Chapter 3

Elizabeth

Lizzie you have to calm down. They truly do want to help. Please sit down and listen to them.

Jane was practically chanting this in my ears. Over and over again. I trusted Jane with my whole heart and I knew if she trusted them, then I should too. But there was something about That Man that got under my skin. From the second I felt his wounded pride in our first conversation, I knew this man thought himself higher then anyone else. The way he walks, the way he stands, even the way he holds his head. His proud nature grated on my every nerve. But at the same time something has awoken in me since seeing him in person. Something I had never felt before. I felt so drawn to him. Like I had known him forever. As if we were parted right now, never to see each other again, I'm not sure my heart would ever recover. Which was complete craziness. That I could have two such extreme thoughts in my head at this moment.

I glanced over and could not help but notice how insanely handsome he was. He stood quite a few inches taller then his friends. With broad shoulders and a lean torso. Wavy brown hair that fell right above his eyes. Oh those eyes… almost so blue they were like ice. Sending shivers right through me.

He looked over at me quickly and I was caught staring at him. But instead of looking down, I continued to stare right back at him. I am never one to back down from a challenge. I'm amazed neither of us have thoughts to say to each other. But we decided to just stare each other down sizing each other up, while everyone else discussed matters around us.

"As you know the Capitol would like to offer you all jobs, housing and allowances. They know leaving your childhood home will be hard, but we believe you will enjoy the Capitol and all it has to offer." Charles said while taking a cup of tea from Jane.

"What exactly kind of jobs will we be doing?" Lydia asked while twirling her hair and sending flirtatious glances toward the Colonel.

"You will be placed where your specific gifts will be used the best." Charles answered back.

"Are you saying we will be separated? That is not acceptable!" I ended up yelling the last bit, but there was no way they will take my sisters out of my care.

I immediately felt Janes comforting hand on my back. Knowing she wanted me to calm down. She doesn't even need to put those thoughts in my head, I can read it all over her Aura.

"Miss Elizabeth we will make sure you will all live in the same home together. But as you know your gifts will be needed for very different needs then your sister Miss Katherine's." Mr. Darcy said while he put his teacup down on the side table.

I believe his comment was meant to be comforting, but it annoyed me even more. Practically stating that Kitty's gifts were less important then the rest of us! Which might be the truth but I don't want this pompous man to think it! The only thing that was keeping me from sending a bolt of lighting through his heart at that moment was Janes hand on my arm.

He is just stating the truth Lizzie and you know it. Would it really be that bad if we went?

Of course it would be Jane! Papa always told us not to trust the Capitol! So you want us to go live there and work for them?

Lizzie I know what Papa always said. But I also believe that there is a lot to his story that we don't know. I'm not positive Papa wasn't completely innocent himself.

How can you say that Jane? Papa would only do the best for his family!

Yes I believe that is true, but there were times Lizzy… I felt he was not telling the truth.

I couldn't believe the words forming in my sisters thoughts. To think Papa was lying? Absolutely not! I could no longer breathe.

"You must excuse me. I need to see to the tenants."

I had already checked on them just a few hours ago, but I had to get out of the house. I knew I was leaving my sisters alone with those men, but each of my sisters could protect themselves. Even Kitty who liked to think she was unable, could easily defend herself. And if Jane says we can trust them, I should too.

All three men stood as I left from the room.

I took off in a brisk walk, knowing that they could still see me from the drawing room window. If not, I would have flown. That was one gift that Papa was always nervous someone would see. So I tampered down the need to feel the air beneath my wings and kept walking.

Please wait. I would like to accompany you.

I immediately stopped, frozen in place. Quickly growing from frustration to full out anger. I looked back and shot him with an almost deadly glare.

"Leave me alone! I need time to think all of this through. My life has changed completely in less then a week and now you are practically forcing me to leave my home and go to the one place my Father despised of most!"

He caught up to me with what felt like a few strides to my many steps. He then stared right into me, captivating me. I couldn't force myself to look away. What kind of hold does this man have on me?

"Miss Elizabeth we are not forcing you. But what other options do you have? We know about your cousin, who will claim his home any day."

He just thought I was mad before, but reminding me of my idiot cousin was the last thing I needed at that moment. So I turned back around and kept walking briskly towards the tenants. He annoyingly continued to follow as I somehow knew he would.

"May I ask why your father despised the Capitol so?"

I almost barked out a loud "No you may not ask!" in his face. But something held me back. Maybe he was using a calming spell on me. I let out a big breath and stopped for a second and turned back towards him.

"Papa always told us that we could never trust the Capitol. That it was full of liars and cheats. That they would use us for their own gain and not care what happened to us."

"I do not know what happened to give your Father this mistrust. But I have been working for them for 8 years now and have never seen any reason not to trust them. My parents are also no longer living. I started working for the Capitol after they were mysteriously murdered. Through working for the Capitol I was able to find the culprits and bring them to justice. It's possible you could do the same."

He said this while staring deeply into my eyes and I glanced down to see he had put a comforting hand on top of mine. Immediately I felt a searing pain above my heart. Like something had just burned the skin there. My eyes went wide in shock and I noticed his did too. We just stood there frozen in confusion, neither of us moving for a moment. When my brain finally woke back up, I yanked my hand back quickly as possible. I tried not to think about the immediate sadness of not having his hand in mine that attacked my thoughts. I then glanced down at my dress but was thankful to be wearing a day dress and the cut was a lot higher then some of my ball gowns. You could not see anything from the skin that was exposed.

Before he could speak, most likely about what just happened, I quickly changed the conversation back to his earlier comment.

"We can go and find out who killed my parents? I had not thought about that possibility."

He gave me a nod and a small comforting smile. Still wanting to say more, but unsure what to say.

I started to walk back towards home.

"Do you not need to see your tenants." He gestured toward their line of cottages across the field.

"No. That was just an excuse to take a walk. I visited them a few hours ago. Come let's get back, I have a lot to discuss with my sisters."