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"I can't believe you!"
"Zelda!" He looked up from his work, a mixture of shock, hope, and confusion on his face, "you're back..."
"Yes, I've just come back, only to discover that you got engaged!" She screamed, hysteria clear in her voice.
"Zelda, it's not what you think," he tried to explain, urgency slipping into his voice.
"It's not what I think? Faustus, how the heaven do you go from declaring your love and asking for someone's hand in marriage, to being engaged to someone else in only 7 years?!"
He paused then, surprised at the fact she knew and hurt that she left anyways. He stood up and walked around his desk slowly, leaning on it once he was in front of her.
"So you knew," he stated more than asked, yet she whispered a quiet "yes"
She saw realization and hurt in his eyes, and she couldn't but feel a little guilt.
"Why did you leave, then? If you knew," he asked, clearly not looking to play around.
"I... I didn't choose to leave. Edward made me after you asked for my hand," she stuttered.
"Don't bullshit me, Zelda!" He slammed his palm on his desk, frustration and pain resonating in his voice. Zelda flinched back, causing him to calm himself down and cross his arms, "we both know that Edward can never make you do anything. The probable scenario is that you two fought over it and then you agreed. I just want to know why"
Zelda swallowed down her guilt, he knew her so well and right at this moment she hated it.
"I... was afraid. Don't interrupt me, Faustus, please. I was still a schoolgirl. I was having fun with you, and, yes, maybe feelings were involved, but I wasn't looking at marriage yet! And you... you just sounded so sincere when you asked Edward for my hand, and it terrified me. There were so many things that could have gone wrong with us being engaged or married before I finished at the Academy. It's why I left. I thought if I went away for a few years, that maybe waiting would be easier. I didn't know you'd just jump into another marriage"
Faustus stood up and approached her, gently taking her into his arms and pulling her close, he smiled when she didn't resist, instead wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
"Constance means nothing to me," he spoke softly, "the day I realized you were actually gone, I asked your sister when you were coming back, and she told me not to raise my hopes up. Last year, I figured if you would never take me as a husband, I might as well marry Constance for her money, Satan knows she's been throwing herself at me for forever now. But, Zelda, you know I love you. You know I've only ever loved you..." he trailed off then, not quite sure how to proceed. Luckily for him, Zelda spoke instead.
"Faustus?"
"Yes?"
"Don't do this"
"Don't do what?" He asked, confusion lacing his voice.
"This!" She said, pulling out of his arms, "Don't hold me like you used to, tell me you don't love her, tell me you love me, when you're about to stand at the altar in a month"
He stared at her for a moment, thinking of what to say. Just as she was about to leave, he took hold of her wrist, gently turning her back to him.
"Do you love me still?"
"Faustus..."
"No. Don't say anything else. Just answer me. Do you love me?"
"Faustus, please, don't make me answer this," she pleaded, tugging at her hand helplessly.
“I'll let you go, if only you answer my question truthfully"
"Fine, yes! I do love you still! But it doesn't matter because you're going to get married to Constance in a month!" She tugged harder at her hand, it was sure to leave bruises later.
"What if I don't?"
She stopped moving, staring at him with a mix of shock and confusion.
"The title of Lady Blackwood was always meant for you, Zelda," he whispered, before leaving her arm to go back to his desk. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a little box. She already knew what was inside. He returned to her, opening the box and giving it to her. She stared at it, tears collecting in her eyes.
"It's the ring I was planning on proposing with 7 years ago. Marry me, Zelda. Let us be as happy as we once were"
"Faustus..."
"You don't have to answer me now, Zelda"
Faustus stood nervously, staring ahead and waiting for his bride to walk down the altar. She finally entered the church, and as his eyes landed on her, his jaw slackened and an awed smile came on his face. He noticed the High Priest Of the Church Of Shadows checking her out as well, although he couldn't bring himself to care about it right at this moment. She was marrying him. She was his, and he was hers. She smiled as she reached him, and he couldn't help but whisper, "I'm the luckiest warlock alive"
She rolled her eyes, but then turned back to the High Priest, choosing to focus on the ceremony.
Later that night, as they lay on their marriage bed, Faustus would hold her in his arms and whisper a quiet "I love you, Zelda, more than you can ever imagine"
It was a little after their 44th anniversary when Zelda got suspicious. She'd done the test as soon as possible, gasping softly at the result and already thinking ahead to what must be done. Luckily for her, Faustus had been planning to come home earlier than usual, and Zelda didn't have to wait long for him. Faustus, on the other hand, had barely entered the manor, only to find his wife in his arms, tears in her eyes.
He looked at her questioningly as he pulled back, concern all over his face.
"It must be the hormones," Zelda chuckled, and Faustus gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. Her answer only confused him more however.
"Faustus, I'm pregnant"
It took no longer than a moment for realization, shock, glee, panic, and excitement to take hold of him.
A year later, Faustus paced in front of one of the guest rooms, which they had turned into a birthing room, as Zelda brought their children into life. 6 hours after, Leticia and Judas Blackwood entered the world screaming at the top of their lungs.
Shortly after the twins' birth, the fighting started. Faustus couldn't even remember what started it. They had been so happy, and then it was like a switch had been flipped, and suddenly they did nothing but argue. At some point, it had gotten so bad that they'd had to soundproof the nursery.
This time, though, Faustus knew he messed up, and he messed up bad.
Zelda had packed up and left, taking the twins with her, right after their 3rd birthday, not even leaving a note for him. He'd come back to find nothing but an empty manor. He'd gone through the five stages of grief quickly enough, but had then settled onto anger.
Now, a year later, he was looking at a possible divorce, the loss of his eldest children, and the birth of his third (the result of his drunken anger).
"I can't believe you!" Zelda screamed, mirroring words said long ago.
Faustus looked up from his work, confusion and concern lacing his tone as he spoke, "what happened?"
"What happened is that you had a daughter while the kids and I were in Europe"
Faustus gulped, pulling at his tie anxiously, "you were away, Zelda. I was drunk, and angry, and it was one night, a mistake, and I'm so sorry. But you don't have to worry, she won't be a threat to our family or Judas and Leticia's inheritance"
As soon as the final word left his lips, Faustus' face was met with Zelda's palm, "she is your daughter! If you think I'm worried over how many zeroes are being added to Judas and Leticia's inheritance, then you don't know me, Faustus. You're going to set up a room for her, and bring her here immediately. She's their sister, and she deserves to be treated as such"
A year before the twins' dark baptism, Hilda had finally summoned up the courage to contact Zelda again. She'd astrally projected into the Blackwood house, running into a Blackwood family dinner. Questions had immediately been raised by Judas and Leticia, who were quietened by their father. Zelda had barely kept it together long enough for Faustus to usher the kids out of the room.
"Whatever do you want, Hilda? Why in Satan's name would you project into my house? Was your abandonment of me when Edward disowned me not enough?" Zelda bit into her sister.
"I just want to apologize, Zelda. And I want us to be back on friendly terms. You're my sister, I miss you"
It had not been quick and easy, but by the time the twins signed their names in the Book Of the Beast, Zelda and Hilda's relationship had improved enough for her to be present for her niece and nephew.
Zelda studied her daughter, doing her best to hold back her emotions. Faustus took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently to remind her that he would always be there for her.
Leticia finally finished fiddling with her bags and turned towards her family, smiling softly. She approached Prudence first, pulling her into a hug, "Don't do anything reckless until I come back"
Prudence rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless, "Letty, please, it's always your fault"
The girls laughed and Leticia pulled away, moving towards her father, who awaited her with open arms. She snuggled into his embrace, whispering quietly about missing him and coming back soon enough. Finally, Leticia hugged her mother, quietly telling her she'll miss her and to take care of her father.
Just as Leticia pulled out of her mother's arms, loud, heavy footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. Judas rushed over to his family, duffle bag slung around his shoulder. He kissed Prudence on the cheek lightly, "bye, Prude, I'll miss you"
Prudence scowled, "fuck you"
"Actually, I am quite active in that area"
"Children!" Zelda called warningly. Judas only grinned mischievously and moved towards his father. "Thank you, Dad," he nodded, shaking his hand warmly, "take care of Mom for me"
Finally, Judas moved towards Zelda, pulling her into his arms and kissing her head softly, "I love you, Mom. Don't cry. We'll be back home in no time, you'll see"
With a final kiss to his mother's cheek, Judas pulled away, linking his arm with his sister and walking out of the house.
Zelda took a shuddering breath as Prudence left to her room. Faustus turned to her, pulling her into his arms as she calmed herself down.
“How are you feeling?" Faustus asked gently.
"My daughter is going to travel the world, and my son is leaving to Italy to study the most ancient and sacred magical arts. I'm proud, but I already miss them"
"You married a mortal?!" Zelda screamed as she stormed into the Spellman house.
"Blackwood, if you do not remember, you are not welcome here," Edward spoke condescendingly.
"Oh spare me, Edward," Zelda bit spitefully, "at least I married a Warlock. You married a Satan damned mortal! Your marriage is much worse than mine!"
"Don't speak about my wife or marriage! You don't even know Diana!" Edward exclaimed angrily.
"Oh! So I'm not allowed to not approve of your marriage, but you're allowed to have me disowned because of my husband who you constantly shit on?! Tell me, 'brother', what makes your love acceptable and mine not?!"
Edward stood silently for a moment, thinking of a reply, only for Zelda to turn around and storm out of the house, with a final, "you might hate Faustus, but he's treated me much better than you have"
The phone rang loudly through the house, interrupting the quiet peace. Zelda got up with a huff, answering it with a curt, "Lady Blackwood speaking"
"Zelda?" A small voice sniffled on the other side of the telephone.
"Hilda? What in Satan's name happened? Did Edward do something?" Zelda huffed.
"Zelda... Edward's gone..." Hilda sniffled.
Zelda gasped, tears already brimming in her eyes, her voice broke as she whimpered a choked "what?"
"His plane crashed, Zelda. He and Diana died. And Diana's siblings want to take Sabrina," Hilda cried into the phone.
"They most certainly will not!" Zelda screeched through her tears. She knew of Sabrina, having monitored the whole pregnancy from away.
Soon after, as Faustus entered their home, he was greeted with Zelda's blood shot eyes. He immediately took her into his arms, promising almost immediately to be of help in whatever the Spellmans needed.
One week later, Faustus was High Priest, Sabrina was entrusted into Faustus', Zelda's, and Hilda's care, Ambrose was still under house arrest, and the children were all acquainted.
It was during one of her weekend stays at Hilda's when Sabrina met them, a trio of mortal friends who she would bond with immediately: Harvey, Roz, and Susie. Hilda had been ecstatic at the prospect of Sabrina having mortal friends and had immediately told Sabrina to invite them over, even helped her buy a phone secretly so she'd still be able to communicate with her friends when she was back at Blackwood Manor.
To her credit, Sabrina had managed to keep her friendship secret from her aunt and uncle, even when Prudence had discovered it, forcing her to do extra chores in return for Prudence's silence. She was, however, caught, when Harvey had gotten excited about something Sabrina wasn't able to catch, and had called outside the hours she'd given her friends to call.
Uncle Faustus had been in the room, and had immediately known what the vibration was. He'd summoned the phone before calling her Aunt Zelda into the room. They proceeded to give her an hour long lecture, packaged with a month long grounding.
It had not broken her friendship with the mortals.
Sending Prudence with Sabrina on her weekend stay at the Spellman house proved to have been a mistake. Especially since Hilda was unable to look after them, leaving Ambrose in charge, which meant all time mayhem and Hilda's return to a house with a burnt down wall, three cursed mortals, and complete disorder.
Meanwhile, at Blackwood Manor, Zelda had just about enough time to rest a bit after a 13 hour complicated delivery, during which Faustus had done nothing but continue to panic while Hilda and Leticia helped Zelda.
When the girls returned, and Judas finally arrived back home from Italy, they were greeted with their father (and uncle) holding the latest addition to their family, little Augustus Blackwood.
Sabrina's dark baptism could not have gone better, Hilda mused as she stared into the fireplace. She'd had hoped for Sabrina to run away, or refuse to sign her name. Naively, Hilda had hoped that Sabrina's mortal friends would have affected her in some way so that she wouldn't sign. But Sabrina had done so, and gladly, celebrating after with all present family members.
And it broke Hilda's heart. It hurt even more when she saw how happy and proud Zelda and Faustus were of the girl. Faustus, she could understand. But Zelda... had her sister no concern whatsoever over their niece's soul?! Then again, Zelda did make her eldest children sign the Book of the Beast.
All that's left now is little Auggie.