Written For:
- Day 33 of 366 Days of Writing Challenge: Presumptuous
- Deck of Cards Club: 4 of Diamonds: (challenge) Write about an older person giving advice to a younger person., (prompts): (word) respect, (feeling) afraid, (location) Astronomy Tower, (action) crying alone
Pairings/Characters: Lucretia, Orion
Word Count: 500
Fear of Betrothal
It's not so pleasant and it's not so conventional, it sure as hell ain't normal but we deal, we deal.
Lucretia hovered in the dark shadows of the entrance to the Astronomy Tower, looking over to the balcony. She could see the hunched figure of her younger brother, Orion, and hear his muffled sobs.
"Orion," she murmured, venturing out to join her brother on the balcony. He whirled around, his tear-stained face pale under the moonlight. He wiped his face viciously, and turned back to glare out into the night. "What are you doing out here? You know we're supposed to be in the common room before ten in the evening."
"I couldn't bear to be in there," he whispered hoarsely. "She just won't leave me alone."
Lucretia placed a hand comfortingly on her brother's shoulder, coming to stand beside him, so that she could look into his dark grey eyes. "Who?"
"Walburga," he continued. She probed him with a meaningful look of her eyes, silently insisting that he carry on. "Since she started Hogwarts, she is already so sure that we will be wed when she graduates. Mother and Father have never discussed a betrothal to her, but it seems as though Uncle Pollux has already made a decision that Walburga will marry me."
"Orion, I don't see the problem," Lucretia countered. "You have the option to marry someone of your own blood! That is an honour granted to very few in our family."
Orion's gaze hardened. "Lucretia, there is a reason that we don't always marry within our family! How can you be so presumptuous to think that nothing will become of it? If we had children, what if—what if—" he crumpled into sobs again, clearly imagining the worst. When he spoke again, his voice was full of fear. "I am afraid, sister. I'm afraid for what might come of our offspring. We aren't meant to breed within the family. I've read a lot into it since Walburga came to the school, making these brash claims."
Lucretia rubbed Orion's back soothingly. "Allow me to give you some advice, little brother," she started. "Stop reading these books, and stop worrying so much about the future. Walburga is just a child, and you haven't yet spoke to Mother and Father—for all we know, she could just be saying these things out of her own hopes."
"But why would she hope to marry me?" Orion murmured. "We have essentially grown up together—for Merlin's sake, I helped change her nappies!"
Lucretia stifled a small giggle, and at seeing his sister, Orion started to laugh too. "Just try and ignore her for now," Lucretia continued, once the laughter had subsided. "And stop thinking so much into it!"
Orion leaned forward on the balcony, his dark fringe hanging into his face, and he nodded. "Okay."
"Promise?" Lucretia probed, and Orion looked back at her. She could see the respect he had for his older sister in his sombre gaze.
"I promise."
