Athena ran to her father's side, as Lucius apparated away. She kneeled down to his side. His hands were bound. His face was bruised worse than hers was on the night of her initiation. It was a sign that he fought off whoever captured him. A cut above his eye was still bleeding. His mouth had been crudely gagged with his favorite aqua tie, a tie that Maria had bought him. "Who did this?" Athena screamed.
"I did sister." A voice said mournfully.
"How could you…? Your own father…? You are better than this! Better than these madmen called Death Eaters! You can still choose to leave this all behind. You have to help me. Look at our family. Do you see what that monster has done to us? Leave with me please!"
"I can't."
"Can't or won't Rabastan? Voldemort has cost our family so much already. He cost you Jennifer. He cost me my mother, my innocence… How much more is to be lost? Please Rabbit, help me get father home, and leave Voldemort's service."
"Such a brazen girl, I choose well didn't I Rabastan?" a voice spoke, Athena turned from her father and brother.
"Lord Voldemort, I presume." Athena spoke, every word dripping with venom.
"Is that any way to speak to the father of those children that you carry?"
"I'll speak to you in any manner that I decide fits you! You have destroyed my family! How else should I speak to you?"
"Fearfully is always popular." Athena grabbed her bosom and screamed in agony. "Hurts don't it? Now that I have your undivided attention, Malfoy tells me that you are planning to marry that half-blooded American Winthrop. Now you should know that I cannot allow MY children tainted by that! Your choice is easy my dear. Marry me, and then MY children will grow to be the power they are promised to be."
"And what if I say hell no?" Voldemort looked down at Rupert's semi-conscious body and raised his wand.
"Crucio…!" Rupert screamed through the gag. The sound echoed all around the penthouse. Athena once again kneeled beside her father and looked up at Rabastan standing motionless.
"Stop it!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Now my dear I'll leave you here with my old friend to consider your options. Come with me Rabastan; let's leave your sister alone with her thoughts."
Athena cradled her father in her arms. "I'm so sorry daddy, this is my fault. Had I never left you'd be safe at home. Daddy, please forgive me. I never think before I act. I should have seen that you'd be safer if I had never left." Rupert's eyes opened a little.
"You must tell her my love."
"Tell who what?"
"I've made a horrible mistake."
"What do mean?"
"She has no choice. How could I have forgotten our vow?"
"Who has no choice, what vow?"
"You remember, it was your idea."
"What was my idea?"
"The vow… Our daughter has to marry him or she'll die. I almost killed her, with that ridiculous idea for her to marry Jaymes. I wish there were some other way."
"What do you mean?"
"She has to marry the Dark Lord or else she will die. I cannot bear to tell her. You are better at talking to Athena than I am. I love you Maria, I always have." Rupert's body finally relaxed into sleep.
Athena got to her feet and using her wand she gently placed her father on the couch. She wiped the now dried blood from his face, and gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I love you daddy, and I am sorry." She left the room and searched the penthouse for her query. She entered the kitchen where he was waiting. "I have decided…"
"And..?" Voldemort said as though he already knew her answer.
"I'll marry you, but only if you leave my father alone!"
"Good choice, Rabastan has already left. I must leave too. You must stay here, you'll be looked after."
"As you command my lord…" she said bored scoping the New York City skyline. She watched as Voldemort apparated out with a crack loud enough to make Athena wonder if her father had woken up. She began to search the all together to massive penthouse for any fireplace. She looked in five rooms, all of which had a fireplace that was just that, before finding the right one. It had all the marks of being connected to the floo network. Thankful that she had hid some floo powder inside an empty cigarette pack. She went to the room that she had left her father in. He was still asleep. She raised her wand to him and silently said "Leviocorpus." He glided to the room she had found the fireplace in. She allowed her father's body to slump against hers as she put her wand back in her robes. She stepped with him into the floo, throwing the fine powder down she shouted clearly "LeStrange Court!" The green flames forming around her for once felt soothing and safe. She arrived in her room and quickly and gently placed her father on her bed. The dark in the room made it hard for her to see. She was startled by a booming voice.
"Athena Maria LeStrange! It's been longer than two hours! I've been waiting practically all day for you here. I am never covering for you again!"
"Blaise, I'm so sorry please, forgive me." She managed to say before falling into his arms hyperventilating.
"Athena what happened?" No words escaped her mouth she just held firmly onto Blaise.