Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
He knew not how long he’d lain on the cold ground, every breath a painful reminder of his broken ribs and quite possibly crushed lungs.
Nothing but silence surrounded him. No Wickham, no giants, and more specifically, no Elizabeth.
If he couldn’t get out of the warded circle of stones and perform a healing spell, he’d die and never find her.
He fought against the agonizing pain and struggled to his feet, took one step toward the outer ring and collapsed.
An overwhelming scent of citrus covered his body like a comforting blanket and the last thing he saw was Richard emerging from the forest at a dead run.
When next he awoke, honeysuckle and lavender, carried by a soft breeze washed over him in the dark. Had he died and gone to Heaven?
Elizabeth!
He struggled to sit and a soft hand pressed against his shoulder, staying his movement.
‘Shhh....my love. You are safe.”
He closed his eyes and then jolted awake again.
“Wickham!”
“Nothing but a bad memory,” she soothed, caressing his brow.
“He cut you.”
“I am well.”
“Do not leave me, Elizabeth.”
“Never. Now rest. We’ll discuss this in the morning.”
“What if morning never comes again.”
He heard her soft chuckle.
“Believe me, Fitzwilliam, we have all the time in the world right now.”
“I cannot bear for us to be apart.”
The bed dipped softly as she joined him and curled into his side on top of the counterpane.
When he would have protested and begged her to crawl beneath the covers, she laid a hand on his chest and murmured, “Sleep.” When he awakened, the sound of crashing waves and the salty tang of the ocean teased his senses.
He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.
The room in which he lay was unlike anything he’d seen before.
Floor to ceiling terrace doors opened wide, allowing fresh sea air to flow through the room.
Wisps of almost translucent material for curtains fluttered in the breeze and beyond the window, a stone terrace.
From there, he noted a strip of white sand sloping down to azure blue water which stretched as far as his eye could see.
But what caused his heart to almost stutter to a stop was the sight of a slight woman standing on the pristine sand, her hair and skirts billowing out behind her like a glorious sail.
Elizabeth.
As though he’d called to her with his mind, she turned and flashed a brilliant smile.
Pain free, he stood and moved to meet her on the terrace.
Without any thought of propriety, or who may be in the area, he hauled her up against his chest and captured her mouth with his.
She met his demands with her own and they remained locked together for minutes, hours, days.
He had no concept of time except this exact moment with his Elizabeth.
“My love,” he murmured into her hair, holding her close to his chest. “I thought I’d lost you.”
She stepped out of his embrace and when he would have protested and dragged her back, she took his hand and tugged.
“We have much to discuss and we have all the time in the world to love each other.”
With a slight flick of her hand, two chairs and a small table appeared, along with an aromatic brew. He allowed her to lead him to the chairs, where she sank gracefully into one of them and indicated with a light nod for him to take the other.
“I’d rather you summoned a couch, or better yet a massive bed, dearest Elizabeth.”
A slight blush graced her cheeks and she took a sip of her drink.
“Naughty Fitzwilliam. We need to talk before we proceed further.”
“Very well.” He sat and reached for his own drink. Honey and lemon soothed his throat. “I do have many questions, the first being, where are we?”
“We are in Miathara.”
“Miathara! I thought that was nothing but a place of legend.”
“No,” she laughed out, “our origins are from an actual place, even if it is out of time with the human realm. Mama has been telling me our history while you slept.”
“Your mother?” The silly Mrs. Bennet was magical. How could that be?
“Oh, Fitzwilliam. There is so much to tell I scarce know where to start.”
“At the beginning, my love. That’s where all good stories begin.”
He reclined further in his chair and listened as Elizabeth shared how her mother is Ellorian, the other magical race which still reside in Miathara. Their magic follows the maternal side, unlike the Miatharans, which follow the male line.
“When did you find out your mother was magical, that she was Ellorian?”
“When Lady Catherine demanded I give you up.”
“She what?” He straightened in his chair.
“Oh yes, she arrived at Longbourn in all her glory and stomped about the garden saying you were in a peculiar type of engagement with her daughter?”
“I never would have married Anne.”
“I know that, my love. Our soul marks are living proof. However, in the middle of decrying that the shades of Pemberley would be polluted by our union, Mama entered the carriage to speak with Anne.”
“Anne?” His brow furrowed. “Why would your mother speak with Anne?”
“This is where it gets interesting, yet convoluted.” Lizzy huffed a small breath. “When your aunt and Sir Lewis were first married, they happened across my mother and her brother. An altercation of some sort occurred which resulted in Mama’s brother using his magic in anger.”
“Your Uncle Gardiner is magical as well?
“You are getting ahead of me, Fitzwilliam,” she reprimanded him in a prim voice, reminding him of his first governess.
“Now, where was I? Oh yes, my uncle and Lady Catherine. Due to his anger, Sir Lewis and Lady Catherine were sent back in time to their wedding day, which resulted in your aunt losing the child she carried and she was unable to have another. Mama’s mother, Queen Aurolea?”
“Queen?” Darcy whispered. “Your grandmother is a Queen.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Apparently. Do you think Lady Catherine will accept me now?”
“Oh, Elizabeth. I’d marry you no matter what rank you held. You were my equal as a gentleman’s daughter. My better as a daughter of a Viscount, now, as a princess, I’m the one who is completely unworthy.”
“Nay, you are not. I am well aware your blood is royal and still pure. As such, you are my superior. Papa’s father did marry a Romany gypsy, so there are touches of Fae in me and my sisters, mingled with Ellorian and Miatharan.
We are a mixed bag of magic, the Bennet sisters.
Except Lydia, Mama stripped her of her powers when she turned thirteen.
Lyddy has no control over her emotions and Mama feared she’d behave as her brother did. ”
“How did Aunt Catherine have Anne? Is she adopted or the natural daughter of Sir Lewis?”
“She is Sir Lewis and Lady Catherine’s flesh and blood.
It was a gift from my grandmother in recompense for her son’s cruel spell.
However, Mama realized your aunt was subjugating Anne to her will and wouldn’t allow her to be with her soul mate, which was the source of her illness.
Mama sent your Aunt back to Rosings, tail tucked firmly between her legs. ”
“Anne has a soul mate?”
“Aye, and can you guess who that might be?”
“Richard.”
“Yes, they’ve known since they were young adults and the marks appeared.
In rare cases, humans can display a soul mark along with their magical partner.
Anyway, she and Richard, now that Lady Catherine cannot interfere any longer, shall have a wonderful life and Anne’s health will improve now that they cannot be separated. ”
“You spoke of your uncle. I know of only one man, or is there more to this story.”
“I’ve only touched the tip of my personal iceberg.
” She waved a plate of lemon biscuits onto the table and nibbled on one before beginning.
“Mama would, every now and then, pop into the human realm and during one of those visits, she saw Papa. She took on the identity of a young woman who’d tragically died in a boating accident, altered the memories of the woman’s family and became Francis Gardiner of Meryton, Hertfordshire.
She then met Papa and the rest, as they say, is history. ”
“Does your father know his wife is Ellorian?”
“Yes, after all these incidents he must. I think he’s always had an inkling. I’ve heard him say he believed Mama had a touch of the Fae.”
“Elizabeth,” he started in a serious tone, “What happened in the clearing? All I remember is fighting that giant of a man, Wickham cutting you and then - nothing.”
For one brief moment her face clouded in anger.
“Wickham is no more.”
“The area was heavily warded. How did we escape?”
“I’ve since discovered in times of deep crisis we extend beyond the physical realm. You were powerless and dying. I could not allow that to happen and so I decreed for it all to stop. Wickham had to be removed from this earthly plane and all his wards destroyed.”
He was almost afraid to ask, yet he did. “Where is Wickham now?”
For the first time he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes and knew that what she’d done was necessary, but she held some regrets.
“I do not know.”
The air around them shifted and a familiar scent of citrus enveloped them.
“Grandmama!” Elizabeth called out in delight and Darcy stood to meet the Ellorian Queen, Aurolea.
“Your majesty,” he said and gave a low courtier’s bow.
“Rise, young D’Arcy - or should I refer to your proper name, Prince Cian D’Arcionage.”
“You know my Miatharan name!”
“Of course, as well as your honorable cousin, Gaeden. If you still resided in Miathara, as your ancestors, he’d have been captain of your royal guard. He has a warrior’s soul and I am pleased Gaeden, or Richard as you call him, and his mate can now be united complete.”
“What happens now, Your Majesty?” he asked, knowing for the time in his life he had no real control over what went on around him. It was unsettling.