Aria woke up the next morning feeling so much better than she had the night before. Lucius had served her body amazingly by giving her sore limbs, back and feet a complete rub down; followed by some rubbing of more intimate areas, which resulted in the two of them enjoying a passionate coupling which then resulted in some mind blowing orgasms that both of them desperately craved. Aria was already exhausted, but Lucius had thoughtfully used a wandless Accio spell to summon her some Dreamless Sleep Potion that they had in the medical cupboard in the large kitchens of the Manor.
The light from the sun had woken her and she stretched her body against Lucius' own nude form and peppered light kisses all over his back as she held him from behind. She was grateful that the warm sun and her internal clock had woken her, since she had forgotten to set an alarm after the Dreamless Sleep Potion rendered her practically unconscious. She would sadly have to leave soon to head to Oxford for her second day of work on the archival project.
Lucius moaned in his dreamy state as her kisses awakened his body. Although he had not taken any potion to fall asleep, just knowing that his woman was there with him for the night and the pleasure she had given him during their lovemaking had caused him to also have a night of blissful sleep, and he wasn't all too keen on waking up just yet…. however he continued to let Aria kiss him awake…there were worse ways of waking up after all.
"I must get up my love…gotta head to Oxford soon," Aria whispered in his ear gently, as she lulled him more and more out of sleep.
Lucius finally fluttered his grey eyes open and replied, "Well then…we must get you something to eat before you go."
"I can just grab a coffee," she replied back.
"No," he said firmly before flipping to his other side so he could face her and pull her into his warm chest and body. "You are having a proper breakfast."
Aria smiled to herself. Lucius always made sure to take care of her, even if she truly didn't need it. The thing that was always true about Lucius' personality, something that was true even before he met Aria, was that if he cared for someone…he really cared for them. He was a devoted father to Draco, and he knew with their babies he would be just as caring and hands on. It was one of the parts of him that she loved the most, so of course she couldn't deny him when all he wanted to do was take care of her.
So after cuddling up with each other for a few more minutes, as they both became fully awake, Lucius and Aria enjoyed a delicious breakfast of porridge with various fruits, sugars and creams that the house elves had prepared for them in the grand dining room where the lovers always took their meals together. As Aria finished off the last of her breakfast, she had to admit she was glad she decided to stay for a real breakfast with Lucius, and get some proper food in her today. She had been slightly neglectful of her food and water intake during work yesterday and she hadn't felt all too good after as a result of that. Perhaps if she ate and drank properly today, she wouldn't experience that weird buzzing sensation that she did yesterday. Not that the feeling was truly the most unpleasant thing, it was just distracting…and made her feel like her skin was all tingly and on edge.
"Thank you for convincing me to stay for breakfast my love. I am going to go to the kitchen and pack a lunch to go and then I am going to get ready," she sighed and smiled as she got up from her seat and stood next to Lucius, his head at her breast level from where he sat. His eyes darted down to where the peak of her nipples could be seen under the silver satin of her robe, and he was mesmerized.
He reached his right hand up to rub his thumb over her nipples, causing them to harden even more under the soft fabric of the robe. The friction felt divine and she briefly let her head fall back as she reveled in his touches as mewls of delight escaped her throat. She then heard Lucius utter a low groan of approval himself.
"You better leave the room now my witch, I'm becoming tempted to take you here and now," he warned her with a low, seductive voice as his fingers pinched one of her nipples in warning.
With a squeak and a giggle, Aria escaped his grasp and went to go pack herself a quick lunch and to change.
About half an hour later she came back into the grand dining room, her packed bags ready to go. She had dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a beautiful, flowy, white top and she had put her hair up again into a stylish ponytail. She would be a lot more cooler while she worked today and she felt more ready than ever to continue her work at the Bodleian. Lucius stood up from where he sat, appraising his woman with a satisfied look. He took her into his strong arms and brought her in for a lip crushing kiss, as one of his hands held her behind her neck and the other held her bottom as he gave it a slight squeeze.
"Will I see you tonight my love?" He asked hopefully.
"I hope so," she said as she rested her head against his chest, allowing him to hold her in his grasp for a few more moments. "Lucius?" She asked innocently, knowing that what she was about to say he wouldn't enjoy all too much.
"Yes?" He answered back as his hand raked through her hair deliciously.
"Keep your cellphone on for me? If I need you it is the easiest way. I don't know if I have access to any owls," she said, waiting for him to protest. He abhorred cellphones, and although he had one, he never used it, except for the one time she had been in Scotland on her first work trip.
"As you wish," he sighed. He would have refused, but he did have to admit it was the easiest way of speaking to her immediately. She would have a hard time Flooing back and forth between Oxford and the Manor anytime they wanted to speak while she was away.
"Well that was easy," she said with delight as she looked up into his handsome face.
"I only ever am for you," he smirked. "Until I see you again then…" he said huskily as he placed another romantic kiss on her lips.
Aria smiled dreamily up at her powerful wizard before she turned around and stepped into the large fireplace of the dining room. Lucius held out the Floo Powder pot for her so she could grab a handful and with one last dreamy look at each other, Aria said "Jericho Tavern" clearly before she was off in a flash of green flame.
Aria arrived in the tavern and felt complete confidence. She knew where she was going, what she was doing and she was excited about what the day held. As she made her way along the cobbled, sunny streets of the magical city she smiled to herself and breathed in the fresh air until she eventually made her way up to the ancient doors of the library. She was still just as giddy as she was the day before to be in such a place of amazing history; a place she had only dreamed about coming before this job. Stepping into the library seemed like second nature now, as she walked directly towards the entrance to the Wizarding section like she had been doing it all of her life.
Soon enough she was in the mystically blue-lit Wizarding realm, and she couldn't help but laugh a bit in wonder as books zoomed passed her head, and all sorts of interesting wizards, witches and even some creatures went about their business in their various academic specialties. Aria smiled at everyone she passed and she was greeted back with plenty of kind smiles as well. She really did feel right at home and it made her heart swell with happiness that she truly felt like she belonged here. Even if it wasn't for Lucius, and their unbreakable love for each other, she knew that the UK was her new home. She loved California, but it didn't have that feeling that she got from her time here; a feeling of true magic, of true history and of true home.
Aria made her way up the winding staircase onto the second floor of her designated area that she was helping to archive and felt a bit better about the messy situation than she did yesterday. She was proud of herself that she had accomplished so much organization yesterday as it would greatly help her when she began to re-shelve and organize all of the assorted texts and scrolls. She still had a few more scattered piles to sort through, to organize them into languages, dates and historical context, and so she set to work on the tedious task that she had done the day before of organizing the remaining mess.
She hadn't noticed it too much when she had first entered the room but about an hour into her working on the stacks of books, the buzzing sensation had returned and the air around her seemed to be electrified with the very slight whispering she thought she had sensed from the day before. With a furrow in her brow, she grabbed her water bottle she brought with her and took a big sip to try and hydrate herself. Aria stopped moving around just to simply listen and feel, as she sipped gently at the water still. Hmmm…no…she definitely wasn't imaging things or getting too dehydrated and faint. There really was a slight buzzing all around her that sank into her very bones and soul. Again, Aria didn't feel all too threatened, but she greatly wished she could have Lucius come here and see what he felt. He was always so wise and intuitive and she knew that if she really felt something going on, he would as well, as their bodies were always on the same wavelength.
After a few more hours of working and trying to ignore the weird buzzing sensations, Aria had decided that she needed a break. It was around lunchtime and she had noticed the last two days that on her way to the Bodleian she had passed by a beautiful botanical garden about half a mile away. That would be a lovely spot to enjoy her lunch she packed for herself, and if she was honest, it would do her some good to get out of the magically charged room and clear her mind for a bit.
With one more stack of random books to go, Aria grabbed her bag and headed down the spiral staircase and then all the way out of the library. Like the night before, the second she left the room she felt a weight being lifted off, as if a misty haze was lifted away. It truly was one of the most odd feelings she had ever experienced. She walked for a bit, and eventually came upon the gorgeous and green park that was also the location of Oxford's brilliant botanical garden and arboretum.
She walked around the sprawling gardens for about half an hour, enjoying the stunning plant life and perfectly manicured flower beds. She even came across an enormous greenhouse that seemed to house many different types of plants not currently on display, but all the more exotic looking. Under an ancient looking rowan tree, Aria sat to enjoy her lunch and relax a bit. She wished Lucius was there to share this peaceful moment with her in such a beautiful space, which then made her remember that she had told him to keep his phone nearby should she need him. She quickly pulled out her own phone and texted him.
My love,
Will you be able to meet me at The Bodleian tonight? I still feel that strange buzzing feeling…and it is only getting more powerful by the hour. Meet me at the Jericho Tavern at 9pm? It will be best to come when everyone is gone from the library for the night.
I love you madly.
Xoxo
Aria
Aria put her phone away and finished her lunch, enjoying the quiet stillness of the park around her. After she was finished she lay in the soft grass for a bit enjoying the early Spring sun that warmed her body against the crisp air. One thing she did miss about California was the constant sun, so little moments like this made her soul very happy to soak up the precious vitamin D from the sun's rays. Aria felt her phone chime and knew it was her Lucius; she still couldn't help but always smirk at the thought of her traditional aristocrat using the muggle device.
Of course I will be there my love. Until then.
Yours,
Lucius
Aria smiled at her phone, imagining Lucius' honeyed voice saying those words to her in person. She stood up from where she lay in the grass and began making her way back to the Bodleian to continue her work again. On her way back, she ran into Val and Seb, both of them looking as if they had just been on their break as well. Aria smiled to herself thinking that they both looked completely like they belonged here, dressed both preppy and academic-like, perfect for Oxford, although Seb stood out a bit as he had a wizarding cloak draped over his shoulders. Muggles here wouldn't notice though, as his cloak looked like it could pass off as a large trench coat, perfectly fitting for a proper English gentleman.
Val caught Aria's eye first and the kind woman waved friendly over in Aria's direction. Seb gave Aria a warm smile as well which made Aria breath out a sigh of relief. For whatever reason, her relationship with Seb, although it had been good natured, was a bit tense so far. From what Val had said, perhaps it was Aria's beauty and brains that intrigued and slightly intimidated Seb, making him feel he had to show off for his own reasons.
"Aria, hey!" Val said as Aria crossed the street to join the two. "Just getting off your lunch break?"
"Ya! Headed back now. Almost done organizing everything…and then the real work begins."
"Next time you should let us know when you are going on break! We would have joined you!" Val insisted.
"Oh I don't mind being on my own. Really. I had a lovely time just sitting and enjoying myself at the Botanical Garden," Aria smiled. "Also if I am to be honest, I have no way of getting in contact with you guys. I know it is silly to ask, but do you two happen to have cellphones?"
"'Course we do!" Said Seb as he reached into his pocket to pull out his iPhone.
Aria smiled and laughed aloud. They were younger, and lived in a predominantly muggle area. Of course they did.
"Oh thank goodness. I am so used to my fiancé not believing in muggle items such as cellphones. He is quite old fashioned," she explained.
"Maybe he needs to get with the times…" mumbled Seb under his breath with a slight chuckle of sarcasticness.
"Seb!" Val said, scolding him for being rude about Lucius yet again.
"No, no it's fine," said Aria brushing it off. She agreed with Seb in this case, but he still had that slight attitude whenever she brought up Lucius. He might have not even realized he did it, but Aria, and clearly Val, noticed.
"Sorry Aria," he said briefly before giving his number to her rather quickly, Aria noted. Val followed though and gave Aria her number as well.
"There! Now next time call us if you ever need a break or wanna go grab some lunch, dinner, drinks, whatever you want!" Val said.
After walking a bit more down the bright streets of the city, Val announced that she had to go to her next class and it would be in the opposite direction that Seb and Aria were headed.
"Oh okay. See you later Val," Aria said before awkwardly turning to Seb. Aria hadn't been alone with the man before, but for whatever reason he still made her a tad bit nervous, and he seemed to feel slightly the same way about her as he ran his fingers through his hair awkwardly.
"I'll walk you to the Bod if you'd like…my next lecture is next door to it," he offered.
"Oh. Okay sure!" Said Aria as she began walking in the direction of the library.
"Hey look I really am sorry for giving you a hard time…Val told me I need to lay off. I can be a bit of a sarcastic bastard sometimes…nothing personal…"he admitted with a meek yet truthful smirk.
Aria's nerves subsided a bit as she listened to him explain a bit more about his personality traits.
"Oh…um it's okay…think nothing of it," Aria said politely. While his abrasiveness had slightly bothered her last night, it really was not a big deal and she hoped that they could now move on as colleagues normally.
"It's just I don't think I've met someone who I knew to be so instantly…" he stopped mid-sentence unsure of how to proceed.
"Yes?" Aria urged. She wanted to understand his perspective more.
"Well… so smart and beautiful. Not often you find the two paired together so…perfectly," he said as he motioned with his hand in her direction. "And genuinely nice on top of it all!"
Aria laughed and blushed a bit. "I can assure you, I am not perfect!"
"Have you seen yourself?" Seb laughed nervously, as his blue eyes pierced into hers. She looked quickly away as he continued. "Well it's true right? That you are a Veela?"
Aria was a bit surprised that he had went in that direction, but she knew that Seb and Val had read all about her in the various papers and news stories. "Oh umm…yes I am. Or well…I definitely have strong Veela blood in me," she said. With a smirk and a laugh she continued, trying to make the conversation more light. "Perhaps that is why you are so falsely dazzled with me?"
Her comment made Seb blush even further, as it probably hit the nail on the head in terms of the truth, but he smirked as well. "Perhaps." Then becoming more serious he continued. "Is that why your Dark Wizard is so dazzled with you too?"
Aria furrowed her brow. It seemed although he was trying to act light hearted too, he really wanted to ask her more serious questions about herself and her relationship. She would be as open as she could, she had nothing to be ashamed of. "His name is Lucius and he isn't Dark…. And he isn't dazzled with me because I am part Veela. He is Veela too. We are soulmates. Our love is the most real thing that has ever existed for either of us."
"Wow," said Seb as he breathed out a big breath and raised his eyebrows, as if he still didn't believe it. "So the soulmate thing? It is real? You believe it is real?" He continued asking.
"Yes," she said definitively as she looked at him with bright green eyes, determined to make him understand the truth.
Seb shrugged his shoulders a bit, still seeming like he really didn't believe her.
"You live in one of the most historically rich cities in the world. A city full of ancient magic and philosophy. You're a wizard. You shouldn't discredit such magic," Aria said trying to make him see the truth.
Seb nodded in slight agreement. "Yes I suppose that's true. I have to admit I am just so fascinated by your story…fascinated by you…" he admitted, as he ran his fingers through his hair again.
Luckily Aria spotted the Bodleian coming up in the distance, and relieved they were almost at their destination. She knew Seb wasn't a bad person or someone who would do her harm such as Paolo did, but he also didn't do that good of a job of being discrete about his immediate fascination with her. Her old Ministry colleague James popped into her mind as well. He had been fascinated with her from the moment he met her, just like Seb was, but he had been a very polite and shy man and wasn't as direct as Seb was. Aria was quickly coming to realize this was a pattern that would possibly haunt her the rest of her life; men being magically and instantly drawn to her and slightly obsessed. Perhaps it really was the Veela part of her getting stronger and stronger.
Aria could just tell by his questions and the way he looked at her that he believed in his own heart that he meant well…he truly did want to know more about her. But she also definitely picked up on the fact that he would have liked to get to know her even more if Lucius hadn't been in the picture. He had literally called her perfect, and while she couldn't agree with him there, she could tell that he wished he had a chance to get to know her more and better. Perhaps if Aria had never met Lucius, she would be interested as well. He was an attractive man. A smart man. A man who valued academics and the Wizarding culture and history. But he would never be Lucius. No one would ever be Lucius. Aria couldn't even imagine a reality in which she wasn't fully and irrevocably in love with Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Just the thought of it practically broke her heart. But she wouldn't blame Seb for being curious or interested in her, as long as it didn't turn into a Paolo situation. He would just need to understand that she loved Lucius more than anything, and nothing would come between her and her soulmate.
Aria said nothing but they continued walking the tiny rest of the way in a bit of an awkward silence. As they approached the large front doors of the Bodleian Aria turned to Seb and he to her. He gave her a small smile and looked down at the ground as he shuffled his feet.
"Well I'm off," Aria said with a small smile of her own as she made her way to enter the library.
"Right then. Good luck and….I'll see you soon," Seb said almost as if in a question. "I'll be down at the pub later…" he thew in at the end to let her know where he would be later on.
"Oh okay. I'm a bit busy after work tonight, but definitely soon. Val, you and I can all grab some drinks later in the week?" Aria suggested, making sure to include Val.
With a nod of his head and a last smile as he looked at her intently, Seb turned around to go to his destination across the street.
Aria breathed out a long breath that she had been holding, and made her way back into the comforts of the grand library. Making her way through the muggle section and then into the Wizarding section, the moment that she wound her way up the spiral staircase, Aria felt the tingling feeling and heard the low-pitched mystical whispers that she constantly heard and felt in the room.
"What are you?!" She spoke aloud with wonder and frustration to the seemingly invisible magic that she felt pulsating all around.
Another hour passed and Aria was almost done organizing the last pile of books that needed to be sorted by language. The buzzing was getting louder and louder and this point, and Aria was getting more and more frustrated, worried that if she didn't figure out what this sensation and noise was soon, she would be unable to complete her assignment. She wasn't one for giving up though, and so the thought of something unknown causing her to fail didn't sit well with her.
The last remaining books were left and Aria saw the next book needing to be sorted was a relatively small, faded leather bound book with gilded Celtic-like engravings on all sides. The instant that Aria's hand reached for the book and held it in her hands, the buzzing sensation and the whispering noises completely stopped. Aria noticed the difference right away and let out a small gasp as she realized this was the culprit the entire time. This seemingly unimportant, small book that had been in the far corner of the room.
"What in the world…?" Aria mumbled to herself.
She opened the book slowly, as if scared at what it would contain inside. However, when she opened it, the pages were all completely blank. The parchment was faded and very frail, as if it was hundreds of years old, however there was nothing on any of the pages as Aria delicately flipped through the small book. This couldn't be right. Perhaps there was some magic keeping the pages blank. But why? The book had been calling out to her, surely it wanted her to see something within its pages. Or maybe the whole thing was some weird prank; lure someone in only to disappoint them with the discovery of nothing. Either way, the whole situation was entirely bizarre and she really couldn't wait to be done with her day now so that her and Lucius could investigate this weird phenomena.
Aria kept the small book close to her for the remainder of her work day, so that she wouldn't hear the incessant buzzing and whooshing noises that it emanated whenever she wasn't physically near it.
"Don't worry little book…I am going to figure out why you wanted my attention so bad…" Aria muttered to herself as she began the real archival work.
Now that all of the stacks were sorted out by language and historical context, she could begin documenting what was present in the collection. There were large, fresh parchment scrolls available for her use on one of the tables in the area of the library in which she occupied and she began documenting the texts onto the paper so that there would be a clean record, starting with all of the English language books; why not start easy!
She only spent an hour or two as she started the tedious task of documenting and then putting each individual book into its proper place in the shelves. She could see how this task would take the most time for this project, but it was something that was important and needed to be done and she was happy to take on the tiresome work because she was truly passionate about it. However the bright light that shone through the windows was beginning to fade as the sun set. Lucius wouldn't be there for about another three hours so Aria knew she had time to go grab dinner and relax for a bit. She didn't feel like eating at The Jericho Tavern again, deciding that she wanted to have the chance to explore a bit more of the city and so she went to the popular muggle pub, The Eagle and Child, where famed authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to go to drink, write and interact with their fellow scholars.
Aria arrived at the classic looking pub and delighted in how typically British it all was, and she felt right at home as many people around her same age were socializing, eating and drinking and the place just overall had a good vibe. Aria ordered a light beer and a hearty meal of bangers and mash and enjoyed feeling like a typical tourist for the evening, feeling that giddy excitement of being in a place she had dreamed of for so long. She ate her meal contentedly and then scrolled on her phone for a bit. She looked so beyond muggle, no one would ever know that she was an extremely powerful and gifted young witch.
At around 8:30, Aria decided it was time to head over to Jericho Tavern to await her Lucius. She couldn't wait to see him, not only because she missed him in every sense of the word, but because she was still beyond curious about the mysterious book that had called out to her. She had left it on a table in the library so that her and Lucius could go back together and examine it. Hopefully he would hear it too, and it wouldn't just be her.
Within ten minutes, Aria arrived at the Wizarding tavern and stepped inside to go wait by the fireplace where witches and wizards used it to Floo in and out of Oxford in a safe space. Right when she entered, she immediately saw Sebastian and she smiled shyly in his direction as his bright blue eyes immediately saw her as she entered as well. What was it about today and the two of them constantly running into each other? She supposed Oxford was a small enough town where people often frequented their same haunts.
"Aria!" Sebastian said as he got up from his spot at the bar and made his way over to her as she settled herself near the fireplace. "Did you change your mind after all? Want a drink?" He asked hopefully.
"Oh, I can't, I am sorry! I am just stopping here really quick to wait for someone."
"And I was beginning to think you were following me," Seb said with a cocky smirk.
Aria laughed awkwardly not knowing how to respond and began twisting her hair between her fingers as she anxiously awaited Lucius' arrival. Her and Seb talked a bit about the work Aria had accomplished that day. Aria still didn't feel like telling anyone but Lucius about the mysterious book she had found, so she stuck to talking to him about the boring task she had done all day of writing down every single item in that section of the library onto the scrolls. She could tell Seb feigned interest, but he most likely just wanted to be around her. As he continued sipping his beer, Aria wondered how many he had drank up to that point. Was the liquid courage what made him so bold?
"So will you be staying in Oxford tonight then?" Seb asked, that hopeful tone back again as he ran his fingers through his hair.
Aria wasn't sure why Seb kept sounding so hopeful. He knew she was engaged to be married and her deep love for Lucius. She was beginning to get slightly annoyed. While he wasn't at the aggressive level of Paulo, Aria was still beginning to get uncomfortable with how determined Seb was to get some one-on-one time with her. Perhaps he still didn't truly understand how serious it was between her and Lucius; that she would never risk everything that was pure and perfect in her life, just for a one-night fling with this man she just met in Oxford.
"No, I won't be," said Aria definitively.
What happened next was when things took an interesting turn. "Are you sure there is no way I can convince you to stay tonight?" Seb asked, his blue eyes looking so innocent, yet so seductive at the same time. He reached his left hand out and placed it on her lower hip and squeezed a bit, a clear invitation to what his true meaning of his question was.
Aria was in so much shock she froze at his touch. She couldn't believe how bold he was. And while he wasn't being aggressive, his touch upon her really crossed a line and yet she stood paralyzed in place not knowing how to even respond. She was so stunned she didn't even realize that someone had Floo Powdered into the tavern in a flash of green just in that exact moment. The next thing Aria saw was the hard, dense, silver snake head of Lucius' cane coming down hard upon Seb's hand that was resting on Aria's lower hip, the sound of bones crushing and the cringe-inducing sound of Seb screaming and cursing in pain as his glass of beer crashed to the floor as it fell out of his other hand.
Aria stood completely frozen in place still, as she felt as if she was having an out of body experience as she watched her soulmate charge at the younger man in such a rage that she thought Lucius would for sure use an unforgivable curse upon him.
"You DARE lay your hands on my witch?" Lucius bellowed, his voice not even sounding as if it belonged to him.
By now the whole tavern was looking upon the scene in shock and Aria was mortified, and yet she still stood where she was, as she too was in shock. Seb was crouched over, clutching his left hand as he groaned out curse after curse.
"Bloody Hell! I didn't do anything!" Seb yelled back.
"You put your disgusting hands upon what is not yours!" Lucius reminded him as he stalked forward, his broad, tall form looming over Seb. "It's doubtless she even consented to you putting your hands upon her. Isn't that right Aria?" Lucius looked briefly behind his shoulder at her, his silver eyes sparking dangerously.
Aria's voice failed her, but she confirmed by softly shaking her head back and forth in response. No she hadn't asked nor expected Seb to touch her, especially in such an intimate spot. If truth be told, she was glad Lucius showed up when he did, although it was unfortunate for Seb, as he now had to deal with Lucius' wrath and possessiveness. She knew that Lucius was very protective of her, since the moment they had essentially first met and the incident with Paulo had taken place. If Aria was being honest, she was getting slight flashbacks from the whole fiasco.
"You don't own her!" Seb cried as he interrupted Aria's train of thought as he tried to deflect blame onto the powerful blond wizard who seemed as if he was about to strike at any moment, like a deadly serpent.
"Oh but I do…" Lucius retorted back, his voice dropping deeper even more, "and she owns me. We own each other as true soul mates. She is mine and I am hers, and that doesn't include filth such as yourself."
Seb looked at Lucius and then over to Aria with a painfully embarrassed look, as if his whole ego had just been obliterated in the span of a minute. Lucius continued speaking as he stepped even closer to the deflated younger man, practically in his face now.
"If I ever hear of you or see you coming near my woman again, I will make sure that more than just your hand gets broken…" Lucius warned. Lucius finally got out of Seb's face and stalked towards the main entrance of the tavern, clearly ready to be on his way. When he was at the doors, he said nothing but reached his gloved hand out to Aria, indicating to her that it was time for them to leave.
Aria quickly walked over to Lucius, practically ready to faint. She passed Seb as she tried to avoid eye contact with him and she heard him whisper in a strained voice under his breath to her, "He's dark Aria…so dark. You could have so much better."
That made Aria stop in her tracks, turn around to narrow her eyes at Seb in wonder that he still had the gall to speak. She looked him up and down and then saw where he clutched his injured hand to his chest.
"You should probably get that checked out…"she said about his hand, her eyes narrowing, as she glared at him one last time for not only insulting Lucius, but also her and her entire relationship and reason for living.
He stared at her in shock with his mouth slightly hanging open, and with one last look of disdain, Aria grabbed Lucius by the hand and said "Let's go Lucius," before exiting the pub with a mix of rage, humiliation, confusion and bewilderment.
Lucius and Aria left the tavern hurriedly and both of them said nothing to each other as they walked rather briskly though the dark and quiet streets of Oxford. Lucius was leading them both, but Aria knew that he actually didn't know which way to go, or which direction the library was in. His mind was still back at the tavern, thinking of what just happened. Aria could tell by the tense line of his shoulders and the way he was holding himself, that his mind was strained.
"Lucius stop," she said shyly and quietly. Lucius did abruptly stop but didn't turn around to face her as he dropped their connected hands. His breathing was rough and hard and she knew he was internally struggling, about to burst at any moment.
"Lucius…my love…I promise you that I didn't know or expect that Sebastian would be so bold as to touch me like that…I promise…" she said as she shuddered at remembrance of the scene in the tavern just moments ago. Sometimes she cursed her beauty and her kind personality, which often attracted and emboldened men to do such things with her.
Lucius slowly turned around, his eyes shut tight, his nostrils flaring as his breathing was labored with rage. His lips were set in a grimaced line, his brows furrowed, and his eyes finally opened and were still sparking as if on fire. "I know Aria…I know…" he said slowly. "It's just…I almost killed that man…just as I did with Paulo. It took every ounce of self control in me not to. When it comes to you, I feel like sometimes I lose my mind if any harm comes to you. And I feel very….possessive of you…every day it gets stronger."
Aria reached out to him and put her hands up on his shoulders. "I know Lucius, and that is one of the reasons I love you so much. Your love and protection for me go beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. I know you are possessive of me…but I am of you too. You were right. We do own each other. Body, mind and soul. It's only us."
Lucius closed his eyes again and then opened them slowly once more. "I could have killed him…I could have ruined our lives again, just like that time with Paulo," he admitted.
"But you didn't," Aria said as she squeezed her hands on his shoulders.
"I swear if he even comes near you again…" he warned, his eyes sparking in the light of the moon overhead.
"Lucius he-" Aria began to say, but Lucius cut her off.
"Let's not talk about this at the moment. Just take me to what you want to show me…" he said as his face got even more stoic and grimaced. He clearly didn't want to talk about this anymore and wanted to focus on something else to distract his mind.
"Okay, follow me," she said as she slowly removed her hands from his shoulders and grabbed one of his hands as she led him in the direction of the library.
They were soon at the grand entrance of the historical library and Aria looked up at Lucius as she saw him take in the fantastical sight. His sparkling grey eyes took in his surroundings with wonder and he was clearly impressed at the sight of such a grand library. The doors had been locked for the night, but that was nothing a simple Alohomora charm couldn't fix. Aria quietly led them both through the dark aisles of the library until she made it to the secret Wizarding entrance.
"You have to walk straight through the bookcase…it's a little bit odd," she warned him.
"It's no matter," he said as he confidently strode through the bookshelf as if he had done it his whole life. Aria then remembered he was used to that kind of magic, even though she was still getting used to it herself. She followed him through, and into the Wizarding section which seemed even more mysterious and ominous at night.
Lucius was waiting for her patiently, but she saw he had lit his wand with a Lumos spell, as it was rather dark in the Wizarding section. Aria got a chill from being in the dark in such a magically charged place. It almost felt eerie and spooky.
Aria lit her wand with Lumos as well, and led Lucius farther into the library, and up the spiral staircase into the section that was her "domain" for the time being. She saw Lucius look around the room taking in her work with a silent look of approval on his face. She knew Lucius valued hard work, and he didn't even have to use his words to make Aria know and feel he was proud of her.
"Lumos Maxima," Aria said as she pointed her wand out into the room, causing little balls of light to scatter all around them, lighting it up to a decent amount, so that Lucius and Aria could see more clearly, and not just from the tiny tips of their wands.
The instant they had settled into the room, Lucius cocked his head a bit to the side and said, "I hear it…the buzzing…I feel it too," he confirmed.
Aria breathed out a huge sigh of relief, that he too felt it.
"Really?!" Aria said excitement.
Lucius nodded his head and looked around the room, trying to find the source, as Aria quickly walked up to the table she had set the tiny book on and touched it. Instantly at her touch the buzzing sound and feeling disappeared. She brought the tiny book over to Lucius and held it out in her palms to him. "Touch it," she whispered to him.
Lucius raised one of his eyebrows in question, that such a tiny book could wield so much magic, but sure enough, as soon as his large hand touched the book, the noise and sensations of the magic stopped thrumming through his body. He let out a short intake of breath and gently opened the book. Now it was Aria's turn to breath out in wonder as she couldn't quite believe her eyes. The last time she had opened this book, the pages had been blank; that was one of the reasons she wanted Lucius' help uncovering what magic it held so she could unearth its content, but it seemed as if his mere presence alone was enough to unveil the book's magic.
"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "Lucius…the last time I opened this book, the pages were all blank!"
"Incredible…" Lucius muttered under his breath as he continued turning the pages as Aria held the book in her hands still, which were now slightly shaking. The text wasn't any language Aria was familiar with, which slightly disappointed her that it would be more of a mystery on what was written. The way the text was set up however, made it seem like it was almost similar to journal entries. "It appears to be an ancient Celtic language…perhaps Gaulish…" Lucius mused.
"How do you know that?" Aria said looking up into his brilliant eyes.
He smirked slightly and said in a proud voice, "I rather excelled in Ancient Runes back at school…and you know my skills with language. It seems to be a mix of runes and an ancient druid-esque language."
Aria smirked back as she looked at Lucius. He was top of his class back when he went to school, and he was one of the smartest people she had ever known. Of course he would immediately know what it was.
"However, I am afraid I can't read it fluently," he said a bit deflated after the admission.
He continued turning the pages and stopped on a few admiring some of the ancient rune symbols and quite a few drawings. One such drawing stood out to him, as it was clearly a stone circle; similar to the ones him and Aria often made love in. He looked up into her green eyes, making sure she saw the drawing too. She did, and her green eyes, watery with emotion, looked back up into his. She was definitely having a revelation.
"Lucius…"She practically whispered. "What if….what if this book is meant for us? Why we can hear it…why when we both touch it, the contents reveal itself to us…" she said in wonder.
Lucius' own eyes widened with the knowledge that Aria was perhaps correct. It truly did remind him so much of the Soul Prophesies book he had found in his own Manor, that prophesied their love and their connection. This was another piece of the puzzle; he was sure of it!
"Aria…I think you are right…" he said as he looked into her emotional green eyes as he temporarily got lost in the connection he always felt with her.
He gently closed the book and took it from her hands and held it in his own now. "Would you mind if I took this book with me back home so that I can study it…and perhaps find a way to be able to read it? I think it can be done, but I need time…" he asked her.
"Of course. I wish I had time to help you, but I have my work here. And if you were to have the book with you at home then it wouldn't be distracting me here by constantly calling out to me with its magic," she said.
With that Lucius put the small book within the deep pockets of his robes and looked back into Aria's eyes. "Will you come home with me tonight? I am beginning to not feel comfortable with the idea of you staying over night in this town…" he said with a grimace, as his mind went back to the events before they came into the library.
"Of course," she said gently as she grabbed his warm hand in hers and began leading them back down the spiral staircase and out of the library.
When they got outside, Lucius looked around briefly at the completely deserted streets around them. The town having a slightly eerie, haunted feeling as the only light source was a few yellow street lamps and the shining moon above. "There is no one around. I shall apparate us out of here," Lucius said with finality.
Aria wouldn't argue with him. He didn't want to go back to the tavern, and quite frankly neither did she. Without saying a word she grabbed him tightly around the waist and buried her face into his chest, which smelled strongly of his divine, spicy yet musky scent she loved so much. In a snap he apparated them both safely and smoothly back to the Manor.
The two went about their business in their night routine, getting ready for bed and unwinding from the long and stressful day. Lucius had kissed her sweetly on the head when they had arrived at the Manor but hadn't said a word since. Aria had left him to his thoughts and went to go take a nice, warm shower. When she came out of the bathroom she saw Lucius was already in bed and she couldn't help but think how incredibly beautiful he looked. He was nude, but his waist was covered by the down comforter so that only his muscled, pale and smooth upper half was revealed. His hands were behind his head, his blond hair splayed all around him and his grey eyes looked up at the ceiling as if he was in deep thought.
She went over to his side of the bed and stood over him. He turned his head to look up at her, his eyes taking her in. She slid her silk robe off of herself to reveal her nude body to him; his eyes drawing slow lines up and down her body as he admired her. She then straddled him where he lay on the bed and just buried herself into his neck. She wanted to try and reassure him and comfort him. To let him know everything was okay.
"I'm sorry I lost myself tonight…" he said huskily, as his hands traced up and down her nude back, causing her skin to tingle.
"I understand. Truly I do. I am sorry that you had to see that…I was shocked myself…" she said into his neck where her face was buried.
"I just can't stand the sight of anyone touching you in such intimate ways. I was almost sick to my stomach," he admitted. "And then to just lose my sanity and almost…kill him…I could have done so much worse than break his hand…" he sighed as his hands stopped roving over her body. "I could have ruined our lives again…could have been sent to Azkaban…and for real this time!"
"But you stopped yourself Lucius…and that is all that matters! And Sebastian is too cocky to report you to anyone…let alone admit that he overstepped his bounds. He needs to live with his tail between his legs for a bit," Aria said reassuringly. "Lucius, my love, you stopped yourself from going farther. I am so proud and in awe of you. You make me feel so safe and protected. I love you," she said.
Aria could tell Lucius took what she said to heart when she felt his hands begin rubbing her again. "I don't deserve you. Truly…" he said as he kissed the top of her head.
"Never think that," she said as she came up to properly kiss him passionately on the lips.
He kissed her back with equal fervor, tasting her pure sweetness and running his fingers over her nude body which pressed deliciously up against his. His hands drifted lower until he was cupping her perfect bottom and he gave it a quick squeeze or two as he felt himself hardening. Aria felt his excitement growing too and moved her body away from his briefly so that she could remove the comforter off the lower half of his body. His large member was beautifully solid now and she stared at it in reverence, as it truly was magnificent. She got back over him, and immediately sunk herself down upon him. It was the most amazing feeling in the world and it was like coming home every single time.
Lucius grabbed her by the hips as she began moving gently upon him; his silver eyes looking up into her own with the upmost adoration. His eyes scanned hungrily over her body as she made love to him sweetly. Her breasts slightly bouncing every time she came up and down over his hard cock. He rubbed his thumbs over where he gripped her by the hips and smirked up at her, his Queen, causing her to smile back with the smile he adored so much, as it truly was the light of the sun. Her smile then turned into an 'O' shape of bliss as she moaned out her pleasure at the feel of him inside of her and her head fell back, her blond hair cascading like a golden waterfall down her back. She was so gorgeous and Lucius thanked the Gods again that she was his.
As Aria continued making love to him she was surprised that he was letting her be the one in control. Usually on nights he became very protective and angry, he usually let out his frustrations in the bedroom by becoming very dominant, something in which Aria had to admit she greatly enjoyed. But she wanted to make him feel good, so she didn't mind allowing him to lay back and let her take the lead tonight.
The friction she was creating between their conjoined bodies was beginning to build up, and she leaned in a bit closer and laid her hands upon his muscular chest for support and leverage as her hips began moving faster and faster. At this angle where she was slightly leaned over, her breasts were basically right in his face, and he took the opportunity to take her nipples, one at a time, in his mouth and suck and lick them to hard peaks of pleasure as she continued fucking him.
"Yes, my love, that feels so good," she moaned out as his suckling upon her caused her hips to go even faster and she felt her clit rub up against his pelvis with each thrust, which was driving her closer to orgasm.
He too was moaning heavily, causing vibrations to transfer from his mouth onto her nipples with each suck. As he felt her getting closer and closer to release, he quickly bit down on one of her nipples causing her to do a cute little half squeak, half moan of delight, and then soon after he felt her inside walls quake and quiver and then fall over the edge into full on convulsing as she orgasmed all over his cock. He knew after she came she would be spent and exhausted and so as he let her collapse onto his chest after she came, he used the opportunity to take slight control and he began thrusting his own hips up so that his cock pounded into her so quickly, it took no time at all for him to groan out a deep, manly noise of blissful release and come up inside of her.
The two lay breathing heavily, both completely exhausted from the evening's events. Lucius held her around the waist but moved her to the side with his body so that they now lay facing each other, his cock still buried deep inside of her as they began falling into a blissful sleep, completely forgetting everything that had occurred. From the incident in the tavern, to the mystery and revelation of the little book using its magic to call out to them….all that mattered now was the feeling of their conjoined bodies as one and the connection they felt as soulmates.