Chapter 14

The Capitol

Elizabeth

Darcy transported us directly into the Capitol Main Offices. He said we still could be spotted by a Dark Mage if we were out in the open. I would have preferred to first see the town as a whole. It's always been an enigma to me. A world I have heard only negative stories about. I was always intrigued by it though.

We all knew Uncle Edward and Aunt Maddie lived there. But we only visited them at their home in Yorkshire. And although I knew they worked for the Capitol, they never spoke about it with us. Anytime they were about to say something about the Capitol they seemed to be silenced by something and then changed the subject. My guess is my father had put a Silencing Spell on them that never allowed them to talk to us about the Capitol. I am just thankful he allowed us to spend time with them at all.

I look around the waiting area of the Main Offices and take in the massive ornate building around me. The ceilings were at least 100 ft tall. I have read of the great cathedrals before, but never have I seen anything close in comparison. There was a statue of two Mages that stood in the middle of a fountain. The Mages had their palms pointing out towards the water around them. Water balanced above each of their hands, spilling over into the pool underneath. There were also different sized bubbles of water hovering all around the statue. Each bubble turned and sloshed out into the pool below in its own timing. It was beautiful Magic. I would love to meet the Mage that controlled it. I only had a few seconds more to take in the extremely detailed room.

Darcy nudged my side as a man about Darcy's height started walking toward us from the hallway.

"Miss Elizabeth, it is my honor to finally meet you." He took my hand and bowed over it.

"Darcy it is good to see you are well." They shook each other's hand and slightly bowed to each other.

"Elizabeth, this is my Commander- the Earl of Matlock." He bowed slightly toward me with a small smile. I immediately could see his resemblance to the Colonel and Sabastian.

"I am also known as Darcy's Uncle, but we try to be more professional about it when we are in the Offices." He smiled toward Darcy.

I looked over at him as well, he seemed comfortable here, but he is not as relaxed as he was with Adam. I am guessing he has lots of questions for his Commander about the prophecy we were recently told about.

"We are truly thankful that you are well Miss Elizabeth. Come, let me show you around the Offices. He holds his arm out pointing towards the Hallway he entered. Darcy links his arm in mine and he leads us into the next room.

There were rows and rows of desks that filled the room. Papers were floating all around the room and landing in the appropriate file. Mages filled each desk working furiously. We walked past that room into a smaller room.

There was a row of scraggly looking Mages waiting with huge smiles on their faces. What I saw at the front of the line surprised me the most. There stood Jane, looking lovely as ever. She seemed to be using her Truth Telling gift. Mr. Bingley stood just a foot behind her, seeming to be controlling their emotions. Most likely by the look of these Mages they would not be happily cooperating without Mr. Bingley's help.

Jane noticed us to the side and smiled brightly. She then rushed over and gave me a huge hug. As she hugged me tightly I noticed behind her two large men come and collect the row of Mages. Their demeanor slowly changing from happiness to irate.

"Oh Lizzy! You are finally here! It has felt like forever since we have seen you." She stepped back from our embrace and looked me in the eye.

Are you well Lizzy? She thought as Darcy bowed over her hand. Darcy then turned to shake Mr. Bingley's hand.

I truly am Jane. Though I have so much to tell you when we have time. Are you all still staying at Matlock House?

No, we moved into our new living quarters yesterday. Oh Lizzy, it's beautiful! We then noticed all was quiet around us and saw that Darcy and Mr. Bingley seemed to be speaking telepathically as well. It made me laugh if someone was to walk up on us and the four of us were silently staring at each other but none were speaking. Jane laughed as well at the odd scene.

The men noticed our amused laughs and turned towards us. Darcy looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"I apologize sir, but our scene just became quite comical to me." He looked at me with a teasing smile.

"In what way is that madam?" Darcy said while locking eyes with me, challenging me. I got this warm feeling that if we were not surrounded by others he would be kissing my soundly.

"Just the fact that we were all just staring at one another but no one was actually speaking out loud." I then looked around the room a little bit more taking in the movement around me. I had lost track of the Commander as soon as I saw Jane. "Jane, where are our sisters? Are they at our new quarters?"

"No, they actually are all doing separate things around the Offices here. Lydia is doing combat/ guardian training. Mary is working with Sabastian in the Apothecary Lab and Kitty is taking Healer classes." Jane says with a small smile.

"Wow, everyone is finding their place hu?" I say to Jane and she nods in agreement.

Suddenly the Commander reappeared and invited us all to his office.

We walked into his dark room that had a large wooden table in the middle of it. Around the table surprised me greatly to see my sisters, the Colonel and Sabastian sitting around it. Instead of rushing towards me to reunite like Jane had they all sat unsure if they were allowed to move.

Darcy could feel my hesitation and guided me to a couple chairs beside Kitty. She softly smiled towards me.

Love you Lizzy!

Love you too Kitty. I smiled back and then communicated with all my sisters in the same way.

The Commander then waved his hand towards the door and said a spell over it. Sealing it and causing no one to be able to listen in.

"I am unaware how much you all have been told about what is happening fully. Now that you are all together I thought it was time to update you." The Commander said directly. Getting down to business.

"There will be a major Mage battle between Good and Dark Magic. We believe Darcy and Miss Elizabeth together will be the ones to stop the Dark Mages completely. But they will need all the help they can get up to that point. All of your gifts are beneficial to our plan." The Commander says while rubbing a hand through his hair that is more gray than Dark brown now.

I notice all the occupants in the room look around at each other. Some with wide eyes, some with nods and some very unsure about what was about to happen.

The Commander then appointed each person to their task, and what gift each person needed to focus on right now.

"Unfortunately we don't have a specific time when the battle will occur. But our sources say it will be soon. We hope that everyone will be as ready as possible when the time comes." The Commander says to us all with an intense look. "Ok Colonel, please show us the plan." He nodded towards the Colonel and he stood up next to the Commander.

Suddenly a glowing map appeared in the middle of the table. The Colonel hovered his hand over it and buildings began to rise from the map. It was a detailed map of the Capitol.

"When we get notice that the Dark Mages are about to strike, each person will have their specific places they will be planted." The Colonel says while hovering his hand over the map once again. The Capitol was broken up into four quadrants.

Suddenly each of us had what looked like a tattoo appear on the back of our hands. Right below our thumbs was a number.

"The number on your hand will be what quadrant you will be stationed at. If you do not have gifts that help you quickly arrive at your quadrant, you have been assigned a Mage partner who will assist you. They will contact you in the next 24 hours. Telepathically you will be told your partner's name, so no one will be able to get that information. Just in case." The Colonel glanced around the room, then nodded and took his chair beside Lydia.

I looked at my own number and then at Darcy's matching number with a confused look.

A zero.

Any ideas what is going on? Why are we not in one of the quadrants?

Darcy glanced over at me and looked at our hands once again and then taking in every part of the map. Making sure he didn't miss anything.

I have not been informed. He looked grimly over at the Commander and the Colonel. I will speak to them, we will be properly informed. I could feel his anger and frustration rising every minute.

The Commander ended the meeting and dismissed everyone.

Within seconds my sisters were surrounding me.

"Oh Lizzy! We have missed you so much!" Kitty said while tightening her grip on me.

"Well I am here now, how are you all doing with this?" I gesture back towards where the map was, but now has disappeared.

"We're doing ok. It's been a little intense, but we have been learning a lot. Also been enjoying the sights." Lydia looked over to the Colonel with a flirty smile. We all shake our heads at her ridiculousness.

I then noticed Darcy beside me.

"Elizabeth, would it be possible for you to meet my sister soon?" I looked up at him and caught his hesitant glance.

I smiled at him, taking in this rare version of the high and mighty Darcy.

"Yes, I would love to meet her. I am unsure of our schedule. But maybe tomorrow morning?" He smiled brightly at me in response.

"That should be fine. I know she is looking forward to getting to know you."

"Same." We shared sweet smiles for each other.

"Lizzy, let's get you all unpacked and settled in." Jane said lovingly, knowing we needed a little interruption.

Darcy

"Do you really believe she will like me?" Georgie said as she adjusted her gloves for the fifteenth time in the carriage to the Bennet's new home.

I looked over at my shy sister and smiled sweetly at her. A special smile only reserved for her.

"Georgie my dear, she already loves you!" I lay my hand on top of hers to comfort and calm her. "You have met her sisters, you have seen how kind they all are." She nods her head and lets out a little chuckle.

"Oh yes, I enjoyed them all immensely." She smiled brightly at me and I could see her nerves begin to calm.

She then suddenly looked serious and looked up into my eyes for a second and then hesitated. "William… what is going on with the Mage Battle no one will tell me about?"

My eyes widened in surprise. Her knowledge of the event should not surprise me, with all the craziness happening all around us.

"I truly am sorry it has not been explained to you properly. I have been so busy with everything, and I'll be honest I wanted to protect you from it as much as possible."

"I feel brother... it is too late to protect me." I watched as she slowly removed her white pristine glove from her right hand. On the back under her thumb lay a familiar tattoo, but hers was of the number two.

Instantly the carriage began to shake from my anger.

"Why on earth are they putting you in harm's way! Matlock knows to protect you at all cost!" Georgie looked at me with her eyebrows raised slightly and her lip raised slightly on one side. Like she didn't know what to tell me.

But then it hit me. I knew exactly why they wanted her.

"What are you not telling me Georgie? Have you had a dream? Do they know about it?" I assaulted her with questions.

She looked up at me with a single nod and big eyes. "Yes, I have had a dream about the Mage battle but Matlock would not allow me to speak with you about it. I had it many years ago. In the dream he said something to me and it made me want to talk to him about it. But after that I believe he silenced me from being able to talk to anyone else about it. So I stopped trying. But like always, I wrote it fully down in my journal." She stopped and took a breath to settle herself.

I am just about to ask more questions when the carriage stops at The Bennet's home.

I looked around the outside appraisingly. Originally when we were told where the Bennet's would be living, Charles, Fitz, Sabs and I scoffed at the idea. There was no way we would allow them to live in the slum the Capitol had originally deemed fit. We quickly helped change their tune and were thankful to hear of this home becoming available. It was much more suited for these powerful mages.

The butler let us in and took us to the front sitting room. Before we fully entered the room, we could hear the giggles and sweet laughter bubbling out of the room. My heart calmed just hearing Elizabeth's warm laugh.

"Oh Georgiana! We are so glad you are here!" Lydia rushed forward and claimed Georgie's arm. Her face transformed from my shy little sister to a bright smiling woman.

My eyes then connected with Elizabeth's across the room. Her smile directed towards me filled me with such love and peace. I smiled back in a similar fashion.

"Georgie, let me make the introductions for you. It could be hours before these two acknowledge anyone else." Lydia raised her eyebrow to me with a coy smile.

Before Lydia could open her mouth once again, I beat her to it.

"Elizabeth, may I introduce you to my sister Georgiana." Elizabeth curtsied towards Georgie. "Georgie, this is Elizabeth my Soulmate." I couldn't control the sappy smile that took over my face. I had never introduced her as that to anyone." Both ladies smiled at me sweetly.

These two ladies meant more to me than anyone in the world.

"Miss Darcy, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Especially since my sisters got the privilege before me." She smiled teasingly towards her sisters. She moved towards Georgie and led her towards the sette.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too. My brother has told me all about you. But please call me Georgiana or Georgie, especially since…" Georgie hesitated on her words. Before I could jump in to help ease my uncomfortable sister.

Elizabeth jumped in. "Especially since I will be your sister one day?" She said with her eyebrows raised and her eyes bright with mischief. Her lips curled up in a devious smile. She then looked at me and winked. Georgie let out a little giggle.

"Yes, exactly what I was thinking." Georgie smiled brightly.

"Well hopefully one day." I piped in, sending a teasing smile back at Elizabeth.

"To your declaration earlier I will happily call you Georgiana, but please feel free to call me Elizabeth or Lizzy like my sisters do." Georgie smiled brightly at that.

"Your home is lovely, Lizzy." Georgie said, taking in the brightly colored home with wide eyes. "I have actually seen this room before. Now that I think of it, it was this very moment." She glanced all around once again taking in the scene and ending with a nod.

The Bennet sisters looked a little surprised at her declaration. "Do you have the gift of Prophecy?" Mary said from across the room. She had been distracted by a book, but this statement had caught her attention.

Georgie became shy once again, knowing all attention was now on her. I then watched Elizabeth take her hand and squeeze it in comfort. Quickly Georgie was able to relax from the needed warmth.

"That is truly an amazing gift Georgiana, but my guess is it can be a struggle as well. I am sure it is hard to juggle all your memories. As well as others constantly wanting to know about them." Georgie nodded her head towards Elizabeth at her statement.

"It truly is. Thankfully I have had a lot of great Mages to help me process it and strengthen the gift." Georgie glanced at me briefly, I could tell she was thinking of our mother.

"Many females in our family our blessed with the gift of Prophecy. To different levels of course. Our mother was a powerful prophetic." I said, trying to help Georgie along.

"And you said your Aunt was prophetic as well?" Elizabeth said and then quickly remembered the extent of my recent accusations against my aunt. I could see it all over her face. Her Aura growing purple with embarrassment of mentioning it.

"Yes she does, but she uses it for the wrong reasons. My mother taught me how to use my gift for good and not bad. How to protect it from others." Georgie says while deep in thought, thinking of our sweet mother.

"She sounds like she was a very wise woman." Elizabeth smiled sweetly at Georgie and then lovingly at me.

Jane called for tea and I sat back and watched my women get to know eachother better. Getting along splendidly as I knew they would.

This is the first time in a fortnight that we have been able to relax. Feel as if all was normal. Not that we have a life changing battle before us. We soak in the normalcy of it all. Take a breath and pray when the time comes we are ready.