, still carrying Phoebe. This one, once free of the man grasp, managed to get a hold of the rein and to stop the horse. She then turned it back toward the two men, who were still battling on the ground. For a moment it appeared as if her kidnapper was getting the best of Cole, as he threw him hard to the ground and Cole stopped moving. Phoebe saw the other man drawing his sword and without any more hesitation, she rammed him with the horse, sending him flying a good ways and hitting the ground hard. Meanwhile, Cole had time to recuperate, as he got back up, ready to finish the bandit. He ran toward him, only to discover that this one had broken his neck in the fall. He wouldn't be any danger to anyone. Cole gave an appreciative glance to Phoebe, as she herself was still under the shock of her ordeal. Now that the danger had apparently passed, she could finally give in to her emotions, and tears ran down her cheeks freely. However, when she noticed Cole' stare, she wiped them almost angrily, not wanting him to see her weak side.
Cole found her prideful gesture even more appealing.
"Well, I thought that I was saving you, and you ended up saving me…"
"I guess we're even then…"
Cole observed the surroundings for a moment.
"Not quite, we seem to be short a mount…"
The horse that he was riding had continued on his way and was now out of sight.
He went on, seeing as she was not answering.
"I could walk of course, but it's not safe in the open as you just saw. I really think that we should try to get back to the castle as fast as possible."
Phoebe acquiesced and he mounted the horse behind her. The moment she felt him against her back, all the desire that she had felt in the morning came flooding back... Phoebe had to fight the urge of just leaning against his strong chest. For a moment, she thought that he was going to try something, as his face was almost to the nape of her neck, but then he took the reins and kicked the horse. However, even though he had hinted at going back to the castle in a hurry, he only rode the horse to a trot, apparently not so impatient to arrive anymore. Phoebe stood very stiffly in front of him, and every time that his arms rubbed against her waist, she almost jumped. At long last, Cole questioned her about it.
"Are you always so stiff on a horse?"
He was bending toward her while saying this, and when she turned her face toward him, their lips almost touched. Phoebe looked ahead quickly, her chest heaving. She thought she felt him trembling against her, but it had been a fleeting moment, and then he pulled himself away from her.
"I guess that I'm just a bit tense from the attack," she lied.
"I suppose it makes sense…"
Phoebe was trying very hard to resist the urge to turn back toward him and she had almost exhausted all of her will, when the castle came into view. She sighed, as much in relief as in disappointment.
She was convinced that he felt the same from the tone of his voice, when he said:
"Home sweet home…"
"Yes," she trailed.
When they were close enough, they saw that a posse was assembling in the courtyard. Obviously, Leo and Piper had alerted them. Prue was there too, and saw them first. This in turn drew the others' attention to them.
Prue and Piper ran toward Phoebe with big smiles of relief.
"Phoebe," Prue uttered, "Oh my god, I thought we lost you."
Cole spoke for the both of them.
"You should not count your sister out so easily, she can defend herself…"
Piper and Prue stared at him and Phoebe in turn with perplexed expressions, but no explanation was forthcoming from either one of them, as they dismounted. Phoebe thought that Prue could read her feelings on her face, but this one didn't seem to notice anything. On the other hand, her strange attitude didn't escape Piper' scrutiny. Nevertheless, she kept her own comments for later.
"Thank you…" Phoebe said softly, again lost in his eyes as she looked back.
"It was nothing," he replied while returning her gaze with the same want as she felt. This time even Prue noticed the way they looked at each other. "Thank you as well," Cole whispered as he kissed her hand lightly. Phoebe quickly removed it, made self-conscious by the burning sensation that coursed through her from even the light touch of his lips. She smiled nervously and directed her paces toward the castle, not waiting for her sisters.
These were about to follow Phoebe when the thundering voice of the Duke stopped them. He didn't care much for the danger that the sisters had faced, but he had felt this attack as a personal affront. What Phoebe had thought a rescue party was in fact meant as a reprisal against the opposing Duke of LaTour.
"You and Leo come with us," he told his sons in a loud voice. "Those brigands will not get away with attacking people under my protection."
His sons tried to reason with him.
"Father," Leo uttered, "we only have a small company here, and those men are probably massing, ready for an attack…"
"Leo's right," Cole approved, "we should send for reinforcement. After all, we promised full protection to our hostesses…"
The Duke seemed utterly irritated at his sons' caution:
"Did I raise cowards," he replied in a hard voice.
Cole stood fast in front of him, and Phoebe, who had heard the clamors and stopped at the door, could now see that he wasn't afraid of his father at all. Against her best judgement, it made her proud, even if she had no right.
"Father, if I thought we could win this war by going now, you know that I would and so would Leo. The fact is the enemy has the advantage at the moment. We shouldn't take the risk now or we'll most likely lose."
The father and his son stared each other down tensely for a long moment. Everyone around them held their breath. Then the Duke seemed to relax visibly.
He smiled and slapped his son rudely across the shoulder:
"Of course, you're right son."
The Duke immediately went back toward the men already on the horses, and then he charged one with the task of going for reinforcement, as his son had suggested. Meanwhile, Cole turned toward the girls.
"As promised, we will protect you. For the moment, we can efficiently defend the castle for more than a week, I'm sure of that. This should give time for our army to come down and present a strong front to LaTour's army."
Prue approved of his plan, but noticed his wandering stare, even as he was talking to them. She turned back to see her sister staring back.
For a moment, even with the distance, there seemed to be electricity passing between them. Prue pursed her lips with serious concern. She had no reason to be jealous, but she knew that it wouldn't do if Cole chose to refuse her in marriage because of Phoebe. She promised herself to have a discussion with her sister as soon as possible.
Phoebe heard the cries first and then Cole did as well after she stopped talking abruptly.
"Oh, oh, time for a break," Cole said, already on his way to get Jason.
He changed him and brought him to Phoebe. As she was beginning to nurse him, Cole asked:
"Can you do that and talk?"
Phoebe smiled.
"Impatient, are you?"
"I do want to know what happens next, that's for sure…this is better than TV."
"Give me a moment…"
"But just that," he replied as he was settling down again to listen…
The darklighter was back at his observing post, his eyes fixated on Paige's window. He knew exactly how far he had to stay from the manor and the whitelighter. No risk of discovery… She was already in bed, and he could almost imagine her. "Patience," he told himself.
Paige had been awakened by the baby's cries, and almost got up, but she heard that either Phoebe or Cole was going to his room, and she tried to go back to sleep. This time, it seemed to take her an eternity as Matthew invaded her thoughts. She wanted to give in to her urges and soon. Carefulness was good, but she had needs and they had to be fulfilled. She tossed and turned for quite a while before she found sleep again…