A/N: Sorry for the scorching pace of the last chapter, I wanted to do a quick set-up so readers could understand the world these characters are operating in. The story is a sort of Mish-Mash Apocalyptic Fantasy. I wanted to retain some Gaskell'esque elements in my attempts to wrap the romance story with some social aspects and concerns of the world these characters have to live in. In essence, I wanted to answer that "central question we think about when we read Gaskell books:" (From North and South, CHAPTER 49. Breathing Tranquility) "she herself must answer for her own life, and what she has done with it...how much was to be utterly merged in obedience to authority; and how much might be set apart for freedom in working?"
It is a big undertaking to write, to dedicate yourself to a story and to put yourself out there to be reviewed. Thank you so much for your support, as I continue to pay tribute to the genius that is Mrs. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell.
CHAPTER II
First Impressions
"It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." Genesis 2:18
As the carriage pulls up the front collonade of Crampton Keep, Margaret notices her cousin, Edith, standing at the window of the great chamber looking out. After she disembarks, she waves at her cousin eagerly who smiled back at her. Forgetting all else, Margaret quickly walks up the steps to the front entrance, excited to share her news with Edith. "I'll wait here for Mama and Papa. Why don't you go in, Margaret?" Fred said with a laugh for it was obvious that his sister paid him no mind, so excited was she to meet up with Edith and be again with her cousin whom she grew up with. The keep guard opens the door for Margaret and one of the lady attendants helps to remove her veil, gloves, straw bonnet and her drab light brown coat.
Underneath the coat, she wore the latest in London Fashion - a shimmering and filigree- detailed décolleté mid-line dress, fitted at the waist, with very short sleeves and flowing multi-tiered hem that highlighted all her womanly curves. She is a vision, ethereal, graceful, as if she were a fairy queen regally surveying her dominion. She, of course, is unaware of her appearance as she only wore the outfit to please her cousin who has been depressed of late due to the on-again-off-again nature, currently off-again relationship between Edith and Captain Lennox of Scot from the North. How tumultuous the path to true love is. Edith has been quite miserable in her letters of late and Margaret thought to cheer her up by showing her some of the new outfits Lady Maria had ordered to be made by the finest seamstress in London for her and Edith. "I hope this letter will help get them closer to an engagement soon," Margaret muttered to herself while shaking her head, thinking of these two lovesick lovers. "Love truly makes fools of all who suffer from this malady of the heart," Margaret said to herself as her mind drifted to the Captain Lennox, the aforementioned lovesick "beau" who in his eagerness nearly accosted Margaret at the Outwood Station Inprocessing Zone to press his case about "the truth of his love for fair Edith" and to get reassurances that his letter will get to Edith at first sight of "the fair one."
Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, Margaret mumbled with a slight cringe, "As if they would not see each other soon enough, Lovers! Eww..."
After removing the said letter from her coat and holding on to it with her right hand, she ran to great chamber to greet her cousin. "Edith, I'm here, fair cousin." Margaret exclaimed as she threw her arms around her petite, blonde cousin, in a warm embrace. "How I've missed you, dearest."
"And I you, your letters have been a great comfort to me. I'm so glad you remember to write me so often, dearest Margaret. You truly are the most precious pearl of Helstone" Edith spoke warmly, looked up at her stately cousin, cupped Margaret's face gently in her small tapered hands, and winked at her dark-haired cousin.
"How could I not, you have so many demands on me, buy this... buy that...check this... check that... Truly, beauty does not come cheap. But, in your case it is all worth it." Margaret returned with a teasing smile, raised her arm to her forehead, made a mock sigh and posed as she rejoined, "come cousin, judge for yourself. I am wearing the latest in London fashion to please you, "The Titania Collection" - all about fairies that's the rage these days. What do you think? Do I pass muster? I changed into this dress this morning to bring some sunlight into your gloomy day, dearest one." With a dramatic sigh, Margaret continued, "Don't be so harsh in your judgment. I am but a country bumpkin from Helstone and not of the London Ton like you. You are the true beauty between us, why... you can even be mistaken for Queen Titania herself. Please be kind to your country cousin, all I know is the new forest, the verdant fields and gardens, books and letters... Speaking of letters," Margaret leaned down towards her cousin and after a dramatic pause, whispered in Edith's ears, "guess who I ran into at the Outwood Station?" Margaret babbling on, "Well, I can tell you he is handsome and dashing and left me this letter addressed to a certain young lady with a most urgent request to..." As Margaret turned around to prevent Edith from grabbing the letter, she noticed the tall, dark and ruggedly handsome stranger at the corner of the room behind her. Edith, taking advantage of the distraction quickly grabbed the letter from Margaret's hand and safely tucked it under her shirt sleeves. Margaret's thoughts tumbled over themselves as all speech and other thoughts were arrested by the piercing eyes of this man, a mage of means definitely judging from his resplendent attire. His penetrating gaze looked intently at her as he stood by the chair near the corner wall by the door of the great chamber.
"His expression so stern. His manner impatient. How his eyes seems to bore through me. So, blue... How can I notice such detail from so far away?" Margaret mused as her heart began to thud faster and she began to feel her cheeks flushed of their own accord. "What power emanates from this tall, rough fellow?" Unsettled with unfamiliar feelings, Margaret suddenly grew more reserved and sunk into introspection.
"Cat got your tongue, dear?" Lord Bell asked with a mirthful laugh. Margaret's blush grew deeper and she started stammering nonsense."Well", "uhm", "ahh", "gah"..
Clearly mortified, she placed her tapered hands over her short curled upper lip to prevent from stammering, and chastised herself for being a fool, how could she be babbling on, unaware of the stranger. Her temper began to rise. Why hadn't Edith warned her and stopped her from acting the fool? Seriously, couldn't Edith have pinched her or something? Oh my, Margaret, old girl, you really stuck your foot in it now, the stranger is looking at you quite disapprovingly. Well, let him look as she gathered herself resetting her outward grace. This mage has come to call on her grandfather, as the daughter of the house she is obliged to treat this stranger with the fullest measure of civility.
John Thornton continued to stare at Margaret silently, seriously, intently with furrowed brows and discerning eye, as if trying to figure out who she was and what she was doing here. Then, as she turned to face him with frank dignity - a young lady of a different type to those he was used to seeing, her features caught the light and her full beauty met his eye. "What a beautiful creature. Such spirit. How her ivory white complexion seems to shine. Her lithe, stately and graceful stature so regal, her full lips, expressive eyes so animated and playful moments before have now taken on a serene, cold look as she returned his gaze in quiet maiden freedom. What defiance in those lovely eyes. Is she challenging me to chastise her in front of her family?" Lord John thought with a slight smile. He seemed unable to peel his eyes away from Margaret, so focused is he in taking her full beauty that he did not notice that the ring on his right ring finger was glowing a brilliant sapphire blue. Edith's voice broke into his reverie and he finally noticed his ring.
"Come now, grandfather, we are embarrassing, Margaret." Edith said in a mildly teasing tone. "Lord John Thornton, your highness, may I present my cousin, the Lady"... Edith paused, as she remembered Queen Hannah's edict that in Milton, there is only one Queen and only Mages and Rulers of territories are Lords and Ladies. Edith made a small cough as she corrected herself, "my cousin, the Honorable Miss Margaret Hale, daughter of Lord Richard and Lady Maria Hale of Helstone." At the mention of the legendary Prince's name, Margaret's large, expressive eyes grew like saucers as she stood in stunned astonishment. Who would have thought that she at that very moment stood face to face with the greatest hero of their day. Despite her amazement, she maintained her countenance. But when he smiled at her, she could not help but smile back for she was taken by what she saw. His smile transformed his whole appearance. He looked younger, very handsome; it was like looking into sunlight... so warm was his whole demeanor, his teeth so white and his tall, powerful frame so relaxed. So, very different he was from the stern, rigid, frowning stranger of just a few moments ago. She liked his smile and the changes it wrought on his countenance, it became him.
She admired Lord John Thornton, Savior of North and South, "the living legend" who sacrificed everything, even his own dragon, to defeat the dark and save them all from the atrocities of war. Yes, his deeds are well-documented and were required study for all children of the seven realms. Margaret, a voracious reader, had studied Lord John Thornton all her young life, in books, in lectures, in films and reenactments. Now faced with the man, she found that he took her breath away. Remembering her manners, she made a deep curtsy and tilted her head in proper greeting.
Lord Thornton bowed, walked slowly towards her and holding out his hand, said, "Very glad to meet you Ms. Hale, if there is anything you should need while in Milton, please don't hesitate to call on me. I am at your service." He held out his right hand to her and kept his hand outstretched waiting for her to respond. Margaret unfamiliar with the gesture, made a deeper curtsy, and when Lord Thornton kept his hands outstretched, she curtsied even lower until she lost balance and almost fell. Luckily for her, Lord Thornton's quick action prevented her fall. However, her skin was scraped Lord's Thornton's glowing ring. "Oh, I'm sorry, did not mean to scrape you, it is bleeding a little. Don't want it to get into your dress. Let me heal it." He proceeded to heal her scratch, not bothering to hear her reply and ignoring her refusal of the offer.
This patronizing action by Lord Thornton, really got Margaret's hackles up in a bunch. How dare this mage? The nerve! Heal her without her permission or acquiescence. A gentleman would never touch a lady without her consent or permission. Margaret started panicking. She has never been touched by any man except for her family relations. Her whole life she has been protected and guarded.
Arrogant Mage Brute! How dare he... A hero he might be, but definitely not a "Gentleman." She did not ask him to help her. He should have just let her fall, then, only her pride will have been wounded, but now she is seething in righteous anger. She is not even sure why she felt this strongly, his touch was warm, gentle and sent little electric tingles through her. Awwww... She does not understand this feeling and her confusion is feeding her anger even more. Mage Overlord, indeed! She seethed as her anger continued to rise. She saw a sudden movement from her grandfather at the corner of her eye, and she turned to Lord Bell, who returned her gaze with a look of great concern. She sensed some fear in him for her but she could not figure out why. When she raised her brows towards her grandfather, asking silently "what's wrong?" Her grandfather just shook his head and shrugged, silently replying with his eyes and shoulders, "It's nothing to concern yourself with, my dear."
" There... There..." rubbing her arm, "good as new," he softly whispered very close to her ear. This intimate action by this mere acquaintance gave Margaret a fright, she quickly moved away from him and went to stand by her grandfather. How very ungentlemanly this lord prince is. What impertinent scoundrel. Highly Improper! How dare he! First, he touches her without her consent and now, he has the temerity to lean so close to her as to whisper in her ear, like he is some intimate relations? He, a mere stranger? He may be a lord, mage and prince but he has the manners of a common "tradesman." Clearly not a gentleman!
Sensing the tension building in the room, Edith quickly apologized for her cousin, "Forgive my cousin, sir. She is not familiar with Milton ways. She has never left the keep in all the previous Helstone visits and as such, has no interaction with Milton Society. She did not realize that she gave you great offense when she did not clasp your offered hand. Please, M'Lord, forgive her, she means nothing by it."
"Well, no offense taken. Miss Hale is of age now to be coming out, I assume, Lord Bell?" At this question, Lord Bell nodded his agreement and Lord Thornton continued, "Come Ms. Hale let us do this properly. There is no time like the present to learn and accustom yourself to the society you will be exposed to this year" Walking towards her again, holding out his hand, he repeated. "I'm at your service." It took every ounce of reserve and societal training for Margaret to tamp down her anger, still uncertain what to do, she looked to her grandfather to guide her, reassured by the look of consent she saw there, she graciously smiled at the "great rough fellow" and made (yes, made... it took great effort, as she really did not want to extend her hand) ... made her small, soft, tapered hands clasp the huge, calloused, strong and capable hands of the prince. "There, there, there that is not so hard, is it?" Lord Thornton said while raising her hand to his lips. He placed a soft lingering kiss at the back of her palm that seem to send electric volts through her body. Before she knew how to react, he already let go of her hand.
Her father and mother entered the parlor and were quickly introduced to the prince. Her father had asked the prince to stay with them for lunch. Lord Thornton politely refused. "If you will excuse me, Lord Bell, Lord Hale, Lady Hale, Ms. Shaw, Ms. Hale, I have other urgent business to attend to," and with a slight bow, he left the keep.
Not having time to examine her feelings, Margaret was left feeling a deep indignation at the embarrassment she suffered at the hands of this "Lord Thornton"- A more proud, conceited and haughty fellow she never did meet! Even his handsome face, clear blue eyes and winsome smile are blotted out of one's memory by his disdainful ways. Arrogant Mage Brute!
Lord Thornton was deep in thought as he rode his horse back to the Decapolis, in the direction of the royal residences at Milton's central city. He thought of his Uncle Shaw's ridiculous pleading for him to wear the ring, one of Lord Shaw's curse breaker schemes. He told John that the ring would guide him to the one destined for him, the one who would break the curse. When the ring glowed a sapphire blue and mixed with the blood of the destined one, it will change to emerald green. John's eyes fell on the now emerald ring on his right ring finger. Could she be the one?
Thinking of Margaret, he gave a laugh, how can one common girl save all of Milton? Beautiful, spirited and enchanting she may be but how can she, a commoner with no mage power or training achieve what a slew of Milton mages including himself could not achieve? A common girl, the Savior of Milton? Absurd. Something must be wrong with the ring, for surely if it should glow... it should have glowed for Lord Bell, that was the reason he stopped by the Crampton Keep, to see if the ring would glow for the Dragon Lord, but it did not. Margaret ...Margaret Hale of Helston... Savior of Milton? Surely not!