#fèlix doherty

[camillejeaneshphm]

family

the children of mathilde of coventry and lachlann doherty

featuring:

caitílin doherty (portrayed by alyssa sutherland. eldest daughter syndrome.)

samhradhan “sam” doherty (portrayed by berk cankat. spoiled, stupid, and sexy.)

simone doherty (portrayed by freya mavor. the middle child.)

fèlix doherty (portrayed by aidan turner. the evil one.)

sisuile “sissy” doherty (portrayed by celina sinden. doomed by the narrative.)

(tagging @hphmmatthewluther because these cuties are shared between us!)

#hp founders era #mathilde of coventry #lachlann doherty #caitílin doherty #sam doherty #simone doherty #fèlix doherty #sissy doherty #my edit

[hphmmatthewluther]

Bringing Good Tidings, Part 4: Epiphany

Here it is! Sorry for it being so late! This is the final part of a 4-part collab by myself and @endlessly-cursed, featuring characters by her as well as characters from @camillejeaneshphm and @that-scouse-wizard !!

Bringing Good Tidings, Part 4: Epiphany

As Lachlann watched the Krampus snarl at the many guests, he moved in front of his children on instinct, as did Mathilde. The creature had dark grey fur and moved like a goat on its hind legs, though instead of hooves on the front trotters there was a pair of clawed hands. It had two long horns on its head that curled in different ways before tailing off, and on its back was a large red bag. Lachlann could guess what it planned on putting in there. It cackled at the frightened nobles who fled from it until they were shivering in the far end of the hall. That only left Lachlann’s family, Henriette’s family, Bruna and Betwixt as the last ones not cowering in fear.

“As always…” Mathilde muttered under her breath, holding out her free hand for the other three children to cling onto, Felix remaining in her other one.

Henriette, figuring that they would know at least something that could help, turned to Betwixt, and was surprised to see an expression of abject fear on their face. They saw her looking at them, and tried desperately to calm themselves. They failed. “...I-I apologise…I thought that I would never have to deal with it again…”

The Krampus snapped its neck to look at the group. “Ahh, if it isn’t the ickle Sovereign, no mummy or daddy to keep you from me now…and who do I have to thank for that?”

Lachlann’s grip on his wand tightened as Krampus creaked its neck over to scrutinise him. For the briefest of moments, it was as if the last decade or so had never happened, and he was a scared peasant boy with no idea what magical monstrosity stood before him. “...Anything they could do, Betwixt can do. And more, as a matter of fact.”

The Krampus’ eyes, goatlike with long black slits for irises, stared unblinking. “And what about you? You, who found himself at just the right place at the right time to inherit an abandoned kingdom’s worth of silver and magic? You are a very lucky peasant…but I think your luck may have run out.”

Lachlann considered looking away from the hungry gaze of the beast, but despite his fear a part of his mind considered the possibility of it striking at his children if he did so. But he couldn’t keep staring, couldn’t keep looking at his warped reflection within the goat-man’s eyes.

But then he heard voices to his left and right. “What on earth are you talking about?” he heard Mathilde say, trying not to let his breath hitch when he heard her take a step forward to stand by his side. “I was there, and I can tell you he did a fair bit more than that. He and Henriette saved countless people from meaningless wars and conflicts. The kingdom was just a bonus, really.”

“Indeed.” said Bruna, who he was even more surprised to hear walk forward, “And if his luck’s run out, he’s always got his foolish noble friends to save him, which we’ve often had to do anyway.”

Lachlann nodded silently, his face now level with the Krampus, this strange Fae-like barrier even stronger with the three of them standing together. Betwixt, breathing rapidly, turned to Henriette. “We might be able to get out of this…if we make the Krampus look away, it will have lost, and we can go on the attack.”

Understanding, Henriette directed her attention to the staredown, the Krampus trying and failing to insult Lachlann, with even his children joining in on the conflict. She stifled a smile as they yelled several irish insults that Lachlann must have taught them, even Fèlix was getting in on the act, blowing raspberries at the creature. Henriette marvelled at the Doherty family for a moment before clearing her throat just as the Krampus was beginning to get even more annoyed than it had been previously.

“Cease this!” He raved, his goat-eyes still unblinking in spite of his rage. “I will not be bested by a mortal family…especially not a cursed mortal family!”

Henriette cleared her throat. “You seem quite keen to criticise us, sir, but I’d say you’re ripe for criticism too. I assume you’re here on the invitation of a certain changeling advisor?”

The Krampus tapped on the floor with its hooves a few times. “Please do not distract me, I’m trying to kidnap these children. I’ll get to yours in a minute…maybe they’ll be able to continue their playdate on the way back to the Faewyld.”

“That’s rather what I was getting at. Why do you kidnap children? And why specifically at christmas? I don’t remember a Krampus going to Bethlehem after all.”

The goat stuttered for a moment, before bleating in disgust, still not looking away. “Bah! Typical! No consideration for how your funny little church took over one of the pagan festivals! All this revelry, and dancing, and flirtatiousness? It did not come from your God or his ministers. It came from us! And now we’re taking what you owe: the children you cannot raise right!”

Though it did not turn, Henriette still felt as if a pair of unblinking eyes were now on her too, just as they were on Lachlann. “It’s funny, there are so many more peasants than you noble types, and yet I end up taking far more of these children. I hear them, you know, bickering and gossiping like their parents, with the same disdain for everyone around them that you all have! So in a way, this is something of a gift for them. They get away from you, and have a chance to live free from your sins!”

Henriette thought for a moment that its eye had darted over to her, but it clearly wasn’t enough to break the spell. She felt like looking away, but she didn’t need to. She knew the faces that were standing behind her, just as Lachlann knew the faces behind him. Maybe she was afraid of what they might end up like. But with that fear came excitement at seeing them grow. No matter what might come, what mistakes they made or what tragedies befell them, she would be there for them, and she would make sure their lives were theirs to lead. She took a breath, looked the Krampus up and down, and said “Forgive me for not taking parenting advice from a creature that looks like a gargoyle done on a budget.”

The Krampus snapped its neck to stare at Henriette, the crack echoing through the hall as it realised that the sound was about more than its bones. Fred placed his hand on her shoulder, looking at her and smiling, before turning to the now nervous beast. “Thank you for silencing this prattling beast’s tongue, darling. If he dares to loosen that tongue against our family again, may I relieve him of it?” he asked, brandishing his large sword.

The Krampus scraped across the floor with its hooves nervously. “T-This wasn’t my idea, understand…i-it was that other fellow, the advisor…they said Oberon himself wanted me to do this…I’m beginning to think they might have been lying.”

“Mm, funny that.” Betwixt chuckled, stepping forward too. “Because now you’re going to listen to the Monarch of the Silver Kingdom. Leave, for these children are protected.”

The Krampus bowed its dark head in defeat. “Very well. I see now that you will not let your children go lightly. Not you with your three,” it bowed to Bruna, “not your…however many there are, it’s hard to count-” at which Henriette had to hold Fred back, “and not your five.” Before anyone could say anything else, there was a puff of black smoke, and the Krampus was gone. In its place were two small white goats, one with a label reading “to Lord Lachlann (Doherty) of Wexford” and the other “to Lady Henriette of Wessex”.

At once, the children all ran forward to pet the goats, giggling amongst themselves as the other nobles moved away from the wall and towards the others. Everyone else seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief, but Henriette and Lachlann then shot a look at each other. “Wait a moment,,” Lachlann said, looking at the goats. “Did it say…five?”

Mathilde chuckled, Henriette realising it before Lachlann when she saw Mathilde’s hand on her stomach. She had thought her dress was less tight than Mathilde usually had it, and what was more, Henriette had suspected the same thing was the case for her too, and felt her own hand move over her stomach. The Lady of Coventry chuckled at her husband. “Don’t look like I’ve poisoned you or something. I found out a few days ago, should be due around the Harvest season.”

Sam looked up amongst the gasps and cooing. “What does that mean?”

Caitílin looked as if she was about to mock him, but stopped. “It means that Mum’s having another baby!”

“Does this mean that there’s going to be another feast?” Simone asked, still smiling.

Felix started fidgeting out of his mother’s hands, clearly already getting jealous of the attention the baby a few inches below him was getting. Lachlann scooped him up and kissed Mathilde’s cheek, a warm and wonderful smile on his face. “Oh Tillie, that’s wonderful news, I’m so…I can’t put into words how happy I am.”

“You’ve said that every time.” she replied, smirking as she kissed him back, “But thank you, dear. And yes, Simone, though a small one.” She looked up at Bruna, hoping to see a look that confirmed she would be there, but the smile on her perfectly poised face carried a sadness with it.

“I wish I could, but I am expected to leave here tomorrow.” Bruna sighed, cupping Mathilde’s cheek in plain view of everyone else. “But I shall keep you and your lovely children in my thoughts. You too, Lord Doherty.” she said.

Lachlann blinked once or twice, looking out the doors the Krampus had come through, still ajar, at the starry sky outside. It was Henriette, though, who then spoke, her hand intertwined with Fred’s, Betwixt looking at the two goats with the many children. “Then perhaps we ought to spend this night together, in celebration.” she said, looking between the three knowing that they meant far more to each other than most marriages could articulate.

The two women looked at Lachlann, and at the toddler he was holding, and nodded in unison. “I’d love nothing more, my dears.” Bruna said, the sadness still present in her smile, but now with something more hopeful behind it too.

#bringing good tidings #hp founders era #lachlann doherty #henriette of wessex #mathilde of coventry #bruna of cologne #sovereign betwixt #frederick of kent