Episode 15 Part 2

The next morning, Diana went by herself to speak personally with the Emperor. Matthew went out with Pierre searching around for any potential sign of Kelly that hadn't been shared with them. Argus passed his time playing with the boys. He smiled seeing Wrolf and Jack grow so close together. He dreaded the moment when they would have to say goodbye.

He poured some wine and offered it to the grownups.

"Can we try some of that?" asked Wrolf.

"Sorry. You won't like it," Argus shook his head.

"Come on! Let us have a taste!" groaned Jack.

Argus pulled on a playful smirk. "Okay," he poured some wine into two cups.

"Master Argus...is it really necessary?" asked Francoise worriedly.

"Come on. It's just one taste. What could hurt?" Argus blinked at Gallowglass who pulled on a foolish grin. "Drink up," he offered the two cups to the boys. They took one simple sip and…

The two spat the red sour liquid into the nearby fire.

"Pew! Yuck!" Wrolf gulped up some water and swallowed it down. "That tastes horrible!"

"How can you like this stuff?" Jack swallowed down gallons of water too. Argus burst out laughing.

"You knew that would happen," accursed Wrolf.

"That was not funny!" complained Jack.

"It was to us!" Gallowglass joined in the sniggering.

"Oh, you two are gonna pay for that," the boy swore. "Hey, how about we challenge you two to a card?"

Gallowglass was impressed by their act of revenge. "Woah. So that's what you wanna do?"

"Absolutely," Jack cheered.

"You scared Argus?" goaded Wrolf.

Argus smiled competitively down at him. "Very well," he sat down beside Gallowglass. They faced the two friends with cheeky grins. "It is so on,"

The cards were pulled out. The game began. They battled with tactics, lucky cards, swipes…

The two vampire adults were no match for these human boys. They were unstoppable. Twelve games flew by. The boys high-fived after every victory.

The thirteenth game earned a whine from Argus.

Gallowglass slammed his cards on the table. "Jack, are you cheating? You've won again,"

"He is not cheating," stood up Wrolf. "You're just so jealous,"

"Come here you!" Argus playfully bundled him in his arms, tickling him. Wrolf cried out to him to stop but every grownup including Matthew's friend and servant woman in the sitting room was enjoying the show. They heard the door opening and to their surprise, they saw a message from the king. Argus and Wrolf awkwardly stood up. The unimpressed message came inside and handed Argus the letter.

Jack took it to take a peep and a minute later, in came Diana and Matthew.

"A letter came," Jack stood up.

"Oh yes?" Matthew asked.

"For mistress Roydon," Jack handed it to a surprised Diana who opened it and scanned the well-eat writing. "It's a summons to a pheasant hunt with the emperor,"

"Can we come?" Wrolf asked optimistically.

"I'd love to see a peasant hunt," an excited Jack clapped.

"Um…why don't we give them a moment to talk?" Francoise gently ushered them into the other room. Wrolf looked at Argus who nodded.

"This has gone too far," hissed Matthew, trying to hide his blood rage boiling up inside him.

"Kelly won't bring us the book," Diana pointed out. "We need to go through Rudolf. He let Rabbi Loew read it,"

"And when the Rabbi fails, he'll imprison you like Kelly or worse," Matthew was becoming very overprotective of her.

"I can read it," an exasperated Diana breathed. "All I have to do is convince Rudolf to let me try and read it?"

"And what then? He won't give up the book! He will lock you away with it! His new curiosity!"

Gallowglass and Argus shared nervous glimpses. Matthew's jealousy was overcoming his better nature. This was what they feared about their new marriage.

"You just don't like the way he is around me," Diana accursed correctly. "You have to trust me,"

"This is not a matter of trust," retorted her husband.

"Then let me try!"

"Guys!" Argus shouted, making their heads turn to him. "Do you both hear yourselves right now? You're married now! You're supposed to trust one another and appreciate each other's desires to protect one another. Now here's what Gallowglass and I have in mind,"

"Both of you go to the peasant hunt," Gallowglass suggested. "We'll sneak into his library and collections and search for the book. He has to have it hidden somewhere. If we can steal it, we can leave before Rudolf even knows it's gone,"

"And what of the queen's interest, we need Kelly," reminded Matthew.

"Without the book, what use is Kelly? Bingo!" Argus slammed his cards on the table. "The game is won for us!"

Diana and Matthew realised instantly they were right. "Be careful you two," begged Diana.

"We will," Argus promised. "And Matthew…don't let your jealousy get the better of you. You're stronger than this. You know you are,"

Matthew said nothing but his deep inhales and exhales implied he would do his best to take his advice. They walked down the stairs into the courtyard and whilst the couple walked through the open gates, Gallowglass and Argus snuck into the backyards behind the main castle. They came to a large well with a barred door. Argus opened it carefully, twitching his ears every second to hear for any approaching guards. None came at all. Gallowglass leapt through to land in the library below. Then Argus jumped. He landed gracefully on his flat feet in the small room of bookshelves and chests. Gallowglass peered through the barred walls and saw guards patrolling in the artefact hall. He nodded at his cousin-in-law and they began searching swiftly but quietly. They searched the shelves hoping to detect or sense magic from the book of life. Nothing was there.

"Where could it be?" Gallowglass hissed.

Argus looked out again towards the bars. He saw a guard's face stirring in their direction. Quickly he pushed Gallowglass down behind a big chest and they hunched against it. But within that chest, Argus's nostrils detected something odious, something magic. Was the book in there?

Argus peeked out again and saw the soldiers were moving away. He patted Gallowglass's shoulder. They opened the chest. Gallowglass pulled out a necklace of teeth. He cringed smelling them. Argus lifted a far of green liquid and a pale brain. He shivered a little. Gallowglass found something wrapped in a thick grey cloth. He lifted it and ravelled it. Argus's eyes enlarged. He shot a dark look into his close friend's eyes. Time to skedaddle. Gallowglass tucked the wrapped-up object in his cape pocket. Standing underneath the hole they jumped through; he cupped his hands and Argus jumped right back up with a boost. Once he reached the surface, he found some rope and Gallowglass was quickly pulled out in seconds. They closed the gate over the ceiling hole and fled for their room.

They entered, surprised to see Diana and Matthew back. Sooner than expected.

"I take it the emperor didn't like you around," Argus questioned Matthew.

"Don't ask," he answered bitterly.

"Did you guys find the book?" Diana asked.

"The box wasn't there," said Argus regrettably.

"But we found something else," Gallowglass placed the object onto the table and unravelled revealing a decayed forearm and hand with a burnt mark, burnt red on the palm. "Rudolf's secret collection. That hand belonged to a witch,"

"It was in a box with a necklace of vampire's teeth, a preserve of some poor daemon…bits of creatures," said Argus grimily. "Rudolf is no friend to any of us,"

His words set Matthew off. He stood up and turned his back. "That's it. We leave tonight,"

"What about the book?" Diana asked.

Matthew exploded. "Enough with the book!"

Their hearts jumped to the tone of his voice. He was losing control of himself, obsessed with possessing his mate and wife. Argus was becoming infuriated with his lack. "It seems like you two could use some privacy. Sort yourselves out before you both get each other killed," he and Gallowglass quietly left the room.

They sat in a sitting room.

"This is what I dreaded," said Argus. "Matthew wants to possess her both body and soul. I remember when Thomas and I married he went through the same state as his father is now,"

"When you're mated to a vampire, it's easy. But a witch…a much harder story," Gallowglass said warily. "Let us hope he can control himself if we are to find the book,"

"Whatever was inside that chest, I think it must be linked to the book. He wouldn't have known otherwise how to get this stuff," Argus said determinedly.

The door on the right opened and they saw Jack and Wrolf bursting through.

"Hello Wrolfie," Argus hugged the dear boy.

"Wanna play cards with us? Again?" he asked.

His dear boy's playful nature made Argus forget all his anxieties and anger. "Absolutely,"

The two men and the boys played cards against each other.

Aurora sat on Marcus's bed in his room, alone, tearful. She thought about Marcus every minute, wondering if perhaps there was an absolute chance they could still have a life together. Ysabeau had been very quiet herself since reading that heart-emotional letter from her beloved Phillipe. Aurora decided she needed some space and so did she.

Sarah and Em had wanted to sit with their dear niece but she couldn't bear for them to glimpse her like this. She thought about her sister and her new brother-in-law. She wondered if Diana had informed Matthew of the tragic events happening right now, the murders that threatened the very existence of the de Clairmonts. Would they continue their search for the Book of Life? Or would they return to them very soon and help them right this wrong?

She worried about her friends back in Oxford. Would she have to miss the baby's birth to be safe from the vampires who attempted to kidnap her? Would she have to remain distant from them until this was all over? She prayed that Thomas protected them. A part of her blamed Thomas for revealing their family's dark secret to Marcus which caused them to break up. But another half couldn't feel angry because he did what was right and not what was easy as Ysabeau and Matthew intended to do.

She decided to wander around the chateau to clear her thoughts. She walked down the corridor away from Marcus's room. She found a closed cedar wood door at the end of the hallway near a wine cellar. She pushed it open gently and found herself in a unique room much similar to Marcus's. A four-poster bed, old-aged furniture, a fireplace…what captured her glance was a magnificent painting hanging near the window. She admired the oil paint artwork portraying two handsome vampires, one blonde and black-haired wearing Scottish robes and French clothes. This was Thomas's room. And on this bed was where he slept with Argus, his beloved significant other. She wondered how Thomas was doing. Was he pining for Phoebe and still grieving for Argus? The closer she glanced at the dark eyes they shared as they held one another in the frame, she sensed a strange vibration. She stepped closer to the painting. The source was coming from behind it. She turned her head back towards the door to make sure no one saw her. She gently grasped the bottom corners and lifted it very carefully off the wall and settled it carefully on the bed. She lifted it on one side and stuck inside the frame was a white dusty envelope stamped with the de Clairmont crest. Tommy. It said on the envelope. Her lips parted. She fished it out of its hiding spot and gently raised the painting back into position its place. She sat on the chair in front of the desk and wondered about the envelope. Argus had written it for his dear partner. But what had he written? She had to give it to Thomas. But when would she see him again? That concern wouldn't stop her. She had to bring this to him. Maybe Argus's final message within those words printed in that letter could finally be the key to unlocking Thomas's happy heart once again.

Carrying news, Argus and Gallowglass entered the room where they were relieved to see Diana interlinking fingers with Matthew as he sat on him in a chair, living as a newlywed couple should.

"We've got some good news," notified Gallowglass. "The emperor sends his apologies. He wants you both at his party tonight," he handed another message to Diana.

"We have to go," she said seriously.

Matthew nodded in agreement. "Tell Pierre and Francoise to bring the boys and enough horses for all of us to the main gate. We'll likely be leaving in a hurry,"

Wrolf nodded in agreement. "Have you both sorted it out?"

Diana nodded. "We have,"

"Good," he praised. He glanced at Matthew with a serious face fiercer than Diana's. "You have let her handle this with Rudolf. No matter what he says or does, just go along with it,"

Matthew nodded quietly remarkably straight away. He had taken care of his possessive attitude as well, now willing to trust Diana to use what methods she would concoct to get that book.

The day passed by quickly. Matthew trained himself to hold back his jealousy whilst Diana soothed his blood-rage with Argus's aid. Argus had many encounters with girls who swooned over him and this made Thomas very possessive over him. He had nearly killed those women to hold Argus under his ownership but Argus calmed him down, reminding him that he would love him and only him forever. Gifting those needful tips to Diana, Argus was glad to be more helpful than ever to this new Matthew whom he would no longer meet in the future.

The night came and it was time to dress up nicely. Even in the mountains, the emperor was known to hold special parties for specific guests. Argus sent Pierre and Francoise out with the boys.

"Why can't we come?" Wrolf asked.

Argus knelt in front of him and clasped his shoulders. "We'll be leaving very shortly. And what we're about to do will be incredibly dangerous. You need to stay here so you're safe. And you need to look after Jack,"

"Okay," Wrolf accepted. He threw his arms around Argus. "Just please come back. I can't bear to you lose you,"

"I love you Wrolf," Argus sniffled.

Matthew felt his heart clenching hearing him say those words. Though Argus knew that he would have to take him somewhere safe and never see him again, something told him that his son-in-law would do almost anything to raise a son with Thomas with or without his permission. Something secretive behind his back. His past self was once he returned to the future.

After Diana hugged and kissed Jack on the cheek, the boys were escorted out by their friends and a guard came to escort them to the special party. And this time, Argus promised to stick by Matthew should anything get out of control.

Thomas drove into Sept Tour, passing by nightwalkers and people sitting outside restaurants. He saw his family home getting closer and closer.

Aurora, Emily, and Sarah were eating dinner inside with Ysabeau and Marthe. Emily and Sarah tried some wine but Aurora wasn't too keen.

"So, you found a letter which Argus has written for Thomas?" asked Ysabeau after Aurora had explained the whole story and while Marthe had found her inside Thomas and Argus's former bedroom that they shared together.

"Yes. I felt vibrations and wanted to check it out. I'm sorry I entered without permission. I didn't want to disturb anyone,"

"I hope that whatever he has written is extra good news for Diana and Matthew, or it is a final farewell," prayed Ysabeau solemnly.

"I should bring this to Thomas as soon as possible once I leave for Oxford,"

"Absolutely not Aurora. You're staying here where it's safe,"

"Sarah, I promised Nate and Sophie I'd be there for the birth,"

"I'm sorry honey but there are vampires out there looking for you," Em clasped her hand protectively.

Their argument was interrupted by Marthe walking to the door. The aunts and niece stared at Ysabeau whose nostrils shrivelled. Someone was here. But she was calm. It was no danger.

Two pairs of footsteps approached the table.

"Thomas? What are you doing here?" asked Aurora in surprise.

Thomas glanced at her with determination. "I'm here to bring you back to my brother,"

The argument continued near the fireplace.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking?!" Sarah snapped.

"Sarah…" attempted Aurora.

"There are vampires on the loose for her. And you expect us to just let her go out into the dangerous world?"

"I can protect myself," Aurora argued. "I'm not a child,"

"Your aunts are right Aurora," agreed Ysabeau. "Oxford isn't safe for you anymore. Fergus will never stop until he captures you. And what of your friends? Do you not think they'd stop at anything to get you if that means threatening them? Could you live with yourself?" She was trying to stimulate Aurora's guilt. Not to hurt her but to reason with her. It was working. Aurora's argumentative temper cooled. She was right.

"They need you Aurora," pushed Thomas. "And I am not gonna sit by and watch you and Marcus drift further and further apart. You make him happy. He…makes you happy. I never meant to ruin everything between you but that shouldn't stop you from being with someone you belong to. And I don't that if Marcus doesn't do something, he will regret it for the rest of his life. And I won't be responsible for that,"

The aunts remained uncertain.

"I think we should let her go," said Marthe supportively. "Aurora is unlike any creature we have ever seen. She's powerful, brave, loyal, …. And true," She spoke with belief and satisfaction. "She has the power to protect herself and her friends. And Ysabeau, if you don't allow her to go and be with Marcus, you will regret it forever,"

Ysabeau realised her committed housekeeper was right. She couldn't do this to Aurora, nor could she do this to her youngest grandson. Not after all the hardship, he was now going through because of their secret. They needed to be together. The aunts however were stubborn. They held their niece's hands tightly. "You have to let her go Emily and Sarah. I know that's what Rebecca and Stephen would have done if they were here. They'd want Aurora to be happy. And I know that's what Diana and Matthew would have wanted to,"

Emily and Sarah glanced at Aurora with fearful eyes but Aurora's courage glimmered in her skin like stars. She was a powerful creature. Just like Diana. The choice was made.

Aurora packed all her belongings, her hair glowing with joy that Thomas was now bringing her back to the man she loved. As she packed, she slipped the envelope containing Argus's letter inside her bag. But then she took it out again. Should she give it to Thomas? No. She would give it to him once they arrived in Oxford. As a heartfelt thank you.

"I promise you two I will protect Aurora," Thomas vowed to the aunts. "Just as I swore I would support Diana and my father's love for each other when I rescued her. The Knights of Lazarus are already scouting for Fergus and any MacDuff anywhere In France. No sign yet and they've set out a safe route,"

"Good," said Emily. "Thank you," she gave Thomas another awkward hug which he returned just as self-consciously.

Footsteps approached and they saw Aurora with her suitcases and bag. "I'm ready,"

In tears, Emily stumbled over and hugged her tightly. "Call us every day please,"

"I will," she sniffled. She hated to leave them again. "Come here," she pulled Sarah into the hug and she felt her lips kiss her cheek. "I'll be back soon. I promise,"

"Good luck out there you two," Ysabeau bid farewell. "And be careful," her grandson and close friend nodded. "Might I speak to you before we go?" she requested Thomas. He nodded again and Marthe escorted Aurora and her aunts outside. She clasped her grandson's hands. "You did the right thing. Telling Marcus. I was wrong to doubt you. At times I still sometimes see you as the dear boy whom my son brought into our lives,"

"Sometimes I feel that way too Ysabeau. Even it has been more than a thousand years," Thomas confessed. "I hate that I broke my promise. But being honest with each other is the only way to truly stand together in this fight. When my father returns he will be outraged,"

"I will tell him that what you did was right. That we were wrong to hide it. Now…go to Oxford and protect Aurora," Thomas nodded. He kissed her cheek and walked off. "And Tom…" she spoke again. "Go up to that girl and tell her you love her. If you let her go now, your heart will die again,"

The aunts loaded Aurora's belongings in the cars. Aurora gave them one last tearful hug before sitting inside the front seat. Thomas exited the chateau and after hugging and kissing Marthe goodbye, directed one final glance of promise to the witches who nodded back, placing their full trust in him for the first time since they met. He entered the driver's seat and he drove with his brother's true love into the distance and out of the town.

Sorry for taking a while. Hope you all enjoyed it. So Thomas is taking Aurora back to Marcus. How determined he is to bring their love back. I hope you all are enjoying Argus. Next chapter will be his last one in this story much to my regret. I hope you all have enjoyed Season 2 a lot. See you all soon.