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Post by Blake Malfoy on Dec 29, 2008 13:33:57 GMT -5
Blake wasn't feeling particularly indulgent of her at the moment; the way he saw it, he had already given her enough by agreeing to allow her to attend her family get-together. He went straight to his regular spot and sat down.
The table was set, with the food already doled out on their plates. Extra bowls of everything were laid out on the table at evenly-spaced intervals. And the elaborate centerpiece, made of fresh roses and wild lilies, obscured his view of his wife. Everything was exactly as he liked it. Taking a sip of his wine, he peered over the top of the centerpiece at Emelia. "Other than your unexpected visitor, did anything else happen today?" he inquired boredly.
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Dec 29, 2008 18:26:55 GMT -5
Emelia sat after him, across the table. She had the urge to move the flowers, but in 16 years of being married, she never had. She assumed then that he wanted it that way, or he would have moved them himself.
"Nothing of consequence," Emelia replied, always quick with the responses and ready to answer his questions. "It was quiet today."
Just like everyday. It was a good thing that Emelia never thought too much about her circumstances, or she would realize she led a terribly dull, unloved life.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Dec 29, 2008 21:42:44 GMT -5
Blake nodded and began eating. "Dinner is excellent, as usual," he said between chews. "Although the meat is just a little dry for my taste."
He was a difficult man to please, and nothing ever truly satisfied him. This was the reason that the house elves were terrified of him, and why Emelia was so intimidated by him. No one ever quite knew what was going to set him off.
"I'm glad you had a peaceful day, my dear," he said. "Have the children owled you lately?"
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Dec 29, 2008 22:59:05 GMT -5
"I'm sorry about the meat," Emelia said. "I'll make sure that it doesn't happen again."
She strived to always improve, to always be better and make things better for him. She took his criticisms as chances to make him happy in the future.
"How was work today, Blake?" Nothing happened in her day, and she didn't want to bore him. Besides, she would much rather hear him talk anyway.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Dec 30, 2008 13:41:20 GMT -5
"That's my girl," Blake said with a toothy smile. If she had been closer, he probably would have patted her on the head like a dog.
"Work was OK, I suppose, but the new Minister is surely the most incompetent, ignorant fool I've ever had the displeasure of working with. He totally shut down my proposal for a muggleborn recognition task force."
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Dec 31, 2008 2:31:47 GMT -5
Emelia knew it wasn't her place to comment on her husband's boss, even if she kind of liked the man. Obviously, she must be wrong about him. Blake knew what he was talking about, and she shoul trust his judge of character.
So she only nodded and answered an earlier question she had accidentally passed over. "Axel owled just this morning. His letter is on the desk in your study, but he says he's doing well. I haven't heard from Noah since the last owl he sent."
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Jan 1, 2009 3:42:29 GMT -5
Blake nodded. "I'll have to read the letter from Axel after dinner," he said. "Noah doesn't write as much... I wouldn't mind, except that he doesn't appear to be using that extra time for his studies. I may have to have a little talk with him soon, I think."
He continued to eat, then a thought came to him. "Did Mathieu talk to you much about his family?"
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Jan 1, 2009 3:52:02 GMT -5
Emelia glanced up, a slight hesitation in her eyes. She thought the topic of her brother was gone, and she wasn't sure why he was bringing it back up. "No," she told him, and took a bite of dinner.
Then, she ammended her statement. "He mentioned his daughter. But he didn't really say anything about her."
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Jan 6, 2009 16:50:18 GMT -5
Blake thought about this for a moment. If Roland did know who he was, he would surely have told everyone by now, including his father. But just because the boy had seen his face didn't mean he knew who he was. That was possibly the only thing that was keeping his secret from getting out.
So far, all evidence seemed to point to the theory that his nephew hadn't recognized him. This was good... he could have some fun with it.
"Ah, that's nice, dear," Blake said dismissively. "I don't think we've even seen the daughter, have we? She has some silly name... Amaretto, was it?"
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Jan 6, 2009 17:21:14 GMT -5
"Amandine," Emelia corrected softly. "She's really a lovely girl. Mathieu showed me a photograph. Roland and Cyrus have grown up quite a lot, too." And the whole lot of them were Aurors.
After that, she realized she knew nothing more about his family, and she knew even less about Judah's. Oh well, she thought... they knew nearly nothing about hers, either. Her perfect, beautiful family was all she needed.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Jan 9, 2009 0:30:50 GMT -5
Blake nodded and tried to look interested. Of course, he knew full well just how much Roland had grown up. But he wasn't about to mention that to her. "Yes... I think I remember Roland," he said mildly. "Serious kid, wasn't he? A lot like his father. Cyrus was goofing around. The other boy was pretty young... I don't remember much about him."
He took a sip of his wine, which was as good as he'd remembered. "We should order a case of this," he said. "It really is perfect. Not too sweet, not too dry."
"Anyway," he continued, "I'm happy you had a lovely visit with your brother. I'm sure Christmas will be very exciting for you. It's good for you to catch up once in a while and remind yourself what you've left behind. Remember, they're the ones who didn't want you."
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Jan 16, 2009 15:50:43 GMT -5
"I don't remember Jamie well either. Though I am sure they are pleased to finally have a girl in the family."
She said nothing when he commented on the wine, but made a mental note to have a case ordered. It was better if she didn't call attention to the things she did. She wasn't supposed to do them for praise anyway.
His next words caused her eyes to drop to her plate and she nodded quietly. She didn't need reminding that they didn't want her. She knew fully well, and it broke her heart to think of it. What had she done to lose their love?
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Jan 25, 2009 17:37:49 GMT -5
Emelia's comment about "finally having a girl" made Blake scowl. He knew full well that Emelia had always wanted a little girl, and that her comment had an extra bit of meaning to it. She was lamenting that she had never had a girl. And if she was hinting about trying to have another child, he would have to find a way to talk her out of it again. They already had two perfect children. Who needed a girl?
He took a sip from his wine. "Yes, they do have quite a large family, don't they? You'll get to see them all on Christmas. I don't suppose you've heard from your other brother at all."
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Jan 28, 2009 6:47:34 GMT -5
Emelia shook her head. "No, I haven't heard from Judah, though Mathieu mentioned him. His family is also doing well."
She hadn't taken a bite of food in a while, and she finally set her fork down and looked up at Blake, as best she could through those flowers.
"Both Axel and Noah are in school, and the house is awfully quiet while they're gone. Wouldn't it be nice if we had another little one?"
It had taken a lot of courage for her to ask, but she wanted a little girl so badly. She needed something to keep her busy during the day, when she wasn't making sure everything was perfect for him, the sound of a baby's laughter was something she sorely missed.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Jan 29, 2009 0:50:12 GMT -5
Blake almost sighed. She was so predictable. The truth was, he hated babies. Their screaming and crying and whining... all the diapers and spit-up and runny noses and the 3 am feedings. They were disgusting creatures, messy and noisy and utterly useless.
But he liked, on occasion, to give her a false sense of hope. It gave him power over her. So he gave a bland smile. "Well... I know how lonely you must be, pumpkin. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
He would just have to ensure that they did not succeed.
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Feb 6, 2009 5:30:58 GMT -5
Emelia's face lit up at those words, as if nothing in days had made her happier than the thought of giving Blake another child. She felt like that gave her some kind of purpose, and she truly wanted a little girl.
"Thank you," she said, a smile on her lips. "Doesn't another child sound wonderful?" Blake was so kind, always considering what she wanted and giving her what was best for her. He'd already promised they would visit her family at Christmas, and now that they would try for another child... he was in a generous mood today.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Feb 7, 2009 17:07:35 GMT -5
Blake smiled insincerely. "Yes, just wonderful," he lied.
Really, he couldn't imagine anything worse. Axel had been enough trouble as a child... timid and clingy, always whimpering and crying. The last thing they needed was another one of them. They probably should have stopped at Noah.
However, he couldn't deny that the "trying" was worth it, at least. It had been a while since they had done it, so he was willing to let her believe there was a chance they would have another child. He just had no intentions of letting it happen.
He peeked out from behind the centerpiece and caught her eye with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Perhaps we could start right after dinner," he suggested.
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Post by Emelia Malfoy on Feb 26, 2009 16:48:43 GMT -5
Emelia blushed, her eyes meeting her husband's for only a second before they dropped to her plate. She nodded, but was quiet and smiling. If anyone ever told her that Blake was no good for her, it was reasons like this that she would throw back at them. He made her happy, and in the end, wasn't that what really mattered?
He made her happy and all he asked in return was that she be a good wife. It was a good deal, really.
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Post by Blake Malfoy on Mar 11, 2009 1:26:40 GMT -5
Blake was silent throughout the rest of the meal. Once he had eaten everything on his plate, he sat back in his chair and took another sip of his wine. "What would you like to do tonight, my pet?" he said. "I know you were enjoying that book you were reading... Poetry, wasn't it? Or did you want to retire early?"
Emelia didn't know it, but he even controlled her reading selections. He kept no books in the house that would give her "ideas." Mostly he let her read poetry, and the classics. An occasional mystery novel was allowed. But romances were tricky. Far too often, the heroines were stubborn, willful creatures. And he didn't need Emelia to be looking to them for examples.
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