The biggest danger in Halfbloods is because they cannot feel any emotion. The usage of the energy around us is tied to emotion and Halfbloods do not appear to be able to feel anything, except for Anger and Jealousy. They cannot love, as Love is what powers the abilities of the Blessed and they cannot hate because that is what powers the abilities of the ‘Empty’”
"No wonder I couldn't read more than the surface of Mr Collins" Jane muttered.
Mrs Bennet caught Jane's muttering "Jane do you have gifts you've been hiding?"
"Yes, Mama, I have visions, and I can read people like a person would read a book" Jane answered.
"Why do we just get given a book at sixteen?" Asked Bingley.
Sir William smiled. “That book is a little bit of a mystery to us. It appears shortly after Christening or a naming ceremony of some kind. It has been our tradition for the parents to hold onto it for the first sixteen years of the childs life and then give it to them. It is the one that you are writing. Were you to pick it up you would see your childhood and your life up until this point. Go to the book in times of trouble; it will have guidance from your parents in it." Answered Mr Goulding "At twenty-one, you should have been fully introduced to the ways of the Blessed and given a second book that holds our history and the relevant information so as you can train your minds and your children in their heritage."
"So the fact that I haven't read the book given to myself when I was sixteen has no bearing on the event of today," asked Darcy. "What happens if we haven't received the second book or the training we should have done?"
"Not in the least, Your father should have taught you about your legacy." Replied the Vicar. "However there are times and situations such as yours and the Miss Bennet's where they do not know of their heritage, nor have they received the training."
"My father died when I was eighteen, and Darcy's died when he was two and twenty. Is the missing of the information conveyed at one and twenty problematic?” Bingley once again asked.
"No, although your ignorance of your heritage is lamentable, it can always be rectified." Replied the Vicar. Sir William silently left the room as the vicar continued “The Book that you should have received on your twenty-first birthday is one that must be guarded with your lives. It is the very essence of who we are and that which we pass down to our children. Contained within it’s pages is the advice that /Socrates wrote for his sons. This has been passed down to every succeeding generation, unaltered. It also contains the record of our history. Guard both books with your lives, and hold fast to each other as the coming days will be tough.”
The confusion on the two young couples faces showed that they were as yet ignorant of the prophecy. “Mrs Bingley, Mrs Darcy” The Earl of Matlock started. Jane and Elizabeth beamed at their husbands as they heard their new titles used for the very first time “When your grandfather was born your great-grandfather issued a prophecy. ‘When the houses of Bennet and Darcy shall unite, and Wickham’s perfidy shall reach its height, then shall turmoil rage, leading Earth to unite’ The Darcy’s have fulfilled the first part, George Wickham is definitely working on the second. I have no doubt that the last part is on it’s way. My grandfather was witness to the changes that took place back in your great grandfather’s time. Your great-grandfather Christopher Bennet, removed his family entirely out of the Ton, Henry Darcy made a very lucrative offer to Dr Wickham to look after all of his tenants and so the Wickham’s left London society also. Sir William’s Grandfather left London society to start our milliners shop. They did everything they could to halt the course of the prophecy; without success as apparently you two have found each other.”
The hour had grown late and yet there was so much more to discuss. However it was decided that more would be revealed in a day or two’s time. Mrs Bennet now insisted that the newly minted Mr and Mrs Darcy, and Mr and Mrs Bingley should return to Longbourne and that the gentlemen should stay the night. Jane and Elizabeth shared a worried look as they shared a bedchamber. "No need to look so worried you two, Elizabeth you have had your own bedchamber for many years, I just refused to let you use it, or know about it. You once asked why the room next to Jane's was kept locked. Well, that was because it was your room. The one I wanted and intended you to have."
"So that's why our room was only ever referred to as being Jane's room," Elizabeth said.
"Yes, indeed," said a chagrined Mrs Bennet. "Now off with all of you, there's still a lot for you all to learn, but another time."
Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding night was all that was sweet and that they had dreamed that it would be. Indeed neither of them slept the whole night. They made love several times and laid awake talking for the rest. They covered every topic imaginable. Nothing seemed to be off limits. Indeed, so consumed were they by their talks and making love that they were nearly late getting to breakfast the next morning.
Bingley and Jane's wedding night was another story. Shy and awkward with each other, they spent their time talking and getting to know each other, until Jane unceremoniously rolled over and went to sleep leaving her new husband with a disturbed and frustrated sleep. Things did not improve much for them during the next morning before breakfast.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Dastardly Trio
Two newly married couples arrived at the breakfast table in Longbourne, one couple bleary eyed and oozed happiness, the other cautious and wary, even slightly snappy. Nobody could say that either couple was unhappy, but it was clear that Elizabeth and Darcy were much more at ease in each others company than Bingley and Jane were.
Not long after the two couples sat down, Mr Collins joined the company."Mr Bingley" he began in his most pompous voice "Is it always your way to steal another mans Fiancée?"
"I'm sorry I have not the pleasure of understanding you, sir" Replied Mr Bingley evenly. Remembering the warning about Mr Collins at the ceremony yesterday, and Jane's oddly out of place comment of "Mr Collins," Bingley became even more cautious. Darcy's gift of knowing when people were in trouble kicked in, if handled incorrectly then this would not only get ugly, but the lives of Mr Bennet and Bingley were in jeopardy. Elizabeth's gift of knowing when people needed help, and how to help, seemed oddly absent at that moment, and she could not understand why, until Jane mouthed across the table No danger! Collins is only posturing. They know how to deal with him. Elizabeth nodded.
"Lady Catherine De Bourgh will hear how abominably I have been treated by all of you here." Mr Collins stated. "Mrs Bennet promised me that there was no prior attachment that Miss Jane had, and that Miss Jane would not only be amenable to my advances but that she would welcome my offer of matrimony. We were as good as engaged the night you met her! What happens? You meet, and the very next day you marry in some secret ceremony, where, God knows, what barbaric rituals are performed. I might report this to the bishop and get a full investigation going into whether or not there is witchcraft being practised here in Meryton."
"Ah, I see your misapprehension, sir! May I ask had you already approached the lady in question?" Bingley asked,
"Well, no..." Mr Collins squirmed, "In fact, I was ready to propose the very next morning, but she disappeared after breakfast, and I didn't see her again until she returned in the evening, everybody claiming that she had married you!" Mr Collins found himself unwilling to admit that he had followed Jane from the house and watched everything up until the two couples had entered Lucas Lodge.
"Then you were not engaged sir, and My beloved Jane was free to make her own choice of bridegroom" Bingley stated, moving his chair slightly closer to Jane's and slipping his arm around her waist.
"Well, looked at in that perspective..." Mr Collins bluster seemed to have petered out.
"Besides, Mr Collins was it? I would ask what my aunt has to do with any of this crazy notion of my friend stealing your fiancée?" Darcy queried.
"Your Aunt, sir?!" Mr Collins opened his mouth and shut it again quickly
"Yes, my bloody aunt! Lady Cather
ine De Bourgh, Whose name and opinions you seem to use with frightening frequency." Darcy turned to Elizabeth to apologise for swearing only to find her delightfully amused.
"Lady Catherine De Bourgh is my noble Patroness; it is to her that I owe my humble living sir. You see sir I could not afford the fee, and she bestowed it most generously as a gift upon myself." Mr Collins mumbled.
Darcy just smirked and turned away. He whispered to his wife he would explain the joke later on. Mr Collins vowed that he would find his co-conspirators later in the day. His prospects had just changed, and he was not going to wait to find a way for the situation to benefit himself. The two others that had seen Mr Darcy, and Elizabeth's actions out on Oakham Mount. They, the dastardly trio, had conspired together before would conspire again this day.
Caroline Bingley was seething. She had lost Mr Darcy. She had known when she had seen him on Oakham Mount with that hussy! He never had so much as looked at her, but here was the tart throwing herself at him and allowing him to take all sorts of liberties. It was not fair! It was not right! Then there was Mr W. Caroline had been meeting with him for three months, allowing him the privileges a husband only should have. She had missed her courses for two of those three months. Caroline knew she was in trouble. The gentleman only called himself Mr W, and Caroline knew she would have trouble tracing him. He would never take responsibility for their baby. HE was not an honourable man. She knew that! Mr W, Mr C and Miss B. That was what the dastardly trio called each other. They did not know their full names; it was safer that way. However Caroline was sure she had met Mr C at a social gathering two nights ago, and he was no more pleased than she. In fact, he looked livid. Yes, joining forces with Mr C and Mr W to get revenge again would serve her purposes...
Mr Wickham was scared. The only person in this neighbourhood who could unmask him had just married a local lass. Getting to any of the local girls to spread his tales of woe would be well nigh impossible now. He had to think of another plan. Maybe Miss B and Mr C could help. Yes, our trio of half-bloods has worked very well in the past. However, he had no desire to see Miss B again. In fact, Wickham suspected that there was a child on the way, and he would get the blame and should Darcy find out, he may just be forced into matrimony himself. A shiver ran down Wickham's spine - Matrimony... the very word had him crawling to hide. Oh, he liked the act well enough, but he had no desire to have a wife or children. He briefly wondered if there was a way for the dastardly trio to strike again, without having to deal with the half blood tart! Oh, he'd seen Darcy's indiscretion on Oakham Mount with the others. He'd seen Darcy's indiscretion the day before also, but given the marriage had now taken place, there was little to be gained from that now. Darcy could not be blackmailed. Wickham briefly wondered if Darcy could have been blackmailed at any time. The man was too good for anything. It made Wickham positively angry!
Being half-blood complicated things, as children of natural enemies they were incapable of developing gifts; they had to work blind. The children of the Blessed often developed their abilities at a young age, usually between the ages of 1-4, in some cases, the abilities could be as late as young adulthood before they showed themselves. The children of the 'Empty' were the enemies of the Blessed, and their abilities usually kicked in around their teenage years. Some abilities such as knowing when there was danger could happen on either side, but generally, the abilities of the 'Empty' were the exact opposite of those of the Blessed. This meant that as opposites their children could not inherit the gifts as they would counteract each other thereby leaving nothing but inertia. Mr C and Mr W understood this perfectly, and they were both frustrated they had to work blind. Miss B, however, did not understand, she had not listened to her father's words properly, nor had she exerted herself to ask questions or learn beyond her own selfish desires. When they needed to meet the dastardly trio would leave anonymous notes with the local barkeep. They were never asked any questions. And one or other of them could always be found at the local tavern. Today was no different, however, what they found was that they arrived to leave their notes at the same time.
The dastardly trio once again bent their steps to Oakham Mount. They had much to discuss.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Of Entails, Soulmates and Colours
Back at Longbourne Mr and Mrs Bennet were discussing the entail on Longbourne. "Mrs Bennet, I believe the time has come for us to show our true faces to the world, and to break the entail upon Longbourne." Mr Bennet said coming into the Parlour, and joining Mrs Bennet on one of the comfortable setees. Mrs Bennet's face lit up at this.
"Can you mean that Thomas?" She queried
"Yes, we know the man who is to inherit Longbourne at this moment poses a great risk to all of us. Since he's been in the house all I've had is a constant feeling of evil" Thomas said. "I have let this matter slide for far too long. I should have done something when my poor sister married that man Thaddeus Collins."
Mrs Bennet looked up "Thomas do you have any abilities?"
“I do but they are weak Fanny" Thomas sighed “they were just developing when your father made the awful decision to force our marriage. Partially because of the way our marriage was forced, and partially I was scared of the implications of my abilities I never acted on what I sensed and allowed it to wither away rather than strengthen it. My ability is to feel good and evil. I always felt goodness from you Fanny, and I wanted to love you, but resentment took over. I hid behind my wit to hide it all."
Fanny Bennet shrugged and replied "Thomas, I also have been resenting everything and let it get in the way. Remember our lights flickered? Do you think there is still a chance for us?"
"Yes, Fanny, there's still a chance for us. During our wedding, I saw that we would have come together anyway. In some scenes, we were even in love." Thomas responded.
"I had forgotten that!" Replied Fanny. "I also saw in most scenes that I behaved incredibly silly. Am I a silly woman? Anyway back to this entail, are you saying that Collin's won't throw us into the hedgerows; what is your plan?”
Thomas found it hard not to laugh at his wife. "Darling Fanny, you have the best heart if you would listen to it, I know you do not understand Elizabeth's intelligence nor my wit. Yes, sweetheart, you can be silly, but you can also change. As for Collins until the entail is broken I cannot promise anything to do with his behaviour."
"I..I... don't think I'll conceive a son now."
"No that wasn't the route I intended to go down, although the thought isn't exactly an unpleasant one. I think our new sons-in-law will be able to help" Thomas replied. "I suspect Collins would polish the boots of one of them with his tongue" At this Mrs Bennet looked very confused.
"I happened to walk into the dining-parlour just as Darcy was growling at Collins for being too free with his Aunt’s name and opinions. It seems that we are now, thanks to our daughter Elizabeth, related to the peerage." Thomas stated. Just as he finished stating that there was a commotion in the hall.
"Where is my Nephew and where is the trollop he's claimed to have married?" Came the demanding voice of an unknown woman.
Thomas and Fanny sighed, it seemed as if they were about to go into battle. "I don't know who your Nephew is Ma'am, but if you would like to attend the master and mistress, I'll find the gentleman you desire me to if he is here. Can I ask who the gentleman is ma'am?" Mrs Hill answered evenly,
"My nephew is Mr Darcy! I know he's here!" Lady Catherine blustered "Very well then, show me to your master and mistress. Maybe we can get this whole wedding debacle sorted out" Lady Catherine followed Hill straight into the parlour, and didn't wait to be introduced. "You must be the trollop's parents!"
"Indeed we are Ma'am" replied Mrs Bennet "However our daughter is no Trollop!"
"Then surely you cannot deny that this whole wedding is a fiasco! There is no way my nephew is marrying some half-blood!" Lady Catherine bellowed, in a vain thought that she would reinforce her point and make her prey cower before her.
&nbs
p; “Firstly, no we cannot deny the wedding took place last evening. If you are full blood, and my senses are telling me you could be, then you should know that it took place. It was broadcast telepathically for all full blood to hear. Even those whose telepathy is weak would have heard." Thomas answered.
Lady Catherine nodded, she had indeed heard it, but she had not been a party to the events at Lucas Lodge the day before she was unaware why it had taken place. "Indeed we full blood take pride in broadcasting our weddings so that all full blood may hear. My parson Mr Collins is half-blood, and he had claimed that his cousins were the same."
"In that ma'am your parson was mistaken. My husband and I are both the full blood of the Blessed lineage." Mrs Bennet replied.
"Then how come the half blood is to inherit your estate?" Lady Catherine asked.
"It was a misguided attempt to protect my estate from my wife's father, who had thought that should anything happen to me he could run Longbourne. He had forced us into a marriage that we did not desire; this fed the mutual fear my father and I had of a tradesman running the estate. Times have changed since then, but I am afraid it's not going to be easy to break the entail anymore, Collins will fight us tooth and nail." Mr Bennet said.
The Meryton War Page 9