บท 767: Culling Aftermath Ⅷ
The grounds from the windows of the Mulciber Citadel are covered in snow. Standing at the window stands a young golden-haired man with handsome features staring quietly at the fading small figure of the goblins, who had declared him the head of the Mulciber family with full rights to the position. Peregrine still was in shock unable to believe that which the goblins had told him. The position of head of the family had been removed from his father per family law, and he would reside the rest of his life in St. Mungos as punishment. That is what the goblin lawyer from Gringotts had explained.
Unlike Mulciber Sr.'s features Peregrine had kind eyes despite the resemblance to his father. Even though his father had attempted to have him killed, a part of Peregrine mourned the loss of his father. It was the childish portion of his heart that remembered the father, who had shown him his first magic spell with such pride. The same man who had taken him flying on a magic carpet. That same man, who had once been so immensely proud of his firstborn son. This also was the part of himself that he hated most of all.
Peregrine closed his eyes for a moment, before naming the overwhelming emotion contained within his chest, relief. Yes. It was as though a heavy burden had at last been removed from his shoulders. He and his mother were at last free.
Peregrine opens his eyes as a trickle of old pain flashes through. Their freedom had come far too late to save his younger brother, Damian nor the family of bee-bee. They were all dead.
With a loud popping sound, Beat appears. The house elf was nearly the same age as Peregrine had a round, almost healed nose, missing teeth, a broken bat-like ear that hanged down. There were mostly old and fading whip scars on his arms and leg. Since the betrothal agreement, Mulciber Sr. had ceased beating the house elf and had instead begun to transfer residences as promised. This had given Beat a much-needed respite to heal with hardly any brightly colored bruises except a few dull-colored ones.
Kneeling Beat says, "Beat greets the new head of Mulciber, Master Peregrine."
"Oh, bee-bee," Peregrine said with a sad smile as he gently aided his childhood friend to his feet. "There is no need for such servitude with me. I am not my father."
"But master!" Beat loudly protested. "Not appropriate for Beat to refer to Master otherwise!"
"Let me worry about what is appropriate or not, bee-bee," Peregrine answered as the house elf failed to look convinced. "How about in when in private situations, I will still be called per-per, but at all other times with guests and at social events, I will be called, Master. It would please me at least to be addressed in this manner."
Beat slowly nodded his head as he contemplated the offer. "Beat will do as mas-, as per-per wishes," the house elf timidly replied.
"Thank you, bee-bee, that pleases me," Peregrine confessed, before standing back up. "Is mother yet awake, bee-bee?"
Beat eagerly shuffles on his feet. "Beat served the Madam brunch early this morning. The Madam is dressed and waiting for ma-, per-per."
"Thank you, Beat," Peregrine with gratitude said as the house elf vanished with a nosy pop.
Down the hall, past the swirling banisters, and into the west wing, Peregrine found himself before his mother's closed chambers. Raising his hand, he knocks once to hear his mother's soft, melodic voice say, "Enter my per-per."
Peregrine opens the door to find the still willow-like beauty, his mother, Meredith sitting at a chaise reading a book. With his return to the citadel, his mother had slowly begun to regain life again in her eyes. She began to take pleasure again in learning for she had been a studious Ravenclaw in her youth.
Carefully setting a bookmark in place, Meredith sets her current reading aside. She beckons her firstborn towards her and rises to her feet. She curtsies to her son and says, "To the new head of the Mulciber Family, I, Meredith Mulciber humbly greet him. By the laws of old, I wish him everlasting joy. By the laws of old, I wish him luck. And by the laws of old, I wish him safety. May you rule with might and righteousness all the days of your life."
"Mother-," Peregrine protested, but Meredith gestured her head pointed at her son to reply accordingly to tradition.
Peregrine suppresses a sigh, before bowing to his mother. "I, Peregrine Mulciber acknowledge the blessings from the vassal, Meredith Mulciber. In turn by the laws of old, I swear to honor, protect, and cherish the vassal before me. So, mote be."
A proud smile appears on Meredith's face as she straightens up and gently touches her son's face. "I truly wish you the best, my per-per."
"Thank you, mother," Peregrine sincerely said, before brightening up. "Does that mean that I can restate Uncle Joffrey, Aunt Lucy, and their children to the Mulciber family lineage?"
"Indeed," Meredith said with a genuine smile. "We owe them that much and more, my per-per. Despite being distant squib cousins, Joffrey, and his wife, Lucy was still willing to take you into their home at the risk of incurring the deadly wrath of your father."
"I shall do so immediately!" Peregrine excitedly said already imaging seeing his uncle, aunt, and his cousins. During his stay with his uncle's family, they cared for him as if he were their own. He had missed them during the last year, but if he reinstated them within the family. They would have vaults returned to them and more importantly, they could reside in one of the Mulciber properties. And he even knew just the right one! It was a seven-bedroom farm-styled townhome with large gardens and plenty of room for his younger cousins to still have room to play.
Before Peregrine can rush off to Gringotts's, Meredith solemnly says, "Wait, Peregrine there is something you must know."
Peregrine is pulled out of his joyous bubble at the solemnity of his mother's tone of voice. "Mother, what is it?" He asked with genuine concern bubbling up in his voice.
"Come," Meredith gravely responded, before leading the way.
Curious Peregrine followed his mother down the west wing and into the kitchen area. Past the kitchens and down a narrow staircase that led to the house elf quarters. In his childhood, he'd often snuck into these narrow corridors to play with Beat and his elder sister, Tilly.
Peregrine almost missed a step and slid down the dark flight of stairs lit by dim flickering torches. Falling back for a moment, he pauses to think and remember his deceased female childhood playmate. Tilly did not look like other house elves. She had small pointed ears, a round nose, chocolate colored hair, and small pink lips. Before his departure, Tilly was already half-grown a rather pretty little thing that was easily much taller than the rest of the house elves in her family. She'd never be wizard-sized, but she would have easily been three times as tall as a regular-sized house elf.
A peculiarity that he had never much paid attention to until now. Just why did Tilly almost look human? An unpleasant sensation crept down his back in warning. He forcefully pulls his attention away from the jagged question. He had the inkling that he did not truly want to know the answer to that question.
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EsliEsma
EsliEsma This arc is almost at an end, but we have a few more chapters left. P.S. sorry about the last chapter, I removed it as I usually try to keep a month ahead of my next posting to keep on schedule. So, that is a future chapter, if you got to read it...Whoops. If not, you will have a chance to read it again.
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