Ficlet Challenge #74: "Strong"
Title: Strong
Summary: Lucius promised Narcissa to remain strong
Characters/Pairings: Lucius Malfoy
Genre: Drama?
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; mentions of character death
Word Count: 698 (not counting the quote since that was the prompt)
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes!
You see me here, you gods, a poor old man, as full of grief as age; wretched in both!"
- King Lear, Act II, Scene IV
It had already become dark as he reached his estate, his steps slow and heavy. He had no memory of when he’d left the house, had no memory of how long he’d been out. He reached out his hands for the gate but his movements soon froze, causing him to take a deep breath, to turn around…
The family tomb was located in the back of the garden, hidden beneath the shadows of two large weeping willows. Years had passed since he’d last entered the small crypt, years full of denial and grief. But now… now he’d not even seam to realise what he did, now he didn’t even seem to notice where his steps took him.
He still missed her, missed her more than anything, even after all those years, even after so much had happened, could still hear her voice in his head, speaking to him, speaking as if she still were here, here with him, as if she’d never left him.
It would still break his heart to think about her, to think how early she’d left this world, how young she’d been…
It’d been his fault, it’d all been his fault! Narcissa had never been a fighter, had only longed to protect her family, even if it meant to give her own life. But him? What’d he done, over all these years, what’d he done to-
He’d not even finish his own thought. Just shook his head, biting his lip. All he’d done was fight, fight for nothing, unable to realise that his wife would slip away from him more and more.
It’d been his fault. Narcissa’s death had only been his fault; he hadn’t protected her! Why hadn’t it been him? Why hadn’t he fallen in the war, why had it been her? He’d never forgive himself that he’d let her go, would never forgive himself that he’d not seen her grief, that he’d not noticed how much she’d suffered during all those years.
“Forgive me, Cissa,” he whispered barely audible as he carefully reached out his hand to touch the cold marble the sarcophagus was made of, the cold, white marble where her body had been laid to rest, forever.
Even now, that the war had ended long ago, now that he was an old man, all those pictures would still haunt him in his sleep, even now nightmares would still seem to drive him into sheer madness, not allowing him to come to rest.
Lucius gave a deep, quiet sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. How much he’d loved her… How much he’d loved Narcissa, more than he’d ever loved himself. Still, he’d been too blind to see how much she’d suffered during the war, had been too foolish to realise that he’d lose his only treasure, didn’t he choose another path to follow.
And he hadn’t, hadn’t changed his path, had only followed it, unable, unwilling to see that he’d lead everything into destruction.
Draco had slipped away from him more and more after his mother’s death, had hardly spoken, hardly looked at him, living his own life as a loner. Lucius had no memory of when he’d last seen his son, of when he’d last talked to him. He had his own family now, wouldn’t care about his father any longer.
Again he closed his eyes, again he sighed, a quiet, desperate sigh. Perhaps his time had come, perhaps time to follow his wife had finally come, perhaps-
No. He’d not allow himself to even spend a thought on this, wouldn’t give in, not now! Hadn’t he promised Narcissa to always stay strong? Hadn’t he promised her to never give up, to always go on, no matter about what’d happen.
He wouldn’t disappoint her, not again, would remain strong, for her, even if it broke his heart.
“I will never hurt you again, Cissy,” he whispered, barely audible, as if she were here, here with him, as if she could hear him… “I promise. I’ll never hurt you again.”
He knew that, one day, he would see her again, knew that, one day, him and Narcissa would be reunited, but, until then, he’d keep his promise. He’d remain strong.
696/30 = 23,2 = 23
+ Challenge Bonus
= 28 points for Hufflepuff!
Summary: Lucius promised Narcissa to remain strong
Characters/Pairings: Lucius Malfoy
Genre: Drama?
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; mentions of character death
Word Count: 698 (not counting the quote since that was the prompt)
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes!
You see me here, you gods, a poor old man, as full of grief as age; wretched in both!"
- King Lear, Act II, Scene IV
It had already become dark as he reached his estate, his steps slow and heavy. He had no memory of when he’d left the house, had no memory of how long he’d been out. He reached out his hands for the gate but his movements soon froze, causing him to take a deep breath, to turn around…
The family tomb was located in the back of the garden, hidden beneath the shadows of two large weeping willows. Years had passed since he’d last entered the small crypt, years full of denial and grief. But now… now he’d not even seam to realise what he did, now he didn’t even seem to notice where his steps took him.
He still missed her, missed her more than anything, even after all those years, even after so much had happened, could still hear her voice in his head, speaking to him, speaking as if she still were here, here with him, as if she’d never left him.
It would still break his heart to think about her, to think how early she’d left this world, how young she’d been…
It’d been his fault, it’d all been his fault! Narcissa had never been a fighter, had only longed to protect her family, even if it meant to give her own life. But him? What’d he done, over all these years, what’d he done to-
He’d not even finish his own thought. Just shook his head, biting his lip. All he’d done was fight, fight for nothing, unable to realise that his wife would slip away from him more and more.
It’d been his fault. Narcissa’s death had only been his fault; he hadn’t protected her! Why hadn’t it been him? Why hadn’t he fallen in the war, why had it been her? He’d never forgive himself that he’d let her go, would never forgive himself that he’d not seen her grief, that he’d not noticed how much she’d suffered during all those years.
“Forgive me, Cissa,” he whispered barely audible as he carefully reached out his hand to touch the cold marble the sarcophagus was made of, the cold, white marble where her body had been laid to rest, forever.
Even now, that the war had ended long ago, now that he was an old man, all those pictures would still haunt him in his sleep, even now nightmares would still seem to drive him into sheer madness, not allowing him to come to rest.
Lucius gave a deep, quiet sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. How much he’d loved her… How much he’d loved Narcissa, more than he’d ever loved himself. Still, he’d been too blind to see how much she’d suffered during the war, had been too foolish to realise that he’d lose his only treasure, didn’t he choose another path to follow.
And he hadn’t, hadn’t changed his path, had only followed it, unable, unwilling to see that he’d lead everything into destruction.
Draco had slipped away from him more and more after his mother’s death, had hardly spoken, hardly looked at him, living his own life as a loner. Lucius had no memory of when he’d last seen his son, of when he’d last talked to him. He had his own family now, wouldn’t care about his father any longer.
Again he closed his eyes, again he sighed, a quiet, desperate sigh. Perhaps his time had come, perhaps time to follow his wife had finally come, perhaps-
No. He’d not allow himself to even spend a thought on this, wouldn’t give in, not now! Hadn’t he promised Narcissa to always stay strong? Hadn’t he promised her to never give up, to always go on, no matter about what’d happen.
He wouldn’t disappoint her, not again, would remain strong, for her, even if it broke his heart.
“I will never hurt you again, Cissy,” he whispered, barely audible, as if she were here, here with him, as if she could hear him… “I promise. I’ll never hurt you again.”
He knew that, one day, he would see her again, knew that, one day, him and Narcissa would be reunited, but, until then, he’d keep his promise. He’d remain strong.
696/30 = 23,2 = 23
+ Challenge Bonus
= 28 points for Hufflepuff!