My Daughter, My Choice of Daughter's Relations

[Axel Zhefarovich]

Axel Zhefarovich had a lot of potential going on right now, and he also had a lot of things on his mind. He had to go do something for his family, and then something got dumped on him. Although, when he figured out the situation, he decided to use it to his advantages. Athena, his lovely pure-blood daughter, was hanging out with the wrong people. She could not find anyone that would be suitable under his expectations! After visiting the Zhefarovich Manor, he apparated to his home only to open up the floo network in the living room. He expected that Athena would be coming down for breakfast at any moment. Axel knew that there would be many questions, such as where in the world did the baby boy at about a year old come from that he was holding in his arm. And, why was Axel summoning someone that had a loose connection with the Zhefarovich family through other matters coming in to befriend his daughter. The flames in the fireplaced turned emerald and a young blonde with jeans, a leather jacket and fashionable shirt stepped through. Axel smirked as the flames retreated and he magically shut the floo system to his home down.

"Thank you so much for coming by, Cerridwen Dragonova," Axel greeted as he took her hand into his free hand. He hoped that she would be a suitable friend for Athena, despite her past. Axel knew that Cerridwen would not spill even one word about it. For now, he led her into the living room and she had a seat on the couch, where they would await for the arrival of Athena. The small boy slept soundly in the large arm of Axel's, while he placed the baby bag down. He still had his children's old stuff locked away somewhere, with intention of using it again soon. He didn't think he would have to raise his nephew, but under the circumstances, it was highly recommended. Axel could hear footsteps coming down the stairs, as Axel folded the blue blanket around the baby boy, while not forgetting the child's name. Why the mother named him after the vile creature of a father, he would never understand. He planned on naming a son after him one of these days, but he didn't know when. He'd have to talk to Ivy about the possibility of expanding his family in due time.​

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena heard the familiar crack of someone apparating to the home. Considering that most of her siblings were still in school and the others worked, she figured that it was her father returning home from an errand. Good thing too because she had plans for his day, plans that had been weeks in the making. With a final pull through her hair, Athena set her brush down and left her room, humming softly to herself. “Father? Is that you?” she called out in Bulgarian. The blonde made her way down the steps, enthusiasm at her plans for the day causing her to speak before she’d even fully made it down. “Don’t forget that we are going to look at some houses today” she continued pleasantly. Athena still couldn’t believe that her father had finally listened to her, truly listened to her, as she expressed her desire for independence. She had expected it to be a much bigger battle than it had been. The young woman knew that her father probably would still prefer her to remain in his home, which was why she had lined up to see some homes near Leviathan. If she wasn’t going to remain in his home, she figured that he’d be most comfortable with her being close to her big brother. Deep down, Athena knew that would make her comfortable as well.

Hearing the slightest of noise in the living room, Athena turned her attention that way and froze in place in the doorway. Seated in the living room was a woman, a blonde about her age. That wasn’t the part that had frozen Athena in place, though she did wonder why there was a strange young woman in the home. It was the child, the boy, in her father’s hands that had caused her to pause in place. “What the hell” she let out in English before she’d even realized what she was saying. A surge of anger bubbled in her faster than she would have ever expected. Athena had never told Ivy about her feelings towards her. She’d spent the first year or two of her father’s relationship with her ignoring her and wishing that she’d go away. It was only after Athena realized that she was going to stick around that she’d become more cordial with her. This, though, made Athena think that she’d read their whole relationship wrong. Switching back to her father’s native tongue that she hoped but didn’t truly care if the woman understood, Athena rapidly spoke, gesturing towards the baby and the girl in turn. “Please tell me that this baby isn’t yours. I actually like Ivy and she’s definitely not Ivy. She looks younger than Kara. I don’t understand what this is.” Athena found that she had entered the living room and was now standing with her arms across her chest, her foot tapping against the floor, her silver eyes glaring at the woman. She cut her attention back to her father, waiting for an answer from him. That there might be a more reasonable explanation hadn’t crossed the woman’s mind just yet.

 

[Axel Zhefarovich]

It wasn't that Axel forgot that the plans were going to be simple. They were going to be house hunting for Athena today. It pained him to no end that she was going to be moving out. Ivy finally put her foot down. Athena needed a life of her own, but Axel would still influence it greatly. He would remain there, throughout the entire time. Nothing could ever change that. However, he heard Athena say something rather rude in English. He looked up at her and gave her a warning glare, before looking toward the blonde sitting on the couch that looked like she was trying not to laugh. Axel continued to hold the child within his arm, before he figured that the questioning was about to come forth. However, now Athena was speaking in their native tongue: Bulgarian. And, what she said really surprised him. It took him off guard completely. She liked Ivy now? And now she started to accuse him and Cerridwen being together. That alone made him shake his head. He would have to explain things, one way or another.

Sighing, the large man finally said, speaking in Bulgarian, "This child is not ours. He is your cousin, and I've been ordered to raise him. His father is....unstable and his mother is a wh*re. That's all you need to know." Not many knew of Videl, and speaking his name was like taboo in the family. Shame that this kid was given the same name. Axel was going to call him by his middle name, until that taboo wears off. Alastair. Switching to English, he said, "This is Cerridwen Dragonova. She is a pure-blood with a decent job. Also, since catching you with that male, I figured that you didn't have suitable friends. So, I brought you one." That might be a little odd for him to do, but he had seen some of Athena's friends, and he did not like them too much.​

 

[Cerridwen Cardosi]

Cerridwen Dragonova sat in the comfortable sofa, while this man named Axel held her son that she abandoned a while back. She had no choice at the time. She did not want to be held down by a baby. Since working at the company in Italy, her hopes and dreams started to look up once more. Her head turned when she heard something in Bulgarian. She could recognize the language by now with being involved in the Zhefarovich family, but she did not understand any of it. No, she knew Russia and English, with the latter being her second language. She looked at the blonde that Axel wanted her to befriend. She was definitely beautiful. She inherited the Zhefarovich's good looks. She grew rather envious of it, because she was only gifted with her father's hair and her mother's charms. She was so different from her siblings, but it wasn't the first time her siblings got involved in large, dark families. Her brother actually died by the hand of Raisa for knocking her up. Cerridwen didn't know that. But her brother married a Cardosi descendant, and now she worked directly for one of them. Cerridwen was rather proud of that.

The two before her started to talk in Bulgarian, and she suddenly wished that she understood that language so that she knew what in the world was going on. She stood up and brushed off her shirt. She finally heard Axel speak English, before Cerridwen gave him an odd stare. Now, she felt like she was being sold off to his daughter like a plaything. Cerridwen cleared her throat before she sighed, "That makes it sound really bad, just so you know." She looked toward Athena before she wondered if she should speak to her in Russian. Maybe she would understand that? This whole thing was a little ridiculous, in her opinion, but she did not want to risk Axel hearing her true thoughts about this. Cerridwen folded her arms across her chest, and thought, 'I really am not an object to throw toward people. This is what I get for screwing with the wrong person.'​

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena was about to go off on another, more angry tirade when her father's head shake stopped her. Relief flooded through her veins, pleasure at the fact that her father hadn't screwed around and gotten some girl pregnant. The woman knew her father wouldn't lie to her. He never had before anyway. As he explained who the child was and why he was carrying it, she cut a glance at the woman on the couch. It was clear that she didn't understand what they were saying or was doing a very good of pretending that she didn't. Her father wouldn't have spoken of family matters in front of some strange girl. He wanted to know more, but her father's tone made it clear that she had just been told what she needed to know. Besides, she had gotten away with being sassy once already. Athena didn't think it would be wise to push it.

As the woman stood up, Athena's silver eyes took her in. She was shorter than Athena, by a lot. She was dressed well though. As her father switched to English, she gave the man a sharp glance as she listened. She had good command of the language though she still preferred speaking in Bulgarian. Hearing that she was a pureblood, Athena glanced at the woman again. At least until her father continued. Her gaze returned to him, a frown twisting all of her features. It was Cerridwen who broke the silence, and Athena found herself nodding in agreement. "She's right" Athena added. "I wish you'd drop that already, Father. I haven't even seen him since that day." Athena didn't know what her father's purpose was with all of this. Why did he think he needed to involve himself in finding her a friend? Surely, he knew that she had plenty, though he seemed to dislike them all. With a sigh, Athena spoke. "She's not moving in with me, but I guess she can come house hunting with us." Athena would pretend to be friendly with this girl in front of her father, but she didn't need any new friends. Especially not ones hand picked for her by her father. She was probably super boring or super responsible, neither of which was interesting to Athena. It annoyed her that her father seemed to be going overboard about catching Drakon in the home. They hadn't even done anything, just a broom ride home. "Nice jacket" she finally said, speaking to the woman for the first time. At least, she had style.

 

[Axel Zhefarovich]

Axel placed the little boy into a stroller, and buckled him in. He heard Cerrridwen's protest, and thought it could have been much worse. So, he dismissed it entirely. He did have to go house shopping with Athena today, as per arrangement. Axel made sure that the boy was fastened in there, and hoped that his magic was not talented enough to release him. He knew that some little wizards would be annoying like that. Leviathan was one of those, which was what pressured him into definitely putting him into an arranged marriage. This one would have no such fate. His cold eyes turned to Cerridwen with her little outburst. Even Athena agreed with her which made him narrow his eyes almost dangerously, before he suppressed the aggravation that this was causing him. "You know as well as I do that I don't forget anything." He looked at his daughter with a smirk touching his lips. He only nodded when Athena mentioned that the girl was not moving in with her, which was understood. He did not want Athena to be with company she did not approve of. "Including the promise I made for you guys. If you don't mind, I prefer to apparate. So, the street address you all know." He planned for Cerridwen to tag along, and with a pop, he apparated with the new child to the street address, leaving the girls alone temporarily.​

 

[Cerridwen Cardosi]

Cerridwen watched as Axel apparated away, but not before she heard Athena mention that she was not moving in with her, and her jacket was nice. Cerridwen turned to face Athena before placing her hand up as if to say, wait. Cerridwen figured that a moment or two alone would give the two to actually talk freely without the tyrant. "Thanks for the compliment. Fashion has always been a major aspect of my lifestyle. However, I have no intentions of moving in with you. I'd rather stay within the same continent as my work." The fact that her father seemed to only be dwelling on the past for Athena being caught with a boy, which sounded pretty innocent. Nothing like the lifestyle that Cerridwen had, which included manipulation and dirty deeds to get what she wanted. Cerridwen regretted ever getting involved in what she did, but she still liked having fun, some casual guys from time to time, but mostly, shopping. She loved to shop. Cerridwen looked over Athena's clothing, and she knew that the two could get along with the fashion aspect.

"By the way, I got the vibe that your dad is very controlling. And, he has the street address of the houses you guys are going to look at. No doubt that he already has one picked for you. I'd rather go shopping for new dresses and skirts to be honest." The latter she was more or less speaking to herself. No, she did not expect that she and Athena would get along with the circumstances, but she might as well try while she was stuck here for the moment. Reading the paper that Axel gave her earlier, she apparated on her own, figuring that Athena would follow along. Cerridwen was wanting to get this over with, so that she could spend some left over money from her budget for the newest bottoms she could get her hands on.​

 

[Athena Zhefarovich]

Athena remained silent as her father spoke and then quickly apparated away, leaving the two ladies alone. Athena eyed the other woman, her silver eyes taking her in as she spoke. A smile lifted the corner of her mouth as the woman returned the compliment. Still, Athena wasn't ready to let her guard down even if she was curious what continent the woman lived on since it was obvious it wasn't here. As the conversation swung back to her father, Athena rolled her eyes. Calling her dad 'controlling' was the understatement of the century. "Tell me about it" the young woman mumbled as she moved to the counter and picked up a banana. It wasn't as if she didn't know that. She had grown up with the man. Before she could turn around, Cerridwen had apparated as well. Athena cursed into the air, annoyed that no one had waited for her. Sitting down, Athena ripped the banana peel down and began to eat. Her father might choose her friends and her house, but she was damn sure going to show up when she pleased. Especially if he had her life all figured out anyway.</COLOR></FONT>

End​

<FONT font="times new roman"><COLOR color="#108070">