Time shift! Also, I was trying to get a bit of the Irish accent going, but seeing as I'm not Irish...well...I tried :/ Don't hate it too much, okay?

Chapter Eleven

100 Years Later

After a century the Langeais family, and thus I, were fully moved into the English countryside. They were set in farming, land and sea trade, and had made well enough connections that even English minor royalty and the like came to buy from them. They had plenty of connections, which meant plenty of money and fun for me. Chauncey had finally told his children of his…affliction, and when they tried to have him killed for "demonic possession", he'd been forced to mind-trick them into submission. They went along the rest of their lives believing that their father had died in a random mugging, and that they had to send money to a "cousin" back in France to get things rebuilt. That "cousin" was us. Still, besides that drawback, Chauncey had slowly worked his way back into the family dealings, and somehow had everyone around him convinced of some new identity. It was a lot of work that I wasn't truly interested in, as long as I benefitted from it.

He was best friends, and advisor to, his grandson, and the owner of the lands, Henry Langeais. The boy was even tempered, and much better natured than Chauncey. Still, innocent as he was, he listened to everything that Chauncey said. At the moment, he was convincing him not to chase after some common woman in town. I thought it was hilarious; Chauncey seemed to have learned his lesson, and was trying to impart that knowledge onto his clueless grandson. Curious, I wanted to know more about the woman that Henry was willing to give up everything for, so one day, I followed him.

Suddenly, I sensed something. It was a power, not unlike my own, and it was close. I began to walk slowly, trying to sense out where the being was. Something fell from the trees, and landed on my back. I struggled to get it off.

"What do you want? She's mine, you foolish twat, mine!" a voice hissed. Pinned, I decided to be reasonable.

"Relax! Relax, before you get us both spotted! I don't want any trouble, I was just looking around!" I hissed back. The voice waited, and slowly moved from my back. I looked up at a woman. She had black, curling hair, pale skin, and she glared at me from beady black eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked me. My eyes wide, I realized that she was a fallen angel. It was strange, but I hadn't come across another in my time on Earth yet. My old curiosity came charging back.

"Well! Ain't you ever seen another fallen before?" she asked, shaking her head.

"No, actually. What's your name?" I asked her. She looked at me, weighing her options. She must have deemed me harmless, because she shrugged.

"Deirdre. And you?" she asked.

"Jev."

"Well, Jev! Thank you for interruptin' me day; now if you'll excuse me!" Deirdre turned and began to walk away. I followed her, craving the company.

"Wait! Who exactly are you watching? Maybe we're looking for the same person. I don't want to possess her though; I have my own vassal." I said quickly.

"Nosy boy…" she muttered. When we reached the top of the hill, she climbed into a tree that overlooked the other side. I followed.

"Maybe I can help. I do have connections with the young Lord…" At my tempting words, Deirdre stopped walking. She appraised me yet again.

"Hm…very well. I'm lookin' into something like that anyway. I need that human woman down there; Elizabeth Underwood." She pointed down the hill, and I stared. Henry Langeais was staring at a woman; a beautiful woman with flowing red tinted hair, and beautiful long legs. They seemed to be courting one another. So this was what Chauncey was trying to stop. I knew the power of a beautiful face; poor boy.

"I need to possess her. She has access to the Lord, and thus the money. However, I might kill her if I possess her too long. I need a way to get her to trust me." Deirdre explained.

"Which will be?" I asked.

"I've watched her for quite some time. Stupid wench, really. Nice, but stupid. Waiting for the young Duc to sweep her away. He never will; he's had that advisor of his hissin' away in his ear. I can't get them separate. However, if I can convince her that I can give her what she wants, I'll be havin' access to everything that she does." She finished.

"The flaw in that plan is to get that advisor away." I stated. Smiling, I leaned back in the tree. "Luckily for you, that man happens to be my vassal. I'll make you a deal. During Cheshvan, I'll get him to back off for you, if you split whatever money you make from the woman fifty-fifty with me."

Deirdre cackled. "That's an awful lot, laddie. How about you get twenty-five?" For all of her slang, I felt that I was dealing with a savvy woman. I decided not to push it.

"Deal. Are we partners?" I asked her, perhaps a bit too quick. She cackled again, pulling a knife out quickly and cutting her hand. I cut mine in return, and the deal was made.

"Not with ye, never! You're too soft, lad! Never met a boy who can't haggle! Just consider this our deal and be done. Oh, and this advice ought to help you- the first to name a price always loses." Smiling, she jumped from the tree, and sauntered away.

I kept looking down at Elizabeth Underwood. Stupid maybe, but beautiful. I'd always had a thing for red hair, anyway.

I heard Henry in the room with "Elizabeth". It had been too easy. Like Deirdre had claimed, the girl wasn't very intelligent. She'd truly believed that it would all be so simple. I'd lost my attraction for her instantly once I heard her speak. For the two weeks of Cheshvan, I'd made sure Chauncey had stayed firmly out of reach, either in brothels or in bars, so that Deirdre's plans couldn't fall through.

"Did you mind trick him?" I asked Deirdre, after Cheshvan was over.

"Of course! He's stuck on her now, for the time being." She answered confidently. "She's even got a bun in the oven now." I looked at her with interest.

"Oh, I made sure. I couldn't stay in her body for all of Cheshvan, but it was long enough to make sure that the money rolls in long after I got out. You know that your vassal will never let them marry, but a bastard child? Too hard to avoid. Now I just need to find me'self a real Nephil to possess."

I couldn't help but smirk at her plans; she returned it with a look of smug appraisal. Finally, she spoke.

"So, you want to make some more fallen friends, hm? Very well." She found a piece of old paper, with the name of a bar on it. "Head there. You're gonna need a boat to get there, obviously." Her face went dark for a moment, and her voice became serious. "Consider it your official initiation into this world. Good luck!"

Deirdre had found it hard to believe I'd never met another group of fallen angels; she considered me soft. I knew I needed to toughen, and for that, I needed to make connections, the same way Chauncey had in the human world. After I left her, I took some of Chauncey's money and provisions, and found the proper ship.

I was headed to Ireland.

Guess who the little bun in THAT oven is!