a/n: sorry, I accidentally skipped this!

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"Aren't you happy for me?"

Gretchen looked at Elizabeth without any expression, but inside she was appalled and repulsed. Elizabeth was putting something in her food that made her very susceptible to going along with whatever she wanted to do -no matter what- but Gretchen's mind seemed to always float in clarity in the back, seeing herself contribute to horrible things. Looking back on the downward spiral of her lady, she wished she could have caught things before it got to this point.

****************

When Elizabeth had discovered the merman at the fateful party five years ago, she had been quite curious about what other things the Northumberly family had to offer. She had been asking around for information, trying to figure out what other things they may have turned into and getting accounts from others about them. It seemed to spark a like of other mythologies and so she started to purchase books from travelers, reveling in their mystery and enchantment. Gretchen thought it was interesting that a woman as pretty and resourceful as her lady would be interested in such fantasies, but it made Elizabeth happy and Gretchen couldn't deny that... until she purchased a book from an Asian seller featuring alchemy.

At first, what seemed like interest in culture and fun facts soon seemed to spiral into obsession. The seller told her that if she followed the directions in the book, she really could make things happen. Of course, there were some things -like turning coal into gold, changing the structure of an object to make another object, or living forever- that didn't really work, but the majority of it used the energy and natural resources of the earth to cause things to happen. Gretchen read over the book a couple of times and realized it was just a glorified cookbook... until Elizabeth experimented on Higgs. Suddenly, what would have been impossible, seemed possible. She was using small doses of love potions on him and they worked, even if just for a short while, but seeing them actually accomplishing something made a change in her lady.

The love potions seemed harmless, although they were actually causing a lot of grief, but it wasn't Gretchen's problem. She figured that Merida and Elizabeth would duke it out somehow and if Gretchen stopped giving Higgs the potions after they got married or something, he would learn to love her. But when Merida and Edgar came to their home and she didn't even recognize the boy when she had worked with him just hours before, she knew that Higgs wasn't the only one things were happening to and that there may have been a more sinister plot. Gretchen didn't mention anything to her lady, but watched her as much as she could and then Higgs rejected her.

It was inevitable even from Gretchen's standpoint. Merida wasn't an idiot and she was Scottish, still believing in fairy tales and the mythologies beyond the veil; plus she was just a naturally astute woman and she knew Higgs Northumberly like the back of her hand. She knew that the bond between Elizabeth and Higgs was odd and she'd been fighting against it ever since it started. But the rejection -after everything Elizabeth had put into trying to make him love her- drove her lady over the edge and her obsession morphed into something else. At first it was fun, then it became habit, and when it failed, it became a dangerous craving. The ability to make things and people do what you want at any time just by feeding them certain herbs cooked in certain ways? The power was in her hands and yet it still failed her. How humiliating... how degrading... how dare some lowly woman from up in the wilds foil her perfect plan... but Elizabeth was a huntress and it didn't take her long to realize she could use her own good skill to her advantage.

But Gretchen knew and warned Higgs about it... so Elizabeth had to shut her up... but she couldn't enact her plan alone. So, Elizabeth used a different approach that worked the exact same way but without the fantasy adding a more impossible outcome. Since she needed to know about herbs and other things, it taught Elizabeth what they each could do in general and so for Gretchen it was easy to cause her to lose control of her thinking capacity enough to be manipulated into doing whatever she needed. All the while, Gretchen had to watch herself take part in the most atrocious things, ignore cries for help, and watch the poor man in front of her endure horrible treatment. This though, was the worst that had happened and she knew for everyone's sake, she had to figure out how to fight against whatever Elizabeth was doing to her and get him out of here.

***********************

"Who knew that that potion would have worked so well. I mean... wow, Mr. Higgs, are you a very virile man!"

Gretchen watched Elizabeth rub her stomach gently. There wasn't much to show, but by the way she was acting it was clear that Elizabeth was with child. There were a lot of things that Elizabeth had done but this was too much for Gretchen to handle. Of course, everything else was horrible but this was an abomination. Her lady had practically destroyed Gretchen's former employer in body but with this heinous act -taking his seed and using magic (or whatever) to produce a child against his will- she was going to destroy his mind and spirit all in one go. To know that he was forced to do this... The child wouldn't be normal or right... this woman wasn't normal or right and when she birthed that baby, it would live in complete and utter misery.

"Gretchen, I believe I'm going to need more dresses! Later today I want you to run into town and put in an order for me."

"Yes, milady."

"I know it might not seem like much, but I just feel a child inside of me. In fact, while you're down there, get us a little cake to celebrate the wonderful occasion."

"Yes, milady."

Elizabeth frowned. "Hmm... I think now that I've accomplished most of what I wanted and the fact that Higgs won't be turning into anything interesting for a while, I think it's time I stop giving you that serum. It makes you supremely loyal and I love that I don't hear any lip from you but at the same time, I want someone to enjoy this success with me. I'm going to stop putting it in your food so we can have some personality around here. Why don't you go and sleep it off? It doesn't take much to leave your body which is why I had to use so much so often. When you wake up please come see me."

Gretchen gave a small curtsy and walked away as was told.

********************

All the doors were closed. Higgs had made sure of that. He had made doubly sure... It was true that some of Elizabeth's poison words had tainted some of his friends and family, but he knew for a fact that he had closed those doors and locked them. So how... how is it that Elizabeth was able to wrench open the door that belonged to the only person that mattered more to him than anything and destroy what he had tried to preserve? Was it the weird acting thing? That stupid red wig that made him believe Merida was with him every time... It was like Elizabeth used that to pick the lock of the door and flung it open, never letting it close again. All the hurt and malice and blame and pain just sucked into Merida's place, corrupting his view but not before he found a way to preserve something. He would never completely hate her... he couldn't... and that small sliver of loyalty allowed a barrier to come up over the door but the smoke could still get in. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.

But that's all it was, just "enough".

He felt Elizabeth crawl into the bed and sit on his lap and put her arms around his neck.

"Aren't you excited? You're going to be a father." She put her head on his chest. "We're going to start a family... Aren't you happy?"

"I am happy." He answered mechanically.

"Oh, this is just too amazing! I honestly just never expected that the serum would work so quickly! I mean, Father will be very surprised but I think he'll forgive everything when he sees how in love we are."

"Yes."

"Oh, Mr. Higgs, my dreams are coming true."

"If you are happy, I am happy."

"I wonder what it will be? Didn't you say that if we had sex during your high libido that it would be a boy? I wonder if this counts... Either way, I don't really care because this is all worth it. I'm sure it will be cursed, so that means it will be a boy, right?"

"Most likely."

Elizabeth made a face and looked up at Higgs as he stared off in another direction. She stood up, making Higgs turn to her.

"I'm not exactly sensing excitement from you."

"I am excited."

"Can you maybe put a little more effort into it then? I feel like you're just repeating what I'm saying."

Higgs forced his mouth to make a smile. "I am happy for you. For us. We are going to be a family."

"That's better." She said, leaning down and kissing him. "I know you can't tell from the outside, but there is definitely a child within me. It's like a warm feeling settled right here," she said, touching her stomach under her belly button. "It hasn't been long since we made love, so I actually don't know how this will all pan out. I just know that the serum was for heightened fertility, so there's a possibility the warmth is just a residual effect to let me know it's working... Either way, we will mark the occasion with a small celebration. You, Gretchen, and I will have a nice dinner and some cake. Since you were a part of this miracle, I'll let you pick what we should have for dinner. What is your preference?"

"Stew."

"Stew?" She frowned. "I thought we were over this nonsense."

"Stew is food."

"A commoner's food. The only commoner that you've come in contact with is that low class Scot. I will not eat such a degrading meal. We will eat like normal lords and ladies with courses and the like."

"Of course."

"Don't bring it up again."

"I apologize."

"Although stew is out of the question, I think having some meat would be nice and filling. I have plenty of it... what about venison?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. I'll have Gretchen pick up some other things while she's at the market when she wakes up. I'm so excited."

She fluttered out of the room and closed the door, leaving Higgs alone to push himself deeper into his mind.

*****************

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Hmm."

"Stop that. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's just... odd."

"Odd means out of the ordinary. What's wrong?"

"It's just that your stomach has the same characteristics as Fuchsia's but at an earlier stage. She's about a month and a half in front of you but you look almost the same if not a little bigger than her." Lucas said.

"Maybe I'm fatter."

"It's a possibility; your body is quite different from Fuchsia's so your weight gain might be more noticeable than on her... Are you still nauseous?"

"Aye, but it's gotten a lot better than it was afore."

"Are you able to walk around?"

"Aye, I go downstairs once a day for a change of scenery and Marlow makes me tea and I eat something."

"How are you faring with everything that's happening?"

"Weel, an it hadnae been for Edgar and Kans, I'd be sitting in jail with blood on my hands for killing that monstrous bitch. But here I am with ye talking about my bairn and trying not to go against everra instinct I have to leave and do just as I want. Oh, and I screamed at Edgar and blamed him for everrathing that's happened and now he's gone and run away. So... ye tell me how I'm doing."

"Edgar ran away? That doesn't really seem like him. Getting upset and leaving for a bit after he cooled down, yes, but not running away."

"I dinnae really ken if it's running away or not. I found a note on my bedside table that just said, "I'll fix it." the day after we had that fight and when I asked around, no one had seen him since that time save Cucklehorn. He said that Edgar didnae seem like he was going to run away or anything, just upset. So now I'm missing two people I love more than anything in this world." She said with a weary, forced smile.

"I'm sorry, Merida."

"Ye dinnae have to be. I'll make do."

"By the way, why did you ask for me to help you rather than Boston?"

"Figured Boston was helping his own wife and had enough on his plate. I hear he's been taking up some small jobs with the locals."

"Fuchsia has been quite emotional since Higgs is her brother, obviously, but she's been going to Margaret and Jami's mansion to seek comfort from her mother a lot. Boston said she that most of the time he and Jami scour the area for a bit just to see if they can find anything and then Jami helps him with his clients. I guess it makes sense to call me since Boston studied animals more than humans for some god awful reason... That boy... In the meantime, I'll bring you something to help with the nausea and vomiting. Even though you look a little bigger than you should, Marlow told me you aren't really eating as much as you usually do. That's a little concerning, which is why your size is concerning as well."

"I just havenae been hungry. I'm too worried."

"I know it's hard to even think of living normally while Higgs and now Edgar are out there but you have another person who is relying heavily on you to take care of him." Lucas said, putting his hand on her stomach. "He needs you more than anyone else in this world."

Merida touched her stomach as well and smiled a little. Lucas was right and she needed to be more attentive to the health and wellbeing of her baby. As much as she hated to relinquish her worry away from Higgs and Edgar, there was an innocent baby that had no one else but her to rely on. If she failed it, then there was no way she could ever forgive herself.

"Aye, ye're right. I'll try harder."

Lucas nodded. "Good... Where do you think Edgar went anyway?"

"Laird kens it. By the note, I have a bad suspicion it has to do with Higgs somehow. I just dinnae want him to get into horrible trouble."

"If nothing else, Edgar was raised by you, Merida. I think he's got things more under control than you give the boy credit for."

"Aye, seems I taught him well enough and he's been proving that in odd ways. He's not yet five and ten yet, so I still worry about him, but he's got a lot more spirit than I could have imagined so..."

She hoped she was right. She didn't mean to push him away but whatever he was doing had better make up for the worry he was putting her through.

********************

"You ready."

"No."

"Stop overthinking it."

"Edgar, I'm not a vampire anymore."

"I'm aware of that."

"Then why are we here? I told you that I can't hear anything anymore and after what I had to go through last time to get in, I don't want to try sneaking in again. I have enough trauma to last weeks."

"Who said you were sneaking in?" Pixus turned to Edgar. "Grant me a wish, Fairy Man."

"Ugh, really? I thought we agreed no name calling."

"Well you're not being very cooperative."

"Because every part of this is dangerous as well as really fucked up."

"No one cared when you were playing spy." Edgar said with a frown.

"That's because I publicly volunteered to do it and everyone knew where I was. You left a cryptic note to your mother and dragged me into this."

"Can you grant my wish or not?" Edgar growled, tired of hearing everyone be hypocritical to him.

Everyone else could do something but when Edgar tried to do that something, he was put down for it. This was the reason he didn't say what he was doing. Besides, he had bigger fish to fry and he was tired of waiting.

Pixus glared at Edgar, whom he technically had just met. When he volunteered to help find his cousin, as soon as he got to the house he had a feeling they were going to need a spy. He didn't really meet Edgar because he went straight to Lady Hinkley's house since he was the only one who could get close to the house without too much detections. Harold was busy trying to find a way in to listen to conversations and the chance of him literally running into Lady Hinkley even as an invisible person was higher than if Pixus could get in as a teeny bat. Either way, the only reason he even agreed to any of this was because he had never met anyone like Merida and Edgar, who valued the curses as they were and their potentials rather than as freak abominations. Helping was like payback, but this was a little much.

"Edgar, I'm telling you, you should really try a different way than this. I don't exactly know what you want me to do-"

"You are a fairy, right?" he said, glaring at him. Pixus just nodded. "And from what I understood, as a fairy, you have the ability to grant wishes to anyone you choose, correct?"

"Yes, but only once."

"And it can be anything at all?"

"I have some limitations... wait, are you going to wish Lady Hinkley was dead?"

"Pfft, that would be too easy for that whore."

Pixus held back a laugh. He was definitely Merida Dunbrough's kid. "Then... what are you trying to accomplish? If you tell me then I can maybe help you word your wish better."

"If I tell you then you're just going to try and convince me that this is way too dangerous and I should let the adults do it and all the stupid stuff no one cared about when you volunteered to do it first."

Pixus sighed. "You have a point but I really need to know what you're wanting to do."

Edgar whispered it to him and Pixus frowned. "That's going to be really hard to do."

"Exactly, which is why I want you to grant my wish, damn it."

"Hmm... I can think of a way for that to work but... if you botch it up, it won't be my problem."

"Shouldn't I be worry that you'll botch it up?"

"No because if you don't word it correctly then it won't do what it needs to do. It's not my problem if you don't get it right."

"Fine."

"Oh and um... I don't think you realize how I have to uh... transfer magic."

"What do you mean?"

"If it's a wish I can grant in general then it's fine but if I'm supposed to give you magic to fulfill the wish you need then... uh..." Pixus whispered in his ear and Edgar made a face.

"Oh..."

"Yeah..."

"Can't help that I guess. I can't waste any more time."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Edgar nodded and told Pixus what he wanted. Pixus nodded and then cleared his throat, putting his hands on Edgar's shoulders. "You sure this is what you really want?"

"Just kiss me, man!"

Pixus closed his eyes and kissed Edgar right on the mouth, sparkles flying around them as he transferred the magic for the wish over to Edgar. Once it was done, they pulled away from each other and Pixus wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"I'm really sorry, but that's just how that works!" he said, embarrassed.

Edgar just shrugged. "Well, there goes my first kiss..."