My First, My Last, My Love

[Thorine Dolohov]

Goia had long ago put Vixen down to sleep, her gentle snoring echoed about her room as Thorine glanced in the doorway. A tender smile that was never displayed in public was only allowed now in the confines of her home. Turning to walk further along the corridor on her nightly vigil of her children, she stopped next at Christian's room and opening the door just a fraction smiled again at the restless form of her son. Walking quietly over she pulled the blankets that had slipped from him up again, tucked him in and laid a soothing hand on his brow. Stilling his fitful slumber instantly. Her hushed steps led out of the room and further down the hall to the newest arrival Ivalyo. Leaning against the door frame she watched him sleep peacefully, he was possibly the most adorable looking of her children but nothing else about him seemed to be. His cries often woke the household at ungodly hours, while his fits of temper even at a few weeks were almost legendary. The baby was already willful, constantly asserting his authority and Thorine loved him for it. Leaving him she walked up the stairs to her own chambers. Arnost was not expected back for some time which was usually fine with her but of late she was craving his presence near her more and more. It was almost a prophetic feeling, as if she needed to see him constantly incase she never saw him again and with these thoughts often came others wondering if Asparuh would take his brother again and hold him captive. Surely now that he had also fathered a child with her, Arnost would be safe from him.

She walked to her dresser and removing her long grey robe, revealing the most intricately embroidered pale green gown beneath. It's long slender sleeves hung in triangular points below her wrists, while the scooped neck revealed her perfect shoulders and ivory skin. The cinched waist of the dress looked stunning covering her slight frame. Her figure had not exactly come back to its normal glory after Ivaylo, it was still very early but she had instead lost almost too much weight. Giving her body a more angular defined look, an almost haughty appearance as if the skin were stretched over its bones. She still looked spectacular but now it required work on her part. This of course did not bother her, she had given birth to three glorious pureblood children and was possibly the most pride filled mother on the planet. It did not phase her that they had different fathers or that she had never married any of them, her heart was completely and utterly Arnosts and that to her was more than enough. Earlier that day she had gone to the new family solicitor, one who seemed a lot better than the oaf she had to kill off the year before. She had made a new will, again as if by some prophetic notion she was insistent that her affairs were all in order. Her children got everything of course in the event of her demise or incarceration. She was after all a DE and since the murder of Scott Anderson, she was well aware how the aurors must be banding together baying for blood. Goia and Nastasia were of course the legal guardians and trustees of her beloved children and their fortune but their fathers in one stipulation had been given the chance to claim their own child for himself if necessary. Thorine hoped that if anything happened to her that this would not be the case, that all three children would and could grow up together but somehow she knew that Asparuh for one would not leave his precious pureblood son in the hands of a house elf and a squib for rearing.

Removing her makeup and brushing out her long blonde hair, she sighed having now had enough of practical thoughts. Beside her lay another copy of the prophet and she smiled sardonically at the cover. So Nicolas King had been called upon to be chief auror. She really would have loved to have taken him out instead of the other fool. It had been much too easy, even in her condition. Footsteps on the stairs caused her to turn her head, familiar footsteps that she had not been expecting. Rising slowly she stood to greet him.

 

[Arnost Zhefarovich]

Things at the Manor were more hectic than normal, with a whole month of vigorous tests to deal with a woman accused of being a werewolf. To organize the tests, and to help Asparuh lock up Hades for a few days which in turn lasted for a month, Arnost could not inform Thorine of his doings. They were only for the family, and only those directly involved could be there to watch what exactly was going on. Then the Death Eaters sucked him away for a while. Arnost despised being away from Thorine and Vixen for that long. Christian and the newborn Ivaylo did not really matter to him at all. Not one did Asparuh ask about the kid, but he did keep an eye on the tree and saw the picture appear when Ivaylo breathed his first breath. Arnost felt a feeling of dread deep in his body, but he put that off as nothing. Ever since Ivaylo was made, the relationship between his brother and himself seemed to be back to the way it was before Thorine.

Mutual. Arnost paced the Manor while Asparuh stood by the tree. He was watching over it, and Arnost was behind him, simply pacing. His black robes flowed behind him in a mysterious manner. He calmly wondered how Asparuh’s wound was holding up. It was deep, to the bone, and he wouldn’t let any healer come around him. Asparuh’s walking ability didn’t change, nor did it get infected. Arnost shook his head at how stubborn someone can be. Arnost would not be dead-set against someone healing him. Arnost muttered that he was going to go see Thorine and his child, and Asparuh said nothing. No protest or words of encouragement. Arnost turned and disapparated from the Zhefarovich manor. Arnost glanced around the familiar walls of Carrow Hall. Arnost made his way through the area, until he stood in the presence of Thorine. She looked strangely different, but Arnost did not care. He made his way over to her, and he greeted in a soft tone, “I apologize for my absence. Family matters to attend to.” Arnost was absent of any beatings and bruises. So, she would not assume that Asparuh had repeated past actions.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She had never expected an apology and marveled that he would give her one. A smile that she only consented to give him alone, another for her children and a more sardonic one that she bequeathed to those she would torture or kill. The words 'family matter' caused another smile to appear, it could only have something to do with Asparuh in her mind. Still he had not come to see his son, his perfect glorious son. With hair as blond near golden as her own, with eyes that shimmered as if he would someday have those of his fathers. The Zhefarovich eyes, he would in deed be unmistakable with those. The few steps she took brought her to stand before him.

A tender caress against his cheek and again the almost prophetic feeling that something terrible was going to happen. Wanting only to hold him close and protect him from whatever this was Thorine placed her arms about him. Her slender frame pressed to his as her fingers curled into the hair at the base of his neck.
"I have missed you" she whispered into his ear before gliding her face gently around looking deep into the heavenly pools she adored so much. Her lips found his, gentle and yielding. Thorine was consumed by this man, had never known a feeling like it could truly exist. Her hands held tighter too him as the pressure of her mouth increased. All too soon broken she slid her hands down to his, clasping them in her own. Watching as her fingers locked with his fingers before glancing up into the perfect face of love again.

"I love you" it was easy to say now and the woman that stood in the room admitting her heart openly to Arnost resembled nothing of the murderess from a few nights before. How could one possibly be reconciled with the other?

 

[Arnost Zhefarovich]

Nonetheless, the attention Arnost received from Thorine was not rejected, but Arnost could not help but wonder, did she indeed miss him that much or was there something bothering her? Perhaps it was a mix of both. His own hands touched her waist gently, as if this tall man could do no harm to a fly when it was the opposite, voluntarily or no. Arnost had no idea whether Asparuh would come see his son; but if Arnost knew his brother like he did, then he would respect the space the mother had. Asparuh probably won’t be around while Arnost was not there. Even though Thorine had given him and his brother both a child, Arnost didn’t care. Overall, he just found it to be quite hilarious.

“I have missed you as well,” he murmured right before she kissed him. Arnost had no other choice but to allow himself to return this act of affection. She broke it, and Arnost glanced down at their joined hands. It was incredible how two dangerous killers can love another so truly. Thorine had killed just days ago, and he had tortured a young girl with a false lie that her husband would be released to her. There was no telling what Hades wanted to do with her now. Arnost heard the words and he said, “I love you too.” Perhaps the first time he had said it, and meant it.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She always marvelled at how tender he was with her when they were alone, they had of course their moments of heated passion but it was these more personal private moments of absolute love that lingered most in her mind when he was away. More and more she had remembered her parents when she was very young or perhaps they were just whimsical dreams she had of them but they had always been happy with one another and both of they had been death eaters too. Another frown creased her brow at the memory of being left alone after her fathers death and her mothers incarceration at Azkaban, alone with only her grandmother. Was this another prophetic warning that history could repeat itself? She shook her head her children didn’t have grandparents around to look after them so that was highly unlikely, well Christian had but Valcan would hardly want him on his doorstep.

Shaking her thoughts out of their reverie, aghast at herself for this morbidity which was so unlike her, she smiled at her beloved as he declared his love for her. There was something different in how he said it now and she wondered briefly if he suspected something as well. Wanting to simply rid her mind of its abysmal path that seemed intent on its folly, she wrapped her arms about him and kissed him passionately. Leaving no doubt that her feelings for him were true, that there would be no one else ever. Taking his hand then in hers she led him to her bed, divesting garments was easily done and soon she was lying beneath the warmth of many blankets waiting for him to lie with her. Sometimes just lying in his arms was all she needed to feel some bit of peace in her mind, he stilled the tempest that raged in her while also increasing its ferocity. Her green eyes smiled up at him as she held her hand out to him again, beckoning him to join her.

 

[Arnost Zhefarovich]

The kiss was passionate, and Arnost was able to return it, but he had some doubts in the back of his mind. Was there something he was missing, or will something bad happen? Nothing was wrong with his daughter, he hoped, or with Ivaylo. They were healthy, strong children, and Arnost could see all three having a bright future. A future that should leave others trembling. After all, the parents of them were Death Eaters, though Tristan was now a traitor amongst them. Needless to say though that they were all pure-blood and that was a relief. They were a dying breed, but sometimes some people are just dying to make it happen out there.

He let Thorine led him toward the bed, and he watched her get under the blankets. Even if she did not beckon to him to join her, Arnost probably would have. He removed the robes, just wearing a black shirt and jeans, and he too was soon under the blankets with Thorine. With a smooth motion, Arnost wrapped his arms around the murderous female that he adored, and he said nothing. If something were to be troubling her, then he assumed that she would be the one to tell him, and he wouldn't have to force something out of her that she did not want to reveal.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

Thorine had never felt vulnerable in all her life, no matter the beatings her grandmother used to give her when she was younger; no matter the agonizing labor of her children or the battles she had dueled as a death eater; not once had she actually felt her own morality staring her in the face. She was reading omens everywhere, from a grim that Christian had pointed out in the clouds, her grandmothers portrait falling off the wall in the gallery and her own portrait finally finished. There were of course other tiny little things but she felt as if the hand of death was not far from their door somehow.

It was only lying now in Arnost's arms that she could peaceably put them all together and instead of coming to the conclusion that she had been coming to all along, that it was Arnost she was in fear for she somehow knew that he was fine, that he would be fine. That it was her own demise she had to worry about but if that were the case was she then to lock herself away in her home? Not very likely. Wrapping an arm about her love she sighed, closing her eyes.
"We knew what dangers we took on from the beginning didn't we? Knowing almost since childhood the outcome of such a path as ours" her words filled the empty room as she spoke to him, "what would you do if I was no more?"

She turned to look at him then, to cast green eyes into silver.
"Would you attempt to avenge my death? would you be so angered even the might of the ministry could not hold you?" she was smiling now tracing a long slender finger across his jaw bone, "will you care for our daughter?"

 

[Arnost Zhefarovich]

Arnost could not help but give her an odd stare as she inquired so many bizarre questions. The Death Eater had not thought about loss or death, even if it were about his own. It never worried him. If it came, it came. And it nearly came many times. But why would someone like her being so young would even dare think of her own death? Were there omens? Arnost wanted to know, and he didn’t know nor did he really, truthfully want to know. The empty room seemed to speak to him more than she did. Within the hidden messages from the faint echoes. “There is a reason why you are asking me of all these questions. What have you seen…?”

He sighed, “I would not know what do to. Because of Vixen being left alone, I would be risking her growing up without parents if I were to avenge your demise if I were captured or killed by avenging your death. I will assure you, your children would be looked out for, even if you were to perish tomorrow. I don’t think you will die anytime soon. It would take more than something simple to take out a Dolohov.” Arnost pulled his love closer to himself, and he murmured, “Do not say such negative words whilst in bed with your love.”

Spoiler

Alternate saying: "Shut up and give me some lovin', woman."

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

All thoughts of demise, of mortality seemed to fade as she lay in his arms. The longer she was there the saver she felt. She admired everything about the great love of her life. She had been lucky to find him, had been fortunate that such a bizarre circumstance had brought them together but life was like that of course. When you least expected it, something invariably happened. Death Eaters were not supposed to have an idealistic life of love and happiness, the two simply did not go hand in hand. Had she been extremely foolish to have children when she knew what her own fate had been having lost both her parent so early in her life. One to Hades and the other to Azkaban.

Her eyes closed as he continued tilting her head up to face him a smile playing across her features.
"You are right my love, what need we for negativity when we have one another" leaning closer her lips gently at first pressed against his. The need for him over rode everything else in her, he was all she would ever need. All that she would ever love.
Her tongue tasted the depths of his mouth as she gave herself up to him willingly. What the morning or any day after would bring was not for her to fight against, what would be would be but for now... there was only Thorine and her love Arnost.