Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, The beginning

Saint Lazurus

Catherine Bennet was at her uncles barn brushing down her mare as she thought back to her last birthday when she received the mare as a gift from her mother and father. Flashes of her parents met her site before the amusing site of Lydia having a tantrum of jealousy popped up. Her eyes began to well up with tears as the pain from their deaths hit her full force. She laid her head on the neck of her horse as she patted its head. "I miss them Joy. I miss them so much." Just as Catherine was about to allow tears to pour down her rosy cheeks a knock at the stable entrance drew her attention. 

"Miss Catherine... apologies I did not mean to disturb you." said lieutenant Wickham with a bow of the utmost humility. Catherine gasped wordlessly before she quickly wiped away any evidence of unshed tears. "Lieutenant Wickham! What are you doing here at my aunt and uncles barn?" She asked sharply, her eyebrows furrowed in wonder. Wickham ducked his head down as he moved to her side and replied "I came in search of your sister Colonel Bennet. But I believe that you would be able to help me as much as her."

Catherine looked at the man before her with intrigue before she asked "How can I be of assistance to you sir? My sister has a very busy schedule as do Jane and myself." Wickham smiled before suddenly replying "We just discovered a large dwelling in which the unmentionables seem to be gathering. The men want to attack but I need someone of station to determine the best way in which to act. If this is a bother I can surely find Colonel Bennet?"

The Lieutenant's underlined tone made Catherine's blood boil. How dare he presume that she was incapable of making decisions on her own. She clenched her pale hand around her dagger and curtly replied "You do not need my sister's help. Take me to this place you speak of." Wickham hid a smirk as he bowed and followed her orders.

Meanwhile

Elizabeth had a lieutenant on his knees with her blade at his throat, her eyes dark and full of disgust. "You dare to put the lives of your fellow officers in jeopardy by abandoning your post just so that you may sleep with a prostitute!?" the snark in her voice made the man quiver in fear. "Colonel... please... it... it was a lapse in judgement!" he explained looking to the men around him for some type of intervention.

"A lapse in judgement you say? Had I not returned when I did, the entire Hertfordshire militia would've joined the ranks of the undead! Thus leaving Meryton and it's surrounding towns and houses utterly defenseless! The king has charged us with protecting Hertfordshire to the best of our abilities......... How are we to do that if YOU ABANDON YOUR POST IN FAVOR OF SLEEPING WITH PROSTITUTES!???" Her voice rose making everyone tense. The lieutenant's eyes squeezed shut as he waited for the no doubt harsh consequences for his neglectful actions. "Perhaps I have made a great lapse in judgment, by allowing you to keep the rank you have been so unjustly elevated to."

Charles had just entered the militia's encampment when he found Elizabeth standing before a majority of the soldiers under her command. They looked at her with reverence as she circled a lieutenant with predatory narrowed eyes. "Some may say that you committed the act of Abandonment from his majesty's forces.... I say that you put your life before others. This will not be tolerated. Not in my regiment and most definitely not in his majesty's forces!!" She exclaimed before turning away from the disgrace at her feet. 

Captain Bingley watched silently as the wise Colonel Bennet demoted the lieutenant to a simple foot soldier and put him on cleaning duty for the following two months.  The regiment dispersed all of whom refused to acknowledge one of their disgraced leaders now turned to one of them.

It took hours before Catherine found herself at church with Lieutenant Wickham. Her eyes scanned the area as church bells began to chime. "Is this it? Zombies are meeting in a church!?" asked Catherine in a incredulous tone. Wickham nodded as he dismounted "Yes...but I do not believe that these are your average maggot infested zombies." The protector of Hertfordshire hopped off and cocked her head in the direction of the church. "What do you mean? Are they more versatile or vicious?" she asked as her hand slid to the handle of her sword.

Wickham took a look at their surroundings before he tied the horse to a tree and held out his hand for Joy's reigns. "Don't be afraid. We are perfectly safe." Catherine looked at him with a befuddled expression before replying "How you know that I know not. But this is madness to enter a church that is filled with as many zombies as you say." The lieutenant sighed before walking towards the entrance of the church "You can follow me if you'd like or you can stay here. Either way... I am going in."

Catherine has always been a curious individual by nature, it was something she had been trying to control since she was young. She watched as Wickham entered the church. She paced back and forth for several moments before she rubbed the bridge of her nose and ran in after the reckless Lieutenant. When she entered the most unexpected site met her eyes. "Why a new comer... welcome... welcome to Saint Lazarus Catholic Chapel." greeted a middle aged zombified woman. The Young Bennet sister instantly pulled her sword and went to dispatch of the zombie when another sword blocked hers.

"No Wait! It's alright.. it's alright." said Wickham looking between her and the church full of unmentionables. "My apologies Miss Dumfeddle. I didn't properly explain to Miss Bennet what she would be getting into." The zombie shrugged before replying "As we are in the church I feel that I must forgive such a transgression with a happy heart. Come my dear, the service is about to start." The zombie woman went to grab her hand but thought the better of it and instead gestured for her to follow.

Catherine and Wickham sat in the back row as the parson drawled on and on about Lazarus raising from the dead and locust going forth to cleanse. "What are we doing here Lieutenant? It is quite obvious that these zombies present an inherent danger to the living. We must return to the regiment immediately." She stayed moving out of the church and heading straight for her horse. "I am afraid I can't let you do that." muttered Wickham as he took a wooden plank off the nearby fence and knocked Catherine on the back of the head with it. The Bennet sister fell forward disoriented as she scrambled for her blade and groggily stood up.

She found Wickham's blade at her throat as he stated "SURRENDER OR DIE."

-Authors note- Whelp... what do you think? Sorry for the sporadic updates. College and life keeps me really busy. Please vote and leave comments and I will update as soon as possible.