DISCLAIMER. My intellectual property is the storyline, all new characters, new character development, and new developments. Glorioux
A/n List of characters until now at the end of the chapter-
Lizzie's Return -
"Look at my wife before you say anything. Did you know that your miserable uncle violated my wife? He was an adult, and she was but a child who recently had her first blood," The strange otherworldly being stared at Darcy.
"I am sorry, but that is not my fault," Darcy answered. Although he was still somewhat proud and arrogant, bile rose to his throat just thinking about it. He didn't want to believe all he said about his uncle; it made his head start to hurt, and breathing was becoming difficult; fragments of the forgotten nightmare threatened to break through the surface of his consciousness.
"His transgression wasn't without consequences." Lizzie's father stopped to kiss his wife's brow; she was visibly upset. He leaned and whispered something, and she nodded her head.
"In any case, your uncle's father had tried the same with my wife's mother; it happened before she married her young sweetheart, his best friend; may I add, he married not knowing what had happened to his young bride. She was ashamed and kept it a secret. Your grandfather went after them with a vengeance; he even ruined them financially."
Darcy was dumbfounded; now, he believed all he had heard thus far, "I didn't know." That was all he said. The new knowledge had planted a seed of doubt and awareness, a key to open the door of locked memories, and his headache intensified. He heard Lizzie's father and wasn't sure what was so troublesome.
"Did you know that my wife's father was a, hmm, an earl, just like your uncle? Her grandmother's father was a duke; I would say he comes from great stock, don't you agree?"
An earl, Mr. Bennet, was one, Richard had told him. Darcy nodded. What an arrogant fool he had been, thinking his wife was beneath him.
"Ah, there is more. Your uncle didn't know that she was my wife. You see, when many conditions are met occasionally, mostly in the physical plane, the portals into many realms open. Those cycles occur with predictable frequency. When the portals open, my brethren, along with very nasty creatures, and I can cross here and into other realms. The portals are in places where different realms, or you might call them worlds, intersect." He stood between his wife and daughter to caress his wife's head. His wife seemed to relax.
"That day, I saw my to-be-wife sitting on a rock and noticed her tears. It was the day her parents died. It had been a few hours since the accident happened, well, not an accident since their murder." He looked at Darcy again; the implication was horrid. What made it worse was knowing her father was telling the truth.
"Yes, my wife, a young girl then, sat by the angry sea and was thinking morbid thoughts. We knew what she was planning, and it just couldn't come to pass." His arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders.
He stared at Darcy and continued, "I'd never seen such a clean soul. It called me from far away. That same day, I asked her to come as our…err, my bride when she was older. We made promises, in your terms, we were married, but she was left untouched, only a chaste kiss on her hand; she was only a child, after all. Too bad that we left her unprotected against your uncle. He was, and is, depraved and saw her as easy prey. We protected her the next time I saw her, right after the attack. Unfortunately, it was too late. We were all forbidden to kill him, lucky for him."
The words were poisoned rain falling on Darcy. Imagining his uncle's deeds made him sick. Nevertheless, he tried to concentrate and listened.
"I offered her brother riches to make his life easier, but he was and is too proud. After the violation, Thomas sent her away to hide her from your uncle. Poor my dear, having to hide for years in a remote place while your uncle made Thomas' life miserable during the entire time because he wanted to find out where he hid our wife. We came for her six years later, the earliest time Thomas would allow. He insisted that we repeat our vows before a man of God. I took her away when she was 18." He waited for the impact of the words to reach William Darcy.
'My dear Lord, she just turned 12 when it happened, so young. My uncle had to be over 18; it was in Cambridge.' Darcy remembered Richard's comments about Bennet's being a little young but tasty. Remembering the words, he felt ill. She was three years younger than Georgiana.
"When she became with child, carrying a new life, we had to bring her back. A pregnant female cannot stay in a world like ours after a specific time. In our societies, new life is only possible for us, not for those whose bodies have previously died. Staying was not an option; it was dangerous for the mother and baby because evil spirits crave new life and life-giver. When I brought my wife back, her brother had married already. I had left him means, but he was too proud; after your grandfather ruined them, he found money to be an issue.
My wife stayed in a house next to her brother's home. Thomas didn't want anyone to know of their relationship; he worried that your uncle would find out. By that time, Thomas was a broken man because your uncle had taken away the woman he loved, your aunt." Lizzie's father continued.
"I see, I see," was all William Darcy could say.
"Soon after my wife gave birth to my darling daughter, my princesses, tragedy struck. We still don't know how your uncle found out that my wife was back. It happened right after she gave birth. We were distracted; everyone was celebrating when your uncle tried to abduct her. During the fouled abduction, amongst other things, my Eugenia was mortally wounded. We had to bring her back without the baby." He looked sad.
"Why?" Darcy asked.
"When I brought my wife back to our world to heal her, she was nearly dead; unfortunately, she was needed to bring our daughter back. She would have needed to walk freely and pass the portals on her own feet while carrying the baby in her arms. We knew the portals would close within a few hours after she crossed back, no longer carrying new life. We also knew that the portals would stay closed for all of us until L'behj, Elizabeth, became of age." Her father held the wife, who now looked upset.
"I see," he didn't. The idea of leaving your child behind filled him with apprehension and anxiety. He would never leave his baby behind, or just as unthinkable as to have your child taken away from you.
"Eugenia was ill for a long while. We knew that my wife would not be well before the portals closed. The rules are complicated. So I talked to her brother and left my baby with him and his horrible wife. My daughter will tell you the rest."
Elizabeth spoke for the first time, "Yes, I will." Her voice sounded like music to Darcy's ears. Her father nodded and continued.
"We must leave now. My wife can only stay here for hours at a time since she was practically dead when I took her back. Those are the rules since had she stayed here. She wouldn't be alive; thus, we foiled imminent death. I had to take her away, and we had no choice. Perhaps we could have healed Eugenia here, but we couldn't risk it. As it were, we had already lost too much." He explained.
Lizzie's mother was crying; the grief was oppressing. Darcy was trying to make sense of everything. He was missing something. The father had implied something about 'we,' but what? Later, he would think about it at some other time.
"I see, so why are you here? Are you bringing me back my rightful wife?" Darcy demanded, clearly forgetting who he was dealing with.
"Listen well, L'behj will need to stay until she gives birth. She isn't yours and wouldn't be here if there were another way. Since we have learned much, she won't be alone; they will stay with her," he pointed at the females and the males.
Darcy could see them better. They looked like warriors. Every tall male was lithe but strong, and the females were much the same.
Each one had glowing patterned lines on their faces. Though they were winged, the wings disappeared in front of his eyes, and he was now sure that the cloaks were wings. Judging from their aggressive stances, they were to look out for his wife.
They carried strange weapons: armbands with attached cylinders, daggers, swords, bows, and large tubes hanging from slings. He would say they were armed to the teeth, living arsenals.
"Heed this warning. Her wicked stepmother is plotting with my enemies. She is a fool and cannot see that they are agents of darkness. She wants, hmm, Lizzie back. It is for financial reasons; she is selling her to them. She plans to lure her, probably with one of her sisters. I have someone watching her, but she is crafty." Lizzie's father told him/
"Why not kill her? "Darcy asked; if they didn't, he would.
"We can not until the foolish Fanny female tries to cause us harm. A renegade, not one of us, is working with her to take my daughter, to control us. She thinks that he is a human who desires her, foolish woman. He is a half-monster. There are others here with him who are equally dangerous," he shook his head. "But remember that now my daughter is of age and grew up here. Because of that, while she is here, the portals where we crossed are open to us. However, each use weakens the portals, which are points of entry."
"They," Darcy pointed at the warriors, "cannot stay here; how will I explain them?"
"They will." He looked at Darcy carefully. His eyes blinked; obviously, he was amused.
"Now I see you are one of us, one of my people, although not from recently. Hmm, be watchful. You are at my mercy. I am your liege, funny," he smirked, breaking into an uncharacteristic raucous laugh. Everyone but Darcy joined the laughter, "You see, you will be compelled to obey me."
Darcy harrumphed.
The father looked at Darcy and said, "Don't be fooled; the portals are no longer locked. As I explained, we think that is related to my daughter growing up here. As for you, hmm, your ancestor is known as Jealousy; he is called so because of a curse. He is of high birth but cursed by one of my brothers for going after his wife. Evidently, he had a child with a mortal, but he must not have known it. "
Darcy was stunted by the revelation; he was like them; how so?
He kissed Elizabeth, who held on to both parents and cried, "Mommy, Daddy, don't leave me; I will be alone. " She looked very young.
"Darling, it is the only way. You are not alone. You know it," her father told her.
It downed on Darcy. She was with a child; maybe she would be with him. His eyes lit; tonight was looking better.
"No, you will not use my daughter. She will do as she pleases," the father could read him and 'talked' inside his head. That day, I gave her a gift of forgetfulness. Thus, be careful what you say around her, or you'll answer to me."
Darcy didn't understand and wanted to ask, but he was cut off.
"We must go," the father announced.
Her mother sobbed, "I don't want to leave her. There must be something we could do. How can we leave our family here? Your brother," she looked around, "said that maybe we could stay in."
He looked sad. "No, beloved. If we did, the portals that separate the worlds of light would break. As it is, we," he looked at the warriors, "shouldn't be here simultaneously. It is too dangerous. We must go soon. Maybe, once she..."
And just like that, mid-sentence, they went; indeed, her parents left, but the others remained. To his amazement, they looked human and dressed suitably for the period. They wore expensive yet understated garments, and their weapons were no longer visible.
Lizzie is in charge
Elizabeth's light-colored clothes were plain. She braided her hair with ribbons and now looked human, though still breathtaking. How could he have ever thought she was just tolerable? He knew why, because male eyes couldn't notice her, but he had made her visible; it was his doing, his fault.
The smaller dog cried, and Elizabeth picked it up. The dog licked her face, and she kissed his head. The giant bird stood perched on a coat rack, his eyes on Darcy; they were not bird's eyes; they belonged to a sentient being. Darcy couldn't stop staring.
Elizabeth spoke to him for the first time, "His name is L'Roy, meaning the king; he has other brothers named the same. He is a, well, something else, a mighty being. The hounds are Merlin and Wind. The same goes for them, or maybe not." She and the others grinned.
She pointed at the females, "You can call them Lady Smoke, Lady Grey, and Lady Stone," Lizzie chuckled, "it is very appropriate. As for them," she pointed at the three males, "you might use their first name, Leo, Gavin, and F, err, Echtwulf; use whatever last name suits you. Alas, they don't have one or one you could pronounce."
"They will not stay," he answered firmly.
Echtwulf was in front of him in the time it took to blink an eye. Darcy noticed the inhuman eyes, he growled and showed his teeth, a predator, "I tend to differ; our rooms must be near hers."
"L'roy, fire," Elizabeth ordered; instantly, a high flame came out of the bird's beak to light a fireplace.
Echtwulf smiled again with regular human teeth. For a second, he could see strange beings under their skin, and then they were back to normal.
Wind, the larger dog, walked in circles, smelling and growling.
Leo looked at Gavin, "There is one here who consorts with an enemy. We need to find him. Do you have guests?"
"Yes, but they are asleep."
Darcy gave up and called Mrs. Reynolds, "Find them rooms in the family wing, near my wife's room."
Mrs. Reynolds hadn't heard anyone come in, but she sensed the power all around and understood. "Mrs. Darcy, welcome. We will have your room ready." She lowered her eyes and thought her young master was a fool.
She lowered her head in respect to Lizzie. Oh dear, her daughter had been right, poor young master. She would tell her people that Mrs. Darcy was back. They would want to meet her and protect her.
"About that, "Elizabeth looked at Darcy, "I shouldn't sleep alone; my parents told me." Her eyes were no longer timid. She was not asking; instead, she was telling Darcy how things would be.
Darcy didn't like to be ordered by anyone, nor did he want to sleep with anyone, and he had never done it. It was simple, he shunned intimacy. His parents weren't loving and fought all the time.
Darcy just nodded, not about to fight with whatever was in front of him. This was dangerous, and he would talk to her later.
Mrs. Grey told him, "Don't talk. Nothing will change. Listen to your wife, my Lady's word rules. You still don't understand, do you? Each one of us would give up our existence for her."
He saw the face of a strange creature, beautiful yet feral. They could hear his thoughts. He knew better than to ask. His life had changed; it looked like he was no longer in charge. He hoped to be wrong.
A/N She is back, but only because he is needed. It would seem Elizabeth is no longer a shy flower if she ever were one. Shall we read ahead?
Note: I will be adding as new characters appear, at the End of the chapters. It is the only way in this format.
Characters: (NC=Non Cannon)
Fanny Bennet — Relation : (Nee Gardiner) Mr. Bennet's wife-Lizzie's adoptive mother - NC
Elizabeth or El'bhj Bennet — Lizzie- Relation : Lizzie- mother: Eugenia Bennet, Thomas' sister
Eugenia Bennet — Relation : Lizzie's Mother, Thomas Bennet's sister - NC
Jane Bennet — Relation : ( Lizzie's sister_ Biological father unknown - NC)
Kitty Bennet — Relation : Lizzie's sister
Lydia Bennet — Relation : (Lizzie's sister_Biological father unknown - NC)
Mary Bennet — Relation : (Lizzie's sister)
Caroline Bingley — Relation : Charles Bingley's Sister -Loves Mr. Darcy
Charles Bingley — Relation : Mr. Darcy's best friend
Beatrice Darcy — Relation : (Darcy's dead twin) - - NC
Fitzwilliam Darcy — Relation : William. Father: George Darcy Mother: Lady Anne
George Darcy — Relation : Mr. Darcy's Father
Georgiana Darcy — Relation : Fitzwilliam Darcy's sister
Lady Anne Darcy — Relation : (Née Fitzwilliam- Darcy's mother)—Darcy
Lady Catherine De Bourgh — Relation : née Fitzwilliam (in this story Thomas Bennet's first Love. Darcy's Aunt) Fitzwilliam
Anne De Bourgh — Relation : Lady Catherine's daughter -In this story Thomas Bennet's Love child
Wind Dog — Relation : - NC
Merlin Dog — Relation : - NC
Bartlett Fitzwilliam — Relation : Darcy's cousin
Earl of M Fitzwilliam — Relation : Darcy's uncle Fitzwilliam
Richard Fitzwilliam — Relation : Darcy's cousin, Col Richard
Mrs. Reynolds Housekeeper — Relation : Pemberley's housekeeper
Hurst Hurst — Relation : Mr. Hurst cousins - NC
Louisa Hurst — Relation : Charles Bingley's Sister, Mr. Hurst's Wife
Reggie Hurst — Relation : (Charles Bingley brother in law, Mr. Hurst)
Echtwulf Non Human — Relation : Non Human- From the Mythical Underworld- Non Cannon
Gavin Non Human — Relation : - NC
L'Roy Non Human — Relation : Takes an owl form- Non Human- NC
Lady Grey Non Human — NC
Lady Smoke Non Human — NC
Lady Stone Non Human — NC
Leon Non Human - NC
Fergus Reynolds — Relation : Mrs. Reynolds relative- - NC - Works for Darcy
Miss Francine Reynolds — Relation : (Mrs. Reynolds' Daughter- - NC
George Wickham — Relation : (Darcy's half brother - NC)