A man said to the universe "Sir, I exist!"

"However," Replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me a sense of obligation."

-Stephen Crane

5. Kestrel

"Again." Salazar snarled in frustration. He swung his long sword around, using the momentum to balance himself. Twisting, he thrust the blade, striking the shield of his opponent. The vibrations of the hit wound up his arms, sending him backward, unbalanced. His opponent struck him behind the knees with the flat of a sword, causing Salazar to fall towards the ground. Salazar found himself at the mercy of sword-point.

His opponent frowned. She moved her sword from his neck and motioned with her fingers to rise. He rose, dusting off his breeches. "Salazar, you must master this."

Salazar glared hard at the woman. "Suri, I haven't been trained from birth to sword-play. I have been attempting to master this for the two years that I have been under your tutelage."

Suri snorted, shaking her head, sending her long blonde hair waving in the moonlight. "No son of mine blood will not be able to wield a sword properly."

She picked up her cloak and draped it over her shoulders. Salazar scowled and picked up his abandoned cloak and shield. He strode over to Suri and strapped his shield onto his saddle. He mounted the steed and adjusted the sword he had sheathed.

Suri mounted her own horse and tugged on the reins. The horses broke into a light jog. "Suri, why is it that I cannot be adept at dagger and throwing knife only?"

Suri turned and glared at him. "How can you offer honorable fight to a noble man if you cannot even wield a sword and proficiently manage to disarm him?"

Salazar exhaled harshly. He bit his tongue lightly to remind himself just where he was. They rode in silence for a few moments before Suri decided that it was enough.

"Salazar, I have arranged a marriage between yourself and a noble lady. You will marry and produce an heir."

Salazar's eyes hardened at her words. He knew it would only have been a matter of time before this would arise. Men married a young maiden around the age of twenty. It was rather unnerving to see girls as young as twelve married and heavy with child.

Salazar could feel Suri's eyes on him and he tried to ignore the odd sensation. "You have almost mastered the long sword. Today was lack of concentration and discipline. You will be ready by the time you are married."

Salazar ignored her and concentrated on the clipping of his horse's shod work on the earth. To be married to someone he had not fallen in love with on his own accord seemed wrong to him. Images filtered in the back of his mind, images of his previous wife, beautiful with golden blonde hair. Salazar sighed softly.

Since he had came to his newfound self, he had learned many types of magic previously thought lost from his time's reaches. The Slytherin family had a large amount of wealthy knowledge available at their fingertips and when he was not busy mastering the long sword he was using these resources to the best of his advantage.

Salazar licked his dry lips before pulling his flask up and drinking from it. There was a possibility that he would be able to return to his time, and he wanted as much knowledge to fight Voldemort with as he could find. If it was possible…

"Who is the girl I will be marrying?" Salazar forced his voice to bar the dislike he felt for the arrangement, knowing that he would never have rest from Suri if he did not accept it.

Suri glanced at him through her grey, attentive eyes. "Her name is Essira Kestrel."

Salazar's eyes widened. The Kestrel family had a great amount of wealth and influence in the current affairs of the country. Unlike many families, they trained their women to be proper magic-wielders, able to defend themselves and protect themselves from the hatred of the muggles who were so fond of burning at the stake.

"How old is she?" Suri glared hard at Salazar, throwing daggers with her icy gaze. "She is fourteen years. She would have married sooner but she wields a great amount of magic and needed to be trained to harbor it."

Salazar sighed, silently harboring his ill content. "Very well, when is the wedding?"

"In two fortnights."

Essira held back a sigh as the seamstress made a few last second adjustments to the black gown she was garbed in. Today she would be married. As her mother explained it, it was a great honor to be able to marry into such a powerful family as the Slytherins. It was her duty to her family to see this through. Hopefully this Salazar was not like the men she had seen so far.

The men in the villages were hogs, plain and simple. They were dirty, foul-mouthed beasts who couldn't think to respect the woman who made their meals. The noble-born lads treated ladies as if they were fit only for house work and child bearing. It was quite vulgar.

Essira turned, glancing out the window. The castle yard was presented quite stunningly, not gaudy, but pretty. There were doves ready to be released after the ceremony, and rice and flower petals to be tossed.

She tucked her wand up the sleeve of her dress, concealed perfectly amongst the white silk. Her light sable colored hair was braided and tucked into a bun at the nape of her neck. She had a circlet of dwarf-foraged silver on her head, the veil now covering her face.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when a maid directed her out of the room. She was led to a staircase where she was left alone by the maid. It was traditional for the bride to approach her betrothed by herself. She stepped down the stone stairs, careful not to tread on her gown.

Essira couldn't believe her eyes. Her betrothed was attired in black breeches and a black tunic accompanied with gleaming black boots, and a black robe hooked over his shoulder with a silver chain. His black hair was tied back, drawing attention to his strong face and intensive eyes.

She took his offered arm. She noticed that he was fairly short compared to most of her father's men. But he had a kind look to him, not the look of some of the men she had come across.

He smiled softly, and Essira couldn't help but returning it. They walked into the grand hall where the ceremony was taking place. They walked down the aisle way to the platform where the priest was waiting. They kneeled on the white cloth, facing each other, hand in hand.

The priest wrapped a chain of braided silk around their hands, tying a knot at the top for fertility. A small black silk bag was strung around their hands, small tokens of good faith and marriage from both families within. Salazar took a small stone wolf from between his fingers and placed it in the bag.

Essira took a diamond hair pin, one of no magical infliction within the bag. For her it symbolized the contentment of good emotions. The priest offered them a silver needle and black silk thread.

Salazar took it with one hand and took her hand and began sewing. Only the wedded could sew the bag shut. If it was not completed then the marriage was not valid.

The bag was sewn shut. It almost hurt to think that she was a wife now to a man she only just met.

Salazar took her to his rooms where they kissed. He was so soft and kind Essira almost thought that it was a dream. But she had yet to awaken from it.

She leaned over and looked up at her sleeping husband. He was a kind man. She was truly lucky.

Perhaps she could come to love him yet. She kissed him one last time before falling into the chasm of sleep.

A/N: Sorry it took this long to update. I started school again. Thank the God that I am a senior now. Everyone hope that I can get into the Art Institue of Charleston!!!! Damn, I love that school. I want to go into either graphic design or photography. Wish me luck.

Reviews are always welcome, thanks.

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