Leap of Faith

By A. J.

Jump to new as of February 20, 2002

Prologue

Posted on Friday, 4 January 2002

It was summer once again, and this meant that Princess Jane and Princess Elizabeth would be on their way to Lambton where their Uncle and Aunt Gardiner resided. And it so happened that Uncle Gardener was mayor of that city. Every time this part of the year came around, the girls couldn't wait to go on vacation. The always had so much fun and enjoyment hanging around and about the town and enjoying the beautiful scenery, especially the lone chestnut tree near the smithy and the river. As a precaution, both Jane and Elizabeth went by different names to protect their true identity, but only if it they were around people they did not know. This way, they were less likely to be harmed since they were the oldest daughters of King Joshua and Queen Fannilyn Bennett of Hertfordshire, and not to mention that Jane was the heiress to the throne. Every year was the same, full of fun and memories, but little did they know that they were in for a big surprise. This trip was going to be a lot different from their previous trips: they were both going to fall in love.

"Oh Jane, I can't believe we're going to be on our way to Lambton in just a few minutes. I am so excited," proclaimed Elizabeth to her older sister Jane.

"Yes, I can't wait either. Oh look, here comes Father and Mother."

"Now remember girls, be careful and good. Don't give your uncle and aunt too much trouble now," their father said.

"Yes, your majesty," the girls said as they laughed and gave their father and mother a hug.

"Oh girls, you don't know how I suffer every time you two are away from me. How am I to put up with Lydia and Mary without you two? And what really kills me is the idea of bandits or the men of King Frederick or Lord Wickham harming you on your troubles. I wish you wouldn't go," Queen Fannilyn whined as she watched her two eldest daughters board their coach.

"Mother, we will be all right. We have some of the best royal guards accompanying us to Lambton. I'm sure there is nothing to worry about."

"And, if that doesn't work, then we can rely on Jane's beauty to spare us," Elizabeth added as she leaned over Jane and stuck her head out the coach window.

"If your tongue doesn't get the best of us first Lizzy," Jane joked as she pushed her sister off of her.

After saying their good-byes to their parents and three other sisters, Jane and Elizabeth were on their way to Lambton. Though the ride was long and tiring, the girls were too busy enjoying themselves to be tired or bored. They talked about seeing their relatives and friends, going to the lone chestnut tree for a picnic and a good read, and of course, shopping. As soon as they reached their destination, they were greeted by their uncle, aunt, and a horde of younger cousins. Things still looked the same. Nothing had changed. Once they were settled in, it was time for dinner and catching up on things. The guards were given money to stay at one of the local inns. This was going to be more of a vacation than a job for them. Or so they always thought.

The Next Day

The next morning was a beautiful one. The birds were singing, the wind was blowing slightly, and the sun was shining and reflecting off the river. Elizabeth sat down and leaned against the chestnut tree while she soaked in some of the suns rays. Right as she was about to doze off, the sound of horses got her attention. Riding along the path that separated the smithy and the town from the chestnut tree and the countryside were two well-dressed gentlemen. As the road by her, the brown-haired gentleman looked towards her, nodded, and tipped his hat in a gentlemanly manner. The blond-haired gentleman, however, actually called out and wished her a good morning. Elizabeth stood up and nonchalantly returned the greeting.

Elizabeth watched as the two men road on. To her surprise, the men turned around and road back towards her. Curious as to what they wanted, she slowly made her way towards them before they met up. The two men dismounted their horses, took of their top hats, and bowed.

"Good morning, ma'am. We don't wish to intrude, but we are in dire need of food and some supplies. We're just passing through, and we would like to know where we may find such things as we have mentioned," the brown-haired man asked as he gazed into Elizabeth's eyes.

"If it isn't too much trouble, would you be so kind as to tell us in what direction we must take to the downtown?" the other man added with a smile.

"Gentlemen, I would be more than happy to show you were to go. You see, I don't live here. I'm just here on my annual visit to my uncle and aunt. If you will follow me, I will take you to the downtown part of Lambton," Elizabeth replied as she looked at both of the gentlemen, noting that the one with brown hair was extremely handsome. The other man wasn't so bad himself.

"Thank you ma'am. We are both greatly obliged for what you are doing for us. We can't possibly thank you enough. By the way, my name is Alexander Logan, and this is Charles Bingley. What, if I may ask, is your name?" questioned the handsome man with brown hair.

"Katelyn McKendrick, sirs, at your service."

Heads were turned as Elizabeth led the two gentlemen through the town towards the downtown part of Lambton. Who were these two men that their princess was leading down the street? Most of the town people hoped and wished that they were possible suitors for her. Other's were excited to have some gossip to tell their neighbors that afternoon. Such a lack of propriety it would be if they were men that she didn't know. But the town's people weren't sure. Truthfully, it was. This had never crossed Elizabeth's mind. She had her mind set out to help two strangers in need of help.

This whole time, Alexander kept glancing at Elizabeth. She was really pretty and her eyes, oh how they were full of life and laughter. But what really drew Alexander to her eyes were the way they danced in the sunlight. Never in his life had he ever seen eyes like that. As much as he wanted to continue looking, he knew that he had to stop looking at her. It wasn't proper and it wasn't that he of all people should be doing. Now wasn't the time to be wife hunting, if you could call it that.

They continued into the downtown part of Lambton while Elizabeth gave them a tour of the area. If Alexander's mind wasn't on her, then it was busy making mental notes on the layout of the town, the amount of people that lived there, and where each shop was located, especially the ones concerning food and supplies. Noticing his pensive state, Elizabeth asked Charles if his friend was always quiet. Charles, being the more friendly of the two and mainly the only one keeping conversation with the lady, replied that his friend ha d a lot of things on his mind right now.

Once shown where everything that needed was, Elizabeth bid the gentlemen a good day and hoped that they would be able to find everything that they need. Before she departed from them, the gentlemen thanked her immensely for what she had done. In return, Elizabeth assured the men that it was her pleasure to help them. With that, they parted. As Elizabeth walked away, she turned around to take one last look and caught the brown-haired gentleman staring back her. A passerby broke Elizabeth's concentration. Realizing that it was time to go, Alexander made a slight bow and tipped his hat before turning around and walking off in the other direction.

The men checked into the local inn before they explored the town a little more. Finding what they came in search of, the men returned to their rooms empty-handed but satisfied. Tomorrow they would wake up bright and early and head back to where they came from to deliver the good news.

At her uncle's house, Elizabeth told her sister Jane about the two gentlemen. In particular, she spoke about the brown-haired gentleman, how handsome and mysterious he was. She even teased her sister about the blond-haired gentleman and how perfect he would be for her because he was so open and friendly when she was, how do you say, conservative and quiet, yet friend and optimistic. Jane thought it a good deed what her sister had done.

That night as she laid in her bed, Elizabeth couldn't help but think of Alexander Logan. As much as she wanted to see him again, she knew she couldn't and shouldn't. She was a princess and had a duty to do. Her sister had reminded her about that over dinner. Even though she was second to the throne behind her sister, there was still a possibility of her ascending the throne. Besides, since when did royalty marry common folk? After heaving a heavy sigh, Elizabeth closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

A Couple of Days Later

Elizabeth and Jane were walking through downtown Lambton, talking and laughing about the time when they were younger and pushed Kitty and Lydia into the stream near the back of the house as a joke and how much trouble they got into. They were enjoying themselves when one of the town officials rode up to them.

"Princess Jane, Princess Elizabeth," he said as he breathed heavily. "Pardon my lack of propriety and hastiness, but pray tell, where is your uncle?"

"Is he not in his office?" questioned Jane with concern in her voice. Obviously something was wrong.

"No your highness."

"Then he must be having lunch with Aunt Maddy. May we ask, Mr. Benfield, what the trouble might be?" asked Elizabeth.

"It has been sighted that King Frederick's army is headed this way to Lambton. Might I suggest that your highnesses leave town. No, it's probably too late for that. It might be safer for you two if you stayed here and continued to use your pseudonyms. Also, tell your guards to be on the look out. Ah, there is your uncle now. If you highnesses will excuse me now."

With a slight bow and a tip of his hat, Mr. Benfield rode off to give the news of the approaching army. The sisters looked at each other with worried looks. King Frederick's army was not a good sign. The Bennett's of Hertfordshire and the Darcy's of Derbyshire had a long past of family feud between the two kingdoms. The fighting had been going on for so long, for many generations, that eventually both families had forgotten the reason for fighting. This, however, had not stopped both families from fighting.

Within the last decade, the battles had subsided with an occasional few when some village idiot crossed the boarder, instigating another battle. Each kingdom thought that battles were a waste of time, money, and good soldiers. This did not, however, mean both kingdoms were now at peace. Both were still on the look out for each other. But in the last three to four years, the kingdom of Derbyshire was not the least of King Joshua's problems. Lord Wickham of Brighton had entered the scene. Though he was not a royal, he was determined above all to make himself one. He had tried to woo Princess Georgianna of Derbyshire and Elizabeth, but both courtships failed when his scheme was discovered. Because of this, he had decided to use violence and war as his means to get what he wanted. He had been secretly building a military powerhouse, making him a very dangerous enemy.

A town meeting was quickly called to order. Once all the citizens of Lambton were gathered, Mr. Gardiner instructed the people not to panic. Hopefully they would be spared if they cooperated with the soldiers. They were also instructed not to address the princesses by their real names, but by their pseudonyms, Katelyn and Jacqueline McKendrick. The were to treat them as regular people. This would be for the protection of the ladies. Following the orders would not be a problem. The town of Lambton looked at the ladies as one of their own and treated them like normal people, something that Elizabeth and Jane appreciated because they wanted a break from their royal duties.

As the town meeting was about to be adjourned, a soldier carrying a white flag entered the meeting hall.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting," the soldier apologized. "My name is Corporal Trenton Thurber of His Royal Majesty King Frederick's Army. Let me assure you, the people of Lambton, that we bring you no harm. My only request is that the officials of this town meet with my superiors to discuss matters of which I know not."

"Tell your superiors, son, that I and the other officials of Lambton will meet with them peacefully outside of the city in an hour."

The soldier agreed, thanked Mr. Gardiner for his time and rode off. A large commotion rose as the crowd began to stir. What could the enemy possibly want? Once the townspeople were dismissed, Elizabeth and Jane approached their uncle.

"Uncle Gardiner, is it necessary that you meet with the officers? What if they do something to you. It could be a trap," Lizzy said as she voiced her concern.

"Now Elizabeth, I'm sure the men mean us on harm. Give them a chance," Jane interjected.

"I agree with your sister, Elizabeth. We won't know unless I go. If anything wrong should happen, I want you two to take the horses and run. I know you two are excellent riders. Be sure to keep close to you guards. I know you don't like them being around you, but it is a must. Now go. I'll be back soon. Duty calls," Jane and Elizabeth's uncle instructed as he gave his nieces and wife hugs and kisses. Last orders to tell his children that he loved him were given to his wife before he left.

Outside of Lambton, a small group of three men on horseback waited for the presence of the officials of Lambton.

"Do you think they'll come sir?" one of the men questioned as he tried to keep his horse steady.

"Trust me, they'll come. If they value the lives of their people they'll come. And I don't think they would agree to a meeting and not show. They know all too well that we could destroy them if we really wanted to," his superior replied just as the men they were waiting for appeared.

"Good evening sirs. My name is Edward Gardiner, mayor of Lambton."

Mr. Gardiner proceeded to introduce the rest of the town officials before asking the soldiers what they wanted or needed.

"My name, sirs, is General Alexander Logan of His Royal Majesty King Frederick's Army. This is Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and Captain Charles Bingley. Let me set your minds at ease gentlemen. I assure you that we intend you no harm what-so-ever. My men and I were heading home from a training expedition when we were ambushed by Lord Wickham's men and pushed back as far as here before Lord Wickham's men pulled off the attack. Now most of my men are gravely injured and in dire need of food and medical attention. I'm afraid if we try to make the journey home, we may be ambushed again and my men are in no condition to fight. Also, I'm afraid I may lose more men for they are not in any condition to travel. My only request is that you allow my men and myself to camp outside Lambton until my men are able to make the long journey back home. As for the food and other supplies, we will gladly pay or trade what we have. And if we run out, we will work for them."

"And if we refuse, general, what then?" one of the officials asked.

"If we have to, we will take over the town. But I am not one to conduct a battle just to get what I want."

"If it pleases you, may we discuss this tonight and tell you our decision on the 'morrow at noon?"

"Yes, indeed. That will be fine. Noon it is. I trust that you men are a men of your words because I would hate to use force to get what we need. And I'm sure that you would not want harm to come to your families and friends. I bid you good day gentlemen.

That afternoon, the town was once again summoned. Fear and nervousness filled the room. Elizabeth and Jane, though relieved that their uncle returned safely, were both uneasy. If anything were to happen, it would be too late for their father's closest army to reach Lambton. That would mean that Mary would be heir to the throne and quoting Fordyce's Sermon over and over again. Happy thought indeed (cringe).

Mr. Gardiner silenced the town and proceeded to tell them about the proposition laid by King Frederick's army. Once again, the meeting hall was filled with murmurs and nervous voices. Elizabeth and Jane looked at each other, sensing panic in the other. Their aunt reassured them that there was nothing to worry about. Questions were asked and were answered or unanswered. Being skeptical, the people demanded that the officers come to a town meeting themselves and present their proposition. Be that as it may, the town itself as leaning to an agreement. Holding another meeting was to merely set them at ease.

To ensure the safety of the town and the princesses, guards were set around the outskirts of the town to make sure that the army would not send a surprise attack. On the suggestion of Jane and Elizabeth, their personal guards were to be removed but within sight of the princess for fear that they would look to obvious as someone important if they had guards constantly on their tail. Though their guards and Aunt Maddy didn't like the idea, they agreed to it for the knew tat they were right.

Somewhere along the outskirts, Alexander's scouts were posted around the town to make sure that nobody left the town to call for help. The town was a good distance from the nearest town, so there wasn't much to worry about the townspeople leaving the town. This was for the safety of his army. He couldn't risk having someone sent out to worn the king of Hertfordshire that one of his towns was at the mercy of the enemy.

The Next Day

The town officials, true to their word, met the officers for the second time. Mr. Gardiner told them that even though the town was most likely to agree and cooperate, they were requesting that hey hear the proposition for themselves so that they might ask some questions and receive answers. This was agreed to and the town officials set the time of the meeting.

That afternoon, the town the gathered, awaiting the arrival of the officers. Jane and Elizabeth were surrounded by their guards, but no outsider could tell that they were being protected. It was now past the time that the officers were suppose to arrive. Many of the townspeople were becoming impatient and antsy when the meeting halls doors burst open to reveal General Logan, accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam, Captain Bingley, and a few more of the other officers. The crowd immediately became silent. An occasional whisper or two could be heard.

Upon seeing the officers, both Jane and Elizabeth's hearts began to pound with fear. Slowly, they both studied each officers face, curiosity almost overcoming their fear. A small gasp escaped Elizabeth's mouth as she recognized two of the men. They were the men that she had showed around Lambton a few days ago. Anger was finally able to overcome her fear. She couldn't believe that she had been tricked into showing the men the town. It struck her that they had disguised themselves, entered Lambton looking for the food and supplies that their men needed, and tricked her into thinking that they were only passing through. She couldn't believe it. Elizabeth was quick to point out the two men to Jane that she had helped a few days ago. Indeed the one named Captain Charles Bingley with the blond hair was handsome in Jane's eyes.

As the officers moved down the center aisle, Elizabeth was able to catch the eye of Alexander for only a very short moment. Instead of seeing the same pensive and romantically mysterious eyes that she had first seen, she looked into a pair of dark brown eyes void of that. Rather, they were filled with angered determination and pain. If his eyes were the windows into him, the curtains had been pulled shut. They glared rather than looked. When Alexander caught the eyes of Elizabeth, he quickly turned away knowing that she was probably mad at him. He also knew that he shouldn't be looking at her. Technically, she was an enemy and as part of his duty, he was not suppose to have feelings for the enemy. But he couldn't help but feel sorry for putting on an false show.

Alexander introduced himself and his party. He began by stating the reason why his army was here in the town of Lambton looking for help. Once he finished, he asked if their were any questions.

"How, general, can we be sure that you will not harm us? How do we know that you will not kill our wives and children before make slaves out of the men?" one man asked as cheers rose from the crowd.

"Citizens of Lambton, you have every right to be skeptical and uneasy. It's only natural. All I that I can give you is my word as a gentleman and as a general of an army. I believe that a man of his word is a man to be trusted. That is all that I can give," Alexander said as he addressed the town. Sincerity and desperation filled his voice. "I beg of you, please, help us. If not for me and the other officers, then for the wounded and dying. They need your help more than I do."

For a moment there, Elizabeth was touched before her anger returned. It was a charade, all of it. This man wasn't a man to be trusted. The meeting continued for another ten minutes or so before the town ran out of questions. It was then settled that the army would be allowed to camp outside of Lambton. They would be allowed into the town but only if they left any kind of weapon behind in the camps. It was also ruled that they were required to wear their uniforms in order to tell them apart from the townspeople. The critically injured soldiers would be housed in the basement of the local church where they could be looked after by the doctor and his helpers.

The town was dismissed. Uneasiness still hung around in the air. Some were afraid and mad, others were touched and felt sorry for the enemy. Mr. Gardiner made his way over to the officers, and to show that he and the town welcomed them, offered Alexander and the officers housing at the local inns for all of them.

"Mr. Gardiner, we are very much obliged. We thank you for your offer. My men are free to choose if they want to stay in the town or in the camp. As for myself, I find it unfair that I will receive better quarters than they just because of my ranking. No, I shall stay in camp with the men. It is only right that I do so. But thank you once again for your generous offer," explained Alexander.

"Gentlemen?" asked Mr. Gardiner.

"We sir are also very much obliged. However, we cannot accept your offer," responded Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"Very well then. It is very noble of you men not to put yourself before your men. It shows true leadership. I admire that. Come, let me introduce you to my family. "

One by one, Mr. Gardiner introduced his family, starting with his wife, his children, and his nieces.

"And this, General, is my other niece, Katelyn McKendrick, the younger of the two."

Both Elizabeth and Alexander stared at each other uneasily before Alexander broke the awkward silence.

"It's a pleasure to meet you . . . Miss Katelyn," Alexander hesitated as he met Elizabeth's cold stare.

He would have kept staring at her had not one of his men suggest that it was time to head back to camp. The men then headed back to their camp to deliver the good news. The next day, those who were still in good health helped transport the severely injured to the hospital or the church basement.

Alexander was on his way back to camp from helping with the transportation of the severely when he came across Elizabeth in the town square, sitting on the edge of the fountain reading a book. As soon as he spotted her, he stopped dead in his tracks, not knowing whether or not he should approach her. Sensing someone looking at her, Elizabeth looked up from her book to find the one man she did not want to see coming her way. Alexander, upon reaching her, removed his hat and bowed. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, she did not see his face flinch as he raised right arm. He really needed to have that wound taken cared of.

"Miss Elizabeth. I'm glad I've run into you. I've been meaning to speak to you. Rather, I've been meaning to apologize to you."

"Apologize? Whatever for?" Elizabeth asked in mock obviousness.

Sensing this, Alexander took in a deep breath before continuing, but was cut off before he could say anything.

"General Logan, there is no need for you to apologize for lying to me. If you wish to apologize, then do so, but do not expect me to accept it," Elizabeth retorted.

"I beg your pardon, Miss McKendrick. Captain Bingley and I did not lie to you. We told you the truth. We were a couple of men in dire need of food and supplies for our injured soldiers. We only concealed from you our ranks. Would you call that lying?" Alexander replied angrily as he strode after Elizabeth who had stood up and started to walk away from him, frustrated.

"General Logan," Elizabeth spun around, "lying is concealing the truth from another person."

"On the contrary. Lying is twisting the truth," Alexander adamantly stated as he chased after Elizabeth once again.

"Who do you think you are, to come into Lambton and take it as your own?"

"I am General Alexander Logan of His Royal Majesty King Frederick's Army. I am here in Lambton because it was the closest town that I could find that had food and the necessary supplies that I needed for my injured men. Believe me when I say that I will do anything, and I mean anything, to make sure that my men are will taken cared of. And if that means taking over a town, then so be it," he replied angrily

By then the two of them had started a heated argument that had Elizabeth walking and Alexander chasing. This caused alarm to a couple of the guards who were keeping an eye out on her. One of them decided to take a chance and make sure that his princess wasn't going to be harmed.

"Excuse me ma'am, but is this gentleman causing you any trouble?"

Knowing that that the guard was only doing his duty, she replied, "Uh, no sir. I can handle him. But I have nothing more to say to him. If you two will excuse me."

Once again, Alexander raced after her. Why, in his mind, was he doing this? Usually he would have just ignored the girl and not bother to argue. But why her? She was from the kingdom of Hertfordshire and he was from the kingdom of Derbyshire.

"Miss McKendrick . . ."

"What?" she practically snapped at him as she turned around and looked into his eyes. Physical pain, anger, and frustration filled Alexander's eyes. The curtains, as Elizabeth saw, were still drawn over the windows of his eyes.

"I . . ." he paused as he glared back angrily into her brown eyes. "I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble. I see that I am wasting my time trying to apologize to you when I should be helping my men. If you will excuse me," Alexander said as he bowed, turned on his heal and headed back to camp. This was the most trying and exasperating woman that he had ever met. So why then, did he have strange feelings about her as he did when they first met. Wanting to kick himself for almost getting involved with a woman, a woman from the enemy country no less, Alexander swore to himself that he would have nothing to do with her.

In the opposite direction, a frustrated Elizabeth ran to the lone chestnut tree, and leaned against it before allowing herself to slip down the trunk until she was sitting. That insufferable man! Who did he think he was to come into her uncle's town and all of a sudden act like he was king of it? Elizabeth's hatred for this man grew. Not only was he an enemy, but he had lied, and now he was holding her uncle's town under his power. And she was trapped with him. There was no way for her to leave or to send out word that they were being held under the enemy. No, she would have to put up with the likes of General Alexander Logan until they were rescued, killed, or his army finally returned to their own land.

Post II

Posted on Saturday, 26 January 2002

On occasion, the paths of Alexander and Elizabeth would pass. Not wanting to have anything to do with the other, both gentleman and lady would try as hard as possible to avoid each other where possible. Alexander had a duty to do and Elizabeth had to stay loyal to her kingdom by not getting involve with the enemy. And her life could be at stake as well. There were times, however, that they could not avoid each other and another argument would break out between the two.

"General Logan, this town has enough food and supplies for your men. Why don't you just take them and leave?"

"Does it bother you, Ms. McKendrick, the presence of my men and I? It's a shame for you will have to put up with us for who knows how long. My men are still in need of medical attention, and I have no intentions of leaving just yet," Alexander said as he was passing by Elizabeth.

"Just wait until my father . . ." Elizabeth stopped before she said to much.

"You're father what?" Alexander asked as he stopped and turned around, waiting for a reply. "What are you going to do? Send someone out to contact your father so he can tell your king that you are captives? You forget that I have men posted around the town and deep in the forest, to make sure that nobody leaves this town to give our position away. Don't think you can do anything about it. Trying to escape or trying to send word will only leave someone dead. To make sure that the townspeople do not feel like they have to stay only in Lambton, I have my men posted deep in the forest to allow the townspeople to have a great area to walk around in, as you are one of those people."

"Hateful man!" Elizabeth thought as Alexander turned and continued on his way. "Why did he have to be such a hateful man from Derbyshire and handsome at the same time? What a waste!"

As Alexander walked away, he couldn't help but kick himself for saying what he had just said. Never in his life had he been so rude and spiteful to anyone, much less a woman. There was something about Elizabeth that got to him. Usually he would handle things in a gentleman-like manner like he should, but with her . . . she was different. There was something about her that got to him. Maybe it was the fact that she was brave enough to stand up to him. Where he came from, women were intimidated by him. Either that or they threw themselves at him. Neither one pleased him, only a woman with wit who stood up for herself and voiced her opinions could catch his eyes. To add to that, she had the most exquisite pair of eyes that he had ever seen.

And so it continued; Elizabeth hated and Alexander stared. In Elizabeth's mind, he stared because he hated and was trying to intimidate her. As for Alexander, he thought her stubborn yet pretty. But both knew that they were each dealing with the enemy, something that was not suppose to happen. It would only be a matter of days before they would never see each other again, or so they each hoped.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was out and the song of the birds filled the air. Today was the perfect day for Elizabeth to take her daily walk to the lone chestnut tree. On a sudden whim, she decided to walk on further down along the river, into the woods and away from the town. As she walked, she closed her eyes and soaked in the sun. Unbeknownst to her, she was being followed.

Today was one of those days she wished would never end. It was sunny and warm with a slight breeze blowing. There was not a sound to be heard except for the occasional bird chirp. After a while of walking, Elizabeth decided to take a rest and sat down against a tree trunk and closed her eyes once again.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, four men dressed in the clothing of Lord Wickham appeared from either behind the trees or from the tall grass. Alarmed, Elizabeth suddenly stood up. If there was one, maybe two men, she knew that there could be a possibility that she could handle the men herself. At an early age, Elizabeth and her four other sisters had been taught how to defend themselves and ride horses. They were taught how to use a knife, sword, and a pistol. Unfortunately, she did not have any of those kinds of weapons and there were more men than she had wished for.

The men slowly advanced themselves towards Elizabeth as they surrounded her. They were about to make their move when all of a sudden the sound of an advancing horse caught their attention. What the men failed to realize was that when they were following Elizabeth, they had been spotted by Alexander who in turn followed them. Upon seeing the clothing that they were wearing, he knew who they were and that they were there to cause trouble, possibly harm to Elizabeth. When he saw that the men were about to make a move for Elizabeth, that was when he decided to make his move.

Realizing that the men were distracted, Elizabeth seized the moment to grab the pistol of the man that was closest to her and run away as far as possible from the action, but still within range to fire the pistol if needed. The man whose pistol had been stolen turned around was about to reach her when Alexander jumped off his horse and landed right on top of him, knocking him down to the grown. With one strong punch, he was able to knock the man out. Immediately Alexander jumped up and turned around and withdrew his sword and stood their with an angered look on his face, one hand behind him to keep Elizabeth behind him, and this other hand with his sword pointed at the three remaining men. Pain flew through his right arm as he gripped his sword. He hoped that it wouldn't hinder his fighting.

After a moment of hesitation, the three men lunged for Alexander with their own swords. Blades flew and sliced through the air. Being an excellent swordsman, he was able to keep all three men at bay. At one point, one of the men withdrew his gun and fired, but missed when Alexander ran another man straight at him, causing the gunman to lose his balance, and shoot the third man killing him instantly. The gunman move back and pulled out another pistol, took aim, and fired and hit Alexander who was now standing in the shallow part of the calm river, but only grazing his arm. This caused his body to jerk and twist, giving the man he was fighting with enough time to slash the right side of his stomach. He then approached Alexander once again who mustered all the strength in him to fight off his attacker.

Alexander was pushed up against one of the post of the bridge while his sword and the sword of the attacker formed an X in-between them. Being weakened from his wounds, he wasn't strong enough to push of the attacker until the attacker gave him a cut across his left brow. This angered him and he pushed the attacker off, fighting like there was tomorrow, and succeeded in stabbing the poor fellow in the stomach. Before he knew it, the gunman was on his back. Unable to shake him off, Alexander dropped his sword and backed up hard into the post a couple of times before flinging him off his back and onto the dirt.

By now his blue coat was soaking with blood where he had been hit. Blood was trickling down his face and into his eyes, but this didn't bother Alexander. Now he stood face to face with the enemy, both without a weapon. The gunman rushed Alexander and rammed him back into the post. Pain seared through Alexander's body upon impact, weakening him even more. The gunman picked up him up and threw several punches into his face, and when he stumbled, the gunman kicked him several times on the right side of his stomach, causing splashes of water to fly through the air. Seeing that Alexander was in terrible pain and unable to move, the gunman picked up a sword and was about to kill him when Alexander suddenly reached for the pistol of the man whom he killed, turned around as fast as he could and shot the gunman in the chest.

The gunman stopped in his tracks and took one last look at Alexander before toppling over. Alexander rolled back over on his stomach and ever so slowly stood up with his back to Elizabeth when he came face to face with the barrel of a gun. Right in front of him was the fourth man, the one that he had knocked out before the fight. During the fight, he had regained consciousness and unnoticingly slipped away to where he could not be seen under the bridge. And now the man walked out from behind one of the posts and stared straight into Alexander's eyes, his pistol pointed at him right between the eyes.

"I'll be sure to tell Lord Wickham that I had a great pleasure in shooting you between the eyes . . . Prince William Darcy," he cried as he whispered the last three words very softly that Elizabeth did not hear it.

He cocked the pistol and pulled the trigger. A shot was heard throughout the woods as the gunman fell to his knees with a bullet lodged in heart. Upon hearing the sound of the gun going off, Alexander winced and closed his eyes, waiting to feel another surge of pain go through his body before all was gone. Instead, when he opened his eyes, he found the man standing in front of him standing there with a shocked expression in his eyes before he fell to the ground. Slowly, Alexander turned around and came face to face with Elizabeth who was standing there with a pistol in her hand still raised with smoke floating into the sky.

Elizabeth put the gun down and stared at a bloody Alexander whose bloodstained clothes were dripping wet. Water mixed with blood trickled down his face as he stood in ankle-deep water and stared back at her. Neither one of them made a move as they stared at each other. All of a sudden, things started to blur and Alexander began to sway. Before she knew it, Elizabeth saw him close his eyes and collapse backwards into the water creating a small splash. Now was her time to run away. Why she didn't run away during the fight, she did not know. Something told her stay during the fight, but now she had the sudden urge to take Alexander's horse and head back to Lambton. She picked up the pistol of the first man who died and headed towards the now grazing horse and climbed up onto it.

Part 3

Posted on Monday, 18 February 2002

As Elizabeth climbed up onto the horse, her first thought was to leave the wounded Darcy to die. The horse had only taken a few steps when she halted it and turned around to take another look at his almost lifeless body lying in the river. He had come out of nowhere and risked his life to save hers. Of all people, it was him. She didn't understand why in the world he would do such a thing especially since he was one of her father's enemies. No one in their right mind would leave their savior to die. Feeling guilty if she left him to die, Elizabeth slid off the horse, walked over to Darcy, made sure he was still alive, and dragged his limp body out of the water.

She took off his coat and examined his wounds. The slash on his side was still bleeding, so she took his coat and applied pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. The cut on his brow was luckily not that deep and had stopped bleeding by then. As for his arm, it was still bleeding. Knowing she had to do what she had to do, she ripped off right sleeve and discovered that right above his fresh wound was another wound that was still in the process of healing. It dawned on her that all this time that she had known Darcy, he had been walking around in pain due to a wound that he had suffered from the fight against Wickham's army. Even in pain, he had been helping around his camp and the town, not even caring for himself. This man truly cared about his men and not himself. Admiration washed over Elizabeth as she used the torn sleeve to tie up his arm and stop the bleeding.

Once she finished wrapping him up, she sat down beside him and leaned up against a nearby tree as she placed Darcy's head on her lap. She brushed the hair out of his face as she watched his slow breathing. Gently, she stroked his face as she whispered his name.

"Alexander. Alexander, can you hear me?" It never crossed her mind that she used his Christian name.

It took a few seconds before his eyes started to flicker. A inaudible low moan escaped from his lips as he turned his head to the side. His eyes opened slowly and stared back at her. Though she was somewhat blurry, she had a face of an angel. And her eyes, oh her eyes. They were beyond anything that he had ever seen. They were amazing. Even without a face, the eyes stood out of place. The corners of his mouth turned upwards subtly.

"You're . . . so beauti . . ." his voice faded as he began to slip out of consciousness again.

Choosing to ignore his words, Elizabeth had a difficult decision to make. Either she could stay with Darcy until someone came looking for her or she could try and lift him onto the horse and immediately take him back to town. She didn't want to move him, but she knew that if she didn't take him now, he could die. Plus it could be awhile before anyone would come looking for her even if they knew where she was. And she most definitely didn't want to leave him alone. She resolved that she would take Darcy directly to the town doctor.

She delicately moved him over to where the horse was again grazing. It was going to be really difficult to get Darcy up onto the horse. The only way she could get him up onto the horse was if he was awake and tried to get up with her help. Once again, she tried to wake him up.

"General Logan, General Logan I need you to wake up. I need you to try and get up onto the horse. Please wake up," Elizabeth pleaded.

Darcy opened his eyes once again to find a beautiful yet semi-blurry face looking at him. It took him awhile before her words started to register into his head.

"Wha . . .?" he barely managed to moan.

"General Logan, can you stand up? I need for you to try and stand up and get onto the horse so I can take you to a doctor."

With the help of Elizabeth, Darcy managed to stand up even though he wobbled a little bit. Things were starting to get hazy again as pain seared through his body, but he knew that he had to get up on the horse. As he forced himself up onto the horse with the help of Elizabeth, a loud moan escaped from him as the pain grew worse. Elizabeth winced as she heard his painful cry. She didn't want him to suffer anymore than he was now, but she had no choice.

Once he was secured on the horse, Elizabeth led it back slowly to the town where she was greeted upon by some of the officers who were shocked to see her hands and dress covered in blood and a passed out and wounded Darcy slumped forward on the horse. Without hesitation, the men ran over to the two and brought Darcy down from the horse.

"Please, Captain Bingley, General Logan is badly wounded and is running out of time. You can take him to my uncle's house which is right down this street and to the right. Send one of your men to fetch the doctor. And hurry."

"I'll fetch the doctor," Colonel Fitzwilliam said as he ran and jumped up onto the horse from behind and quickly turned it around in the other direction towards the doctor's house. Being tired from the days events and in a somewhat state of shock, Elizabeth began to wobble and would have fallen over had not Bingley been there to stabilize her.

"Come Ms. McKendrick, I will escort you home. Take your time. I don't want to have to carry you back to your uncle's and explain everything. Why don't you sit down for a moment?" Bingley offered.

"No, Captain Bingley. I'd rather go back to my uncle's house and change out of these clothes," Elizabeth adamantly said as she held up her hand.

"Yes, of course. Whatever you wish. Come."

The two slowly made their way back to Mr. Gardiner's house. In her mind, Elizabeth was wishing and hoping that Alexander would be just fine. She couldn't help but feel anxious and worried for him. A wave of emotion swept over her, but being the strong woman that she was, she didn't let a single tear drop. As they neared the house, they could see some of the servants helping the soldiers with Darcy. Elizabeth's uncle and aunt were standing on the stairs with worried and concerned looks on their faces. Upon seeing Bingley and Elizabeth, Jane ran out from the house and gave her sister a hug.

"Oh Katelyn! We were so worried about you when the officers said that you had brought General Logan back and that you were covered in blood. Are all right? Are you feeling okay?" Jane said with a panic tone in her voice.

"Jacqueline, I assure you I'm fine. I am a little bit tired. Captain Bingley was kind enough to escort me home while his men brought General Logan."

As Elizabeth said this, Jane turned and simply smiled at Bingley who was grinning right back at her. The two had often crossed paths and exchanged words with each other. Unlike Elizabeth and Darcy, they got along with each other, or at least they were civil with each other. In fact, Bingley was smitten by Jane's beauty.

"I hope," Elizabeth continued as her uncle and aunt approached her, "That it is all right that I told the men to bring General Logan to your home. I thought it would be too far for them to take him to the doctor's."

"No my child, it is not a problem. You did the right thing. Come, we'll talk later. Let's get you inside so you can clean yourself up," Mrs. Gardiner said as she led Elizabeth into the house

"Ah, Mr. Gardiner, I don't mean to intrude, but might I ask if it is all right if stay with the general until he is recovered," Bingley asked as he remembered his promise to his king that he would watch after his best friend.

"Captain Bingley, you need not ask. As a matter of fact, I was about to extend an invitation to you to see if you wanted to keep General Logan company as he may need it. Of course you may stay. I'll send a servant out to fetch your belongings," Mr. Gardiner said as he patted the young man on his back

"I don't mean to ask again, but knowing Colonel Fitzwilliam, I'm sure he would want to stay as well if it's not a bother to you."

"The Colonel can stay if he chooses. My servant will be sent right away to pick of both or your belonging. Now come, let us attend to the general."

The men entered first, but not before Bingley was able to sneak Jane a week smile in which she returned. As soon as she entered the house, she went directly upstairs to check on her sister to make sure she was fine. Wanting to give Elizabeth some time to relax and clean herself up, Jane went back out into the hall to see if she could lend a hand with the care for Alexander. He had been moved to one of the spare guest rooms where he was being cleaned up by some of the servants. The men who had dropped him off had been given orders by Bingley to head back to camp to tell of the news and tell Colonel Matthews that he was temporarily in charge of the men until further notice.

In what seemed like forever, Colonel Fitzwilliam and the doctor finally arrived. Dr. Burmingham was quickly rushed upstairs to where he found an unconscious and badly beaten Darcy. Immediately he began his work of cleaning and bandaging the wounds. It took awhile, but he eventually finished. He gave orders that Darcy was not to be moved until at least two weeks. Until then, he was to be kept in the room with someone always keeping an eye on him. Bingley and Fitzwilliam agreed that they would take turns in watching over him. Dr. Burmingham also explained to them how to change his bandages carefully without inflicting much pain on Darcy as possible.

After he had left, it was announced that dinner would be in a few minutes, and if the colonel wished, he could be served in the room. Since they had first arrived, no one had seen Elizabeth, but she silently came down to eat dinner. By then she had mostly returned to normal though she still looked tired. It was here that she explained to everyone, even the colonel who had decided to join his hosts for dinner, what had happened earlier that day. Everyone at the table was horrified at the outcome yet thankful for what Darcy had done to save Elizabeth's life. Each one, in their own mind, thought it odd that he would do such a brave and noble act like that towards someone who was not of his kingdom. They also thought it somewhat odd that Elizabeth would do what she did.

"Ms. Katelyn, on behalf of myself, Captain Bingley, the rest of the army, and the kingdom of Derbyshire, let me thank you whole heatedly for what you have done today. I cannot express enough thanks for the brave and heroic act in which you acted upon. I thank you," the colonel said as he thought of his cousin upstairs who was somehow managing to hold onto life.

"Colonel Fitzwilliam, I assure you that what I did was not brave nor heroic. It is General Logan who did a brave and heroic deed today, for it was I who was in need of help. If it weren't for him, then at this very moment I might be in the hands of Lord Wickham. No, it is I who should be thanking him for what he has done," Elizabeth said as looked at her plate. The thought of Darcy dying was on her mind, and all of a sudden she found herself suddenly caring for the life of her enemy.

"Now Katelyn, I believe that you and General Logan owe each other. You both saved each other's lives today. Let us be thankful that Lord Wickham's men weren't able to get their hands on you and that General Logan was there to prevent them from doing so even though he was injured in the process," her sister reminded her.

"I believe that your sister is correct, Ms. Katelyn," Bingley stated as he looked at Elizabeth first and then at Jane.

After Dinner

Elizabeth, though tired from the days events, slowly approached the door to Darcy's quarters. She had no idea why she was feeling the way that she did. Since when was he matter to her? She knocked on the door and waited until she was beckoned to come in. Instead of finding Bingley in the room, Elizabeth was shocked to find Fitzwilliam in the room.

"Eh, where is Captain Bingley?" Elizabeth curiously asked. "I thought he was suppose to be in here watching."

"Yes, well um, he asked that I watch over the general while he and Ms. McKendrick went for walk," Fitzwilliam replied as he looked for her reaction. She looked a little shocked but was able to regain her composure.

"I see. If it's not to much trouble, Colonel, would it be okay if I watched over him for awhile? I'm sure you could use a break," Elizabeth said before she knew what she was saying. She couldn't believe at what she had just said. There was no taking it back now.

"Of course Ms. Katelyn. I need to return to the camp to give some instructions. Until I come back, you can sit in my place," a surprised colonel said as he knew that he had to somehow send word back home about Darcy's condition.

After Fitzwilliam left the room, Elizabeth took her place by the bed and stared into Darcy's face. Bandage wrapped around his head to cover up that cut that he received on his left brow. His face was still slightly red and swollen from the fight. He laid there on the bed with his head propped up on a pillow while his right arm was wrapped around his waist and his left one was stretched out beside him. His rhythmic breathing had returned to normal instead of the earlier slower rhythm.

For whatever reason possessed her, Elizabeth moved her chair closer to the bed and reached out and gently traced Darcy's jaw line with the back of her hand. He was handsome indeed, there was no doubt about it.

"Thank you," Elizabeth whispered as she thought that the day she would ever thank her enemy, much less General Alexander Logan, would never come. It surprised her as she continued. "You must recover soon. You're men need you."

A small groan snapped Elizabeth out of her thoughts as she realized that Darcy was starting to regain consciousness. He stirred a little bit which caused him to wince and groan more in pain.

"General Darcy, sshhh, stop moving. It's not good for you. Stay still."

"Where am I?" Darcy questioned as he opened his eyes and felt his whole body cry out in pain.

Elizabeth took a hold of his left hand and assured him that he was being well taken cared of. With Darcy's mind still a blur, she retold the earlier events of that day to refresh his memory. It all came flooding back to him as he remembered his daring attempt to save her. As he laid in his bed, he wondered why he had saved her. A few years back , he wouldn't even saved anyone, but now that he was older, he was different. He was tired of fighting for a reason that no longer existed, a reason that had been forgotten.

The realization of their contact caught both of them off guard. Elizabeth smiled weakly at him as he did the same. Knowing he needed his rest, she told him to close his eyes and get his much needed rest. She watched him as he closed his eyes once again and fell into a deep sleep. Being tired herself, she didn't notice that she herself was also slowly falling asleep. That was how Bingley, Jane, and Fitzwilliam found them. Jane gently woke her sister up and assisted her to her room while the men kept watch over their general.

Once they were in the comfort and privacy of Elizabeth's room, she asked her sister what was going on between her and Captain Bingley.

"Nothing is going on, Lizzy. He just asked me if I wanted to go for a walk to get some fresh air to clear my head. That's all."

"Jane, do not tell me that was all. I've seen the way the captain looks at you. I think you have another admirer in your hands," Elizabeth teased her sister.

"Well, he is awfully handsome. Not to mention that he is very kind, cheerful, caring, has a nice smile, and is a gentleman above all," Jane sighed.

"Do not tell me that you have feelings for this man? Jane, promise me that you will be careful when it comes to men like this. Remember, they are from the kingdom of Derbyshire. They are our enemies."

"Are they? Are they really? Lizzy, just because they come from another kingdom doesn't make them necessarily all that bad. Give them a chance," Jane defended.

"Oh Jane, you're always trying to make everyone seem good. Yes, they seem like nice men, but please be careful. Our kingdoms have been at war for generations."

"Yes, I know. But they do not seem like our enemies. Oh when will it ever end? I'm sick and tired of all this fighting."

"I feel the same way as you do," Elizabeth signed as she thought about the general that was sleeping in her uncle's house.

It was like all of a sudden she was having feelings for Darcy. She didn't know what she would do if something were to happen to him. She felt torn in two. Here she was, the princess of Hertfordshire, having feelings for Darcy, the general the Derbyshire army (and prince as well, which she did not know) and one man that she actually disliked. That wasn't how it was suppose to be. Elizabeth took one long look into the mirror before she blew her candle out with one hard blow.

One week into Darcy's recovery, he had a disturbing dream that bothered him a lot. In his dream, he arrived too late to save Elizabeth. All of a sudden he sat straight up in one quick moment and shouted out Elizabeth's other name as sweat trickled down his face. For a second there he seemed to be fine before sharp pain spread throughout his abdomen. Darcy groaned loudly as he grasped his stomach and collapsed back into his bed. Nobody was in his room for the moment because whoever was suppose to watch him had left to get some lunch.

It just so happened that Elizabeth was walking by Darcy's room when she heard him cry out in pain. Immediately she entered the room and tried to calm and comfort him. She caressed his face as she tried to assure him that she was right there.

"Katelyn . . ." Darcy heaved as his face kept flinching. "You're here."

"Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?" Elizabeth whispered as ran her fingers through his soft hair.

Darcy tried to speak but she silenced him with her fingers and told him to go back to sleep. Once she was outside of his room, she went to her room and leaned up against the door after she shut it behind her. Her heart was beating widely and her breathing was irregular. She closed her eyes as she realized what she had just done. She had to stay away from him, but she knew that it wouldn't be possible seeing it as he was staying in her uncles house for the time being. She couldn't help but feel attracted to him for some strange reason.

The second week passed and Darcy was beginning to feel better. The small fever that he had was gone. Things were starting to clear up for him. He woke up to an empty room. Tired of being confined to his bed, Darcy slowly tried to get himself out of bed. He was still week and therefore struggled as he tried to gain his balance while using the dresser next to his bed for support. He changed and after a long time, decided to explore his surroundings.

The house was awfully quieter than usual. In fact, it seemed like he was the only person in the house. He somewhat painfully dragged himself around second floor or the house, trying to find someone. At one point, he looked out one of the windows that was facing the back of the house which faced some private open space. He looked out the window and caught site of Elizabeth playing with the family puppy For some reason, he forced himself to descend the steps and head out back.

Instead of going outside, Darcy stood against the doorway for support as he watched Elizabeth. She was so full of life and obviously loved it. Her laughter filled the air and her smile was contagious. A small smile crept over Darcy's face as he continued to watch. Elizabeth was trying to take the stick away from the puppy when she looked up to find Darcy staring at her. Though he was dressed, he looked like mess. His clothes were wrinkled and untucked; his hair was all over the place. This Elizabeth found very attractive.

Elizabeth was a bit startled to see Darcy. The two stared at each other for a couple minutes before Elizabeth broke the ice.

"General Logan! What are you doing out of bed? You should be inside resting," a startled Elizabeth said.

"I assure you ma'am that I am fine. After spending two weeks in bed, I'm sure that you, like myself, would be eager to get some sun and fresh air. From my observations, you are not one to be kept inside."

"Yes sir, you are correct. If I were in your position I would be severely stubborn and try to find away to get outside." Elizabeth smiled. "But honestly speaking sir, how do you feel?"

"Weak, tired, sore, and in pain. Never better, I assure you," Darcy teased. "Reminds me of the time when I was a boy and was thrown from my horse. My parents were not happy with me."

As Darcy told his story, Elizabeth noticed that curtains over his eyes were slowly being drawn back. He finished the story tried to make his way down the back stairs. Darcy's legs were still weak and wobbly which caused him to slip. Luckily there were only 4 steps and Elizabeth there to catch him before he fell on his face. Darcy stumbled forward into Elizabeth who put her hands on his shoulder and side to stabilize him. A painful groan from Darcy alarmed Elizabeth. It was then that she realized that she had placed one of her hands on the cut on the right side of his stomach. She lead him to a nearby bench so he could sit down and rest.

"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you all right?" Elizabeth said as she sat down next to him.

"No, no. I'm all right. It's not your fault," Darcy said as he held his side. At least the pain wasn't as severe as it had been two weeks ago. "Let's just hope the wound didn't reopen."

Without thinking about propriety, Elizabeth removed his hand and lifted his shirt just high enough to get a good luck at his stomach. Carefully she ran her fingers over the cut. As she did this, Darcy dared not remove his eyes from her face. He could feel the electricity flow from her fingers to her body. Elizabeth let go of his shirt and suddenly realized the closeness between them. She slowly lifted her head and turned towards Darcy. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

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