I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 25. Waiting

Lucius couldn't bare to hear her cries, her wails of pain, both emotional and physical. He pulled Astrid onto his lap, wrapping his strong arms around her he hushed her cries, placing soft kisses a top her head. This didn't settle her, instead it made her struggle against him, pushing him away she tried to free herself of his hold.

            "N-no!" She cried, "G-get away from me!"

            Astrid managed to break free of Lucius, crawling away she tucked herself into a small ball and cried into the earth.

            "D-don't touch me," She wept as Lucius crouched by her side, a hand hovering over her back. "You're a monster," She choked out. Her words hit Lucius deep, not because he was hurt by their meaning, he had done terrible things, he truly was a monster, but they hurt because they came from her.

            "It was never supposed to be this way," Lucius exhaled, "If Potter had just handed over the prophecy..."

            "If you had just not done the Dark Lord's bidding," Astrid spat, as she peered up at him now, with reddened tired eyes. Her mascara had run down her face, leaving a trail of black and grey. Her skin was smudged with dirt, her hair tangled and knotted. He expected to see hatred in her eyes, but there was none there, just sadness and heartbreak.

            "That's not an option, my sweet," Lucius told her in a hushed whisper. "Let me get you inside and cleaned up,"

            "I don't want to go anywhere with you," Astrid sniffled, pressing her eyes closed as she fought the urge to burst into tears once again. Lucius ignored her wishes and wrapped his arms around and under her, pulling her to him and hoisting her up against his chest, she wriggled and fought against him briefly, before her tired limbs gave up and her head fell weakly against his leather clad chest, her eyes softly closed. He began ascending the ornately carved stairs up to the large house ahead.

            "Where are we?" Astrid asked weakly as she peered through one groggy eye.

            "I already told you dear, we're home,"

______________

            Astrid awoke in a large comfy four poster bed, with green velvet curtains tied to each post. The sheets were softer than anything she had felt before, the pillows plump and fat.

            Sitting up she looked around her unfamiliar surroundings. Grey, almost black walls surrounded her. A wall of large arched windows lined one wall; double doors squeezed in the middle of them that led to a balcony area. The room was large, larger than even her chambers at Hogwarts. Astrid pushed back the covers and slipped her legs out of the bed, her bare feet touched down on the cold black wooden floor. That's when she noticed she'd been cleaned up and her clothes changed. No longer in her dirtied sports kit, she now wore a black silk night dress that hugged her bump, it had a black lace trim and finished at her mid-thigh. Standing up, her legs were shaky as they took her weight.

            After steadying herself she padded into the room cautiously. A green velvet chaise longue sat at the end of the bed. Beyond that there was a large round rug, woven in shades of silver, grey and black. Upon it sat two green armchairs, pointed slightly towards each other, a black table perched between them, a vase of eucalyptus stems sat atop it. The armchairs faced a large white stone fireplaced, it's surround was intricately carved with snakes, and what looked to be gargoyles. The fire was lit, its warm glow cascading across the room. A black ornate dressing table sat against the wall nearby, a large silver mirror suspended above it. Its surface was empty bar a silver hairbrush.

            Two sets of double doors were positioned on the same wall. Astrid deduced that one led to an ensuite, and the other to her freedom. She stepped towards them anxiously when her question of which door was which was answered. The right-hand door opened, revealing a dark hallway, Lucius Malfoy slipped inside, he looked tired, bags had started to form under his piercing blue eyes, he pressed the door closed behind him.