Disclosure The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
Darcy's Dilemma
My brother whispers. "Fi, you can stay here for a while. Hmm, I know, your daddy and I will go soon."
"No, you leave," Fi tells Zia, "You are stealing me. Daddy, I am afraid of her; I think she is a dark fairy. I feel something bad, and she wants me to leave you." Fi is sobbing.
My brother now sits on the ground to laugh. "Zia, let him stay here until he is used to the idea."
"I won't get used to it, never. Zia, go and have other babies, I cannot leave my daddy; I never, ever will. I will hide." Fi declares, resolute. He is stuck to me, almost behind me.
My alleged sister, never mind, the one I think is my sister, looks scary. "I am not a dark fairy. Where do you get such a ridiculous idea? Dark fairies have dark sharp teeth, and their wings turn into bat wings. Do I have colored freckles? That is the first sign, look at me. I am your mommy, and he is not your daddy. He might be the dark fairy, wanting everything, including my baby."
Fi won't back down. "Go, I will go back when my daddy goes. We will see you there, goodbye." He dismisses her, looks away, and buries his head on my back. He is shaking like a leaf. His body feels cold as ice.
My brother says, "Zia, it will be around eight weeks. Go, hold the government. I will be back in a couple of days maybe a little longer. You have help." He insists, "Our sister and Gjur are there." He means my father here, George Darcy.
I must confess the idea of losing Fi, has me at the edge of tears. What a conundrum, I feel as if my heart might break; maybe worse than when I almost lost Lizzie. I have to control my tears for Fi's sake.
"Ah, dear sister, you and your husband will live in the residence with the king. Same than I. I might look for a wife here. George, his father here, says he has a daughter for me. Perfect, she is of royal blood. I hope we are a match." My brother tries to change the mood.
"No, my baby comes with me." Zia says, while appears behind me and lunges to grab Fi. I turn around worried. But Fi is too quick, his hair is glowing, straight up, and moving like angry snakes. He is in battle mode, baring his teeth, growling like a warrior at my angry sister, while my idiotic brother laughs. I remember, my brother is a jokester, and always says I need to relax.
Fi seems to be surrounded by a glow, we both are, and Zia cannot touch either of us. She tries and is thrown back, bouncing. Zia is the one growling, recognizing Fi's powerful magic. I remember the magic of many males of my father's line is powerful, I might have King's magic, but my brother could rule if something happened to me. Zia's magic is strong, but I guess Fi's is stronger. I understand that unless he wants to go to Zia, his mother, I won't be able to force him. Furthermore, I don't doubt he will hide; it has happened in my family before.
"i will be back, soon, with your daddy. Be ready to go." She growls again and disappears as she does Zia turns small again. I remember only males can hold the bigger size, unless a male will them big.
Though Fi doesn't dignify to answer, he mumbles, "Nasty dark fairy, I already have a daddy, don't come back, you won't find me.
My brother makes sure she is gone, "Her husband is well; I don't like him. I think he is a relative of our stepmother, never mind." I shake my head asking him to stop, after all, he is talking about Fi's father. Fi has heard every word; I see it in his eyes. He might be eight, but an educated, advanced eight. He will use the information to be sure. His eyes change colors, meaning he is making plans. He is too young and cannot hide his emotions; parents need to be able to protect their children.
I hear the implication and agree. I remember him; Fi's father must have been behind the plotting. My parents didn't like him much. Now that I remember he brought my stepmother to stay with them. He did it after my mother was murdered. Besides, Fi's father was known for his looks and his many lovers. He had a bad reputation besides other problems. My parents begged Zia not to marry, but she did it anyway. My mother thought Zia was on a thrall, perhaps. But why is my uncle involved, something doesn't sound right. He loved my fathers, they raised him.
Fi's grandfather from his father's side, is on exile for his involvement in a movement trying to enslave other magical creatures. He was a prince who thought my father was too kind. "Why pay those who work for us," he used to say, "we should learn from the mortals; they enslave others like them." He might be at the heart of all of the plotting and murdering; my father wanted to find him and freeze him forever. Now, he is a dark fairy or turning into one. Greed and bad deeds make it happen.
"Fi, I will tell Miss Elizabeth you came with my cousin. Your parents died and wanted me to adopt you. I will say I already knew you, okay?" I am learning to lie on the fly.
Fi dries his tears, "Thanks Daddy, I wish your sister didn't know who I was. I cried for her, but I want to be with you. Besides, I am afraid of her. I don't have or want another daddy; nor do I want to go with her. I made a mistake by wanting to see her. I don't want to meet her husband, he sounds nasty. I think he might be the dark fairy; she has been around at least one dark fairy, I can tell." He holds my hand tightly, shaking. He is cold as ice.
I understand why Fi was worried before, asking if Zia's husband was in our world. I hug him, and he quits shaking. He is light, so I pick him up, and he wraps his legs around me, laying his head on my chest. Goodness, it feels good to hold him. I rub his back, like I used to rub Georgie's After a while, he is better and asks to be let down. My brother looks worried; he is hiding something, I can tell. I will ask later. It must be about Zia's husband.
That is my life, always something askew, my father leaving me when I was 19, having to be a brother and a father, and almost losing Lizzie because of my damned pride. But Fi is here because I loved him since the first moment; it is not my fault. What are we going to do? I cannot let him go. I love Lizzie like life itself, but Fi has been with me since I was eight. Since he was born. I guess I am his father, of course I am.
Something occurs to me, what if Fi has a gift to sense dark fairies? My grandmother did, and she was murdered because of her gift; because she uncovered some turning dark; she told us it ran in her family. Something to think about it. My uncle, the younger one, we all loved, was a little like that, and was sick around tainted ones. So why did he betray his brothers and killed them? Something doesn't sound right.
But Zia is not a dark fairy, nor turning into one, that is non-sense.
"Let's go back, I need to arrange to bring Lizzie home." I want to leave and put this behind for a while.
"But if my father, George Darcy, I mean my father here, is alive why did he go? My mother was much like my aunt, but I miss him terribly much." My voice falters.
"Because he could no longer hold to his age glamour. Though he is sad and in mourning since he returned a few weeks ago. He had said something about time, but I didn't pay attention. He misses you, Kjy and your sister. He cries often. The healers cannot help him with the glamour or his sadness. He says he will mourn you and your sister until he can see you again. Maybe there is a way, he could be a cousin? Hmm, maybe." He looks thoughtful.
Fi looks at me, "Daddy, I like it, you look much younger, like my brother."
As soon as we are back in the townhouse. I look in the mirror. My eyes are an odd color, almost yellow, or a very bright yellow green, and I look around 19. Hmm, my hair has wild streaks, maybe blue and green, and more streaks appear as I watch, a rainbow? Oh, no! I run my hands thru my hair, wishing the colors gone.
My brother advises, "Do like George, your father here, think you are older, use the great-king-magic, yours is stronger than anyone's. The hair is caused by your magic, it will be every hue, like our father's and his twin. Our stepmother is afraid of you,
I know. Our parents said your magic is the stronger they had ever seen. Look at the palm of your hand. You are the first born with it in a long time. Maybe you can unite the kingdoms again and stop the wars and the hatred."
I look at my palm, I have a glowing star that pulses, changing colors.
"Don't worry, you can hide it like you always had, as our parents wished, knowing many would try to kill you before you were old enough." He explains.
"How?" I ask.
"Think, the potion is working." My brother tells me. "Only us know about it, I mean us family. Zia must…never mind." I heard it, that must be what my brother is hiding.
I close my eyes, and Fi applauds. "You look perfect, like my daddy," he hugs me and kisses me, I hug him back. Goodness, I love Fi, I cannot give him up. He smells of innocence, of all that is good. I think Fi won't change the way he feels; he never does when his mind is made up. I remember my father, the king, was like that.
"Let's get ready to get my love, and we can look in my wardrobe to change your clothes," I am not sure that Zia told her husband about me. If so, she did it after the blood vow to keep it a secret, and by doing it, she signed my death warrant until I came into my full powers. If she broke a blood vow, she is also in danger, not from me, but from the ones that govern all fairy worlds. She must tell me if she broke the vow, and maybe I can intercede for her.
"William, I am here, just came in today." It is Georgiana, she just had her 16th birthday.
My brother is stunned when he sees her. "Who is she?" He whispers.
"That is Georgiana, Georgie, my sister." I see that his eyes glow with tiny sparks, he looks drunk, not well. I point at him, and he blinks.
Fi is laughing softly. I introduce Fi and Georgie, saying a huge fib. The one that I adopted him. "My dear, his name is Felipe, his mother was a Spanish princess. He likes to be called Fi."
Georgie likes it and hugs Fi, kissing his cheeks twice. "I have a brother, a little brother, what a great day! You look a lot like William, like his son, even better." Her smile is radiant. "We will be so happy. Fi, our girl, Felicia, had pups last week, you can pick one, but the little girl is mine."
Fi looks elated. Georgie loves him at once, I can see it in her eyes. This will make it worse because I see the same in Fi's eyes. Oh, no. "And I have a big sister." Fi grins, "We are brother and sister. You are the sister I always wanted." He looks at me; he is very happy, oh, oh.
She is looking at my brother, blushing. Her eyes look down, a little shy, hmm, I see. I guess Georgie will live with me, always. I like that. But it won't happen soon, I remember, females are much older when they marry. I think she would be closer to twenty-eight years old in this world, some much later.
"Darling, he is our cousin from America. You didn't know our father's wayward brother, he died. He is his son, err," I stop and cough. I don't know his name, since my memories aren't all back.
"Vjik, is my name, a pleasure Madam," he does an old-fashioned courtly gesture, making Fi chuckle. Fi looks at me and winks, touching his heart and fluttering his eyelids. He is jesting.
"Ah, short for Viktor I see," she says, blushing bright red. I could swear I see tiny colored stars dancing above her.
"My dear, we need to go, I must go back to London. We'll be back soon." Amazing how I say whatever is convenient. I was never like that, at least not here.
My brother says, "Please come with us." I feel sick and shake my head emphatically. She doesn't see me. But he shrugs his shoulder, blatantly ignoring me, he pulls out a bonbon from a small box, "My lady, try it; it is delicious."
I want to scream. I am remembering Vjik is naughty, and he does as he wishes. I know what he is offering her, a love bonbon to wake up feelings. "No, don't give it to her, obey me."
He complies, putting it back in the box.
"You sounded strange, what did you say?" Georgiana asks.
Vjik grins, "I think he said a king's command. He is bossy but right, the bonbon makes some sick."
Oh no, I am speaking in another language. This is not good.
"I swear you look very young, no, I must be imagining." Georgie looks startled. "It must be the light, your eyes are yellow or an odd yellow-green color, I am not sure, but what is your hair so odd?"
Vjik is grinning, controlling his laughter. Alas, I will need to tell Georgiana soon. She is my father's blood child, not like me, and George Darcy was a fairy, I guess. Hmm, she must be a fairy; of course, she must be. I was unaware, but a few incidents involving her come to mind. Like the time when she fell from the terrace, she landed on her feet, and nothing happened to her. Or when Aunt Catherine fell into a mud puddle, nobody had seen, after she reprimanded her. And many more incidents that made my father, George Darcy guffaw to my mother's annoyance.
Vjik puts his hand on his pocket and blows dust. When it goes in the air, Georgiana turns around and leaves.
Vjik whispers. "She will forget seeing you and meeting us. But I am not forgetting her, I cannot. She is for me; I will wait."
I breathe better. As soon as she is gone, he pulls my hand; Fi holds my other hand, and we are back at the London townhouse.
"You must behave. No tricks or jokes." I mean it. "No love potions for Georgie, understood?"
"Fair, I but must go and see George Darcy, your father here. It is not his name, but close, I want to ask for his daughter; I am certain that once anyone sees her, she will be courted by many. But true, I am a prince, nobody is higher than me except you. I feel, you know," he winks at Fi, who purses his lips; he wants Georgina around, not married to anyone. But my brother is young. It will be a while before they marry.
I look around, feeling eyes on us. I feel the eyes are friendly Fi does the same and runs to hold my hand. "I think someone is here, hold my hand, Daddy. I am safe with you my only Daddy."
Fi wants a family, one of his choosing that is; he is like my father, his twin, and their baby brother. Their mother died when the baby was born, and my aunt raised them. My grandfather remarried, years later, but they didn't like the stepmother, so, they moved into my aunt's suite, and the little brother came with them. They all refused to go back with their father no matter what he tried. He blamed my aunt for influencing them, and they fought constantly. There were no children from that marriage, so my grandfather kept trying to raise his children without success. Everyone knew and was embarrassing for him. Whenever he tried tricks, the three hid for months. No, I don't think Zia will like that arrangement.
a/n a few more chapters and this is it.