Chapter 80

                                    

                                          
Throughout the next few days, Alexandra barely ate, hardly ever slept, and usually stayed up all night in her old bed, crying. She wouldn't even dare to look down at her forearm, where the Dark Mark was now inked into her skin for the rest of her life. 
                          
      Edna felt guilty, thinking that this was her fault. But Alexandra kept telling her otherwise, saying that this was the fate that awaited her ever since her parents had died. It was the choice between dying and becoming a Death Eater. 
                          
     Even though it was summer, it felt cold and lonely to Alexandra that day as she laid in her bed, sleeping on her side and facing the wall. She felt too depressed to even open up a book to read.
                          
     Although her attention was caught when she heard a knock at her bedroom's door. So without turning, she called out, "Come in." 
                          
     Alexandra heard the door open and then heard Edna's voice, saying, "Miss Starling... someone's here to see you." 
                          
      But before Alexandra could get out of bed or even turn to face Edna, she heard a familiar voice saying behind her, "Hey, Alex."
                          
      Her stomach lurching, Alexandra quickly turned around and sat up, her eyes widening when she saw Regulus standing at the doorway. 
                          
     "Reggie..." she breathed out in disbelief, biting her lower lip as he walked in with a sad smile across his face. 
                          
      "I — er — came to drop in your trunk," he said, now grinning lightly. "You had to see my mother's face when she saw me bringing in a spare trunk with women's clothings in it." 
                          
     Alexandra giggled, feeling the happiness return to her heart after days of longing. And then, before she knew what she was doing, she jumped off the bed and moved forward, springing her arms around Regulus's neck and bringing him down into a kiss. 
                          
      "I — um — I'll just leave you two alone, then," Edna said awkwardly, clearing her throat and closing the door behind them. 
                          
     Regulus had taken aback at first, but he finally melted into it as he wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her body closer to his, deepening the kiss. 
                          
      When they finally pulled away to catch their breath, Regulus leaned his forehead against hers, both of them closing their eyes and losing themselves in the moment.
                          
      "Alex, I'm so sorry that I couldn't do anything about it," Regulus whispered, slightly pulling away to look back at her. 
                          
      "It's — it's fine," said Alexandra with obvious effort. "What's done is done." 
                          
      "And have they — you know — asked you to do anything for them yet?" Regulus asked worriedly, but Alexandra shook her head.
                          
     "No, not yet," she muttered, throwing her gaze down.
                          
     "Only those in his inner circle are sent on frequent missions, because he trusts them more," he explained. 
                          
      "Then what would he even want from us?" she questioned, sitting back down on her bed, yet she was afraid to hear the answer. 
                          
       "I don't know... I've never been summoned by him directly," said Regulus, going to sit down beside her on the bed. 
                          
      Alexandra sighed under her breath, laying back down on the bed as she stared up at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. 
                          
      "Is this how life's gonna be?" Alexandra mused, frowning. "To wait to be summoned by the Dark Lord, and to do his bidding?" 
                          
       "Well, no... there can be more to life," said Regulus with a little smile, shrugging.
                          
      "Like what?" she asked, turning her head to look up at him as she had her head laid on the pillow. 
                          
      "Like this..." Regulus whispered, and then he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers as he hoisted himself up on the bed on one elbow.
                          
      Alexandra smiled into the kiss, raising her hand to softly place it upon his cheek. But when he broke the kiss and pulled away, she felt an emptiness in her heart. 
                          
     "Stay with me?" she said, looking up at him pleadingly. 
                          
     Regulus smiled down at her. "Of course, you weirdo."
                          
      Alexandra giggled at that as Regulus laid down on the bed beside her, bringing her into his arms. And so she buried her face into his chest and closed her eyes, finally falling into a deep and peaceful sleep after days. 
                          
***
                          
After long hours of sleeping peacefully in each other's arms, Regulus abruptly shot awake when he felt a sudden burning down his forearm. 
                          
     "Ugh..." Regulus winced from the pain, sitting up straight on the bed as he clutched his arm. 
                          
     "Reggie?" Alexandra called out sleepily, opening her eyes at the sounds of movement and blinking a few times. "Everything okay?" 
                          
     But Regulus didn't answer her at first, and instead he rolled up his sleeves, his eyes widening when he saw the Dark Mark bolder than ever on his forearm, burning.
                          
     "Can you — can you feel the same?" he asked her with a frown. 
                          
      Alexandra shook her head, because she wasn't feeling any sort of burning at all, and even when she rolled up her sleeve they saw that her mark was still and motionless on her skin.
                          
     Regulus gulped, the realization hitting him. "The Dark Lord has summoned me... I — I should go..."
                          
      He seemed rather dazed as he got up from the bed. From the bedroom's window, they could see that it was already dark outside. They had slept in all through afternoon.
                          
     Alexandra quickly got to her feet anxiously, following him out of the room and downstairs. 
                          
      "What do you think he wants?" she said in a hollow voice, her lips slightly trembling. 
                          
      "I have no idea..." Regulus muttered distantly, walking out of the mansion and going under the night sky. 
                          
     "Will you be all right?" Alexandra asked in concern, her heart racing. 
                          
      With effort, Regulus gave her a smile and nodded, pecking her on the lips one last time. And so, before Disapparating away, he whispered, "I love you."