The Tragedy of Walburga Black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟎 ☆

(𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩 - 𝟓 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬)

𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟏 - 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫.

Winter faded, and Walburga became the center of attention as her father set the wedding date. The air buzzed with excitement and preparations. It had been made clear to her that the wedding was for show - it was simply a power play to reinforce how mighty the House of Black was.

The Manor underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding its usual decor to embrace an atmosphere of matrimonial grandeur. The roses, carefully chosen by Walburga, had become the primary adornment, casting a spell of enchantment across both the garden, where the matrimony would unfold, and the echoing halls of the ancestral home.

She had chosen cream-colored roses they paired with the deep green ones her aunt had insisted on getting as well.

In the garden, beneath the sprawling branches of the ancient oak, the roses lined the path to the natural altar. Their petals, like whispers of a secret pact, hinted at the complexity behind the impending vows. The Manor's halls, once stoic, now echoed with the fragrance of roses, concealing the political intricacies within the aesthetic charm.

Despite the enchanting setting, the reality weighed heavily on Walburga. In just two days, on February 11th, she would wed Orion Black. As she looked at the meticulously arranged decor, she couldn't help but scoff, feeling as though the beauty around her was nothing more than a charade.

The distance between her and Orion seemed insurmountable, the roses and grandeur serving as a facade for a connection that existed more on paper than in their hearts.

The cream-colored roses, chosen with care, now seemed to mock her with their delicate perfection. The garden, a stage for the impending union, felt like a theater of illusions.

"How are you doing?" Her brother's voice, carrying a sense of worry, cut through the illusion.

Turning away from the window, her gaze softened as she met her brother's eyes. She appreciated the comfort he offered in his presence, she always would.

"I will be okay." Her hand gently reached out to fix his unruly hair, it never seemed to want to stay in place.

"I am ready to fulfill what I was raised to do," she admitted, a sense of duty and acceptance in her words."

Alphard's expression mirrored a mixture of concern and understanding. "Walburga,"  reaching out to grab her hands.

After everything they went through together, neither were comfortable with touch. And yet, she let him hold her hands.

He leaned closer, slightly bending down to whisper, his grey eyes demanding her attention.

"We can still leave," he said, his words a gentle plea. "You don't need to do this if you truly don't want to." His offer held a weight of understanding, knowing she would have to bear heirs to their house.

Walburga couldn't help but smile at him, despite her discomfort at his touch - she knew her brother cared for her.

"I want to do this not because our mother beat it into me - but because despite our family's flaws we are a family, we are all we have. You and Cygnus are all I have to look forward to when I awake in the morning - so as my brother, I am asking you here, don't ever mention the idea of leaving our family again."

Feeling her heart begin to crack, she knew she had to say those words to him. She thought of their failed attempt to leave all those years ago, and she still had the scars to prove she tried.