Chapter 5

The next two weeks passed swiftly. Lizzie was acclimating nicely to the environment in the castle and her daily sessions with Joshua were beginning to bear fruit.

"Is this it?" he asked her for the third time that hour.

"That's all I can think of," came her reply, same as it had been. "I know of no one else with the wealth to reactivate this spell."

Joshua was reading down the list, sucking the end of his quill. His eyes were narrowed.

"The problem is," he muttered to himself. "These people have the means, but not the motive. We need someone with a motive. Someone who hates Maurice enough to attempt to harm those he loves."

"Why Maurice?" Lizzie wondered. Joshua looked at her.

"Who else?"

"Well," she stammered, "It could just as easily be Belle or the Beast… alright, maybe not. But what about yo-"

"Me?" Joshua interrupted her. "Lizzie, my dear, there aren't very many people who know me who would dare something like this. Those who bear such a grudge know me well enough, perhaps too well, and would not attempt to take their revenge with a family I have practically disowned."

Lizzie looked at him in shock.

"Haven't you noticed how well Maurice and I get along?" he asked sardonically.

"So why are you here?"

"Because of Rose. Because she doesn't deserve this. Because she's my niece and she's too young to have earned my animosity."

Lizzie mulled this one over for a minute.

"You don't particularly like that answer, do you?" Joshua murmured, grinning at Lizzie.

She sighed. "I guess not. I just don't understand why you and your father are fighting."

Joshua shook his head. "There are more reasons than I can count. And more family skeletons hidden there than anywhere else."

"I don't mean to pry," she apologized.

"I can't be mad at you for your curiosity. I'd be acting much the same way in your position."

Lizzie didn't respond, but went back to staring at the sheet, her mind completely preoccupied with the numerous mysteries provided by this young man in the golden mask. She had yet to get up the courage to ask him about it, but she found herself staring at it more than made her comfortable and she knew he would notice sooner or later. It was just one more piece to the puzzling enigma that he was. And she was determined to explain him. He was strange. His mannerisms were both noble and sorcerous. He was obviously a magical practitioner of some power, for she had seen him scrying for answers on numerous occasions. Yet he was the son of a poor inventor so where could he have learned this?

"Do I have the name of our culprit written on my face?" Joshua asked her, shattering her little reverie.

She smiled and shook her head, ducking to hide the color rising to her cheeks.

"It's alright, I know you find me devastatingly handsome."

Lizzie burst out laughing, her head snapping up to look into his mischievous eyes.

"And I know what the next question is," Josh murmured, his eyes darkening. "How would I know what's on your face if you persist on wearing that mask all the time?"

Lizzie looked at him, wondering what was coming and whether why this struck such a nerve.

"I do notice you staring at it the whole time. I'm not blind."

Lizzie bowed her head once again.

"I'm sorry," she breathed softly. "I… I didn't mean-"

"Of course you didn't," he muttered, waving his hand. "Like everything else with me, it's a sore point completely unrelated to you." He put his arm very gently on her back. "I'm being childish, ignore me."

Lizzie kept her head bowed.

"It was wrong of me," she whispered. "I should never have-"

"You're human," he chided her gently. "As are we all. We all have our faults. You're curious beyond reason and I'm arrogant as anything." He slid his arm up so it rested around her shoulders.

"That's a fairly accurate assessment," Lizzie couldn't help but murmur.

"I left out the part about you being hotheaded and stubborn as a mule."

"Not to mention the part about you being rude and obnoxious."

"And your shrewish tongue." Joshua's lips curved in a victorious smile as Lizzie stared at him, dumbfounded.

"You little…" she began, but then stopped. She couldn't even think of a witty repartee.

"Keep it that way," Joshua said to her. "It only adds to your charm."

Her jaw dropped as he got to his feet.

"I'm going to dress for dinner. I'll see you there."

Joshua left the room swiftly. Once he was outside, he found himself nearly crying from mirth at the look on her face. He couldn't help but be grateful for Lizzie's presence. After all, she was the reason that he was surviving this visit at all.

"I hope I didn't cross the line," he murmured as he walked up the stairs to his suite. "I don't want to lose her just yet."

Lizzie was still sitting in the library, staring at the list before her without really seeing it. She couldn't believe what Joshua had just said. And she didn't even know what surprised her more, the wound or the balm.

"What happened to me not letting him get to me?" she wondered aloud, looking down at the list and suddenly getting an idea.

"He's a lord above reproach," she murmured. "And he has been off at the King of England's court for five years if not more. There's no way Joshua could know of him. I should plant him in the list and see what Joshua can find." Lizzie knew that this was a poor return to his jibe, but she had her own reasons as well, though she dared not admit them to herself. When she had been a young girl of twelve, the negotiations for her engagement to this lord had begun. He had been forced to leave in the middle; called away to England by the King. But the deal was still half made. Lizzie had tried to forget him, but his face was coming to mind more and more often nowadays. Though he was about twenty years her senior, he was very handsome and extremely elegant. And she wanted to know what was happening to him. If he was still available. If she was still half sworn to him,

She had once been excited about this match, which was beyond her wildest dreams, but now… there was something different. She was of mixed emotions about this man. Something was pulling her back.

And so, with a mixture of anxiety and impatience, Lizzie added one last name to the list. Lord Andrew Gilld.

They were seated at the dinner table that night when the straw finally broke the camel's back. Joshua and Belle had been talking about the progress being made in their research. Maurice interrupted them.

"I still don't see how this will be getting Rose back anytime soon," he announced loudly.

"Perhaps you have a better plan?" Joshua asked, the image of a perfect gentleman marred only by the sneer his mouth formed.

"You're a magical practitioner," Maurice retorted. "I don't see why all you are willing to do is sit here and allow some young woman to do all your work for you." He muttered something under his breath that only Joshua caught.

"Don't you dare say that," he hissed back at his father. Lizzie shuddered at the look In Joshua's eyes. The temperature around the table actually seemed to have noticeably dropped.

"It's true," Maurice answered. "You are just like him."

"No," Josh breathed.

"Just as stubborn,"

"No."

"As self righteous,"

"No."

"As hypocritical,"

"No!"

"As much of a lec-"

"NO!"

"Face it, Joshua. You have his blood. You are his son. And there's nothing you can ever do to change that."

"No!" Joshua roared, leaping to his feet. "Don't you dare speak of him. He's dead and gone. And nothing of him will ever be a part of me!"

"Look in the mirror, Josh," was all Maurice said. "You'll still see his face."

Joshua stared at Maurice, his face white with rage.

"There are no words," he growled finally and walked out of the room faster than Lizzie could have run.

There was utter silence at the table. Belle was looking at her husband with a sad, forlorn look in her eyes. The Beast smiled back at her and slid a paw around her waist. Maurice looked straight ahead at the empty space where Joshua had just stood. And Lizzie was gazing down at her half empty plate, not really sure what to say or where to look.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Belle said, looking apologetically towards h.

Lizzie looked up. "It's alright," she said softly.

"No it's not," Belle said, a little more strongly. "Especially in front of you, but in general, this has to stop."

Maurice turned to his daughter. "Belle, you know why that altercation had to happen."

"No, Papa," she said, "I don't know. I know that Josh answered us when he had no obligation to and he's helping us of his own free will."

"He is benefiting from this," Maurice commented.

"How?" Belle and the Beast both challenged at the exact same moment.

Maurice looked first at them and then at Lizzie before back at them. Lizzie suddenly realized what he was implying and, after a moment of outrage, burst out laughing.

"Do you honestly think that there's something going on between me and your son?" she couldn't help but ask. Maurice's eyes narrowed.

"That child is not my son."

Belle sighed softly. "Ignore him, Lizzie."

The Beast looked around. "I think it's safe to say that dinner is over." He smiled faintly. "Belle, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a walk?"

Belle nodded and, as her husband helped her to her feet, Lizzie felt the odd feeling of someone's eyes on her back.

Belle and her Beast left the room and Lizzie turned slowly around.

"Could you please stop staring at me?" she asked Maurice, her voice colder than she had intended it to be.

"Don't trust that boy," Maurice told her. "He'll only break your heart if not the rest of you."

And the old man walked slowly out of the room with Lizzie staring at him as he left.

She couldn't fathom what was wrong here. The entire familial interaction was just so ludicrous. And she felt like such an outsider and, even more so, an intruder in their private lives. The feeling that she shouldn't be here was stronger than ever. She put her head down on the table and just sat there, trying not to miss her father and sisters. It wasn't working very well. She just wanted to go home and get out of this mess she had been pulled unceremoniously into.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I was asked to wake you up," Joshua murmured. "I think the servants were afraid to clean you along with the tablecloth."

Lizzie smiled despite herself.

"Are those tears?" he asked, pulling her to his feet and looking seriously at her. Lizzie sniffled.

"That answers that question," he said, putting his arm around her waist and leading her out of the room towards the library. They didn't say anything, but Joshua was eyeing her worriedly. He hoped he hadn't upset her with that stupid fight. It's almost an incentive for him to patch things up. Almost, he thought with a wry smile.

Lizzie rested her head on Joshua's shoulder as he walked with her into the library.

"We need to talk." Lizzie looked up at Joshua with a rehearsed answer to that.

"If this is about dinner," she began, but he cut her off.

"Of course it is," he said, waving his hand idly. "Does that surprise you?" She had to admit that it didn't.

"The trouble between me and my father goes back for a long time. The reason why is unclear, but a while ago, he disowned me as his son and so I went to my uncle. Said uncle gave me an education at the finest institution of sorcery available. You see, he had visions of me working for him. I, however, had other plans. My father has yet to forgive me for what I had made myself into and how far above him I had grown."

Lizzie looked at him.

"Don't say it's not fair, I beg of you." She snapped her mouth shut. "I'm fully aware that it's not an ideal situation for anyone involved, but what can I do?"

Lizzie looked at him, wondering why he was in such a confessional mood.

"Now, I told you my story. It's your turn to tell me yours." He saw the confused look on her face.

"Why you were crying?" he suggested dryly.

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence.

"I want to go home," she whispered finally.

Joshua stared at her.

"I mean, my job here is done and I… I miss my family so much. It's not that I didn't like it here, but…"

Joshua was tempted to tell her that she could never leave, but he knew better than that. Such a ploy might work with his sister when Maurice had been in danger, but Lizzie would never buy it and he wasn't going to threaten her. Well, he hoped he wouldn't stoop that low. He shook his head. That isn't my style, Joshua thought to himself. It's more his style. He shuddered.

"Do you really want to leave?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I just want to see them for a little while," she whispered.

Joshua sighed. Okay, think fast, he told himself.

"Lizzie," he began. "I can't let you go for good yet." He watched her face fall and cursed inside. "I need you to come with me back to the city."

She looked at him curiously, wondering what he had in mind. Admittedly, Joshua was wondering the same thing.

"We need to be closer to them to get a decent scrying. Besides, we'll be in a perfect position for the sort of espionage we need. And a young, intriguing rich sorcerer with a beautiful fiancée is the ideal part to play."

He watched her eyes light up.

"The engagement's fake, don't get too excited."

She glared at him. "Thank God for that!"

He laughed. "But we can't get to the city if we leave now, because there's going to be a snowstorm in three days, right where we'd be."

"You can really find this out with magic?"

"Of course. However, if we leave tonight on horseback, you can spend two days with your family while I get drunk beyond belief at the inn."

She eyes him suspiciously.

"I was joking about the inebriation," he reassured her.

"Good," she replied. "I have no plans to marry the town drunk."

"Judging by the company you were keeping in that tavern, you could do a lot worse."

She laughed.

"Go and pack a trunk," he told her. "All traveling clothes, we'll find nice dresses when we're back in the city."

"I'm a girl," Lizzie retorted. "I don't see how you expect me not to bring nice clothes." She got to her feet.

Joshua laughed and kissed her hand.

"Thank you."

"No," Lizzie replied. "I should be thanking you." She left the room with a smile.

"No," Joshua murmured softly. "I definitely owe you more."

% End Chapter 5 %

Hello all! I'm fully aware that this took me nine months to update. In my defense, I was trying to get into college at the time and that worked out well, so it's about time I get back to this story. If you like this story, I do have some other stories on fictionpress. It should be under this name and, if you feel like bothering me, I might update those too. And reviews make me work. Without reviews, I start to lose my focus… (hint hint)

Anyway, thanks to all the people who have begged me to continue (all three of you) and if you can get some friends of yours to read and review, it wouldn't be such a bad thing.