Arranged || Ominis Gaunt

7: Suppertime

Ellora and Ominis do not kiss a second time, even though prompted to, much to her relief. Not that the first one had gone terribly or anything, just that she did not particularly enjoy being put on display in such a manner. As if her relationship with Ominis is nothing more than frivolous entertainment.

From somewhere within the pristine emerald green suit jacket he wears, Malphas Gaunt produces a ring. As he hands the small piece of jewelry to his son, he speaks.

"This ring has been in the Gaunt family a long time," He starts, smiling. There's something sinister about his smile that has Ellora feeling a chill run down her spine. "It is my pleasure today to allow my son to gift it to his future bride, to wear until one day they have the honor of gifting it to the next generation."

As his father speaks, Ominis takes the ring and turns to Ellora. She lifts her left hand, holding it aloft in the air between them. Ominis reaches out slowly, fingers feeling for where her hand is. This time, she doesn't help him with location, choosing to watch with a small bemused smile on her lips as he fumbles for a moment. His hand finds hers in a matter of seconds, and he begins to slide the ring onto her finger. Ellora lets out a short hum, causing the blind boy to pause in confusion. Her smile broadens.

"Wrong finger, Ominis," She murmurs, just loud enough for him to hear and nobody else. His head tilts to the left, fingertips brushing over her own digits, counting. When he slides the ring on her finger the second time, it's the correct one.

The ring fits perfectly. And, to Ellora's relief, is beautiful. She'd seen some of the heirloom rings from other families. Many of them were clunky and cumbersome in size, likely having been made for male family members upon their creation and eventually passed down as rings for the ladies.

This ring is neither clunky nor cumbersome. It's dainty, boasting an oval-cut emerald in the center and a silvery metal with blackened texturing. On either side of the large gemstone are four tiny black diamonds, arranged around a centerpoint to resemble a small flower. The Gaunts' affinity for snakes is given its acknowledgement, too, in the texture of the metal that looks like the bodies of two snakes swirling together on either side of the ring and around the gemstone itself, forming the shape of the piece of jewelry.

Once the ring is secure on the correct finger on Ellora's hand, Ominis wraps his hand around all four of her fingers and brings her knuckles to his lips. The room erupts with claps and polite appraisal, and the taller boy stands up straight once more and slides his arm around her waist. Both teens turn to face the room, nerves calmed by the simple fact that neither is going to be alone in this.

As her new fiancé's father takes over control of the room once more, Ellora's gaze travels over to her parents. For the first time in a very long time, they look proud. She knows it's more a reaction to their own negotiating skills and having betrothed one of their children to a powerful family than anything, but it still makes her heart swell. A shaky breath pushes past her lips.

Ominis is quick to notice the change in her breathing, angling his face down toward her as his father spouts more boastful words about the impending wedding.

"What's wrong?" He asks under his breath. Ellora turns her attention to the concerned young man, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Nothing," She assures in just as quiet a voice. She looks out at her parents once more, and in doing so, catches her mother's eye. The older woman smiles at her. Actually smiles. "They just- they look proud. Wasn't expecting that." She adds.

A look crosses Ominis' face, then, that she can't quite place. It seems almost a cross between anger and something softer. Perhaps pity. It's gone before she can study it enough to decide.

"Marvolo, my son, why don't you take up Miss Selwyn's old place at the table so she and her new fiancé can sit together?" Malphas suggests. His use of her name calls Ellora's attention back to the older gentleman. She opens her mouth to interject, to say it really isn't necessary, but a hand gives her waist a sharp squeeze before she can.

Ominis doesn't turn towards the shorter girl, but he doesn't have to. The death grip he has on her waist, paired with a subtle blink-and-you-miss-it shake of his head is enough. Do not say a damned thing. She heeds his silent warning.

"But father-" The older Gaunt brother gets no more than two words out before being cut off.

A flash of red zips across the space between father and heir, curving around Ellora and Ominis with startling speed. When the curse makes contact, Marvolo lets out a grunt of pain. He does not say a single word more, slowly pushing himself to his feet. Even from several feet away, Ellora can see the lash marks forming on his skin, just barely peeking out of the collar of his shirt.

Ellora herself had once been a victim on the receiving end of that particular curse. It hadn't been intentionally aimed at her. Her oldest brother, Clementius, had been irate with his younger brother and cast the curse. Of course, 14-year-old Thelonius had sidestepped the red-tinged magic easily, thus opening up a direct line to young Ellora, who was on the floor playing with dolls. She was six at the time.

"Seats set beside one another are for couples, son," Malphas points out tersely. There's an unspoken argument there. Something the two of them have previously discussed. Likely something to do with Marvolo's notably absent wife.

Marvolo gives his father a silent nod, lips pulled tight. "Yes, father," He says. He vacates his seat, then, and when his gaze sweeps over to land on Ellora, she feels a chill travel up her spine. If looks could kill, she'd have dropped dead on the spot.

After the seating chart debacle is done and over with, and everyone has been served their appetizers, Ominis' parents begin their questioning. It's as if none other at the sizable table matters but the newly engaged couple. The scrutinizing attention is something the young Ravenclaw girl could go the entire rest of her life without repeating and be perfectly happy to do so.

Ominis is visibly tense during the entirety of supper, a fact that does not help Ellora feel any sort of ease with her answers to his parents' questions. She finds herself glancing at him out of the corner of her eye more often than not, desperately attempting to gauge whether or not the words coming from her mouth are acceptable. After the third question and just before dessert, the older boy finally rests a subtle reassuring hand on her knee, giving it a quick squeeze before returning it to his lap. 

It isn't until the guests at the table are encouraged to stand and head into the ballroom that Ellora finally gets a chance to breathe. Ominis' parents had grilled her with question after question, from her plans after school, to where she'd want to live, how many kids she wanted, and damn near everything in between. She watches the last couple vacate the dining room with weary eyes, letting out a relieved sigh once they are out of sight.

"Did I do well?" She asks, voice breathy with mental exhaustion as she turns her attention to Ominis. He chuckles, turning to face her.

"Exquisite, love," He assures, a smile on his lips. Ellora finds herself rather flushed in the face upon realizing that she enjoys the look of it. "I believe my mother quite liked the bit about having at least two boys to continue the Gaunt name," He adds. Ellora's blush reddens even further.

"I think that answer has been ingrained into every pureblood girl since birth," She points out matter-of-factly, a genuine smile forming on her lips.

It's not an untruthful statement by any means. Every pureblood girl she'd had the pleasure to meet said the same thing. Once married, giving birth to sons is paramount to a happy life. It's a simple answer to a convoluted situation, of course. Not all marriages ended up being happy, sons or not. Though the Ravenclaw girl would be delusional to deny that having male children did tend to stay some of the terrible mistreatment she'd seen amongst her older peers. 

As Ominis escorts her towards the expansive ballroom, Ellora relishes in the fact that she will never need worry about Ominis mistreating her over the gender of whatever children they may have. Or over anything, for that matter. Even if not a marriage filled with love, theirs is at least destined for respectful civility. 

And for that, Ellora is eternally grateful.

//

Sorry for the tardiness. My toddlers killed my laptop 😒(kids, man. can't ever have nice things lol) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please consider leaving a comment or voting on the chapters! It's certainly great to know whether or not I actually have people reading the story! See you next chapter!