Chapter 17

Lizzie tried to sit up, her head feeling as if it had been pounded to pieces by wild horses and every bone in her body was protesting for one reason or another.

"Don't even think about it," Diana said gently, laughing delightedly to see that her soon-to-be daughter-in-law was alive and… perhaps not well, but conscious. "You're far too weak to move."

"I am not," Lizzie protested weakly, smiling slightly as she managed to prop herself up on her elbow. Diana sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You were always too stubborn for your own good."

"Always," Lizzie agreed tiredly.

"You should go back to sleep," Diana prompted.

"Nah," Lizzie answered, stifling a yawn with a sheepish grin. "There's too much to stay awake for." She paused. "Diana, before I was properly awake…I…I remember something. It might have been a dream, but it felt as if the baby was calling to me. Is that possible?"

"I hadn't known it was," Diana answered truthfully. "But I heard it as well, so it must have been. You owe that child your life."

"I know," Lizzie answered, moving one hand carefully to lay it on her abdomen. She winced as a particularly nasty bruise on her arm was pressed against her side.

"Be careful!" Diana chided. "I worked hard on that body of yours to heal it."

"And you did a wonderful job," Lizzie drawled, making a note of every single ache, bruise and cut on her body, for each one burned with its own unique pain.

"You are in a fine mood, aren't you?"

"Narrow escape from death surely counts as a mitigating factor," Lizzie muttered, rolling over onto her stomach and sighing as she rested her head on her crossed arms.

"It seems to have done wonders for your wit," Diana observed dryly.

"You know me," Lizzie answered as she checked her blood and was pleased to see that the heat of magic had begun returning and she was about halfway to full strength. "My brilliance shines no matter what the occasion."

"Shall we go and confront Joshua now to prove that?"

Lizzie's eyes shone brightly as she raised her head just a little bit. "Is he alright?" she breathed softly. "Did he survive?"

"Oh, he survived alright," Diana said grimly. "But I have heard that he is in a terrible state, refusing both food and rest as he mourns for a certain young woman."

"How long have I been down here?" Lizzie asked; her voice harsh. She refused to take Diana's bait and ask about Joshua only to hear more romantic drivel. There was only one person who could speak such nonsense to her and get away with it and he needed her help at the moment.

"Only two days."

"Only," Lizzie snorted. She realized that there was no way her body could support her weight and so, with a sigh, she raised herself into the air using the magic she had so recently regained.

"Don't overdue yourself," Diana cautioned,

"I won't," Lizzie replied automatically, completely ignoring Diana's warnings. She floated about six inches off the ground and stared down at the once magnificent dress she had been wearing; now much maligned by the spells and fall it had faced. "Although I may need to do something about this dress."

"I knew I should not have allowed you to take it," Diana muttered. "I made it, allow me to fix it." With an agonizing slowness that only betrayed how much power Diana had lost, she began to put the gown back together.

"You don't have the power to do this," Lizzie hissed at the older woman, glaring down at her as she floated.

"Not in the conventional manner, no," Diana answered. It took Lizzie a moment before she fully comprehended what the woman was saying.

"Diana, don't you dare!" she shouted, her voice slightly raspy from two days without drink.

Diana laughed, her translucent form beginning to fade. "Silly girl, I'm already dead, remember?"

"But…but…you'll be gone for good now," Lizzie said, surprised at the ache in her chest. She had known Josh's mother for barely two days and had already become friends with the woman. "I don't want to say goodbye."

"Daughter," Diana said tenderly, using the term for the first and last time. "That isn't your choice to make. I only stayed around to bring Andrew to his final demise. This world is for the living and, I must confess, I tire of it."

"You're only saying that to make me feel better," Lizzie accused, trembling in a way that made a few bones that were still healing ache.

"Of course I am," Diana answered. "And, it's true; I would like to see my son married and perhaps even the birth of a real grandchild. But if I look at it that way, I'll be around forever; a forgotten ghost. Remember, only you can see me. I've done all I can and it's time to leave the world to the living."

"I don't want you to go," Lizzie whispered.

Diana smiled at her. "There. Your dress is fixed again. And, not to sound cliché or anything, but remember me when you wear it. And tell your daughters to remember me too."

"What if I only have sons?" Lizzie found herself asking, wondering how such inanities could ever pass her lips.

"Then you had better tell your husband to change his tactics," Diana answered gaily, barely more than a shimmering presence in the air. "He would enjoy having a little girl to spoil." Lizzie smiled, though her eyes brimmed with tears.

"That he would," she agreed. "Do you have to go?"

"No," Diana conceded. "But I want to. "Goodbye, dear heart." And the last vestige of her was gone from the air. A soft brush of wind that felt almost like a kiss brushed Lizzie's cheek and then the room was silent. Diana was gone.

"Stupid woman!" Lizzie hissed, swiping at the tears that threatened to trickle down her face and burn the cuts there. "You weren't supposed to die, I was!" But that was an idiotic thought and Lizzie knew it. She had a purpose now, Diana had made it very clear that Joshua needed her, perhaps as much as she needed him. It would be wonderful to have that strong shoulder to cry on right now. She could wait and temper her grief with the joy of Joshua's presence. Lizzie rolled her eyes, thinking it was pitiful what a dose of romance could do to even the most level headed woman.

She began to rise up through the hole in the ceiling, feeling a little guilty for what had been done to the marvelous castle. It was strange to find that magic was such second nature to her, but she reveled in the knowledge that she wouldn't feel pain every time she moved. Unless Joshua was feeling particularly magnanimous, she doubted they would get better any time soon. Realistically, it wasn't so much Joshua's kindness but his strength. Either way, she was worried that her left leg would never recover; it felt oddly stiff and useless. Lizzie sighed; if an ungainly limp was all she had to show for this, she was very fortunate indeed.

She reached the second floor from the top and, presuming that it would be far easier to exit these rooms from down there, she allowed herself to drift towards the door. It was a strange feeling and, for a moment, Lizzie felt as if she was the family ghost of Gilld Castle. No, she said sadly to herself. That was Diana…or had been.

Lizzie pushed open the doors carefully, hoping that nothing completely untoward would attack her. She wandered aimlessly through the halls, trying vaguely to find Joshua but more enjoying the feelings that magic gave her. It was an easy wall to hide behind.

Lizzie was ascending a staircase when she nearly crashed into a maid carrying a tray laden with food. The woman's eyes widened as she took in the rather extraordinary sight of a lady hovering six inches off the ground, dressed in a luxuriously wonderful dressed and covered in more scrapes than a six year old after a tussle. Lizzie smiled kindly at her, realizing how very frightening she must look.

"Please don't be afraid," Lizzie said gently. "I mean you no harm."

"My lady," the woman stammered, curtseying deeply. "Forgive me, I hadn't known any ghosts haunted this stair. If I had, I would-"

Lizzie couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. "Do not fear," she said, eyes filled with mirth. "I am no specter, merely a rather poor sorceress who was in, as they say, the wrong place at the wrong time." She held out her hand. "See, I am as real as you." The woman touched her fearfully.

"Why are you here?" she asked softly, staring at the sorceress with thinly disguised disdain and wariness.

"I must see Lord Joshua Gilld," Lizzie answered.

"His Grace is occupied," she answered stiffly.

"A duke?" Lizzie murmured to herself. "Joshua, darling, you left that little fact out of your tale to me."

"What did you say?" asked the woman.

"He will see me," Lizzie affirmed. "Would you kindly take me to him…" she trailed off, waiting for the woman to fill in her name.

"Allisande," she said finally. "I am taking his Grace dinner. If you will follow me, I will announce you, but I do not guarantee that he will see you."

"Thank you, Aliisande," Lizzie replied. "You have done me a great service, even in this." The woman did not seem all that reassured by her words, but she did not try to shake Lizzie off or mislead her. They slipped silently through the halls, all the more so because one of them was distinctly lacking in footsteps.

"We're arrived." Allisande said finally as they drew to a halt in front of a perfectly ordinary looking door. Lizzie peered at it suspiciously, but refrained from asking whether or not the woman was sure.

Allisande balanced the laden tray on one hand and went to knock on the door. Lizzie grinned and took the tray. "Not to be rude," she said quickly at the woman's outraged look. "I'm fully aware you can balance it much better than I ever could. But why should you have to if you need not?" Lizzie smiled winningly and the woman relented, her eyes betraying a gentle warmth that made Lizzie feel quite pleased with herself. Proper behavior be damned, niceness was so much more rewarding.

"Joshua," Allisande called out, rapping on the door. Her voice was motherly and tender and Lizzie wondered what relationship her fiancé had with this woman that she would use his first name. She was too young to have been his nursemaid and definitely not a younger sister. Perhaps some childhood playmate? Or a playmate of an altogether different sort, suggested a nasty voice that Lizzie was determined to ignore.

"Go away," he shouted through the door. Lizzie snickered.

"Idiot," she muttered to herself as Allisande shook her head and said something very similar before whirling around to face her,

"What did you just call him?" she demanded.

"He's acting like a petulant child," Lizzie said, not responding to the question asked. "Let me try." Allisande shrugged, but took the tray back.

"Joshua," she called, "Open the door."

"Go away."

"I would, but you don't seem to like it when your shrew of a fiancée disappears," she replied, remembering the words she had traded with Diana about her pithy remarks for every situation. She just hoped she gauged her fiancé's reaction correctly.

She had. It took all of thirty seconds before the door was flung open to reveal none other than Joshua. His hair was a mess, his clothes were utterly disheveled and he had the look of a madman in his eyes.

"You look terrible," Lizzie observed, completely unable to help herself. Joshua stared, openmouthed, at her for a good twenty seconds before regaining a modicum of his composure.

"Compared to you," he retorted with a grin, "I have no doubt that I look like an angel." Lizzie shook her head, trying to stifle her giggles. "Mademoiselle Leroux, are you laughing at me?" he enquired, unable to suppress the smile that threatened to split his face in two.

"Of course I am," she answered, before reaching out to him. He pulled her into his arms with such force, she actually feared her bones might break again. "Careful!" she nearly yelped. "I'm still fragile!"

His tight embrace loosened somewhat as her words registered. "I'm sorry," he whispered, burying his face in her hair as he cradled her as close as he dared. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'd rather the pain of your embrace to any of the pleasures in the world," she answered, perfectly serious for once.

"Stop it," he chided. "If you keep that up, I will fall to pieces and say something incredibly imbecilic about how I love you more than heaven or earth or even life itself." He tilted her chin up and caught her eyes, his own twinkling merrily. "See what I mean?"

"Rather," she replied wryly, nuzzling his neck and simply feeling the warmth of his presence. He stroked her back gently as she let go of the spell and allowed herself to be supported by just his arms. "But sometimes I wonder what you would be like if you said such things."

"Different," he answered. "And you know you would hate me for it."

"Hate is a strong word," Lizzie answered, stroking his lower cheek before running her finger along the edges of the mask. 'But perhaps I wouldn't love you quite so well as I do now."

"And do you love me?" Joshua asked, the eyes behind the mask surprisingly devoid of humor. Lizzie didn't even think about joking.

"With all my heart," she said quietly, raising her head and reaching behind his head to untie the mask. She smiled as he tried to prevent her from doing so without actually letting go of his death grip on her body. Lizzie gently pressed on the back of his head and he let her draw him into a kiss, one that they had been desperate to share for at least a week. Joshua didn't even notice as she pulled the mask off his face and kissed him deeper. He was head over heels in love with this woman and he didn't care if every member of his staff was here to see it.

Lizzie's hands stroked his cheek even as they kissed. The change in the bone structure was subtle, she wouldn't have recognized it had she not been looking for it. But there was a reason Lizzie had not allowed herself to shut her eyes and fall into the kiss. She watched delightedly as her fiancé's physiognomy changed from the face of a murderer to one that was both inordinately similar and yet so different in so many ways. Lizzie shut her eyes then, pleased to know that their declaration of love had broken the kiss, for that was the rule, and gave herself completely over to the rapture of being in his arms.

Joshua opened his eyes as the kiss ended, feeling deliriously happy and wondering whether he would explode from it. Lizzie was looking quite pleased with herself, which only made him wonder.

"And what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Joshua teased.

"I was admiring your beauty," she answered, brushing a finger along his cheekbones. Joshua froze as her words registered. He would have chided her for teasing him like that, but she seemed to be in earnest. Yet she could not possibly think him beautiful, not when he still wore the tyrant's face.

Lizzie laughed at his semi-stricken expression. "You truly are dense, aren't you?" she taunted affectionately. Seeing that she received no response, she sighed and decided to spell it out for him. "My love, the spell is broken. You can give up the mask whenever you choose; the only face behind it is your own."

Joshua stared at her as the words slowly made their way into his brain. "I'm free of him?" he asked, laying his hand atop her own.

"Yes," Lizzie answered, before adding "mostly" under her breath. Joshua flung his head back and shouted for joy, whirling her around over and over again. She clung to him, her eyes shut tight as they spun around. Joshua finally set her down before kissing her fiercely. She tried not to smile, for such motions were not at all conducive to kissing. But she was far too happy. All earlier sadness had disappeared under the onslaught of sheer joy at being back where she belonged.

Joshua broke the kiss and rested his chin atop her head, folding his arms around her. He knew he wasn't usually this affectionate with his love interests, but Lizzie was different and she deserved it. Besides, as soon as they had sufficiently recovered from the past two weeks, he doubted he would get such a chance again, so he was going to milk this for all it was worth.

Lizzie sighed and snuggled against his chest. This one moment made it all worth it.

"Lizzie," Joshua said gently.

"Hmm?"

"What did you mean when you said that I was mostly free of Andrew?"

The first thought that passed through Lizzie's head was definitely not a word any young woman of breeding should have known. The second one was that there was no way Joshua was going to accept this. She was right on both counts. "Umm, Joshua…I have a confession to make." He raised one eyebrow and gazed at her with dispassionate curiosity that Lizzie knew was simply a different type of mask. "I'm with child."

Joshua wished he could have been flabbergasted, but deep in his mind, he had been expecting this. The word that Lizzie had only thought of passed his lips as he clenched his fists and resisted slamming them into the nearest wall. She winced; his anger no easier to bear for all that it was anticipated.

"I'll kill him," Joshua hissed.

"I did that already," Lizzie sighed, pulling out of his embrace and making a face as her aching left leg was forced to support her own weight once again. Joshua sank to the floor and leaned back against the doorposts. The two of them had acquired quite an audience by now. Lizzie stared down at him, resting against the other side of the door and trying to find a position where her leg would merely throb and not set itself on fire with agony.

"Well then, what do you expect me to do?" Joshua said finally.

"I don't know," Lizzie answered, feeling nastier than she had in two days. The grief for Diana and her compassion was beginning to spill back into Lizzie's consciousness and it wasn't helping matters.

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Don't be an ass; would you have preferred not to know?"

"If it's all the same to you, I would have preferred that this not have happened!"

Lizzie's eyes narrowed. "Strangely enough, Your Grace, so would I! But I wasn't given a choice!" She fought the hot tears at the corners of her eyes.

Joshua flinched as her words struck home. He was on his feet in the blink of an eye, his arms wrapped tightly around her so that she could bury her face in his chest. He felt her tremble as she cried and Joshua murmured gentle words to her, knowing that he had been extremely insensitive and trying to ameliorate things by cradling her. As far as Lizzie was concerned, it was working wonderfully.

She smiled against his chest and let him soothe her, hoping this would solve all their problems. A sudden, terrible pain in her stomach put an end to that hope. She screamed and flung herself away from Joshua, not even noticing how much it hurt them both. It took less than half an instant for her to figure out what was going on. Joshua knew that the only way to rid their lives of Andrew once and for all would be to kill the baby. But Lizzie couldn't let him do that. She loved him terribly, but this was her child, it had saved her life. She wasn't going to let him take it away. Lizzie blocked it angrily, but she didn't have the power he had, though she matched him for determination. The soft keening from her womb resumed, a primal fear filling her brain along with the desperate plea just to be wanted. She knew Joshua was only doing what he thought was best, but he was wrong and she was going to teach him that in a lesson he would never forget.

Lizzie lowered the block just enough and made the mental connection from her soul to his, forcing Joshua to hear the primitive voice of the child that would, if it survived, become his younger sibling.

T.B.C.

A/N – Erm, another mean ending for all those of you who love them so. I'm not pleased at Joshua's reaction, but I can't really blame the man. He's hurt, he's in love and he's being faced with something completely out of his frame of reference. My poor Joshie. Anyway, I might have lied about finishing this week. This little altercation wasn't exactly supposed to happen and it might lengthen things a bit. And life has conspired to steal away my weekend. Oh well.

Anyway, thank yous this round belongs to Soofija, because she actually reviewed (cheers!) and, of course, asked me to kill the baby. Joshua agrees with you and took your advice and now look what you've done. Poor brat – two weeks old and already loathed. On the bright side, the curse is gone. And I am updating soon. Two out of three ain't bad.

Love you all, would love you even more if you left me a review…

Levana (Damian)