Rising Shadows

Percy was quick to dive and catch Emily before she hit the ground, holding her up while Henry fanned her with the newspaper she'd been holding. Emily was many things, but dainty was not one of them. That's why Percy was so quickly concerned when she fainted at the story about the killer. Horrific as it was, it wasn't anything too personal. He suddenly found himself worrying that said killer may have been near her in some way. Not that he'd get much closer to Emily, with Percy around. He'd do much worse to that killer than the man could ever imagine.

Emily woke up a little bit later, groggily looking around at all the people crowded around the couch Percy had laid her down on, looking confused and a little bit annoyed. She tried to sit up, but Percy urged her to lie down again, much to her annoyance.

"Don't fuss over me," she protested. "I'm fine."

"Drink some water," Henry told her, handing her the glass. "For goodness sakes, give the girl some space!"

The crowd backed up a little bit, but Emily insisted she was alright until they all let her go. Percy stayed by her side, brow furrowed in concern. Emily reached out and squished his cheeks together, giggling at the sight.

"You look like a fish that ran into the glass," she said.

"Emily, I'm being serious," he said, taking her hands off his face. "If there's something you need to tell someone, you know you can tell me. I can help."

"Percy, I'm fine," she promised. "I just got a little overwhelmed, and I haven't eaten very much today. And I'm laced up rather tightly. That's all."

He sighed and nodded, finally deciding to let it go. He stayed out of the way for the majority of the dinner party, watching Emily happily play with the children and trying his best not to embarrass himself in front of her family for the remainder of the night.

For the first time in quite a while, Emily and Percy managed to go the next few months without any threats or accidents. Gregory Harrington hadn’t had the guts to come out of his well-protected home since Percy got out, so Percy could rest assured that his threats were not taken lightly. He and Emily often talked about getting revenge, but neither of them could afford to get in any trouble. Not when the wedding was just two weeks away.

With the wedding coming sooner than anyone was ready for, everyone was running around to get ready. Percy never imagined himself getting married, let alone with a wedding this large. It was one of the most talked-about events in town. He wouldn’t have been surprised if even the queen herself knew about it. Most of the guests were from Emily’s side of the family, showing that she had an even larger family than Percy knew, and many others were simply elites who needed to be invited, for no reason in particular. Percy only had a few guests of his own. Luke was obviously by his side, and Catarina had been friendly enough to agree to attend, as well. She had Luke had been spending quite some time together with her living in his inn, but Percy had too many other things on his mind to worry about him. He’d also sent an invitation out to Mr. Daly, who’d been the only one willing to employ him when he’d first returned home. The man had helped Percy when no one else would due to his background, and Percy was grateful for that forever. As a smug joke, Percy and Emily also sent an extravagantly decorated invitation to the Harrington family. They never received a response from them.

“I’m beginning to think that I should have chosen the lilac over the light blue,” Emily said, watching as a florist showed her the light blue and white floral arrangements that she’d designed for the wedding.

“What’s wrong with blue?” Percy frowned.

“It’s just… not right,” she sighed. “Don’t you see it? Something is off.”

“They just look like flowers to me,” Percy shrugged.

“That’s what you said about the cake, too. And all of the other decorations,” Emily said, examining the bouquet. “Pardon my blind fiancee. I found out what it is.”

“How can I make it better, miss?” the florist asked.

“Dandelions.”

“Pardon?” the florist frowned. “Dandelions are weeds…”

“I want them,” Emily insisted. The brightest, most vibrant dandelions you can find.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Emily grinned in triumph and turned back to Percy, who held the door open for her as she left the shop.

“Ready to go home?” he asked.

“Not so fast,” she warned him. “I know you haven’t forgotten about lunch with my family, and I’m not letting you escape this time.”

“Fine,” Percy sighed, “But we’re only staying for a couple hours at the most. Last time, you made me sit there all night while Teddy sat on my left and Henry sat on my right.”

Emily laughed and took his arm as they strolled casually towards the Weldon estate. Percy half-listened as Emily talked endlessly about her last minute changes in wedding plans, though he wasn’t too interested in them himself. He trusted that if anyone could plan something beautiful, it would have been Emily. He didn’t even know what the difference between silk and satin was.

He took a deep breath as Emily knocked on the grand front doors, waiting until their housekeeper, Mrs. Browne, answered. She was smiling a little brighter than usual, and Percy didn’t understand why until he felt a pair of tiny hands grab his pant leg. Looking down, a big pair of crystal blue eyes stared back up at him, lit up happily along with a big smile.

“Gigi!” Emily exclaimed, dropping to her knees and scooping up the toddler, excitedly planting a big kiss on her cheek.

Percy hadn’t seen Gigi since she’d just learned to walk the last time Scarlett and Ben were there, and she’d certainly grown. Her dark hair was about halfway down her back in thick curls, tied up with a pink ribbon to match her frilly pink dress. She was nearly three years old, if Percy recalled correctly. Emily cooed and cuddled her for a few moments before suddenly perking up in realization that there was no way Gigi could have been there alone, handing Gigi to Percy and running down the hall towards the parlor. Gigi squealed and hugged Percy around the neck tightly as he began to walk with her to the parlor.

“Perc! Unc Perc!” she said happily.

“So you’re talking now, are you?” Percy chuckled. “I feel sorry for your father.”

As he expected, Ben and Scarlett were both there, trying to breath while Emily pulled both of them into tight hugs.

“You came!” she said, a little breathless.

“Of course we did,” Ben told her. “You didn’t think I would miss your wedding, did you?”

“Besides, we knew we had to bring Gigi to see everyone,” Scarlett added. “She’s delighted to be here, to say the least.”

Gigi squirmed out of Percy’s grip and ran off towards Henry and Teddy’s children. Most of them were quite a bit older than her, but Gigi ran after them and followed them around like she’d been with them every day of her life. Scarlett lit up when she saw Percy, pulling him into a tight hug as well.

“I’m so happy for you, Percy,” she said softly, putting her hand on his cheek. “You deserve this happy life. You really do.”

The reunion was a happy one, and there was no shortage of chatter as everyone began to catch up with each other. Scarlett remained glued to Henry, who seemed mildly annoyed by all of the questions she was asking about Gigi’s growth and development.

“She will get bigger, won’t she?” Scarlett asked him. “I’m hoping she takes after her father when it comes to height, but she seems a little small for her age. Oh, and will her teeth straighten out? I feel as if they’re coming out in every direction, and I quite hope they don’t stay like that.”

“Scarlett, Gigi will be fine,” Henry assured her. “She’s rapidly growing. She’ll be even bigger tomorrow.”

“Yes, well, are you completely positive?” she asked. “Our own physician said the same thing, but I wasn’t quite sure how much he knew about children, as opposed to adults. Of course, children aren’t exactly your main focus either, are they?”

“Humans,” Henry sighed. “Human beings are my focus. Children included. Besides, I’m raising three children of my own. I think I know what I’m talking about.”

“Yes, of course,” Scarlett nodded. “But with all due respect, I might need another point of view, as well. Isn’t that one of the children you raised? The one with his head stuck in the rails of the banister?”

Henry turned his head, his eyes widening when he saw his youngest son, who was just four months older than Gigi, with his head stuck between two rails on the staircase railway, while Gigi stared at him with a slight smile on her face and her hands held behind her back. Henry shot up from his seat, rushing over there.

“Damian! How did you even get your head to fit through there?!”

Percy’s gaze followed Gigi as she skipped down the stairs and ran back to where he was sitting beside Emily and Ben, who were speaking quietly. She climbed into Emily’s lap and began to play with her pearl bracelet, picking at the pink pearls.

“Daddy!” she called, interrupting their conversation.

“Yes, my darling?” Ben answered.

“Want it like Aunt Emmie!” she announced in her broken, yet confident sentences.

“You’re a little too young for jewelry like that, my love,” Ben said, shaking his head. “I’ll find you something else-”

“Want it!”

He winced slightly, then smiled at her and nodded. “Alright. I’ll get you something small, but something like Aunt Emily’s bracelet.”

Edmund Triggs smirked from where he stood behind Ben, shaking his head. “And you keep asking how I could have possibly spoiled Scarlett.”

“I’m not spoiling anyone,” Ben said, defensively.

“Oh really?” Edmund asked. “Then why is it that every time my daughter or granddaughter want something, it ends up in their hands within the next hour?”

“It’s different!” he argued. “They’re… persuasive.”

“It’s the eyes,” Edmund told him. “The Triggs’ eyes have an effect on people no one can understand.”

Percy cracked a half smile as he listened in on the conversations around him, staying quiet himself. They were a grand, wonderful family. And soon, he’d have the privilege of being a part of it.