Doe (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Fifty-One

Draco and Doe were sat in the library, reading the morning newspapers and waiting for Kitty's return from orchestrating the flower arrangements for Samantha's upcoming wedding. Kitty had suddenly been struck by inspiration as they had entered the room, by the cherry blossom she spied through the window, glowing in the morning sun. She had run off at once to tell Sam all about it.

Occasionally Draco looked up at Doe and caught her eye, she smiled at him absentmindedly before lowering those dark eyes back to the pages of thin paper. Again he found himself wondering about her parentage. Where she had gotten her golden skin from, which seemed to grow warm as soon as there was a sign of spring, or whether her mother had given her the dark chocolate coloured hair, which shielded her face like wings.

"When is your birthday?" he asked.

She looked up at him and grinned, thinking he was funny, "Whenever I want."

"Is that so?" he laughed.

"Hmm," she nodded, "as long as I give at least a week's notice."

He laughed more and she smiled as she leant back from the table and folded the newspaper she had been reading. She tilted her head slightly, perhaps listening to the sounds of the house. Unusually, he found himself in a chatty mood and her returning shyness was unwelcome.

"Not sure you'd hear Kitty from here."

"Oh, you can hear Kitty's approach from anywhere," she smiled.

He laughed again at her cheek.

"I was just thinking, that I mustn't let Edith find me reading the papers. I'm supposed to be a proper ladies' maid now."

He frowned, "I'm not sure that's possible for you. We could give up the charade, father wouldn't worry, and I think he quite likes you."

She only gave him a slight frown but remained silent, pulling another paper towards her and straightening herself on her chair.

"Do you miss your sister?" he asked.

"How can I? I see her everyday at home," she smiled at him, though she looked a little less happy, "I suppose this house does still feel different without her."

"It's good we spend equal time at one another's," he said.

Doe gave him a shrewd look, pursing her lip.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you still unsure about being with her?" she asked.

"No."

"It must be hard to please your father so much."

"I thought he might die of happiness," he laughed, "shame."

Doe's lips twitched into a small smile, "Kitty told me, he wants you to make it official already."

"Yes," Draco nodded.

"And will you?"

Draco shook his head.

"Draco."

"It's not me, it's Francis. She says she just wants to be like this for a while," he grinned.

"I guess, she doesn't have much time until she has to be leader. She's enjoying being her for the moment," Doe nodded, she was becoming distracted, her concentration on a story, "Besides, you are still really young," her words slowing.

"Exactly. It's good like this at the moment. Without the pressure it's perfect. To be honest, I'm the one who will be forced to beg her. She's the most powerful woman in Kay and doesn't need a husband. That's why Father wants to jump the gun."

"All his dreams have come true."

"He can't believe his luck, these past few months have been hell. He's all over the place with his giddiness. Could hardly contain himself at Cecil's memorial service," Draco scowled.

"It was a beautiful service. I've never seen anything like it," Doe said softly, looking up from the paper and frowning at the blossom.

"It was the biggest the state has ever held," Draco nodded.

"It was so big, all that pageantry too. Francis handled it so well."

"She got her first marriage proposal the day after," Draco frowned.

"She was beautiful that day, and it was heart breaking to listen to her. She was so natural even when she was surrounded by such show. Her and Lady Cecil are getting on really well now, so something good has come out of it I suppose."

Draco looked down at his paper and tore a small corner off, rolling it with his fingertip into a ball.

"I like Timothy's better though, it was a proper goodbye. With the people who count," Doe murmured, "I saw a robin there yesterday."

Draco looked up at her, she was watching him with a sad smile on her face.

"The woods are a nice place to go and think."

"That's what he does. He always said, it reminded him of what he was and connected him to the present. Also you can't see the house from his spot," Draco told her.

"Does he shape shift there too?"

"Probably," Draco said.

"I like being able to talk about him like this. Using present tense because he always walks around the woods and will again, isn't nice?" She got up and opened the doors, a breeze swelled the papers on the table like sails and he felt the coolness sweep over him raising the hairs on his arms. Birdsong intruded into the dusty atmosphere of the room, contrasting with the heaviness of the scent of books. She reached up and touched the cherry blossom, keeping her fingers lingering on their pale leaves, "They really are beautiful."

He thought of her sister, who was in a meeting with her step-mother and his father, battling hard to make a mark, a stand. He would see her tomorrow and listen to her war story and admire the way she wanted to live so badly, and to enjoy it.

"Draco," Doe turned to look at him.

He waited with a smile.

"We will do it, won't we? We'll save Dechuange," she said.

"Yes we will."

"I can't stop thinking about it. Some days I like it and others I...well I remember what he was like."

"Don't you want him rescued?"

"I do, I'm just unsure," her worried voice showing him what he couldn't see on her face, as the light was too bright behind her, "Is that bad."

He shook his head, looking at the halo emitting from her hair and wanting to laugh at her concern, "He's not always a nice person, but who is?"

She nodded slowly, "You're right."

She sat back down still looking unsure and he reached out touching her dark wrist with his pale fingers, "It's okay to be uncertain. You don't have to like everyone."

She nodded again and smiled at him, putting her arm in her lap, "We can help so we must."

He was about to answer when Kitty bounced back into the room, carrying sketchbooks and buds of flowers that she dumped on to the table. She brought so much noise and laughter into the room that he forgot what he would have said to Doe and whether it was important or even necessary.