Disclosure Hp belongs to JKR. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
Chapter 6: Little Angels
Pemberley was bustling with activity, preparing for the New Year festivities. Others were changing the master's bedroom into a nursery. The existing furniture was being moved to an adjacent room along with the darker decor. Elizabeth's bed had already been exchanged with Darcy's bed since he was twice as large. The new double crib was in place in the new nursery.
William was looking at the work done, holding his son, when Georgie came in, holding the tiny girl.
"I will be sleeping in their room for the next weeks," Georgie declared, adding, "My godchildren need the protection I can give them. Who knows what still lurks out there?"
William disagreed, thinking about the annoying emphasis on the word godchildren, knowing Richard was doing the same. The babies were his and Lizzie's.
"No need, we are in the room next to them. Besides, you should observe some restraint; you can pick one for your godchild, but…" William was interrupted by Richard, who came into the room to look at the progress.
"I agree with Georgie. Our godchildren must be protected at all times. I am used to field conditions; thus, I have arranged for a small cot to be set at the room's door. I have also sent an express to end my commission. As you know, I am marrying Lady Antonia; her parents are gifting us a neighbor estate. I came into a cousin's inheritance, as you all know, so money is no longer an issue. Though, I decided I will be residing here for a while. Lady Antonia agrees we will postpone our wedding for a while." Richard's explanation alarmed William.
He moved by William, stretched his arms, and took the baby from him. William shook his head in disbelief.
Usually calm and collected, William had it. "I thank both of you, but Elizabeth and I want to watch for our children. Whilst I understand your gracious concern, I must remark, it is not needed." He said a few more things, but it was clear to him neither was listening. The self-assigned double godparents loving the babies, walked away from William, who, frustrated left the room back to Elizabeth.
Lizzie sat by her desk writing. William walked behind her and kissed her neck. She turned her face, smiling, and kissed her mouth, a brief yet passionate kiss. He wished for more, thinking maybe this night.
"Hello, my beauty, how is my morning flower, my dearest mommy," he grinned, rolling one of her tight curls around his finger, pulling it lightly, and letting it go.
"No pulling, I am not so certain I like all your changes. Had I known you had bad boy's tendencies…" Lizzie didn't complete her sentence because she had to laugh at his contrite face. "I am playing with you; I love how you are with me. It was what I yearned for, your regards."
He grinned, "Shall we sit on the chaise lounge? It will be more comfortable," he sat on it, patting his lap, showing Lizzie where to sit.
"Dearest, you are making a wanton out of me, making me wish all the guests were gone," Lizzie told him, sitting on his lap.
William sighed, "There, I feel better," he said, caressing her face. Lizzie reclined her head on his chest.
"Georgie and Richard had turned into watchdogs; they plan to move into the new nursery in my former bedroom. Richard is the field marshal, and Georgie, his general. We will have zero privacy," he lowered his voice, "and I have many plans for our times alone." He kissed her head.
Elizabeth was alarmed, listening about Georgie and Richard's plans. "That is not necessary; the nurse is your second cousin, one of you. She will respect our privacy; I am not so sure about either of them. Besides, I can hear the babies even now. Our girl is starting to fuss."
"True, you remind me, we have never talked about Christmas, none of us has. So sorry about Charles; he was a good friend; though Louisa doesn't let anyone mourn him. Albert has a gift; he confirmed it, Charles lives in Louisa's baby. She is much further along than she thought, over four months along. Reggie also heard him, not once, but thrice. The night he died, and twice on the 27th when his body was found. Charles said not to mourn him; to tell Jane to be happy, and to rejoice since he was given another chance." William's eyes filled with tears; he loved his friend; he would be missed.
"Dearest, sorry he is gone. Louisa is sad but is glad she can raise him better. You will be his godfather, and Jane asked to be his godmother. She is also sad, but she had a hard life with him; she said it was partly Miss Bingley's doing. With Miss Bingley gone after she weds this coming week, Jane will breathe easier." Lizzie smiled, remembering white-haired Miss Bingley, begging for forgiveness, ready to go away.
"Come this summer, Jane will wed Lord Albert; I mean Albert. She saw him flying away and now wants to be with him. Even more, when Tobias explained my 'change' during the invasion; he said carrying your babies made my inheritance stronger. He said it was the case with his mother, who had weak traces of whoever you are. He has two siblings, and his mother is nearly like him now. Jane hopes she will be like Tobias' mother." Elizabeth said, hoping for the same.
"Ah, thanks for your confidence; you haven't told me, and I haven't asked. Did you know you had an inheritance? I never sensed anything." William asked.
Lizzie nodded, "My father told us," Lizzie shared the story of her birth and how her mother thought her daughters had nearly died. She also thought we were blind because of our blue skin and our colorless eyes. She was happy when we looked 'normal' after an hour or so. My father told us the story, that his father could fly, his grandmother came from Prussia. But my mother said he read too much, adding we were very sick and got well. When I saw you after I had the babies, pretending to be asleep, I knew it." Her eyes shone with mischief.
"I see, the Fitzwilliam, both parents, are like you, sort of. The gift is stronger in my uncle, much, so his sons are him. You must know why I was restrained around you; my father told me during moments of, ahem, pleasure, or intense emotions like anger, we start changing. It often happens when we sleep. You remember Christmas morning when you asked where the feather on the cover came from." Both laughed before he ended. They had laughed that day, particularly when Lizzie said, "But the feather smells lovely."
"So, what are we? We don't look like church angels," Lizzie asked, remembering the blue skin, dark claws, the pointy teeth, and dark and gold-colored feathers. But she also remembered how beautiful they were.
He told her the story of his ancestors, "Their diaries indicate we come from beings who keep our world safe from beings like those we saw. We all have, I guess, magic. The swords are replicas of the ones brought by the two ladies. They learned to look human, and we are taught early on. They said they had governments and rulers, so I guess they were not church angels; but we work to keep the world safe. We have fought a few nasty beings before. My father taught us behind my mother's back, though my mother was partly like us. Georgie was a sight to see; the tiny girl wielding a heavy sword."
They heard a commotion, both stood up and ran to their room. What they saw took their breath away. Richard and Georgie had placed the babies on the bed to change their nappies. They behaved over-protective, no wanting the children handled by anyone but them; judging by what was in front of them, perhaps it was a good thing.
The babies were floating, their wings were visible, their clothes intact, but they still looked human. "Oh, dear, this is new. I never heard about it. Call Tobias, he is the expert." William asked Richard while he climbed on the bed to bring them down.
"What are we going to do?" Lizzie asked.
When they looked, the wings had gone away.
"No idea; I guess we will need to be watchful. I wonder what else they can do." William said, not anxious to find out. He had not been a model child, none of them had been, but his children had an early start.
They heard Lizzie's family, Mr. Bennet and Mary, they had arrived. The others stayed at Longbourn. Lydia and her two children lived with them after George picked up and left for the Americas, likely escaping the law. Poor Lydia, so young and already abandoned.
"Who knows, but I say we do not leave the babies alone with others," Lizzie advised smiling. "Aren't our little angels lovely?"
William kissed her and the babies. "They are, indeed, they are, as lovely as the mother."
Georgie rolled her eyes but smiled, hoping her husband would be the same. Well, when she had one, at present, she had no time for a husband. With two godchildren, her hands were full. Just like Richard had said, he postponed marriage plans until the children were older. When that would happen, he wasn't sure.
A/n oh-oh. I guess Richard and Georgie are taking the jobs to heart and will not be flexible in allowing more godparents. I think they are taking over, lol. Who said life was perfect? Now let's visit another Christmas three years later.