The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

The Angry Father

"I see. But why do I feel so much affection for our Prince, there can be only one explanation, one I can neither condone or tolerate. Zal, tell me that you haven't done anything stupid." Zal's father was not smiling.

Raven explained, "A nasty shape vermin, is hiding in the human world. He has tried to rape my young daughter, 14 cycles old. She is Lady Zoe's child."

Zal's father growled, "Why? How? Where is he?"

"It is a long story, he also tried to take Lady Elizabeth's child sister. He had sold Lady Elizabeth to one of the worse Nightshade lords, a nasty one. He came to retrieve her, on the human's world, with several of his kind. My son, William, had to kill him. We, he and I, can kill them. It requires special weapons and our gifts." Raven stood by William.

"My son had just killed the Nightshade when a large Green-death came from behind William and sunk his teeth on his shoulder. Our brave Sally saved him, a good girl, she disobeyed me and joined William." Argo knew praising her disobedience was a bad idea, so be it. Sally beat her tail, happy to be appreciated.

"My brother and Elizabeth's father brought William home. He was dying, as you know the beast fangs have a deadly green colored poison, hence their name. The beast had destroyed William's shoulder, and he was bleeding to death. The Healer said his only chance was the herb you grow, along with either your blood or your son's."

"Lady Elizabeth asked me. How could I say no? Father, she is my one, and William is my kings' son." Zal grimaced, knowing his father's response.

"Nooooooo!" Zal's father screamed, "You didn't, you are all I have from my love. Why didn't you ask me?" He looked at William, his heart had already loved him, so his stance softened. "Maybe you'd did right, William is now my son, now I have two."

Darcy had found he loved Zal's father as well.

"Come here, my son, perhaps all is well," he hugged Darcy, "now I have two sons; my love would have liked that, she had a big heart." He looked more at peace. Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears.

Zoe was happy, it could have not worked out better.

"I am grateful that Zal saved William, his sister Georgiana loves him; she was broken-hearted," Zoe added.

"So when is the Union going to take place. I would like to have a ball to celebrate it," Zal's father looked at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was quiet, they all were. She finally said, "I am not sure. I have not decided. First, we need to know each other more."

"Do it at the same time, know him more after the Union. In case you haven't figured it, you are already in a union with Zal since he wasn't in one. Did you accept for Zal to share his life with William? Did you ask Zal for his blood?"

The short, round being, the one who came out with Zal, standing near answered, "My child's pretty lady was here with my Lady Zoe and a young lady."

Zal should have known, everyone at his home kept no secrets from his father, if he asked.

Zal's father looked at Elizabeth, "You were here, answer, did you ask Zal?"

"Err, hmm, yes," Elizabeth nodded.

Zal hadn't wanted to tell Elizabeth about the blood bond's consequences, and now, his father was upset. "The blood exchange makes them nearly one being. You may wait, but it would please me if the Union," he put a great emphasis on the word union, "was official. Don't forget, my son has shared his life. After our king and his brother, I am the most powerful Prince. I would consider it a grave and dangerous insult, a serious affront."

Darcy said, "I am in agreement, but we were raised as humans. She needs time." His body was cold; he was afraid.

Zal knew his father, he wouldn't budge. Raven agreed with him, he would demand the same for William if the roles were reversed. He would start a war without hesitation and would take Elizabeth as a hostage right that instance before she could getaway.

Zal looked at Elizabeth, "My lady, we can take time to know each other," his eyes were begging, he didn't want his father to force the issue and call it a formal debt. His father had the right.

Raven was tense, he would have to agree. If Elizabeth disagreed, it could start a conflict. Formal debts had started wars. Raven would have to take a king's grandchild, Elizabeth, and give her to Zal's father as a hostage. A hostage until the time whenever she would agree to honor the debt.

Elizabeth felt someone pinch her ear, "You are behaving wrong. His father is right. It is a formal debt. Argo should have never taken you away. You don't know our ways." It was one of her nosy relatives. This was ridiculous.

Sally went to lick Zal's father, trying to soften him up. The father laughed, "Maybe your dad would let you come with me."

Sally changed immediately, "No, I have a daddy," she flew to Darcy, asking to be picked up. She peeked over Darcy's shoulder to give Zal's father a surly look and growled, which made him laugh.

"Would you visit me?" He teased her.

"No, you visit us, I have a daddy. I told that to another." Sally spoke her mind. Darcy decided she was smarter than a five-year-old, besides repeating everything, she was smart; she had meant Argo but didn't say his name.

She hid her face on Darcy. He loved Sally, the trouble maker ambassador who almost started a conflict.

"So my lady, again when and where is the formal union?" Zal's father made Elizabeth scared.

"It will be at my grandfather's place," Elizabeth knew of his hatred for her grandfather's people.

Zal's father shrugged his shoulders, "So be it. I guess it is peacetime. When?"

"Soon," Elizabeth gave up. "We will have a formal union as Zal wants."

Zal was elated. Zoe hugged Zal, Darcy breathed better, Zal was right afraid. His father made everyone afraid, his anger manifested in fear. Raven had heard about him. Zal Sr. could make entire armies retreat, killing many by fear alone. But since his wife was murdered, he stayed cloistered.

Then Zal went to hold Lizzie gently and kissed her cheek. For a second, a giant dragon's image filled the room, make that two dragons. Raven saw them; his son had the dragon fire, useful.

He looked at Raven, "Will you help me with her father to find my wife's killers?"

Raven's parents had also been assassinated. Darcy and Elizabeth figured out this world was violent as well.

"Sir, I will also help." Darcy offered.

"Thank you, son. Now, we will send announcements for the celebration. I will make sure there are many guards protecting. We will make final arrangements within two cycles."

"Father, I am accompanying them. We are going to search for the nasty man," he explained. "There are other dragons, but we don't know how many are there. My dragon fire will be needed, Lady Elizabeth is coming. Sally's father, Erzo, will be coming."

Sally answered, "I am coming with my Papa ."

"No," many answered, "you stay, you have babies."

Raven invited Zal's father to wait at his fortress, "We have Sally's babies and her sisters too."

Erzo had followed them; he just appeared, "No, vermin, has ever escaped me. Those coming will be safe."

Zal's father heard of the legendary Erzo, he bowed, trusting the vermin hunter.

They appeared at the fortress. Argo shook hands with Zal's father, who was tense once again. He recognized Green, his wife had been Green's cousin. When Elizabeth noticed his reaction, she stood next to him, holding on to his hand. Argo looked with great interest.

"You are your mother, she made others at peace, sensing their disquiet," Argo observed.

"Father, I am coming," Darcy argued.

"No, not with Zal, the two of you, the risk is too great." You are still weak," Raven was final.

"When did the attack happen?" Zal senior asked.

"Within this cycle," Elizabeth answered.

"You stay." Zal senior ordered.

Darcy talked to Argo, "Sir, can you back the time a few hours?"

His mother, Analee, heard him "No need, we will use a time's portal. They adjust within a cycle. We will back to the time when Zal healed you. But nothing will change here, only the arrival."

Darcy proposed to go by the Hurst since the minion was destroyed at the Hurst.

Before they left, Darcy embraced Lizzie and kissed her; for a moment, he forgot those around. He held for a second longer. Zal's eyes were closed, but when Zal opened them, he was dazed. He had kissed Lizzie, he had never kissed before. Now, Zal could taste Lizzie] on his lips and was aroused. Not for the first time, but not like this ever before. His head filled with images of Lizzie's breasts, coming from William, Zal was certain.

William saw him and knew it, he raised his eyebrow; Zal shrugged his shoulders, not his fault.

Charles

He went into the room and found nothing until he looked at the fireplace. In the ashes, Charles saw small pieces of something moving. It was making sounds. He threw the cloth over and tied it. What should he do?

He could hear the blond woman calling him. Everyone was afraid. He went down, he couldn't find anyone; everyone was hiding.

Someone was tapping at the window in the drawing-room. To Charles" surprise, it was Elizabeth, with the tall new employee, Mrs. Reynolds, Mr. Bennet, a stranger, and a large dog.

"Mr. Bingley, please open the door quickly and close."

"I am so glad you came. You might think I am mad," Charles told them about the blond woman. Charles was encouraged by the questions. Finally, he showed them what he found.

They asked no questions; they found it.

While Charles wasn't looking, Mr. Green burned the pieces. They all heard loud screeching.

"You did well, but how did you know what to do?" Mr. Bennet asked him.

Charles told them about his grandmother and the gift. He guessed his family had been called witches. He told them about the time in Cambridge when he had seen George's face, looking nasty.

"You probably saw correctly. Not all witches are bad, use your gift correctly." Mr. Bennet (Argo) told him.

George's helper had called one more to aid him. Since Charles had destroyed parts of his minion, they would need to use a human.

Elizabeth said, "Don't go out there is an ambush, they have a net to trap dragons, they will come in, and will hurt many."

Erzo said, "I will go. First, I will find where they are and how many. Then, I will corner them. I will make an illusion to fool them.

"Who are you?" Charles asked.

Argo tapped his head, and Charles' curiosity was gone.

Erzo went out. They were hiding inside shadows, dangerous creatures. George was with them, half-formed. Erzo's eyes glowed, and they froze. Then he barked, Zal, Green, and Alesa all came out, Elizabeth ran, "There is another hiding, it also has a net." Argo followed Lizzie; though he couldn't kill them, he pointed at the one hiding and froze it.

"Something like that," Mr. Bennet answered.

"Will you tell William that I will change. Will you tell your sister?" Charles asked.

"Jane might be your friend, but nothing else. You shouldn't hope." Lizzie told them.

Looking Forward

They went back. The good news was given, and arrangements were made for the future.

A couple days later, Jane and Elizabeth went to meet their Fae relatives. Mr. Bennet, Argo, moved to Pemberley. Raven came as a cousin of George Darcy, his name was Joseph Darcy and was nicknamed Raven; his wife was named Ana Lee. They two dogs, one was Sally's mother and a large dog. The name was Erzo. Other relatives would soon join them.

Life was an open book. The planning for Lizzie and William's wedding began. They knew because who they were, there would be other enemies, but they were learning.

Darcy was happy that the future where he came from was now closed, and his new life would have Lizzie and his sister. Life was looking up. For now, there were like everyone else, or at least that was what everyone thought.

End of Part I

This will be offered as a flip-book on my web site with Appendices etc.