The Sigurd Estate

Estrella gulped as she rose from her chair- To sit and wait any longer would be infallibly stupid, she knew. If it had been any other than Valcan she might not have been so worried- But the fact was, she had lied to him. She did not feel sorry for why she had lied to him, although she had a feeling that the end result of this situation was not going to be good.

Not able to look up at her grandfather as she strolled through the kitchen, her shoes clicking across the polished linoleum floor, she made her way out of the door and into the scorching sunlight, squinting her eyes, despite the fact that her gaze was cast to the ground. Daisy had been right when she had said heat wave; it was even worse out here than inside the house. She had no idea how one could ever get used to this type of heat.
 
Valcan was near to slamming the door as he stepped outside, shutting it with a strong thrust of his hand. It shuddered a bit where it was; he had shut it hard, and the tracks had suffered a bit of a blow. However, whatever fixable damage had been done to them looked like kittens next to the anger that radiated throughout Valcan's mind.

His face red, he muttered bitterly, "Do tell me, Estrella- Was my eyesight so bad that I read that you were going to be staying at school over break?"

His tone was harsh and laced with poison as he spoke; he hadn't exactly made it to the yelling point yet.
 
Estrella could have rattled off a sarcastic comment right then and there, but for once common sense stalled her and told her that this was definitely not the time. Her grandfather was a man that demanded respect, not just accepted it. After lying and breaking his trust her mouth wasn't really something that was going to help her current situation.

Her expression cool and collected, although inside she felt as if she were going to burst, she replied smoothly, "No, Bestefar, there was nothing wrong with your eyesight at all."
 
"Funny, that," Valcan started in his thick accent, stepping forward so that he loomed over his granddaughter, nearly blocking out the sun, "I could've sworn I've gotten so old that I must be seeing things. Do tell me- if my eyesight was all well- why the words on that letter did not match your actions? Which-" He glared at the comfort she seemed to be in, "Seem to have been precisely planned out?"

His golden eyes appeared as if they were on fire, his nose turned down on her in obvious anger and intense disappointment.
 
Estrella began to swelter a bit in the hot sun, starting to break out in a sweat everywhere possible, it seemed, grimacing in the unbearable heat. She was not going to be suggesting a move into the cooler house anytime soon, however.

"I don't know," she replied coolly, almost whimsically, "I just supposed my plans changed and I never got an owl to you."
 
Valcan's brow furrowed in irritation; his immediate instinct was to strike, which in different circumstances would have happened already. And he did not strike weakly, either. Any of his children could have expressed the fact. For this time, it seemed, he would have to hold back and resort to simply yelling; he knew that he had gained Estrella's trust more than he had Sophia's, but he did not want to utterly decimate his relationship with her either. It was ultimately important that he keep her trust.

His tone becoming louder as he continued to speak, he barked, "What exactly is wrong with this situation, dearest granddaughter? Not only have you succeeded in LYING to me, but you have also conspired with your father. What the HELL is going through that thick head of yours? HAVE I NOT GONE OUT OF THE WAY ENOUGH TO PROTECT YOU?"
 
Estrella blinked back at her grandfather, clutching her fists at her sides. "Protect me? It didn't seem to me like I needed protecting." She shrugged her shoulders, deciding she was going to wing it. "I needed help with something, and this was the way to get it, so I went ahead with it. Even if it meant conspiring with my father." She echoed the last sentence back to him with emphasis, her dark gaze faltering just a bit; her mask of sarcasm was the only thing hiding her uneasiness and even a teensy bit of terror.
 
Valcan had turned to the railing of the patio, gripping it in his anger with his large hands, but when Estrella spoke, he turned back on her, his golden eyes gleaming dangerously, his nostrils flared in immense rage. Never before this generation had children talked to him like this.

Smirking back at her, he replied, "So. You think your dear Father is here to look out for you? Help you along?" He chuckled menacingly, his teeth clenched as he looked back at her smugly. "Sorry to rain on your pathetic little parade, Estrella- But you cannot tell me that he is not using you. He wouldn't do this unless it benefited him."

Knowing that he had placed an irritant under her skin, he shrugged his shoulders, his tone becoming arrogant and malicious. "But, of course, you are entitled to believe what you want- It's your call. I can tell you, the Herrogard has much more to teach you on your ability than he does. He's not exactly dependable."
 
"I don't think that's true," Estrella replied waveringly, the obvious hurt reflecting in her eyes. Her expression betrayed her entire statement- She couldn't deny that what Valcan was saying made total sense. By no means did she want to believe it. Could her father really do that to her? Of course he could. But what purpose would it serve him?

"I can take care of myself," She added adamantly, turning away from Valcan, unsure what she was going to do. She knew that this wasn't exactly a revelation; but she hadn't expected to get it anytime over break. Why did her dad have to drag her along to family functions?

Her eyes brimming with uncertainty and stubborness, she focused on the neighbor's backyard, where a young child was content to play in the sprinkler. However, she had an odd feeling that muggles could not see anything of this house. She and her grandfather seemed utterly invisible to the rest of the world.
 
"If you think for one moment that he is looking out for your interests before his, Estrella, then I have given you more credit for intellect than you deserve." He shook his head in disgust. "If he had intended to be the family man, he never would have picked up and left you with muggles years ago."

He snorted. "If you are so adamant to take care of yourself, then good luck. It appears the measures I have taken for you were not necessary. And you exhibit your readiness through your complete mastery of magic, I suppose."

His voice was laced with a bitter sarcasm, feeling the sweat break upon his brow; he truly hated this heat.
 
Finally having gotten Gilderoy settled into a room upstairs, Daisy headed back down to find her husband. She had not seen him in a few hours and was missing him something fierce. She bounded down the stairs, peeking into the living room and seeing just Brun with the twins. She smiled as her friend and now sister looked a bit out of place with the babies, but knew that she would be okay for a few minutes more. As Daisy wandered down the hall to the kitchen, she could smell the turkey cooking and was getting hungry.

As she rounded the corner into the room, she noticed that a sought after blonde head was poking around in the refridgerator. She loved the sight, but knew what he was up to. That sneak. Leaving his sister alone with the babies so he can sample the food. I'm gonna get him. she thought maliciously. She walked over to her husband where he was bending over and quietly stood behind him. Suddenly, she grabbed his butt, yelling "What are you doing!?" before giggling like a little schoolgirl.
 
Estrella blinked in the sun, although this time it wasn't just to protect her eyes from the astronomical irritant; her grandfather had hit an obvious nerve. "You don't understand! You don't understand me!" she cried back at him quite childishly, turning away and breathing heavily, her face turning red. But she could not shake off what he had said- Nor the huge possibility that his words presented. She was an intricate web of emotions that was impossible to unravel, and the burden became heavier and heavier upon her every day, as if someone was constantly placing rocks in a bundle on her back. Sooner or later, she would topple over.
 
Lief was not expecting the sudden clench around his rear end, and let out a loud yelp. It made him shoot straight up, which ended up in him ultimately smacking his head on the top of the refrigerator, being as tall as he was. That's going to leave a goose egg. Rubbing his head with a groan, he looked back at Daisy mischeviously; he had been caught in the act. Throwing up his hands innocently, he retorted with his thick accent, "Just making sure everything is in order?" He attempted to smile convincingly, knowing that the lie was lost on Daisy. He couldn't help smiling nonetheless.
 
Sarah had cast the protective spells over the room she and Gilderoy were going to share. At least Daisy had finally gotten over putting them in one bed. Those days were long, long over. She headed down the stairs expecting to find her daughter in the living room, but instead noticed it was Lief's sister. She entered anyways, seeing that her grandbabies were playing on the floor. "Hello. I am so sorry about Gilderoy. He is a handful somedays." She sat down on the floor, and Anders quickly climbed up on her lap and began to play with her hair. "It has been a long time since I have seen you Brunhilde. How are you these days?"
 
Valcan could not suppress an amused smirk as he looked down on his granddaughter; was she serious? She was quite the piece of work, although in her situation it was a bit understandable.

"Don't I?" he inquired a bit sarcastically, his expression smug. "I believe I know a bit more than you would give me credit for, Estrella. You're looking past the fact that I do not wish to see you hurt, and frankly, you've tossed yourself from the frying pan right into the flames themselves."
 
Daisy laughed as Lief jumped, then smacked his head. "Serves you right for trying to sneak food already. You are in so much trouble!" she said lightheartedly, while she got one of the twins boo boo packs from the freezer. "Here, let me see that." She tenderly reached up to help her husband put the pack on his head, giving him a long, tender kiss in the process. "Now, does that feel better you little sneak?" She said softly as she pulled back and smiled at him.

Just then, Daisy noticed the massive man outside on the patio. "Is Far here already? Why is he outside in this heat? Merlin's beard he must be sweating."
 
Lief could only give Daisy a weak smile as he rubbed at his head, grimacing. "I am not a sneak," he stated adamantly, "Just taste testing." Smirking as Daisy brought the ice pack to his throbbing forehead, he gave her a swift peck on the cheek, murmuring, "Dinner is rather lovely, dear."

Looking to the patio with uncertainty, he replied, "I don't think Estrella told Far where she really was going to be. He has guardianship now, you know. And when it comes to the fact of Tristan- " He shrugged his shoulders, looking back to the patio. He could hear the two arguing outside.
 
Estrella bit her lip, a single, pearly tear escaping from her right eye, but she brushed it away with her finger before the scorching sun could evaporate it, turning away in shame. She had already been forced to look like an idiot, had already acted like one- She didn't want to seem like she was weak, either. She had come too far for that. At least, crying in front of others was not acceptable by her standards, especially with someone like her grandfather. She knew that he was right, but did not want to admit it.
 
Placing his large hands on her shoulders, Valcan slowly turned the girl around to look at him, his golden gaze boring into hers. The flames that had inhabited his eyes were now replaced with an eerie calmness that he reserved for only the most special of cases.

"I have told you this before, Estrella, and I cannot stress it enough- I do not wish to see you hurt. But-" his tone became more stern, if possible, as he continued to speak, "If you continue to lie to me I cannot promise a helping hand. Nor if the decisions you continue to make are inadequate."

Leaning forward a bit so that he was even more of a block to the sun, he said quietly, "If I cannot have trust in you it will be difficult to give you the aid that you strive for. At least, when it concerns abilities. Believe me, your father may possess what you do, but he cannot aid you to truly master it, no matter what he says to the contrary. People like him-" his gaze darkened a bit, "Can sweeten the real truth with sugar, although ultimately the final product is not so decadent."
 
Tristan had been quite delighted to pick up Erik, who nonetheless was quite happy to see him. He had asked, of course, about his mother, but Tristan had simply had to distract him from the fact. Erik was too young to understand that the two were separated, although he would soon enough.

He invited himself in Lief's home with Erik, figuring that it would be okay and not wanting to stand outside in the terrible heat. He truly hated it; he was used to cold temperatures and he wanted to stay that way.

Holding Erik's bag of things that would be needed over the next two weeks, he set the boy down as he entered the living room, grinning widely at Brunhilde and someone he remembered as Daisy's mother. Sarah, was it?

"Hello," he greeted, "And how are you two on this lovely, unbearably hot afternoon?" It was no secret that the Holidays had elevated his spirits quite a lot; the fact that he had gotten Estrella to come made him even happier.
 
Always the charmer, Erik was quick to grin at the two women in the room, noticing with delight that there were other children for him to play with. He wasn't around other children a lot, so this was a first for him.

"HI!" he said, showing off his many developing teeth and plopping down next to Annette, the difference in size between the two quite amazing; he was growing quite fast. After taking her toy and irritating her, he soon became bored with the chew toy, wanting to move on to bigger and better things, and without another word he bolted into the kitchen, his little legs taking him as fast as he could.
 
Brunhilde smiled at Sarah, having always liked the women, even if her taste in women was quite questionable. "I can imagine he would be a handful. I am quite fine- I've moved out and onto bigger and better things in New Zealand. It's nice to be away from the Herrogard." Her gaze darkened a bit, but then brightened a bit as she looked to the woman, "And yourself, Sarah?"

She smirked as Tristan entered the room; she could already tell that Erik was going to be a handful. Cute, but rowdy.

"Why, hello, Tristan. I was wondering if you ever were going to drop in. Now we just have to wait for Joshua and Sammael, that's if they are coming, of course."
 
Tristan could only nod to Brunhilde, and looking around, he inquired, "Where did Estrella run off to?" He knew that Estrella wanted to talk to him, and he was eager to actually communicate for once if humanly possible. She was possibly the moodiest person he had ever met, all of his past girlfriends and lovers put aside.
 
Brunhilde frowned as she looked to Tristan. "I believe she is with Far out on the patio- He did not seem entirely too pleased when he saw her." Her expression all too knowing, she turned back to Sarah, almost apologetically.
 
"Thanks, Brun," Tristan muttered, his brow furrowing in agitation. Far had gotten to her before he could- That was bound to not be good.

He moved into the kitchen, where Erik was no where to be seen, but Lief and Daisy seemed to be having a moment. Waving to the both of them, preoccupied with the situation outside, he paused before the sliding door, at first unsure what to do. In any case, it had simmered down, and he could not hear what the two were saying.

With a sigh, he opened it, stepping out onto the deck, squinting his eyes in the bright sunlight as he looked to the both of them.
 
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