An Escape / An Arrival

[Merlina Caliburn]

Tagging: Emilio Abramo and Eva Abramo
Location: link for Merlina's New Zealand Residence
Wearing: outfit

____________________________________​

The month of December had been unbearably cold but Merlina had chosen it for her departure from Italy and the family that she loved dearly but that smothered her profusely. She had arrived the day before in New Zealand, the North Island about ten miles from where her old school had been, it all seemed so very long ago now and another life time. She had been young and innocent and full of ideals and hopes, her dreams had all consisted of her best friend Ryuu and the love that had blossomed like a spring flower in her heart for him. To have been torn from all of that because her grandmother could not stand her being around the cousin who had become a werewolf had been terrible to bear. It was not Merlina's fault and yet she had been made to feel as if it were, though that itself was merely the perceptions of a young mind that was lonesome for her best friend and her school.

They had returned her to Italy where she soon discovered that her grandmother was gravely ill but though she had threatened to die more than several times over the last twenty years or so, she was still holding tough not daring to give the other members of the family the right to gloat over her choice for matriarch. She had wanted time, time to groom Merlina and goodness knew what sort of potions she had taken to make that so, but the woman was now 114 years old and it was rumoured she could outlive them all yet.

Merlina had left Italy at last for many reasons, she had left it before but only to attend Beauxbatons until the end of her school life. It had been nothing like Hogwarts New Zealand and though she had found friends, none had filled her heart again the way that Ryuu had. She had sent him owls over the years but it just wasn't the same as standing in the beauty of his presence. After school she had been sent throughout Italy learning all there was to learn about the different business ventures that the family had and her induction into management began. Most days she felt exhausted but now, in her 33rd year she was used to it. She had nothing else after all, she had married herself to her work wanting to immerse herself in it all so that she wouldn't have to think of Ryuu, of New Zealand, of the cousin that had been killed before she had killed others.

She was back in New Zealand to relax, to take a well deserved break but also to get away from her grandmother's interfering. One rumour after another had come back to her and where there was smoke there was fire. It would seem that preparations were being made to find her a suitor, a pureblood to carry on the family name because it seemed she could not spare the time herself to do it and she needed to be married if she were to be the next matriarch.

She didn't want to meet the choices her grandmother was setting up for her, she didn't want to be chained to someone that had a broom so far up his behind that he wouldn't be able to sit down let alone talk properly with her. Merlina had escaped the suffocating life of her family under the pretense that she wanted to check on all the New Zealand businesses, a few weren't doing as well as they should and it was about time she showed her face to ruffle some complacent feathers. Her grandmother had been strangely acquiescent and Merlina wondered if the old woman were just appeasing her, softening her up until she got home to Italy again to face the line up of suitors!

Gathering up the accounts of the magazine that they ran in New Zealand, Merlina looked towards the door as she heard footsteps approach. The twins were indeed good company but she was no fool, she knew why they were with her. They were her Guardians now, for the next two years in fact. It was awful that someone from the family, some distant branch or other had to perform this mundane task but Emilio and Eva genuinely seemed to enjoy their duties. She was pretty easy going and nothing like her grandmother, so Merlina had been glad to discover that the Abramo twins were glad of their two year position.

 

[Emilio Abramo]

Emilio had been all over Europe but in all his years he had never ventured below the equator. The heat in Italy felt like a good heat whereas he had done his research on New Zealand and thought that the woman he had pledged his life and soul to for the next two years might actually have a screw loose after all, the heat in this part of the world was reportedly unbearable at times. He would cope with it, to the best of his knowledge Merlina Caliburn was only here for a short period - trying to turn around some of the businesses that other family members had let slide. Not every one had her work ethic and this again was something that Emilio admired greatly about the woman, who was only a few years older than himself.

He had just finished doing a circuit of the grounds with Eva, enveloping the house in all manner of warding charms and protective spells and now they would begin on the house itself. Eva was in her element, delighted with every aspect of the job so far. He gave her a lopsided smile as they walked steadily down the corridor to inform their mistress of their duty so far. He knocked at the door and waited to be told to enter, it was not long in coming. Eva moved first, opening the door and holding it so for him, they had never acted on chivalry with one another, they were equals and at the same time, they were what was missing from the other.

"Signorina Caliburn, all the wards have been put in place" he bowed his head a fraction still hating that the family matriarch Palmera Bianchi-Caliburn warned them to refer to Merlina as Signorina, a title that would emphasize her unmarried status, reminding Merlina of it always. Emilio felt that he was somehow being disrespectful towards the woman before him and promised himself that he would bring the matter up again once the entire house and grounds were taken care of.

"With your permission we shall begin on the house" Emilio was tall, pale porcelain skin that always looked as if he had never seen the light of day. He had a good upbringing, strict of course but he always felt it was to his own betterment in the end.

 

[Eva Abramo]

Eva kept her wand in her hand as they entered the house, the gardens were vast, extremely so but between them and the gatekeeper, groundsman and gardener, they had put enough wards up to shield a small continent. She glanced sideways at her brother and found herself smirking. This was a break that both of them would need and that they had both welcomed as well, that they got to be Guardians together, at the same time had been a bonus. They had talked about it for ages over the years and had always hoped that the matriarch would find it in her heart to allow them to work together, it had made sense after all.

As they moved inside and down one of the many corridors, Eva glanced again but this time past her brother and to the house elf smiling at her as he closed a door behind him. Eva wondered what on earth the creature had to smile like that for before they reached the door they had been heading towards. Eva reached it before her brother and opened it, stepping aside for him to enter first before she did. Closing it after her, she listened as Emilio asked Merlina Caliburn if they should now continue about the house and then something made her smile inwardly as the house elves smile now recalled itself to her mind. It had been a pleasurable, almost gloating smile at them .. the smile had been directed at the pair of them and Eva just knew the little runt had put wards up already, what sort of idiot would they be dealing with for the next two years? How could that house elf even think that it had a right to put up wards and protection without even consulting the Guardians?! She turned her head to hear what the woman before her was saying as her own fingers clutched tightly to the wand, she did her best not to think of what she would do to that house elf when she got her hands on it!

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina had not met the twins until the week before, it was strange to think that they would be watching her every move and taking great pains to make sure she came to no harm over the next two years. Her family were vast but they no longer frowned upon those in the family that strayed from breeding with other purebloods, they embraced it because they used them as front line fodder, foot soldiers that would stand in the way of harm for their relatives who were pure. Merlina hated it, hated the very thought that these two amazing and intelligent people could willingly risk their lives for her. What made her so special?

Both had flaming orange-red hair and both had distinctive green eyes, at times they really did look alike but their personalities differed greatly. Merlina had noticed that over the past week, Eva was quiet but not around her brother, she was clever and pleasant company while Emilio spoke less around his sister and more around everyone else. It was as if the twins spoke at times for one another. At times they also reminded her of Andromeda, the cousin that had gone completely rogue and hastily she banished all thoughts of her out of her mind - that was a subject she couldn't bear to think about or she would crumble completely. The entire Fiorelli family had abandoned her, had left her to her own devices and that was something that Merlina would never forgive that branch of the family for.

"Thank you Emilio" she looked passed him to his twin to acknowledge her as well, "Eva. I think however that ... Hagwin has seen to the wards within the house, he wanted to be helpful ... you can check them if you like to make sure that everything is as it should be but he is usually very efficient."

The files in her arms needed her attention and so she went to move passed them gracefully to where her office within the house was, stopping just outside the door behind Eva, Merlina glanced back at them.
"I will be in all day, please do feel free now that the house is protected to go and acquaint yourselves with Brightstone, Obsidian ... the country side. It is very beautiful" with that she gave them a soft smile and headed to her office.

The door closed behind her but before she could even sit down behind the large desk, Hagwin her house elf made his presence known with a slight crack and pop in the air.
"Mistress ... I have brought you some lemon tea" he told her placing the tray upon the desk, "Have those two red head hooligans finished playing outside?"

Merlina smiled at the house elf and thanked him graciously.
"They are not hooligans Hagwin and you must work with them. You want me to remain safe don't you?" the elf nodded his head and lowered it shamefully, "do try, that is all they want too. The next two years will pass so much easier if you all get along."

"Then another two, then another two ... too many to get along with. I can protect you, I can!"

Merlina put down the files and sat into the large chair,"We've talked about this before Hagwin, now please I have a lot to do. Go and make yourself useful and ... thank you."

The house elf felt chastised and bid his mistress goodbye with a low bow before he apparated out of there and into the room with the twins, staring daggers at them as he picked up an empty silver tray from one of the tables.
"Silly half-bloods" he smacked the tray against his head, "now my mistress wants me to help you!" Another smack to his head, "You should still be in school!" Another blow to his head and then he apparated away again leaving the twins staring bewildered after him!

 

[Eva Abramo]

Eva stared aghast when Merlina informed them that all the wards had been done and by the house elf no less! She had never considered herself a snob before but she was ready to explode at the indignity of being upstaged by a house-elf! Turning her face to regard her brother she stared at him until he had no choice but to look at her and give her an absent minded shrug of his shoulders. Now she really was fuming but hid it behind a perfect smile was Merlina left them.

"I told you!" she sighed indignantly, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms before her chest, her foot tapping resolutely to the floor, "that insufferable little troll ...."

She had her sentence cut off as the 'insufferable little troll' entered on a crack of air and had the audacity to call them silly half-bloods. Eva moved as if she would throttle him but Emilio held her back by her arms, the only good thing that came of it was the repeated hitting of his head with the tray.

"We don't need your help!" she all but spat at him venomously as she shrugged her brothers hands off and glared at Hagwin, again he hit his head after the strangest of comments before the silly creature left them. Eva's mouth hung open and she shook her head before turning with hands on her hips to her twin.

"We should still be in school?" she said it with such incredulity that after a few seconds she couldn't help but laugh, "we really need to get that creature out of our business or we won't be able to do our business!"

 

[Emilio Abramo]

Emilio was amused by it all really, there was nothing left for him to do but react to his sister's outburst with a lighthearted chuckle as he moved to the window and looked out upon the beautiful landscaped gardens.
"You could have done a little better in your NEWTs dearest" he grinned turning from the view to lean against the window frame, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets as he did so. He looked calm and relaxed and not at all perturbed as his twin did.

"We let the creature do all that he can do, think of the benefits of having another ounce of security here and having a house elf on our side might be nice" he gave a slight shrug, he knew few house elves and those he did know were all pompous idiots who adored their pureblood masters and mistresses and seemed to possess insane amounts of arrogance towards any other witch or wizard who wasn't of pureblood extraction. Hagwin was of course one of these, he had been in the Caliburn family for generations to the best of Emilio's knowledge and when Merlina's great-grandmother had passed away on Merlina's second birthday, the house elf had been bequeathed to her in her great-grandmother's will. Emilio knew that no one was more loyal to Merlina than Hagwin and getting the annoying creature on their side was simply something that they had to do!