Invisible String - A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter XVI

Sebastian stumbled back into the family home in time to see Ominis attempting to lift his love, who appeared all but sober, off the sofa so they all could retire for the night. Tucking the note back into his coat pocket he nodded to his uncle before crossing the threshold to help Ominis collect her.

"I'll take it from here Ominis."

"Sebastian, once you return the lass to the comfort of her bed please return to help finish cleaning up." Solomon spoke and Sebastian nodded, knowing his uncle's ulterior motives of wanting to know what her father had said without everyone else listening.

Carefully sliding an arm under her bent knees, the other coming to rest along her backside, he lift her from the spot she was asleep on the lounge. As he did so she shifted enough to wake from her light slumber. At the realization of her drunken form not only in his arms but also in the air she squealed, a fit of giggles filling the quiet house as she kicked her feet.

Everyone's head swiveled around in time to see her arms gripping along his shoulders for support as she nuzzled the side of his face with her nose. "My Sebs!" she said through the cheerful laughter before laying a loud smack of a kiss upon the cheek closest to her.

Sebastian's face flamed at the attention she was providing him while they had an audience, but he realized most of it was a result of her inebriation. He worried for a moment that the day would be concluded with Solomon being angry about her outward display of affection before he was able to settle her but his loud booming laughter filled the home, followed by Ominis' as usual raspy chuckle and Anne's cheerful giggles.

"It appears that she cannot handle her liquor in the slightest" Solomon commented watching as her display continued. She had kept pressing small kisses on whatever skin she could reach in between moments of just staring at his nephew with big doe eyes. Every so often the girl would let out some love stricken comment in the young man's direction: My Bash. So Handsome. My heart.

"She would have to be to willingly kiss Sebastian" Anne let out the dig at his expense as the group continued laughing and the girl in his arms was blissfully unaware of anything except him.

Sebastian simply scoffed at them before turning down to look at her while saying "Alright Angel, let's get you lying down". Anne moved to the door, turning the handle, and stepping aside so he could carry her through the threshold. The second they made it outside she shouted "HAPPY CHRISTMAS FELDCROFT!" As the few people milling about responded with a hearty "here, here!". Sebastian looked down at her just in time to see how she waved at them over his shoulder.

He chuckled, loving how she had grown to love the hamlet in such a small window of time. While he hasn't spent his whole life in feldcroft, it was a place special to him. After his own personal revelations, as well as seeing her so at peace in the village, he wondered if this was the kind of place she'd want to build a home. Should he arrange to buy a plot with or without her? Should they make that decision together or should he surprise her? She always spoke of feldcroft as if it was "right out of a storybook", in such amazement and wonder. Would she want to spend her days here? Maybe not in the village square, but perhaps nearby... They could build a home on the cliffs side close to the ocean and the town. Or once the war was over maybe put in an offer with the ministry to purchase Isadora's manor, restoring it and allowing her to remain connected to the school for easy access to the undercroft.

Perhaps it best to probe her thoughts on the matter a different day. He had still yet to think of a way to formerly propose, knowing he wished to do so before the end of the school year, allowing them the proper time to arrange these things together as well as comply with muggle traditions of longer engagements and shorter courtships. While he was sure some of their pure blood house companions may see the situations in a polarized way : many having their betrothal arrangements in order since they could walk such as Ominis's older brother Marvolo, the rest would find the concept of muggle engagements perplexing.