Narcissa didn't bother counting the hours that she had laid there, face buried in the pillow to muffle the sound of her tears. Despite the fact that every bone in her body ached with exhaustion, she couldn't find peace in the oblivion of sleep. Every time she shut her eyes, she was haunted by the humiliating and painful events the had ensued earlier that evening. It had begun all wrong- as soon as he'd gotten into bed beside her, she'd blurted "Please don't touch me!". This had led to Lucius quite calmly (and rather condescendingly, in Narcissa's opinion) asking if she understood what needed to happen in order to consummate the marriage. She explained that yes, she did, and that wasn't what she had meant.
The idea of being touched by any but Mort was horrifying, but Narcissa knew she didn't have a choice. She told Lucius instead that she'd rather not be kissed or in any other way... caressed. As always, he seemed slightly baffled by her request but made no objection.
Once it had ended, Narcissa had moved away as quickly and as far away as possible without falling from the bed, and soon found her face wet and salty. She waited until she couldn't stand another second of listening to him breathe, then tumbled from beneath the blankets and stumbled through the unfamiliar room until she located the bathroom. She stayed in the shower for an hour, scrubbing at her skin until it was raw, yet still managed to feel filthy. As she allowed the steamy water to pour over her back, she recalled a time, not too long before her engagement, when Mort has throughly surprised her...
It had been cold outside. She couldn't recall the exact date, but knew they'd been outside in the gusty winter wind together, and she'd come back to the castle to take a warm shower. However, she'd been in only moments when she felt two hands fall upon her hips, and Mort's low, soft voice in her ear. "Don't move, Cissa." He'd whispered when she'd made to turn to face him. Keeping them flush, he'd begun to bathe her, first hair, then body. Several times, he'd had to stop to keep her still. "If I see you, Narcissa, I'm going to lose control." Pressing back against him, she could tell it was difficult enough already, and supressed a tiny, self-satisfied giggle. He'd always sworn that he wouldn't have her until their wedding night, but explained that didn't keep him from staying up at night counting the threads of his canopy or thinking about History of Magic class- anything that kept him from needing to spend the entire evening in an icy bath. It had always seemed funny to her- she should have been the one clinging to her virtue, but had Mort showed the slightest crack in his self-control, Narcissa would have given less-than-no resistance.
Now, as she whimpered and wrapped her sheets tightly around herself, it no longer seemed funny- it seem cruelly ironic. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so painful, physically, at least, if she hadn't been a virgin. Rodtimer's touches and kisses had always excited her, but she hadn't even been able to tolerate the idea of Lucius's. She knew that she would never understand the joys of such intimacies; it was one of her many, many regrets.
Despite all the issues she had falling asleep, Narcissa awoke at quarter after eight the next morning to find she was starving- she'd been unable to eat a bite yesterday due to nerves. She tumbled out of bed, wincing slightly as she did so, and blindly found her way to the bathroom to tug a comb through her unruly locks several times. She found a thick, fluffy bathrobe hanging on the back of her door and pulled it on.
It took Narcissa three seconds after stepping out into the corridor to realize she had not idea where she was, nor how to reach the dining room. She hovered indecisively for several seconds before walking down the hallway to a second door: Lucius's. She'd been shown the door only in passing on her exceptionally abbreviated tour of the Manor. Lifting one hand, Narcissa knocked tentatively and waited, but there was no response. Not daring to enter uninvited, she ended up wandering for twenty more minutes before a portrait finally took pity and directed her to the room that she searched for.
When Narcissa pushed the doors open, she was greeted by four stern, unsmiling faces.
"You're late, Narcissa." Terentia spoke first, tone icy. Narcissa blinked in confusion. Lucius's three sister and mother were sitting around the table, clearly in the middle of a meal. More embarrassingly, each was dressed in a proper morning gown and perfectly coiffed.
"Breakfast is every morning at eight, Narcissa. Do not be late again, and be dressed appropriately next time." Mrs. Malfoy addressed her coolly, unsympathetically. Adina didn't even glance up, but it was the look of absolute hatred that Beatrice, the youngest Malfoy sister, shot her that most disturbed her.
"I apologize. I didn't realize-"
"Nevertheless, you now know."
Uncertain and blushing, Narcissa took the seat nearest to her. This received further glares.
"Being married to the heir does not give you the right to sit at the head of the table, Narcissa."
Narcissa flushed an even deeper crimson and leapt up to more carefully examine the seating arrangement. The head had been empty, as well as the seat to its immediate right. Beside it sat Adina, looking haughty. Next to her was Beatrice. On the head's left was Narcissa's mother-in-law, and beside her, Terentia.
"Your seat will be next to Terentia. This is where you are to eat every meal, regardless of whoever else is present, unless sharing a private meal with my son."
"Of course." Narcissa agreed as she moved to sit in her allotted place. She stared uncertainly at her empty plate, before Terentia snapped impatiently, "The meal will be over in five minutes, and you weren't here to be served. You'll have to wait until noon when we eat again."
"I see." Narcissa murmured, ignoring her rumbling stomach.
When the rest finished eating, house elves appeared to clear the table, and Lady Malfoy rose. "There is much to be done today. Narcissa, you must be familiarized with the Manor; I will show you around the house and grounds. Then we will discuss your duties. Lucius will be home at five, and we will eat supper at five thirty. My husband has gone on a business trip and will return on Thursday. Girls," She addressed her daughters with a gentle smile. "You three will practice your music in the study, then read in the conservatory, and then take a walk about the grounds afterwards. Once you've finished with that, Adina, you will write to your fiancé; Terentia, you will recite French, and Tricey, dear, you shall work on your sketching." None one moved. "Now, girls." They hurried off, and Mrs. Malfoy turned back to Narcissa. "Let's go then," She sighed.