Chapter 12

"My name is Diana."

Lizzie's jaw dropped and she was so startled that she nearly fell from the sky, catching herself a good fifteen feet above the woods. Shaking, she returned to her former altitude and confronted the voice angrily. "You're Joshua's mother?"

"I have that honor," the voice drawled in reply.

"I thought you said you had been in the Gilld family for generations."

"I have. Two, to be exact." Lizzie groaned.

"So how did you wind up in the pages of your son's grimoire?"

Diana sighed. "It's a bit of a long story."

Lizzie looked down at the expanse of trees beneath them that seemed to stretch out as far as the eye could see. "Something tells me I have the time to hear it."

Diana's voice in her head chuckled grimly. "Very well, inquisitive child. You shall hear it. As you know I married Maurice Levesque, Belle's father. It was not a love match; it was a way to reassure the world that a sorceress could be controlled. I could have married anyone, but he loved me and so I assumed that I would be best off spending the rest of my life with a man who at least cared for me."

"Such a romantic reason to wed," Lizzie muttered.

"Not all of us can survive in a fairy tale," Diana shot back. "Anyway, we were wed and I lived fairly happily with him, free to pursue my own interests and, in return, providing the money required to keep a household running when the man of the house would rather spend his life in a basement, inventing." Diana groaned. "As you can tell, I had very little respect for that man, though he did adore me. And then our children were born." Her tone took on a wistful note. "Oh, how I loved those little ones. They were perfect in all ways. I lavished them with all the love and attention I had, for she had become my life's focus. And then I was forced to leave. Jonathan and Belle, my marvelous children, stayed home with there father and nursemaid whilst I went off to serve my kingdom. I was, unsurprisingly, matched up with my brother-in-law; a quiet but dangerous man who was both valued and feared among all mages. Our masters had assumed that since we were related by marriage, Andrew would be kept in check. They were wrong. Andrew was a magnificent man, possessed of all the beauty, charm and grace that his brother lacked. He was also coldhearted and cruel, caring only for himself. We became lovers, not because of any affection we felt for one another, but because he was bored and I was curious. He said he had taken care to prevent any unwanted repercussions from our liaison. He had lied, mainly because he wished to have a son who would be the product of two powerful mages. When I returned home and discovered I was with child, I was livid. Maurice was heartbroken and never really returned to the man he was. I wanted, for a few wild moments, to kill the child, but I could not harm it. Andrew had placed numerous protections to ensure that the baby was carried to term and born without mishap. He was born and Andrew appeared that night, informing me that the child's name was Joshua; Andrew always saw himself as some sort of Moses, so the name was apt. Maurice, not being a complete fool, discerned who the father of my son was and dove at the baby with a knife. Andrew flung his brother backwards using pure magical force and laughed.

"'You do not like my son?' he asked mockingly. 'That is a pity indeed, since he must stay somewhere until he is old enough to learn magic. And I wouldn't want to take a child away from his mother.' With a whirl of a cloak, Andrew was gone.

"Joshua grew up in our home, despised by Maurice. I helped him when I could but I was still working and he wasn't my only child. When Joshua was five years old, my eldest son, Jonathan, caught consumption and died. I kept all the other children away and nursed him myself, for magic did not have the power to withstand illness. I caught it as well. Maurice was devastated, but I was rather glad. It would have been nice to be at peace. I had, however, a few things left to do. My first thought was for my daughter. If there was one thing I would not allow to happen to her, it was that she be trapped in a loveless marriage the way I was. Thought it tired me terribly, I spent much of my illness searching the future for a fate that would become her. When scrying, one can only see a possibility, not the only possibility. I looked many times and saw many paths for her, then chose the one I liked best. All that remained was to set it in motion. One night, albeit my illness, I left our home and traveled to the castle of an eleven year old bratty prince."

Lizzie couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. "Does Vincent know that you were the architect of his misfortunes?" she finally managed to gasp out.

"Of course not," answered Diana primly. "Do I look stupid?" Lizzie restrained herself from replying. "And, even if he did, he'd probably be grateful now. The other fates he could have suffered left much to be desired." Lizzie decided she didn't want to know, and instead begged Diana to continue her story. "That settled, I knew I could die in peace. But it occurred to me that I would be giving my son, bastard though he was, into the hands of two men who were equally dangerous to him. I couldn't do that, not even to Joshua."

"Did you ever love him?" Lizzie asked softly, wondering how her beloved had survived with so little compassion from those who should have cared for him.

"Of course!" Diana protested, but her voice betrayed her. "It was a different sort of love, but I did care about him. He was my child." Lizzie shut her eyes and allowed the air to lift them higher. "In order to keep my eye on him, I removed my soul from my body and placed it into the book. For a book is quite like a human being and the pages and ink are the only inanimate objects capable of holding us. It required an enormous amount of magic; far more magic than most people own. In my weakened state, I did not have that magic. But Joshua did. And a child can draw on the parent's magic under certain circumstances. I taught him the spell, then taught him another to repeat afterwards. Drawing on my magic and his own; he sent my soul into the book and then, since he had yet to learn disobedience, he uttered the next spell and made himself forget that it had happened. Maurice found him a few minutes later, shaking my dead body and asking me why I wasn't answering him." Lizzie's heart practically broke on hearing those words. She vowed to herself that she would never allow Joshua to be unloved ever again, no matter what the cost.

"Then what?"

"Then Andrew came and took Joshua back with him to be his apprentice. I had willed all my magical possessions to my son and so the book became his and I was able to watch over him. He is a great wizard and a good man. You've chosen well."

"I know," Lizzie agreed, sighing softly. "He's truly wonderful."

"Don't get too sentimental," Diana said in reply. "It's bad for you." Lizzie grimaced.

"There's just one thing I don't understand," Lizzie continued, directing her voice towards Diana. "Why is it that-"

"Wait!" yelled the voice, making her stop suddenly and hover in midair, her hearth thumping painfully.

"What was that for?" Lizzie demanded.

"Descend," Diana directed. "We need to get something." Lizzie looked down and was shocked to see that they were hovering over a clear blue lake. At the edge of the lake stood a rundown, thatched cottage with a waterwheel and a very familiar looking cow in the pasture.

"That's my family's house!" Lizzie gasped.

"Is it?" Diana asked, sounding slightly alarmed. "You can't let them see you now!"

"I figured as much," Lizzie muttered. "They would assume they had gone mad."

"We will be working magic when we land, you must not allow them to become aware of your presence."

"And when you say 'we' will be working magic, I presume that means me."

"Do I look like I have a body with which to perform spells?"

"Do me a favor and inform me what exactly we're doing here."

"Must you know everything?"

Lizzie smirked. "Of course."

"Oh, very well. As you should know already, magic can be enhanced by certain objects. There's really no logic as to why certain materials will do this, but it is a known fact that rowan wood and silver or oak and gold will serve to increase one's magic. I have a wand made of rowan and silver that I gave to Belle long ago with instructions where to leave it. If she followed them, the wand will be hidden in this cottage, your old house."

"Why in here?"

"It was the only safe place I could think of on short notice. Now land on the roof." Lizzie did as she was instructed, feeling very foolish as she clung to the chimney for support. Thatch was not made to be stood upon.

"Now what," she hissed, balancing precariously.

"Now you stop talking out loud," Diana instructed irritably. Lizzie swore something utterly indecent that she had learned from Joshua, which made Diana pretend to gasp. Then Lizzie was instructed to drop down the chimney.

"What?" she yelped, forgetting the injunction not to speak out loud.

"Fall down the chimney," Diana repeated. "Is that really so difficult? And stop speaking aloud."

Lizzie groaned. 'Do I look like St. Nicholas to you?' she muttered, remembering simply to think the thought and not to say it.

"Not yet," answered Diana. "Now go." Grumbling to herself, Lizzie grabbed hold of the bricks and hauled herself on top of it in a most unladylike fashion. Her legs dangled down inside the flue and she perched on the edge, mentally preparing herself to slide inwards. "Hurry up, we don't have all day!" Lizzie clenched her fingers involuntarily, thinking that it was a very good thing that Diana was incorporeal, otherwise she might find herself strangled. Lizzie took one last deep breath, than pushed off of the bricks, falling down the chimney.

It was the strangest sensation of her life. At first, Lizzie waited for the rush of air and sickening dropping of her stomach, but it never came. It felt as if she was sliding slowly downwards. There was a strange glow from up above that decorated everything in a bluish light. Around her were numerous articles of clothing, furniture, books, bric-a-brac and other completely disparate items that floated through the air.

'What is this?' Lizzie wondered.

"It's where I keep all my magical artifacts," answered Diana promptly. "It's safer than under the bed or something. Now watch for the wand to pass by and when you see it, grab for it."

Lizzie nodded and kept her eyes trained on the myriad of objects gliding easily by. The dresses were her favorite by far; made of a material that must have cost a king's ransom and studded with more jewels than it seemed one mine could provide. Diana's memory told her that dresses could be powerful weapons in the right hands; the gems were not just for show but also to bedazzle and confuse the unsuspecting. And, without doing any magic whatsoever, they gave a sorceress power over all the ordinary folk who saw her. The wealth made them speechless and Lizzie wanted very much to own one of those dresses.

Therefore, it was far too tempting, when Lizzie saw a marvelous gown made of silver and blue drift by, for her not to reach and take it. Helplessly, she snagged the silken garment then whirled around as a flash of silver caught her eye. The wand was right below her and falling fast. To the counterpoint of Diana swearing furiously in her head, Lizzie reached out as far as she could and the tips of her fingers brushed the wand. A second later, the magical stick was in her hands.

'Thank God,' Lizzie breathed clutching it tightly.

"Well done," said Diana sarcastically.

"I got it, didn't I?" Lizzie muttered in reply.

"Yes, well…now, use your magic to leave."

Lizzie was about to ask how, but her new memory filled in the details for her. She murmured the necessary words and, with a whoosh, she resumed falling at a normal speed. It was so shocking, she didn't even scream, just clutched the gown and wand as tightly as she could and, with a spray of soot and ashes, she flew out of the fireplace and right into the middle of the family kitchen where Jacqueline and her fiancé were sharing a comparatively chaste kiss. It was hard to say who was more surprised, Lizzie or Jacqueline.

Jacqueline screamed her sister's name and leapt to her feet. Her fiancé looked just as startled, though he did not squeal.

"Make yourself invisible!" Diana screamed in Lizzie's head. But Lizzie was one step ahead of her and had already disappeared from view. Jacqueline fainted and Lizzie couldn't help but giggle softly, terrible though she felt for her sister. Without even thinking, Lizzie went to see if she was okay, but Diana stopped her, reminding her that she was invisible and no good could come of her being there. Besides, saving Joshua's life was far more important. Lizzie couldn't help herself, however, and waited quietly as the poor boy found smelling salts and waved it under Jacqueline's nose. She sneezed and awoke with a start.

"Are you alright?" he asked tenderly.

"I'm fine," Jacqueline replied in her habitual imperious manner. Satisfied that her sister was alright, Lizzie slipped noiselessly out of the house to the sounds of Jacqueline trying to explain to their father what she had seen.

"Well," Lizzie said once they were airborne again. "That went well."

Diana snorted. "Well? That was practically a disaster."

"Perhaps it would have been easier had you told me what to do beforehand, not after catastrophe had struck."

Diana muttered something under her breath, then continued. "You must do better than that to defeat Andrew though.

"I will do better than that," Lizzie retorted. "But as I was about to ask you before; why is it that only I could hear your voice in the book? You said it was because we both have something in common. What is it?"

Diana looked sadly at her. "It is a bond Andrew created; something that we both have experienced because of him and, because I used the Gilld magic to weave the spell, it is through a Gilld that we are bound. We both have carried or, in your case, are carrying a child of Andrew's."

Lizzie screamed.

T.B.C.

A/N – Sometimes I really do think I am evil. Ah, well. I hadn't planned on doing this, but making sure that she was pregnant would be a very Andrew-esque thing to do. Oh, what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to write a book… the original quote sounds better. Anyway, thank you so much to my wonderful reviewers (I am now up to fifty and extremely pleased). Special thanks to Soofija and shortstef, both of whom are incredible people who, despite the fact that I have never met them, I love to bits. See, if you review, you too can be loved to pieces by a complete stranger. Enjoy and hopefully I will manage to draw this to a close soon. There's just so much left to happen though…

Levana (Damian)