Written For:
- Day 26 of 366 Days of Writing Challenge: Nostalgia
- February Event: (word) Betrothed, (object) Engagement/Promise/Wedding Ring
- Word Prompt Express: married
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Proverbs: "Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and renounce them find mercy." - 28:13
Pairings/Characters: Arcturus II/Lysandra
Word Count: 542
Nightshade
Every now and then the stars align, boy and girl meet by the great design.
When Arcturus looked back on his life, he knew that he had made the right choice in putting a wedding ring on the finger of Lysandra Yaxley. She was old now as was he, but the gold band on her wrinkled finger still shone in the same bright, glowing way—just like their relationship.
He felt lucky to have been one of the few men in his family who really did fall in love with his wife. Of course, like his brother Cygnus, he had been betrothed to marry Lysandra. But unlike Cygnus, he had truly grown to adore her.
It was with fond nostalgia that the married couple were able to look back on the ups and downs of their life. Of course, there had been the issue of their daughter, Cedrella, being disowned from the family for her marriage to the blood traitor. Arcturus was emotional and stubborn, and he had found that area of their life far too difficult to cope with. Lysandra had been his rock—he was sure that her soul was far older than anything he had ever known. She was wise and deep, and her soul had managed to calm him when he was at the lowest point of his life.
She reached across the bed and grasped his knobbly hand with her own old, wrinkled one, and smiled at him. Even in her old age, Arcturus still thought she was the most beautiful person on the earth. Her ash blonde hair had lightened to the snowiest white, her lips were thin and her face was haggard with age, but she was still his wife, and she was perfect. She seemed to sense that Cedrella was on his mind. "Those who conceal their sins do not prosper," she told him, her voice scratchy and harsh. "But those who confess and renounce them find mercy."
"Cedrella does not believe she had anything to confess," Arcturus countered, clasping his wife's hand.
"Perhaps not today," answered Lysandra. "But that may change one day."
"When we are long dead."
"But we'll be with her in spirit," Lysandra finished. The old couple remained in silence for a little while, before Arcturus spoke up.
"Are you ready, my dear?"
"I've never been more ready for anything."
They had decided mutually that today was going to be the day they died. They were old now, and they wanted to die while they still felt able. They didn't want to be fragile and broken elderly people who needed assistance and guidance from their daughters. They didn't want their minds to shrink and their bodies to remain hollow and empty. They wanted to go together, on their own times.
And now was that time.
Arcturus reached to his left for the two vials of deadly poison that he had concocted earlier that day, and he handed one to his wife. She leaned over and pressed a dry, shaky kiss to his lips, and smiled at him. Her positive smile lit a warmth inside him, and he knew he was brave enough to go on.
"I'll see you on the other side," they both whispered in unison, before swallowing the poison.
