A/N-hmmm….I dunno what to blab about (that's a first).

Mouse: good idea…maybe I'll bring Allie and Kal back later on…not sure though. I think they'd be allies for Gabe and Liz. Kal has issues with other demons (they're always tryin' to kill him)

celtic dreamer: and I forgot to mention: Kal and Allie's story doesn't take place in the 1870s, it's set it modern-day. I was just borrowing them for this story.

"Pardon me, Monsieur," Gabriel mumbled as he side-stepped a man, almost bumping into him.

"Watch where you're goin'!" the man snarled, and continued his way down the road. Gabriel sighed and narrowly avoided being run over by a horse and carriage. Moving to the side of the road, he pulled his hood further down. Maybe this was a bad idea…

A day had passed since Alison and Kal had left; true to her word, they went as soon as he woke up.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay longer?" Elizabeth had asked.

They both shook their heads 'no'. "We'd best be on our way," Kal said. "We are headed for Paris."

Elizabeth's jaw almost dropped. "Really?"

Alison nodded. "Yes. We're going to get jobs there, and hopefully find a house." Seeing their confused looks, she added "Kal can disguise himself with his illusions." As she said that, the demon's skin changed to a light brown, his claws disappeared, and the red whites of his eyes actually became white.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Gabriel asked, half-joking.

Kal shook his head and laughed, not un-kindly.

"Come on Kal, let's get on our way." She slapped the demon lightly on his bandaged shoulder.

"Of course, Princess." They went out into the snow-covered garden and waved goodbye.

"Thanks again!" Alison called back. Kal picked her up in his arms, like he did when he had arrived at the castle, and a pair of large black wings sprouted from his back.

Well, I guess he's not called a raven demon for no reason, Gabriel thought, smiling.

"Au revoir!" Elizabeth yelled as Kal took off, quickly taking to the sky.

Alison waved back before they went out of sight.

"You think they'll be ok?" she asked Gabriel as he closed the door.

"I hope so, ange."

A clump of snow fell from the eave he had been standing under and landed on his head. Grumbling and brushing it off, he looked at the shop sign.

"A library?" he said to himself. He remembered Elizabeth telling him about the small village library.

"It had so many wonderful books! I do rather miss the librarian, though." At Gabriel's startled look, she laughed and added "Don't worry, Gabriel, I have no intentions of going back to the village. I just wonder on how the poor man's doing, from time to time. I was practically the only person who went in there!"

Curiosity winning him over, he opened the door and went inside, stooping over as he did so, as not to hit his head off the doorframe. A small bell tinkled as he shut the door.

The library consisted of a few rows of books, some on the wall, some in rows, and a few in boxes. At the far right of the room, the librarian sat at a cluttered desk, reading with his nose a few inches away from the pages. A large pair of glasses magnified his eyes and, with is wild grey hair, gave him a slightly insane look. He looked up from the book as Gabriel straightened up, his head a few inches short of brushing the ceiling. "Bonjour, Monsieur. How may I be of help?" he asked pleasantly.

"Oh, I um…was just…going to look around," he said, double-checking that his hood did indeed completely conceal his face.

"Suit yourself. Ask if you need help with anything," he said, smiling warmly, and went back to his book. Gabriel could tell that, from the librarian's enthusiasm, he didn't get much customers.

"Actually, there is something…"

The librarian returned his attention to Gabriel. "Yes, Monsieur?"

"There was a girl who used to come here often…blonde hair, blue eyes, very friendly…do you remember her?"

"Elizabeth?" The librarian looked shocked. "She hasn't been seen for a good three months! After her father arranged her marriage with that incompetent fop Giles…" he shook his head. "That idiot told a ridiculous story about her being ransomed to a monster!"

"Did he, now?" Gabriel shifted nervously.

"Yes, he was never really bright, that fellow…I myself, think she ran away." The librarian snorted. 'That's what I would do in her place!"

"Oh…yes, I'm sure she did just that."

"Why did you ask, anyways? Do you know where she is?" he asked eagerly. "I don't mean to pry, but I would like to know she's safe…she was such a charming young lady! Her father's also been worried sick about her."

Gabriel felt guilty. "Have no worry, Monsieur, Lady Elizabeth is safe and well."

"Really? Oh, that is so good to hear!" He smiled ecstatically. It was a nice smile, but, like his hair and glasses, did make him look rather crazy.

He's a good person, Gabriel thought. Elizabeth must've been lucky to have such a friend. Even if he is a little eccentric.

"If you don't mind me asking, Monsieur…" the librarian's happiness was now replaced with curiosity. "I've never seen you before…are you an out-of-towner?"

"Yes, you could say that." Gabriel moved from his spot at the door and looked at some of the books. They had no particular order, and seemed to have had little use, though they were all old, ranging from five years to a decade.

"Keep your wits about you…the people here don't welcome strangers kindly. Why, just the other day, they tried to kill a girl and demon who were stopping by!"

"I've heard," he sighed. "Were you one of them?"

"Me? No, of course not!" the librarian replied, looking surprised. "Demons have been here long before us humans! I myself think they should be treated with respect, not discrimination! The same with spell casters." He closed his book, looking troubled. "It seems like this village is going to hell…no one hardly even reads, anymore!"

"A pity," Gabriel said simply. He did feel sorry for the man, though. He seemed rather lonely, in his half-deserted shop with only books for company. He knew how that felt.

"Do you know where Elizabeth is?" the librarian repeated suddenly, after a few moments of silence.

Gabriel couldn't see the harm in saying he did. Besides, he was never a good liar. "Yes."

"Well, could you perhaps give this to her? As a gift?" He pulled a book off the shelf and held it out to him. It looked newer than the others, and had a purple cover. "It just came in last month, and I thought she would like it."

Gabriel took the book with one gloved hand. "Of course, Monsieur." He tucked it inside his coat pocket. "She will be glad to know you are well."

"Thank you very much. Her father will also be pleased. After that story Giles was telling, he got the idea in his head to send out a search party, complete with pitchforks and torches. But I'll do my best to discourage him from that idea It's not very practical, in my opinion."

"Indeed it isn't." Gabriel frowned nervously under his hood. A search party? They wouldn't think to send it to the Noirmort castle though…would they?

Yet another problem for me to worry about.

"Well, Monsieur, I really should be going…I have an errand to run before leaving town." He turned and walked towards the door. "Au revoir."

"Au revoir. And remember, be wary! I think everyone is still in a bad mood from the demon incident."

Gabriel nodded and left the tiny library, going back out into the snow.

Now, where would the tack shop be?

"Oh my God!" Elizabeth squealed. She scanned the letter again, not sure she read it right.

"What!" Fraya, Ella, and Mirei asked at the same time.

Elizabeth waved the letter from Jocelyn the faeries had brought her. "She's going to have a baby!"

Ella's mouth dropped open. "Really?"

"Really!"

Fraya smiled. "When?"

"Uhh…" Elizabeth stopped waving the letter and looked back down at it. "This summer, in July!"

"That's great!" Mirei said, grinning.

Fraya looked down at the paper in Elizabeth's hands. "What else does the letter say?"

"Oh, just that things at the Opera house are doing fine, stuff like that." She shook her head. "Wow! I can't believe she's actually pregnant!"

"Who's actually pregnant?" Gabriel appeared at the door, still dressed from going to the village.

"Jocelyn! Remember, I told you about her not that long ago?"

"Ah, yes. The one with the painted horse, right?" He strode into the room and sat down on the bed next to Elizabeth.

"Yes! Anyways, she's going to have a baby!"

"In July!" Ella added.

"Would you like to go visit her and her child, then? This summer?" he asked.

"Really? I'd love to! I've never been to Paris!" She leaned forward and hugged him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Gabriel laughed. "Easy, mon ange, you'll crush my lungs! And I do use them occasionally," he joked.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy!" She sat back and brushed a curl out of her face. "How will we get there?"

"I suppose you can go by train. It will be a lot faster than by horseback."

"You mean 'we', right?"

"Uhh…" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the wall.

"You're planning on sending me to Paris alone?"

"No! They can go with you, right?" He turned to the faeries, staring at them expectantly.

"Yes," Fraya said, at the same time giving him a reproachful look.

"But why don't you want to come?" she asked.

"Well…I can't wear all this in the summer," he explained, indicating his cloak and other clothes. "I'd probably get heat stroke."

"Oh…"

"Besides, I can survive by myself for…however long it is you'd like to stay. Does two months sound good?"

"I guess." It seemed a lot less fun now that Gabriel would be staying behind.

Damn Jason! The only thing he deserves to be the Lord of is his own cell as he rots in it!

Gabriel grinned and changed the subject. "Well, that's more than half a year away, so we don't have to plan the whole thing now. " he stood. "I'm going to go fool around on the piano for a bit. Why don't you reply to Jocelyn, and tell her of your plans?"

"Alright." She re-folded the letter and put it down on her bed, a smile creeping onto her face. "Gabriel" and "fooling around on the piano" were oxy-morons. Any time he played a few random key, the idea for a new song usually seemed to form in his head. "And by the way, why are you all dressed up?"

"Oh, um…just went for a walk," he said quickly. "In the…erm, woods."

"I see." That you're lying about something. Really, Gabriel, you should work on that! Star can make up a better lie than you! She shook her head and giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing…nothing at all. I'll see you later on , then." She went to her desk and took out a sheet of parchment and her quill.

How should I start the letter off?

Jason grumbled and shoved the orb away.

Just perfect…now they've practically befriended that damned crow! His mood worsened at the mere thought of the raven demon, Kalendrakk, and his aggravating Princess. He had an…unpleasant encounter, let's say, with the two a few years back, and had the scars to prove it.

He had kidnapped Alison, in hopes of using her the same way he was now planning to use Elizabeth, and suffered greatly for it. Unfortunately for him, the book that was created by Kalendrakk's own father to warn the world of his son, failed to mention that the Princess had a temper to match her protector's. In the end, she had distracted him until Kalendrakk had been able to come to her rescue. Jason had ended up being nearly eviscerated, and now bore four parallel scars across his stomach.

Stop thinking about them, focus on your other plans! He snapped at himself. Or, before you know it, that blonde trollop will figure out that what happened in the chamber was not a fluke, and use her own magic against him!

And to break the curse on her precious Gabriel. Well, at least remove the part that sealed it. The base for the curse still remained: in order to completely free him, she must love him, truly and completely.

And that would bring up more problems! For if he was to use her to bring back Marie, he could not have Elizabeth in love with another! Then, the re-animated Marie would also love Gabriel.

And I can't have that happening! The Marie I knew loved me, and if I were to bring her back loving that monster I created…

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. I have horrible karma!

A small goblin appeared in in front of him, holding a tray of food. "Master, your lunch is ready!" it croaked, bowing humbly.

Jason dropped his hands. "I ORDERED TO BE LEFT ALONE!" he screamed, face twisting in anger. Before the goblin could react, he pointed his finger at it and it was disintegrated in black fire. The tray clattered to the floor, next to a small pile of ashes that had formerly been one of his servants.

The anger quickly left him and he bent over his knees, covering his face with his hands once again. "…alone…" he whispered.

And once again he was, and had been, since that night thirteen years ago when Marie had left him.

Alone.