Behind Closed Doors

[Krasimir Zhefarovich]

The Zhefarovich Manor was a little new to Krasimir. He had just recently moved away from his old home in Burgas Bulgaria all the way to this Manor. Apparently it was viewed by the family that Krasimir would have an easier time running the shop if he was closer to the family or something, not that he understood what they meant. He thought he was doing just fine from where he was. But when he was requested personally by the higher up's in the family he had no choice but to come plus he would serve his family he was supposed to. The Manor was not at all a horrible place either. It was very spacious for one which allowed a lot of place to move around and such, which Krasimir had a tendency to do while he was restless. There was many people located inside the manor too so it wasn't like he was alone either. The amount of people within the Manor was also a downfall though because it just came to show that he really didn't know many of his family members. He barely recognized a few of them and some he had never seen before in his life. The ones he seemed to remember seeing the most was Asparuh, Arnost, and Kalif as They were probably the oldest around here and that Krasimir had seen them around in his visits as a child. Then there was others like Danielle, Chavdar, Axel, and Nicolette that he seemed to know but he wasn't sure why because as far as he was concerned a few of them weren't even full blooded descendants. They were only married in. On top of him being in a new home he had to grow accustomed to a few things. After not living with the family for awhile he needed to brush up on the History, the Positions, and the fact that Death Eaters practically lived in mass here. Not that he hated the Death Eater's or anything. He supported them but he had never really been by such a big group of them yet. Alas all the adjustments he had to make were still throwing him off from time to time. But he was becoming more and more used to it. At least now he knew his way around most of the Manor.

Today Kras was given a message to deliver to the Patriarch about some paperwork or something, plus Danielle's sister had a message for her. So he unfortunately had to see them both out. And since neither of them were inside the main rooms or the Patriarch's lair he had to assume that they were down inside the bed chambers. He heading further down into the Manor, where it got creepier and creepier looking by the moment. Krasimir couldn't help but wonder why the Patriarch's bed chamber was so deep inside the Manor. Asparuh must have really liked his privacy. The tall male finally reached the door that led to the inside of the bed chambers. Without even thinking to knock the male grabbed a hold of the doors and opened it to step inside. "Asparuh? Danielle?" He called into the room. But when he turned his head all he saw was the large bed and something he wasn't really expecting to see. Ever.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

There were very few nights that the Patriarch was allowed any sort of rest. Tonight was one of the nights, and Asparuh was asleep with the aids of potions and silence. Magnificent did he lay in his large bed that was built from the past ancestors and it was for the Patriarch and whomever was his bride at the time. On this night, Asparuh lay with Danielle, both perfectly asleep, and Asparuh had absolutely no dreams. However, one that slept like the Patriarch did, one would expect no less from the man that could decapitate someone without flinching can easily be awoken by the subtle steps of others. This was why his bed chambers were deep underground, the only bed chamber that was deeper than his own was the first Patriarch's bed chambers. That room was strictly off limits to everyone except the Patriarch himself. Asparuh needed his sleep, however there was certain forces or beings at play that did not wish for him to sleep on this day. Light footsteps caused his hands to curl into fists, the first sign of him waking up.

The door opened, and a voice alarmed his brain. Asparuh opened his onyx eyes, filled with fury as he rose from his position on the bed. Black covers fell off of his body, revealed his toned torso, and the symbol on the back that varied from the others that were tattooed on their backs as his snakes had their teeth bared and ready to strike. His Dark Mark could easily be seen, something that had been on his arm since he graduated from Durmstrang so long ago. His eyes narrowed and he felt as if he was going to explode when he saw Krasimir, a male that was brought into the manor under his orders so that Asparuh could watch the young man help run his business. Rising from the bed, relieved that he was at least clothed from the waist down. Asparuh hissed, "You should know better than to disturb a man like myself when he sleeps, now leave before I slice your head off." With Asparuh being as mad as he was, he looked amazingly calm except for those eyes that could barely be seen shining in the dark. He had not even been asleep two hours and he was disturbed by some idiot that should have known that the bed chambers were off limits to civilians.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Anyone who knew Danielle even the slightest bit knew that she could have a terrible temper from time to time. Most of the time she was calm and peaceful looking, but she did have the tendency to snap. When she was stressed, tired, or things were just not going her way she blew a fuse and someone had to pay by means of dealing with her attitude. When she was tired Danielle had a harder time controlling her emotions, and that was never a pretty sight. So for the most part people allowed her to get her sleep whether they really needed her or not. Despite being a head that many would probably love to eliminate at the drop of a pin, a criminal, and many other problems to worry about on top of that, Danielle never had problems sleeping like her husband did. Never did she require potions or anything to aid her in falling asleep, she did need silence but she figured that silence was a necessity for someone expecting to get a decent amount of sleep. But aside from that there was nothing. Some nights Danielle could be so exhausted that the moment her head hid the pillow that she would be out in a dreamless sleep. Danielle wasn't a noisy or restless sleeper either. Usually she rested on her side completely still and silent, rarely did she ever move from that position, except for when she had nightmares and that was a rare occasion for her. The Ranee was accustomed to sleeping alone for the most part as well. Before she had married Asparuh she slept alone to begin with, and it was a rare occasion when the Patriarch himself rested along with her. But tonight she was joined by the Patriarch himself. With the aid of potions and silence he seemed be sleeping soundly. It felt strange but at the same time she did feel a lot more comforted with Asparuh around. Just because he was the one person she had known so long, and while her life was falling apart at the seams, there was one thing she could look to that didn't make her blood boil.

When the door to the Lair opened Danielle was still curled up and asleep, the light opening of the door wasn't really much to wake her up. Sometimes she was used to Asparuh entering and usually it was only him. They rarely used this room for sleeping these days though. It wasn't until Danielle felt Asparuh rise from his position on the bed that her beautiful blue orbs flicked open and peered out from underneath her long feminine eyelashes. She eventually heard that someone else was actually in the room and lifted her hand to brush some of her hair out of her face. Her body carefully lifted itself off the bed so she was sitting up in bed and looking upon her husband and the Manor's newest member, Krasimir. "Krasimir the goddamn Manor better be on fire or something." Danielle muttered tiredly as her hand went to her temples. Only getting a few hours of sleep wasn't exactly her idea of a good night's of rest. She didn't crawl out of bed like Asparuh did though because she was hoping that Krasimir would leave soon and they she could rest. Chances are that Asparuh was riled up now and she'd have to coax him into actually trying to go back to sleep. He rarely rested enough as it was so she knew he needed it.

 

[Krasimir Zhefarovich]

Krasimir immediately knew that it was a bad idea to have just walked into the Patriarch's lair. He was immediately shocked when he saw that his very own Patriarch was actually asleep and so was the Ranee. He wasn't aware that Asparuh slept at all actually, he knew Danielle did but other than that he really didn't know much else about their own personal lives. The man's eyes widened and as Asparuh rose from the bed Krasimir figured that he was probably going to be in trouble for barging in. At least they were only just sleep though because he was sure there was plenty of other events that he could have walked in on. Krasimir back up a step or to and peered down at the now also waking Danielle who began to stir as Asparuh moved around. He wanted to say something as an attempted apology but nothing came out, it was no secret that he was a bit more timid than he should be with his family but he didn't know them as much as he wanted to. Krasimir wasn't a timid person in life, just around the higher up's and Asparuh was about as high up as you could go with this family. Asparuh rose from the bed and a threat was armored his way. It was dark within the room so it wasn't clear for him to see how calm Asparuh looked right now. He could see the gleaming blue of Danielle's eyes though, and the shimmer of both their blonde heads. It was like an angel and a demon within the room. Danielle nothing short of an angelic beauty and Asparuh a living breath demon. Krasimir felt his back up against the door and he decided he would just say he had a message for them before he booked out of there.

"I'm sorry...b-but I have a message to deliver to Miss Danielle. Perhaps it could just wait until the morning though." Krasimir sputtered out as he opened the door handle and opened the door to the Lair. He started to step out of the room. He didn't want to further interrupt the two and he figured that Asparuh would be likely to actually go through with his threat. Plus get Danielle all riled up too. It wouldn't be a very pretty picture and he would be suffering for it if they got too upset. "I um..didn't know you two were sleeping either." Krasimir pointed out. Could anyone really blame him for not knowing either, Asparuh rarely slept and he hadn't been here long enough to know when or when not to avoid asking Asparuh things. He would learn over time though hopefully.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

Asparuh narrowed his eyes at Krasimir and decided to use his gift in Legilimency to see what exactly Krasimir had seen. He saw himself, and then a room, but it became clearer. When Krasimir entered the room, he saw Danielle wrapped in the arms of the Patriarch, and Asparuh immediately shook his head to cut off the connection. What in the world? He had to have imagined that. He glanced over at Danielle and he said, "The Manor is not on fire, or else Krasimir would be scared witless. Get out, now." He ordered, and once he ordered something, the person generally listened to what he said. Because if they did not, they ended up dead, or missing. Perhaps both. Asparuh did not tolerate someone that was all up in his business and walking into his bedroom. If Krasimir had not been so new, then he would have killed the man. He was rather easy to replace. Someone with intelligence could run his business. Asparuh glanced over at the bed, and he placed his hand to his head. He wanted nothing more but to rip off someone's head to help him get over the anger he developed after this. He rarely got his rest, and the moment he does, it is interrupted. The message would have to wait. Asparuh did not see it as important, especially since it was from her sister. He turned his eyes to Danielle, and he knew that she would not be pleased anyway.

His brother and her sister were very much a married couple so he had to spare them. Asparuh shook his head and he muttered, "Idiots." He did not want anything more to do with many things right now, and he sat down on the bed. He shook his head and he glared at the ground. Asparuh could really care less right now, and he was situating things so that he could end up leaving his throne, but even if he did, Kalif was still going to be stuck at the school half the time. He would make Axel deal with most things, but for the biggest things, he would have to take care of it. He needed a break, but when he would end up handing it over, it was going to be some time from now. Asparuh glanced over at the vials of sleeping potion that he would have to take to get back to sleep. Asparuh muttered, as he grabbed the vial of potion, "Wonder if I will ever get a break, and get some rest, or else half the family would be dead." If Asparuh did not get what he needed, someone was going to die. That was just the way it was. His mother had been nagging lately anyway, because her baby boy never got what he needed. She was happy that she got a granddaughter from Asparuh and Danielle however. She finally got what she wanted, and she had to be dead to receive it.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Danielle allowed an innocent yet cruel smirk form it's way onto her soft lip's as she watched Krasimir cower to the door like a little chihuahua or something. One thing she admired most about Asparuh was his ability to install fear within others without even so much as trying to. Although Danielle was able to bring fear to others from time to time, one couldn't deny that her innocent appearance got in the way occasionally. Which meant that she actually had to try to convince others that she meant business and she wasn't anywhere near being as soft as her face made her look. "He's looks like a scared little puppy right now if you ask me. Either way Krasimir if you know what's good for your sake, you'd leave now. Make sure to close the door on your way out." Danielle muttered as she watched the man leave and close the door behind him quickly. He must not have been a fan of being picked upon by her and scared senseless by Asparuh. Earlier she had caught Asparuh shaking his head and she wondered if he had invaded the poor man's mind or something. This reminded the angelic beauty to make sure her own mind was blocked from her Husband's as well. Right now she didn't really want anyone lurking around in there. They'd sense the distress she was going through and probably make it worse with their babbling and attempt to assist her her with her problems. That's what the note bothered her about. Chances were that it was from her sister or one of the higher up's, apparently they were concerned about the family's actions because it seemed that more and more of them were growing impatient about her stepping down and passing the Title of head onto someone else. Gabrielle continued to deny it so they all assumed that it should be given to someone else. But to whom that would be was up to Danielle and she would choose when she felt like it, not when they felt like it. The right one to rule had not come along yet in her opinion. On top of that an unknown Lefevre was being tracked around, they had no idea who she was and how she was related for some reason her name started to pop up in many places. Danielle glanced at Asparuh and sighed when she saw how stressed he looked right now.

"Poor man will probably have nightmares for weeks. Too bad he doesn't know what a big cuddly teddy bear you are in your sleep." Danielle breathed out as she leaned her back against the bed and gave Asparuh a cruel teasing smirk. Her voice was soft but laced with sarcasm. He wasn't a cuddly teddy bear in real like per se, but she did noticed that he happened to cuddle with her from time to time when he actually was asleep. It scared her the first time because she thought he was going to crush her. But eventually she liked how he managed to keep her warm and secure. It was a tell no one kind of secret though. Danielle herself didn't want people know so much about her and Asparuh's personal lives together. It would be a huge invasion on their privacy and such. Pulling the blanket aside Danielle motioned for Asparuh to return to bed. "Asparuh, I know your edgy right now, but you should really try to get some more rest. You need it. I can make sure that the family let's you have your rest if you'd prefer it." Danielle was tired herself but she was able to sleep every night so if she needed to get up and make sure that everyone left Asparuh alone she could easily do that. Her hand went up to brush some of her blonde hair way from her bright blue eyes and decided to wait and see whether Asparuh would try it willingly or if she would need to talk him into it further as he may try to be stubborn.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

Once Krasimir had left the room, Asparuh made sure that the doors were locked, and sealed. He needed his rest because there was perhaps a time in his life that he would need the sleep, and not be able to do his job without it. People like Krasimir needed to be taught a lesson to never cross down in here anyway. It was off limits to anyone and everyone that was not the Patriarch or the Ranee. Asparuh shook his head and doubted that the note was really important. Well, it would not concern him at all anyway. The Lefevre business was not on his list of duties to be taken care of. Though he had other concerns, such as the time he passed on his own title. "It's hard to believe that Krasimir is really a Zhefarovich from time to time. He needs to get a backbone and learn the rules or else his skull will go in the dungeons." He would not tolerate people like that in his family. They would be killed off immediately. Asparuh chose not to dwell on what he had seen in that man's head, because it probably was a trick of the eye. Asparuh may not know what he does in his sleep, but he knew that he did not do that. Asparuh glanced over at Danielle once she started to speak once more to him. She may be innocent, but he had known her long enough to know that it was not the case. She was nothing close to an angel. He looked like a Greek god himself half the time, and he did not behave like one. He was a ruthless killing machine. And he kept on ticking.

With an odd stare, he inquired, "What in the world are you talking about? Just, go back to sleep before I end up losing my patience." Asparuh knew that she was being sarcastic, but he was just at his wit's end right now, and he had always been like this when someone woke him up from slumber, something that Danielle should be used to. One was not apart of the family unless they were threatened to be killed in some shape or form by another. Asparuh did that with almost everyone, including Danielle, but when he was being serious about the threat, that was when one would see it and run for their lives. Asparuh decided to end up giving in, because he could feel that she was right, and he was far too tired to even argue. He opened the vial and he drank the potion to aid him in sleeping. He returned under the covers, and he faced the opposite of Danielle as of the moment. "No, it is fine. That potion should assist in about an hour from now anyway." Asparuh was not going to be stubborn right now. He really did not need it. He wanted to have some time to himself, rest up for a few hours, and leave the Zhefarovich family in the hands of Axel right now, since he was going to be the future head, and Kalif was at the school right now. With either of them running the family, Asparuh knew that things would turn out well in their favor. He had been Patriarch for many years, and the family had unified, branched and ruled. It was the best age for the Zhefarovich family right now. It did not seem like it would end anytime soon.

 

[Danielle Zhefarovich]

Danielle found it amusing at times when Asparuh was in a bad mood. Only because he was the one person other than herself who’s mood could go from calm to violent in the blink of an eye. The angelic blonde figured that Kalif and several others within the family had horrible tempers too. But they weren’t as likely to act upon it, so much as threaten it. There seemed to be a point of weakness for everyone in this family whether they admit to it or not. But from time to time weakness was a good thing. It did indeed hold one back at times. This was both excruciatingly frustrating as well as hard to rid of. But having a weakness could easily keep someone grounded; keep them from making large mistake’s because that weakness keeps them back. When it was a person it became so much deeper as well. Asparuh may have been considered a weakness to the Ranee as his safety and welfare concerned her more than it would to others. Yes Danielle worried about him. She never admitted it aloud to a living soul but the care was obviously present somewhere inside there. While love was believed to not be present in their relationship, there were other things that stood out on the surface. The corner of Danielle’s lips curled up and she forced herself to resist the budding smirk she was hiding. ”As much fun as that sounds to watch, that would leave the shop abandoned, and you’d have to find someone willing to replace Krasimir in running the shop. He may be stupid, but you need him right now.” He was tired so perhaps he didn’t care either way what happened to the man. Or he didn’t think about the family’s business’ welfare. Either way Danielle was trying to suggest something more rationale than killing Krasimir because he was stupid. Then again it was all up to the Patriarch on whether someone would die or not. Asparuh was tired though so he probably appeared to be grouchy to others. Quiet moments ticked by and Danielle grew a little chilled. After just a few hours of him being in here with her she felt that he warmed the room up considerably. Danielle settled herself back into bed and hoped that she wouldn’t get into a brawl with Asparuh over what she had said to him earlier.

”I can’t fall asleep now, at least while you’re awake. I’m afraid you might try to strangle me. But, as I said before, you like to cuddle things when you’re asleep. Namingly me. “ Danielle shifted so that she was facing the direction that Asparuh was in and sighed softly. His back was turned towards her and she sort of wondered if he would indeed try to kill her for opening her mouth. She knew that if he wanted to he would. He could break her little neck and end her life right then and there. Danielle didn’t want to end her own life just yet either. That would leave her family in turmoil. A sigh left her and she rolled back over onto her own side so that she was facing away from Asparuh now. Why bother admitting to him that she was worried about something. That she knew something was coming and that it was going to cause her problems. Maybe it involved him too. Danielle wasn’t sure but she didn’t want to cause Asparuh more stress than needed. ”Okay, then.” Her voice was strained but she managed the usual tone she was used to giving when she spoke. One way or another she would figure out what she needed to figure out and she would fix whatever was causing the problem. Hopefully she would not need Asparuh’s help either. He had enough problems to sort out on his own.

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

It was a clever that when Asparuh got extremely mad that he would look calm, eerily calm. Not many times had he raised his voice, not many times had he screamed at someone. He simply growled, his voice raised a bit, and something always broke, whether it was a piece of furniture or it was someone's neck. Asparuh preferred the latter unless it was a member of his own family, and then it was something else while he decided on their fate. Arnost dodged many bullets by being Asparuh's twin brother, and on several attempts, Asparuh nearly killed him but he had always found the man useful as well. He was entirely useful so Asparuh just could not kill him. Perhaps his twin brother was at one point a weakness for him. It just might have been something of the sort where he was a weakness. Asparuh did not see it like that because many times that weakness almost died by his own large and slender hands. His eyes went to his wife as she said this, and Asparuh pointed out, "Could always get someone else to run the business. Alas, you are right." She normally was anyway. Asparuh and Danielle normally got along famously and that was how the marriage even survived. Though Asparuh could never love someone, not in the same way as most would think, but he was more or less a being that was absent of love. He could turn on anyone, given the chance. Asparuh needed reasons however, because he was a rational person more often than not. Asparuh knew that if Danielle was not the person that she was now, she would not have made this far to be his wife. His ghost of a mother loved it, because she loved Danielle and would always. Asparuh truly did not see what his mother saw in the angelic beauty.

His head turned to her once more, and he just shook his head. Asparuh did not think that he did that, but when someone was asleep, one could not control how they were while in the bedroom. Asparuh murmured, "I don't strangle people when I want to kill them. And you are safe right now because you have not really pissed me off. I suppose one cannot control how they sleep once they fall." Asparuh shrugged lightly, before he figured that he would tell her that he would not kill her anyway. Asparuh knew that he would not kill her anyway. She was a good person to vent to from time to time, when he actually told her what was going on in his mind. He told her some things that only a Patriarch would tell to his wife. She knew far too much now. Asparuh figured that if there came a time where they needed to break apart, she would have to die anyhow. Just to ensure that the secrets of what he shared would never spill to others. Asparuh glanced over at her, and wondered what was going on. After knowing her for so long, Asparuh knew just how she looked when she was worried and all. Asparuh would just inquire about it in the morning, or
whatever time it was when they were going to be waking up. Asparuh could feel the effects of the potion kicking in. Asparuh settled himself into the bed, before he could feel himself drifting off to sleep. But as the hours pass in the night, the position was what Krasimir once saw was only made real again. Apparently, it was an unconscious act, because it was something that Asparuh was unaware of, and the only way he would stop doing that was if he slept alone. The Patriarch rarely slept, but he seemed to sleep better when he had his wife by his side. Things just seemed better when one was not entirely alone.