Alexia rarely ever came to Nightray manor. She would go attend the Nightray ball every year, but aside from that, she never really visited. Not since the death of her father. She’d spent years trying to get the approval of the man only for him to die before she could. And on top of that the Nightray family matriarch wasn’t even a pureblood. It grated. To be considered less worthy than a woman who married into the family, nearly destitute with two kids born out of wedlock before Liam decided to take pity. How the Nightrays had fallen, she was sure her father was seething in his grave.
Today, she had gone to the manor to check on one of her cousins. She had received word from her nephew that Gabriel had fallen sick, and he wanted her opinion on it. Alexia did the checks and conferred with her nephew on the state of his father, suggesting a list of potions she was sure that the healer would have already prescribed. With that done, she decided that since she was already here, she might as well visit with the others that she still got along with, starting with Laurent since she was already near his wing. Navigating the manor was easy and soon enough, she was knocking at what should be his office and entering. “Cousin, I see you’re doing well.”
With Gabriel currently sequestered in his room, Laurent had little time for much else than to watch his children as they went about their business. The twins were off at school, and so they hadn't yet been caught up in the drama that had been ongoing in the Nightray household. Still, it was one of those things they would have to get their hands on soon, he would have to tell the twins they had been added to the heirship which would also mean they would have to attend the ball he'd always had them miss. He wasn't sure how others were going to feel about it, and he had made quite a sacrifice of his own that he feared some might take for him undermining his children's own claims. He knew Mikael was weak, he would be a terrible head and it would elevate his twins quickly. That boy didn't have a leaders bone in him, Laurent just knew it.
"Better than some, yes," he commented idly, his legs cross as he sat at his desk, low in his seat and staring at his wand. "Thank you for dropping by to see him, Nightray's only know what is best for Nightray's and I very fairly do not trust many of the healers," after all, any one of them could be someone he doesn't expect and since his talk, with Ai, he's fully expected Liam to come barging in. She probably wouldn't let him, but the wards only kept out those not of Nightray blood, not Liam. Ai could get in because she married in, and her headship ring meant she had a lot of access even Laurent didn't and he hated it. "I had a very interesting conversation with our dear lady today."
Alexia nodded along as she came to sit without prompting. She had no intention to stand on ceremony with him, they grew up together and faced utter humiliation together at the hands of the current Nightray heads. It’s been seventeen years, but she would never forget. “Of course, you know you need only summon me and I’ll come,” she said with a nod. It did not need to be said that the offer was only for him and Gabriel. Alexander would know as well. The rest, not so much. Of course, she’d be almost bound to attend to the summons of the patriarch and the matriarch, but she could find loopholes in their summons frequently enough. “Your brother might be doing better. Call for me if he worsens,” she says as she examines her nails. She should probably drop by Alexander’s wing next. She wasn’t able to gather her thoughts enough though before Laurent was mentioning a conversation. She looked at her cousin, eyebrow raised at that statement. “She’s capable of interesting conversation? I didn’t know you hung with the rabble nowadays cousin.”
Laurent's mouth ticked up casually at the comment on Ai's conversational skills, but other than that he remained exactly as he was. He wasn't surprised that she was surprised he'd gone to see her, or even that he'd managed to see her at all. At that, he looked over at her. "I got her alone, easier than it should have been, they've gotten complacent in their leadership," he murmured, almost afraid to say it out loud. He would never forget the events of the last two decades, and he would never forget the explicit betrayal of Liam and his family. Though it had not been such of a surprise. This is how they often did things in their family, that didn't mean he was happy about it. "I find little comfort in their proximity, that we share any kind of general space at all irritates me." So close and yet their precious patriarch can not even spare a few moments to see Gabriel. Would that not have caused his brother's early demise, probably, he might even have forced the issue. He did not trust that side of his family more than he could throw them. After all, it was not Laurent who had a body count. "She's pregnant again," he then said, idly, unsure if his cousin was aware. In truth he had not figured it out completely until he'd seen her, but it had made sense in that moment. It was a pregnancy she was at great risk with carrying, and it explained Liam's sudden indisposal even if it was infuriating.
Alexia’s eyes widened. While their matriarch was by no means idle when it came to meeting with the family, there was a group that Liam had been very careful for her to avoid. It had been a surprise to find that it was their patriarch that was the cautious one between the pair, then again, Liam had grown up knowing the game. Ai did not. She was capable, Alexia would give her that, but she would never be enough. Not for Alexia. “A surprise indeed. Never thought I’d see the day that our dear cousin would leave the lady behind enough for any of us to corner,” she said. A smirk made it’s way to her face at Laurent’s complaint over having to share the manor. That was why she was glad to have moved with her husband. She couldn’t imagine having to see their betrayers frequently. Once a year was enough. The last tidbit of the news he gave her was a little nugget. She’d thought that they would have stopped with reproducing at this point considering how the matriarch’s body seemed so fragile during these times. “Then perhaps it was not complacency and instead idiocy in the part of cousin dearest. Leaving the matriarch alone,” she said with a smirk. “Unless having to leave was not sheer coincidence?” It would not surprise her if it was his scheme that led to the meeting with Ai.
Laurent snorted, undignified, but called for. "Getting the Patriarch out of the manor is hardly a complex feat, I'd been a little surprised when they'd all gone, but it was no less a plan." he admitted, sitting up slightly and placing his wand on the stand on his desk. He trusted Alexia implicitly, of course, they'd grown up together, how could he not? She knew about as much as he did about the goings on and because she wasn't around he did his best to keep her informed in the easiest ways that he could. "They are fools to keep such a tight hold on their power only to let it wane so close to the heirs going through the trials required to take their place, and whilst I am not foolish enough to believe that there is not a lot of care involved in keeping everything as it is, I also understand the role complacency will play in the next few years." he said, eyeing Alexia, because here is where things get complicated. "I have made an unbreakable vow with her and she has agreed to give the twins fair consideration, assuming that I back Mikael if he is found to be more eligible than them." the issue there of course being that it was simply too easy to be found ineligible. Many considered inelligible simply for marrying into certain families, though apparently not the case with his cousin Liam. "She has made the same vow with me, she can not break it."
“The patriarch brought along Mikaela and the raunchy guard dog,” she said with mild disgust. She did not understand the fuss over the man. He was disgusting in his infatuation to go through several women within the Nightrays. It was a disgrace that even their matriarch had been one of the man’s exploits. Even having two sons to show for it. Two sons that had been deemed Nightray heirs despite not having a drop of Nightray blood. Thank Merlin one had the sense to finally back away from the running. After marrying a part-veela. The disgrace. “I’m surprised the matriarch has loosened the leash so much, but I suppose such a delicate pregnancy can make one lose their head,” she said as she twirls her short hair on her fingers. Laurent was right. They were fools. Nearly twenty years in power, and this is when they start to get complacent. Her eyes widened however with every word Laurent says. An unbreakable vow. And the twins. “She agreed to acknowledge the twins as heirs,” she breathes because they have been pushing for Gabriel’s or Laurent’s or Alexander’s kids as heirs. Liam had been the immovable wall. They had known that Ai would be the key. “Finally,” she said because that meant there was now a chance to redeem the Nightray family. “But an unbreakable vow Laurent? I’ll admit that she has balls. I’m not sure whether that was a smart move or a stupid one.” Such a risk from a pregnant woman. Perhaps they didn’t give her enough credit. “I suppose making Mikael less eligible would be easy enough.” There were so many ways.
Why Jeremiah Raven was allowed to continue his existence in their family was honestly beyond Laurent, though he supposed some of it had to do with the fact that the Raven Mongrel was a pureblood, which he supposed did help matters some, but it didn't make Laurent feel any better about it. If Jeremiah was the best the family had to offer that was the family's loss and it shouldn't have to affect him and his. "Why he still hangs about is beyond me, though it's probably to do with him almost singlehandedly repopulating the Nightray family line," he laughed bitterly. He and his cousin seemed to be the only one's untouched by his particular brand of care, and even their Aunt Celeste could not claim such a title, since she too was given a child by that irritant. "The Patriarch does not always understand what is in his own best interests, I may not like the woman, but were I Liam, she would be in bed, and she would not be leaving the manor nor my supervision." he disliked sick people, but he disliked a pregnant wife being cornered by someone like him even more. He should not have had such open access to Ai, and whilst he appreciated it, he still disagreed, and it was half of the reason he believed that his cousin was losing his touch. Ai had made him soft. "Making Mikael less eligible is not the entire plan. We need to break the family and make sure that there is little they will want to do. They believe I will not try anything now that I have made the vow with Ai, and they are right, I can not do anything that will not back Mikael, however you are not bound, and there is more family to control."
Alexia would not have been able to stop the snort that escaped her of her cousin's description of Jeremiah Raven. She will never acknowledge that man as a Nightray despite him marrying into the family. He was a lot worse than the current matriarch. “So many b@st@rd children you mean?” she said in fake sweetness. She would bet that there would be more that was still unknown to them with regards to that man's children. One could never truly know where that Raven decides to dip his grubby paws in. “Ah but our dear heads like to pretend that it’s Liam who gets things done,” she says as she leans back on the chair. Alexia wasn't stupid. Back when Ai came into the picture as Liam's secretary and only his secretary, things got done within the company. Liam may have usurped the previous heads by himself, but he let himself grow soft with Ai holding the leash. And now he's grown complacent with a wife that was always so delicate during pregnancies. “What are the exact words of the vow Laurent?” she asks him curiously because there could be so many loopholes to exploit. And it would be better to discuss it now with the encounter still fresh in her cousin's mind. It would not hurt to use a pensieve later on as well. “I believe arrangements can be made for the rest of the our dear patriarch's family. And perhaps some of the other heirs as well? But you must tell me of your plans Laurent, so Alexander and I can make our own."
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