Closed This has become complicated

[Kalif Styx II]

This had to be petty. There was no other explanation for it. After being born and forced to undergo intense training and reading, including leaving Hogwarts New Zealand, Kalif Styx the Second was no longer the heir to the Patriarch position. His grandfather, or adopted father, stripped him of that when he failed to perform even the slightest hint of Legilimency. However, Kalif had a feeling that this was even deeper. That was why he sat in his office in his house, one that he invited Liusaidh to come and go as she wished, and tapped the feather of his quill to his lips as he debated on what was the cause.

Not mastering Legilimency was just an excuse. His diagram, written in Bulgarian, all pointed to his engagement. He had refused arranged ones, since he wanted to figure things out for himself. And then he brought home Liusaidh. Kalif put off a wedding ceremony for a while now because of his training, and now, it was all for nothing? Needless to say, he was livid. What was he supposed to do now? He was trained for one purpose and one only, and now, he had nothing. Nothing, except his fiancé.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh was pretty satisfied in her life post school. She was helping out the family, as was her duty, at the store in New Zealand. She refused to be on the shop floor, but she helped with coordination with Aonghas and the main shop in Scotland. She was of course engaged, though had though by this point they would be married. The way that this family always seemed was to move quickly and they'd been engaged a year now. It was coming up, but wasn't moving quickly.

Liusaidh entered the home she shared with Kalif. She dressed the role of a pureblood, rich wife, good clothes, well-fitted, hair nice, make up perfect. She had never shown this care in school, but school had been a seven-year-long vacation before she got to this role. The woman had bought some supplies, but quickly left it with house elf, and wandered through the home to find Kalif sitting in one of the rooms with a diagram in front of him. Liusaidh hadn't bothered to try learning Bulgarian, it was just a lot. "Careful now sweetheart, if you think too much harder you'll have an aneurysm," Liusaidh said, noting that he looked a little angry.

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif knew that sooner or later, Liusaidh would be home, and then in his office while he was staring at the diagram. It was not adding up well, and felt that it was just too personal of a coincidence. His eyes wandered up as Liusaidh came in and warned him about thinking too much. “It is a problem only one of us will ever have,” Kalif shot back with a subtle smirk. He crumbled the diagram into a ball and tossed it across the room. He watched it bounce off of the edge of the bin and tumble into the floor. Figured he would have missed that one. “You are aware of how my entire life, I was raised with one purpose and one only. My father decided to take that away.” Kalif ultimately chose to refer to Styx as his father now because he was raised like a son, and that was how Liusaidh knew him. It was just easier for him in the end. “Well, not anymore. If you want to marry me for my status in my family, there’s your way out.” Kalif leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh gave an amused noise at his retort and watched as he crumbled up some paper and let it tumble to the floor. With a little wandless magic, Liusaidh moved it into the bin before she sat down in front of him. Liusaidh listened to him speak and gave a sympathetic expression, since she wasn't totally unfamiliar with the way pureblood families could be. How unnecessary some of the actions were and given his family, she could guess that perhaps part of the reason this had changed was because of her. She reached her hand out to him, he wasn't a man who tended to want physical touch or physical affection, but she was offering it.

"I don't want to marry you for your status in your family. You being pureblood is enough," she told him plainly, as if that was a given. "I don't need more status, I'm a Fergusson, I have all the status I need. I am marrying you, for you, even if you drive me crazy sometimes," Liusaidh assured him, with perhaps a more gentle tone. "But if you'd like me to leave, if I am...a hindrance, and your status means that much to you, I can leave." she said, knowing his family meant a lot to him. "But if you do need me to leave, just know you'll never find another pureblood as pretty as I am," ​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif kept his stare on Liusaidh as she fixed his mistake on how he missed his throw. That was honestly nice, so he did not have to fix it himself. Kalif did wait to see if she would leave his office, but to his utter surprise, she just reached her hand out to him, and he instinctively took her hand into his. While he was not exactly a touchy person, this was somehow helpful to him. And there was no motion for her to get up and leave. Instead, she sat down and stayed. This was a bit of a shock to him. She was actually reassuring him, so he started to wonder if this was actually his future wife and not a doppelganger. "Glad to know that my blood status is enough, but Liusaidh, you really need to make your standards higher if that's all you look at," Kalif intertwined his fingers with hers and gave her hand a squeeze. "I don't want the burden to bringing someone else home. The next pureblood woman might not have any brains." That was Kalif basically saying that he didn't want her to leave - because finding a replacement wife would be too much of a burden, plus he didn't want to exchange someone who actually challenged him. "If you give me a daughter, I do hope she takes after me. You are only slightly prettier than hags," Kalif smirked subtly.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh knew this subject was clearly weighing on his mind as he took her hand. He was not a tactile person, nor was she. But this was a moment for intimacy, even in the smallest sense of the word. She wasn't sure if he would agree to leave her or if he'd stay. She hoped it would be the latter. Liusaidh didn't like the idea of having to find another pureblood match when she had this one. One she liked. What if the next guy was boring…

”Do I?” she teased lightly, but he was agreeing to stay, squeezing her hand. She knew this couldn't be an easy decision for him, or one that weighed lightly when it was her fault, likely. But she thought this was good, they wouldn't have a responsibility between them. Liusaidh did know that being stripped of something that your whole life had been about was not easy. ”Please, I'll give you a son,” she told him. ”He'll take after me, and all my brains and my beauty,” she teased lightly. Though, Liusaidh really did hope her first child was a son. ”We'll be okay, you know? And it's okay to be upset too about this, you don't have to cry in front of me or anything, but like if you break something get the elves to fix it,”

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif wondered who had their claws in who at this point. Did she have him around her little finger or was it the opposite way around? The best answer might be both at this point. If anyone asked half a decade ago that he would be here, with Liusaidh, he would have hexed them into the next century. She even continued to tease him, which made him tense up a fair bit. But nonetheless, it was a good feeling - not that he would ever admit it. It was rare for him to do anything 'nice', including just holding hands. The thought of her giving him a son was very pleasant, mainly because of the fact that he would be a pureblood. But so would a girl. He didn't care one way or another which one he received from Liusaidh. "You almost seem eager to give me a child, Liusaidh." Kalif knew what they needed to do in order to conceive, but was it not too early? Although, it wasn't like a Styx to wait too long. "I won't break anything. People might disappear if I get too annoyed, but I won't break any of our belongings. The issue is, I don't know what to do in order to make a suitable living." He could always use his family's wealth, but the pleasure of earning it himself was one that he wanted to feel. "I don't want a child brought into this world with an unemployed father."​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh gave a little smirk and nodded. "Well, as a pureblood soon to be wife, it is my job to continue our line." She told him reciting what she had always been taught with a slightly mocking tone, though she knew that was what she had to do, and she was eager to have it over with. They had time though, especially if he wasn't to inherit the titles from his family. There was slightly less pressure to produce an heir.

Liusaidh gave a little nod, "And if anyone ever asks about the disappearances, you were here with me the whole time," Liusaidh knew where her loyalty was to be and she wasn't about to give up him for much. The answer to their living situation, to what he could do. "Well, Aonghas could always use a hand. With him expanding the family business, I'm sure he could use someone like yourself to help him out," she offered. Knowing that working in the shop or sewing was not something of Kalif's stature, but, managing, financing, being in charge with Aonghas would be.

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif might have been raised with similar values, but to limit the job to just becoming a human incubator did not sit well with him. Even if she was mocking it - the tone he could easily recognize - he couldn't help but smirk and add, "Just one of your jobs. The other one is to please your future husband, is it not?" He did not truly believe that since if anything, they were going to be partners. That much was true. At least they had no reason to start trying to conceive. Although, if she wanted to, who was he to say no? And her loyalty to him was proving that he made the right choice with bringing her home.

His smirk faded when she brought up how Aonghas could use a hand. Could he really be trusted to step in and assist? Kalif wasn't entirely sure if he could do that since what if a part of him did not respect boundaries and attempted to control the entire thing? No, that was ludicrous. "If he needs the assistance, I can step up. I doubt I will be useful in sewing anything." Kalif glanced down at their hands that were still intertwined. He scooted the chair so that he was in front of her directly and motioned for her to come and sit on his lap if she wanted. "Since we have this direction, when do you want to become the new Mrs. Styx?" ​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh gave a little laugh as he joked with her. "I don't think so, my father must've skipped giving me that lesson," she teased, though a part of her did want to please him. If they were to be together she wanted it to be good, good enough. He would put up with her antics and she would ensure that he was happy. Of course the spanner of his family would be one that lingered over them, but she was sure it was nothing she couldn't eventually solve, or solve by them having a baby.

Liusaidh didn't think Aonghas needed assistance, but he could use it. "I think he would welcome the assistance, he has just expanded operations to New Zealand. I'm sure I can needle him into giving you a job as head of international operations," she said, with a little smirk, but meant it sincerely. Her family had always worked, so if his family wouldn't welcome them, hers would. Liusaidh watched him move and then went to sit on his lap, putting her arm around his shoulders. "I would do it tomorrow, but I think there needs to be a little more prep than that. What do you think?" ​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif was not expecting her to turn it around on him, but here she was, throwing it back at him. That was one of the main reasons why he chose her. Someone to challenge him. He required that in his life, and it made things much more exciting than someone that would just do what he said all of the time. That would be boring. "Then your father left it for me to teach you properly," Kalif smirked subtly, assuming that she would know exactly what he meant by that. Even now, she was doing a swell job keeping him satisfied in all aspects of his life that she could control, that is. Without pressure from his family, now he could just live how he wanted. That was odd to think about.

"That sounds like a big task. I'm sure I can handle it. We can go talk to him this week and work something out." It did help that he was distantly related to Aonghas' wife. From what he heard, she was doing well as a mother, and wanted nothing more than that. He didn't flinch or even tense up when she sat on his lap - which was a vast improvement since he was not used to physical contact until her. He rested one hand on her back to help stabilize her so that she doesn't fall, and the other on her leg. "I honestly don't care so long as you have my last name at the end of the day. It isn't like we are waiting until after marriage for the bedroom activities." No, he took that from her the night he retrieved her from the train. "If you cut me off though, I'll have a wedding fit for a coronation within two days prepared."​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh always appreciated that despite his serious nature, that she could tease him. That they could tease each other. She was aware of her position and what she had to do, but it didn't mean that they couldn't have fun while doing it. Liusaidh had never really expected to like Kalif as much as she did. He was, despite the gruff demeanour, a pretty good guy. Well...by her standards. They might have never gotten along at school, but he'd been too busy trying to be perfectly his family.

Liusaidh knew that the job probably sounded bigger than it would turn out to be, but it was still to be an important part of what the family did. She was sure Aonghas would welcome to help, given that he now had his own children. Liusaidh gaze settled on him and nodded. "Well, consider yourself cut off, until I have that surname," Liusaidh leaned in to him, going to kiss him on the cheek. As if saying that was all he was going to get.

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Not much could pass his suspicions up, but one thing for sure was that when he saw her gaze, he knew that she was up to no good. And indeed she was. Kalif furrowed his eyebrows as she actually said that he was cut off. Only, was she actually serious about it, or was she messing around with him? Considering that she only kissed him on the cheek, as if to signify that it was all he was getting, Kalif just didn't believe it. He looked her over to see if he could hold out on a couple of days. Did he even have a choice? Still, he doubted that she meant it. Surely, she wanted him in the same way he wanted her. "You aren't being serious, are you?" Kalif needed to confirm it, because if she was, he would have to get a lot of his family, and likely hers, to get ready for a wedding within a few days. If he had the time, he would do it today. She deserved to have on a white dress, even if he did steal her virtue already.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh was of course kidding with him, though the idea of being immediately married wasn't one she minded. Liusaidh liked a good spectacle as much as anyone else but she just didn't want them to be wasting time with this. It would be easier to just get it done and then move on from it, especially if they were having issues with his family. "Of course not," she laughed lightly, but went to take his face in her hands, to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "But we also shouldn't waste time," she added, "Don't you agree?"

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif actually breathed out a sigh of relief when she said that she was not being serious, but then she grabbed his face to plant a kiss on his cheek. He furrows his eyebrows at her, but he does ultimately agree with her. He wanted her to be his wife sooner than later. He nodded, "I don't want to waste time either. Never been my thing. I want us to be husband and wife within a year. Within a week if I can." Kalif patted her legs since he would need to make sure she was up for it, and they could start planning. Kalif could have everything planned for them, or they could do it themselves. He wasn't picky. He just wanted her off the market, and himself at the same time.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh was glad they'd be able to move forward, to finally be properly married. She knew it would make little difference to how they currently were, but they had waited around long enough. "Let's say that in two weeks we'll be married," it was a wider window than the proposed week, but not so long than a year. They had the resources and money that it would be absolutely doable for them.

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Liusaidh proposed two weeks, which was definitely doable. So, in a short time, Kalif would be a married man, have a new purpose working with her relatives, and then eventually, trying for a child. They did have their duties that was expected of them from both sides of their families. "Two weeks for the ceremony, three weeks for the honeymoon, and then after a while, we try for a child." Kalif left it vague since he did not want to have a definite time frame for a kid, but she likely wanted to have it done and over with. Honestly, he would not mind if it was soon. Even with their expenses, the kid would likely have a nanny or an elf to pick up the slack if they both need the rest.​

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh nodded at his timeline, the kids part sounded right, when they were married she would just let nature decide when she got pregnant and that would be fine. With Aonghas having kids now, there as a little less pressure to immediately continue the line, and Graeme the half brother had some and she was sure it was a matter of time before the traitor had some too. "Good," she agreed an then leaned n to kiss him, properly kiss her soon to be husband.

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif smirked as she agreed with him - a show of emotion that he can finally ease into now that he did not have a title to inherit. No, he would be working in the Fergusson family. He thought about taking that name out of spite, but his name carried more weight with it. She leaned in to kiss him, which he eagerly returned. She did get him riled up, so he would have to take her to another room to deal with that. Even if they said that they would wait on conceiving a child, she didn't put a limit on practicing.​

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Fin​