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Author Topic: Control | Nalia  (Read 31 times)

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 04:15)
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Sunday, February 3, 1974
10:45 PM
Immediately Following This


Residual pain gripped every inch of her body as she climbed the staircase towards the West Bailey. She grimaced, but fought through it, her mental toughness outweighing her body’s need to give out and rest. Throughout her life, Julia had always fought through the barriers that threatened to hold her back, and in this moment there had never been a stronger motivator than she had now, to get where she needed to go.

The castle was quiet. It being a Sunday night meant that all but those who thought themselves stealthier than they were, were tucked away in their common rooms and dorms. It was lucky in a way; it meant that the students didn’t have to see the mess she was, and there wouldn’t be questions. Tunnel vision clouded her senses as she walked slowly down the corridor toward Nabih’s rooms. She didn’t know how she could explain something that she was still in disbelief over, but if it took her until the morning to get it out, she would.

Julia had never felt such an intense hatred, as she did in this moment. It consumed her, fueled her, and pushed her with every painful step she took.

Arriving at Nabih’s door, she didn’t knock as she normally did, and she knew he’d understand as soon as he saw her. She pushed open his door, slipped in and closed it quickly behind her before anyone saw. He wasn’t in the tiny sitting room that each professor was allotted, and she swore, hoping he wasn’t out on a patrol or already in bed. “Nabih…” she called out, her voice strained and hoarse from all the screaming.

She only had to call his name once, and he emerged from the connecting room.

As soon as she saw him, she exhaled, feeling like she could finally breathe. “My brother.” It was all she could manage to get out before the tears came.
but daddy i love him
dutiful daughter all my plans were laid, tendrils tucked in a woven braid

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 06:59)
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The Sunday had been busy. Both boys had done their training and then Nabih had gone to the Ministry briefly for a meeting with the Egyptian liaison officer to discuss one of the new regulations the ministry had just issued a few days ago. Back at the castle, his desk was full of essays waiting to be graded and for some reason he also had dinner duty in the Great Hall. Watching over Sunday evening dinner was one of the worst jobs in the castle if you asked him.

For an hour now, he sat in his bed, with just a regular white shirt and some loose pants - clothes no one ever saw him in except for maybe Nael, reading over the absolute bullshit most of his students had written. By now he was convinced some of them did it on purpose.

His pen flew over the parchment over a particularly short essay with hardly any substance to it and just as he wrote ‘unacceptable’ underneath, he heard his door open. Usually it was locked, but he must have forgotten tonight.

For a moment he sat still, heard some swearing and was out of the bed the moment she called out for him. Her voice sounded strange, like she had used it too much today. She had gone to visit home - Edith had given birth. He had not been particularly worried about this. Edward had been quiet lately, and as a new father, he surely had other worries than his sister.

Seeing Julia now, he knew he'd been so very wrong not to worry. The moment her tears started to fall, Nabih rushed to her, taking her into his arms without another thought. Her brother. Her fucking brother.

He kissed her hair and one his hands gently ran up and down her back, while he told her, his voice calm and deep, that it was okay and she was safe. Her head rested on his shoulder, and he hoped that she would be able to hear his steady slow heartbeat to calm her down further. The rage that was building inside of him as he held her was unmatched though.

Very gently he finally took her face into his hands and he looked her over, his eyes reflecting the still growing rage he felt at seeing her like this. Her lip had dried blood on it and he saw the cut where it had burst. One side of her face was still red and a bruise had formed on it. Edward had hit her. That alone would cost him his hand before he died. Her eyes, her beautiful sparkly eyes, were empty and tired, and there were other things in them that Nabih could not all place. Pain, hatred, disbelief. That bastard had done more than hitting her.

“Tell me what happened, my love.”
You put a spell on me
I'm losing my mind

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 15:36)
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Once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop. Nabih's arms wrapped around her, and she clung to him, ignoring the pain that that came with each touch of his hand. He felt warm and safe and she buried her head into his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent. As his hands grazed her back she felt herself begin to relax, the tension that had gripped her body for hours beginning to relieve her of itself.

It was still unbelievable, and though it had just happened, it already felt so far and removed as she stood here in the castle. It was strange, how isolated and insulated the school could make her feel, as though the outside world was a dream, or in this case, a nightmare. How her brother, someone she had always trusted, could do this to her was a question she hadn’t any answers to. Fear gripped her again, as Nabih took her face in his hands. If Edward was willing to do this to her, what did he do to Edith? What would he eventually do to Adira?

Nabih’s eyes roamed over her face, and for a moment she felt ashamed and humiliated that she had put herself in this position. She should have known better. She should have had her wand ready and never let her guard down. Luckily, the rising hatred and fury inside of her began to take place of any other emotions that threatened her.

She took a deep breath and pulled away from Nabih. In any other circumstance, hearing him call her that sweet name would have sent shivers through her. Tonight, it only made everything hurt more. “He trapped me in his office. I had my wand in my back pocket.” Her first words came soft and slowly and she leaned her hand against the back of a nearby armchair. “I guess there’s a politician in parliament he wants in his arsenal,” the softness in her voice evaporated and her eyes grew hard and dark. There was no way to sugar-coat this and she didn’t want to anyway. “He told me to give him whatever he wants.” Her eyes held Nabih’s and she glared, not at him but through him. “When I told him no, he hit me and threatened to kill me.”

Her breathing came rapidly as she recalled the next part to Nabih. Angry tears fell from her eyes, and her body shook, a mixture of pain and rage threatening to explode out of her.

Her eyes didn’t move and her voice lowered again, “I want him to regret every word. I want him to know he’ll never touch me again.” She took a step towards Nabih again and took his hand in hers. “I want him to feel every time he scared his wife.”

“I want him to find out what happens when you betray my family.”
thought we built a dynasty
that heaven couldn't shake

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 16:05)
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He wanted to hold on to her as she pulled away, but then didn't. She needed space to talk, to comprehend what had just happened to her, if that was even possible. He had got to know Julia as loyal to her family and when her father had died, she had been heartbroken. Still, she had remained loyal to her brothers through it all. Her fight with Edward had done nothing to change that, even though Nabih had secretly wished it had.

Nabih sat on the armrest of the couch in the small room and waited for her to talk. That she had not been prepared to fight with her wand, was a topic for another time. Nabih could not really blame her. She had gone to see a baby, not to duel her brother, whom she trusted. Her next words made him tense up quite a bit though. His fingers dug into the armrest, the only indication of his raging anger that was almost consuming him.

Nabih already knew where it was going before she even said the words and glared at him. That scumbag wanted to pimp out his sister for power. Now that the old Duke was dead, nothing was stopping him from using her full potential. Except her unwillingness. And he had tried to remedy that now in the worst way possible. Effective? Absolutely.

More tears fell and he held himself back once more. She needed to be in control right now. It was important now after what she had just gone through. If he crowded her she would just retreat more or unleash her anger on him. Both options were less than ideal.

Finally she took a step towards him again and reached for his hand. He took hers and tugged on it lightly to bring her closer to him before he rose to full height again. “He won't ever touch you again.” It was a promise. A grim one, but Nabih would not rest until he had made it true.

Thoughts were going fast in his brain. The rage was trying to dominate, but Nabih was trained in these things. Even though he had never felt such a rage before, he knew that impulsively acting on it was not smart. It was not how he did things at all. And he certainly would not start now. Briefly he considered bringing Bilal in for this. Not much would be left of Edward Laurence once his older brother was through with him, if anything at all. No, this he would do himself and he would enjoy every second of seeing that scumbag suffer. And suffer he certainly would.

“He will pay for it all, hayati. For every pain he caused you or anyone in your family.” Nabih embraced her once more, his lips brushing against her unharmed cheek. “We need James on our side. I will talk with him. Do you think he knew about this?” It was going to be his last question about this now. If James knew, he would be as dead as his older brother and the Laurence family would either have to rethink their succession when it came to titles or some uncle would become Duke next. Unexpectedly.

“You need rest now.” It wasn't a question, but his voice was gentle. “Stay with me tonight.” They had never spent the night, and he wasn't going to take advantage of her fragile state right now. But he could not let her go and be alone with her rage and hurt. He'd rather sit next to her all night and watch over her. She'd gotten hurt and he had not been there to prevent it and everything felt wrong about that. “Please.” Nabih placed another small kiss on her, this time her lips, careful not to hurt her.
Even   Hell
  can get  comfy
       once you′ve settled in

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 16:19)
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He wouldn’t ever touch her again. She breathed a soft sigh of relief as Nabih brushed her cheek with his kiss, and she nestled into his shoulder and chest again, her arms wrapping around him, holding him tightly. The only “safe place” Julia had ever truly had was her father, but over time, Nabih was becoming that for her as well. In this moment, he was the only one she wanted. The only one who could comfort her and make her feel protected.

She shook her head slightly. “No, I don’t think James knows anything. He’s not like Edward. He’s smart and calculating, but he’s not a monster.” James had protected her several times over the past few months, whether that was putting himself physically between Edward and his sister, or talking him down from a rage. It made sense that Edward had waited until he knew James would be out of the house. If he had heard the way Julia’s screams echoed through the house, it would have been over before it truly started.

“Send him a message, Nabih. He’ll meet with you, I know he will.” She looked up at him, her tears dried now, but her body still aching horribly. He asked her to stay the night with him, and for a moment she hesitated. It was a sweet, loving gesture, and it warmed her all the way through. But they’d never done this, and she wasn’t sure this night was the best time to start, when she was so broken. His please came softly and she blinked, exhausted, before she nodded. She really didn’t want to be alone tonight, fearful of the nightmares that would follow. His kiss came softly, and she welcomed it, but still winced at the pain.

It was a big step in trust, but she knew Nabih meant well and would watch over her. Of all the ways she had imagined this happening, it certainly hadn’t been prompted by an instance like this. “I’m so tired,” she finally sighed, “can we go now?” She needed to wash her face, and see how bad the bruises on her body were.

She was going to need a strong transfiguration spell to get her through work tomorrow.
let the sky fall
hold your breath and count to ten

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 16:26)
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All men were monsters. That was just a simple fact. Especially in their world. Each and every one of them did things that perhaps they should not do. It was noble of Julia to think of her other brother as someone better. Or maybe it was just easier to lie to herself about it. Nabih knew better though. James was like him. Calculating, smart and ruthless when he needed to be. All good qualities really.

“Will do,” he responded while holding her in his arms. He would, the moment she fell asleep and he'd meet him first thing in the morning. Having a plan did not mean waiting on it. Edward would die. Very soon.

There was hesitation at his request, but thankfully she nodded shortly after. He would not have been able to let her go and it would have been bad for her if she had to deal with yet another man trapping her somewhere. Even if he meant well with it, things would get complicated. Her agreeing made it much less so.

Not letting go of her, he moved them into his bedroom. He'd never had company in here before, but this did not feel as awkward as he had expected it to be. While being in his bedroom was another window into the most private parts of him, that he did not share with anyone, Julia was more than welcome in it. His concern for her was pushing everything else to the background. Nabih released her, retrieved a clean dark blue shirt from his dresser and some jogging pants he never wore in his life. She needed to get out of those clothes.

“You know where the bathroom is. Take them if you want. You should be comfortable.” He offered her his clothes and looked from her to the bathroom door. “Do you need something for the pain?” There were always potions like that in his desk. Nael had needed them more than once last term.

While she disappeared into the bathroom, Nabih cleared away the essays from his bed. The pile that was done landed on one side of his desk, the undone ones on the other. He'd hoped to finish them today, but now they would wait. Probably until dear Edward was six feet under. It took a lot of willpower not to invade her space in the bathroom to see for himself what the bastard had done. A part of him needed to see, wanted to see every bruise so he could make him pay for it 100 times as bad.

He retrieved one of the potion vials out of his desk drawer and put it down on the nightstand. Putting his pillow down for her and pushing back the blanket, he sat down in his bed, his back leaning against the headrest. His eyes swept over his room, and its walls and landing on one of his favorite calligraphic paintings. All of the three paintings in his room were non magical and this one was especially dear to him. While he waited, looking at it helped to relax his thoughts a little. Nabih was sure he would not sleep at all this night, but he would make sure she did.
You put a spell on me
I'm losing my mind

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 16:37)
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Her eyes glanced around his bedroom only briefly, taking in his space. It wasn’t a far cry from her own, as most of the professor quarters were identical in nature and layout. Still, it was a glance into the parts of someone that they normally kept only for themselves or someone they trusted.

It was interesting to see how different people cared for their spaces. Julia’s was a softer palette of creams and muted greens. Elegant but with a touch of whimsy. Nabih’s was darker, but comfortable. Three different paintings lined the wall and books piled high on his nightstand.

She shook her head as he rummaged through his drawer, “No, I’ll be alright.” In truth a pain potion might have been in her best interest, but Julia was stubborn in her resolution to feel every bit of it. Betrayal was an emotion she wholeheartedly believed in embracing, swallowing and allowing to fuel what came next. The pain was just the reminder she needed.

She gave a little smile to herself. She wouldn’t say it out loud, especially at the moment, but she felt a little strange about being allowed in here. Nabih was an incredibly private man, even with her. She realized this was huge for him, even if it was under awful circumstances. He handed her some of his clothes. Without a word she leaned in and kissed his cheek in thanks, and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

She stared at herself for a moment, not recognizing the broken woman staring back at her. Her eyes were lifeless and cold, projecting how she felt inside. Julia took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears from forming again. It was one thing to be hurt by someone. It was an unreal agony to be hurt by someone she trusted and cared for. Pushing the thoughts from her mind as fast as she could, she ran her fingers through her brown hair, taming it as best she could.

Once she was changed into Nabih’s clothes, she folded her own and set them aside so they wouldn’t be in his way in the morning. She opened the door, finding him already sitting in the bed, the other side turned down for her. She slowly climbed in, pulling the blankets over her. They were already warm from him, and she slid over until she was right against him. She nuzzled her head into the crook between his shoulder and chest and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him closer to her. There were no words spoken, but she didn’t need them. His inviting her into his space and doing what he could to comfort her was more than enough.

She laid there quietly for a few moments, listening to his heartbeat, and she let her breathing finally calm to a steady rhythm. She knew what all this meant. She knew that Nabih wasn’t going to let this be the end of it. By coming here, Julia knew exactly what would happen next. Her hand around his waist gently rubbed his side as she finally said, “Be careful, love.”

It was her way of acknowledging it, condoning it, though she doubted Nabih needed it. As the exhaustion continued to wash over her, she felt her eyes growing heavier, and she finally felt herself give in to sleep, to the sound of his breathing and heartbeat.
but daddy i love him
dutiful daughter all my plans were laid, tendrils tucked in a woven braid

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 16:43)
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His focus was drawn back to Julia as she exited the bathroom. The clothes were a bit big on her, naturally, but they would do for tonight. It was strange seeing his shirt on her, if he was honest, but a good kind of strange. He liked it, despite the circumstances.

She climbed in and immediately cuddled up to him. The smell of her hair was in his nose and when her arm wrapped around his waist, he tensed up slightly, but tried to relax again right away. Nabih was prepared for her touch this time and over a shirt it was all fine, but this was still all pretty much foreign to him. The last woman he had really shared a bed with, had been his first wife. And only because that was what had been expected of them. His other encounters with women were usually less cuddly and they rarely involved actual sleep.

His arm gently rested close to her back and he kissed her on her hair. From his position, he could see under the shirt on her back. The light was not ideal, but he made out several bruises running down her frame. Pressing his lips tightly together, he pulled the blanket higher around her back to cover her better, before placing his hand lightly on her shoulder.

Her hand at his waist moved a little and he took in her words without a comment. She knew what he would do. She perhaps did not know what he was really capable of, but she knew he would kill her brother. Brothers, if James did not play along. It was unfortunate that it had come to this, but it was unavoidable now. She could not be there for it, though. James, yes, but Julia needed to be far away from this. He would break her brother in every way he could, and she could not see him doing this and enjoying it. While he usually never enjoyed these kinds of things, he knew deep down that this time he would.

After a while, he could tell from her steady breathing that she had fallen asleep. She'd been stubborn about the potion, but the exhaustion had taken her over. He still left the potion on the nightstand. She might need it in the morning, because her pain would only be worse then.

Nabih remained in bed for quite some time, his eyes closing every once in a while as well. Her cuddled up next to him was warm and soothing, threatening to lull him to sleep as well. The peace he felt was wonderful, despite the murderous thoughts going through his brain.

Finally he carefully peeled her off him. First her arm, heavy on his waist. And second her head that had slid down a little more onto his chest. He scooted out of the bed, as quietly as he could and put her head down on the pillow. She moved a little, but did not wake and he just put the blanket all around her to cuddle with. "You look so beautiful in here, my love" he whispered as he looked down on her sleeping in his bed. If only she knew how much he wanted to see this every night. The thought scared him even.

As he dragged his eyes away from her, he took some parchment from his desk and one of his pens, before going into the sitting room again. He closed the door quietly and then started writing a note for James.

Meet me in the morning at Godric Park in Hogsmeade. It's about Julia. It cannot wait. - N. Al-Azma

He snapped his fingers once, and one of his personal elves appeared a few seconds later. Nabih rarely used owls for his mail and this note needed to reach James, and James only. Elves had a lot more magic tricks at their disposal and they could appear and disappear so fast. They were also incredibly loyal. At least to Nabih. "James Laurence. Laurence Estate. Now." The elf bowed and was gone the next second. Now it would not be nice for James to wake up to an elf staring at him in bed at 3 in the morning. But he would survive it.
Even   Hell
  can get  comfy
       once you′ve settled in

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 17:06)
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The Next Morning

Her mind was a blur of dreams and nightmares throughout the night, sometimes blending into a strange homogenization of visions. The feeling of Nabih, warm and calm next to her in the moments she stirred, reminded her she was safe, drifting her back into painless rest.

When the first rays of morning sun shone through the window, Julia took a moment to adjust, disoriented and forgetting where she was. She remained still for a moment, listening, before his scent still lingering in the blankets finally reached her senses. She rolled over to see he was gone, his side of the bed empty. She ran her hand over her face in a tired daze and immediately flinched at her own touch. She had almost forgotten. On cue, it was as though her body woke up and sent every pain neuron straight to her head.

She grimaced, sitting up slowly, fighting against the aches that seized her. She pulled herself out of the bed, feeling strange but comforted about waking up in Nabih’s room. As she stood, her legs screamed in protest, but she wasn’t going to give in. She went into the sitting room, holding on to the doorframe; it was empty as well. He must have gone out, maybe to clear his head.

She needed to get back to her own room, get washed up and dressed. It was another day, and she had work to do. She wasn’t going to let Edward or his evil actions stop her. She headed back towards the bathroom and shut the door, knowing she had to clean herself up as best she could before attempting to get to her own room unseen.

She gripped the edge of the sink, rage taking over her again. If she had been in her own bathroom, she would have thrown something, screamed, anything to vent the pain and treachery inside of her. Her wand was sitting on top of her clothes, and she grabbed it, waving it over herself. A cool tingling sensation washed over her face, hiding the bruise and cut on her lip from the naked eye. Without seeing the bruises on her body, no one would even know anything had happened.

She couldn’t do anything about her walk, but she would push through that. She flushed water over her face to calm herself down and then used Nabih’s mouthwash to rinse. Her cut stung with the liquid, but she ignored it. Finally, she pulled on her clothes from the night before, running her wand over them once to clean the blood from the collar and sleeve of her shirt, and she opened the door to the bathroom.

He was there, standing near the fireplace. “Hey,” she said quietly, standing in the doorway. “Where did you go?” She masked the flinch she almost gave as she moved closer to him. “I have to get going and ready for the day. Thank you for letting me stay with you.” She took his hand in hers and gave him a small smile. “I’ll clean up in here for you. I know you’ve got papers and stuff to deal with.”
let the sky fall
hold your breath and count to ten

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 17:17)
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Nabih entered his rooms, the cold clinging to him like glue. Winters here were just so cruel. He shrugged off his cloak and hung it by the door before he took a peek into the bedroom. His bed was empty.

For a moment, Nabih thought she had already left, but then he heard the water running in the bathroom. Was she really getting ready to be in the library today? Not if he had anything to say about it, she wasn't. While he waited, Nabih stood in front of his fireplace, his back to the bathroom door, holding his hands close to the fire to make them defrost. Climbing back into bed would also be a good option, but there was too much to do. He could sleep later.

The door opened and then he heard her voice. He turned around to her slowly as she came closer to him. His eyes on her face first. She'd covered it up, but he knew it was there. The cut on the lip was barely visible, but if anyone came close enough to her face, they could spot it. And the way she walked.

She was in pain. So much pain.

Still, she had dressed and was ready to go into her day, shaking his hand on top of it all. As if nothing had happened to her. As if she had not cried out in pain and desperation last night in her sleep. As if she had not cried in his arms last night, betrayed by the people closest to her.

James had said she was tough.

Nabih let go of her hand and instead took a step closer to her, his arms slipping around her. "Don't pretend with me, Julia," he almost growled. His eyes fell on the untouched potion vial on the nightstand. "You don't need to clean up my room. In fact, you should not be going anywhere but back in there," he nodded towards his bed. "Proud can take over the library today. Or Amberghast for all I care."

He would not let her go. Could not let her go.

"Covering them up doesn't fool me. I know about being in pain and this spell does have a horrible afterburn. Stay. Rest. Take the bloody pain potion. And don't freaking shake my hand like we made some stupid business deal." His frustration at her attempt to be tough was evident on his face, and Nabih exhaled and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I met with your brother. James. He's...in. We'll work together and take care of...things." He spoke quietly, his lips still lingering close to her forehead. "I need you to stay here in the castle tonight, hayati. It's important you stay." Nabih would not share more with her for now. At least not willingly. The less she knew, the better.
Won't you come and dance in the dark with me?

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 17:23)
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His arms wrapped around her and her eyes blinked expressionless at him. Her back recoiled at the touch but she didn’t move, letting him hold her. She could see his concern for her all over her face, but she just wanted to go back to normal, back to her room. If she didn’t, she would break down and she didn’t want to know what that looked like. It was better this way, to allow herself to push it all out of her mind.

She shook her head as she looked up at him, and she ran her hand down the side of his face. A small smile crept in at the side of her mouth, “I’m fine. We can’t subject the kids to Proud. Imagine the fires they’ll set to the books.” Jokes, lightheartedness. Julia felt none of it, but she couldn’t let Nabih see her true feelings. If he did, he’d see how dark she could be, how vicious.

How weak and broken she felt.

“I don’t need the pain potion,” she sighed, annoyance now settling in with the soreness she felt throughout. She didn’t acknowledge the spell, its name, or otherwise. She pulled away from him, and turned back to the bed, waving her wand over it. The sheets and blankets straightened themselves neatly, the pillows fluffing themselves before setting upright.

Amusement, genuine amusement crossed her face for a moment. He had thought she was shaking his hand. “I don’t think sleeping in your bed is a business deal,” she said with a smirk over her shoulder, but her features immediately grew dark again at the thought. Edward and his disgusting command rang in her ears, and she took a deep breath, pushing it from her mind again.

She stood still, listening but not looking at Nabih. He had met with James. She wasn’t surprised at how quickly it had happened, but the fact that the two men had seemed to come to an agreement so rapidly did. “So James didn’t know?” she asked, turning back to him and crossing her arms over her chest. It was a relief at least, to know one of her brothers was still someone she could trust. But confusion immediately came over and she stepped towards Nabih again.

“Stay here?” she asked and she shook her head, “No, no you don’t get to decide that. If it’s happening tonight, I’m going.” Her body began to tremble with rage, tears building in her eyes. “He’s my brother. He did it to me.” She could feel the emotions building in a way she wouldn’t be able to hold down much longer.
let the sky fall
hold your breath and count to ten

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 18:51)
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She was not fine. And although he would never say that out loud ever, he did not give a shit if a student decided to set fire to the library today. As long as she wasn't there and had to deal with it, it was going to be fine. Proud could handle it for the day. Julia was just stubborn.

She did need the pain potion. More than one most likely. Even her wand movements were stiff as she went ahead and made his bed despite his words. And even her smirk did nothing to calm him down. Why was she so goddamn stubborn?

The answer was obvious, but Nabih didn't want to hear it, or think about it for that matter. "Stop acting like you're fine. I know you are not. This castle - the library, it will be fine without you today. But you won't be, if you pretend like nothing happened." Perhaps it was his lack of sleep from last night, or his absolutely overwhelming concern for her, that he had no idea how to deal with, that made him say this, but he wished she would just listen and not be stubborn.

He shook his head at her question and went over to his desk to retrieve more parchment. He needed to send messages and then he would have to go to the Ministry to make some visits. It would keep him busy most of the day and he could not worry about her. About a student being sassy with her, or books flying around, or whatever else these students came up with. While he could not force her to stay here in this room, even though he wanted to do exactly that, he hoped she would at least stay in hers. If only to deal with whatever was brewing inside of her.

As he turned back around, parchment in hand, she shook her head at him and the words that came out of her mouth, sparked his annoyance once more and his eyes narrowed at her. "Yes, I do, Julia. I get to decide and I decided you cannot be there. James agreed with me on this. This is not up for discussion!" She would have to deal with that, too, even if she hated him for it. "Besides, there will be an investigation and I need you to be here and, if necessary, confirm that I was here as well. With you." He doubted it would come to that. But it was better to be safe than sorry and perhaps that would make her agree. If she cared about him, that was.
I am the SUN, RAIN, the OCEAN.

I am the FLOOD, FLAMES, the CHOSEN.

* Julia Laurence

    (02/05/2025 at 19:01)
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Julia was cracking. It was all the little sounds around her, the emotional torture of the every day things when inside she was bursting. It was the same feeling as the day she stood in the hospital, hearing her father’s diagnosis. The far away sounds of the students outside, starting their day. The chilled howl of winter. The bells from the tower ringing through the castle.

She was tired of men putting her in her place. Telling her what to do. Forcing their will on her. She wasn’t a child. She was a grown woman and didn’t need protecting.

“Nothing is ever up for discussion,” she said quietly, the tears in her eyes now threatening at the edges of her eyelids. “That’s what you all want isn’t it?” She followed him to his desk, her voice raising. “Stand still, look pretty. Don’t talk back, don’t be mad, smile. Do what you’re told.” Her anger was directed at him in the moment, but it went back years, finally culminating in last night’s violence.

It was how things were always done. The men handled everything and the women sat and waited politely, pretending they knew nothing. This time, Julia couldn’t do it. Her brother had effectively destroyed her, and his demise consumed her. She wanted to make him hurt more than he’d ever hurt anyone else. The tears finally came. “I don’t give a shit what you and James agreed upon. Why don’t you stay here?” She pushed past him and for the door.

“I’ll do it myself.”
thought we built a dynasty
that heaven couldn't shake

* Nabih Al-Azma

    (02/05/2025 at 19:14)
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"This isn't! We can discuss other things." he gave back calmly. One look at her face told him that this didn't do any good though. There were tears in her eyes and so much anger. Anger that was going to unload on him now. Because she was stubborn and didn't want to listen to him. Because she couldn't accept that maybe he did know better in this case.

Her voice rose and her words, words meant to hurt him somehow, landed in his face. His own annoyance already bubbling on the surface did not take them well. It was not his fault she had been raised that way. That she had grown up in a man’s world, without a mother or any sisters to help her come to terms with the meaning of it all. "You talk back plenty. And you're obviously allowed to be mad." His voice was still calm, despite her yelling at him. "It won't change anything about tonight though."

Tears started falling and Nabih wanted nothing more than to hug her. He felt her pain, some of it at least, and he would give a lot to make her feel okay again. To undo what Edward had done to her. She would self-destruct if he didn't stop her now and if she saw what he was going to do to her brother, she would never look at him the same.

The moment she pushed past him, Nabih had made the decision to keep her in here after all. She would hate him, thinking he was just like her brother. But this was to prevent her from getting hurt more. "No, you won't, Julia. I'm sorry." The silent spell hit her, before she even had the chance to react.

He was right there, catching her limp body in his arms. Tears were still on her face and a few still came rolling down from her now closed eyes. Nabih carried her over to his bed and pushed the blanket, which she had so neatly folded, back before lying her down. He saw his shirt sticking out underneath her own and it softened his grim expression slightly. She did like him - so much she wanted to steal his clothes.

Nabih placed the blanket over her legs and half her upper body. Her head rested on the pillow and he gently wiped away her tears. "Forgive me, ya albi. You can continue to yell at me later. I promise." She looked almost peaceful now and she would remain like this for the next 6 hours at least. Before he left later, he would renew the spell. By the time he came back tonight, she would probably be awake again. And furious. But it would be done already. And hopefully he would go back to feeling normal then.
I am the SUN, RAIN, the OCEAN.

I am the FLOOD, FLAMES, the CHOSEN.