Deep Into That Darkness Peering

[Morwenna Kvalheim]

The days were long without occupation, as they always were, and although the castle was fuller with the birth of her niece and nephew, Morwenna still felt her younger sister's absence. When the ruby marked with Ylva's name blackened over the great fireplace in the cabinet room, she knew her sister was dead, but how and why remained a mystery, despite her best efforts to find an answer. They hadn't even found her body. At least, Morwenna had thought to herself, The mystery is proving to be an interesting distraction. It was the only one she expected to have for quite some time, until her handmaiden attended her with the news that they had a foreign visitor. This was rather unexpected.

Morwenna instructed the servant to see the man to the cabinet room overlooking the hedge maze, and took a moment to refresh herself before travelling down from the solar to greet him. Some guests she would meet at the door, others she allowed to come to her, but without knowing the wizard's name or purpose, she settled on a middle round. Her deep burgundy robes slid over the stone floor as though greased, but they were hovering half an inch above them and never touched- charmed to preserve the needlework. Everything about her was perfectly made up and fine, the robes cut to compliment but not overemphasize her svelte figure. It was as good an impression as she was ever likely to make, and just as she wished it to be.

Upon entering the room, Morwenna found herself struck by the sheer presence of the man. He was older than her by some years, although not decrepit by any means. He was certainly taller than her by a significant amount, and she was not a short woman. She looked into his eyes, and betrayed nothing as her skin prickled in discomfort. How chilling, she thought with interest. "God morgen," she greeted neutrally. "I am the lady of the castle." 'What is it that you want?' went unsaid.​

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

There were times that the sun rose and fell, and Asparuh Zhefarovich the Third would have never seen it. In his home, the Zhefarovich Manor, the sun basically did not exist due to the shroud of trees. Seeing as his son was dead, one of them, and the mother of the spawn recently died, Asparuh decided to pay a visit, especially since someone with the same last name was involved with his niece, Hela. The looks were uncanny. The woman nmed Ylva and Araxfell were mother and son. Asparuh had done some fair research in his time, knowing what Ylva was capable of. If only she had dealt the same fate to Prodan. Then he would not have embarrassed the family like he had. If only. Asparuh made sure that everything was in order, and told Rayna to watch over the place. After all, things needed to be in order for when he returned. Dressed in the appropriate layers of black robes and cloaks, with the hood over the top of his blonde hair, which was tied back in a single ribbon. He apparated to the Kvalheim castle, which immediately, he knew where the money came from.

The Death Eater knocked on the door, greeted by a servant and led to the cabinet room. His dark, onyx eyes washed over the hedge maze outside the window. Asparuh heard the footsteps and turned around to see the lady of the castle, from what he gathered. He stared down at her, unblinking as she spoke. The accent was difficult, but recognizable. Asparuh reached up and allowed the hood to fall as his gloved fingers barely touched it. He pulled his hair from the cloak and allowed it to fall free down his back. "I am sure that you are aware of Ylva Kvalheim's demise. I have something to discuss based on that matter. Are you the matriarch of your family?" Asparuh assumed that most families had one person that seemingly controlled everything. His family had for centuries. It seemed foreign for any other way for a family to run but his own.

 

[Morwenna Kvalheim]

Quietly pleased with the stranger recognising the proper order of things, at least in her domain, Morwenna inclined her head delicately and extended her hand for him to sit if he so pleased. She, too, would take her seat if he did. "I am," she replied in response to both questions. The first, however, was the most concerning to her, or perhaps the word was exciting. Did this man have information about her sister's death? That would be gratifying. "Anything concerning my sister now falls to me, so you may speak to me about any of her affairs." Including the legacy of her abandoned children, not that Morwenna had any idea about either of Ylva's boys. One of them had been living in the castle right under her nose for seventeen years, and she'd not heard a whisper of it. Much could be said about the Kvalheims, but never that they did not keep their secrets well, even from each other.

"Can I ask whom you are, and what is your connection to her? Was there something that you wished to know?." 'Or perhaps you can shed some light on her 'disappearance'' again went unsaid, since he didn't look like the good Samaritan type. Perhaps Ylva had killed one of his relatives. Morwenna couldn't help herself, she was eager, although she took pains not to show it overmuch. This was the most interesting thing to have happened in the castle since Moirah was caught sneaking her boyfriend in through the window. The window! As though they were going to be barred from seeing each other, each from a respectable pure-blooded family. Teenagers were ridiculous. Meanwhile, Morwenna was soaking in the details of the stranger, noting the quality of his robes and the coldness of his stare. He practically screamed old money, possibly pureblood. No, definitely pureblood. Morwenna squashed the urge to pry for more information. Curiosity was often dangerous in unknown situations such as these.​

 

[Asparuh Zhefarovich III]

Asparuh gazed into the direction where her hand gestured, which was a place to sit if he so choose. The Death Eater decided to take up her offer, and walked over to have a seat. One he had, his hands rested on the arm on the side, as he was questioned. He expected no less, of course, after the affairs of Ylva fell onto her. It was almost a sad existence, though one that controlled the family had to handle such circumstances. “My name is Asparuh Zhefarovich the Third.” That name by itself should speak volumes about who he was, what he was (besides active Death Eater) and how important it was for something like this to bring him out of hiding, though now he truly had nothing to fear. It was just hard to pry him from his Manor. “My connection to Ylva has been minimal at best, but, she has had relations with one of my sons. The worthless one but regardless.” Asparuh faded off, dubbing that as irrelevant to why he was here. “He’s dead now, and Ylva has too. I was curious to what her plans were with her son, Krasimir, who digs graves at my Manor.” That is, if she had any. He would not put it past the woman, who so carelessly gave him up to someone like Prodan to raise.

Then there was the little happenstance with Araxfell, someone with the same surname as Ylva, who wanted to marry his niece, Hela, the only daughter of his dead sister, Raisa. “There is also the young man, Araxfell Kvalheim, that is to marry my niece at some point. He bares some resemblance to Ylva and suspect that might be her son. Thought you might want to be aware of pre-marital arrangements, and if I should know any more of his background.” Asparuh would not allow just anyone into the family. He felt as though they should be honored to bare the symbol branded upon their skin. He also felt that it was within his given rights to grant that access, if he was in control or just in the background.