Bruised hearts and egos
The two waded through the woods on the back of the horse, neither spoke. The only sounds that were made were the hooves hitting the ground and the birds singing their morning songs. It was beautiful, the sunlight was pouring down on the trees. Regulus would've liked to focus on it more, but the only thing that he could focus on was his own growing anxiety, as they got closer and closer to the party, so close that he could begin to hear their loud laughter.
He wasn't ready to face Lucius, or his father. and not on the back of a horse with James Potter.
They soon returned back to the group, Luicus looked at the two of them clearly expecting an answer from Regulus as to why he was on a horse alone with James Potter. Regulus wondered if he even realized the two of them weren't even with the party.
"What happened, where did the other horse go?" Lucius asked.
Regulus's father glared at him, "what are you doing on a horse with a man unchaperoned?"
He tensed up as the words struggled to make their way out, he was about to speak when James decided that he would explain for the both of them. "When you all ran off his horse got spooked, threw him off, and the horse ran off. I found him and helped him."
"and the fact that you had to help him means he wasn't riding correctly" the marquess snapped at him.
Regulus's eyes widened when Lucius spoke, he knew the man was cruel but to be this open about it. he was a black he supposed, Lucius was right. he was above that, it was unbecoming to have fallen off his horse. He should've been more prepared. "I'm sorry Mr.Malfoy, it won't happen again" he said, dismounting from the horse leaving James's side.
The blond looked at him before his face softened a bit. "You are lucky that I am forgiving, Regulus." the older man said.
Regulus nodded and smiled a little bit. trying to accept the small mercy that the man was offering him. He was relieved but his fathers expression only darkened at his future partner's words. The rest of the party was looking at him, but his eyes stayed trained on the ground. He looked back up to see his father's disapproving look, he wanted to get back on the horse and go home. He was sure his mother would be hearing about this as well.
His father pulled him up onto the horse with him, he looked over at James whose eyes were trained on Lucius in a glare. The marquess rode over on his white horse closer to James. he looked him up and down, before Lucius raised his hand and slapped James across the face, his glasses flying to the ground. making a sound of what Regulus could only identify as shattered glass.
A few members of the party gasped, but Regulus just looked on, with a look of indifference. he knew that it was better that way, showing no emotion like this didn't affect him, like he didn't care.
" Stay away from my future betrothed," he said.
Lucius smiled at him. a dark and twisted smile. He had a feeling the man enjoyed hurting him. He wondered if that was the same reason why he would hurt his servants.
"I believe we are done here." Lucius said, as he led his horse back towards the meeting grounds for the hunting club.
as they rode Regulus tried to sneak small glances at James that no one would hopefully notice. His hair was messy as usual, and his glasses were broken. the frames bent and the lense cracked. Regulus didn't understand why the man hadn't put them back on. He couldn't see without them.
They arrived quickly back at the hunting club, The men all dismounted their horses and they put them away, Lucius had gone off with his friends and his father was nowhere to be seen. So he walked back up to James, "are you alright?" he asked. James still hasn't put his broken glasses back on and his cheek was pink, from the slap that Lucius had given him earlier.
"you should go Reg. you're going to get into trouble talking to me '' James told him.
"but-" regulus said before james firmly said but no shouted "go."
the younger man nodded, and retreated back to his father. It wasn't until later that day when the two were riding back home. Him and his father in silence that his father spoke to him.
"You should know better than to go off on your own like that."
" i wasn't on my own" he argued "the group ran off without me"
His father turned his head sharply to look at him. " You are to do as you're told, if the others were gone you would've gone home" he told him.
Regulus sighed, "it was an accident" he said. it really wasn't, james had blocked him from going after the group. they weren't left behind by accident at all.
"You will not leave Lucius's side next time. and you will not speak to the Potter boy, he's a bad influence" his father said.
he had a feeling that his father had spoken to Lucius while they were apart, that this whole ordeal had made him madder at himself. if he had been there no conversations could have been had without him. and James wouldn't have gotten slapped.
" yes father"
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Once they arrived home, Regulus was told to go to his room and stay there until his mother called him down for dinner, which would be in a few hours. so he sat down and picked up his book once more. Though he found it impossible to focus on the pages, the french words blurred in his mind, not making sense. He sighed, setting the book down and giving up.
He had been staring at his wall for the last half hour when there was a knock at the door, a servant came in and told him it was time to come down. that his mother was calling him. He thanked her and made his way downstairs. He did not often get in trouble but when he did his parents were sure it would not happen again. He went straight to his fathers private study. closing the door behind him as he entered. He stood up straight, face blank.
His mother was sitting down, she was not happy. she looked up at him and shook her head, "regulus, dear, i thought you were better than that" she said.
He didn't say anything.
she rolled her eyes and scoffed, " I heard what happened today, you let yourself get thrown from your horse, you allowed a man to see you when you weren't at your best" she snapped at him. He was relieved she didn't think that he was caught alone with James potter. it would've been so much worse if they thought something had happened.
" I'm sorry" he said, "I didn't know what to do."
his father cleared his throat, "you should've gone back to the party. you were there to spend time with Mr. Malfoy and you were not doing that" he said. "I didn't choose to be separated" Regulus mumbled, not thinking his father would hear.
he did, and regulus knew that when the man stood up and grabbed his arm tightly. pulling him closer. his grip tightening. "I did not tell you to talk, I expect an apology, boy"
he didn't know what came over him, maybe it was the stress, or the pain from his back or his arm. he didn't know what it was, but a word slipped from his mouth, "no"
"What did you just say?"
Regulus didn't think twice, "nothing, sir." he said, and he could see his fathers face relax slightly. the grip on his arm lessened. "you're not to speak to James Potter again" his father ordered. He nodded, “Yes, Sir. I'll stay away from him.”
His father nodded before he got up and walked towards the door, Regulus stepped out of the way as it was opened, "i'll leave you and your mother to talk" he said before leaving the room.
Regulus wasn't stupid enough to believe that his father was letting him off that easily, there was no way he could be, his mother hadn't even touched him yet. he had a feeling it would be bad. he looked over to the women, she called him froward so he walked closer to her. he knew that she was going to hit him, that she would do whatever she could to harm him.
her hand gripped his chin roughly. turning his head back and forth. "What happened?" she asked him.
"nothing, mama. im fine" he said, not knowing what she was asking.
" you idiot. I mean what happened to make you think that you can speak to us like that, that you can embarrass us like that. What was it? because i will make sure it never happens again. you are a Black, do not forget that you are not your brother. and i will not have two failures for sons. " she spat at him.
" I am not a failure. i did nothing wrong, I am not Sirius" he repeated.
" Oh really, is that why you let him see you at your worst? Is that why Lucius saw you in a light that is unacceptable for a black? "
he said nothing, She slapped him.
Regulus held his breath, he wouldn't cry. Not in front of her.
He knew this was only the beginning. His mother's punishments were never easy, but this time would be especially hard. He had embarrassed them in front of one of the highest ranking pureblood families other than their own.
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Regulus held his jaw, wiping the blood from his lip. He was dismissed after he didn’t know how long he was in the study with his mother. The young man walked up the stairs. Turning into his brother's room. His eyes still stung. But he held on as He turned the door knob to his brother's room.
he always went to Sirius after something like this happened, just like how Sirius always came to him.
The young man opened the door and Sirius was instantly at his side.
"What did they do?" his brother asked.
Regulus just shook his head, not saying anything. He didn't want to admit what had happened. Sirius's arms wrapped around him and he cried. He let it all out.
He knew that he could do it with Sirius. It was safe to do so.
his brother helped him clear the blood off his face and patched up some of the open wounds he had. He was bruised.
Sirius had tried to take his mind off of the incident. But it didn’t seem to work so They both sat down on the floor of his room. And they talked about it "They are going to make you marry Lucius” he said to his brother.
“I know they are.” regulus said. “But it’s what has to be done. I’m sure it won’t be so bad. “ he lied. He didn't believe his own words.
He knew what his family was like, and what they had planned. He was not blind to the world. He had a feeling his wedding night would not be a pleasant experience. And nor would the rest of his life if he ended up marrying Lucius Malfoy. But it was not in his hands. His father and mother had the final say.
Sirius sighed, "I have to get you out of here. I can't stand the thought of them putting their hands on you."
Regulus looked down. He wished Sirius would not bring it up, not now.
“I’m tired, Sirius,” he said.
The older boy knew that meant the conversation was now over. And Regulus would not talk about it anymore. No matter how much Sirius wanted him to tell the truth. To admit that he was not happy and wanted to leave. But every time he just said he couldn’t, that he did not want to.
but by the look in his baby brother's eyes he knew that he desperately wanted out now more than ever.
Regulus fell asleep soon after. Head leaning against Sirius as they sat on the floor against the older one bed. his body exhausted from the physical and emotional events of the day. And Sirius had carried him back to his room. Tucking him in before returning to his own room.
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