Chapter 4: Story Continuation
AN: For you pronunciation geeks out there, Gemadel is pronounced "gem" like a jewel, "a" like uh... like uh... when you don't know the answer to a question, and "Del" is pronounced like Dell computers.
Disclaimer: Not mine, although I pride myself in coming up with a wonderful name such as Gemadel!
I know the 3 brothers aren't triplets, but it was easier to write them, I think it makes them seem a bit more brotherly and makes their efforts against death more... (insert emotions here.) I don't know... More _ Something...
Enjoy!
S.P.Q.R.
It was a dark, dark night. The winds howled and rain danced on the roof tops. Gemadel was halfway through her second trimester, already showing quite a bit. She wasn't kidding when she had told the others that she was having triplets. Gemadel already had the names picked out, Cadmus for the first. Antioch, for the second, and for the last, Ignotus.
A gust of wind blew leaves into Gemadel's face. A ribbon danced in the wind. Gemadel stretched up to catch it. At a glance it had looked like a single grey ribbon, but upon further investigation, Gemadel concluded that it was actually a braided piece of tanned leather. Black, grey, and white strands were intricately braided together.
I pause, wondering if Delphi had fallen asleep yet. It had been a long night for both of us. She hadn't and nudged me in the knee to keep going.
Gemadel let the leathers fly away in the wind and pulled out the three coins she had placed in her pocket. She gripped them tightly in her hand, one coin for each of her children. Gemadel hitched her skirts and hiked the remaining meters to the dream catcher that swung lazily on a branch.
She did not get distracted by the beautiful object, although she had no doubt that inside it contained a great many goods and evils. She pushed aside a curtain of green moss and ivy. As she walked under the archway of two trees she looked up. A tall, spindly tower peeked through the branches.
Gemadel traced her hand around the tower, knocking every few steps. She found a Wood & Stone door held up by the stones around it.
When Gemadel knocked on the door, the old butler answered.
The butler led her inside and together they walked up the spiraling staircases. The empty tower echoed with every step they took.
As they traveled, Gemadel stepped back and took a long look at the butler. She noted that he carried himself with an extravagance and superiority that was masked, but there. She remembered the wise, old hag, who had warned her about this place. There is only one person in the tower, my dear, she had said.
Gemadel thought on this for a moment and then spoke to the butler, "My Prince, it has been a long while."
She would leave the prince to answer however he would have liked. At a crossroad, the prince led her right instead of left. In the distance she heard a dragon roaring as if it knew that it had lost a meal. After a few quick turns the pair reached a glittering portal.
Gemadel thanked the prince for his help and passed through to the other side. She stared in awe at what she saw.
A cherry tree surrounded by ashes stood alone. A halo caused by a rainbow surrounded it. It looked as if a springtime rain had just ended. As Gemadel watched, petals floated from the tree to the ground, where they landed, they burnt to ash and a small line of smoke flew.
Gemadel walked forward until she knelt at it's base. She wished on each coin and placed it in a branch.
She stood letting the tree's petals grace her presence. She walked through the old tower by herself, only a dim light guiding her. As she exited the rickety spire, she waved at the prince, one last time. Gemadel continued on her way out and paused as she neared the dream catcher. She, just like all the others who passed here before her gathered a strand of her hair and plucked it from her head. Gemadel tied it taunt.
S.P.Q.R.
Four Months Later, Cadmus, Antioch, and Ignotus, were born. I suppose you could say that they went on to do great things, although, in my opinion, they made terrible advancements in magic.
Antioch built the Death Stick out of Thestral hair which were animals he breeded. The wand's wood was that of a Cherry tree. The wand held it's match in an Ivory tusk wand which held a line of copper within. -
Antioch lived a long, lively life that ended shortly when he was attacked in his sleep after besting an old nemesis in a duel. Antioch left behind no heir and no will. All his belongings were distributed between Cadmus and Ignotus.
Cadmus often buried himself in his work, sometimes not being seen for days. There was a time when they had gone looking for him, only to learn that he was simply investigating a new rock, which we now know as the Resurrection Stone.
Cadmus died bringing back his wife, but because she was separated, as if by a veil, he was led to death by testing his own Veil of Death going to his wife. Cadmus' family was grief stricken for some time before Ignotus too found his own calling.
Ignotus created two items held as "most valued" in wizarding society, the pensive and the Cloak of Invisibility. Ignotus was known for his love and care for magic, and chose to go on to master both Charms and Runes, becoming one of the most valuable wizards in this day, or, shall I say, days past.
Ignotus lived under the cloak of invisibility to see my birth and the prophecy made. At that point, he was no more than a family friend. And although he was a family friend, in the year I was on the run, together we became close. He vowed to die for me and so he did. For as I was shot with the killing curse, Ignotus took off his own cloak and chose to accept death like an old friend.
And from above, Gemadel smiled at what her children had accomplished.
"And that's the story of how I'm related to you... Long, long, ago our great-great-great-great... Grandfathers were brothers."