VINCIT QUE SE VINCIT

xxv. slytherin. death eater. you got the world but baby, at what price?

[l-cius]

[ violet ]:

She had never liked to concede, especially when she knew that she was in the right. But Violet also recognized that she had become more stubborn in their time apart and so, it seemed, had Lucius. If they could compromise, perhaps this just might work and so Violet swallowed her pride.

It bothered her, somehow, how controlled and businesslike their discussions were. There had been no declarations of love, little passion, and the two of them were discussing their future as if they were negotiating a peace treaty. And perhaps they were. “Were you expecting me to bring you a ring?” she asked him, an amused glint tingeing her voice at his comment about the two of them having the same level of dedication. “Because if that was the case, I am afraid you will need to wait for me to get to Gringotts tomorrow, dear.” At least.

As Lucius’ hand moved over Violet’s, she looked up. His touch  used to be comforting, had filled her with something, but Violet could not help but compare it with how someone else’s touch felt now. And, to be rather frank, Lucius’ touch was lacking when compared to Richard’s. But, yet again, she threw these thoughts to the side as she focused on Lucius, a small genuine smile rising on her face. “And so would I. I will faithfully respond to them.” Her lips twitched.

Though most of their conversation had been rather sterile, Violet was pleased at Lucius’ mention of sweeping statements of love and the glint in her eye was one of pleased curiosity. “I would certainly not say no to sweeping declarations of love, Lucius. It has been awhile since I’ve heard them.” She tilted her head in contemplation when there was a knock at the door and Lucius’ hand withdrew from her own. Violet placed her hands in her lap, her posture straight, as Mrs. Malfoy entered the room. Her smile grew more genuine. “Mrs. Malfoy, it’s good to see you,” Violet stated as she rose and kissed the elder woman on the cheek.

Lucius was most pleased at her promise to return his letters faithfully. Faithfully was not a word one would have used to describe the relationship between the two of them now. It was times like these that Lucius thought things would be okay between the two of them in the future. Not great, not like it used to be, no - not again, but it would be possible for them to discard the albatross around their necks.

Watching the two women interact as though nothing had changed made Lucius’ features relax appreciatively. He knew his mother wanted Lucius and Violet to reunite possibly more than the two did themselves.

“I should tell you I was most surprised to hear you would be here again,” began the elder woman, looking pointedly between the two as she sipped on the drink Lucius made for her. “But I knew it was only a matter of time. Perhaps we can forget the last two years and all that has happened, hm? It’s time to move on.”

The blonde’s mouth opened in protest for a moment. He knew very well all that has happened meant Narcissa. He pressed his lips together defeatedly and twisted them into a thin smile. What use would it be for him to say something? It would only serve to make Violet suspicious just when they seemed to be making progress. And as for his mother - he could not bare to see the crumpling disappointment in those haughty features that he done so two years ago.

[l-cius]

[ rodolphus ]:

If Rodolphus had been the kind of person that was blunt and direct, the conversation between Lucius and him would have gone very differently. They wouldn’t be making awkward small talk about soirees they attended (and didn’t attend) and about the current soiree they were at. His friend wasn’t much better, it seemed. There were a lot of words between them that weren’t spoken but were there nevertheless, waiting to be heard. Rodolphus wasn’t good at this, at knowing (or guessing) what wasn’t being said, but even he could sense that there was plenty. “A headache,” he said with a small nod and a brief grin. “Must have been cured quickly then, seeing as you’re here now.” He guessed the headache Lucius was referring to was the Dark Lord’s mission. Perhaps that had turned into a headache for the other man, he didn’t know. “Well, Narcissa sounded pleased, at least.” He couldn’t read his sister in law exceptionally well, though. In his eyes Narcissa always seemed happy and pleased. It was as though she never lost composure.

He raised his eyebrows lightly at the idea of organizing something for Litha. “Definitely not me. I’m sure my lovely wife is going to insist we host a soiree around our anniversary every year from now on just because she knows I don’t want to.” Said anniversary was usually no more than two weeks after Litha and if Rodolphus already found hosting one event impossible, he didn’t want to know how he would do with a second one. Lucius was probably right: lucky wasn’t a word that came close to how they were feeling. He was very unsympathetic towards Lucius’ situation with Violet and Narcissa because he got himself into that situation, but one could argue the same thing about him (if they knew, that was). “Pushing way too far,” he agreed, a sip of his drink following the words. “At least the mission is over with. And soon enough Litha will be too.”

Something about the night before haunted Lucius. It left him feeling emptier than usual, words didn’t flow freely from his lips as they did normally and he found it hard to stay engaged, losing himself in his thoughts and violent flashbacks from the previous night. He pressed his lips together solemnly. While he always thought Rodolphus handled his responsibilities as a Death Eater rather well, he couldn’t help but wonder whether, like him, there was an uneasiness within that took days to quell after a mission.

Lucius gave a short nod but did not return the grin. He didn’t like lying to Narcissa. “I slept it off,” he said airily, emptying the rest of his glass into his mouth. A headache hadn’t been a smart excuse, he knew that, but he had wanted to avoid the complexities that came with lying. At his friend’s words, his brows lifted lazily. Narcissa had been less than pleased with him following last night, but sharing that with her brother-in-law did not seem wise right now. “She is always pleased.” 

Lucius debated asking if things were okay between the couple. He wondered whether this soiree was designed to hide the cracking imperfections in their marriage. He knew very little about the nature of their marriage (despite being friends with Rodolphus and at one time, Bellatrix) and even he, being consumed with his own relationship problems, could sense the tension between the two. 

He considered Rodolphus to be quite lucky in marrying Bellatrix. While she was certainly not Lucius’ own type, she still had some redeeming qualities that he thought highly of her for. But, being him, he also understood what made Rodolphus’ head turn. Remaining silent, he nodded at things being over with and raised his empty glass. He would certainly drink to that - later, anyway. A sigh parted his lips. “I have to say I’m almost tempted to leave Litha early. Probably would if wouldn’t spark rumours. I suppose I’m eager to go back to normalcy.”

[l-cius]

[ bellatrix ]:

Date: June 21st, 1978; mid afternoon Location: Black Manor For: @l-cius

As a daughter of the Black family, she knew that she was expected to stay at the party in order to play hostess for their guests.  It was a big moment for them to host such an affair during Litha, but she couldn’t stand to be outside in the sun right now.  She didn’t need the heat of the sun bearing down on her when she was already fuming inside.  Her pace was fast and purposeful without outright running.  Bellatrix still could not believe that her husband would corner her at her family’s event in order to discuss their relationship and her part in its lack there of.  The guilt had been slowly building in her since they finally brought the topic out of the shadows, fighting about it every time they saw each other.  The last thing she had wanted was to discuss the possibility of him turning the tables on her by sleeping with her sister.

She stormed her way to the library where she knew her father kept his best scotch and was just pouring herself a glass when the sound of an opening door caught her attention.  Her dark hair whipped around as she turned quickly to see who had entered the room.  There was a split second where it seemed like she might actually draw her wand at them before she realized who it was.  Just like Tristan Nott, it was a ghost from her Hogwarts days come back to haunt her it seemed.  She had been good friends with Lucius once upon a time.  One might even say best friends by Slytherin standards, but his handling of his affairs with Violent and Narcissa as well as his friendship with her husband had put some distance between them in the past couple years.  “Oh it’s just you, Lucius.”  Her words were light, but she wondered what he was doing up here when he should be with her sister below.  Dark eyes narrowed at him suspiciously.  “What do you want?” she asked him.

Not nearly drunk enough to ease his darkening mood and feeling more suffocated with every minute, Lucius had waited until the plates had been cleared before sneaking off alone. He was eager to leave the hurried hum of conversation behind for something a little quieter given the last day. He didn’t think he could sit next to Narcissa much longer, acting happy when it was so clear issues lied beneath the surface. The blonde had been wandering the hallowed halls with particularly nowhere in mind when he caught sight of his future sister-in-law and Rodolphus intensely engaged with one another.

Having nowhere else to walk, he tried not to listen in on the hushed tones flowing from their mouths as he waited for them to finish. A pang of guilt shocked him each time he spoke to Bellatrix - for not disclosing Rodolphus’ affair to the woman who had once been a best friend of sorts. But Lucius knew better than to involve himself in their relationship. He respected Bellatrix, how she was so head-strong and loyal, yet collided with a blunt coarseness that made her almost unstoppable. He knew her better now to realise that loyalty only stretched to family. He was not family, not yet.  

Lucius watched secretly as the two parted and deciding against his better judgement, followed Bellatrix into the library. It was likely she would not want to see him, not want to talk; but if he knew her at all, a drink - like him - would be what she needed to dull the anger. An aloof tilt to his chin, he set his flute down on the nearest table and paused in his tracks at her words. “Just searching for something that isn’t champagne,” he admitted, half-turning to shut the door behind him. The festivities felt a world away now. He’d always disliked getting drunk, of how alcohol changed people. He wondered if she would remember, would even care to comment. Hooking a finger inside of his collar to prevent it from clinging to his neck in the heat, Lucius’ lips pulled to the side. “And I thought you might appreciate the company. We don’t have to talk.” 

He was careful not to push or dive in too early. That would only scare her off. He knew her to be a private person and while Lucius did not mind if she did not tell him, he wanted her to have the option to open up. Even if she swore him to secrecy seconds later.

[l-cius]

[ violet ]:

The smile that was on her lips was genuine, if only for a brief moment, at the thought that Lucius had put into this, that he had not been singularly complacent. Idly, she wondered if Narcissa even knew of the ring’s existence, but threw that thought to the side. Lucius would not make the same mistake twice. “I do not want you to question this,” she responded. “And if doing things correctly will ensure that, I suppose that I have little room for complaint.” They both knew, however, just how stubborn Violet could be and if she could get through the rest of this meeting without arguing it would be nothing short of miraculous. She took another long pull on her wine.

Violet’s brow arched. “You are correct in that it will be quite a shock to a plethora of individuals, though I would ask that you rethink questioning my commitment,” she acknowledged with a glint in her eye, a caution of her own. She heard the warning in Lucius’ voice and was tempted to ignore it further, was tempted to mention that this was his bloody fault to begin with so he should be the one to take the first foray into public with the information. But Violet was also pragmatic and her lips pursed briefly – he would know she was dissatisfied with his answer, she assumed – even though she said nothing in disagreement. Another miracle in itself. “Your mother would have put the pieces together anyway. She is an insightful woman.” Violet rather liked Mrs. Malfoy, even if seeing her now was awkward.

Lucius was also correct in noting that there would be people for her to inform. Her parents would likely have opinions, but the weight and the prominence of the Malfoy name would likely quell any that were not wholeheartedly supportive. As she often did when she was focused on Lucius, on besting Narcissa, Violet did not think on Richard. Her relationship with him, at least in Violet’s opinion, had no bearing on her relationship – or future plans – with Lucius, especially as Violet had yet to decide if she would actually allow the ring to grace her finger when the time came. But that was not something Lucius needed to know and so she inclined her head, boxing that part of herself up from him. “We can meet to discuss things after them,” Violet finally stated as she looked up at Lucius. “Though I will not take kindly to more weeks of silence either. I want to be assured that I am at the forefront of your mind while we are apart.”

His features relaxed appreciatively at Violet’s words. Lucius knew how hard it could be for her to concede when she didn’t necessarily want to. For him, it restored a new sense of hope in their relationship. Rubbing his jaw thoughtfully as she spoke, he met her words with a small rise of a brow. He had offered her a ring, what better way to emphasise his own commitment?  

“I think it’s only fair to. We can’t expect this to work unless we have the same level of dedication,” he responded calmly, tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek. The two of them talking felt so sterile, controlled now. But Lucius would take it if there were moments that resembled the past. If Violet did not hold this grudge against him forever. Her comment about his mother earned a few nods from him. He was always thankful of the relationship between his mother and Violet, but at times, he found the similarities, the growing resemblance of Violet to the elder woman, too much to bear. 

Looking across at her, painfully silent as he allowed her to speak, Lucius gave another understand nod. “I would like that,” he sighed softly, in relief more than anything. He reached out a hand to place atop her own. The touch was brief, but not at all tentative, and accompanied with a light squeeze, it said things Lucius couldn’t. “I will write you as often as I can. If you want sweeping statements of love, that’s what you can have.” His lips quirked at the side jokingly. He knew it was likely she wouldn’t appreciate the comment, but he wished to thaw the serious tone between them.

Waiting eagerly for her reply, a solid rapping of knuckles on wood turned the blonde’s head towards the doorway. Mentally cursing at the interruption of what he assumed to be the elf, Lucius uttered a loud come in and pulled his hand away from Violet’s as he rose from his seat with a sigh. “Mother,” he smiled warmly, albiet in surprise, flickering his widened gaze between the two women. He couldn’t remember the last time the three of them had been in a room together and the reality made his head spin. “To what do we owe this interruption?”

[l-cius]

[ rodolphus ]:

Rodolphus studied Lucius up and down after first approaching. That he looked tired was almost a given; the majority of Death Eaters did, himself included, all blaming the hangover from the event the past day that they attended. With that in mind the timing of the Dark Lord’s mission was perfect, because every single one of them had an alibi with plenty of people that could testify to having seen or spoken to them if necessary (which he assumed it wasn’t). What also should have been surprising was that Lucius wasn’t with Narcissa, but Rodolphus wasn’t necessarily so surprised by that. Anyone else may ask if there was something else Lucius could be doing for Narcissa’s sake (a question, perhaps, and a ring; if even Rodolphus caught up on that turning into a social theme of some kind it must be very obvious) but Rodolphus simply shrugged his shoulders, having learned not to speak when it wasn’t his place. “I spoke to Narcissa earlier. She said she really enjoyed the celebration at the Selwyns,” Rodolphus said. “So you must have done something right.” He didn’t have problems with the Selwyns, but (again, if he knew it, it must be obvious) but he had a feeling that Lucius may have. “Well, they don’t need to know whether or not anyone has been up all night,” he pointed out. “If anyone of us would have hosted a party it would no doubt be taken care of, but it would only look strange due to the hour.” Of course it had to a brunch, meaning that if anyone wanted to sleep the hangover off they couldn’t because of the celebration hosted. “At least here we’ll get a moment of quiet, seeing that I’m part of the family and you -” he paused to study Lucius again, “almost are.”

Lucius noted on his friend’s face, the very creases that lined his own features after a sleepless night. The two of them were well enough used to those by now. To anyone else, the two men would’ve looked no different than normal, but Lucius was sure he could see the weight of the night before behind the other’s eyes. Lips pulling to the side at the mention of Rodolphus speaking to Narcissa, Lucius deduced that his fiancee decided not to confide in her brother-in-law of her and Lucius’ conversation just before the brunch. For appearance’s sake, he assumed.

His brows quirked at his friend’s words. He didn’t want to contradict what Narcissa had told Rod, nor did he want to hide things from his friend. “I left her in the hands of my mother after I excused myself for the night with a headache,” Lucius began. “I would hardly call that doing something right - but each to their own.” He took a long pull from his glass, wishing the dull fizz at the back of his throat was something fiercer.

“Then we’ll have to think about maybe arranging something ourselves next year,” the blonde mused lightly into his glass. Said more as a passing comment, he didn’t necessarily mean it. He was sure he would not have been able to deal with hosting his own celebration and his duties to the Dark Lord as well as everything else currently going on. Noting Rodolphus’ pause, Lucius suppressed the urge to make a soft hmph in response. He spoke coolly, “I would call us lucky - but I think that may be pushing too far.”

[l-cius]

Location: Midsummer Sun Celebration brunch at Black Manor.

Date: June 21st 1978.

Closed for @narcissathea

The evening before had proved to go on longer than Lucius originally anticipated, extending into the morning hours. It hadn’t been easy, telling Narcissa that he was leaving the Selwyn celebration half-way through; but then again, nothing that had happened in the last twenty four hours had been ideal. He’d only had enough time to get home and change before the dawning of the Black family brunch was upon him.

He wanted to get there early, to explain himself - as best he could - to Narcissa, lest she was still upset from the night before. His mind had wandered on the mission, wondering whether it had been such a good idea to leave her in the company of his moth. Torture may have been on the cards for him last night, but he hoped she hadn’t suffered the same fate at the hands of the Malfoy matriarch. Black circles bore heavily under his eyes as he carefully weaved through the long rows of tables towards his fiancée.

She stood with her back to him in conversation when he approached her. Lucius placed a gentle, reassuring hand on each shoulder, pressing a kiss to her powdery cheek from behind. “I’m sorry about last night,” he murmured against her ear as he drew back to allow her to turn. “Forgive me? It won’t happen again.” It would, it always did. The Dark Lord wasn’t known for appreciating social convention. Lucius just hoped she would be as happy to see her as he was her. He didn’t want to exacerbate an already long night with an argument on such a nice occasion.

[l-cius]

[ octavius ]:

Lie in wait…

Scotland / Williams Family Home Late Evening Octavius and @l-cius

Octavius had taken his role seriously. He had been left in charge of the operations that each Deatheater undertook and was responsible for the safekeeping of the muggleborn children that they were taking. That the Dark Lord had trusted him with such tasks had been humbling, honoring and he had been determined not to fail him. Standing in the kitchen of the muggles family home, he half sneered in disgust at his surroundings, just as he refrained himself from doing with the man he had partnered up with to get this particular job done. 

Lucius Malfoy had never been his favourite person, quite the opposite, knowing how the man must think himself superior due to his last name and wealth, but that was not all that fueled intense feelings of dislike towards him. Violet was dear to him, whether he had intentionally meant her to be or not, and his treatment of her angered him. Peering through the darkness at the man, he rationally supposed that he could not judge their situation since he had not been a part of it, but he still found himself doing so. He was only human, he supposed, fighting a smirk. Most would say otherwise. 

Arms crossed over his chest and leaning his back against the wall, he pursed his lips and forced himself to act professionally, as emotionless as he was with his clients and with determination, to work together and get the job done. 

“They will be home soon, no doubt, but perhaps this is not the best location to wait for them” he pondered aloud. They had sealed the back door but left the front so that they could wander inside without fear of what would happen to them. They needed to the little boy alive, but the others were disposable. Muggles; useless though they were, having them able to leave the house and scream out onto the street would not help their plan of stealth. “Not that they pose a great threat, but if one manages by miracle to escape us, the Dark Lord will not be pleased”.

“Thoughts, Lucius? You have been oddly quiet this evening” he observed, with a raised eyebrow.  

More recently, Lucius saw his role as a Death Eater as an obligation of sorts. The group he had initially joined for glory and power had done little else than take up more of his already lacking free time. Admittedly he enjoyed some parts, the friendships he had forged; the belief that he was helping to preserve pureblood society for the future and for his family; even the recon missions were fun given the change of scenery sometimes. 

This mission, however, instilled nothing more than a great unease within. Bubbling away in his stomach, waves of nausea occasionally crashed over the blonde at the thought of how this would end. With family being as important as it was to Lucius, killing a majority of another’s wasn’t at all appealing. He could only think of his own enjoying Midsummer’s Eve hundreds of miles away. Pushing his personal feelings aside would be the only way to get through tonight. 

When he found out he’d been paired with Octavius, Lucius felt largely indifferent. His only interest in the man stemmed from the business he owned and when Lucius opted to make a purchase, it was done discreetly through another. The Dark Lord’s choice to put Octavius in charge had piqued his interest somewhat, but it was overwhelmed by the relief Lucius hadn’t been put in charge himself. The other man’s words pulled the blonde from his reverie. At least he had the good sense to only bother to talk about the mission with him. 

Lucius let out a soft sigh, breath billowing into a cloud in the cold air. “No more than usual,” he stated simply, features indistinguishable beneath the mask as he traced a few steps around the kitchen thoughtfully. “We wait out front for them to get back. One goes in and puts the parents down. In all likelihood the children will be too scared to run. The other waits patiently so if one does escape, they don’t get past the front steps.” 

He looked across at the other man and placed his hands behind his back, voice dropping considerably, speaking more as an out-loud thought now. “I think we’d do well to bury the bodies in the back garden after. It’ll be days before anything is noticed and then they’ll struggle to find the bodies so will be less likely link it to the other disappearances tonight.” Lucius paused to let his words hang in the air, allowing Octavius to offer his opinion.

[l-cius]

[ violet ]:

Violet was unsure of what she expected Lucius’ response to be, was curious as to if he’d given much thought to their previous conversation. To be frank, she was still rather unsure of his intentions toward her; the previous couple of weeks had done little more than confuse her. Her lips twisted in curiosity as he moved to his desk and pulled out the small leather box. Not wanting to appear too eager, Violet took another sip of wine before she set the glass down and looked at what was in the box Lucius had set on the table between them. Her mouth opened but little more than a gasp came out. This was unexpected. Violet let out another breath before she said a word, her eyes flicking up to rest upon Lucius’ face as she considered her words.

The emerald was quite large and the diamonds that surrounded it shone. It was crafted with such detail that Violet could discern that it was an older ring and it was not until Lucius spoke that she understood just how old it was. This was not simply any ring, but Lucius was not simply any man. The heirloom shone and the meaning behind it surprised Violet more than she would have expected it to.

“It’s beautiful,” she responded, wondering why she felt a pang of relief when he told her it was not for her to have just yet – it was not something they would have been able to explain away in any scenario. Should she not be happy? Was this not what she wanted? Violet pushed such thoughts to the side as she looked at the ring once more before looking back up at him. “I will have some opinions on its re-setting, of course.” She pushed the box back across the table. “I do not want to become attached until it is on my finger,” she said by way of explanation, tilting her head to the side.

Violet raised her eyebrow at Lucius’ comment about the fragility of this entire thing. “Lucius, you’ve had well over a fortnight now. Have you made any preparations or spoken to any of your family about this?” If not, she might not think he was as serious about this as he wanted her to believe. Violet understood, of course, the importance of righting his wrongs, of ensuring that he did not make the same mistake twice. “I appreciate that you have learned from your mistakes, but making me wait prolongs them.” She took another sip of the wine. “I apologize that I am not, perhaps, making it easy on you to leave the Black girl, but if you prefer to stay with her then there is little I can, or will, do to stop you.”

He knew it may have seemed too much, too much too fast. But Lucius never liked to do things half-way. As his father said, uncertainty was unnerving. He knew the best way to have Violet stop questioning his commitment was to set her straight. The ring had done just that it seemed. As her mouth opened, his own twitched at the corners. His eyes watched the brunette carefully, tracing the creases around her features to judge whether she was impressed. Lucius suppressed the smile tugging at his lips due to her compliment, not wanting to look too pleased with himself. However, it proved to be hard. Something about this moment had him feeling almost victorious. 

The moment had been brief, but resembled those of the past. Moments of unbridled intimacy hidden in their words. Lucius could already see Violet slipping back into the protective seriousness that shielded her against him. “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he nodded, eyes flickering to the box as she pushed it towards him. She had an opinion on everything. “I understand. It’s important we do things right this time.” Lucius left the ring on the table, wanting it to remain as a constant reminder of his seriousness about the matter.

There he was again, being reprimanded. His lips twisted to the side in thought and he leaned back into his seat, resisting the urge to snap. While this had been at the forefront of his mind, there were many more things that required more of his time - one of them being Narcissa’s birthday. “I have been busy with work and other obligations, Violet. I wanted to be sure you are as committed to this as me before I upturn everything. It will come as a shock to most,” the blonde replied, a hint of warning wavering through his voice telling her not to push him. “I asked my mother for the ring and she knows you are here today to see me, so I’m sure she has put the pieces together.”

His brows darted south uneasily. Telling other people would be the hardest part. Narcissa did not deserve this, but then again Lucius wasn’t sure Violet had deserved it all them years ago either. Was that why he was doing this? He clicked his tongue. “All I ask for is a little more time. Until the Midsummer celebrations. I’m sure you also have people to inform and it won’t be easy to tell them.” he said matter-of-factly, deciding not to raise a brow. She would know he meant Richard, even Coraline and her parents. What would those people think of her going back to the man who broke her heart and left her for another?

[l-cius]

[ narcissa ]:

( CLOSED FOR @l-cius ) ( MAY 31, 1978 )

After her talk with Bellatrix, Narcissa couldn’t stop her palms from sweating. She wanted them to; felt like an idiot every time she had to run into the kitchen to grab a towel for them. Yet, they didn’t stop until she finally saw Lucius, standing at the end of the hallway. Really, it was ridiculous and she knew that being this nervous around her future husband was silly. But Narcissa almost liked the feeling. It was like the first time she had kissed a boy behind the pitch back at Hogwarts. Lucius still held a thrill; still made her feel as though they were sneaking around behind closed doors.

Placing her glass down on a passing plate, Narcissa moved through the crowd, quickly smiling at people as she did so. Without a second thought, she gently cupped his face in her hands and kissed him with what she hoped was not too much passion. Although, at this point in her party, she really did not care. Narcissa was happy. Damn who saw the smile on her face. Pulling away, her eyes alight, she grinned cheekily at him. “You didn’t happen to see if the gardens were empty when you walked in, did you?” she asked. “I could use the fresh air.”

Building up to Narcissa’s birthday, Lucius couldn’t quite decide whether he had been looking forward to the event or not. While he valued celebrating another birthday with the woman who had so easily stolen him away from another all them years ago, there was a constant dread lingering in his bones at the anticipation of her family members asking when Lucius would finally formalise their betrothal. Tact was not their strong suit. He knew that morning’s Witch Weekly had only pushed it at the forefront of all of their minds. His only answer had been, we don’t want to rush things. 

Having extracted himself from a trio of men including her uncle, he’d been briefly wondering when he would see his fiancee next. Seconds later, Lucius noticed them unmissable blonde locks floating through the crowd towards him. He smiled against her lips, unfettered delight instantly springing in his hues at her display of spontaneity. Where it came from he didn’t know, but he certainly didn’t feel the need to question either. “Mm. I could get used to that,” he smiled as she pulled away, thumb reaching up to gently brush against the side of her cheek. “I’m afraid I didn’t. You’re not ducking out on your own party, are you? I’m sure your mother wouldn’t approve.” the blonde joked, hand lowering to trace her jaw. 

[l-cius]

what do you think of your sister in law, bellatrix?

She’s not my sister-in-law yet. He cracks his neck. “I’ve always had a large amount of respect for her. Like me, family is most important to her. We were close friends during our time at school, but things have been strained for well over a year now. She’s just wary for her sister and given the circumstances, I understand.” I know if I leave Narcissa, there’s no saying what she’ll do.

[l-cius]

Do you enjoy playing with two different women or do you just do it because you're bored?

“I don’t play with women,” he snapped, brows knitting together in concern. “It’s a difficult situation and you would do well to keep your nose out of things that don’t concern you.” It’s hard making everyone happy and I’m attempting to do the best I can. I think I could be happy with Narcissa. But nothing is worse than missing an opportunity that could have changed your life. So I think giving Violet and I another chance is fair.

[l-cius]

If you were not to marry Violet or Narcissa, is there anyone else who you would be interested in?

I have enough on my plate already, don’t you think? “Well, no. If I was interested in someone else or had the potential to be, I would have pursued them a long time ago.” And potentially avoided all of this.

[l-cius]

What do you think of Maida Flint?

“I think she’s interesting. I’m not sure she deserves the reputation she has, but there’s little I can do about that.” I suppose I’d like to get to know her a little better; but I very much doubt I could do so without sparking all sorts of rumours. So I’m sure mere curiosity will be all it’ll ever be.

[l-cius]

Why do you love Narcissa?

“Why do I love spending time with her?” His features relax into a languid smile. “She’s patient and understanding. Kind when it’s not necessarily needed. With her, I am not just the heir to a fortune.” She deserves better than everything that is happening to her. It’s hard to say, but she deserves better than me.

[l-cius]

You deserve a day out! If you had to spend a day with either, Henry, Fletcher or Tristan, who would you choose, where would you go and why?

“Not knowing any of them all too well, it’s hard to choose,” the blonde frowned. “Mr Sayre seems interesting, but I believe I would have the most in common with Tristan. Ava is like a little sister to me, so I would do it for her.” I don’t really know what he’s interested in, so I suppose I would invite him to a poker game, have a few drinks. Then I would probably invite either Rodolphus or Evan along because I don’t do too well getting to know new people, especially other men.

[l-cius]

If you prefer Narcissa, why are you still pursuing Violet?

“Because things between Violet and I do not feel over. I may prefer Narcissa, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings for Violet. She knows me better than anyone. I loved her once and it’s not easy to let that go and fully move on. Given the history, I think we owe it to ourselves to give things another chance. Besides, I know it would make my mother very happy.”

[l-cius]

What do you think of Rosalind Selwyn?

“Compared to her brother, I would consider her a saint. I find her somewhat of a threat. Who knows what kind of lies and ideas she feeds Narcissa? Saying that, I can appreciate her eye for fashion but I have little other praises to sing.”