Close enough to start a war

“Did you do nought but play with dolls for the entirety of your childhood you stupid child?!” Viktor exclaimed, his patience finally lost. “Look at the family tree, Cecilia. There is not enough room for us to co-exist peaceful. This family and peace does not go together. We are dependent on someone to dole out everything. From marriage and divorce to money problems and issues with bastard children. This falls on me and it will fall on Elijah. The head of the family saves this family from being bankrupt primarily. It also prevents us from having Squibs and marrying our cousins and such. The head of the family keeps things stable and level. We cannot co-exist, Cecilia. You need to learn this now before it is too late. Idealism is non-existent in this house. You should have learned that a long time ago. If you don’t want any part of it then you know where the door is, Cecilia.”

And with that said, Viktor left. He stormed down the stairs and entered the parlour where he found his nephew and his son asleep together on the sofa. He heard the door open and he turned around to see Irina stood there, a House Elf by her side. She crossed the room and he enveloped her small frame in his arms. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears, and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry darling,” he murmured, brushing a tendril of hair out of her eyes. “This wasn’t how I imagined this night to unfold. Are you hungry?” She nodded but pulled away from him.

“I want to talk to her,” Irina told him, her hands involuntarily straying to her stomach. “Please Viktor...she’ll never accept me otherwise.”

“I will let you but we will do so tomorrow, my love; at breakfast. For now we will dine in the kitchen and leave the children to their own devices. Merlin knows they think they’re old enough to do so.”

“You judge them too harshly,” Irina protested. “They are scared.” She lowered her eyes and Viktor took her back into his arms. “We will have to make amends with them in the morning, Viktor otherwise we’ll never gain their trust again. Cecilia has lost her mother for goodness sake. She doesn’t want someone like me in her life. Elijah is accepting but he doesn’t want to know either! I can’t stand the idea that we’ll never be a part of their lives...that our children won’t be a part of their lives either.” She looked down at her stomach and Viktor pursed his lips. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I am just...disheartened I suppose.”

“It’ll be alright. We’ll sort ourselves in the morning, don’t worry.”


( Do you want to cut to morning? )

(Sure I guess…..idk)

“I did not play with dolls,” Cecilia said to her self as she shut the door behind her father. She sat next to the window hugging her knees to her watching as the sky started to grow dark. Silently she cried and wished that Jack or Jake where there. They would know how to make her happy again. They would know how to help her though this. She wished that her mother was still alive and that their relation ship had been a little different than it had been. She wished they had been close, all of them.
After she felt her Father and his… Cecilia didn’t know what to call her, had gone to bed. She left her room and went walking around the house. She wondered into the parlor that Elijah and Harry were in and were sleeping on the sofa. She shook her head and she left the room again. Cecil wondered around until midnight before she finally fell asleep leaning against the wall in one of the many hallways.

The pillow was soft and the way it rose and fell was enough to lull him back to sleep again. Elijah knew that what he was laying on was no pillow. Elijah knew that beneath him lay his cousin, his confident, his lover; that same confident, that same lover, that had asked him for permission to marry. Elijah was a creature of great selfishness at times and he hadn’t wanted to lose Harry. He’d asked for one thing and then he promised he’d grant Harry permission. One thing – one night – and he would be free to marry Astrid and have as many children with her as the Gods would allow. Part of him wanted to tell Harry ‘no’ but he was entitled to his own life. He loved Astrid and that was what was important wasn’t it? Just like Eli was bound to Mira; Harry was bound to the little blonde that had proved to be nothing more than nuisance.

“I’m sorry.”

Harry’s voice met Elijah’s ears and he looked up, instantly meeting the dark gaze that his cousin possessed. Elijah shook his head and felt Harry’s fingers graze his cheeks. Elijah leaned into his hand and kissed his palm before beginning to move. The beginnings of tears began to prick in his eyes and he wanted to be out of Harry’s presence and in the shower when the dam finally broke. Harry made a noise of protest but Elijah ignored him. It was still early and he doubted anyone would be around the house yet.

Elijah slipped out of the room and shut the door. He didn’t lock it; it was enough distance and enough of a barrier to keep Harry from him. Elijah didn’t go upstairs first. No, firstly he went to the kitchens where he could already hear the bangs of pots and pans. The House Elves were working their little bones to dust and Elijah was eager to see why. He opened the door and all of their eyes turned to look at him. With squeaks, all of the House Elves jumped to attention, some even saluting. The ‘Head Chef’ scrambled over and smiled widely at Elijah.

“What can we do for Master Krum today?” He asked. “Perhaps we could make some food for him?”

Elijah shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. What’s going on?”

“It’s the famed breakfast today, sir!” One of the other elves exclaimed before she could stop herself. “Master Viktor has been planning it for months. The new Mistress has to help him today and so does Master and Little Mistress.”

Elijah swallowed. “So...what...?”

“Dignitaries will be here. Important people will be here. Your whole family will be here! Master Viktor is desperate for things to go well!” Another elf piped up.

“Pureblood...dignitaries?” Elijah asked hesitantly. When the elves all nodded, Elijah’s mind clicked into place. “This isn’t what I think-”

“This if your father’s way of bringing good press back into the family,” A portrait of Galina Krum was mounted on the wall and she spoke to Elijah from here. Elijah blanched and she continued. “The family has fallen into disrepair. It is time for that to be remedied. You need to help remedy that, Elijah; Cecilia too.”

“So-”

“It’s incredibly important things go well today,” Galina answered for him. His great-great-grandmother...telling him things that they wouldn’t have otherwise known.

“Every member of master’s family is here today sir.” A house added.

“Even the Angelovas?” Elijah asked, distaste marring his tone.

Galina made a face. “Heaven’s no! Do you think so little of your father’s choices? No; and not everyone is here, only those who bring good to this family. Quidditch players, Politicians...people in high-profile positions.”

“So...everyone then, yeah?” Elijah glared.

Galina made yet another face. “Well yes, fine then. Everyone is here. Now get out you swot, you smell like Merlin only knows what.”

And so, with that, Elijah turned on his heel and left. He closed the door and stood there for a few minutes before straying and wandering into the foyer. He ascended the grand staircase and took a left before ascending another flight upstairs towards his wing of the house. That was where he found his sister, asleep on the floor against the wall. Elijah pursed his lips and looked down at her, totally unimpressed by what he saw. Perhaps that was the Pureblood snobbery in him or the disappointment he felt every time he looked at her.

Elijah nudged her with his foot.

“Get up Cecilia,” he deadpanned. He then opened the door to his suite and left it open, fully expecting her to follow him.

Elijah pulled his tie out from underneath his collar and tossed it onto the bed. He then shed his jacket and slowly but surely left a pile of clothes on the floor that led to the bathroom. He jumped in the shower and turned the dial. The hot water shone down on him, soaking him instantly. Elijah by then didn’t even have the energy to mourn. He couldn’t be bothered – it was worthless. He adored Harry but not like he’d done in the past. After washing, Elijah got out of the shower and towelled himself dry. He tied the towel around his hips and walked back into his bedroom. He opened another door and walked over the threshold of the closet that was the size of both rooms (if not slightly bigger) the things here weren’t covered in paint. Far from it in fact, they were new; fresh from the store, devoid of his smell.

Elijah dressed, choosing a black pair of trousers and a crisp white shirt. He tucked the shirt into his trousers and pushed a belt through the loopholes before tying it tightly, securing the trousers and the shirt inside. Elijah took the crimson waistcoat off of the hanger and shrugged it on. He did it up before walking over to the full length mirror in his room. He looked at Cecilia over his reflection’s shoulder and pursed his lips before reaching up for the box of ribbon that was sat on the shelf above the mirror. He took it down and dipped his fingers into the box, pushing the ribbons around before finally finding the crimson one he needed. Elijah pushed the box back onto the shelf and gathered up his hair. He tied it nimbly and let the makeshift pony-tail drop when he was done. Elijah turned to inspect his work and smiled when he was content with it. Then, he picked up an outer-dress robe and shrugged it on. He clasped it and looked at Cecilia impatiently.

“There will be an important breakfast today. Dinner was buggered up, we both know that. We need to make an impression on this woman, Cecilia, a good impression. This isn’t just about her, either, before you say anything. This is about us and this is about the family. It is time for you to grow up, just as it is time for me to. We have to hold ourselves with the grace and the style that is expected. We are ambassadors for our family. We are Pureblood. We are rich. We are Krums. We have everything going for us. Being a Pureblood isn’t a small thing to be, remember that. This is our opportunity to make the family see that we’re not screw ups; me more than you. Everything is riding on me when father’s six feet under. You...you will be no doubt given your betrothal at some point; wedding plans will be made, etcetera.” Elijah could hear his self; he could hear how cruel he sounded. Still, that was just going to be the way from now on. It had to be. It wasn’t fun and games anymore. They were becoming adults sooner rather than later and they couldn’t mess around anymore.

“Things are changing out there; can you see? Times are changing. I’m changing. Father’s changing. This whole family is changing and you need to move with that. That’s how we’ll survive Cecilia. We can make our own way but only under certain restrictions. You’ll have your marriage, I’ll have mine. You’ll have your children, your husband’s heirs, and I’ll have mine – my heirs.” Elijah picked up a scarf and, using his wand, magically tied it around his neck over the top of his shirt. “You’ll need to wear something sensible today. They’ll want robes or a floor length dress. Leave something to the imagination. I have a feeling there will be people here today – suitors, maybe. Certainly there will be politicians and people from different walks of life but all from the aristocracy – the Pureblood aristocracy. There can be no dramas today. We must play this perfectly. We’re what they’re going to be looking at today – along with father’s new wife-to-be – we’re the stars of this show and we can’t f-ck it up, Cecilia. Everyone is here – everyone. There hasn’t been a gathering like this since Mari- Mother’s funeral. We are here to impress. It has to be sunshine and roses. It has to look like sunshine and roses. You have to be what Irina is replacing. She has no right to play host until she’s married to father. Until then, you have to do that along with all of the other women in this family. Stay with Lorelei, Esperanza and Esmeralda. They’ll show you what to do if you can’t figure it out for yourself. Now, any questions because I have succeeded in working myself up. Oh, by the way, you’ll need to use a cigarette holder if you insist on smoking. Obviously the gentlemen won’t but the ladies will and no one will be smoking today I don’t think unless the guests do.”

Elijah looked at himself crucially before turning around and looking at Cecilia fully. No more games, no more fun. This day was all about being a Krum and doing it right. They either did that or they were both on a train to Durmstrang if there were claims that Hogwarts was making them soft. Elijah couldn’t go back there. Cecilia had never been. He couldn’t live through that hell again – ever again. He’d be back in Paris within the month. He’d be an embarrassment again and the second time would be the point of no return. He wouldn’t go back if he had to escape for the second time.

“Tatiana is probably the best person to speak to about clothes, I have been told. She’s Andres’ wife or fiancée or something. You’ve met Andres haven’t you? Esperanza and Esmeralda’s older brother? The eldest son of Catalina and Stefan II? They’re via Stefan, our great-uncle or great-great uncle – or something. Either way, she’s the one to talk to about clothes. The girls should be in the west wing. I don’t know for sure. We’d have to ask Javier though I think he might be with Adam; again, I’m not sure.”

“Listen; is there anything you want to talk about regarding the betrothals? I know they’re a little bit daunting but they’re alright. You won’t be paired with someone you hate. You might hate them for a bit but it’s unlikely that you will forever. Uhm...I heard there were some guys hanging around you. Cecilia, I’m going to be honest with you. It needs to end. I’m not father, I’m not going to tell you to end it; I’m just saying you need to. It’s a bad idea, is all. I mean fair enough if you’ve got a working triad going on but you need them to love each other as well as you for it to work properly. They usually end in the death of all members if the dominants don’t love each other. Be wary of that. Not that I’m suggesting you get involved in that sort of thing. It gets complicated fast and in the end it isn’t worth it. This is just a stupid little love triangle isn’t it? It’s fun, I’m sure, and beyond thrilling for two guys to be pining after you but neither of those gentlemen are going to end up betrothed to you.”

Elijah sighed. He knew how she felt. He had known how she’d felt at least. He’d been prepared to walk away when he was with Chase; so prepared. He’d wanted everything for her and for their children. Now what he found was that he had nothing but Mira by his side and a legacy he had to uphold; the Krum legacy. He was being groomed, whether he realised it or not, to be the new Head of the Family.

“Sorry. I sound like an arsehole. I love you, Cec, even if I don’t act like I do sometimes. I want you to be happy but it won’t work. Merlin knows it won’t work. Our paths have been chosen for us. We can’t break from those. It’s just...it’s a bad idea. They’ll pick you a nice guy, I promise. If he isn’t, I’ll do the honours of hexing his balls off alright?” Elijah grinned at his sister and crossed the room. He kissed her forehead before adding, “So, Opera length or just the standard?” he asked with regards to the cigarette holder.

Cecilia didn’t wake until she heard the water running she stood and walked into Elijah’s room sitting on his bed she silently watched him emerge from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She sat quietly listening to every word he said nodding every once in a while. “I’m not doing this for you or dad. I will do it for mother though,” she said quietly looking at Elijah’s reflection in the mirror, “I may not act like you all think I should all the time but I did pay attention to something’s, maybe not all the time but every once in a while.” she pushed her hair out of her face. “maybe last night got a little out of hand. Maybe I shouldn’t have done this to my hair but every thing should turn out okay. Like you said no dramatics.” he kissed her on the forehead. “I do not always express it in the right way but I love you and father. I’ll do what needs to be done and without help for the others.” she stood and walked across the room. Elijah had asked one last question as she reached the door. “I think we both know the answer is neither. While company as important to dad as these guest will be today neither of us will smoke. Well at least I can promise I won’t.” Cecilia walked out of the room and headed back to her room.

Cecilia closed the door behind her and went into the bathroom. She undressed leaving a pile of clothes on the floor before she turned on the water before stepping into the shower. As she washed she thought more about what Elijah had said about Jake and Jack. She could bare to stop being friends with them. She loved them, and was sure they felt the same about her. She finished washing she dried off with a big fluffy towel. She sauntered into her closet looking for the prefect dress to wear. She didn’t’ have many floor length dresses and she hated those horrid dress robes. Carefully she chose a black full length dress that would make her look like her mother had. She then chose a pare of silver heels and got dressed. After she was in the dress and had the heels on she looked at her jewelry and picked out a simple purl necklace. A pair of steel earrings in the shape of clams and a square ring. She put her hair up in a bun like she had secretly watched her mother do many times before then pined a white cloth flower into her hair.

She rose from where she sat and walked out of her room her back straight her shoulder level and her head held high. Silently she went back to Elijah’s room not sure were else to go. She stood in the door way and knocked hoping he was still there.

cecilia's out fit

Her response wasn’t one that Elijah had wanted. He’d wanted her submission, sure, but her response was limp, lifeless and it held little meaning. This wasn’t about their mother anymore; nothing was. If Marina had been there then she never would have taken any of the crap that Viktor had no choice but to deal with the night before. Elijah shook his head and allowed her to go. He had no time for her dramas. She’d never live up to what she was expected to be if she continued. Elijah knew that many had that same opinion of him. He now understood his boundaries. He understood what he could do and what he couldn’t. He knew what was riding on his succession. He knew what was riding on him. There would be no more socializing with Blood Traitors, Half-Bloods and Muggleborns. They needed to speak with Purebloods only and Elijah didn’t know if Cecilia understood this.

There was a knock at the door soon after she’d left and Elijah turned around to see Elisabeth stood in the doorway wearing ivory dress robes. Her dark hair was pulled up way from her face with curls left to fall around her eyes. Elijah smiled at her and she looked him up and down teasingly as she appraised him. Elijah chuckled and she walked over, teetering on the heels that she’d been put into by her mother. Elijah steadied her as she swayed dangerously and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Elisabeth smiled and patted Elijah on the arm before announcing what she’d come to say,

“I hate her.”

“Who?” Elijah asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Astrid of course! Merlin, Eli, she’s awful! I’ve never seen such a piece of work. I don’t know where Harry got her from but I’m certainly not going to their wedding!” Elisabeth complained. “She’s wearing this tacky Muggle dress when everyone knows she should be wearing dress robes!” Elisabeth made a face. “Did she not come from any form of the aristocracy?”

Elijah laughed. “Don’t be a snob, Lis.”

“I can’t help it!” Elisabeth exclaimed. “She looks awful! She is awful! She looks as if he’s dredged her up from nowhere, put her in a dress and given her a diamond! She looks hideous! Anyway, where’s your mother? I want to meet her! I heard she lived in Milan for a year and I want to hear all about the fashion there!”

“Irina?”

Elisabeth hummed in response and she patted Eli on the cheek. “Do you know what she’s wearing today?”

“No...Why would I?”

Elisabeth shrugged. It was then that Elijah noticed Cecilia stood in the doorway. Elisabeth whirled around and her jaw clenched as if she realised she’d have to eat her words. Muggle Dress. Elisabeth plastered a smile on her face and strode away from Elijah. Younger than both him and Cecilia but she held herself like the Pureblood woman she was.

“Cousin! Well, don’t you look wonderful? I do believe people are starting to go out into the gardens now. The hedge his high,” her last sentence was one aimed for Elijah. “Shall we go then?” She asked, walking towards the exit.

Cecilia had heard Elizabeth she had heard every thing she had said about Astrid, “Dress robes are not for every one,” Cecilia said quietly and looked past her cousin to her brother, “Liz if you’d go ahead I’m sure Elijah and I wouldn’t be far behind. I’d like to talk to him alone for a minute. About something he mentioned earlier.” she blinked back a few tears. If Elizabeth thought that about Astrid’s attire she was sure to think some of the same about Cecilia too and she found this a little up seating. She looked to Elijah for a little help and only said one word, “Elijah?”

Elisabeth’s smile was tight but she nodded and breezed out of the room without another word. Elijah bit his lip. He brought his hand up to the back of his neck and looked at Cecilia guiltily. She was right, dress robes weren’t for everyone. There was far too much snobbery in the family but Elijah could understand why. It was the Pureblood way. Everyone was a snob and completely stand-offish at times. Elijah didn’t think himself quite as bad. He was more open about everything; or at least that’s what he thought of himself. He was probably wrong, though. In fact, he knew he was wrong. Snobbery was bread into their family so it was expected for Elisabeth to be snide – even though she wasn’t a Krum by birth-right. She was still, however, a Harrow and by birth she was belonging to one of the biggest families in the Bulgarian aristocracy.

“Yes?” Elijah asked hesitantly before taking a seat at the armoire that was, for some unknown reason, in his room. He knew Cecilia was hurt by Elisabeth’s words, he could see it in her eyes. A part of him wanted to tell her to toughen up a bit but he knew that would have been wrong of him. The other side just wanted to embrace her and tell her she was alright the way she was. That was the problem though, she wasn’t alright the way she was. She was single-handedly destroying herself; and the worst part was that Viktor didn’t even know. He had other things on his mind though, they all did, and that was why her problems were so easy to miss. She was subtle about it but still open about it all as if trying to garner attention from it. Well, she had Elijah’s attention – was she happy about that?

Pursing his lips, Elijah began to play with one of the rings on his fingers. He swept a critical eye over his sister and really wished he hadn’t. The clothes were so wrong on her. Tatiana wouldn’t have put her in that. Tatiana wouldn’t have put her in a Muggle dress, period. The Spaniard’s wife was heavily pregnant yet she had had dress robes tailored for her. Obviously Cecilia didn’t like them but he didn’t exactly know how that worked; robes were part of wizarding culture. Still, Elijah wouldn’t question her if she didn’t want him to. He had suggested a dress, if she insisted on wearing one, that was floor length but he wish he hadn’t said a word. It was truly awful. It did nothing for her figure; not that she particularly had one. The lack of eating had destroyed the curves her body was making for her. She was just a stick insect and the dress was hanging off of her like she was a hanger about to be put into a wardrobe.

Elijah swallowed and rose from his chair, disliking the way she towered. It made him feel vulnerable when he was seated and people stood above him. He loathed the feeling.

“Forgive Elisabeth,” He told her, carefully enunciating the English. “She has expectations of us all, just as we all have expectations of her. We’ve grown up with it. It still hurts but...it is not a foreign thought.”

“Eventually,” Cecilia said a minute or two after Elijah spoke. She looked at him and then away, “I don’t want to lose them,” she whispered. Elijah knew who she was talking about but probably wouldn’t care at all. “I really do love them and they are good people. It would hurt them both if I were to just stop talking to them. To stop being with them even in the most innocent way,” she was now looking back at Elijah, “is there a way around the whole arrange marriage thing? You’d be the one to know, Right?” she had seen the way Elijah had looked at her and thought he didn’t like it just like Elizabeth., “You don’t like the way I chose to dress either,” she whispered, “Sorry, I can never please anyone.” she bit the inside of her lip and wished that her last words weren’t true, but sadly they where true.

Elijah didn’t know how he was supposed to explain to her that no matter what was going to happen with her life, she was always going to lose her first love. In this case, her first loves. She’d always been innocent and ignorant of the hedonism of their household. She’d never been a part of Krum family politics up until this point. She’d never adhered to the rule that said you could sleep with anyone – even your own family members – until your formal engagement. Sleeping with anyone and everyone was allowed as long as no one contracted diseases and there was no pregnancy. She’d never done any of that to his knowledge. She hadn’t had their cousins like he had and their cousins hadn’t had her like they’d had him. It was Krum family politics after all – everything went as long as they could continue to save face.

“I know you don’t.” Elijah sighed. He bit his lip and looked at Cecilia carefully before stepping forward. He enveloped her in his arms and rested his head atop hers. “Being with them even in the most innocent of ways will be a danger if you are formally betrothed. I don’t think they’ll even bother about that either – they’ll just skip to the engagement process.” He sighed and rubbed her back before stepping away and crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know if there is a way out, honestly. The only way I’d say you could get out of it is by ruining the marriage and earning a separation though I doubt that would do you any good. I am going to tell you honestly now that these betrothals do not end with the partners hating them. They fall in love, Cecilia – honestly. Why do you think our family has so many children if they don’t adore their partners? You will be picked for a wonderful partner. I promise you that.”

Elijah pursed his lips with her last words. He sighed and turned around, walking back over to his closet. He stepped inside and ran his hand along the rows of clothes before picking out a dark-red outer robe. He checked that the gold clasp still worked and took his wand out of his pocket. He resized it and swept back out of the closet. Elijah held the outer robe up for Cecilia to see and gestured for her to slip her arms into it.

“This will make it a million times better. I promise.” He assured her with a smile.

Cecilia had been some what comforted by the hug Elijah had given her. Thought not completely his words helped some to, but still not a whole lot. “No way out,” she whispered to her self as she watched Elijah walk into his closet. Cecil was confused when he came out holding a dark red outer robe. He held it out to her and she took it as a sign to put her arms through it. “thank you Eli,” she said quietly, “you are a wonderful big brother weather you like the fact or not.” with that she kissed him on the cheek.