Drage Herrogard 4

Estrella shrugged nonchalantly, looking around to the portraits. "I thought this place looked interesting," she replied meekly though honestly, looking over to Sophia and then back to Valcan. She would have to take all the blame for this, as of course, Valcan had forbid her from his study and everything beneath it, while to her knowledge he had said nothing to Sophia. Whether he had not gotten the chance to talk to her or he had wanted Estrella to pass on the information, it was ultimately her responsibility.

Deciding that sucking up wouldn't hurt, she looked up to Valcan with her dark eyes, stating clearly, "I apologize for betraying your trust."
 
Having forgotten Sammael entirely for the moment, Tristan sneered at Estrella, "You really think that's going to work? Oldest one in the book." He smirked, sitting back down in his chair. "And Far, I think you have gotten entirely too soft." He of course, had no idea that the girl in the corridor would be his daughter.
 
Sophia glanced at Estrella, then at Tristan's portrait, and then moved her gaze back to Valcan. At least her father's portrait had shut up. Her Slytherin selfishness had kicked in and she was fully prepared to let Estrella crash and burn all on her own.

Keeping silent Sophia stared at Valcan with a softer gaze than was normal for her. Her expression was still blank, but not quite so cold and defiant.
 
Larkana looked from the girls to Valcan. "Oh do go easy on them Val. They are only children after all." She smiled warmly at him, hoping he would listen to her. The girls seemed so pleasant, she did not want them to get harmed.
 
Valcan's eyes narrowed at Estrella, knowing that she was trying to get herself out of the situation. Sophia was the more intelligent in any case, as she kept her mouth shut. Rolling his eyes, he turned to look at Larkana.

She was so beautiful. He had been extremely protective of her when she was alive, and everytime he saw a picture of her his cold, rock hard heart seemed to soften just a bit. She had been like a little sister to him, even though they were twins, and her loss had been an extreme blow to him.

Although no one knew it, Larkana's death had been the only time in his life that he had ever shed a tear, as far as he could recall anyway. Standing in front of her likeness now, it felt odd being so much older than her, feeling how much he had matured and closed in on himself as time had gone by.

"It's not in my nature," he replied gruffly, ignoring Estrella and Sophia and looking to his sister, masking the hint of shame in his eyes. "Hello, Larka."
 
Estrella mouth hung agape as she listened to Larkana, vouching for her. She felt a little betrayed by Sophia, but what could she expect? They couldn't really call each other friends, and it had been Estrella's idea and responsibility, in any case.

She kept her mouth tight and shut, a glint of a smile appearing in her eyes. Was she going to evade punishment? Most hopefully.
 
Valcan's golden eyes glinted a bit, falling onto Tristan and Sammael. "I did not do so with my own children, and they turned out fine." Some of them, at least, he thought to himself, feeling a bit like a child in front of his sister, despite the fact that he was in his sixties and she was only seventeen.
 
Larkana's smile faltered and she nodded solemnly. "Of course Val. You are the Master of the Herrogard and should do what you feel is best." Valcan had changed so much, and it saddened Larkana to see how harsh he had become over the years. Her golden eyes contained sadness as she watched, waiting to see what Valcan would do.
 
Valcan's lip pursed in frustration. He felt very much like he was being guilt tripped, his golden eyes remaining on his sister. After a moment's pause, he thought to himself, They cannot know for sure what I really am. So would a simple gesture hurt? It probably would cause them to trust him more in the long run, and so he turned upon Sophia and Estrella.

"There will be no punishment," he started in his thick accent, pausing for a moment and daring any of his forebears to mock him. "Although next time, do not expect me so understanding. I do not impede upon the privacy of both of you, and I would ask for that same act of kindness in return."

After saying this, he looked back to Larkana, wishing to know what she was thinking.
 
Are you serious? Estrella thought to herself. Either he's the world's biggest pansy, or there's something else behind this. Valcan did not appear to be the type of person to simply let something go like that. She had observed the way he had spoken with his sister- Apparently they had been close.

She turned to Larkana, her dark eyes bright and saying blatantly, "You rock!" She wished she could have met the woman in real life, smiling solemnly. It was always a nice break to get out of punishment, considering the fact that she was nearly always making someone angry.
 
Sophia was a bit surprised when Valcan decided not to punish either of them for being down here. He had been quite angry last time they broke the rules. There was more to this and Sophia wanted to know why he had backed down so easily.

"Valcan, I was wondering if I could speak with you, in private," she asked politely, her expression still blank.
 
Valcan was quite surprised as Sophia asked if she could speak to him in private, his golden eyes glinting just a bit. Despite the blank expression on her face, he was at least making headway.

"Why of course," he replied a bit pleasantly for his usual nature, "Do you intend this to be right now?" He looked down at Estrella for a moment, his eyes trailing back to Sophia.
 
"Now would be fine, but I can wait if need be. I obviously have nowhere I have to be other than here." Sophia was slightly bitter about this but kept her tone blank and her stare straight.
 
"Now is fine," Valcan replied curtly, wondering what Sophia desired to talk about. He looked to Estrella, and he said, "Then it is best that we all be going now. I am taking it that you two got to sightsee enough?" He put his hand on Estrella's shoulder, pushing her over gently, to indicate that was indeed the time to go. She had pushed his limits today, and it would be best if she simply cooperated.
 
What do they have to talk about? Estrella thought to herself, feeling a pang of jealously even though she shouldn't have. Valcan was her grandfather, after all, and not Sophia's, as she had so avidly pointed out.

"Bye, everyone," she said quietly, and deciding that it would be best to simply move along, she started off down the corridor. "I hope you don't have too much fun without me!" she added cheekily over her shoulder, as she suddenly ran up the stairs.
 
Sophia rolled her golden eyes at Estrella as she left. She always had to make everything so drama filled. Moving her gaze to Valcan she sighed softly. "Will we be speaking here, or somewhere more quiet?"
 
Valcan watched the reaction of Sophia to Estrella, and assessed that the girls did indeed not get along well. He smirked a bit to himself; a bit of competition never hurt anyone.

"Somewhere with a more private atmosphere, of course," he replied to Sophia, turning to her, "I do not think the portraits would tell stories on you, although their input is not always desirable. My study should work just fine." With a small smile at Larkana, he started to walk down the corridor, keeping his pace much slower so that she could keep up with him. Soon, he had found the way back up to his study, Estrella having long since disappeared.

Shutting the door with his wand and putting the muffling charm on it, he took a seat in his chair. Deciding to cut to the point, he started, "What did you wish to discuss?" His eyes habitually fell to the family tree, glad to see that no more children had been added.
 
Sophia followed Valcan, easily keeping up with him with her swift stride. She took a spot on the other side of his desk, standing opposite him and staring blankly. "I wish to know more about the family. I have tried looking through the library, but have not found sufficient information."
 
A hint of a smile played at Valcan's lips, his golden eyes glowing in amusement as he gazed at Sophia. He admired her persistence for knowledge, and he replied slowly, "That is an extremely long winded history- Are you wishing to know about the more modern or the ancient?"
 
"Modern first, ancient later. Father never told me anything about his family, not even about you. Why did you raise him?" Sophia did not seem at all desperate, but she did hope that Valcan would not hold back from her.
 
Valcan gestured for Sophia to take a seat, although he did not particularly care if she did. Lacing his fingers together, he looked back at her with his golden eyes, replying slowly, "As far as my family goes, I was raised here by my father, Lycan Drage, who was Master of the Herrogard at that time, as I am now, and my mother, Kriemhild Elvestad. Both were of Scandinavian descent." He moved a piece of parchment to the side of his desk absentmindedly, and he continued, "Larkana, your grandmother, as you now know, was my twin sister."

He paused for a moment, a hint of sadness present in his eyes. He missed Larkana entirely too much. He felt at times that it was a weakness. Gathering his composure, he said, "Much of the time in pureblood families, Sophia, marriages are for convenience." He knew that she must understand that, as it seemed that these same marriages were not going so well these days. "I married Heidi for convenience, and had Tristan, just as Larkana married Ishmael Stark for that same convenience."

A hint of bitterness and anger became present in his voice as he spoke about Ishmael. He had always disliked the man, and he said, "To continue, Ishmael attended Durmstrang with myself. His personality was not the best."

Valcan of course could not say that his personality was stellar, but it had not contained the same poisonous consistency that Ishmael's did. "In short, Larkana died in childbirth with your father." This is the story he had been given, of course, although he did not entirely believe it. He had never found Ishmael, regrettably, to interrogate him.

"Ishmael, as soon as my sister died, wanted nothing to do with parenting nor a son. He dropped Sammael off on my doorstep, practically, and has been invisible since. I had no choice but to take your father in; he was my family, of course, and I at least owed that much to Larkana." For not protecting her better, he thought to himself, but of course that was kept private. "And long story short, I raised your father as my own son until he came of age."

He looked back at Sophia, waiting to see how she would react.
 
Sophia did not take the seat that Valcan offered, much preferring to stand. Although she was glad Valcan had been so forward in offering the information she was a bit surprised he had done so. She took all of it in for a few moments, staring at Valcan as she considered him and what she had just heard.

"Were you close to Larkana?" she asked softly. She did not expect a straight answer to this question, but thought it could not hurt to ask.
 
Valcan struggled a bit with this answer, looking down at his desk as he mused. He felt that this was a weakness, to divulge affection for someone, although it would scorn Larkana's memory to say no.

"Yes," he replied bluntly, looking Sophia straight in the eye. He would say no more, however, he had said it with complete seriousness.
 
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