But Everybody's Changing and I Don't Feel Right (Marilyn & Louis)

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The world and everything in it was changing, at least, that was what Louis had figured as his parents found the suitor that they liked best. They'd asked him time and time again for input, but Louis had simply told them that they could find the one who benefitted them the most, because whomever the woman they chose it would not be a woman he could love. His mother had scoffed at the notion of needing love, but Louis had ignored her, a woman as cold as her could never understand what she'd done to him.

Suitors were flocking at the door, despite being almost forty, Louis was a powerful man. He didn't doubt for a moment that the right suitor for his parents would come along, and indeed it hadn't. After the six month mourning period, the engagement had been announced between the Clement family and Évreux family. The wedding had come only a month later.

Louis did not dislike his wife, she was beautiful, she was engaging, young, but she wasn't the woman he'd fallen in love with. However, the notion of eve going back, now, was impossible, so Louis had done the one thing he'd said he'd never do the day he'd said the vows Adelisa, Louis had thrown away all ties to Vanessa, and promised himself to a woman he didn't know.

Traditions held, too, so when the two of them had been pushed up to the married quarters of the Clement Manor, Louis had stood before the witch like a nervous child. How could he be expected to lie with a woman he didn't know? Louis hadn't known what to do, but thankfully the woman he was now married to had somehow understood, she'd helped him in to bed, and climbed in the other side, not moving for anything. "Don't worry, Louis, it'll all come with time." She'd told him so very softly in a rather melodic voice, reaching up and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "If not tonight, perhaps tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, when you are ready." She'd told him, as if she'd known he wasn't ready for any of this.

The Frenchman had simply nodded in reply, looking back in to the green eyes of the woman before him. With such a beautiful woman, such things should have been easy, but Louis Clement was a gentleman, and he knew nothing more than the witch's name. "Forgive me, I am not accustomed to such... situations." He explained, in nothing more than a whisper.

"Go to sleep, husband. We can talk in the morning." She'd replied, turning over in bed and turning the lights out with a soft flick of her wand. Louis had been more than willing to as he rolled over and closed his eyes. The ring on his left hand weighed heavily, almost like it was burning, but Louis knew that this was for the best. For the betterment of his family.

To create an heir.

***

Two weeks had passed since the marriage, and Louis had not furthered the situation. After the first night, he'd spoken to Adelisa and they'd agreed that for the time being they would sleep apart. Louis was much too old fashioned and couldn't bring himself to begin the process of children until he knew his wife. A term that was becoming easier, but still he forgot at times. And they did try, dining together and spending time together when Louis wasn't working, but there was still a very long way to go.

The announcement of his promotion had come soon after too, and Louis had been submerged in to more work. A mountain of work, but he embraced it. A distraction was always welcome in his eyes, even if it wasn't the healthiest of means to get through the day. Today had been different though, because the moment he'd stepped through the door, he'd passed a note to his secretary asking her to find and invite Marilyn Caldwell to his office. Why? Louis wasn't overly sure on everything he was doing these days, but the witch was someone he felt... relaxed with. It couldn't hurt to call her for a chat, could it? And besides, there was the small matter of her boyfriend's visa that he wished to discuss too.

Louis was bent over his paperwork, writing quickly and not looking up for a moment. He was concentrated. His door was open, so there was the background noise of the office flowing in. Approachable, Louis wanted to be approachable, but whether that would work, he wasn't sure. Time was of little importance to him, either, so Louis didn't know what time it was in the day. It was the best way to get through the day, in his opinion too.

Marilyn's heels clicked swiftly through the halls of the Ministry. Though she was still in-Training people moved out of her way, parting like the red sea. Partially because her reputation preceded her and partially because there was something about her, her grisly demeanor and scarred, but pretty features pulled all eyes when she walked past, but no eyes ever dared meet hers. And if her name and resumé were not terrifying enough, everyone could tell that she and Louis Clement were close. And nobody wanted in on his bad side.

And he was actually the reason she was on the move. The woman had been scowling Ministry Official Browning into submission after he'd made a, to him, quiet comment about her being Louis' ...Well. With his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth he wouldn't be making remarks any time soon, and just then she'd recieved word she was wanted in Louis' office and she set off, her hand subconsciously touching the now cooling metal on her arm.

"Monsieur?" She inquired, entering when the secretary held the door open for her, "How may I be of assistence, Sir?" Marilyn waited for him to tell her to relax, then she'd give him a smile.

(Mari)

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The soft sound of the clicking of heels was growing, and it didn't take Louis long to work out who was coming. There was only one person in this department who could pull off eccentric heels and still be, to be blunt, kickass. Marilyn Caldwell. A smile touched Louis' lips the moment his secretary saw her in, gently closing the door behind the witch he'd called to the office.

"How may I be of assistance, Sir?"

"S'asseoir se il vous plait." Louis motioned to the chair before him, before realising he'd slipped back in to French. "Sit, please." He corrected himself, being home in France had made him forget at times he was in England, and whether that was a nice thing, or in fact quite daunting, Louis hadn't quite yet decided. Waiting for her to get comfortable, Louis put his quill down beside the ink pot, wiping the point carefully with a cloth and then tidying his paperwork.

"There isn't really anything in which I require your help." He told her softly, not because he didn't need Marilyn, this was just... more social, perhaps. "I know it has been a short while since our last class, but I just wished to check up on you, mon ami. How... have you been?" He asked carefully, genuinely nervous about the situation. Had it been too much? Was she coping? He wasn't sure, but he wanted to make sure that if she wasn't okay that he could help to make her okay.

"S'asseoir se il vous plait."

"Oui, monsieur." Mari smiled as she took a seat, crossing her ankles because she was a lady, despite what others may call her or think of her.

"There isn't really anything in which I require your help."

"Oh?" She asked curiously, soft smile still curving her lips, eyes alive and friendly. All that changed a a nano-second later. Though comforted by him calling her his friend most of the life left her still crinkled eyes and her smile froze on her delicate features. But in the blink of an eye it was covered as she averted her eyes to her lap and her hands clasped together gently, thoughtfully, fingers intertwining.

How had she been coping? Well the nightmares had resurfaced fora few nights after, but had subsided after a week, Jake helping her fall back asleep after Jagger helped wake her up. And as unpleasant a topic it was, she was slightly surprised to find that she was actually coping.

"I'm...actually okay, inthat respect. My service dog wakes up if flashbacks come, Jake- Jake helps me work through them. If anything the thing that could be worrisome is how little trouble I'd have had killing all those ministry officials. And by little I mean none. I- I wanted to." The woman admitted evenly.

"Not surprising really, my family is known for bloodlust, I just never anticipated it to become so...strong. I can usually get it out of my system, but-" Marilyn paused and her eyes flicked from him to the closed door and with a flick of her wrist she cast a silencing charm on the door, just for extra safety.

"But I have been informed that my presence is not wanted at Caldwell Place. And there is nobody else I can train with safely. If I trained with any average, or even moderately gifted wizard or witch...I c- would kill them."

Guest

Louis listened as Marilyn said she was doing alright, she was lying though, her demeanour changed considerably and he knew that she was not okay. Though, he reminded himself, no one went through such things and came out okay. But the mention of her... boyfriend helping, Louis nodded. Despite himself, he found he could rely on the Newbury boy enough with Marilyn's safety, of that much he was quite sure from the things he both knew and had seen.

But he wasn't going to admit that.

The information that followed, however, had Louis sit back, stretching out straight to relieve the muscles in his back as he watched the witch before him explain, only pausing to make sure they were not overheard. Never a problem, really, Louis had already taken measures so that when his door was closed no one could hear him, but he admired her thoughtfulness.

Louis' eyes turned dark at the notion of her being kicked out the Caldwell residence. Whilst she may not live there - a fact he knew from her file, just as he knew everyone of his Aurors inside out - there was no excuse for family turning their backs on their children, or grandchildren in this case. After she had finished the whole explanation without interruption, Louis allowed a moment to pass before he replied.

"I'm glad that things have settled." Louis told her carefully in relation to her dog and Mr Newbury. "However, the rest is... somewhat worrying, Marilyn." He continued, ready to hold his hand up if she thought of interrupting him in that moment, he didn't want her to speak just yet, and he hoped she understood that. "I mean to say, bloodlust is never... a welcoming trait. I'm not saying it isn't useful in our field, but we need it in moderation. A stable head. How long have you been feeling that way?" Louis asked, never raising his voice, or suggesting she may be in trouble for feeling that way, but he had to make sure that this wasn't going to affect her work, put others in danger.

"As to your grandparents and your training, I can help with both, or neither, dependant on what you would like. Your grandparents I can speak to, if you think it would help, though you will have to impart the information as to what it is about, though I have my suspicions." Louis continued, his eyes remaining on the witch before him. "As to training, you could always come to me." He concluded, he didn't need to say that he would be more than enough of a challenge for her, in fact beating him would likely be difficult, but Louis simply waited to see what she had to say.

"I mean to say, bloodlust is never... a welcoming trait. I'm not saying it isn't useful in our field, but we need it in moderation. A stable head. How long have you been feeling that way?"

Mari didn't once move to interrupt him, the impulse would never occur to her, so she listened to his calm tone, but she wasn't stupid. She knew if she didn't get it under control she'd be suspended. Or worse. Fired. That simply could not happen, but she couldn't and wouldn't lie to Louis.

"I usually train every week privately, but after my- my party I was more or less banned and after two weeks I started getting restless. I didn'treally realise until the simulation, when I-" Mari almost said when she could feel the blood and fear in the officials after seeing her in action, but decided to be more direct, "When I was in the middle of the simulation that I started to want them to provoke me, so I could take them down. When he p-pulled the- the" She shook her head, a cross lookdirected at herself flittled over her features for a second.

"Then I was barely able to keep from killing him. I already stabbed him. If I'd pulled out the blade and made him fall on his front he would have been much harder to help..."

She ran her perfectly manicured fingers through her shoulder-length waves and sighed.

"It's a little complicated. It doesn't say so in my file, but I was adopted, parents unknown. My grandfather did a blood ritual when I was a baby so I'd be an eligable heirress. My grandmother when I was sixteen. That's when the bloodlust started, of course," She took a deep breath, knowing he knew what her grandmother was and thus what Mari could do.

"My grandfather isn't mad because it's Jake. He's mad because- because I love him. And he's made it clear that he wants me to marry some stranger I won't love. I'm not sure why he has a problem with it, but I'm not sure talking would be a good idea either."

But the other offer...

"Training, however, with you...I think that would help. I won't be able to accidentally tear you apart. Or purposefully. But that would only account for my magical training wouldn't it?"

If so she might have an idea how to deal with the residual bloodlust, though telling Jake would be hard, to put it lightly.

Guest

Louis listened as the witch said she'd almost killed the imbecile who'd pulled the knife. Louis had been very close to the same outcome, of teaching the prat a very slow lesson in how to wield an army knife and the damage one could do without even contemplating magic. But the other side of Louis had carefully reminded him that it didn't matter what he did to the man, it wouldn't take back what he'd done to Marilyn. That wasn't to say that the man hadn't been promptly thrown from Louis' forces the moment he'd been promoted. Without a reference, without warning.

He'd be damned if that man was going to get anything.

"I fully understand why you wanted to kill him, and rest assured that you were not alone in those feelings. But I'm proud of you, for not acting on that feeling, if that helps at all." Louis told the witch, and he meant it. There was a lot to be said for someone who could kill without a second though, but there was more to be said about someone who had that quality, but could see the right thing to do instead. Marilyn Caldwell would be great, so long as he could keep her on the right path in this career.

"You will have to learn to control the urges though, as I'm sure you're aware. This job isn't about killing recklessly, it's only in the most essential of times that you should even contemplate it. A last resort, so to speak. We bring people to justice, and give them to Dementors, but I don't need to tell you this, you know this." Louis told her, pausing to think for a moment. "We simply need to get this under control." He added, very softly almost to himself.

As the topic of her grandfather's distaste to Jake, Louis listened. Love was a dangerous game, and he knew precisely why Evan Caldwell would not want his granddaughter to play a part in it. But on this, Louis could impart knowledge, even if it was too late for him, Marilyn could do the one thing Louis couldn't. "Marilyn, there is very little people know about me, less than that even. But I would like you to know one thing. In the Pureblood world, love is not something that we choose, love is... forced. You marry someone for their money, power, status, not for love. If you happen to fall in love with that person... you are lucky. I fell in love with a woman at a very young age, we grew up together, we were intended, we were lucky." Louis told her softly, almost feeling the inanimate ring on his finger burning, but it wasn't, only his mind playing games. "But my family decided that she had betrayed our family, and thus they put up a divide. Insisted I could not marry the woman I loved because she wasn't good enough for them. I relented, a Clement always puts their family first and I am not a man to break tradition so readily. But, I know I made a mistake, Marilyn. Family means a lot to most people, the Caldwells mean a lot to you, I have seen it with my own eyes. Even those who mean the world to us can be wrong though, Marilyn. Follow your heart, not your grandfather's ideas. And through that... you'll find happiness in yourself, and he will find happiness in your happiness."

Louis' right hand moved to his left, moving the ring there and rubbing his finger. It was annoying, a constant reminder of his mistake, but he knew Marilyn wouldn't make the same mistake. "Just know I'll be on your side, whatever you may choose to do." Louis concluded.

"Training, however, with you...I think that would help. I won't be able to accidentally tear you apart. Or purposefully. But that would only account for my magical training wouldn't it?"

"I can train you in whatever field you need, either myself, or with other means. There is no such thing as impossible." He told her, a small smile touching his features. Contacts he had plenty, capability of making things happen was a certainty, he simply needed to know what she wanted, and he would make it happen.

"I fully understand why you wanted to kill him, and rest assured that you were not alone in those feelings. But I'm proud of you, for not acting on that feeling, if that helps at all."

"It does. Thank you." She replied genuinly, comforted by his confidence in her. Of the truly few people Marilyn allowed in her life, Louis certainly played a very important role. He was her boss, yess, but more. He was her mentor and friend. They understood each other perfectly, without explenation. The two simply connected and given the age they fell into a very fatherly-daughterly role towards each other.

Because of this Marilyn didn't show any shock or surprise when he told her his story. She didn't feel anything but being so very touched that he trusted her that way. And supported her. And sadness, because of what he'd lost. Mari had noticed the sudden addition to his hand but from his not particularily cheery demeanor she deduced it better not to comment on. Also she knew if it'd been a happy occasion, he would have told heer himself.

"Just know I'll be on your side, whatever you may choose to do."

"I love Jake, he's- he's my person, you know? My best friend. There is nothing I wouldn't do for him." Her choice was clear, dangerous as it was, "Thank you, Louis." The witch said seriously.

"I can train you in whatever field you need, either myself, or with other means. There is no such thing as impossible."

Letting out a soft breath of relief Mari ran her fingers through her hair again, "That would be perfect. I do precision training with various weaponry; crossbow, stake, gun, wand. Hand-to-hand combat. Knife practice. In Caldwell Place we use a simulator for different missions." She supplied, trying to mentally regroup her training.

Guest

"I love Jake, he's- he's my person, you know? My best friend. There is nothing I wouldn't do for him."

"I understand. Just be aware of what you have, and what you may lose if you choose. It's never a black and white decision, and only you will know what is right." Louis told her, it was very easy for many to forget the grey area between the shades, but Louis knew it all too well.

At the list of what she usually did, Louis simply nodded, all of that was possible, though not here. "Consider it done, I'll send you a note of where to come and I'll have the facilities provided for you. Just... don't tell anyone, yes?" He told her, a small knowing smile on his lips. Whilst he didn't mind helping Marilyn, he didn't much wish for the whole office to believe she was getting special treatment, or to start coming to him with demands. He could only spend so much time on other people, after all, and if he was going to spend time on others, he was going to spend it with people he trusted, and proved worthy of his time.

There was a pause, as Louis leant to the side of his desk to pull out the form he'd originally called her here for. Well, part of the reason he called her here, anyway. "I have just one more thing that is a necessity to discuss, Marilyn." Louis told her, lying the form before him. It was clearly headed with her boyfriend's name, and Louis didn't make an effort to conceal it. Strictly speaking this wasn't a conversation they should be having, but Louis had always been above the law in his own right.

"Strictly speaking, I haven't asked you this question, and I am quite sure I already know the answer, but I am going to ask you to be sure. Are you certain that this choice is right for you?" He asked, tapping the form with his finger. She would know what he meant, so he didn't explain further, simply waited for her answer to come.

"Consider it done, I'll send you a note of where to come and I'll have the facilities provided for you. Just... don't tell anyone, yes?"

Marilyn nodded and gave him a small smile, "Thank you, so much, for helping me get it under control, I don't want Jake to know, yet and I certainly don't want to lose control in front of him. Discretion is in our both best interests."

But it seemed Louis had one more item on the agenda to discuss and Mari leaned closer upon seeing Jake's name on the papers and looked back at Louis, expression confused for a moment until he asked her if she was sure. Then it fully hit her that if they moved in together she'd officially be choosing Jake as opposed to what her grandfather wanted. Moving her gaze from the papers to her friends eyes she nodded.

"Yes, he is. This is." Her words were serious, but soft and full of affection.

Guest

"Nobody needs to know, but make sure you tell him at some point. Honesty is the best route forward in any and every relationship." Louis told the witch before him. It seemed to be getting his marriage in the right direction, or so he hoped, so he was quite sure it could be applied here too. Control in front of those you loved, however, was something that Louis knew too well, but he pressed such thoughts away, moping would get him no where.

"Yes, he is. This is."

With a small nod, Louis reached for his quill, dipping it lightly in the black ink and bringing it to the form. Carefully, the Frenchman's signature formed on to the page, authorising the visa for Jake Newbury in an instant. "The papers will be in the post this evening, Mr Newbury will be granted citizenship in to the country and will be able to move in, officially, once the papers have gotten to him. Until such point, you are not aware of any of this." Louis explained to her, giving her the good news, though he was sure they would probably have believed it there anyway.

"Unless you have anything else you wish to discuss, I believe we both have work to do, don't you agree, Caldwell?" Louis asked, smiling warmly at the witch as he settled back in to formality. It wasn't necessary, nobody could hear, but he wanted her to fall back in to the role of Auror before she left the room.

"The papers will be in the post this evening, Mr Newbury will be granted citizenship in to the country and will be able to move in, officially, once the papers have gotten to him. Until such point, you are not aware of any of this."

A sigh of relief left the witch with a smile and she nodded at the information, already beginning to pat her hair back into smooth waves and look utterly unruffled for when she stood after his parting words.

"I believe that was all, Sir. Thank you." She gave him one last real smile before it turned to her professional expression that was a clear warning sign to all who crossed her path that if they got in her way she'd crush with under her nine inch heels.

"Oh and Sir?" she turned in the doorway, "I maintain that Browning glued his own tongue to his mouth's roof." With that she nodded and left on her way to continue working, not once letting anything on.

Guest

The smile on the witch's lips would be enough to last him a life time, genuine happiness in it's most raw expression. Louis smiled back at the witch, nodding as she thanked him. He hadn't had any intention on saying no, he'd just wanted her to think about it, if only for a second to make sure it was what she wanted. He'd gotten what he needed and he wouldn't deny anyone the happiness they deserved.

"Oh and Sir?"

"Yes, Caldwell?"

"I maintain that Browning glued his own tongue to his mouth's roof."

A smirk touched Louis' features, knowing he'd have more paperwork to deal with now. "I'm sure he did, Caldwell." Louis called after her, settling down to finish off his work. He wouldn't reprimand her, because he was quite certain whatever the reason for Browning having his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth was for something that warranted the repercussion. For that, he simply couldn't be angry.

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» Another kind of fear (Jake/Marilyn)
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» Nightmares (Marilyn & Victoria)
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