Never
Regulus was drowning.
He held his breath, waiting for her answer, waiting for her to say something until it became unbearable. He gasped in a breath and then two, the air burned as it hit his already tortured lungs.
Annabelle said nothing still. He did not know how much time had passed. He would not be surprised if he opened his eyes and she was not there at all. He would not be surprised if she had left him. Just left him.
Regulus knew the feeling all too well. That sense of abandonment. The feeling of emptiness, of hopelessness of knowing that he deserved this.
That he was a coward. He was dishonest, and terrible, and he- Regulus needed to speak. The words got caught in his throat. Tangled in a mess of apologies and I love yous.
He deserved this agony for attempting to trap her as Hades did Persephone, attempting to fool her into loving a monster, convincing himself that if she could love him just for a little while before she even knew, it would be worth it.
The ache in his lungs was terrible. He needed to say something, anything that might convince Annabelle that as broken, and selfish, and cowardly as he was, he could pull himself together into some semblance of a person she could be with still.
"I-" He started but the rest of his words failed him.
I don't want you to go.
Her silence washed over him again like a wave, pushing him further beneath the water until speaking just seemed futile.
Regulus waited. He waited for Annabelle to turn her back on him, and walk away. He waited for her footsteps retreating in the distance, the longing to go with her, the inability to follow.
His eyes were clenched tightly as he resisted the urge to crumble into her arms. She had never held any of this against him. But this was different.
This was war.
This could not be fixed with an anecdote about a childhood spent in front of his family tree with a book open trying to learn more about the great family he belonged to, vowing to make them proud.
Regulus' breathing hitched again when he felt her thumb brush over the harsh red lines that ran over the dark mark.
He did not deserve her. She did not deserve this.
He could not force her to stay, only let her know how terribly he did not want her to go. He would stay away if that's what she wanted. He could hardly bare to think about how she may look at him now.
Perhaps it would be best if she just stopped looking at him at all.
Her hand was cold on the side of his face, he had not realized he was still crying until he felt her wipe away his tears.
Regulus' hand held hers to his face, not in any attempt to trap it there merely in the hopes that his hand might warm hers. He kissed her palm.
"Regulus?" She said softly, suddenly there was air to breathe again. He felt her move closer to him. "Look at me."
"I-I can't." Said Regulus. Hating that words that ought to be poetic confessions of how much he loved and adored every piece of her she had allowed him the privilege of knowing came out as monosyllabic stammers. "I don't, I can't watch you go."
Annabelle fell silent again. Regulus would have given his life to know what was going through her head.
"If you want to, I'll, you can go I'll keep away, but- I just, I don't want to." He whispered.
Regulus wanted to love her. More than she would ever allow him to.
"I know I don't deserve you." He muttered, "And I was just- I was just living on borrowed time until you figured that out."
"You are an utter idiot, your majesty." She said, sniffling and letting out a small sound of amusement. Warmth flooded through Regulus, coursing through his veins and filling him up. Like he could breathe again. He opened his eyes and leant into her touch.
"Yes. I am." Regulus would gladly be her idiot for the rest of his life if she allowed him the honor to be. "I wanted to tell you. So many, so many, times."
Annabelle nodded her head shortly, and then took his hand in hers, and pulled him to a more secluded spot by the lake.
He followed. Regulus would follow Annabelle to the ends of the Earth if she asked. Provided it was just the two of them. That would be perfect.
She sat down. He sat next to her.
Her eyes were trained on the horizon line.
"Explain." She requested quietly, her voice strained.
"Everything?"
"You wanted to tell me. So- So now tell me. How you could, could," her voice wavered. Annabelle took a deep breath in and stared at the ground.
"What you did, why you did it, if it was your choice, how you felt the entire time, how how you felt impacted your," She took a shaky breath in, looking at the sky, the words seemed like a recitation than anything else, "Decision making capabilities, where you got the mark, when you got the mark, when you found out you were gonna get the mark, how fucking unfair it is, I mean really just- just tell me everything. If the dark lord has a signiture scent I want to know about it."
"Blood. Probably." Said Regulus quietly, the corner of Annabelle's mouth quirked upward.
"That's really fitting for him." She muttered. Looking at Regulus, his heart beat for her, she must know that. For the tenderness in her gaze. For the way her hand was still touching his. Annabelle cleared her throat and looked away. "Please."
"I got the dark mark over the summer. After I saw you. I wanted to tell you. I just did not want it to be real." Said Regulus quietly. Shame gripped him. "I knew that once I told you it-"
His breath caught in his throat.
"I did not want it all to be over before it had to be." He said. Annabelle fiddled with the cuff of her jacket.
"And what exactly is it?" She asked him quietly. She wanted to say something else, but she bit her tongue.
For circumstances as complicated as theirs their relationship had always been extremely simple.
"It's, it's everything." He said. Wiping away tears that continued to fall slowly down his cheeks.
The exchanged looks, the scarf she wore around her wrist during Quidditch matches, kisses for luck, notes with lengthy conversations, jokes or arguments covering parchment front to back, sleeping on her in the library, helping her study, meeting through bookshelves, staring at the stars, hours spent talking, just talking, time spent in comfortable silence the sort that could only ever be achieved with your forever person, knowing her more intimately than anyone else in this castle.
The stolen moments of solace that surely ought to have belonged to anyone other than him.
Being allowed the privilege to spend as much time with the love of his life before they couldn't stand the sight of him.
In every simple way, in every poetic way, every romantic way, Regulus loved everything.
"Except for this?" She asked, her eyes on his dark mark. At the ink. At the red lines he's raked against his own perfect skin. Her breath was shaky and he made to take her hand but she shook her head for a split second so he stopped.
"I could not to lose you over something that wasn't my choice." He said. She looked away again, her eyebrows furrowed.
"You chose to keep this from me."
"I should have told you. I'm sorry I didn't. And I know I, I messed it all up, I fucked it all up." This time she allowed him to take her hand. "I even wrote out this whole script on exactly how I would say it. How many times I would tell you how much I loved you make sure you knew- and, and-"
Words failed him again. She was silent again.
"A whole script?"
She smelt far too much like the ocean for a person with words that allowed Regulus to breathe again.
"An outline, a rough draft, a second rough draft, a final copy that became a third rough draft, and I- I kept trying to tell you. Promising that it would be the day it happened, but the longer I waited the harder it got, and-" His voice broke again as regret flooded him.
"I always understood, I understand that I'm rather, that I'm difficult to love." Said Regulus, his breath shaky as he looked at the ground. "But I always felt, I feel so loved by you." He looked at the horizon line. "Even if you never said it back. And I- I thought this, I knew this would just make it impossible for you to, to ever-" He could not even finish his sentence.
Regulus stood up and waded into the water. He did not understand what Annabelle was still doing here.
If he could be anyone else he would be. If he could leave his own life would. So what kept her here?
Why wasn't she shouting at him for taking the mark. For lying to her? She should have hexed him, hit him, or something.
This was a selfish act. This- he should be focusing on the pain he's inflicted on her not on himself. However he felt too much. Needed a moment to ask the question that her constant presence in his life begged.
"Regulus?" She said.
His breathing was ragged as he looked from the lake to the school to the sky as though waiting for some divine intervention to explain what the hell Annabelle was still doing with him.
A question that had plagued him for years. How was she not sick at the sight of him?
"You know that you deserve better than this right?" He asked, his back to her.
Was her presence a result of self destructive patterns? Did Annabelle think the only way she could be loved was by someone who hid her? How could she ever love someone who benefitted and was a part of all that she was against? All that was against her? She never gave him an ultimatum. Was it because she knew she would lose? Did she think she would always lose? Lose him? Had Annabelle resigned herself to a school days tryst in Regulus' memoirs instead of her rightful place at his side at the end? The only way this could end happily is with them together.
"What?" Asked Annabelle, standing up and staring at the back of his head, thoroughly wishing she had taken up legilimency instead of jewelry making over the summer.
Regulus drew a shaky breath, it felt like breathing water into his lungs as he stood trying to gather the courage to look at her again. His eyes shut again as he tried his luck at breathing. Regulus had always felt more than enough, every joy, every pride, every shame, every fear he carried them all on his shoulders as he stood and on his chest as he lay gasping for air when it all became too heavy. Feelings of inadequacy were commonplace, jealousy he was well acquainted with, love for the person now standing next to him, and fear.
Fear that she would never look at him the same way ever again.
A thought resurfaced in his mind.
Maybe it's best if she just stops looking at all.
Regulus had known this would not end in a wedding. It would not end with a lifetime spent together, no matter how desperately he held onto that fantasy it would only end in their very own agony delivered from love.
His eyes shut in resignation, and his shoulders sank.
Regulus deserved this pain.
Regulus did not want Annabelle to go but-
"Why, why are you still here?" He said, opening his eyes. if he could be anyone else he would be. So bound by duty and devotion to his family and its most noble name that he would break the heart of the person he loved over and over again until they could not take it anymore, "I would have left me years ago if I had the option, I, I just never understood-I don't understand,"
Annabelle's eyes flickered all over his face. She was having a bit of a challenging day. For someone thought widely by friends and family of being incapable of emotion beyond happy, sad, and I want to blow this up, she sure as hell did not know how to deal with this.
Annabelle could practically hear his melodramatic internal monologue about his life as the beautiful and the damned, he had probably mentioned something about the greek gods at some point.
"You deserve so much more than me, Belle. I love you more than you could ever allow me to, to the point that I don't want you to have to lower yourself in order to be with me." Said Regulus his words coming out like poison. He rejected them, he hated the truth with every fibre of his being.
"What do you wan-"
"Nevermind what I want. What do you want Annabelle?" Asked Regulus, her heart was beating quickly which did not make sense considering how cold her hands were, and how much she felt, and could everyone just shut up for like five minutes so she could think- "What do you wan-"
"You!" She said, finally shouting at him and then catching her breath, "I want you, I want to be with you, and I'm still here because, because I- you, us, and I- " She said her cheeks bright pink.
"You make me feel- you make me feel." She said.
"Yeah right now it sort of is knife to the heart pain. But I never thought I'd be able to do that, feel that, and I don't want to go back to feeling nothing. It sucked and I'm not about to give the feeling thing up because of some fucking bullshit about what you think I deserve because some twat who isn't even a goddamn pure blood decided to make you get the ugliest tattoo known to mankind. Honestly makes the lower back tattoos look classy by comparison." She ranted.
"But,"
"Deserve doesn't even come into the picture for me. That is called an ethical dilemma, and that requires a chalkboard to figure out and notes, and we both know my handwriting isn't good enough for that." She said, "I only know what I want. And you are the only person I've ever really wanted. Apart from maybe Stevie Nicks, princess margaret, the drummer from queen, and your really hot cousin but that's really a conversation for another time. And I don't know how much time we've got left. But I'm spending it with you. I want to be with you. And keep you company while you wait from what I'm sure you refer to as your dark fate, or destiny, or whatever other melodramatic tragic ass word you're using. I just want an explanation."
She was shaking. Regulus draped his coat over her shoulders.
It smelt like him. Made the whole breathing thing easier.
Annabelle got what she wanted. And what she wanted right now was Regulus.
"I don't get a say in a whole lot. In life in general. I got to be a witch for like seven years and then everyone was saying well, war, let's do some war. But just let me have a say in this your majesty." Said Annabelle. "I want to talk about it and I want to work through this because I want to be with you. It's you and me and us and one day at a time and all the romantic crap that I pretend sucks but secretly really like. This ends on my terms, yeah? Or yours,"
"As though that would ever happen."
"Fine. Mine then. I lose you when I die-"
"Never say that ever again. Ever." Said Regulus, shaking his head. If he had rejected her silence like water in his lungs, this was far worse.
"Fine. I lose you when I- take a long vacation,"
"And I can't go with you?" He asked.
"This whole us thing ends on my terms. You explain everything to me. And if I find out that you've left even a single detail out like if it's a spell or you used a tattoo gun, whether the fact it looks like an eight is significant or anything else, I swear to God I will make a threat later because I feel emotional and I can't think of one when you're looking at me like that."
"Like what?" Asked Regulus, his hands on her waist.
"With your eyes, and-"
"Oh, now how could I?" Said Regulus. His breath still shaky as he looked at her.
"I'm trying to threaten you." She said indignantly.
"I'm shaking already." Said Regulus, pressing a kiss to Annabelle's forehead. "I'm so sorry."
She hugged him tightly. Giving Regulus the impression that she might need this just as much as he did. Annabelle gripped the fabric of his shirt. She smelt like the ocean.
In all the best ways.
Annabelle may not be his. She would never belong to him like a common possession. A trinket that could so easily be replaced.
Annabelle was his love. All the love he could ever hope to feel belonged to her.
"I'm so sorry." He repeated.
And then he broke. Truly shaking in her arms crumbling into them as he knew he would. He shattered into a million pieces of shame that he could hurt Annabelle 'knife to the heart sort of way', the reality crashing in on him like waves as he felt her heartbeat against his chest, wishing a million times over that he could be someone worthy of her. Not some sinner throwing himself on his knees before his saint. Begging for forgiveness.
"I didn't want to hurt you. It wasn't my choice. He, he would have killed me, my family I-" He said, shutting his eyes and holding her tighter. "No one should ever be allowed to hurt you. Not me. Not anyone. And it was selfish and wrong to keep my being a, being a-" His voice broke.
Annabelle only held him tighter. Swearing that she would hold him, just like this, until all of the pain was gone until he could wear that dazzling smile, kiss her knuckles, and fall asleep on her shoulder arms wrapped around her waist as she studied in the library. She would hold him until he was given a chance to live the sort of life where no one would wound him this deeply ever again.
"I'll kill him for you." Said Annabelle idly. He could laugh.
"Is he not some sort of immortal?" Asked Regulus. Thanking every possible god and angel in existence that Annabelle Aelin had been placed on his boat in first year.
"Then I get to kill him twice." Said Annabelle. "For the catharsis."
"You really want to keep me company?" Said Regulus.
If you asked Annabelle if she would have rather allowed Regulus to be killed or have him take the mark, in the most selfish of ways she would have had him take the mark. No matter what it meant for him.
He was alive. He was with her.
Annabelle had gone unloved or at least received the wrong sort for enough of her life for her to want to hold onto this. To find a way, any way to forgive him.
There were so many people Annabelle would forgive for far worse with any form of apology. Why would she not afford Regulus that same chance as he begged her?
Regulus pulled away slowly, pressing a kiss to her temple. Looking at him broke her heart all over again.
His hands held both of hers in an attempt to warm them.
She nodded and kissed his knuckles before saying,
"It's us, your majesty. No noseless twat with a god complex is going to keep me from you." Annabelle met his eyes.
"Won't you grow sick of all this?" Regulus asked, only aware of the sun setting behind them from the reflection in Annabelle's eyes and the light on her skin.
Annabelle averted her eyes and worry flooded him for a mere moment before she met his eyes and said very decidedly,
"I'm actually pretty in love with you as it turns out." said Annabelle, her hold on his hands tightened ever so slightly.
A small triumphant expression covered her face because she had finally said it. She smiled against his lips when he kissed her and the world fell away, moved closer to him when his hands found her waist, laughed when he tripped sending them into the icy cold water.
Neither seemed to mind, resurfacing with the most idiotic smiles you've ever seen. He moved closer, pushing the hair from Annabelle's face before kissing her again.
He rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you too." He said quietly, paying little mind to her involuntary cringe at the words spoken aloud.
Only death would keep her from him she decided. It would all be on their terms. This relationship. It was all theirs.
Her hands felt in her pockets for the gift she had gotten him in hogsmeade. It felt idiotic to really to want to do something as juvenile as give him a promise ring when her worst fears had been confirmed. That he truly would be on the other side of a war and she might not be able to protect him.
"What are you looking for?" He asked, noticing that neither of her hands here on him. She pulled away for a moment and found the bag containing the small box that had fallen from her pocket in the water near them, and lifted it, handing it to him wordlessly. Regulus had never actually seen Annabelle so tongue tied. "What could possibly be so important-"
A small box. Annabelle had a habit of gifting him jewelry.
The cufflinks he wore to this day, but they were well beyond cufflinks. She had already gifted him Slytherin's locket. And only one other sort of jewelry could be contained in a box this small.
"Yes." He breathed so softly that Annabelle almost would not be able to hear it. In fact she did not hear it.
He had never wanted anything so badly in his life.
"I- I'm really shite at talking about my feelings. I was going to do this on our anniversary but-" She blurted rather unpoetically, realizing she had not heard him, Regulus' cheeks reddened. He opened the box. It was a silver ring. Rather similar to the family ring he wore now, only this one bore his initials engraved with hers so subtly no one would be able to notice it. "And, and when we went to that museum you really liked the eyes."
"I did." Said Regulus eyes on that silver ring as he waited for a question the answer to which would be yes.
"Open it." He looked at her, confused. "The ring."
He opened it to reveal a small portrait of an eye, her eye he realized. Painted delicately on the small canvas inside the ring. He loved it immediately and was intent on keeping it with him always.
"It's called a lover's eye. Nobility used to wear them when they were in love with people but it had to be secret. I've done extensive research on this all started with some bloke with the name fitzherbert which is really unfortu- beside the point." Her cheeks tinted pink.
"I just, I'm not good at talking about how I feel. So I, I just figured that you could look at it and know that, that I, I, I love you, Regulus. And I know it's not the same as hearing it for you, but I really don't like the way it sounds right now, I just I want you to know that, that I-"
She was so cold. Regulus removed his family ring, hardly even caring as it fell into the black lake. He put her ring on.
Annabelle had a rather large amount of unresolved trauma attached to the three words composed of eight letters that Regulus was so fond of saying.
But that did not mean that Annabelle was not head over heels in love with Regulus. She would not call it falling in love. She hated heights too much for the imagery of those words alone. It just seemed far too accidental for the way she felt.
"It's perfect." Said Regulus, his eyes lingering on the ring he would wear as a promise ring until it meant more than that. us. The word engraved softly on the side made his heart warm. "You don't like the way it sounds when I say it? That I l-"
Guilt covered her features.
"There are other ways that I can say it." Concluded Regulus, looking at his new ring before looking at the love of his life again as her eyes softened on him. "You cannot fathom just how deep my regard goes for you, Belle."
She laughed. "I think I can fathom it, your majesty."
"I'll keep a tally of the number of times I want to tell you about that deep regard. When you grant me the privilege of saying it, well I really hope you will not have plans that day. And night. And morning over breakfast." Said Regulus, a dazzling smile overtaking his features. He stood offering her a hand she took it warm smile on her face. He dried her magically first. Looking at the lingering worry in her eyes.
A beat of silence passed between them.
"They were there for a muggle born. None were there." Said Regulus, having spent a great deal of time meticulously planning events for every muggle born in the school at the time of the attack. "I'll make you tea in the kitchens."
She nodded as her hand slid into his and she twined their fingers together.
"I owe you an explanation. I won't leave anything out I promise." Said Regulus. "I'll find a way to earn your forgiveness, Belle."
"It was not your choice?"
"It was not my choice."
"Is the inferi thing back?"
"Never when I'm with you." He said, and she nodded as he lead her towards the castle.
"Which greek gods did you compare this situation to?" She asked and he stopped walking, turning to look at her with a furrowed brow,
"Legilimency?"
"I just know you really well, your majesty."
Regulus held her hand tighter. He would become the love she deserved he promised himself. Someone strong and brave who would live and die for her. He would tell her everything. He would protect her. And as soon as fate allowed it, he would be with her wholly.
Regulus had never in all his life of wealth and riches been given such a divine privilege as to love and to be loved by Annabelle Aelin.
She ought to know everything about him.
-*-
When Regulus was young there was little he enjoyed more than staring at his family tree. He had a collection of notes on each member. He wanted to know who got burnt off, and why they had been removed. How he could avoid it. So he had asked his big brother. Because Sirius knew everything.
"And there we are, Reg." Said Sirius, pointing at their spots on the family tree.
"You said you knew everything." Said Regulus who had been promised a comprehensive explanation of who everyone was on the tree.
"Is that not the pair of us? Am I wrong, little brother?" Asked Sirius, gesturing to them again.
"Well no, but-"
"Then my work is done. I really don't see what else you could expect from me." Said Sirius, messing with Regulus' hair.
"Stop that." Said Regulus. Seven years old and desperate to know everything about the great and noble house of Black. He was terribly proud to belong to something so important.
His mother would let him sit with her in the parlour as she took her tea. An honour he was sure because Sirius was seldom allowed to even be in the house when she had her friends in despite being the heir. She would talk and he would listen all about how it did not matter if he had nightmares because his family was here to protect him so long as he protected it.
Walburga fussed over Sirius far more than she did Regulus. Whispering it was because he needed less fixing than his elder brother.
Regulus did not know what to think of that. Sirius was tall and brave and each day he hoped to be more like him.
But the screams from behind closed doors when a vase was broken, or a picture had fallen from it's frame was enough that Regulus knew he should never voice this to their mother.
Regulus had knocked the vase over. It was an accident. Sirius had told him. Run. Hide. And Regulus did. Regret growing inside of him as he heard Sirius' screams.
"If you know everything who is that?" Asked Regulus, pointing to a cruel looking woman that came several generations before them.
"Someone with the name of a star, constellation or galaxy." Said Sirius, nodding resolutely.
"Sirius."
"I am in fact serious, Little brother. Am I wrong?" Asked Sirius, and Regulus looked at the name and turned a little pink in the face.
"No."
Sirius grinned and stood proudly.
"See? I do know everything." He said,
"Well then who's-"
"Can't hear you, little brother, I'm too far away..." Said Sirius, walking away quickly before Regulus could pester him with anymore. Regulus huffed.
He looked at the wall filled with his family and looked to his own small portrait. Some day his family would be as proud of him as he was of them.
Sun poured through one of the windows, the dust in the air lit up and Regulus looked at it. He liked the sun. It was rare he saw it like this. Living in London with the constant rain and fog.
Regulus listened for his mother for a minute or two before he felt safe enough to sit on the floor of the room and admire the way the sun lit up the tree.
Regulus was a terribly lonely boy, so it should come as no shock that he spent time imagining what it would be like to have a companion. Not like Sirius. While brilliant and amazing and everything Regulus hoped he could someday be- Regulus wanted a friend who understood him.
His branch of the tree would be twined with theirs. And they would sit right next to him and listen to him speak. Help him research and-
As Regulus grew up he would grow to resent these foolish fantasies from when he was a boy. Because he refused those moments with anyone but her.
It was the summer his cousin had married her mudblood. Regulus remembered holding the forbidden invitation in his hands as he stood in his spot in front of the family tree.
His eyes lifted to Andromedas charred portrait on the tree, then sank to his own pristine portrait. Regulus turned the invitation over in his hands, having every intention of burning it before his mother or Sirius could see.
Or Merlin forbid his father.
Regulus looked at his coveted spot in the noble and most ancient house of Black and shook his head.
It would pass.
He was so very wrong.
And as soon as Sirius stepped out of that door, Regulus' fate was sealed.
The fireplaces into and out of his home were sealed off. And Walburga ever eager to prove that she had produced an obedient and perfect pureblood heir had raised Regulus to be just that.
If Regulus ran now. If Regulus got away by running through the front door, and catching the first train to scotland his mother would come for both of them. Sirius could not return. It would kill him His hair would be cut his eyes dimmed. Regulus could survive this world. Sirius could not.
There was no choice left in Regulus' life.
He recounted this tale of woe to Annabelle,
Her eyes trained on him as she added sugar blindly to her tea. Too focused on him to think about the suddenly sweet beverage in her hands. It felt good to be open to her. Realize just how conditionless her love was.
"I'll make note of this." He said, nodding to her mug. "No cream, seven sugars."
"I've only hit seven? Better round it up to an even ten."
"Is the tea I prepare for you truly so dreadful?" He asked, he was playing with her hair. They were in the greenhouses. The abandoned ones. Where the Hufflepuffs held a certain sort of party, on a couch, Annabelle's legs were across his lap her hands on the mug of tea he'd prepared for her. She preferred mugs. Shockingly there were still sugar cubes in the small bowl she had snagged from the kitchens.
"It's just tea-dious." Said Annabelle
"Your beauty is only just enough to make that sort of humour acceptable, my love." Said Regulus, hiding his smile behind his tea cup. "What were you like when you were younger?"
Annabelle took a long pause.
"Wee."
"How descriptive."
"Smaller."
"Detailed."
"Aye. Loads of vague nondescript stories." Said Annabelle. She wanted to smoke. Regulus could tell.
"Belle? If ever I go missing don't take this the wrong way but I'd rather not have you give my description to the aurors." Said Regulus, Annabelle smiled. He liked it when light came through and lit her up. It was like she had made a deal with the sun, made it sign a contract. "You've told me bits about your time as a quote 'wee little lass'."
"I do not sound like that."
"That's exactly what you sound like. If I were a different person I'd pursue a life on the stage." Said Regulus.
"My life isn't that special, Regulus. dime a dozen. Not like yours. With your big family tree, and all that... classical music."
"Well. You know how I feel about jazz."
"You loathe it." Said Annabelle.
"It's incessant and repetitive. Like an insolent little child that won't take no for an answer." Said Regulus. Annabelle was amused by him. "Anything is better. That insipid muggle metal music."
"I love alliteration."
"It's my second favourite literary device."
"Second?" She gasped.
"After symbolism." Said Regulus.
"I don't think we can recover from this your majesty." Said Annabelle, Regulus laughed. "Last straw? That camel's back?"
"Is it broken?"
"Aye, wee camel. Poor thing. Never stood a chance. Which is saying a lot considering Camel's are made to be freakish survivalist murder machines."
"Are you sure hyperbole is not your favourite literary device?" Said Regulus.
"No, I'm not shitting you, your majesty, they can swim, they can survive without water, weirdly sharp teeth, can kill so many things. How the fuck did they get to Australia?" Said Annabelle.
"Human intervention most likely."
"No. This is, this is a conspiracy."
"Of course. I'm crazy." Said Regulus. "How could I be so blind to the truth about alpacas with humps."
Annabelle smiled as she laughed. When her smile grew too wide her nose would scrunch, and the words I love you would slip from his lips easily. Too easily.
She knew everything. And still. Here Annabelle was. He looked at his ring.
He loved her completely. And she loved him the same.
Everything else didn't really matter.
She would tell him everything. When she was ready.
-*-
"I'm seven." said Annabelle whispering to herself as she awoke on her seventh birthday. She sat up and looked across the room to where her sister slept. "Olivia!" She whisper shouted.
Nothing. Olivia mumbled something about giants in the sky and Annabelle slipped from her own bed and walked to her sister's.
"Olivia." Said Annabelle, shaking her awake.
"I will kill you." Muttered Olivia, "In the nicest way possible. Just let me sleep." She mumbled before rolling over and Annabelle got onto the bed and shook her again. "Maybe not the nicest way possible then."
"I'm seven."
"Seven sharks. Yes."
"No, I'm seven."
"You're Annie."
"No. I'm seven." Said Annabelle excitedly before getting distracted by the snow outside. "Snow."
"You're seven snow?" Said Olivia confused and sitting up as Annabelle opened the window. "Snow." She said as an observation, getting out of bed to stand at the window. "You're seven?"
"I'm Annie." Said a distracted Annabelle, reaching out to touch the snow. Olivia kept her from toppling out the window. She never was one for this foreign concept of personal safety. As though a second Annie might be something to come by easily. As though she were replaceable. "And it's my birthday."
"And uncle Rick is here." Said Olivia letting go of her sister's shoulder and pointing to the car in the driveway. Annabelle lurched forward, gripping the rail before regaining her balance. "Can't believe it. What did you ask for this time?" Asked Olivia, pulling Annabelle from the window and shutting it.
"Map of London." Said Annabelle, and Olivia wrinkled her nose. Olivia was not one for the city. Thought it was dirty. "Is dad making pancakes?" She asked, getting distracted by the smell of them in the kitchen and the absence of loud voices in the air.
"And then, Alice, my hand to God," Said Rick, their dad scoffed.
"God? Thought since the celtics lost-"
"Don't remind me Artie. Now isn't the time. I'm impressing your wife so she's less cross with my simply showing up. Anyways my hand to god he was driving down the highway. There was a silhouette in the backseat. And what was it? Any guesses?" Asked Rick, leaning towards Mrs Aelin, she shook her head, exhaling smoke before taking another drag of her cigarette, "A bag of mulch."
Alice burst with laughter. The sound was by no means pretty but when laughter was to be earned as it was with her, it was rewarding. It helped that Alice Aelin may be one of the most gloriously beautiful women to have ever lived.
She had deep skin, bright eyes. Her complexion was as close to perfection as one could ever hope to achieve. Her hair fell in perfect waves, and her features were as lovely as a breath of heaven. A true siren come to life from the mast of a ship.
Alice was romani. Her parents had hidden her at a convent during the second world war, knowing she would be kept safe and hidden as they were persecuted. The nuns changed her name. Raised her to be all she was. Everything good and everything vile and shameful. And refused to return her once the war had ended. Shooing her widowed mother away scornfully. As a result she grew knowing nothing about her parent's sacrifice only the catholic faith and how it had saved her soul. Marrying as soon as she got pregnant to a man she never loved and grew to resent. It was not a unique experience.
But it gravely impacted her relationship with her oblivious daughters. Especially the witch.
"Don't feel special, babe, he's been saying that since the army." Said Arthur, setting pancakes down in front of his wife.
"Yes. But this time I really mean it. There really was a bag of mulch." He said paired with a winning smile and lighting a cigarette. For showmanship. Of course.
"A bag of mulch?" Said Olivia, sitting down right next to him. He set a wrapped box down in front of her when Arthur's back was turned.
"Yes. Right in his back seat. I know the bloke if you want to ask him, doll." Said Rick, as Annabelle sat next to her sister.
"What was his name?" Asked Annabelle.
"Crazily, and truthfully? His name was Jack. And you may know him as the fellow who thought that beanstocks were a good realestate investment." Said Rick.
"He's got nothing on the old lady and that shoe." Said Annabelle and Rick smiled at her and nodded, handing her a map of London. Annabelle beamed. Opening the map. "It's so big."
"And dirty." Said Olivia unwrapping the gift of the doll she wanted. Now she had two and she could play with Annabelle.
"Maybe the doll will like London. Maybe that's where she's from." Said Annabelle unfolding the map, careful not to touch the ashtray. Last time she'd shattered one of those her mum had been so mad.
"Is she? From London, Uncle Rick?" Asked Olivia, her big hazel eyes wide matching their mother's perfectly.
"I am inclined to say no. But that her accent is from London." Said Rick.
"I thought we hated the English." Muttered Annabelle, trying to memorize the streets of the city and the order they all came in.
"We do, sweetheart." Said Arthur. "Bland."
"You are what you eat." Commented Alice.
"How would she have a Londoner's accent?" Asked Olivia,
"Perhaps she went to school there, Doll," Said Alice, refolding Annabelle's map to make room for the plate of pancakes Arthur set in front of each of his daughters and setting it aside.
"Like the ballerinas?" Asked Olivia.
"Exactly like the ballerinas." Said Alice. Olivia seemed satisfied with the answer and removed the ribbon from her hair to tie it around the doll's hand. "Maybe London's not so bad."
"Cross your heart?"
"And kiss my elbow." Said Olivia.
"We've got to take that tape from them, babe." Said Alice with a long false exasperated sigh.
"I know." Said Arthur, shaking his head and sitting down. "I know. In my defence in buying it I thought it would be a story only about breakfast foods in a jewelry store."
Alice laughed and covered her smile with her hand. She was wearing her rings. Annabelle shifted closer to Olivia.
"Like scrambled eggs and bacon with a side of diamonds?" Queeried Rick, furrowing his eyebrows.
"That may hurt your teeth, Ricky, but yes. They like shiny things. Like fish." Said Arthur, and Rick laughed. "It's true, Annie has been distracted by how polished the silverware is as we speak."
Annabelle turned bright pink and looked away from the bright spot of light the spoon had created on the ceiling.
"I can see my reflection in it." Whispered Olivia, just noticing.
"Silverware is important." Said Rick, nodding. "You know,"
"Not this story." Mumbled Arthur, standing and moving to cover his daughter's ears but Rick stopped him.
"They should know what a hero their favourite uncle is. I mean I'm not even one of their parents' brothers. It's called being impressive and they should know about it." Said Rick and Arthur sat back down. "Thank you. Anyways. I once saved your dad's life with nothing but a fork."
"A fork?" Questioned Olivia.
"A fork." Said Rick, "And as luck would have it. It was," He seemingly pulled a fork from Olivia's ear, "It was this very fork."
"It wasn't that fork." Whispered Annabelle as Olivia gasped.
"I realize but still how did it get behind my ear." Replied Olivia.
"How do you know it wasn't this fork, sweetheart?" Asked Rick,
"I wasn't born yesterday. I was born seven whole years ago." Said Annabelle happily. "But how did you do that thing with her ear?"
"Magic." Said Rick, doing sparkle fingers.
"Eat your food Annie." Said Alice, noticing the remaining pancake on Annabelle's plate.
"Yes ma'am." She said, doing as she was told.
"Father Clemence says that witchcraft is evil." Said Olivia matter of factly.
"If I didn't do everything that the church deemed evil I would be an extremely boring man." Said Rick, "And you may not even exist."
"How's that?"
"Roughly a fifty fifty shot." Said Rick. and Alice kicked him beneath the table. "Did I ever tell you how I beat the Queen in a poker match?"
"More lies." Said Arthur not paying much mind to the conversation.
"It involved a royal flush." Said Rick.
"You have never gotten a royal flush."
"You have never even won a game." Said Rick, rolling his eyes and looking at Arthur.
"Stitch up." Said Arthur harshly.
"You didn't want me to stitch up when I payed for the water last month." Said Rick.
"You what?" Asked Arthur, brow furrowed.
"Thought you knew. Pass the butter, Ali." Said Rick idly. Arthur's hand gripped the fork and Annabelle tensed. Shrinking in her seat as her mother raised an arm to pass the butter.
"Water is a necessity. And he offered to help." Said Alice.
"When?"
"We were on the phone talking and I mentioned,"
"I could have gotten the money together."
"Well you didn't have to."
"Alice."
"It's Annie's birthday. I don't think this is the time to think about that." Said Alice, and Annabelle's fearful expression turned into one of disbelief. "I bought you yarn. I would've gotten something else but Mrs Sorin said she was teaching you to knit."
Annabelle ran her thumb over the cuts on her left hand. She wasn't allowed to write with it at school. Which was terribly inconvenient considering she was left handed. It was a horrific day when the school called her mother before the girl kept writing with her left hand. Her mother had been so cross.
And she had been wearing her rings.
Mrs Sorin from the shops said that once she could use both hands, picking the right one would be no problem.
The nuns at school hated Annabelle, she didn't do particularly well, could never concentrate, things tended to catch fire around her, she wrote with her left hand, she liked to say how she would marry princess margaret one day, the list went on. And it would only grow as she got older and refused to be broken.
"Thank you, ma," Said Annabelle, smiling and looking at the pretty grey yarn. She liked this sort of grey. Like someone had mixed all the colours into one.
"It's a useless skill." Said Rick. "I'm going to teach the pair of you to play poker."
"With the cards?" Asked Olivia.
"You aren't teaching her anything." Said Arthur. "No corrupting my daughters, Ricky. At least not the one that looks like she belongs on the top of a christmas tree."
Olivia smiled and nodded, "I am an Angel." She said, tossing her hair over her shoulder and causing Annabelle to giggle.
"Annie'll do. You see sweetheart," He said, flicking the cigarette ash into the ashtray that sat as the centrepiece of the table, "The trick is letting the world see you as a terrible liar. So they won't see it coming when you tear the world out from under them."
"She's seven. She's not about to run off and join the mob." Said Arthur with a laugh.
"Because of gravity wouldn't they go with the world if you were to tear it from under them?" Asked Olivia.
"Don't you go to catholic school?" Asked Rick, "Science is a theory, doll."
Annabelle flinched when her father raised his hands to gesture as he told a story about their 'Uncle Rick' she did not understand why she always got so cold when her whole family was in a room together.
She got distracted by the snow out the window. It was rare that it snowed this much. Excitement bubbled inside of her and the smoke detector went off as the snow fell in heavier sheets.
It was a pity she wouldn't be able to see the stars tonight. She was not all that sure she even was able to love much. And if what her parents had for her, for each other, was love as they insisted it was she didn't think she wanted it.
But in the purest way, Annabelle loved the stars at the very least.
Watching them fade from the sky as the sun rose over the horizon was her favourite. As much as she hated to watch the stars fade from the sky nothing matched the magic of watching the world wake up.
She would sit on the front of her father's fishing boat every day he brought her out, waiting for that first glimpse of sunlight.
Except for Sundays. Sundays Annabelle's mother brought them all to church and Uncle Rick came for dinner sometimes.
It was a Sunday when Uncle Rick passed away. She had thought he was sleeping. After dinner her dad had told him he could sleep on the couch. Walking downstairs to watch television when she couldn't sleep. He did not wear rings Annabelle thought to herself touching the bruising on the side of her face. And he said he would be up all night with the TV.
She could hear it faintly.
I love lucy.
Must be reruns. Annabelle's favourite show was Bewitched. Maybe they could find it. It really pissed off the people at church.
Not that faith was not nice and all just- one tended to lose it when a nun tells you that your lefthandedness was caused by the devil.
The light was faint in the dark room. But the bags Arthur told Annabelle never to touch were opened it was a mess.
"Uncle Rick?" She had whispered, nudging his shoulder, she looked at the 'doctor's equipment' as her dad called it before and shook him again. "Dad's gonna be mad."
She could hear the loud laugh track behind her.
"I love you, Ricky!" said Lucy on the screen loudly. And Rick's eyes opened to look at Annabelle.
"I love you, Ali." were the last mumbled words she heard before cold eyes remained open far to long and skin turned paler.
"I love you!" Ricky replied on the screen and the laugh track was all Annabelle could hear as she stepped away from him, eyes welling with tears.
Annabelle screamed.
It was pointless really. Her sister was out of the house so who would comfort her? She did not cry for her mother or her father. Who were they to protect her?
It was pure terror.
Everything turned into a haze.
She stumbled backward, hitting the coffee table and getting one of the scars that would litter her back in later years.
Her father's footsteps thundered down the stairs and he looked from Annabelle to his friend's corpse.
"Are you done?" He asked her.
There was no surprise on his face. She sniffled and nodded.
"Annie. Look at me." Said Arthur, bending down in front of his daughter, he raised his hand to touch her hair and she flinched away. Bruise still aching on her cheek. "You saw nothing. Nothing." She shook her head. He was not wearing his rings she was less afraid. "First time I saw something like this I didn't scream."
"You didn't?"
"Well of course not. Your mother hates loud noises. And out of my love for her? A lower volume is required, little lass." Said Arthur. "You. Saw. Nothing."
"I saw him." Said Annabelle. "And he, he, he's not sleeping is he? Where's mum?"
"Assumed you saw a spider."
"I'm not scared of spiders." Said Annabelle, frowning.
"Then just picture him as a tiny little dead spider." Said Arthur. "That wouldn't scare you now would it?"
She shook her head and wiped away her tears as the sole light in the room came from the television, reading I love, Lucy.
All she could hear was the loud music of the credits. She wanted it to stop she needed it to sto-The Television caught fire, roaring and crackling intently as her father ran to fetch the fire blanket.
Annabelle sat on the floor and tried to make herself very small.
She wanted to shout at the words swirling in her mind as she pulled the collar of her sweater up over her face to hide from the rest of the world as she cried.
She just didn't understand.
Annabelle wished that fire would just swallow her whole. And then as she was pulled to her feet, Annabelle was overtaken with this horrid cold feeling.
Her hands were cold and numb. Annabelle could feel herself moving forward just there was no feel of the ground against her feet as she walked out to the boat with her dad in her pyjamas, clutching her story book to her chest as he promised the waves would make it all better.
He promised absently to remain sober when Alice pestered him. Promising a better life than Ricky could have ever provided with his 'problem'. The 'problem' of course being one which resulted from getting hurt serving his country, and being perscribed something wrong.
Then he made pancakes as though nothing had ever happened.
"Do you know what happened to Uncle Rick?" Whispered Olivia.
"Nothing." Said Annabelle. "It was a crazy story. And a true one."
"Cross your heart?"
"And kiss my elbow."
Olivia then noticed the bruise on her face.
And Annabelle failed to lie to her about it.
-*-
"Belle." Said Regulus as he sat on the sill of a window in their hidden hallway. He cringed as he sat up properly, a pain shooting through his side. She was carrying her bag and waved as she approached.
It was Saturday.
Regulus would be cross with her for missing Quidditch but it was difficult to feel anything remotely negative towards her when she wore those tops.
He presented his cheek to be kissed.
"Dumbledore should be in charge of hostage keeping because I tried so hard to get out of there to get to the Quidditch pitch, kidnapping is illegal, d'you think he knows that?"
Regulus presented his cheek to be kissed again.
"Belle." He said expectantly, and she huffed as though the task were truly taxing before kissing his cheek and sitting beside him.
"I realize he's brilliant and all that crap and jazz"
"That wouldn't be a very popular show would it?"
"but Dumbledore talks just a wee bit too much." Said Annabelle with an overly dramatic sigh, rummaging through her bag. And then tilting it forward so he could peer in. Regulus could laugh because among other things was about half of Dumbledores supply of lemon drops.
"Have I ever told you how much I appreciate your sense of Justice?" Said Regulus. She had been in a meeting with Dumbledore. She hadn't just forgotten. "you're also forgetting how he often talks in riddles."
And turned you into a political pawn for his own personal gain. Regulus kept that particular thought to himself.
"I still don't completely understand what he meant by turn on the light in dark times." Said Regulus, leaning on the window and reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Matches. Probably. Honestly your majesty, you call yourself intelligent." She said with a small scoff and smile. "I'd say light bulbs but you still don't understand how they work."
Regulus' face reddened and he looked away as she smiled wickedly at him.
"It's not that complica-"
"You would think that like charges would like each other." He said. "And then there is where it comes from? How does a charge know to be negative or not?"
"Tell it a joke. Put it in a good mood." Said Annabelle.
"Belle,"
"Little knock knock, who's there sort of thing." Said Annabelle he bit down on the side of his cheek to keep himself from smiling too broadly.
"Belle."
"Ion-ly want you to me happy, your majesty."
Regulus ran his hand over his face to hide his smile.
"Merlin." He muttered, wincing when he sat up a bit to be nearer to her hoping she wouldn't notice.
She noticed.
Her eyes scanned over his entire person before she said-
"Take your shirt off."
"Such a flirt- Aelin." He said small gasp as he tried to make himself comfortable against the window again but failed.
"What happened?" She asked him, supporting him, putting his arm around her shoulders making it easier to sit.
"Just a bludger." He said. "Hit- on my-"
"We're going to the hospital wing." Said Annabelle matter of factly.
"What no- I-"
"Only I'm allowed to hit on you. So yeah. Let's go." Said Annabelle.
"I can't." Said Regulus. His eyes drifted to his covered left arm.
Before he had the time to stop her she pushed his left sleeve up trying not to pay too much attention to the red lines that crossed the mark and set her wand on his wrist, muttering a spell.
And it was gone.
"It's effective cloaking really effective but taxing. Like the French monarchy during that revolution thing they had a while back."
"The French Revolution?" Said Regulus anything pain racing through him. But she made it easier.
"That's the one." Said Annabelle, helping him to his feet and helping him limp to the hospital wing. "How was the game?"
"There were some ups and downs."
"Oh yeah?"
"Crazy but true." He said as she helped him down the stairs. "I was distracted."
"Thinking too hard about electricity?"
"Lemon drops as well." Said Regulus. "How much I would like to have a small army of them." He cringed as the pain in his side refused to subside.
They reached the final stretch.
"How did you know the concealment charm?" He wondered allowed.
Nothing covered the mark. No glamour could contain it.
But somehow Annabelle could.
"I got into runes a while ago." She said, struggling only a little under his weight more so under the concealment of that mark. "And I didn't want Olivia to see my scars."
"That's your sister?"
"Yeah." Said Annabelle. Helping him into a bed. "I'll get Madam Pomfrey." She set her bag down next to his bed.
She was staying.
"What is it this time Miss Aelin?" Asked Madam Pomfrey.
"Nothing like that ma'am, see all my bits and bobs are in one piece, I'm actually being a Good Samaritan, Madam Pomfrey, to make you proud of course."
"What do you need, Miss Aelin." Said the matron, following Annabelle to Regulus' bed, "Mister Black, haven't seen you in a while. What's the problem?"
"I got hit by a bludger during Quidditch Madam." said Regulus.
"Right. Miss Aelin, off you go while I take care of Mister Black." Said Madam Pomfrey.
"No,"
"What do you mean no?" Asked Madam Pomfrey, and Regulus watched Annabelle cringe a little at the disappointment in the woman's tone.
"Well McGonagal, you know McGonagal?"
"Shockingly."
"She says I need to start thinking more about my career prospects and I have to admit, Ma'am, they've been worrying me." Said Annabelle with a long sigh.
"And well I just thought- since I admire you and all you do so much- I might take a swing at being a healer." Said Annabelle.
"A swing?"
"Like with a metaphorical baseball bat." Said Annabelle, nodding solemnly. Going so far as to subtly mime the action. Made Regulus forget his pain for a moment. "Plus, Black has been insisting on ironing out the prefect schedules and will blame me for not finding a way to stay here with him to figure it out."
"I will." Said Regulus incredibly impressed with her right now.
"Fine." Said Madam Pomfrey, looking between the pair, "Miss Aelin you know where the bandages are in the table. I will fetch the potions."
As soon as she was out of eyeliner Annabelle let out a breath.
"That was so stressful dear lord, take me I can't-" she said, accent thickening, hand to her heart, "her kind eyes staring right into my deceiving wee treacherous soul and-" she noticed Regulus was on the verge of laughing at her. "Aren't you meant to be in pain?" She said.
"Belle. My love. That was the most impressive thing I've ever seen." Said Regulus wincing a little in pain.
"Piss off." She said.
"Never." He replied. "You need to get the bandages."
"Patient. Is not just something you are it's something you should be." Said Annabelle, scowling at him.
He stared up at the ceiling as he heard her open the table's drawers and get the bandages. He ran his thumb over his ring.
"What colour do you want?" She asked, "I can charm them for you."
Regulus rolled his eyes. And marked his umpteenth mark on the tally of times he wanted to tell her that he loved her.
"I'm sure Mister Black is fine with the regular colour." Said Madam Pomfrey, shutting the curtains around the bed. The matron vanished the Quidditch jersey to the seat beside his bed and Annabelle's eyes widened at the sight of the ghastly bruise.
She suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.
How would she even manage a war when this was too much for her-
"Pay attention to the charms I'm using, Miss Aelin." Said Madam Pomfrey, Annabelle got her notebook and wrote everything down.
Focusing on the removal of the horrid injury.
Regulus took the potions and tried not to blush as Annabelle wrapped the bandages around him so his bones would heal in the right way.
"Your all ready, Mister Black. Miss Aelin you may leave-"
"But bedside manor is so important and I'm so crass this pompous prat might-"
"Fine. Fine. Miss Aelin you may stay but I expect you in the hospital wing for more professional visits than your usual injuries." Said Madam Pomfrey. Annabelle nodded adamantly. "If you need anything I will be in my office for the rest of the evening."
And then she left. Annabelle made sure the curtains were shut before sitting down next to Regulus' bed.
He was looking at the ceiling.
"Your majesty?"
"I don't want to live in a world where you can lie so proficiently." He said, shutting his eyes and she threw a lemon drop at him. "I am injured." He said as though offended,
He relaxed under the influence of the pain potions. Annabelle's hand was on his and he felt as though he could melt into the pillow right now.
"Lay with me." He requested quietly.
"I thought you were injured." She turned his hand over in hers to look at his forearm before removing the glamour.
She hated the red lines where his nails had raked over his skin almost as much as she hated the mark itself.
"Why did you-"
Annabelle opened her bag and pulled out a set of paints along with a brush.
Then she handed Regulus a piece of paper covered in small paintings of flowers and he pieced together what she wanted to do.
"I practiced." She said. "So I wouldn't fuck it up. It's just paint so you have to promise you won't do anything to ruin it once I'm done."
"I promise." He said. She cast a notice me not over his arm just in case and set about covering the dark mark with small forgetmenots. "Forget me nots?"
"Oh I forgot, you're an English rose." She said sarcastically as she covered the dark mark slowly and meticulously. "And ought to be traded as such."
"Can I keep this?" Asked Regulus, lifting the paper of forgetmenots she had learnt to paint just for him.
"Yeah of course." Said Annabelle. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck shit," She muttered as she messed up one of the flowers, which she then turned into two.
"I fixed it. I fixed it." She said smiling proudly. "Now they have more personality. A nice one two. The sort that would never, say, I don't know get himself hit with a bludger and decide, like an idiotic little shite, to walk it off."
"Does being a hypocrite ever bother you?"
"Yeah. But the view from this high horse is pretty nice. I intend to live up here, make my home up here, maybe open a small business, and never ever come off it."
I love you Annabelle K- he did not know her middle name. Made any bashful declaration of love even internally seem foolish.
"What's your middle name?" Asked Regulus.
"It's really stupid."
"More so than Arcturus?"
"Absolutely."
"Now I need to know." Said Regulus. She shook her head adding leaves to the flowers now covering his forearm instead of those awful red lines.
"You're named for your grandfather. Who received the order of Merlin first class for special services to the ministry." Regulus had never told her that. She must have researched it. Warmth flooded him as the pain in his abdomen eased into a memory. "I was named for the license plate of the car my parents shagged in."
Regulus let out a bark of laughter before schooling his features.
"I'm not shitting you."
"I'll believe that when you tell me the name."
"I'm done." She said setting the paints aside and muttering a drying charm. Regulus looked at his arm. "Is this what accomplishment feels like? Understand you a whole lot better now let me tell you your majesty."
He smiled. That dazzling smile of his. He took her hand, kissed her knuckles and then whispered,
"Lay with me." He made space for her on the bed. She lay next to him, her hand ran through his hair. "Belle, my love?" He said. "Will you please tell me your middle name?"
"You tell no one."
"No one?"
"I must keep my aura of mystery, and intrigue, surely you of all people understand this your majesty."
"Of course."
"It's both plain and irritating. It's Kore."
"Cory?"
"Yeah but spelt weird." Said Annabelle. "There's a K, a three, and a zero in there somewhere. I won't tell you where. You'll just have to figure that part out yourself." She said with a small nod.
"I'm rather clever. I'm sure I can manage." He said.
"You can?"
"Yes."
"Would a clever person get hit by a bludger and try to walk it off?" She asked him, resting her head nest to his on the pillow and moving in closer.
"Considering I did that," said Regulus relaxed at the moment, "I'm inclined to say yes."
She hid her smile in the pillow before looking at him again, schooling her features
"Did you win for your sacrifice?"
"And what have I sacrificed?"
"My adoration."
"Yes I can tell that this was your final straw." Said Regulus his eyes closing slowly.
"Did you win?"
"No. Ravenclaw won." Said Regulus and Annabelle had the most unexpected of reactions. She rolled onto her back. Looked at the ceiling and said.
"Shit." Said Annabelle.
"What?" Asked Regulus, opening his eyes.
"I bet on you." She said in a tone that made Regulus laugh. She scrunched her nose in distaste. "Don't laugh."
"Did you lose money?"
"Worse. Much worse." She said horror covering her features. "I've got to name my first born after Finnigan. And that prat likes to gloat. He'll have t shirts made. And hats."
Regulus looked at her for a moment, he did not understand her worry. Leonis was a constellation. Everyone in his family was named for a constellation, galaxy, or star.
"This is Leo?" Annabelle nodded. "That's a constellation. You really should not be troubled by this."
Annabelle sat up a bit and looked at him.
"Care to elaborate on that one your majesty?" She asked, rather confused. He touched her hand delicately.
"Everyone in my family is named for a constellation or star." Said Regulus inhibitions dropped as the pain potions lowered his heart rate. Simply not seeing any fault in his words. Her eyes widened.
"Why is this important?"
"So it was likely going to be something along those lines anyways."
Her heart faltered.
She relaxed beside him again, moving closer. He held her hand to his chest and she honestly could not tell if he was asleep or not.
If this was a joke or not.
Annabelle pressed a kiss to Regulus' cheek and watched colour bloom beneath his skin.
"You are an idiot, your majesty." Said Annabelle.
He turned his head to face her, pressing a soft chaste kiss to her lips.
She always said those words so sweetly they could be passed off as a confession of love.
"I'm not the one who made a bet on something they couldn't control." Said Regulus.
"Piss. Off."
"Never."