QLFC: Round 10 - Forbidden Relationships
Prompt: A relationship between family members
Optional Prompts:
7. (style) letter-fic
11. (myth) carrots help you see in the dark
A/N: I do not like this prompt. I find myself wanting to apologise to my normal readers that I am writing anything about this at all. I apologise in advance if any of you find this subject distasteful, and I had, as the author, a very hard time writing these characters as they are. *shudder*
Beta Love: fluffpanda, the Overworked and Awesome
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Letters of Purity
My Dearest Walburga,
It has been over a week since I have seen you at the wondrous Christmas gathering our family held. I was gladdened to hear that you enjoyed our ride out across the ancestral family land.
My father has raised winged horses both as a hobby and for a bit of racing on the side. The sport has been a part of the family since the time of my great-great grandfather, and I am happy to say that my father believes me to be a "passable" judge of winged horse-flesh to the point where he does not feel bad having me make judgments on which colts and fillies to keep and train for our family stable.
Archibald, our family's prized stallion, has sired many wonderful colts and fillies, both for stamina and as show pieces for families across France. His get has been the leading carriage pullers at the Grecian Festival to Athena every year, winning our family great esteem and renown amongst the people that matter. Mother believes it to be a sign of our families right decision in isolating ourselves from the Muggle-born breeders who think that just because they know how to raise and breed Muggle horses, that they know anything about winged horses. Any proper Wizarding family knows that winged horses must drink single malt whiskey to be in prime condition for racing or breeding, and it just so happens our family owns quite a few of the most prime whiskey brewers on this side of Europe.
Did you know that the McFarren family, those Muggle-born breeders over in Norfolk, feed their horses carrots so they will see better in the dark? When Douglas McFarren told my father, it was all he could do to remain proper and not spit his tea out in the man's face! I had to excuse myself to the stable to laugh myself. Idiots. Who would feed their horses carrots so they could help you see in the bloody dark?
That did give me an idea, however. I found that if I soaked carrots in single-malt whiskey, it adds an extra shine to our horse's coats and that was, by far, much more satisfying than thinking our horses could wander around in the dark without tripping over the barn-Kneazles. They've been doing that for over five generations of Blacks, for Merlin's sake, and I don't see how carrots of all things was going to make it any better.
I was so happy to have found such a kindred spirit within you at the party, Walburga. It makes me glad to know that you and your side of the family have stayed pure in ideals and kept the Muggle-born newfangled ideas out of your mind. This disturbing trend in allowing such ignorant filth to take over the magical world we, as one of the founding families of the community, have worked so hard to keep pure is unforgivable.
I wish to see you again, my Darling, for truly my heart is aflutter when I think on you, and my father approves of our courtship. He says better to find purity within than go without. If you agree with me, my shining star, I pray that you allow me to ask your father for formal courtship so that we may make our relationship official in all eyes that matter. We must announce it at once and show the world that we are proud to be of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, and that we must stand for purity even if the world wants us to yield to the new age.
I eagerly await your reply.
Sincerely,
Orion Black (Seal of the House of Black)
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Dearest Orion,
It is with great enthusiasm that I accept your formal offer of courtship. Of course I would join with you, my cousin, for it is better, as you say, to find our choices within our own family than sully the good name, settling for anything less than total purity. I am gladdened to know that your family feels the same as ours.
I had no idea that your family had raised winged-horses for generations! My father and mother have spoken well of your horses, but I do not think they knew how far back your family had dedicated their time to the raising of such fine animals.
My father tells me that winged-horses are a sign of the celestial blessings, and just as Pegasus was the greatest stallion of the Olympian gods' herds, all winged-horses of the purest white descend from his noble and blessed line. Such a mark of favour cannot be dismissed lightly. I will take it for what it is and add my own confession that I have not stopped thinking about you since our fateful meeting at the family's Christmas gathering. Truly, it was fate to find ourselves under the mistletoe that evening, and I pray you feel the same.
I eagerly await word from my father of his blessing to our courtship. I am glad you are properly consulting him for his blessing, for this is our most sacred tradition, and I shudder to think what horrible things would be done if anyone in the family were to engage in a relationship without the blessings of our fathers. I heard that our most distant cousin merely dated a witch from Yorkshire without making sure she was of a proper Pureblood family and was blasted off the family tree! The horror! I would never do such a thing. I am glad, my darling, that you are not one such as he!
Sincerely,
Walburga Black (Seal of the House of Black)
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Dearest Father,
I am delighted to announce the birth of our most wonderful first-born son, Sirius Black, born under the most auspicious Dog Star to bless his arrival into the world.
I am sorry you were occupied at the debates at the Ministry to be present for his birth, but I hope you and mother will stop by soon and see him. He has the family's glorious black hair and grey eyes, and I am sure he will make our Family proud. He has already punched our House-elf, Kreacher, in the nose twice while fussing to be fed, and my Darling Orion says that this is a sign that he will know how to treat those below him as befits one born of his station.
Please give my love to mother, and I look forward to seeing you both soon.
Your loving daughter,
Walburga Black (Seal of the House of Black)