ARSONIST'S LULLABY ━━ r. black¹

𝖝𝖎𝖛. shining just for you

彡 chapter fourteen
( shining just for you )

THE FAWLEY MANOR stood unyielding and steady, carved from white marble, ivy snaking it's way around a multitude of pillars. Built in a classical style by one of her ancestors generations ago, Morgana had never seen the stately building as much of a home. On the evening of the Fawley Ball —her family had been given the honor of hosting the first ball of the pureblood season— the entire place was aglow with preparations for what was to be a splendid night. The gardens were as beautiful as ever,  fairy lights twinkling on the hedges and wrapped around every archway, and the ballroom had been spruced up, ready to be filled with a multitude of groveling sycophants.

She felt ridiculous. Her dress would've have been comfortable if she hadn't been forced into a ridiculously tight corset, the stays laced so tight she could barely breathe. Her heels were minimal and dainty, since she was already quite tall, and the makeup was far more than what she usually wore. The hair was probably the worst, pinned and braided into a fancy updo that was beginning to pain her scalp, and the jewelry was heavy.

"Stop fidgeting!" Lavinia sighed, lines creasing her forehead. She looked elegant in a gown of deep purple satin, her silver rings digging into Morgana's hand as she led her through the hallway feeding into the entrance chamber. "I understand you have your eye set on someone?"

Morgana nodded, swallowing uncomfortably. She did not want to discuss her dating history with her severe looking grandmother, especially the more casual parts of it. "Good. It's always good to know who the most eligible bachelors are— Druella! How lovely to see you."

Morgana had to dart her eyes away from the insufferable Druella Black, née Rosier, Regulus's aunt. She was perfectly coiffed as always, blonde hair slicked back into a fancy updo not unlike Morgana's, wearing a black dress that looked more appropriate for a funeral. Morgana stiffened, sinking into a curtsy, rising when she deemed it safe. "Go, mingle with those your own age," Lavinia said after a moment, as Druella pointed to a tapestry, seemingly wanting to question Lavinia about where it was from.

She breathed a sigh of relief and fled from her grandmother's clutches as fast as she could, before she could change her mind. She ducked behind a bust of one of her ancestors to loosen her corset, breathing a sigh of relief as she hunted down one of the house elves carrying a tray of champagne glasses, tipping the bubbly liquid down her throat and cherishing the warmth that burned in her stomach. She was stuffing a little pastry from one of the trays into her mouth when she spotted Regulus making his way towards her with a tight-lipped smile on his face akin to a grimace.

"What?" she asked softly, reaching out to brush her hand on his cheek, as soft as a butterfly wing. He caved softly into her touch, his posture relaxing as his body leaned towards her. It was like she'd just lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders. "Reg?"

"I'm happy to see you," he said, looking directly at her, which was when she noticed how skinny he looked. He'd always been slim, with cheekbones sharp as glass, but he looked gaunt now, chiseled features hollow. It was as if someone had drained the blood from his veins, skin so white and chalky that he almost looked corpse-like. He was still as devastatingly handsome as he always was, but something seemed so wrong the moment she laid eyes on him. It was his eyes that puzzled her, inquisitive and curious as usual. But the small specks of blue in the gunmetal grey were absent in the evening light, flat and tepid instead of blazing with emotion. No matter how much of a facade Regulus always tried to put up, holding the plaster mask to his skin as it crumbled through his fingers, his eyes were always the windows to his soul. Today, she couldn't figure him out.

Wordlessly, she took him by the arm, dragging him away from the ballroom and through a maze of hallways until they found themselves in the garden, secluded behind rose bushes that grew tall, encircling a stone fountain with angels spouting water, droplets flying through the air and misting them. The droplets sparkled like diamonds, a single one catching on his long eyelashes and disappearing as he blinked it away from his glacial eyes. He leaned against a stone pillar as she stared at him, moonlight distorting his features in the dim shadows. "What's wrong?" she asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing's wrong," he said quietly. "It's just been lonely at the manor. Father is a drunk as usual, and mother is busy with her societal obligations."

She scoffed, features hardening as her delicately winged brows knit together. "Sure," she sighed. "You, are a terrible-"

Liar. He stole the ending of her sentence from her with a kiss, teeth grazing her lips as she curled into him as a response to his embrace. "What were you saying?" he smirked, eyes glinting.

His lips met hers once again, fingers trailing up her sides to rest on the curve of her waist, only for a familiar voice to call out for them across the garden. "Reg! Morgana! There you are."

Romulus strides across the lawn, lanky figure swathed in an expensive silk suit, with Margot on his arm in a stunning dress of lavender satin. Morgana smoothed her hands down the champagne silk of her dress, hiding the evidence of Regulus's fleeting touch out of habit. She relaxed back into his gentle grip around her waist, fingers resting just above where her hip bone jutted out.

"Merlin, you look terrible," Margot commented immediately, glancing at Regulus's gaunt appearance. "Even a nice suit can't hide the fact that you look like a starving Victorian orphan."

"No hello, or I missed you?" Regulus teased, slinging his free arm around Margot's shoulder to squeeze her in a hug. Romulus clapped him on the back, beaming to disguise his concern over his obviously altered appearance.

"Seriously Reg, have you been eating?"

Regulus sputtered for a moment, caught in his own web of lies. "I've just been a little stressed. Overworked."

His grasp around Morgana's waist tightened and she couldn't ignore that all-over warmth she felt with his touch, as if he was sweet summer caressing every inch of her skin from head to toe. She was sure he'd leave little purple fingerprints etched into her skin but she didn't even mind. If she could have his skin on hers every moment of the day she would, his warmth draped over her from head to toe.

He kissed her cheek, lips grazing the hollow spot underneath her cheekbone that had her curling further into his touch. "You two are so in love it's making me sick," Margot teased, leaning into her own beau's embrace.

That was where the four spent the majority of the evening, curled under a gazebo, blowing ringlets of smoke through the night sky, stars blurred in their eyes from the vodka on their tongues.

The party was still in full-swing when they stumbled back into the brightly lit ballroom for dessert, shoving x all fruit tarts into napkins and hiding behind a giant tapestry in the hallway to eat them. They felt like children again just for one night.

They sipped champagne from the fountains and spun in circles on the dance floor, elegant waltzes and foxtrots, his arm around her waist for all to see. In the eyes of society it was a strange match, the poisoned daughter and the prodigal son.

But from what Lavinia could witness, her granddaughter was truly in love with Regulus Black. The thought of her marrying a Black brought her a semblance of joy. Morgana would never have to worry about money or comfort while married to a Black.

But all Walburga could think about was how tainted her bloodline would be by the Gryffindor girl who'd slept with half of her class.

( AUTHOR NOTE )
... long time no see?!