He kept hearing a 'thud' above him while he was reading, it was coming from her room and wondering what she was doing, surely she wasn't trying to escape? He heard another 'thud'..Lucius grew quite annoyed and slammed down his book. He marched up the stairs and tried to open the door but she had locked it, this only infuriated him more and waved his wand, the door clicked open and he nearly froze, she looked very appealing but she was clinging onto the four-poster, slightly disheveled. "WHAT are you doing up here?"
"I, well...I'm getting used to the shoes..they're heels and I've never worn heels," Azadeh tried to straighten herself up.
"NEVER worn HEELS?"
"Well, if you remember, I spent my life pretending to be a boy...? Never got a chance, but to be honest...I don't like them and find them very unnatural."
Lucius curled a small smile, a chance to humiliate her, a chance to make her dependent on him. "Walk towards me." She looked at him as if confused. "WALK TOWARDS ME," he hissed. Azadeh wasn't crazy about this, but she did it anyway. Wobbling towards him, she could barely stand up, this was amusing to him..he thought of Narcissa, she always walked gracefully, always proper...always pleased him. Yet...this girl was nothing like her. Not only did she not have the breeding, she didn't have the proper way of walking, wasn't graceful, and didn't even notice or care about appearences. Azadeh made it towards him and then tripped over her feet and fell into his chest.
"Whoa, sorry...," she tried straightening herself up very quickly, only to fall backward on her backside.."WHAA!" Lucius rolled his eyes and grabbed her, pulling her up and forcing her to walk with him down the stairs, she sliped, wobbled and then climbed up his arm all the way down.
"OH GOOD GRIEF WOMAN! Are you really that clumsy!" They finally made it downstairs and into the dining room where Draco looked over to see what the commotion was about. There was this 'Azadeh' person, clinging onto his father's arm who didn't seem like she could walk. When they got to the table, she was made to sit in the chair across from Draco, "SIT!" She noticed how Draco found it all amusing. Azadeh who looked relieved to be sitting down, folded out her napkin which she put on her lap and started to eat her soup. "Well at least you have basic MANNERS!" Her eye twitched at this comment. Soon there were little sandwiches that were brought out by house elves, Azadeh looked in amazement, she'd never seen a house elf and looked under the table. "What are you doing now?"
"I've never seen a house elf," her voice muffled slightly. Draco tried not to spit out his soup in laughter and nearly choked on it. "Hi!" she waved to him. The house elf stopped with the litle trays on his head and looked nervous for a second, then smiled.
"MINGLE!" the house elf jumped and dropped the tray. "YOU CLUMSY OAF!" To Azadeh's dismay and horror, Lucius kicked him. She gasped and tried to run towards the hurt little elf, only to find she nearly tripped over her shoes again, so she practically scrambled instead to get to him and grabbed him before he could be kicked again. Draco smirked, there hadn't been this much amusement in the house for a while...but he worried it would come at a cost to her. "What are you doing!" Lucius filled with rage as she held the elf who was slightly shaking, looking at his master and not sure if this was wise, scared that the punishment would be worse and he was also afraid for the misses.
"What do you think I'm doing, you're hurting this poor creature for no reason! He just dropped some sandwiches, they can be remade!"
"Please miss, put me down?" Azadeh looked down suprised. "Don't want you to get into trouble, miss, Mingle will take the punishment."
"No, you didn't do anything bad...besides, he made you nervous when he yelled your name." Draco sighed to himself, now she was in for it.
"ME...You're blaming ME?" Lucius hissed, venom dripping.
"You made him nervous, he jumped when you called his name, anyone would have dropped the platter... You're being cruel and there's no reason to be," she glared.
"OH..I see,...but you have no idea what the extent of my cruelty can BE," he hissed, it had just become dangerous for Azadeh, she only glared back, daring him...but she had no idea that he would take it. Lucius grabbed the back of her head with a fist full of hair, she whimpered and slightly sighed in pain, letting go of the house elf who now looked horrified for the misses. Draco perked up and was slightly alarmed at how his father was acting, he was quick to anger but not this bad or violently towards a woman, but then again...he didn't know what his father did in the bedroom, he raised his eyebrows slightly.
Lucius drug her slightly and then pulled her up by her arms, forcing her up the stairs to her room. He locked the door behind him and threw her on the ground, she landed hard but looked defiantly at him. "Don't you EVER do that again, don't you EVER demean me in front of a servant like that!" Meanwhile, Azadeh was taking off her boots and then stood up, glad the blasted things were off her feet.
"It seems you were the one demeaning him...you didn't need to do that was all I was saying," she said sternly. He came up to her and at first she thought he was just going to argue with her, but then she felt the back of his hand hit her cheek, hard, she winced and then shot her eyes back into his,she tried to slap him back but he caught her arm they were wrestling slightly. This was fun, he hadn't had this much excitement with a female in a while. He had them over, satisfying himself, one of the perks now of being a Death Eater...but he always got rid of them afterwards. But when he saw her, he had to have her...still, he wasn't sure what to truly do with her.
Azadeh was really no match for him, though he toyed with her. HIs strength was great...he made sure of it, doing his workouts as he was supposed to, taking daily potions to help with strength and agility as advised by the healers. Lucius twirled her around and put his arm around her neck in a choke hold and that's exactly what he was doing, choking her. Part of Azadeh's problem was the registered bracelet, she couldn't really attack her 'purchaser' and when she tried, it made her weak...unfortunately, it didn't go both ways. She was trying to pry his arm off her throat, but it wasn't working. "You're a virgin, right, Azadeh?" Now she was panicking."Never really knew a man, have you? I'm going to be that man, Azadeh. I'm going to be your first and ONLY...and you'll be so pleased with my size, I've only received compliments." Azadeh was fully disgusted, but all she could really think about now was how she was starting to black out and see stars, if she did, would he have his way with her?
Lucius felt her hands finally slip and then he stopped, making sure she was still breathing. He carried her to her bed and watched her for a moment, not sure what to do next and that was very unlike him...he touched her face and then left. Draco looked up, lunch was finished, "have fun, father?" Lucius only did his usual cold stare and then went into his study to work. Draco had gotten a distaste for how his father did things. When he was younger and naive, he didn't question, but seeing his mother die, see all of his friends die, had given him a sense of humility. Azadeh was gentle and beautiful and the fact that his father paid one million galleons for her was a shock to his system. His father never had to pay for a woman to come to him, they just did because of his looks and power, granted they were pure-bloods, so not that many..but.
Draco looked up the stairs and wondered if she was alright. He walked up, his curiosity getting the better of him and as he opened the door, he found her slightly mussed and as he drew even closer, to his distaste, she had a nice large red mark across her cheek that had turned into a light bruise and also a bruise around her neck. Draco left for a second and brought some special balm to put on the bruises and put it on her nightstand, he then straighted her on the bed and put her hands on top of her stomach, making her look peaceful. He had to admit, when his father mentioned that he had bought this girl, that maybe he had bought him someone to marry, someone to be with; he'd grown quite lonely.
Lucius was losing his patience, he had seen his son go upstairs, but not in his usual direction to his room and wondered WHERE exactly he went. He crept up the stairs and saw that Azadeh's bedroom door was opened, Lucius's eyes narrowed and his blood started to boil slowly. He finally reached her room and watched as Draco looked at her in what seemed to look like sympathy...Lucius slightly dispised that, Draco had always been a bit weak, but he blamed Narcissa for spoiling the boy..not that he didn't do his share. "DRACO!" the boy jumped. "What are you doing in her room?"
"I came to see how she was and gave her some ointment to put on those bruises, you no doubt gave her," Draco didn't bother to turn around to stare back as his father, he could already tell that his father's eyes were drilling into the back of his head. FInally, after a few moments, he walked out of her room and past his father, "you know father, I'd be more careful...you wouldn't want to damage something that you paid over one million galleons for."
"What I do with my PROPERTY or MONEY is really none your conern right now...is it? You just worry about focusing on your career and finding a decent WIFE." Draco looked back at Azadeh and then his father, huffing slightly and leaving.
Azadeh woke up, she felt the rawness of her skin around her throat and her cheek hurt too. She got up and looked in the bathroom mirror, frowning, she saw the ointment and put it on, she winced as she put it on her cheek, it was a good blue now. Then she went around her neck, almost immediately the bruises started to fade and went to sit down next to the window, it was dusk, she had been out for a few hours. Tears started to fall as she looked out over the grounds, looking at the beautiful stallions grazing and the little stable off to the side. It was so unusual, all this beauty and so much cruelty within. 'What did I do? If I'd only paid attention...but I was just so happy to be outside, and now I've hurt everyone, especially myself.'
There was a slight misty pop sound, and the house elf Mingle was by her side, "miss...dinner is ready..." Mingle looked at her, she really wasn't paying any attention and he saw her tears. He bit his lip slightly and wrung his hands.
"Tell your master that I'm not very hungry, that I'm not feeling well..."
"Miss, please...that isn't very wise. I am grateful that you care about Mingle, but Mingle is returning the favor by suggesting that miss go downstairs."
"Is he always this cruel?" Mingle didn't say anything but wrung his hands and looked around nervously. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I heard your kind aren't allowed to speak ill of the person you're serving. Besides, I already know the answer." Azadeh sighed, "...and I'm sure if I don't go down and you tell him, he'll punish you too and I really don't want that on my conscience." As she stood up, Mingle saw the pink marks on her face and neck...he saw the ointment and gasped. His master had physically assaulted the poor girl, all because she defended him. Mingle wanted to cry but mumbled he'd tell the master she was coming down.
Azadeh looked around the room, then found her brush and brushed her hair and patted her eyes with cold water so it didn't look like she'd been crying; SHE WAS NOT giving him the satisfaction of knowing he'd got to her. And just for defiance, she didn't wear those stupid shoes, realizing that it may not be the wisest decision. After all, he was somone who was used to controlling people and he wanted to control her and break her spirit, but she would never allow that to happen. One of her totems was the horse, along with the leapord, and the horse was a animal of pride..one that she was glad she achieved. And those who are familiar with horses know that you may get the horse to let you ride him, but if you ever tried to break their spirit...you'd regret it, they'd never forgive you.
She hopped down the stairs, not wearing her shoes. Lucius looked at her with skepticism and wondered how she was able to walk so smoothly now, until he realized she wasn't wearing her shoes at all, he stood up when she entered, but not out of politeness or out of being a gentleman, but out of annoyance. ONCE again she was deliberately trying ot make him angry, testing him. Draco looked at Azadeh and thought it was awefully brave of her to do what she was doing but wondered how far she was going to push his father before he snapped completely and just killed her instead. "Why don't you have your shoes on?" Lucius was trying to stay calm, but he was gritting his teeth, he had figured that he wanted to deal her only one punishment today.
"I told you, I don't like them and they hurt my feet...they're not good for a woman's feet anyway or her back," Azadeh sat down and she was served her food by Mingle who was trembling slightly. In Draco's suprise, Lucius sat down slowly, glaring at her. They ate quietly and Draco decided he would make some casual dinner conversation instead.
"So, my father tells me that your father is a Shaman?"
"Yes," immediately Azadeh froze up, any information he might try and pry out of her...was not going to be given.
"You have totems, right...where you call on the spirit of the animal and use their ability?"
"Yes. It's a good but sad process. It is said that the animal has to die in order for them to give you their spirit, but it is willingly...if they feel your worthy. But I'm glad you're knowledgable, most people are ignorant in our ways." Azadeh smiled at Draco and he smirked back. Lucius sat their chewing his food and staring at her as if annoyed, which he was.
"Do you have any?"
"Totems? Yes...the lepord and the horse. The leapord is good for speed and the horse for strength, especially courage. Horses are wonderful creatures, spirited and even though you may get to ride them, if you ever try to break a horse's spirit...you'll regret it, they don't forget or forgive and there are cases where a horse will kill their master if they are punished too often." Draco almost choked, there was a hidden message in that and Lucius narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. Draco took another bite of his food and widened his eyes a bit at the tension that was starting to mount.
"What other stuff do you do, anything dangerous?" Draco did an evil smirk...he was a Malfoy after all, they seemed to like playing with dark things.
"Well, one isn't really dangerous as far as it being 'dark', but it is still dangerous and known as 'soul retreival.' It's when a person becomes shattered in the spirit and they seemed kind of dead, like when they lose someone they love or they are violated in other ways...like women, for example. So, we're kind of like councelors that go in and retreive the piece they lost, remake it and place it back, it may only take a few seconds but really you're there for a while and you're not supposed to be under yourself for too long or else you end up on the other side...permanantly, but that doesn't really happen. But, anyway, once you're finished, the person ends up with a feeling of euphoria and wholeness, but of course, they have to work on it themselves, keep on the right path and such."
Draco looked at her in amazement, "have you done it?" She was silent.
"My son asked you a question?" Lucius stared at her.
"Yes, a few times," Azadeh then went back to quickly eating.
"For what?" Draco could tell this was making her uncomfortable, he liked that, it was the Malfoy in him.
"Um...well, this girl I knew, she was raped...by a few men who were...passing by. It took us months to get her to talk, but once she did, she told us everything and we caught them. I counceled her near the end and then we went ahead did that method on her, she was okay after that...lives normally now, no sign of her trauma. Took a lot out of me, she was my first one," Azadeh seemed misty eyed at the memory, you could tell she felt bad for the girl but then went back to her food.
Draco eyed her, "can you teach anyone to do that?"
"Yes and no. It depends on the persons intentions, because you're messing with someone's soul, it's a very moral thing and the soul is by no means a toy, you could shatter it and that is not something that is for everyone. The person who does a soul retrieval must be pure of heart...so, if I taught anyone, I would have to have a good feeling about them or really know them, but then again, you can never really know anyone until a life or death situation is at hand," Azadeh was not sure if this was the best thing to tell them, they were dark wizards and she would never teach them, she would die first.
"Well, I think it's interesting," Draco finally let up. She smiled again. The way Draco was looking at her was starting to aggravate Lucius. "You should come to Knockturn Alley with me some time, you'd see some pretty interesting things...but I doubt their your style."
"Knockturn...nocturnal..dark, probably not," Azadeh smiled again and Draco chuckled, she was smart...then they heard a crash. They both turned to find the Lucius had flipped a tray of desserts out of Mingle's hands, the elf looked terrified, he was glaring at the elf. Azadeh stood up, Lucius whipped around and dared her to do anything. Mingle looked at her, shaking his head 'no', to not interfere. He did it deliberately, he KNEW it would bother her. 'I know I can't do anything, or they won't let me, but I don't have to stand here and watch it!' she turned on her little bare heel and left the room.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE! I didn't excuse you!" Lucius snapped. Azadeh turned around slowly..
"You don't have to, I'm excusing myself," she said calmly and continued to her room. Draco looked up at his father...a murderous look came across his eyes and it bothered him. Something was going to happen and he was worried, terribly worried. Ever since his wife died, he'd not only bit easier to aggrevate, but slightly...unstable, not taking anything from anyone except for the dark lord.
"Azadeh, go...GO!" Draco stood up, his father had bolted to her. She looked back and started to run, he did not look annoyed, he looked murderous and she was his target. Unfortunately, she didn't know the place well and tried every door with him closing in. FInally finding a door that was open, she thought she'd lost him, she shut and locked the door quietly, but could hear him going through the other rooms. It looked different, it seemed very empty, a few chairs and tables, but there were no doors leading the way out and this was the last room...he was coming. Azadeh scrambled and tried to find a place to hide...but there was none...the door was kicked in and caused her to jump.
"THERE YOU ARE!" She backed up into a wall and looked at the door, maybe she could bolt past him, but for how long could she play cat and mouse? Azadeh slinked over to a different wall as his eyes followed her, he had a slight smirk on his face, no longer murderous...now this had become a game, somewhere along the line he came to his senses...but not to her advantage. Lucius wanted her to run, how long had it been since he met a girl with this much bravery and stupidity... Azadeh kept sliding past and then all of a sudden, she felt like she was falling backwards and let out a small scream and found herself sliding down a chute of some sort. Lucius cursed, but he knew where it led. It was his getaway in the times when they were performing 'raids' so he could quckly get rid of any 'evidence', he'd forgotten it was there...but now he knew where she was going and there was no way out of the cellar except for one.
Azadeh slid down the chute and landed hard on her back, knocking the wind out of her. She coughed, getting the air back into her lungs and finally she was able to stand. Looking around she saw a room filled with old books, bottles of things and as she looked closer, they were poisons, not potions, things like arsenic. There were books and she opened one, she dropped it immediately after reading it, diaries of what he had done to muggles during the war. "Oh my God," she whispered, shaking...how could someone do that? WHY? Shamans respected life, all life...to destroy it blantently with no regard...her head shot up, there was a sound of sliding...it was him, she knew it was, her fists were clenched but shaking, prepared to fight...prepared to die.
Lucius slid down and landed on his feet fine, there he saw her in tears shaking...a book of his on the floor, the room was dusty, he had not been here for some time, "don't you know it's rude to go through other people's things?" Suddenly he dodged, his books were being thrown at him..
"HOW COULD YOU! HOW COULD YOU HURT ALL THOSE PEOPLE! THEY WERE DEFENSELESS AGAINST YOU AND YOU HURT THEM, THEY COULDN'T DEFEND AGAINST MAGIC! YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Tears poured down her cheeks and for some reason, the words 'you're a monster', seemed to bother him...coming from her, it made him slightly uncomfortable. She put her face in her hands, her shoulders moving. "I don't understand you," she said through her sobs. "How could someone do this, all of this for no reason other than someone is different than them...it doesn't make any sense...no one would be here if they weren't intended by the Creator." Lucius could tell she was trying to reason, but it wasn't registring, it couldn't make sense to someone like her. He tried to come closer to her. "Get away from me!" Lucius continued towards her and grabbed her arms as she tried to hit him, they scrambled until both fell to the floor, him on top of her, his body weight was nearly crushing her until he adusted himself correctly, pinning her hands above her head with one hand and touching her face with another.
"How you are right about me, I CAN be a monster, but I'd rather not be a monster to you..I would rather be kind to you, good to you, but you keep NOT LISTENING TO ME!" he snapped. "Those days are over for me, now I just enforce laws, cruelly...but I no longer have the PLEASURE of torturing people, it got boring. All I want now is a fairly normal life..and I simply want you to be a part of it...in every way," Lucius pressed his hard length against her inner thigh, he smiled when she gasped a little, her lip trembling. "I want another child, Azadeh..and I want YOU to give them to me."
"I won't...I won't allow my child to be a Death Eater...to be a dark witch or wizard."
"You don't have a choice my dear, and I'd rather you give yourself to me willingly than just TAKE you, believe it or not. I want the child to be welcomed and I want you to love them. When I saw you, I had to have you...and you were the first woman I had felt that way about in a long time..so please, don't fight me, you won't win..," he kissed her hard on the mouth.