x
The soft patting of the pen on the oak desk flunked to divert her thoughts from the words dancing in front of her eyes. Her eyes were strained from scrutinizing the lines on the parchment which proclaimed something she could have never foreseen. The words were inscribed in some of the finest cursive she had ever laid her eyes upon, but the words demanded something from her that she could not comprehend. The smokey smell of the wood-burning in the fireplace tickled her nose but even the ticklish feeling felt petite in front of the overwhelming feeling the letter gave her.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjAjgzpK1r
"What does the letter say dear?" a gentle voice filled her ears as she silently turned to look at the old man sitting next to an old woman. They appeared to be a happily married couple and so were they, looking down at their daughter with concern crammed eyes. A letter that came for their daughter earlier that day and had kept her occupied for the last half an hour and it distressed the Bexleys and to burden their concern further the letter had left their dear Kenny thunderstruck.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsQdSCecYn
It took longer than anticipated for her mind to decide which of the many questions should she ask her parents first. Finally, she managed to whisper which felt heftier than a mountain-
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh0tfgJvxV
"You two belong to royalty?"
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxXwPqbGI5
The concerned look on the face of the old couple transmuted into that of shock. Of all the things they didn't want their Kenny to know, her lineage was the first. The old man marched towards the young woman, anger casting over his wrinkled face as he clutched the letter from his daughter's fingers, skimming the letter himself. A long moment of infallible silence followed before the young woman stood from her chair, frustrated from her question being kept unanswered.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPgZsGkkdp
"What is going on dad, what is this, what is happening, please explain it to me before I pass out!" demanded the younger woman, frustration and resentment reflecting in her harsh words. The old Mr Bexley kept his silence frustrating Kenny further. But his wife decided to answer her questions as she parted her lips to address her only daughter.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq6kDoJh9P
"Clementia, my dear we have kept a little secret from you this whole time." pronounced the lady. "The secret is that your father and I belong to the royalty and by extension, you have royal blood in your veins." she continued, regretting every word she spoke but she knew this couldn't be kept a secret any longer. For a long moment their daughter didn't utter a word, finally suppressed scream escaped her lungs as she tried to process what her mother just said.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wY1sGPC2W
"So, you guys are no ordinary witch and wizard but a royal couple?" questioned Clementia with utter scepticism and a garish tone. Mr Bexley nodded in reply, it was all he could have done. All Eustace wanted was normal life for his family but the royal tantrums never cease to cross his paths.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANeMj6TOiI
"Oh, I get it why you both don't live with them." Clementia broke the silence with her hurried words, inferring the bigger picture. "You guys were banished from the royalty after you two had me, right? A non-magical child. Of course, it would have ruined the reputation of the royal family." she quoted the last part with her fingers.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FBREk7FnX
It was her parents turn to give her the look of scepticism, Clementia took everything in the wrong direction exactly like they had anticipation.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7UIx0Z2yV
"No dear, you weren't even born when we married and gave up our royal rights, they shouldn't even know about you and I still can't get over the fact that they managed to find out about you," explained Mr Bexley.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpS65zKlOK
"So it really doesn't bother you that I am like you guys?" innocently asked Clementia as she glanced at her parents, their wrinkled skin appeared like crushed paper in the fading light of the fire.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGlKrKB9c4
"We never minded you not being like us, it doesn't matter if you can perform magic or not, you will always be my little Kenny." consoled the old man as he took his daughter in his arms, pressing her into a tight embraced. Clementia returned the embrace as she tightly wrapped her arms around her father's torso. Those words always consoled her, after all not being a witch or wizard-like her parents always bothered her as a child but she was taught to embrace it by her royal parents.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIyl7BtxG7
"But why do I have to marry this Prince Lockhart? I don't want to even get married and why should I get married because of some idiot reason," she whimpered against Mr Bexley chest she was leaning on.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxwc2YvtjE
"Well, this was the reason we kept you here in the muggle world, hidden away from them, we didn't want you to get into this mess my ancestors created," he whispered back.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafO2ap7Fyq
Pulling away from the embrace, Clementia faced her parents with a look of confusion that takes precedence over her face.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvw8qxgJH7
"How could this matter be any messier than it already is?" she asked, not willing to believe there is more layer to this than a royal wedding.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu927MPVe1c
"We have to tell her the whole thing honey." declared Mrs Bexley placing a hand in her daughter's shoulder, indicating her to sit. With a heavy sigh, Clementia complied.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zQbiT9g1g
*
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡperIyNhMG8
"What do mean I have to marry that non-Magiques?" the words echoed in the large library. The possessor of the voice banged his fist on the desk placed near the large window.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJMz6jUUpr
"Sorry son, but I have no say in this matter, it's your grandmother's decision to comply to the Centaurs demands." came a calm reply from the older man, eying his son from the shadows of the bookshelf. Another revolt was about to leave the handsome wizard's thin lips but was halted by the stern voice of his father.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UhEqBckyo
"The Centaur's can't be denied for what they are asking is what should have been done long ago but was forgotten. You have to marry Princess Catherine or our worlds would fall apart like tattered papers. She had been sent the invitation letter and the marriage proposal, once she arrives either you learn to love her or don't it's your choice but the marriage isn't." said the old man, passing his son a cold glance before exiting the library. The handsome wizard was left bewildered by the statement but there was nothing that he could have done, everything was decided for him, it felt to him as if he was left with little to no control over his life.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6JmcvTCTQ
_________________
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8APndEJvn
Author's Note:- So, I am aware many people don't like the self-absorbed Gilderoy Lockhart but I don't give a damn about that. I love this guy and thought what don't write a story about him, there are very few fanfictions about him anyway. Secondly, I admire Sir Kenneth Branagh with the depth of my heart, so I guess the existence of this story is self-explanatory from here. I wrote this a long time ago but never posted but now I feel why shouldn't I? Lastly, I hope you enjoy it.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LCTm9PJyX
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFJ9vLARFc
