RP Log: Narcissa and Bellatrix Who: Narcissa and Bellatrix Where: 13 Curzon Street, Mayfair What: Our sisters are OSSUM. They reminisce, they talk about their husbands, and their duties. MROWR. When: Shortly before Marius and Astra's engagement party begins, August 30 Status/Rating:Totally G.
Though Malfoy Manor was the place Narcissa had called home for three years now, there was still something special about the large townhome in Mayfair where the Black sisters had grown up. She had, after all, lived here far longer, and every window seat and bookshelf seemed to hold memories of something. It was unfortunate, she thought to herself as she nodded politely to the portraits, that so much seemed to remind her of Andromeda and Cygnus. Andromeda was, in a manner, easier to push away, but Cygnus death still felt like a raw wound each time she entered the home. It caused Narcissa to wonder yet again how her mother managed to stay here. Perhaps living with the memories of so much of the family was easier than living without it.
Suddenly siezed with an urge to see her old bedroom, Narcissa began the lengthy process of making excuses and slipping away. It was Astra and Marius' special day, after all, and she had no plans to take it away from them. A couple moments upstairs would not harm anyone, and hopefully Lucius would not notice. Refusing a glass of champagne for the hundredth time- no, she really did not want any, and no, she did not wish to explain it, Narcissa managed to navigate her way up the stairs, adjusting the deep blue silk of her gown and the heavy necklace that was an anniversary gift from Lucius as she reached the upper level. Of course everything was spotlessly clean (this was Druella's house, after all) and yet... it felt empty. And far too different. Narcissa shivered for no discerible reason, and hearing footsteps, paused to glance over her shoulder.
The Mayfair townhouse had a similar effect on Bellatrix - the loss of her father hung heavily over every object - and she had chosen to spend the greater part of her time cozened in her father's study, molded into his favourite chair. The pillows, time worn and soft, still seemed to fit the angles of his body. Only faint familiar footsteps brought her out of her reverie and she rose, letting the heavy cherry door fall open a crack. Rustling silk and a flash of gold --
"It's naught but me, Cissy," came Bella's same old echoing reply. Standing in the doorway of her sister's old room, she leant her shoulder upon the lintel and took a deep breath. "I haven't been here since the funeral."
"Bella," Narcissa said with a half smile, utterly unsurprised to see her sister there. "I've come... well, nearly every day since the funeral. Until July, I believe," she admitted, counting back the days. "But I have not been upstairs at all." Her tone of voice was not accusatory in the slightest. Bellatrix had naturally been preoccupied with other things, and Druella seemed to prefer Narcissa's company in any case. "I still cannot decide if I want to be here or not." Malfoy Manor naturally did not have the aura of her father.
"How long have you been up here?" She smiled. "Shouldn't you be congratulating your new daughter in law?"
"We need to be," she decided, walking forward to sit on the edge of her sister's old bed. "Here, I mean. And I've been here for hours - holed up in father's study, waiting the time to come out and shake hands like a good step-mother - " that was emphasised with a sharp roll of her eyes. She'd never felt anything akin to love for Marius - he served his purpose and that was all - and it seemed like Astra was destined to do little more than breed.
"I know," Narcissa said simply, glancing around her room. Everything of consequence was gone; boxed up tidily one of the many attics of the Manor. Dolls, music boxes, the tea sets she had loved when she was smaller. Nothing except the rose pink colour seemed personal- the room could very well have been one of the guest rooms. Though Narcissa did hope Druella was not using this as a guest room. Small and selfish as it seemed, this was hers and she did not want relatives or anyone else staying here. "You should be nicer to Astra, I think," she said, running a finger over the many strands of sapphire and diamond beads. "She seems incredibly scared of you." Which, now that Narcissa thought about it, was likely Bella's intent. Her lips quirked. "She isn't that bad, Bella. A bit silly sometimes, I suppose, and not even able to apropriately blackmail a florist... but I'm sure you'll like her."
The setting of this little exchange almost gave Bella leave to flounce - almost. Stopping short of it, she glanced sidelong at her sister who had left girlhood so far behind and now sat in her old room, fingering fine jewels as if she were plucking piano wires. "Astra barely sees me, I don't know what she has to fear."
"Your reputation precedes you," Narcissa smiled. "If I didn't know you better, I should think you had designed things as such." Of course Bellatrix had. One did not wake up one morning and decide to be unconventional. "I suppose she wants approval. We all crave it to some extent." Narcissa sighed, and left off playing with the necklace. "Mother wants a family dinner," she said, changing the subject abruptly. "I cannot say the idea is particularly appealing, considering the last one." Regulus' birthday had been terrible by all standards.
A mere arch of Bellatrix's brow betrayed all the amusement she would allow Narcissa to perceive on Astra's account. Of course it wasn't just fear she craved. It was respect, admiration, power. All of these things came to her - however unconventional one might construe them. "Mother can have a family dinner. You put on the face admirably, still. And I'm tired of being angry with Regulus."
"He has not done wrong anything since the incident," Narcissa agreed. "I have been trying to get him to- oh, relax a bit, I suppose. He seems to be reading with Barty or studying nearly all the time. Julianne Wilkes seems to have had a higher success rate, in any case. She managed to make him promise to play Quidditch again in one day after I have been attempting to do so for nearly a full year."
"His mother will, I wager, be attempting to slip an engagement ring in his pocket if he shows any vested interest beyond half a glance at Julianne. They should beware, the lot of them," she said, smirking. Regulus bore his responsibility well, all things considering, and he would do well for some time out-of-doors and away from the rather unseemly influences of her pupil. "Do you ... " she began, half ready to ask toward Barty and Regulus's intentions toward one another, before smiling. " ... think Regulus would benefit from a private luncheon with us, Cissy darling?"
"Julianne is a bit better than her counterparts, to my knowledge. I had her over for tea and we had fairly stimulating conversation. And certainly! We have not spent much cousin time together in a while." It almost made her think of the many summer outings to Cornwall and winter parties spent together in their ragtag little group of five. Bella and Sirius had naturally fought for leadership, Andromeda had mediated the disputes, and Regulus and Narcissa had tagged along as the babies. Of course, they weren't five any more, nor were they as rowdy and cheerful as they had been. "It isn't bad that he is thinking about girls and marriage and such. It's about time."
"His duties do extend beyond that which the Dark Lord requires," even Bellatrix could admit. Regulus would be saddled with the responsibility of, of course, birthing the Black heir. "You and he shall have to visit the manor in Norfolk - or we could even visit the old home in Cornwall, for memory's sake. Something to get a little sun on Regulus's cheeks, don't you think? He's such a small boy and if he suddenly caught ill and died, things could go very badly."
"He's not going to die, Bella." The thought was laughable. Regulus couldn't die. Not now, when Father and Uncle Orion were dead, and Sirius as good as dead. It was simply unthinkable. Regulus would have to live to a ripe old age (As Cygnus ard Orion were supposed to), have many children and generally lead the family. Though the thought of Regulus being completely in charge of things was somewhat difficult to comprehend. Narcissa was used to thinking of him as a baby, and could not shake the image. "Cornwall would be lovely, though. As long as I don't have to spend more time in Tinworth giving medical packages to street urchins. You should come to one of the Foundation meetings, though. The food is lovely and you could just sit with mother and glower at the halfbloods."
It was time to leave the subject of Regulus behind, because she too knew that the idea of Regulus leading anything seemed next to ridiculous. He would always be led about by the nose thanks to Walburga's upbringing, not that she could exactly blame Walburga, but still. The woman had two sons. It wouldn't have been too hard to prepare both of them, just in case something happened to the other. In that instant, she longed for her father and his quiet, firm ways and she winced softly before turning to look at her sister again. "I suppose I can plan a luncheon for us and attend your meeting. I do so enjoy glowering."
Narcissa smiled. "It would be lovely to see you. I am not terribly fond of public speaking, but I don't suppose there is an alternative." Eva was an excellent speaker, but she could be so very abrasive at times. Plus there was also the fact the Dark Lord had effectively ordered that halfbloods be included in all of this. Which Narcissa was not particularly fond of, but one simply did not go against orders from that sort of source. Her hands went back to her neck. "Do you like my necklace?" she asked brightly. While it was essentially fishing for compliments, it wasn't as though Bella did not have jewelry that rivaled it. "It was an anniversary present." She added a "From Lucius," even though it wasn't likely anyone else would have given it.
Pressing her lips in a firm line as she beheld the sapphire and diamond spectacle, she had to admit that it was lovely and it suited Narcissa's colouring perfectly. It was such an adult thing, here in the place of their girlhood (though, had she really ever been girl-like?), it shone wholly of its own light and seemed to cast her sister in an icy glow.
"Well, he can pick out jewellery," was her replying quip as she arched a brow and leaned forward to weigh a sapphire with her fingertips. "I'll give him that much."
"Thank you, I think," Narcissa replied carefully. She had been trying this for the past few years now, and the vast part of her refused to give up hope that it would work one day. Bella and Lucius had no reason at all for for animosity, right? So eventually they would realise that and everything would work out fine. She liked to tell herself that, in any case. "You, know, Rodolphus and I get along just fine so... oh, never mind." It wasn't worth arguing about tonight.
"Is it obvious?" she asked, a note of sarcasm in her voice as she stood and smoothed the folds of her dress. "He hardly deserves you, Cissy dear." And that was really the crux of the matter, wasn't it? Lucius wasn't giving Narcissa what she wanted and obviously - obviously - it was not her sister that was lacking. It had to be he.
Narcissa's lips pressed into a thin line as she rose, giving her a pinched appearance extrodinarily akin to one of Druella's vexed faces. "I don't want to have this discussion, Bella," she said shortly. "I'm tired of having to justify my choice in husbands to you." At least Lucius could not ask her to justify choice in sisters. It was slightly different. "You need to trust that I made the right choice." Not that her saying it would change a lot. "Come," she said, taking a step towards the door. "We wouldn't want mother to be after us for abandoning her party."
" ... we being graceful, dutiful daughters and likely paragons of Purist virtue," was subtly mirthful, even as Narcissa grew pinched. She even spared her sister's cheek a brushed kiss as she put her hand on the door and flourished toward the house beyond with the other. "And you, my dear sister, shall be our guiding star."