Drage Herrogard 7

[Tristan Drage]

Not having been back at his father's house in the longest time, Tristan apparated to the sitting room with Erik, setting the boy on the floor. Erik was content to crawl these days, not yet able to walk but a cute little kid nonetheless. The summer was pretty much over, the ordeal at the Thomas Residence a thing of the past.

Watching Erik babble constantly and wriggle around the floor like a worm, he pulled a cigar out of his pocket, lighting it with his wand. He had taken up smoking as of late, a nasty habit that he had rid himself of years ago. But past events had been quite stressful.

He sighed, blowing a smoke ring as he looked around. Nothing had changed. Kicking his feet up on the coffee table, he lounged back in the comfortable armchair, not sure what he was waiting for, the very picture of laziness. Eventually, someone would come along. And yell at him, probably. The stench of the smoke was thick and rank. He was pretty sure that his father would hate it.

 

[Sammael Stark]

"Although I do not know much about smoking I have heard it is bad to do so around children," Sammael said coldly as he entered the room. "But if you wish to kill your child, by all means." He smirked and sat in a leather chair on the other side of the room.<i></i>

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan nodded his head in greeting towards Sammael, smiling coldly. "And with the short amount of time I smoke," Tristan replied, putting out his cigar on a transfigured ash tray, "I could hardly do as much damage as pollution is already doing to all of us." He smirked. "And how have you been?"

 

[Sammael Stark]

"Oh I have been well, thanks. So how is Morgase? I would truly love to know how it is going, raising a child with a woman who is not only not the child's mother, but in fact your cousin's wife."

Sammael did not seem angry, but instead amused. He stared at Tristan with a crooked smile.

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Very well, in fact," Tristan replied semi sarcastically, his expression cold. "And how is it going at the age of 37, living with your uncle all over again?" His expression was also amused, smirking broadly. Unlike Lief or Brunhilde, he had never been able to view Sammael as a brother, only as a cousin.

 

[Sammael Stark]

((Firstly, your post count is 666, which I found amusing enough to warrant telling you.

Secondly, ouch. Unless you are simply meaning that Tristan has never been close with Sammael before.))

"Touche Cousin, touche. But let me ask you this. Will you be ready for Morgase to leave you? Because if, strike that when. When she is ready to leave, she may not even let you know. She will get bored Tristan. She will get bored and walk away from you like she did me."

Sammael was staring intensely at Tristan, his expression completely devoid of anger. Instead, he seemed in an extreme calm, a slight hint of worry in his golden eyes.

 

[Tristan Drage]

((haha, that's amazing!!! he's just being a smartass, like usual... nice warning! rofl))

Tristan sighed, rolling the unlit cigar around in his fingers. He found it interesting that Sammael was trying to warn him, and thought for a fleeting moment that his cousin could be right. He didn't really want to hear it, but he knew that Sammael's words held truth. "I'm never ready for anything," he mumbled, looking up to his cousin.

He smirked as he saw that Erik had crawled over to Sammael, looking at him with big blue eyes and babbling nonsensically. He laughed as Erik latched onto Sammael's shoe with tiny hands, trying to hug it.

 

[Sammael Stark]

Sammael was relieved to see that Tristan did not get angry with him. He was tired of fighting, and quite over Morgase. He simply could not pass up the opportunity to mock his cousin.

As Erik came over and grasped his shoe Sammael looked down, his expression riddled with a miriad of emotions. "It has been quite some time since I have been around a child so small. Forgive me if I have forgotten how to deal with them. I suppose Morgase has been playing Mother for you?"

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Somewhat," Tristan said quietly, still watching Erik, a mite surprised that Sammael was being so civil. "My uncle from Germany has offered me an estate in Lithuania; I'm considering moving there. And maybe getting a job, although I'm not sure what yet." He looked up to his cousin. "Do you still have your job at the Ministry?" It had been about ten years since he himself had given up being an auror.

Erik was content to tug on the laces on Sammael's shoe, gurgling happily. Tristan chuckled. "Man, am I glad that I got my hair cut shorter; especially now." Long hair was hell around Erik.

 

[Sammael Stark]

Sammael looked down with a frown at Erik. He picked his foot up from the floor and brought it up to rest on his knee.

"Yes, as far as I know I still have my job. My boss has been pretty hard to get ahold of actually. And as for living here, I may not be doing so for much longer. Edvard and I were thinking of trying to find a place. But things sound to be going well for you. What will you do when Estrella comes here? Or will she be going with you? Have you thought about that yet?"

 

[Tristan Drage]

"I haven't given it much thought actually," Tristan murmured, "But I did tell her over the summer that she had the year to herself. Next summer, however, is going to be different. You know how Father is with training." He rolled his eyes. "I'm considering taking up that estate in Lithuania, and summers can be spent there and here. As for you, have you given any thought to where your daughter is going over the next summer?"

 

[Sammael Stark]

"Well, it will all depend on Edvard and where we get a place. It would be interesting to see how she interacts with him. But she will not be spending another summer with that Dumbledez boy. He is a half blood, and his parents live as muggles. I cannot imagine how she stayed there for an entire summer.

As for training, I wonder how Sophia will take to it. Do you think Estrella will be a willing student?"<i></i>

 

[Tristan Drage]

"I believe so," Tristan said, "She may not listen to me, but I have an odd feeling that she would listen to Father. And I mean, they have to be curious about powers they can't control, you know?"

He smirked. "I know what you are feeling; I will not let my daughter stay one more summer with that Thomas kid. He may be pure blood, but I don't care what he is, considering the fact that he is dating my daughter." His expression darkened. "It was quite amusing; the kid tried to punch me. You have no idea how much I wanted to beat the snot out of him."

 

[Sammael Stark]

"Yes, well, I do not believe Sophia actually has a romantic interest in this boy. Last I heard she was with this Harkonnen boy. It is so hard not having any information. It was much easier when she did not know a thing and would tell Morgase everything.

I suppose I will have to ask Elizabeth, or perhaps that Ballatrix girl. Although I find it disgusting that both of them have the mark. They are far too young to appreciate or understand."<i></i>

 

[Tristan Drage]

"I agree, it would be much easier," Tristan said nodding, watching Erik as he squirmed around the floor, playing with a ball of fluff that was floating on the air.

"Part of me wishes to go back in time and change the whole approach I had to taking Estrella back with me, when I first went to Carlisle's. Her whole attitude to this whole thing, however. But I have long accepted that there are many fantasies that are out of my reach." He rolled the cigar around in his fingers, zoning out in deep thought.

When Sammael mentioned the two girls having the dark mark, Tristan could only agree with him. "Personally, I am astounded that father would do that. I expect as much of Lucius; he was the one who gave it to the Bellatrix girl. And what did she do? Kill someone on accident and steal a few letters? Hardly worth anything." He smirked. "As far as I recall, both you and I had to do much worse. All of us, for that matter."

He placed the foot that had been resting on his leg on the floor, continuing, "But as far as Father goes, I am still unsure about the Malfoy girl. Most of his decisions are honorable, but I do not trust this one. For that matter, I don't trust her either. She's got something up her sleeve, and it's not just the Dark Mark." He sighed. "In any case, in my opinion, they are both too young to make the decision. I would object to Estrella getting it, although I'm not too worried about that at this point."

 

[Sammael Stark]

"Ah, no use wishing for changing the past. Unless you have a very good Time Turner, being as that is a bit far back. No use regretting what has already happened, better to simply focus on the present and look to the future.

"As for Sophia, I am still unsure of her views. She has me confused on a number of levels at this point. But in any case even if she does wish to follow this lifestyle she will not be allowed to commit herself until I am sure she is old enough to make that decision and be sure of it. I will not have her getting the Dark Mark and fleeting from it later in life."<i></i>

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Or regretting it later." Tristan added, nodding his head. "It would be interesting to find out if this prophecy even yields any results. I'm starting to doubt it myself. What do you think of it? I would hate to find out that all we've been doing is for nothing. But on the other hand, Divination is a fluff magic anyways. You could hardly call it credible."

 

[Elizabeth Malfoy]

Liz heard the soft baby giggles as Erik played with Sammael's shoes. After poking her head in the room, she stepped in more visibly. "Tristan?" she asked, "I was wondering if I could play with Erik for a bit. I'm done with lessons for the day and I've read all my books about a thousand times."

Liz grinned at the boy, "And he's a lot cuter than The Beater's Bible."

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan was not all that surprised to see Elizabeth. He grinned weakly. "Of course. Gets him out of my hair for a bit."

 

[Elizabeth Malfoy]

Liz smiled brightly. "Thanks! We'll be in the sitting room down the hall." she walked over to Erik and scooped him up in her arms. "He's definitely getting bigger."

Liz started playing one-handed peekaboo with Erik, as she walked off rocking him in her arm. She wandered down the hall, biting her lip when he tried to mimic her peekaboo-ing, and ended up hitting her in the face.

 

[Anonymous]

There was a loud pop from a nearby room, and a soon after Edvard strode into the room. He looked more haggard than usual; a bit roughed up and bloody. In his right hand he carried a very large and heavy looking duffle bag, the bottom of which was a bit damp.

"Good evening, gentlemen," he said cheerfully, but his tone definitely business-like. "Tristan, would you happen to have a large refridgerator or meat locker which I could use?" He inquired as if this were a perfectly normal and rational request.

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Good evening, Edvard," Tristan said, nodding his head to the man and knowing very well what was in the bag. "Do you happen to know where my old house is, back in Britain? There's a freezer in the basement."

 

[Anonymous]

Edvard nodded, "Thank you kindly," he said before disapparating. Moments later he returned, bagless, "Good evening again, Tristan, Sammael." He greeted each man in turn.

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Good evening, Edvard," Tristan said, nodding, "I take it that you dispatched a certain enemy?" He smirked, still rolling the half smoked cigar around in his fingers.