Fic: "So Darkness I Became" (Gift Exchange for nathalieweasley)
Title: So Darkness I Became
Author/Artist: flyingharmony
Pairing(s)/Characters: Lucius/Narcissa
Summary: Being fatally wounded in battle, Narcissa imagines what it would be like to survive.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst, Injury, Character Death
Word count: 777
Genre: Angst, Romance-ish
Author's notes: Abigail bb, I really hope that you like this! ♥ I had so many plans for your fic, and once again everything went completely its own way and developed into a completely different direction. A big thanks also to Kaity/kaitydid33087 for the last minute beta-ing and to Noe/sickle_girl for all the help and support when I was stuck! ♥
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure! (Tag with 'etoilecourageuse', though)
The pungent smell of blood and dust filled the air, causing her to hold her breath, desperately as if inhaling any of it could cause her to choke to death. Screams resounded in her ears; from far away she could hear her husband call out her name, his voice full of fear and worry. Yet, she remained silent. Her words had dried out long ago; long ago had she lost any power and will to speak. Instead she only took a step forward, stumbling, nearly falling, released the firm pressure on her stomach as she sank into his arms. Her hands were covered in blood.
***
He had refused to leave her bedside, even days after Narcissa had woken, had held her hand, whispered to her that everything would be all right. She had never found the strength to reply.
The wound had begun to heal, yet the pain was excruciating beyond her endurance, with potions and spells scarcely bringing relief. The scar would remain forever, the Healers had told her, but she couldn't care less. Had she once valued beauty more than anything, the war had changed her, had changed her values. Her family’s life meant more to her than anything; every single day was precious, too fast it could be over.
She would be out of bed in a month, they said, if she accepted that things would not be like before, that she had to be patient. Sometimes, Narcissa quietly wished she had fallen in that night.
***
There she was now, lying in his arms, scarcely breathing. None of Lucius' desperate healing spells would stop the bleeding; nothing would ease the pain, not even the tears that he did not bother brushing away, that fell from his face, slowly mingling with her blood on the floor.
The voices around her grew louder, turned into desperate cries, until, all of a sudden they fell silent, as if to listen to death's slow and heavy steps, coming for her relentlessly, in the moment they realised that continuing to hope would be in vain. None of them had tried to help. They had only watched, had watched her tumble, had watched her fall, and would now watch her die.
***
The Healers were proved right; nothing was like before. Every day passing had made it easier to breathe, to sit, to walk, until months later only the scar on her stomach would remind of the injury she had received during that night. But Narcissa had changed, barely recognised herself anymore. Nightmares would haunt her night by night; night by night she'd wake up screaming, heavily breathing, until Lucius tightly wrapped his arms around her body, holding her long after she had fallen back into sleep.
How patient he had been, she thought. How lovingly he had taken care of her, how much he had forgotten about himself over these past weeks. Would she ever be able to repay him, would she ever be the same again? How much she loved him, how much she needed him... How gently he still looked at her, how passionately he still kissed her, as if she wasn't a burden on him, as if he still loved her, like on their wedding day.
In good days as in bad, he had vowed, but he deserved better than this, deserved better than a wife who found herself too afraid to close her eyes at night, who despised herself more than anything else. Still, she imagined what a relief it would have been for them both, had she not survived.
***
Even Lucius had given up. He was only there, holding her now, cradling her shaking body in his arms, as if to protect her from any more harm. Softly, he whispered into her ear, as if to comfort her, placing gentle kisses on her forehead as if to soothe her before going to sleep. How carefully he brushed away her tears, how desperate he tried to hold back his own now, would they still flow down his face incessantly.
So many times she opened her mouth to speak, but no sound would ever come from her lips... I love you, Lucius, she wanted to tell him so desperately, I'm so sorry. She loved him, loved him so much... How much she longed to kiss him, to feel his lips on hers one last time, but even raising her head seemed sheer impossible. Still he talked to her, as if to keep her awake, still he told her about their future, a future they both knew she would not live to see. Her battle was lost; darkness came to swallow her and darkness was all that would remain.
777/30 = 25,9 = 26
= 26 points for Hufflepuff!
Author/Artist: flyingharmony
Pairing(s)/Characters: Lucius/Narcissa
Summary: Being fatally wounded in battle, Narcissa imagines what it would be like to survive.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst, Injury, Character Death
Word count: 777
Genre: Angst, Romance-ish
Author's notes: Abigail bb, I really hope that you like this! ♥ I had so many plans for your fic, and once again everything went completely its own way and developed into a completely different direction. A big thanks also to Kaity/kaitydid33087 for the last minute beta-ing and to Noe/sickle_girl for all the help and support when I was stuck! ♥
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure! (Tag with 'etoilecourageuse', though)
The pungent smell of blood and dust filled the air, causing her to hold her breath, desperately as if inhaling any of it could cause her to choke to death. Screams resounded in her ears; from far away she could hear her husband call out her name, his voice full of fear and worry. Yet, she remained silent. Her words had dried out long ago; long ago had she lost any power and will to speak. Instead she only took a step forward, stumbling, nearly falling, released the firm pressure on her stomach as she sank into his arms. Her hands were covered in blood.
***
He had refused to leave her bedside, even days after Narcissa had woken, had held her hand, whispered to her that everything would be all right. She had never found the strength to reply.
The wound had begun to heal, yet the pain was excruciating beyond her endurance, with potions and spells scarcely bringing relief. The scar would remain forever, the Healers had told her, but she couldn't care less. Had she once valued beauty more than anything, the war had changed her, had changed her values. Her family’s life meant more to her than anything; every single day was precious, too fast it could be over.
She would be out of bed in a month, they said, if she accepted that things would not be like before, that she had to be patient. Sometimes, Narcissa quietly wished she had fallen in that night.
***
There she was now, lying in his arms, scarcely breathing. None of Lucius' desperate healing spells would stop the bleeding; nothing would ease the pain, not even the tears that he did not bother brushing away, that fell from his face, slowly mingling with her blood on the floor.
The voices around her grew louder, turned into desperate cries, until, all of a sudden they fell silent, as if to listen to death's slow and heavy steps, coming for her relentlessly, in the moment they realised that continuing to hope would be in vain. None of them had tried to help. They had only watched, had watched her tumble, had watched her fall, and would now watch her die.
***
The Healers were proved right; nothing was like before. Every day passing had made it easier to breathe, to sit, to walk, until months later only the scar on her stomach would remind of the injury she had received during that night. But Narcissa had changed, barely recognised herself anymore. Nightmares would haunt her night by night; night by night she'd wake up screaming, heavily breathing, until Lucius tightly wrapped his arms around her body, holding her long after she had fallen back into sleep.
How patient he had been, she thought. How lovingly he had taken care of her, how much he had forgotten about himself over these past weeks. Would she ever be able to repay him, would she ever be the same again? How much she loved him, how much she needed him... How gently he still looked at her, how passionately he still kissed her, as if she wasn't a burden on him, as if he still loved her, like on their wedding day.
In good days as in bad, he had vowed, but he deserved better than this, deserved better than a wife who found herself too afraid to close her eyes at night, who despised herself more than anything else. Still, she imagined what a relief it would have been for them both, had she not survived.
***
Even Lucius had given up. He was only there, holding her now, cradling her shaking body in his arms, as if to protect her from any more harm. Softly, he whispered into her ear, as if to comfort her, placing gentle kisses on her forehead as if to soothe her before going to sleep. How carefully he brushed away her tears, how desperate he tried to hold back his own now, would they still flow down his face incessantly.
So many times she opened her mouth to speak, but no sound would ever come from her lips... I love you, Lucius, she wanted to tell him so desperately, I'm so sorry. She loved him, loved him so much... How much she longed to kiss him, to feel his lips on hers one last time, but even raising her head seemed sheer impossible. Still he talked to her, as if to keep her awake, still he told her about their future, a future they both knew she would not live to see. Her battle was lost; darkness came to swallow her and darkness was all that would remain.
777/30 = 25,9 = 26
= 26 points for Hufflepuff!