Out of the Fire (Artemisios/Adara)

[Artemisios Snow]

"Where is he?" Artemisios demanded, his voice low now, but just as dangerous and infinitely colder. "Where is the boy?" How had he survived? Someone must have found him, someone must have stumbled upon him before he died. Someone had interfered, and for that, his daughter's future was out of his control. But what could he do? His mind turned over the words of the vow, but they were so simple, so straightforward and concise that he could find no loophole, no way that he might keep his plans intact. He needed to find Sota, needed to confront the boy and see what he might do to salvage this tragedy.

[Adara Snow]

"He is where he is safe," Adara said, stubbornly refusing to give him any more ammunition. She had told him what he wished to know, she had told him what she had come to say. She could not marry anyone but Emilian, and he could not seek Emilian's death again. She was glad then that she had held back those two clauses, that, to all appearances, there was no taking back any of it, even if Emilian had made certain that the vow could be erased.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios caught Adara's chin again, forcing her gaze to meet his. His dark eyes seethed, and his fingers tightened, pressing into her delicate jaw. "Insolent child! You will tell me where he is, or you will pay for your disrespect!" He did not want to do this, had not done it in years, but Adara had never been so willful. Her mistakes had been accidental, and she had always sought to correct them rather than face his disapproval. But now, with anger burning in his eyes, she dared to refuse him. His free hand slipped into the folds of his robe, drawing out his wand. She would see the motion, but would she recall? Would any part of her remember?

[Adara Snow]

Adara did not remember, though her blood felt chilled with foreboding. Still, she could not tell him, could not risk his finding out where Emilian was and hurting him again. Her lips pressed tightly against one another, and though fear shone in her eyes, they did not leave her father's, did not lower as she knew they were supposed to. She did not tell him, did not say a word, but waited silently, declaring through no declaration at all that she would accept his punishment rather than risk his finding Emilian.

[Artemisios Snow]

"So, it will be like this," Artemisios said. His hand turned her face away from his sharply, then dropped. He did not wish to see the stubbornness in her eyes. His wand rose, and his jaw tightened so that his teeth ached. It was a harsh punishment, he knew, but she had forgotten everything, and so there was nothing else to do, nothing else that would imprint on her so thoroughly the error of her behavior. "Crucio," he uttered, then, "Tell me where he is, prinzessin, and I will make it stop."

[Adara Snow]

Pain tore through Adara's body, blinding her, and she fell to her knees, a scream tearing from her throat that no one would answer. She heard her father's words, but from far away, and then farther as the room faded around her. She felt the pain from far away too, from a safe distance as she found herself in her tower room. Sunlight streamed through the window, warming her skin as she leaned forward against the windowsill, looking out over the rolling fields. She could breathe here, could think without the distraction of emotion.

She considered her father's words idly, the sounds of her own screams so distant that she paid no attention to them. He wished to know where Emilian was. Why? He could not kill Emilian, that much she knew. And what would be the use of hurting him? He had already accomplished that much, had he not? Besides, Emilian was safe in his flat above the shop, that had been proven. She had been too blinded by her own stubbornness to see these things before. "He is in his shop, protected by the Headmistress's spells," she said, her voice, in her mind, calm and rational now that things had been decided.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios lowered his wand at Adara's words, strangely rational in the midst of the Cruciatus. He had seen the light leave her eyes almost immediately, knew that she had retreated inside herself, but the knowledge had not disturbed him. It was the way of things, as was her inevitable assent to his wishes. He silently cursed the Headmistress for meddling, and for whatever part she had played in the destruction of his daughter's behavior. He tucked his wand away, then stooped, gathering up his daughter. The office door remained closed, undisturbed as he had disciplined his daughter. His associate was well trained.

"Thank you, prinzessin, for telling me," Artemisios said, his fury having faded for now, drained into the spell. He went on then, while his daughter was still faded and biddable. "Send Emilian to me. Do not tell him what has happened here today. Do not make me hurt him again with your stubbornness."

[Adara Snow]

Adara nodded absently. "Yes, Father," she murmured. She was only just returning from her tower, still caught in limbo where there was no thought, no argument. She blinked, throwing it off, and looked up at her father as though nothing had happened, her eyes still cleared of emotion. "May I see Emilian, then?" she asked. She knew that she would, knew that her intentions had not changed, but she also knew the wisdom in allowing her father to feel that control.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios looked at his daughter, the horrible clothes she wore at odds with the return of his Adara. Yes, Father. It was good to hear those words again. He did not regret his punishment. He gave her request some thought. It seemed that forbidding her to see the boy had done no good, and so that option he was forced to reject. However, he could not continue to allow the boy access to his daughter without making good on his promises.

Artemisios released his daughter only to capture her left hand and raise it just into her view. "You may see Emilian," he said, "if he is brave enough to put a ring on your finger." Artemisios brought Adara's hand to his lips, lightly, then lowered it again. "I am a generous man," he told Adara. "If he does this, then I will allow him that one chance." Artemisios was unsure whether the boy would go so far, and so he made no plans as to what he might do if his daughter did indeed return to him with that ring. If it happened, then he would decide how to proceed.

[Adara Snow]

Adara's chest constricted at her father's words. She did not want to give Emilian such an ultimatum, did not want to force his hand in such a way. She lowered her gaze, her lashes shielding her eyes, and her thoughts. She did not want to send Emilian to him. "It is as you wish, Father," Adara said, whether she intended to do as he said or not. She was exhausted, and aching, and she wanted nothing more than to return to Emilian's side, to show him that she had kept her promise.

[Artemisios Snow]

Artemisios watched his daughter for some moments, the demure cast of her lashes, the tiredness she looked near to succumbing to. She had, if not given him what he wanted, accepted her punishment and repented. There was nothing else to be done with her for now. "You may go, prinzessin," he said, pressing another soft kiss to the back of her hand. "Remember my words, and be good." He opened the door then, and guided Adara back into the shop.

[Adara Snow]

Adara went without a word, numb to emotion. She gestured no polite goodbye to the man behind the counter, but let the shop. She stepped onto the street, then paused as though lost before turning and walking away. She was going back to Emilian without question, but she had much to think about on the way. She could not tell him what had happened here today. She could not allow him to be hurt again with her stubbornness.

[Artemisios Snow]

When she had left, Artemisios turned to his associate. "See that the Jewellery Shop in Hogsmeade is watched again," he said. "And find what you can on Mr. Sota's family and worth. The boy is resilient as a cockroach, it seems." His associate nodded in understanding, and Artemisios turned away, shutting himself back in his office. He located the file of information that had been gathered in regards to Sota and sat at his desk, opening it. This would require much more thorough knowledge on his part, if he wished to salvage anything.