dedgulung "vexed italicizing trouble magnet" black (regulus) wrote in blurred_lines, @ 2008-10-17 13:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | ! [1979-10] october, ! npc, regulus black |
RP Log: Regulus & Cadmus
who → Regulus Black & Cadmus Wilkes (NPC'd by Ruby).
what → Getting permission from Daddy Wilkes to ask for Julianne's hand in marriage~
when → Friday, 17 October 1979; 3:00pm.
where → The Wilkes' townhome.
warnings → None.
status → Complete.
Regulus could not determine whether or not his nervousness was founded. Logically, he knew that he was a Black -- the heir to one of the most ancient, most pure, most financially blessed, most prestigious families in wizarding Britain -- thus he should feel nothing but the utmost confidence as he approached the door of the Wilkes' townhouse. Who would dare tell him no? Perhaps if Juls declined...but she had agreed to the masquerade, and was that not practically the same thing? Except that it very much was not, but there was no reason to be nervous, so clearly that strange flipping in his stomach was something else. It did not help in the least that Sirius had tormented his thoughts just hours before, talking about Julianne and talking about talking to Julianne and talking about inappropriate things, and Regulus could not help but fear that Sirius was only making fun of him by bringing it up at all. He may or may not have even spoken to Julianne, but it was rather difficult to calm his mind once it began reeling. Unfortunately, that was no excuse, and to stop thinking about it. He was here to talk to her father. He needed to focus. The thoughts were gone. Gone. With three clear, steady knocks, Regulus wondered if Julianne would be home -- please don't let her see me, please don't let her see me, please don't let her see me -- and stood perfectly straight, summoning a guise of calm dignity to blanket over that feeling that was most certainly still unrelated to nervousness. Poise had been beaten into his mind and manner since birth, and now would be a lovely time to utilise such lessons. The timing could not have been any better. All the ladies in the household had left the townhome for the afternoon (though Jacqueline needed a slight bit of goading from both her mother and her twin) and Cadmus had return from Gringotts Bank not too long ago. A cup of black coffee was resting to the side as an open folder full of papers was laid out before him. Cadmus had been in his study looking over numbers and charts when he heard three clear knocks on the wooden door. The quiet sound of scurrying was heard as Twinks made her way to the foyer, opening the door for the expected guest. Taking off his thin eyeglasses, Cadmus set them aside as he closed the file with all the papers before him. The cozy study was not necessarily large but well furnished. A mahogany desk and several comfortable chairs were set on one side, adjacent to the fireplace. Various frames with awards and pictures of family decorated the emerald walls, the biggest one being that of the entire Wilkes household taken just last Christmas. Cadmus picked up his wand as he noticed the dark room and looked over to his large windows, charming the heavy dark red drapes to be pulled aside, letting in ample light without direct sunlight. Many file cabinets, discreetly matching the wooden furnishings, were neatly stacked on top of another beside the bookcase behind him "Mr. Regulus Black is here," came a timid high-pitched voice as Twinks announced his presence through the crack of the opened office door. Cadmus rarely, if ever, had his door shut. "Very well," replied a deep, patient voice that verbally dismissed the house elf. "Come in, Regulus." Taking in a steadying breath, Regulus followed the house-elf until he was standing just outside of the door of Cadmus Wilkes's study. The inside of the room could be seen as he heard his invitation to enter, and Regulus reminded himself yet again that there was no need to be intimidated. He was a Black. There was nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. Stepping through the door and into the small study, Regulus's eyes fell on the older man. He seemed in a fair enough mood, which would hopefully be a good thing. But there was no time to get lost in thought. With a polite bow of his head, he said, "Good afternoon, Mr Wilkes. I hope the day has treated you well?" Cadmus stood up from his seat and gestured to the seat before him, his tired face managed to look welcoming for a brief moment. "Yes, well enough. The day has been like any other. Take a seat." Slight wrinkles had set on his forehead, something that his wife didn't need to comment on each time she saw him, even Cadmus knew that times were getting more difficult, there was more to worry about and tragedy had recently fallen upon the Wilkes household with Georgina. But such times were inappropriate to be having such thoughts, unless Regulus was here to speak about Georgina; however, something seemed like this was not the case. Of course reasons as to why Regulus Black wished to see him had crossed his mind. The most logical one seemed to be, perhaps, the permission to court Julianne. Regulus had been over for dinner once before and to his knowledge had escorted his little twin home after she had acquired the kitten. From what he could hear from his study, Julianne had given him a present also, fishes were they? His memory quivered, as he had a large project he had been working on that late afternoon. Slipping back into his own seat, Cadmus folded his hands and rested it on his table. "Forgive me for being abrupt, I rather get to lighter conversation after the purpose of this meeting is spoken about." "Of course, sir," Regulus responded with the utmost politeness, fingers twisting comfortingly into the hems of his sleeves. Like clockwork, an element of the anxiety (it was actually happening) eased back into a calmer nervousness, the habit carrying out its neutralizing purpose in a soothing, predictable sort of way. His mother tended to scold him when she noticed, as it did have a tendency to stretch the fabric, but not even the thought of distant scolding seemed anything to consider at the moment. Taking a seat across from the older man – to remain standing would feel presumptuous and awkward – Regulus straightened his shoulders self-consciously and took a brief moment to organize his thoughts. Casual small talk had been eliminated, and Regulus Black never one for directness...but if he did not take the window of opportunity now, he feared he would not be able to speak the words. His own delay fed into the ease of pushing something from the mind, making it impossible to acknowledge, but it was not as though he had come to speak to Mr Wilkes only to not speak to Mr Wilkes, he supposed... And Sirius had said... "I come with the intent to ask your permission to court and enter into an engagement with Julianne," he said with a calmness that felt foreign to the floundering section of his mind that cringed each time he was forced to divulge a private feeling. "Do you have any objections?" Surely he would not object. Surely he would not object. Surely he would not object. Cadmus paused, his expression unchanging from when he had invited him in and after the boy asked for his daughter's hand in marriage. "Courting and engagement are two quite big and different steps, Regulus," he started, his hands still folded comfortably before him. Cadmus had seen Regulus a few times at Kings Cross heading off to Hogwarts, he had seen him in social events and to him, Regulus was just a boy. Perhaps this was because Julianne and Jacqueline were still just girls but it was not that he had not seen it coming. Hestor, without a doubt, would have been ecstatic and would have already go around choosing the setting of the wedding and picking out wedding dresses, if she hadn't already. As much of Regulus' name and prestige stood out, not to mention Julianne seemed to be on friendly terms with the boy, as a father, he had other things to consider. Would the boy before him be able to provide the life that Cadmus had always wanted for his daughter? Would he listen when Julianne spoke? He also had a blood traitor in his family, though that issue had been dealt with rather swiftly. But most of all, he was a Death Eater which meant more risk, despite the opposing idea that she would also be more safe. If it was anything that Cadmus had learned, it was that anything could happen to anyone, and he did not wish for his precious daughter to be caught in the cross-fire. "I have no objections," he finally said, this time, his voice more firm and bold. His gaze pierced into Regulus, making sure that he was heard. "But you will ask Julianne for her hand in marriage, if you believe that you can provide the best a suitor can. Not monetarily, I know your wealth, but as a husband to a wife. I will speak to her beforehand, if you wish. Otherwise, I would prefer her to answer for herself, not for anyone else." I have no objections. When the words finally came, Regulus had to make a concentrated effort to not look relieved. The hesitation and doubt hanging in the thick stretch of silence that followed was certainly an unnecessary degree of cruelty, but agreeability led Regulus's shoulders and grip to relax quite subtly. It was not a no. It was not even a not right now. A feeling of encouragement settled where the nervousness had been, and he wondered briefly as to why he had been concerned in the first place. He would concede no victory or trust to his brother on the matter, but the did not mean he could not be calmed. The continuing conditions did not allow him much time to reflect on such a thing, however, and refocusing on the words being spoken to him, Regulus nodded with an air of less timidity. He was not completely certain what aspect of husbandry Mr Wilkes was making reference to if not wealth or security, but whatever he meant, Regulus did not doubt that he would be able to do so, thus cancelling out the importance of clarification. "I do believe I can and will." More thoughts had been triggered with so few words, however, and when the question was posed to him, Regulus could not decide if it would be better or worse for her to know ahead of time...it could be potentially embarrassing to arrange if she was aware, but would she be too alarmed to agree if she was surprised? Even if Sirius was right, and she did hold some sort of interest, there was no way to be certain until it was too late. He did not understand the way a female's mind worked or what to expect...nor could he suspect if she would actually wish to or if she would feel obligated, and he had always expected to feel obligated, but it was rather different when someone might not consider him their first option. They had not discussed her alternate options, really, except for William Flint, who was not permitted to be an option because that was clearly a lapse in judgment on the part of her mother. He was an idiot and quite clearly an inadequate match. Of course... His mind was calm now. Perfectly calm. Mind relaxation... "I would not presume to know what the best course of action is in such matters of pre-discussion. Whatever you, as her father, think is best." Regulus was a good man, it was no doubt. However, he had to be the best man fit for his daughter. He didn't even bother to deny the feeling of overwhelming guilt regarding Georgina and what he couldn't do for her. The least he could do was to secure Julianne's future before having the do the same for Jacqueline. Tired eyes instinctively glanced behind Regulus to the family portrait before he leaned back into his chair. "Julianne tells me you will be escorting her to the masquerade ball." Regulus shifted subtly in his seat. He supposed, logically, it should have let no surprise in the least that Julianne's father would be aware of him escorting her -- in fact, it was perfectly sensible to divulge such a thing to one's parents. He was perfectly pleased that she had agreed to attend with him, so it was not a matter of hiding so much as it was a difficult in completely banishing the natural assumption that other people were as silent as he was, even in the case of his friends, who he knew to be more open...particularly Julianne, who he found charming in her nature's lack of deception. "That is correct." The fact that Julianne had initially come into his study to tell him about the ball, with a genuine smile on her face, before she told Hestor initially rose some suspicion. Hestor had been pushing William Flint endlessly to Julianne, explaining what a gentleman he was. Although Cadmus held no real preference to Flint, it had come to his attention that Julianne held no preference either. But with, what appeared to be, the friendship between Julianne and Regulus, he had to admit that the thought of him courting her did cross his mind. "What are your intentions with my Julianne?" Cadmus asked calmly, not a hint of accusation in his voice. Was it duty? Pressure? Interest? It was his right to know. Regulus blinked, turning his attention to the man in a less distracted sort of way. What were his intentions? It seemed a silly question to Regulus: his intentions were to marry Julianne, obviously, which had been his purpose in engaging in such a discussion in the first place, but he did not think Mr Wilkes to be dull enough to have missed that very crucial segment of the conversation. "My intentions.." Regulus began after a moment longer of attempting deciphering the true question (and having very little luck, unless it truly was as straight-forward as it seemed), "..are to propose the idea of marriage to her...within the next week," he finished in a manner that he hoped was less hesitant than he felt, making a concentrated effort to make words a statement rather than a question, as his voice was so tempted to do. "I intend no ill upon her, of course, if that is what you are inquiring about." Cadmus, just realizing that he had been leaning forward slightly, loosened up back into his seat and merely nodded. He would give Julianne a say, though he highly doubted that she would turn down someone like Regulus, Hestor would never forgive her, and that's the best he could do. She could learn to love, learn to live, and Regulus seemed like he could be rather agreeable. It was the best he could do as a father, and he was more than proud of Julianne who won the favour of such a prestigious family. A worn smile creased his eyes as he nodded once more, this time more surely. "Very well." The feeling of uncertainty did not shake itself off so quickly, but Regulus supposed his answer was sufficient enough if he was not being drilled further. As if by second nature, Regulus straightened his posture to its ever-upright state, and at last he slowly released the sleeves entirely from his grip until he felt almost relaxed when the older man's smile came more prominently to his attention -- something he had initially missed in his absorption and focus on the words. The thickened air had no longer felt like an unnerving roller coaster of internal tension, yanked between confidence and insecurity, certainty and uncertainty. Mr Wilkes had given permission, and he had managed to ask for said permission without managing to somehow inspire a tragedy or muck it up in way that prevented salvaging, as was the habit of the first half of the year. But this second half of the year was shaping up to account for that suffering, those failings, and he could not help but feel a sense of hope beginning to creep into his mind. He supposed he would need to quash that hope again before speaking to Julianne, just in case, but it was a worthy feeling to indulge in for the moment. "I thank you for your time, sir," Regulus said, politely bowing his head as he stood up. "I do not wish to impose upon your schedule any longer, so with your permission, I shall take my leave, unless there is anything else you wish to discuss." Cadmus, at this time, stood up also, extending a hand to Regulus. Never would he have imagined young Regulus to be his potential son-in-law.. Perhaps with each tragedy was also a blessing and he truly hoped that Julianne would make the right decision for herself. "Have a good day, Regulus. I will speak to my daughter about marriage, though I will leave the proposal to you." Regulus shook hands briefly, and before turning to exit the room, the home, the area, in order to return to the comfort of his own, he responded, "Thank you, sir, and I wish the same to you." |