Alone

"Have a good night, my love, I'll see you in the morning." Lucius pulled her in for a passionate kiss before leaving for the evening. Cissa knew better than to ask where he was going, or more precisely what he was going to be doing. So long as he was careful and returned home to her, she would save her questions. Lucius had his business to attend to, and Cissa had their son. She would worry in silence as a good wife did, and turned to head back into the nursery to check on little Draco. He was a year now, and his sleeping habits had regressed; she never knew when he would be asleep for any substantial amount of time, but she was always hopeful. “Quiet now, my sweet prince.” Draco was standing in his cot, holding the railing for support as he wailed over his mother’s momentary absence. She stretched out her arms to him as she crossed the large room, whispering soothing words to the babe. Upon reaching him, Narcissa lifted the child out of his crib and held him against her, gently bouncing up and down and shushing him sweetly. Draco settled almost instantly in his mother’s arms. Narcissa kissed his blond head and made her way to the rocking chair which sat near a decorative shelf with Cissa’s favorite children’s books. Her little love would be naturally genius, but it never hurt to give his growing mind a little help with a story or two. “What shall we read tonight, my love?” Her eyes scanned the spins of the thin tales and settled upon the one she somehow always leaned to when Lucius was away working for the Dark Lord. “The Noble Knight,” she said softly, as if agreeing to a suggestion made by Draco who was too busy pawing at the collar of her nightdress and focused more on supper than a silly children’s story about a knight who slayed an evil dragon. Cissa sat there, rocking absentmindedly as she read in a slow, melodic voice as Draco suckled himself back to sleep.

She was in for a quiet evening at home without her husband present, but her mind was full of worry long after she had returned Draco to his cot and gently shut the door as she left him for what she hoped would be the night. Cissa pondered having a glass of wine but instead she turned to her painting, sitting in a room lit to reflect the mid-day sun despite the clouded moon outside the window. She had bemoaned to Lucius once, years ago, that sunlight was the best lighting to work by but too inconsistent for her busy schedule. He found a solution for her with apparent ease, as he did with just about any request she had for him. Narcissa knew how fortunate she was to have such a doting, faithful husband who loved her. It was rare in their world and it made her all the more special, but the dark thoughts came regardless of the truth and putting paint to canvas eased the loneliness just a bit.