Page 15 of The Magic of Pemberley (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage #2)

Chapter 15

F rederica had to suppress the desire to skip as she climbed the path to the clearing with Elizabeth. She would have liked to run, but that would be unfair to Elizabeth, who tired easily these days and seemed in particularly low spirits today. But how could she restrain her excitement? Against all her expectations, she was going to meet with a potential companion! Cerridwen had brought the news this morning that there was a nestling willing to consider her, only a few days after she had spilt her blood on the Dragon Stones.

But she should be more considerate of Elizabeth. “Do you wish to stop to rest for a little?”

“No, I am perfectly well. And we are practically there.” But she was frowning.

“Do you disapprove of this? My desire for a companion?”

For the first time since they left the house, Elizabeth truly looked at her. “No, I am delighted for you. And for me – I would be so glad not to be the only companion of the Nest.” She hesitated. “I am sorry to be out of sorts today. I had a bad dream last night, and somehow I cannot shake it from my mind.”

Relieved, Frederica said, “Oh, it is so annoying when that happens! What did you dream?”

“I was on a ship being attacked by a sea serpent. I keep seeing it, all those teeth as the head came towards me, and hearing the creak of the wood as the ship broke up.” She shivered. “It was remarkably vivid. I could even smell the salt air.”

“That sounds terrifying! I am glad we have dragons here instead of serpents. I do not think I would like them.”

Elizabeth seemed to relax a little. “I prefer our dragons, too.”

But as they entered the clearing, Elizabeth’s frown returned at the sight of the large sea-green dragon standing beside the Dragon Stones. “That is not my favorite dragon, though,” she said in a low voice. “Quickthorn tends to be irritable.”

But Frederica’s gaze was already fastened on the small dragon beside Quickthorn. Why, it was barely the size of a fawn, and utterly beautiful, with scales of russet and auburn.

Elizabeth stepped forward. “Honored Quickthorn, it is…” She seemed to stumble for words. “Good of you to join us here today. May I present Lady Frederica Fitzwilliam?”

Frederica tore her eyes away from the little dragon in time to see Quickthorn toss her head. She made a quick curtsy. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“But not as much of an honor as it is to meet the nestling,” said the dragon. Irritable, indeed!

Frederica pulled out the manners she had misplaced in her joy over the nestling. “That is, perhaps, more exciting, since there is a chance he might become my companion, but I am honored and pleased to meet any dragon.”

“Why?” It was a demand.

That was easy, even though the question made her nervous. What would happen if Quickthorn disapproved of her? “Because you fascinate me. I feel inexplicably drawn to dragons and want to know more about you, to learn how you see the world and why you hold your beliefs.”

“Not because of the power it would give you?”

“That would be nice, but it would take years and much study. From what Elizabeth – Companion Elizabeth – tells me, I would have to learn to use my Talent anew, so I would be weaker, at least for a long time. And to learn to use it well, like Companion Amelia, takes decades of hard work. I am not a particularly attentive student.”

“What do you use your Talent for now?”

“The odd illusion and some sendings, and more recently for truth-casting. The only thing I am particularly good at is weather magic, and that is not useful except for keeping the rain off. An umbrella works just as well.”

“You could stop a drought by making it rain,” the dragon challenged.

“Only if I am willing to cause a drought somewhere else by stealing their rain,” she retorted. “Some people may not care about that, but I do.”

She had not meant to say that about the weather. Then it struck her. “You are a truth-caster, too, are you not? Or can all dragons do it?”

“Only a few of us,” said the dragon grudgingly.

“No wonder you are so grumpy, then,” she said with more candor than tact. “It can be unpleasant to know what everyone really thinks all the time. I suspect I would like people better if I knew less of their inner thoughts.”

Quickthorn drew her head back in surprise, but the displeasure in her aura lessened. “I would not argue that point. This nestling is Agate, and he has agreed to meet with you. Nothing more than that; this is merely to see if you are compatible.”

“It is a great pleasure to meet you, Agate,” she said. Then, when he said nothing, she glanced back at Quickthorn. “I thought dragons from this Nest were named for trees.”

“We have used all the tree names, so the new generation has gemstones as their mortal use-names. Agate has just been granted his name for this meeting.”

Mortal use-names. “Does that mean you use different names among yourselves?”

Quickthorn huffed. “Of course. Our true names have meanings the human tongue cannot comprehend.”

“That makes sense.” Frederica turned back to Agate. “What would you wish to know of me? ”

The larger dragon spoke for him. “We will begin with a brief sharing, you and I, with Agate listening in, so he can sense your mind.”

Her second sharing! “Very well.”

Quickthorn held out her forelegs. Agate scampered close to the larger dragon and leaned against her side.

Frederica grasped her talons, glad that she needed no instructions this time. Quickthorn’s eyes gazed into hers. How beautiful they were, all amber with sea-green flecks! And then the dizzying sensation of another presence in her head began – with a sense of nervous watching at the edge. Was that Agate?

Think of the first time you saw a dragon , Quickthorn commanded.

Eager to please, Frederica drew on her memories of seeing Cerridwen in dragon form for the first time. It was a happy memory, but somehow the timid watcher seemed more anxious. Had she misunderstood? She switched to her first meeting with Cerridwen-the-kestrel, when she had tried to feed her too much plum cake because she wanted to be friends. But the disquiet continued to increase until suddenly it vanished, leaving only Quickthorn in her mind.

She could feel the dragon withdraw, too, and her spirits sank. It was obvious it had not gone well, but what had she done wrong? Was there anything she could do to fix it?

But now that her mind was her own again, she could feel fear in Agate’s aura. Fear of her. She turned to Quickthorn. “What am I doing that is frightening him? That is the last thing I wish to do!”

An annoyed puff of smoke issued from Quickthorn’s nostrils. “It is not you. He has known all his life the price of a companion bond gone wrong. He sees poor Hornbeam every day, with his mind twisted and his magic depleted, stolen by his former companion. It is only natural for him to fear the bond.”

“But…” Frederica said helplessly. Agate was such an amazing creature – and so frightened! She dropped to her knees, to meet his eyes on his own level.. “I would never wish to do anything to harm you. If bonding is so dangerous to you, then it should not happen.” She could not, would not risk that beautiful young dragon! Nor could she bear for him to be afraid of her.

“Well spoken,” said Quickthorn. “But his fear is natural. The companion who injured Hornbeam was of your family, and like you, she desired very much to bond.” She snorted. “It was not an ideal match. Hornbeam should have refused.”

Of her family? She could not mean Granny, and there was no other. But she had not known Granny was a dragon companion until recently. Had another Fitzwilliam secretly taken on a dragon bond – and harmed their companion? Or perhaps it had been centuries ago, given how long-lived dragons were. “Who was it? When did this happen?”

“More than three decades ago. Her name was Catherine. Lady Catherine Fitzwilliam, you would have called her.”

Frederica’s mouth went dry. “She who is now called Lady Catherine de Bourgh?” Oh, now it all made sense, terrible, terrifying sense.

“I do not know what you mortals call her now,” Quickthorn snapped. “I curse her name.”

“I will join you in that,” said Frederica fervently. “I never knew she was a dragon companion. She has done terrible things to humans, too. But I am deeply grieved to learn that she also harmed her dragon.” And horrified. Was that how Lady Catherine had gained her unnatural powers? She shivered.

Elizabeth’s voice sounded from behind her. “What was it that she did? Darcy told me only it was very bad.”

“She influenced people’s minds, forcing them to do what she wished,” Frederica said. Even after all these years, nausea still rose in her at the thought. “The King’s madness? That was a result of her meddling.”

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. “But no one can do that!”

“No human mage has that skill,” Quickthorn retorted, “but it is intrinsic to dragons. Except for Hornbeam, who had that ability ripped from him by his companion.”

Frederica pressed her fingertips against her mouth in horror. Injuring her own dragon companion for her benefit! At least it explained Lady Catherine’s horrible Talent – and why the nestling was terrified of bonding.

Decisively she turned back to the nestling. “No wonder you are afraid! And it does not matter how many times I might tell you I would never do such a thing. The very idea horrifies me. I am grateful to have met you, and would wish to know you better, but you should never, ever bond to someone you fear. That is just wrong.” Tears filled her eyes at giving up the dream of being a dragon companion, but this was the right thing to do. The right thing for Agate, and that was most important.

The nestling came forward and laid his head on Frederica’s arm. “I was willing to risk it because of the benefits it could bring our Nest, but our minds do not mesh. I honor your decision.” And then he waddled back to Quickthorn, leaving Frederica biting her lip to keep back sobs.

“A wise choice,” Quickthorn told her. “You are too strong-willed for a nestling; you would dominate him without meaning to.”

Frederica nodded jerkily. “I am still grateful for this opportunity – and for your honesty.”

Two days later, Frederica pushed away a tinge of disappointment as she found Quickthorn alone by the Dragon Stones. When she had received the sending from Cerridwen telling her to go there again, she had hoped against hope for another potential companion, one who was not afraid of bonding. But apparently that was not to be.

At least she did not have a witness to her disappointment this time. Elizabeth had been out walking the fields when the sending came, so she would never know Frederica’s hopes had been raised. It was just as well, since Elizabeth had been in such high spirits today after finally connecting to Darcy last night using her dragon scale.

Frederica was determined not to wallow in her disappointment. Quickthorn was interesting, and any chance to talk to a dragon was more than she had once dreamed of. But why had the dragon called her here? “Honored Quickthorn, I am glad to see you once again.”

“I suppose that must be true, since you cannot lie to me,” the dragon grumbled.

“I am always pleased by the opportunity to meet with a dragon, especially another truth-caster,” she said. “You are the only one I know apart from Companion Amelia, and she seems to carry the challenge of truth-casting more gracefully than I do.”

“Or than I,” said the dragon. “But most mortals do not like my company.”

Frederica considered this challenging but no doubt perfectly true statement. “Well, I do. You speak your mind, and I like that. I do not demand that everyone be cheerful all the time.”

The dragon peered at her. “Why are you so different from the others?”

She shrugged. “My mother always said I was born different. But it is not just that.” She paused to think. Why did she like this particular cranky dragon? “I am always blurting out things I should not say, but I mean no ill by it. Well, at least not most of the time; only if someone truly deserves it. And when you read me, when you came with Agate, I felt no malice in you. I was bitterly disappointed when you said I should not try to make a bond, but I could tell you were saying it for Agate’s good. As you should.”

“Why did you want to bond to a nestling?”

It did not matter now. “I did not particularly want a nestling, really. I just wanted to be a dragon companion, and I thought the Nest would be more likely to permit it if I showed them a way it was to their benefit. A nestling might help me convince human skeptics more easily. But for myself? I had no great desire to wait for a young nestling to mature enough to be a true companion.”

“Then you would not refuse a dragon who was older?”

“I would be happy if any dragon were willing to take me as a companion.” Could it be that the door was not completely closed, that Quickthorn had another potential match to propose? She could not hold back her excitement. “Is there a possibility of that? ”

Quickthorn scratched at the ground with her back leg, an odd embarrassment emanating from her. “I am not what you wanted, neither very young nor at all agreeable.”

It took a moment to sink in, that the beautiful sea-green dragon was offering herself. Frederica just barely repressed the urge to jump up and down and clap her hands. “You would be perfect for me.”

“You mean that.” The dragon sounded surprised.

“I do! I have thought a great deal about what you said, that I would dominate a nestling. You would never let me dominate you, and you understand me.”

“Our minds work along similar lines. I saw that when I read you. That is important, for a successful bond.”

Frederica thought her smile just might split her face open if it got any wider. “What would I need to do? Should you read me again, to be certain you can trust me?”

“If you wish to proceed with this, yes. We must both be sure. The Eldest has already given her blessing to the attempt.” She paused, then added grudgingly, “She wants more of us to take companions, now that the Great Concealment has been broken, but she thinks you will not consent. She has never considered me as a possible companion, because no mortal would want me.”

“Then she is wrong, because I want you!” Frederica said stoutly. “And I still want to help humans to accept dragons. They will find you appealing, too, only in a different way.”

A snort of smoke. “As long as I do not speak to them.”

Frederica cocked her head. “There is the truth-caster problem, yes. I always thought people simply disliked me. Once I learned about truth-casting, I realized that was why I made them uncomfortable, because they found themselves saying more than they wanted to me.” It did hurt still, all those years of rejections, but there was no need to explain that to another truth-caster.

“We are indeed uncomfortable company. But perhaps we can find a way, you and I.”

Frowning, Elizabeth walked back into the drawing room. She had gone to the cottage in the oak grove before sunset, specifically so she could have access to all her land Talent when Darcy connected with her. But how was she to make any sense from Darcy’s new sending? It had been a long walk back to the house by lantern light.

Frederica was already dressed for dinner, her bright expression fading at the sight of Elizabeth. “Oh, no! What is the matter? Was he not there?”

“No, I felt him,” she said slowly. “But I do not understand what he tried to say.”

“The words were not clear?”

“It was a perfectly clear image – of Napoleon carrying huge eggs from a cavern, and a sea serpent looking on.” She shivered, remembering the frightening serpent in her dream. “It felt ominous.”

“That is odd. Were they sea serpent eggs?”

“I can only assume so, since the serpent was nearby, but I do not know.”

Frederica wrinkled her brow. “Why would he send you that? We already know the serpents are working with Napoleon.”

“It is mysterious. But I will tell Cerridwen, in case it is something he wants the dragons to know.”

“A good idea,” Frederica agreed. Then, more cheerfully, she said, “And I have some news of my own. Quickthorn has offered to bond with me. I will be a dragon companion after all!”

“What?” Elizabeth cried, embracing Frederica. “That is fabulous news. I know how much you have wished for it.” Quickthorn might not be a favorite of hers, but she was glad for her friend.

Frederica beamed. “I am beyond delighted. Quickthorn may have some challenges as an ambassador to humans, but I am determined to find a way. And it would be some time after the bonding before we could travel away from the Nest. ”

“If you tell people she is a descendent of Blackthorn the Sea-Green, companion of Ethelrida the Wise, they will be so impressed that they will take her bluntness in stride.”

“Is she indeed? She never mentioned that to me.” Frederica laughed. “No one will ever call me Frederica the Wise, that is for certain! Perhaps Frederica the Impulsive. And you will have to teach me everything you know about being a dragon companion.”

“That will be quite a turnaround, to have me instructing you! Perhaps you will prove a more apt pupil than I am.” Elizabeth was still frustrated with her lack of progress on her mage skills despite all of Frederica’s lessons.

“Perhaps it was my poor teaching rather than my student,” Frederica said with her usual frankness. “Or we simply have not found where your mage Talent lies.”

Elizabeth doubted that. And she still needed to solve the mystery of Darcy’s sending. Waiting until tomorrow’s sunset and his next message was going to be hard.

“Georgiana, Mrs. Reynolds came to me with an odd concern,” Elizabeth said. “Apparently some of your brother’s old clothes are missing. I was wondering if it might be the doing of the lesser fae. If so, I would be happy to arrange for other clothing for them.” Not that she was actually concerned, but one of the maids who had discovered the discrepancy had almost resigned her position already over the presence of the fae at Pemberley, and she would like to exonerate them if she could. Darcy would not be happy if they lost staff over this.

The girl licked her lips, as if the question made her nervous. “I was the one who took them, not my fae, but there is no need to worry. I will bring them back. ”

Georgiana had taken them? That made no sense at all, unless something she did with the fae required a boy’s clothing. “If you find yourself in need of clothes you can move more easily in, we can arrange for that.”

“No, I…” Her eyes darted from side to side. “I suppose I might as well tell you.” She opened the door to her bedroom and gestured Elizabeth in.

Her bed was covered with scattered items of Darcy’s clothing. And half of them were moving, as if in invisible hands. Elizabeth sighed. “I do not understand.”

“Pray let yourselves be seen,” Georgiana said, with a hint of command in her voice.

Elizabeth’s vision seemed to waver, and then there were half a dozen fae, ranging from a tiny redcap to a trio of hobgoblins, all with the odd proportions and pointed ears that marked them as denizens of Faerie. Even after her encounter with the brownie, it still gave her goosebumps to see these creatures from old tales with her own eyes – and because they were rubbing Darcy’s clothing over their hands, their faces, and anywhere else they could. One female hob had three of his cravats tied around her arm, making her look like a strange maypole.

“What are they doing?” she asked, half-choked by the strangeness of it all.

“They are taking his scent,” Georgiana said, as if there were nothing unusual about it. “They will share it with the lesser fae in France, so that they know to look for him and help him.”

Elizabeth turned to stare at her sister-in-law. “They can do that?”

Suddenly Georgiana’s new confidence seemed to fade. “They say they can. They know how much I want it.”

“But I thought they came here for the safety of the wards. How can they go to France?”

The hob with the dangling cravats said in a scratchy voice, “We have our ways, which are not for mortals to know.”

“I see.” It was still disturbing, though she often felt that way about the fae. “I am glad to know of it.” She turned and left them to it.

Outside the door, Georgiana asked, “Are you angry with me? ”

“Of course not. Anything that might help him is a good thing.” Then she smiled. “I may have to come up with a different story for Mrs. Reynolds, though.”