Work Text:
The morning of the wedding had arrived quicker than expected.
Narcissa sat up slowly watching as the sun painted the walls of her room a soft orange. This was it, she was to become queen, she was to marry Prince Adrian and unite their kingdoms. She couldn’t help but feel sick; she respected Travers but she did not love him for her heart had already belonged to someone else.
The blonde jolted out of her thoughts when she heard a light pounding on her door, her lady in waiting Evelyn. She swung her feet off the bed, her feet meeting the cool wood beneath. She padded over and opened the door.
“Good morning your royal highness.” Evelyn bowed
“Evie we’ve been over this, just Cissa is fine, no need for the formalities.” Narcissa offered her a kind smile
“Right, my apologies you- Cissa.” Evelyn replied, offering a smile back “I’m here to help you prepare for the wedding!”
Narcissa smiled to hide the disappointment and opened the door wider for the other woman to enter.
————————
“You look beautiful Cissa.” Evelyn said as she zipped up the white grown which seemed to feel tighter than the last time the blonde had tried it on.
“Thank you Evie.” She smiled
Evelyn gave her another grin and then stepped back so the princess could take in the full glory.
Narcissa couldn’t be dishonest, the gown was beautiful. It was white with gold embroidery along the sleeves, hints of both families spun in gold.
She stood, taking it in and could feel water rushing into her eyes but she quickly blinked them back.
“Thank you Evie but I would like some time to myself if that’s alright.” Narcissa turned to face her
“Yes of course.” She quickly said, bowing and then leaving, softly shutting the door behind her.
Narcissa waited exactly one minute and then finally let the tears in her eyes run down her pale cheeks, she sunk to the ground dropping her head into her hands. She didn’t want this, she just wanted to be free, she wanted a life with- no. She has to do this. She’s her families last hope, people like her aren’t allowed to have dreams, she was brought in this world for one thing and one thing only, she wasn’t allowed to have ambitions or stray away from the life woven for her, she was a woman and woman had a duty and she had to fulfill hers.
Narcissa picked herself off the floor and dusted her gown. She whipped the tears from her cheeks and sat down at her vanity, she had to look perfect. Just as she was about to pin up her hair she heard a soft knock at her door. She looked at the door puzzled, she had sent Evelyn away and no one else was supposed to see her today. She made her way to the door and opened it.
“Andy!” She gasped before her older sister quickly shushed her glancing around to see if anyone had heard the loud outburst.
“Well are you going to let me in?”
Narcissa swiftly stepped aside as Andy walked in and shut the door behind them. The two sisters stared at each other for what seemed like forever before Andy threw her arms around her little sister pulling her tight against her chest. Narcissa immediately wrapped her arms around the brunette woman.
After a moment Narcissa pulled away, dropping her arms to her side.
“What are you doing here Andy?” She asked
Andromeda didn’t respond right away, she just looked to her with sad eyes.
“Cissa, you’re making a mistake.” She said whispered.
“Andy no, don’t do this to me-“
“Narcissa, you don’t want this and I know you don’t, you don’t have to do this-“
“Yes! Yes I do! I have to make up for your mistakes!” The younger blurted
Andy recoiled as if Narcissa had struck her across the face, sadness filled her eyes before she hardened her face.
“I didn’t come here to fight.”
“I don’t want your pity.” Narcissa muttered looking down
“Fine.” Andy looked down as well “Can I do your hair?”
Narcissa looked up with shock but nodded. Andromeda guided her back to the old vanity in the corner and began to pin her hair.
“You look beautiful by the way.” She whispered
Narcissa met her eye in the mirror and just gave her a somber smile. Andy finished putting the last pin in place and once again met Narcissa’s eyes in the mirror but turned around. Narcissa leapt to her feet and threw herself into Andy’s arms, the older immediately wrapped her arms around her little sister and hugged her tightly to her chest.
“I love you, I love you, I love you.” She muttered.
Narcissa only hugged her tighter.
Finally the blonde pulled away first,
“You should go, before anyone sees you.”
Andy nodded and headed towards the door but paused and turned around one last time,
“You look like mother. Beautiful.”
And with that just as quickly as she had come, she was gone.
Leaving Narcissa to let those last words sink in, their mother was beautiful but unhappy, forever longing for a love just out of reach.
—————————-
After what seemed like hours, it was time.
Her father was already at her side behind the doors, her arm was delicately looped in his.
She could feel her heart pounding out of her chest. This was real, so many days Narcissa had hopped that somehow, someway that this was all some nightmare and any minute she’d wake up back in her bed with sting arms wrapped around her and soft kisses pressed to her shoulder but this wasn’t a nightmare, she was here standing behind a wooden door and waiting for music to begin playing so she could take the walk to sign her life away while the whole who actually held her heart watched.
The music started and the doors opened, Cygnus walked her down gracefully, but she couldn’t help but slightly drag her feet as if it could stall the union.
She wasn’t looking at any of the attendants but as she turned her head she saw him.
Lucius was standing against a wall next to another knight, his face was blank as she stood with his hands clasped in front of him. She quickly looked away and back to the front where Travers was eagerly waiting for her. She felt like she wanted to puke.
When they finally reached her end her father kissed her cheek and Narcissa placed her hands in the older boys as the priest began to speak.
“We are gathered here today to celebrate the holy union of Black and Travers, two kingdoms-“
Narcissa completely tuned him out instead letting her mind fall into happier times.
Her and Lucius at the lake splashing each other. Him grabbing her in an attempt to stop and the gentle kiss afterwards.
She could hear travers begin his vows but she paid no mind. She thought about Lucius again this time in the gardens on their daily walks. They would talk about everything and nothing and at the end of each one he would pick a flower and place it in her hair before pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. She always retuned to the palace with a slight flush in her cheeks.
It was her turn now.
“I, Narcissa Black take thee Adrian Travers to have and to hold-“
She even tuned her self out, retreating back into her mind. This time they were in her bed chambers and Lucius was braiding her hair, something he always insisted on doing when he was stressed as it helped ease him. Narcissa hummed quietly as he read a chapter of her latest book.
“And done.” He said, Narcissa simply smiled leaning back into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her placing a kiss to her temple.
“I just want to be like this forever.” She whispered. Lucius didn’t respond, he just placed another kiss to her head.
“I now pronounce you, man and wife, king and queen.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd as the new king and queen turned to face their subjects. Narcissa looked around at all their happy and excited faces and tried deep down to be happy too but she just couldn’t and then she locked eyes with Lucius across the room.
She didn’t know what to expect, a glare? A somber look? Tears? But all he did was give her a smile, he may have been breaking inside but in this moment he didn’t want to make her feel guilty or sad or hurt, he did the only thing he could, offered her silent comfort.
They would never be the same again, they would never be the kids running in the fields and rolling down grassy hills, they would never be the teens that snuck around the castle and fell in love, they would never be people with dreams or getting away and creating a life together.
She tried to tell herself that she was a queen, and he was a knight, she was of royal blood and now he was just a man, but she knew it wasn’t true.
As long as he was still breathing, Lucius Malfoy held her heart in his, their souls were intertwined together and even then, even in death he would still hold it and she would follow.