Thank you all for reading! I'm just going to leave this here.

3 Linny

Two Worlds

Chapter Nine

This was bad. This was very bad, he groaned as he eagerly paced back and forth across the large corridor just off of the ballroom. His hands worried together as he contemplated the newest rumor floating about the room. The youngest Hudson was alive, almost as if he'd risen from the dead.

He hurled the empty wine goblet in his hand across the passage the metal loudly clanging against the hard wood of the siding. He wanted to let out the loudest roar he could manage, yet he kept his anger inside for the moment. He needed to keep up pretenses in His Majesty's eyes and couldn't give away his true intentions.

The whelp should have died eleven years ago with his parents, but no. His plan had been foiled by some lazy ingrate too stupid to wait until the flames had engulfed the entire building. It wouldn't matter that he would have been caught, just as long as the family was dead. Now, he would have to take matters into his own hands and he would not make the same mistakes as his predecessor.

He would make sure that the boy would pay just like his parents, both in blood and gold.

The celebration was over and the castle quiet, the walls once humming with life were now surrounded by an eerie darkness. Jack lay in his bed, his hands tucked behind his head as his thoughts rambled in a jumbled mess.

Edward's eyes as they set upon him were filled with unexpected emotions that took the young man's breath away. He could swear tears had been sparkling behind the hazel orbs.

"Jackson," Edward breathed softly. He was unable to take in a proper breath as his eyes danced over those familiar features. That thick dark brown hair, the crooked smile, and even behind that mask still covering the upper portion of his face, those were definitely the eyes of a Hudson.

Jack didn't know what to do. He'd only stood in the presence of the King like this once, where for more than a moment, he was more than just the Stable Master. Taking in a deep breath, his body performed the first action it thought of. Bowing his head in welcome, he whispered, "Your Majesty."

On hindsight, he could see that it was the proper thing to do, but it was also a reaction to an already tense situation. As Edward talked, Jack tried to think of multiple ways of telling the other man that it was all a mistake, but then his true station would be revealed. Jack usually reveled in his behind-the-scenes position. As long as his horse looked good, then King Edward looked good. That was usually all that mattered. He was regretting ever coming up with this ridiculous plan in the first place.

Sighing heavily, he pulled one hand from behind his head to rub at his eyes. He groaned loudly. He should have listened to Dimitrius.

He chuckled mirthlessly at that thought. D had lied to him! It was incredible! He'd never known D to lie about anything, but he'd known exactly why the princess had pulled away from him when Jack had told her he was a Hudson and he'd known exactly why the King wanted to see him. He should have been angry, but he wasn't.

He understood that D had just been trying to protect him from the internal conflict he was experiencing now. In truth, he should feel grateful, but that wasn't something he was feeling either. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. There were too many thoughts running about his head to really feel anything. He felt confused, he was certain about that, but that was the only thing he was certain about.

His gaze fell upon the stars dancing out in the blue-black mesh of color in the sky. Looking up at them brought a sense of calm over him, the incoherent thoughts in his mind settling down to a dull roar as a face pushed itself into the forefront of his mind.

She was smiling down at him as she watched him in his bed, her almost raven waves hanging down passed her shoulders and dancing lightly against his face. He chuckled softly as the loose ringlets tickled his face. "Sleep well, my darling," she whispered to him as she did every night.

A dog barking in the distance brought him from his thoughts. Smiling, he reached up and touched his forehead, his fingers lightly brushing over the spot where he could swear her lips had just placed the most heartfelt and caring kiss he'd ever experienced.

"Mother," he whispered softly as a light breeze blew in from the window and ruffled his hair.

A chill ran down his spine, but it wasn't from cold. It was as if she was standing in the room, watching over him. He closed his eyes and welcomed the comforting feeling. The wind blew again and as if her voice was on the wind, he heard, "You're destiny is before your eyes."

Furrowing his brow in confusion, he sat up in the bed and looked around to find himself alone in the tiny room. The excitement of the day was catching up to him, he decided with a yawn.

Casting one more glance out the window, he sighed softly. His actions tonight might have not been part of his proudest moments, but he was certain that whatever lay ahead would be the reason why he'd survived when his parents could not.

Donna sighed exasperatedly. He was going to wear a hole in the floor, she concluded as she watched D pace from one end of their bedroom to the other, his hands clasped tightly behind his back and his head bowed.

He spouted off nonsense to himself, and though Donna had struggled at first to understand, she'd given up and was only hoping he would put an end to his tempered ranting. She was tired and wanted to go to sleep, but if she knew her husband as well as she knew she did, there would be no getting sleep with him in this condition.

"I'm sure he had his reasons," she offered calmly as she propped her back up against the headboard, her straw-filled pillow lightly cushioning her head as Dimitrius continued to pace. The straw in the mattress crinkled as she fought to find a comfortable position.

Stopping, he turned to his wife. "Reasons? Donna, he ran out on the king! No one is stupid enough to do that!" He instantly resumed his pacing.

"Don't act like this is all his fault," she countered with defiance. "How would you feel if you were in his position? If you just found out that everything you've ever known has been a lie?" Jack was scared and he'd done the only thing he could think of. It might not have been the smartest choice, but a man in love never is. She'd learned that the hard way when she and D were courting.

He glanced over at her and saw that her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes carrying a blazing fire that was purely the woman he loved and at that moment remembered why. Sighing heavily, he perched himself on her side of the bed and gazed into her eyes lovingly. "I suppose you're right," he conceded. He'd hate to think what would have happened to Jack if that distraction in the hallway wouldn't have occurred.

Jack's returning memories were taking enough of a toll on him as it was, more truths would only confuse him more. He could only imagine the inner turmoil running through his "son" at the very point he'd begun to look like a scared rabbit.

"You'd better believe it," she smirked. "Now, what are you going to do about it?"

He pretended to think about it for a moment. "Hmm, kiss the incredibly intelligent woman I love for making me come to that conclusion?" he offered before his lips lightly covered hers. He'd disturbed her sleep enough over this, so there was no better way to offer up an apology.

She smiled against his lips as he slowly increased his pressure, but she pulled away before her brain was completely lost in the haze of love. "That's definitely a start, but you and I both know what you need to do and you'd better do it now." Gently resting her hands against his chest, she shoved him toward their chamber door.

"Why now?" he asked.

"Why not now?" she countered, her eyelashes fluttering in that I-know-best action that told him that going back on that order would not be in his best interests.

Hanging his head in defeat, he nodded and conceded to her wise mind yet again. But, before he left, he leaned down to claim one more kiss from her soft, enticing lips.