No one loves the messenger

[Estrella Drage]

Trouble hadn’t plagued the small cottage in some time. Life had rolled over to the sunny side for Estrella and Jaken’s family. Olivia and Lydia were as well-behaved as they could be in these early stages. Sure, there were scrapes, goose-eggs, runny noses, dirty diapers, and other unpleasant things in the baggage that belonged to childhood, but both parents had managed to raise them well. Whether or not they would screw up their daughters later was left to the future.

Estrella’s belly was stuffed with twins this time. Nearly five months of this tired gig left her round and ready to roll. While the witch loved her children and her husband, she hoped this last time around would tie up their clan. Two were already a nightmare; four were going to bring on the apocalypse.

Forever a Ravenclaw, Estrella was curled up in a chair, balancing a book on her abdomen. She was lost in a copy of Fifteenth Century Fiends. Every few minutes she would glance up to make sure Olivia hadn’t hurt herself. The toddler was mad for the toy broomstick her uncle Sumner and aunt Lily had gotten her for Christmas. She was all over the house, well aware of her mother’s warning- not to wake up Lydia. The nine-month-old slept somewhat regularly now; however, she owned her nap time and you did not take it away from her.

So when Lydia began to whimper in her sleep, Estrella thought nothing of it. Fitful dreams were not worth risking a crabby baby. The whimpers morphed into cries, the cries into wails. Concern crept into Estrella’s features as she shut the volume and moved to the floor. Lydia was asleep on a blanket there- well, she was very much awake now. The youngest Styx was testing her lungs for all they were worth. Any maternal knowledge Estrella had gained or possessed was rendered useless during the hour she attempted to soothe her daughter’s spirits. Lydia’s issue with the world seemed unresolvable, her voice shredding the autumn afternoon to bits of red and gold.

 

[Chavdar Zhefarovich]

Something Chavdar never thought in his life had happened, and now, he felt somewhat guilty over taking Jaken to that restaurant to begin with. His tea was spiked with a deadly poison, and the funeral arrangements would have to be made shortly. He still had to bring the body to Kalif to take to the Zhefarovich Manor so he could be laid to rest next to his sister, Alessine. It was the proper way to bury someone in the family, and Chavdar knew that. Though he did know that the first one that needed to know about Jaken’s sudden death was his beloved wife, Estrella. He had apparated from the hospital and reappeared at the front door of Estrella’s home. From within, he could hear the small infant cry like there was no tomorrow, stabbing through the grown man as well. He could feel his eyes moisture up once more, and managed to regain his collected composure though this was hardly anything to be “cool” about.

Moments ago, he had shed an ocean of tears, and he had thought that he had no more to share, and figured out from the hard way, he did. He put the large hand on the door and he uttered, “God, why did it have to be him? Why him out of all of the other bad people out there? Hell, why not me?” With a few rasps of his knuckles against the wooden door, he could feel his heart drop to his stomach, and his stomach turn to pretzels. How could this have happened to Jaken? At least Jaken and Estrella trusted Chavdar, well, Chavdar did not know how well Estrella trusted him, but when they were married, and she was pregnant with Olivia, he was the only one at the table in his family that was happy for the couple. He braved up as much bravery as he could muster and awaited for Estrella to answer the door, knowing for a fact that he was going to break down again.

 

[Estrella Drage]

Olivia wasn’t allowed to answer the door. There she was, anyway, turning the knob and inviting the caller to come inside. She beamed at Chavdar, bouncing to him and wrapping her arm around his leg. “Hi!” she exclaimed, her arms raised in demand. No one could ever properly welcomed without a hug and a kiss, after all.

Her mother was too occupied with Lydia to scold her. She remained in the other room, leaving the caller to announce themselves. Olivia was oblivious to her father’s plight and innocent in her happiness. To her, the world was fixed; her parents would always be there to love her and keep her safe.

 

[Chavdar Zhefarovich]

The door opened, and he saw no one, but Chavdar heard the blast of the cries of the infant, Lydia, and he winced slightly at the loudness. Chavdar felt something, or rather someone, attach themselves to his leg, and he glanced down to see the bouncy Olivia, her arms raised. It still bothered him so, that she would never be held by her father again. He lifted Olivia into his bulky arms for a moment, and he gave her a light kiss upon her dark head of hair. Chavdar entered the house, and closed the door behind him with his free hand as he held Olivia in one of his arms which was plenty of room for the growing girl.

After following the cries to the room where Estrella was at, he couldn't bring himself to even speak. Instead, he just stood there, in silence. He was still in shock after what had happened. It was so sudden, and Chavdar still had red eyes from how much he had shed today. There was nothing good to come of this visit, now.

 

[Estrella Drage]

Burrowed into her uncle's arms, Olivia didn't notice his despair. The toddler's world wasn't bothered even as it was crashing down around her. She clapped her hands over her ears, attempting to mute her sister's wails. When Lydia wasn't happy, no one was. Olivia would have solved the problem herself if she could. She didn't know that her mother had tried everything in the books, and then some.

Estrella glanced to Chavdar. Her smile was small and strained as she cradled her youngest, wondering what could possibly be upsetting her. The witch missed the wizard's expression altogether. If he was here, that meant her husband was home. Relief washed over the tired mother. At this point, only Lydia's father would be able to calm the storm. Where Estrella failed, Jaken would succeed with a few moments and a hushed tone. This had always been downright maddening to Estrella. However, she had little room to complain when her children weren't kicking her hearing out the door.

"Where's Jaken?" Estrella inquired, her back turned to her husband's uncle. He and Jaken hadn't been out for very long, all things considered. The woman held her daughter to her chest. Where was the one man who could lull Lydia to sleep?

 

[Chavdar Zhefarovich]

That whole sentence left him in a blunder and a silence state. Well, Chavdar could tell her where he was, since really, he was in Saint Mungo's. Chavdar let out a heavy sigh and he uttered, his voice close to breaking and his emotion of despair dripped and laced around each Bulgarian syllable, "Jaken is at Saint Mungo's." The large Death Eater bent down and he put Olivia down as he figured that Estrella would want to apparate with him back to the hospital. But who would watch Olivia and Lydia? Chavdar stood up straight once more and he explained even further, "While we were getting our food, someone put poison in Jaken's drink. Jaken...he...he is dead." Chavdar closed his eyes for a moment, no sign of joking or jest on his face. Chavdar might have been known for someone who was a little humorous with his words, but this was no laughing matter; and nothing he would jest about.

 

[Estrella Drage]

At some point between then and forever, Estrella doubted Chavdar. She narrowed her eyes and banished reality with a shake of her head. There had been some misunderstanding. Her husband was an Auror; poison hadn't swept him away from this world. Didn't Chavdar know him better than that?

Despite her refusal to believe the man, the witch's knees grew weak, her belly doing somersaults. It was a miracle that she managed not to throw up. Hell, it was even more amazing that she managed to make it to the sofa. She did everything but collapse. Her words became no more than a groan. The pregnant woman squeezed her eyes shut; this was all a nightmare. When she opened them again, Chavdar would be gone, his flight that of a specter's.

Estrella pinched her skin until she'd nearly broken it, then slapped herself on the cheek for good measure. Why was Chavdar still there? Silent for a long time, the widow finally spoke. "Take me to him." It was no request; it was a command. She had to see this for herself. Jaken wasn't dead. His wife would prove that to his uncle, heck, she'd prove it to the healers.

No matter what would happen, this was not something she would subject her daughters to. She bit her lip until blood had almost come forth. "Persephone," she called out softly, disturbed when nothing happened instantaneously. "PERSEPHONE!"

The old house elf was never far away. She arrived with a crack, observing the situation with bulbous orbs. Immediately at the infant's side, she lifted Lydia out of her crib and began to rock her. "Hush," she sang softly. Lydia did everything but.

With the baby in her arms, the wrinkled creature turned to Estrella. "Yes, Miss?"

"Bring Olivia and Lydia to Kailey and Demitris Harrington. They are to stay there until further notice, please and thank you," the witch ordered her, telling her the address. "Tell Demitris that Jaken is-" Estrella paused, wringing her hands together, "Tell him that Jaken is in trouble. If Kailey and Demitris aren't home, take them to Lief and Daisy."

Kissing both of her daughters goodbye, Estrella quickly explained to Olivia that she would be spending the night with Uncle Demitris and Aunt Kailey. The toddler was thrilled to hear this, grabbing her broomstick and hopping to Persephone's side.

Turning her back on her children, Estrella hooked her arm through Chavdar's. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Estrella was almost more afraid of what she would see there than what she was plunging into. She didn't want to drown.