Chapter 11

"Invader."

Mary strolled through the gardens of the manor, not her own. She smiled at the blooming flowers that stood orderly in neat rows. She waved at a nearby gardener who shot her a large grin and a jolly "Top of t'morning to ye, missus!"

As she scanned the rows of finely weeded flowers and nicely trimmed brushes, she pondered over her predicament. Many more young men had been sent to war in the village, as said in Martha's letters. She feared for her younger brother, who was at the ripe age of 15. According to her he wished to join willingly and search for Dickon himself. It's his mother's crying and pleading that has stilled his actions, but for how long she has yet to know.

Mary sighed as she perched herself on a white stone bench, polished to perfection in this organized garden, just like the rest.

Such agony and torment is continuing in the village, other younger boys wanting to do their part in the war, for various reasons. Money, fame and righteous beliefs, it's your pick. And here she was, hiding from maids eager for her opinion on preparations for a ball.

She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be in the village quelling their worries and helping them in any way she can. But how? They wouldn't accept her help. Like the Sowerbys', Mizzeltwaithe was a proud and loving area and the people in it work for their own daily bread and sort their own problems. Martha wouldn't dare ask for help, nor would she accept any grand gesture.

"Argh!" Mary groaned, an action that would have Mrs. Medlock pulling out her hair and grinding her teeth, as she tossed her head back and supported her weight with her arms, grabbing hold of the edge of the stone bench. She lifted her legs and crossed them on the seat, not caring that she creased the fabric of her dress or of the oddity such a pose was. "Too damn, proud for their own good, they are?"

"I do hope you are not speaking of us now, Miss Lennox." A deep voice resonated from beside her, startling her right off the bench.

"Damn." She cursed as she rubbed her sore hip, the victim of her fall. Grimacing as she prodded the fleshy area. "That will bruise come morning." She muttered as she stood patting her dress.

"I do apologize for startling you, Miss Lennox." The voice sounded again. Mary glared at the invader of her privacy, her eyes narrowing as she straightened her spine.

The man was taller than her and was finely dressed – most definitely a friend of Colin's. His dark long hair was combed back and tied by a thin dark ribbon as his stunning green-eyes gazed at her with amusement, his lips curled at the ends in a smirk.

"Oh, I am sure you are." She near-snarled as she stared-him down. She wasn't sure on whether he was a kind man or not, but seeing as he was friends with Colin and of a higher stature she assumed he was pompous. Though she didn't normally judge someone by their cover; the "gentlemen" she had already met in London had set a standard on all "gentlemen" in her eyes.

In Mary's opinion, they needed to be knocked down a peg or two. "And stop addressing me as Miss Lennox. If you must address me at all then simply call me Mary. Though I do hope you plan on introducing yourself soon before I make a little nick-name for you."

The man raised an eyebrow, the amusement in his eyes growing with a hint of mischief. "A nick-name you say? Do you do this often to others who you know not the name of?" His voice was coy as he knotted his hands behind his back.

"Well, if I know not the name then it leaves me no other choice but to come up with one. I would rather call them something rather than nothing at all." Her reply was sharp as she allowed a grin to cross her features, deciding that this was an interesting game to play, maybe her judgment was wrong this time.

"That is quite a logic, you have, Miss Le-" A sharp glare from Mary had him turning his tongue. "Mary." He corrected. He cocked his head to the side as he pursed his lips in thought. "But pray tell, what nick-name would you give me? Surely you must've thought one up by now."

"Invader." She answered without hesitance. Her grin unwavering as she sharpened her gaze.

Startled by her response his eyes widened as he stepped back. His mouth opening and closing at a loss for words before eventually forming the question: "And why would you address me as an invader?" the word was suddenly foreign on his tongue, she noticed.

Mary giggled as she sat herself back onto the bench, crossing her ankles as she leaned back on her arms again. "Well," she began her eyes moving from him to the midday sun. "you invaded my privacy as I was deep within my thought, sir Invader." She teased. "I will have a bruise by the next early morning due to your interruption, but I suppose I can't blame you wholly for my bout of clumsiness."

The man chuckled, a deep throated sound that sounded pleasant in Mary's ears – though it brought memories of another laughter that would bring a smile to any who hears, a much lighter and louder laughter that was usually followed by a low whistle and a kind comment.

"I am tempted to never inform you of my name, but I fear such an unfortunate name could cause many misunderstandings in the ears of an outsider."

Mary snorted, another unlady-like gesture that would send poor Mrs. Medlock into extreme seizures and an early grave.

"I care not for outside ears. If I know not the name then I shall give them another, dear Invader." She taunted her grin widening.

"Darwin Howard."

Mary nodded as she turned her eyes back towards the expectant man, her eyes boldly met his. "Darwin Howard." She repeating, allowing the name of the strange man to roll off her tongue. She shrugged as she turned her gaze back towards the burning ball in the sky. "I do believe I prefer Invader."

Darwin Howard chuckled again. "In that case." He boldly sat himself on the bench and leaned back the same way Mary did. "I shall invade your privacy some more with my presence."

"Lord, help me." She jokingly said glancing fully at the clouds above her head.

"What was plaguing your thoughts before I invaded?" He asked.

Mary raised her eyebrow at him. "My, you seem to be getting bolder as our conversation wears on."

"I know." He replied, bewildered over this himself as he tugged at a sleeve – a nervous habit, she would assume. "I do believe this is the longest I've spoken in quite a while."

Mary pursed her lips as she nodded, watching with slight interest as he tried to work out his reasoning.

"I was thinking of what to do." She replied to his previous wondering with a shrug, dragging him out of his inner debate. "This war has taken my close friend and many others from the village and towns." She said her gaze hardening. "Our younger boys want to join as well and I want to help them – I want to stop the youth from foolishly throwing away their lives for the war. I wish to somehow help them to do good in the world without the need of a gun and black powder." She sighed as she clutched the skirt of her dress. "I just don't know how."

Mr. Howard was silent as he listened to her, nodding every now and then as he gazed at the young, passionate woman next to him. He was about to answer when she sighed and continued: "And here I am awaiting a ball."

"Then why not use it to your advantage?" He pondered as he straightened his spine and tugged at his sleeve.

Her eyes snapped towards him, her head whipping her hair around her until it settled down her back, a few blew in her face due to the wind. "What do you mean? Use the ball to my advantage? How can I do that?"

Darwin watched her wide eyed, which didn't defuse Mary who eagerly leaned towards him. She bit her lip with wide-eye anticipation. "Well, come on! Do elaborate!"

Howard swallowed thickly as he scooted down the bench. He licked his lips, wetting them before speaking again. "Contacts." He stated simply, clearing his men as he adjusted himself to his new seating. "Colin has invited many men of high status. By speaking and discussing your worries you could change many opinions and even raise security levels. They set the age limit at 18, but I am aware that many other younger than that have been infiltrating the war. With a bit of a silver tongue you can convince them to raise their standard on men. I could introduce you to some of the more controlling, if you'd like."

Mary gasped as she suddenly leapt from her seat her hands clasped as she smiled. "Perfect! Contacts! I never thought of that! Perhaps I can even convince them to better their village's standards!" She bit her lip as she gazed up at the sky with childish glee, momentarily forgetting the man sitting on the bench gazing at her with star struck eyes. "I'll do something to contribute as well, Dickon!" She shouted as a raven flew through the sky. "So you be sure to come home!"

"Colin! Colin!" Mr. Dawn shouted as he waved his hand in front of his friend´s dazed face. He giggled as he snapped his fingers, making sure that the cracking sound created was louder than usual. "You´ll never guess what I just saw!"

Colin remained unmoved. His eyes glazed as he stared at the thousands of books that lined his walls. If it weren´t for his clenching fists on his lap some would´ve thought he was a statue.

Mr. Dawn sighed heavily as he perched himself on the windowsill beside the armchair his friend sat in. "It´s a shame really." He said as he examined his nails, now ignoring the fact that his friend was deeply lost in thought. "If only I had followed him out, perhaps I would be the one flirting with your lovely cou-"

"What?"

A sudden hand grabbed onto Mr. Dawns thigh and he shrieked in surprise, his back hitting the window behind him as he attempted to calm his breathing. "Christ, Colin! Give a man a heart attack, who don´t-"

"What did you say? About my cousin?" Colin interrupted as he stood up from his armchair, his once empty eyes now ignited with a fire Mr. Dawn couldn´t quite place.

"J-just that Darwin Howard is out in the gardens with her. I saw them through the window." He said as he shrunk away from Colin´s tall, intimidating form. He was already a short man as is. "Over there." He pointed towards the pair's direction.

Colin breathed deeply through his nose as he unlatched the window and pushed it open. The sudden breeze and smell of the moor awakened his numb senses slightly. Mr. Dawn was grateful for the soft breeze as it chilled the tense atmosphere and relaxed his school friend.

He leaned over slightly as he searched for the area he had last seen the pair. He saw a beautiful female leap from her seat with her arms extended with excitement. "There. I do believe that is you cousin we would be meeting tonight." He pointed towards the twirling female as she appeared to be shouting something to the heavens.

He could see Colin´s eyes zoom onto her slight form, a small smile spread across his face as he watched his cousin´s antics. Mr. Dawn couldn´t help but raise an eyebrow. Why, he´d dare say that Colin was infatuated with the lovely lady. A wedding between the 2 wouldn´t be uncommon, not to mention they would be quite the handsome pair.

A shot of pain surrounding his thigh broke Mr. Dawn out of his musings with a gasp. His eyes locked onto his old friend with accusation only to see his brow furrowed, his upper lip twitching and a green lit in his gray eyes.

"Colin?" He asked in a gasp as he followed the blonde man´s line of sight, latching onto the pair standing in the garden.

Mr. Howard stood with the Lady Lennox conversing quite freely as it seems. He had his arms crossed behind his back as he nodded to the lady´s words as she gestured wildly in excitement. Her bust leaning towards him as her back dipped slightly. Mr. Dawn wasn´t sure if she was doing so unconsciously or on purpose.

"That bastard." Colin as his hand tightened, causing great distress on the shorter man beside him whose thigh he grasped.

"Yes, yes, That Darwin Howard is a right bastard." He gasped as he tried to pry his friend´s fingers away from his bruising appendage. "No need to harm the messenger though."

Colin´s eyes widened as he quickly released the man´s thigh. His hand retreating into his pocket as the other supported him against the windowsill. "Sorry." He murmured as he aimed his sights downward.

"No, it´s quite alright." Mr. Dawn forgave as he rubbed at his leg with a slight pout. "That was quite the right hand grip, I may say. One too many lonely nights in the manor?" He teased with a wink.

Colin scoffed as he turned his back towards the window, his eyes now locked on the long rows of shelves wielding countless of books. "You ask from experience?" He teased back through gritted teeth. His shoulders were hunched with tension.

Mr. Dawn gave him a sympatric smile before that quickly morphed into one of mischief. " Oh, no, my good chap! These fingers are much too delicate you see." He said as he held out his long, thin fingers and slender palm. "If I ever have any sort of craving, I simply search a pretty maiden that works in our home."

Colin chuckled as his shoulders relaxed slightly, glancing towards his friend though his blonde bangs. "How vile, do you know where they have been?"

Mr. Dawn shrugged as he hopped off the windowsill, landing perfectly on the soles of his feet. "I only take the fresh ones, dear boy!"

"I see…" Colin muttered before straightening his posture. "Come, we must get ready for tonight's dinner. The cooks have prepared quite the feast tonight in honor of my friends."

"How kind of them. Due refrain from gripping my thigh though, I am quite aware I am irresistible, sin be damned." He winked before ducking from swing the blonde shot out.

"Oi!"

He breathed heavily. His senses filling with the smell of gunpowder, smoke and rot. His mind was fogging. His memories, the ones he had fought so hard to hang onto were slipping from his brain like water through a drain. He could see images of faces without names, scorching up in the wild fire that was his psyche.

He wanted to scream at the flames to stop when he saw the image of a plump woman surrounded by several children turned to ash. He wanted to cry when he saw a group of huddled animals, good and kind animals, become dust in the strong torrents of wind.

But his heart broke when he saw the portrait of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, sitting daintly on a swing surrounded by roses and greenery, burst into flames. Slowly around the corners it crept until it finally consumed her precious face.

Tears were pouring out of his eyes and dripping off his chin as he stared at the piles of ashes within his mind. Who he was, where he was from and what he had done was wiped away. What will become of him? Will all that remains be an empty shell?

"-on." A voice, a young male´s by the sound of it. "Dick-" There it was again. Who was he calling? Why did he sound so familiar. "Dickon!" It´s shout echoed off the red walls.

"Dickon Sowerby!"

DISCLAIMER: I sincerely own nothing other than my fangirl heart.

AN/ I apologize for the long wait. I do this, I stress over a bunch of other stuff... then I get this amazing review that fuels me to continue. Really... Thank you so much for all of your support and commentery. I do indeed read them and I´m touched by them every time.

Again, I am not a romantic writer. I´ve recently discovered I have a knack for horror stories... Though I despise Horror Films... Do not ask me why, because I have no idea myself. Anywho, I apologize for the lack of fluff. I try to interpret it anyway I can and I feel like I´m kinda just not doing so... F**k.

Review for more ;)