Marked • Tom Riddle

His Wants

      

   The soft hues of cherry blossom petals from the branches above me, fluttered lower and lower until they fell upon my face, my lips, hands, and legs. I had set up a blanket on the perfectly green grass of the gardens while Blue enjoyed her daily zoomies in the vastness of the property. I had not the faintest idea where she had run off to, but she always seemed to return once she became tired enough. 

   The sun shone brightly, even through the trees, and I found myself holding the vile of Betsy's memories up to the light, watching the rays break through the glass and illuminate the contents inside. After last night's adventure, I had been left with more questions than I had started out with. So many that it made my head pound simply thinking of all the possibilities that might have led me into that room in the basement that night. 

   "My lady?" Dellara called from somewhere within the garden. It was impossible to pinpoint her exact location due to the twists and turns of this labyrinth, but my time here had made me quite accustomed to finding my way around the tall hedges. In fact, I almost had the entire thing mentally mapped out. 

   "Over here, Dellara," I sighed, helping her out. The breathy maid hurried from her position in the gardens to mine, a look of concern embellishing her features. I closed my eyes and did not bother to get up. Whatever she was about to say, I did not want to hear it. Today, I just wanted to relax, enjoy the sun, and be alone with my thoughts so I could figure out what to do. 

   "The Dark Lord calls for you," she said. "It is urgent."

   "Is it?" I opened one eye to look at her. "Is he not in a meeting at this moment?"

   "Yes," Dellara said. "I believe I saw that guard from the shops, Sebastian go into his office earlier."

   To this, I sat up. "Did the Dark Lord say why he calls for me?"

   "No, only that it is urgent."

   My palm grew sweaty around Betsy's vile.

   "Alright, Dellara. I'll be there momentarily." 

   Had Sebastian told Tom about his visit with Betsy?

~~~

   When I entered Tom's office, the air was thick with tension. Tom stood behind his desk, his hands firmly against the head of his chair as he watched me come in. Sebastian, on the other hand, did not acknowledge my entry. He sat on the other side of the desk, his head held down, his back slumped. 

   I searched Tom's eyes for some remnant of warmth or love, but he had none. At this moment, he was not my loving husband. In front of Sebastian, he was the Dark Lord. 

   "Sit, Karina," Tom said. I thought about heading over to the couch in front of the fireplace, where I normally spent my time in his office while he worked. But judging by his demeanor and his voice, it seemed this was not some leisurely call and the couch was not an option. Today, I was not a welcomed visitor, but a problem that needed to be addressed. So, I took a seat next to Sebastian, across from where Tom stood. 

   "What is this about?" I said and glanced at Sebastian whose eyes remained fixated on the floor beneath him. When I looked back at Tom, his knuckles had grown white from his deathly grip on the top of his chair. 

   "As you know, your maid has been locked away in an isolated facility for everyone's protection," Tom spoke. "Something you, yourself, requested from me."