Chapter 16: The Duel (Aut Vincere, Aut Mori)

Chateaux Vitonia, Normandy, France

April 4, 1987

Severus eyed the proceedings with a critical eye. Witnesses were gathering, and the rules were explained to each of them. Lord Delacour, who was their host for the proceedings, was being quite strict in his explanation of the rules that would govern the spectators of the duel. A protection ward would be erected to protect the witnesses from stray spells and in turn to protect the two duelists from foul play from the audience. These people were there to pay witness to the duel not to participate.

When Lucius had informed him that he had challenged his brother-in-law Marcus Spungen, the Lord of House Spungen, to a duel to the death, Severus had wondered if Lucius had taken leave of his senses. There was no great affection between Lucius and Marcus, true, but he had not thought things were so bad between them that Lucius wanted the man dead. Surely if Lucius hated the man that much then he should have killed him after he had taken custody of Dane Spungen.

He had forced Lucius to explain himself and his Arden had obeyed. Once he understood the reason for the duel, that Marcus Spungen was having an affair with Claire Zabini and had been indiscrete enough for the press to catch wind of it, well Severus had understood. Syndra's honor was besmirched and that of House Malfoy and House Delacour with it. Such dishonor could not be permitted. Lucius had done the right thing in challenging Marcus.

Of course, Severus could not let Lucius stand alone in this. If Marcus Spungen should, by some miracle of chance, succeed in killing Lucius then Severus would be right there to know how his Arden had died. Severus would then kill Marcus as his last act in this world.

He glanced across the field that had been chosen for the duel, taking in the sight of Sergei Dolohov standing beside Marcus. He frowned at the man. The Dolohov's were of Russian stock who had settled in France after the Russian Revolution. The most infamous Dolohov was Antonin Dolohov, a vicious Death Eater who was imprisoned in Azkaban for the murders of many including Fabian and Gideon Prewett. Sergei was one of Antonin's six children. Severus had heard a little of the man's reputation. He was a carouser, a drunkard, but he didn't have the reputation of viciousness that was ascribed to his father.

Still, it wouldn't do to believe that Dolohov wouldn't try something tricky against Lucius once he defeated Marcus. He'd keep his eye on him.

"It is time we begin," Lord Delacour's voice rose against the murmurs of the witnesses. Slowly they fell silent. "Duelists prepare," he ordered.

Lucius removed his cloak and handed it to Severus, who took it and draped it over his own shoulders. He then took Lucius's gloves when they were offered to him and he shoved those into his trouser pockets. He stared hard into the ice-blue eyes of his Arden. He didn't want to imagine them cold in death and devoid of the spark of life.

"Lucius," he said softly capturing the whole of his Arden's attention. They stared at each other for a moment with so many words unsaid. How did one summarize how much a person meant to them into just a few words? Lucius was his friend. One of the only ones that had ever completely stood by him no matter what. He was his brother in oath and spirit, his Arden. There were no words and by the look in Lucius's eyes, he felt the same. They didn't need words.

Still, he needed to say something to Lucius. Instead of telling him how much he meant to him he gave Lucius a directive. "Aut vincere, aut mori," he ordered his Arden.

Lucius's lips twitched up into a slight smirk at that. "As you command, Arden," he replied and then he turned away moving forward past the protective ward that sheltered Severus and walked out upon the field that would serve as the dueling arena. He looked majestic, powerful, a warlord taking the field.

Severus didn't remove his eyes from Lucius, even as Marcus Spungen started the duel with a slashing hex. Lucius dodged out of the way and countered with a slashing hex of his own that caught Marcus in the left arm, not his dueling arm. Lucius was going to toy with the man then? That shouldn't surprise him.

Lucius's hatred of Marcus had gone from a simple dislike to a full raging storm. He had never thought Marcus Spungen worthy of his impressionable and spoilt younger sister. Severus had agreed. Marcus Spungen was not a good match for Syndra Malfoy. She had needed a husband who would be strong and indulgent. Marcus had been controlling and abusive of Syndra and of her children. Royce had been spoilt by his cruel father, who preferred him to his second child, Dane. Syndra had learned quickly that if she wanted to avoid abuse from Marcus then she too should dote upon Royce and care less about her youngest child. Lucius had been so full of rage when they had learned from Syndra, just days ago, about her abuse at the hands of her husband.

Severus had thought the woman a fool for having never confided her situation to her family. The Malfoy's would have protected her. They would have destroyed Marcus Spungen for harming a hair on her head. Syndra's older sisters and her sister-in-law would have devised many horrible ways to make the man suffer before either Lucius or Abraxas finally ended his miserable life.

'Why didn't the little fool tell her family that Lord Spungen was abusing her?' he pondered even as he watched Lucius fight.

Lucius was elegance personified as he moved about the field, dodging hexes, blocking at times, and delivering his own salvo of offensive spells. His Arden was impressive, always so beautiful. 'Of course, he is, he's a Malfoy,' he thought with a grim smile. He had yet to meet a member of the Malfoy family that wasn't beautiful.

He tuned out the whispering of the crowd of witnesses and kept his focus on the duelists. Marcus was tiring. He didn't have Lucius's stamina and it showed. Lucius was toying with him, enjoying getting Marcus's hopes up that he might just win. It would make Lucius's victory all the sweeter. His Arden really did have a vindictive side and Marcus's abuse of Lucius's family had brought out Lucius's vindictive streak.

All the more reason for him to watch over Lucius. Playing with his prey was a good way to get himself killed! If Severus couldn't curb such bad habits, he could at least guard Lucius while he engaged in them.

Another slashing hex from Lord Spungen's wand but this time it drew blood. Lucius had been a second too late stepping out of the way. Now a small cut appeared across his cheek and a few strands of white-blond hair fell, cut from his head.

Marcus smirked then. "Not so pretty now, are you Malfoy?" he sneered.

Lucius's hand slashed with his wand, no words leaving his lips and Marcus Spungen seemed to be frozen at the moment, with the smirk curving his lips and then his head lolled from his body and his body fell as though he were a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Severus winced at that. Lucius must have been really angry for him to have used enough force to sever the head from the body. His eyes sought out Sergei Dolohov. They narrowed as he stared at the man. His wand was drawn but he had not yet stepped past the protective barrier and onto the field. The man looked from Marcus then to Lucius as if trying to decide if it would be worth it. Sergei looked again at the body of Marcus Spungen and rage twisted his features into a mask of hatred.

Severus sighed in regret as he stepped past the protective barrier and onto the killing field at the same time as Sergei Dolohov. Within a moment he had drawn his wand and he prepared himself to defend Lucius.

Dolohov cried out the blood boiling curse and Severus didn't hesitate. The only way to protect Lucius was to physically shield him from the spell. So, he levitated the body of Marcus Spungen and cast it into the way of the spell.

The man screamed in rage when he realized that he hadn't managed to hit Lucius. Then he cast a cutting hex toward Lucius and promptly pivoted to face Severus aiming his wand at him.

"Cru…" the man began but Severus was faster.

"Expelliarmus," he cried out disarming the man even as Lucius cast a slicing hex, effectively slicing the man's throat.

"Healer!" Lord Delacour called out. "Tend to this man!" he demanded.

Lord Delacour sighed as the healer began to look over Sergei Dolohov. "Heir Malfoy, Lord Prince stand back," he said motioning them back behind the protective barrier that Severus had stood behind for the duration of the duel.

Reluctantly they obeyed. Severus had no desire to anger Lucius's uncle. Julien Delacour, the Lord Delacour was a very influential figure on the continent. He had also been kind enough to act as their host for this day of blood. It wouldn't be a good idea to disrespect him.

Still, that wouldn't save his arrogant Arden from reprimand. "You didn't even see it coming," Severus snapped at Lucius once Lord Delacour had returned to the side of the healer.

"I knew he would try something," Lucius said. "He's too much like his father not to, but he's too young and inexperienced to have Antonin Dolohov's ruthlessness," he said simply.

"Then why were you not prepared?" Severus asked through gritted teeth.

Lucius looked at him perplexed, as though he couldn't understand Severus's anger with him. "I would think that would be obvious," he said.

"Explain it to me," Severus commanded him and forced himself to ease up on gritting his teeth.

"You were there to watch over me," Lucius said simply with so much trust and affection that it took Severus's breath away.

Severus looked away, unable to meet those eyes that were looking at him with such love and trust. Lucius had known he would step in. He had trusted that Severus wouldn't let him be harmed. It caused a warm glow to settle inside of his heart. Even after all these years of being Lucius's Arden, it still surprised him just how much faith, how much trust Lucius had in him.

Lucius placed a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. He understood Severus's emotions, he could feel them as though they were an echo somewhere deep inside. He had explained that to Severus once. It had made him uncomfortable then, but not now, not any longer.

"Dead," the Healer pronounced with a shake of his head.

Lord Delacour seemed to sigh at that. It wasn't good news because Sergei's family might demand restitution for his death. Yet the witnesses would spread the word that Sergei had behaved dishonorably. That might be enough to keep Mikhail Dolohov, Sergei's eldest sibling, from challenging Lucius or Severus to a duel.

"What say you, Lord Dolohov?" Lord Delacour asked as his eyes met that of a dark-haired man in the crowd.

His question caught Severus off guard. He hadn't realized that any of the other Dolohov's were present. He watched as Lord Mikhail Dolohov, the head of House Dolohov, walked out onto the field. The man was dressed in elegant charcoal black robes that held swirling red embroidery at the collar and the cuffs. His boots were sleek black to the knee over black trousers. His hair was long, like Lucius's own, but black like Severus's own.

Lord Dolohov finally came to stand beside his younger brother, looking down at him for a few moments. Then to the surprise of all, he kicked the arm of the body and then spat upon it. A murmur rose through the crowd at that.

"I have no quarrel with House Malfoy, House Prince, nor House Delacour," Lord Dolohov pronounced loud enough to be heard by all. "My younger brother behaved with dishonor, and I am ashamed of him," he added. "My apologies to Houses Malfoy and Prince that they were forced to protect themselves against this filth."

Lucius nodded, gracious in his victory. "He let his passions overcloud his reason. This is no reflection of the House of Dolohov," he said absolving Mikhail and his other siblings of any taint by association.

Severus nodded his own agreement. "He fought well, despite the foolishness of his decision," he complimented because one should honor the fallen, shouldn't they? He was pretty sure that was something that Lord Malfoy had once taught him.

Lord Dolohov's lips twitched slightly as though he wished to smile at the compliment but knew better than to do so at this time. "Thank you, Lord Malfoy, Lord Prince," he said inclining his head to each.

"Do all witnesses declare this duel to have been fairly fought?" Lord Delacour asked of the audience of witnesses.

One at a time each witness voiced that that the duel had been fairly fought and Marcus Spungen had been clearly defeated. The last two witnesses to speak was Druella Black nee Rosier and her niece Claire Zabini. Druella said that the duel was fairly fought, and though Claire was drying tears from her face she too said the duel was fairly done.

"Very well," Lord Delacour said. "If you will please adjourn to the house, some light refreshments await thee," he said.

Severus gave Lucius back his cloak and then his gloves, watching closely as his Arden donned the gloves. "She doesn't seem as torn up as one would expect," he said motioning toward where Claire Zabini was strolling away with Druella Black. The beautiful Claire kept stealing backward glances at them as she strolled away.

"Be careful, Lord Prince," Lord Dolohov said as he came beside them to join them. "Sergei was one of the Belladonna's lovers," he said.

"The Belladonna?" he asked. "Is that what people call Madame Zabini?" he asked.

"Yes," Dolohov answered.

"It's her middle name," Lucius reminded Severus.

"That it may be, but that is not why she is called the Belladonna," Dolohov chuckled. "It is because she is a poisonous woman. Beautiful and poisonous. Sergei was obsessed with her. He introduced her to Lord Spungen. It caused him great heartache when she became Lord Spungen's mistress."

"Yet she kept sleeping with Sergei didn't she?" Severus asked. It made sense. Otherwise, Sergei would have turned away from her and Marcus both.

"Yes," Dolohov declared. "She's an amusing temptress, but she leaves dead bodies in her wake."

"What does she want?" Severus couldn't help but ask. "She has been married several times to men of great wealth. It cannot be money that she seeks for she now has a fortune all her own," he observed.

"You are right," Dolohov said. "It is prestige that she hunts now," he said.

Lucius cursed at that. "Of course," he sighed. "She was born the daughter of a Lord of House. She was pampered and spoiled and then she was thrust into marriage with the older and wealthy Julien Zabini. Julien was not Lord of House Zabini."

Dolohov nodded. "Yes, Julien was the nephew of Lord Zabini," he said simply.

"Is the current Lord Zabini the Great-Uncle of Blaise?" Severus asked for clarification.

Lucius nodded his head. "Yes," he said simply. "He has thus far approved of Narcissa raising Blaise," he added.

"Let's hope that lasts," he observed. He frowned as he noticed Claire turning yet again to glance at them as they slowly moved toward the chateaux. "She's hunting to become a Lady," he said referencing Claire again.

"Yes," Dolohov said with a laugh. "And you are not married, Lord Prince," he said stressing the title.

"Nor do you have an heir of Prince blood," Lucius pointed out.

Severus scowled at him. Lucius was not being at all helpful in pointing out the fact that he was childless.

"In that, I can be of assistance," Dolohov declared, and all Severus could think was 'Ah, and now he comes to what he really wants with us.'

"Oh?" Lucius asked sounding merely curious, but Severus could tell that his Arden was trying to figure out what it was that Dolohov could want from Severus.

"My youngest sibling," Dolohov began without preamble. "He is the son of Elaine Prince, your aunt, Lord Prince," he informed Severus.

"Sebastian?" Severus asked because he knew the name, knew it from the Portrait of Elaine Prince that hung in his manner beside the portrait of his mother, Eileen. Elaine Prince had died giving birth to her son, Sebastian Antonin Prince Dolohov. She often asked Severus about her son. Was he well? Safe from his father's evil? Was the boy happy?

"Yes," Lord Dolohov said, pleased that Severus knew the boy's name. "He is seven now and he taxes our sister dreadfully. She was not meant to care for children," he confessed. "Evdokiya is too stern with the boy," he explained. "As you do not have children of your own, he is your lawful Heir unless you reject him. Do you intend to reject him? Disown him?"

Severus recoiled at the very idea. His mother had been disowned and cut off from her bloodline, yet his grandparents had seen the wisdom years after Eileen's death in ensuring that he was made the Heir Prince. Severus wondered if that was because of Elaine's choices in her spouse.

"No," he said firmly. "I'll not disown my cousin," he said firmly. "I wish to see him."

Dolohov smirked. "I'll do you one better," he said. "Take Sebastian off of our hands," he said. "Take him to live with you at the Prince properties. Let him connect then with that side of his blood and magic."

Severus stopped walking then. Lucius and Lord Dolohov likewise stopped. "You would trust me to raise your youngest sibling?" he asked Mikhail.

Dolohov nodded his head. "You are ruthless, cunning, but honorable. Sebastian needs to learn to be the sort of man you are. If he remains where he is he will only grow up to be like our Sire or like Sergei. I find both options unacceptable. If I must release him into your care in order for him to become a good man then that is what I will do and with no regrets," he said firmly.

Severus didn't hesitate, didn't even considering saying no to this offer to raise his younger cousin to be a proper Heir for the House of Prince. "I will want proper paperwork giving me custody of Sebastian," he said.

"Full custody," Lucius added. "If the boy is to be uprooted from all he has known to go and live with Severus then it needs to be cleanly and clearly done. He needs to know that he will remain with Severus and Severus will need to know that you shall not come along in a few months seeking to remove Sebastian from him."

"Agreed," Dolohov said. "I will want to visit with him, but you will have full custody Lord Prince and thus any visits will be as you direct."

Severus nodded. "We'll draw up the necessary papers and have them sent to you for review," he promised.

"Very good then," Dolohov agreed as they began to move again. They maintained a comfortable silence as they moved through the courtyard and into the house. Dolohov excused himself a moment later and then went to stand with Druella Rosier and Claire Zabini.

Dolohov kissed the inside of Druella's wrist and it was then that Severus realized that the two were lovers. He wondered, idly, if Cygnus Black knew that his wife was the lover of Lord Dolohov. He swiftly decided that he didn't care about Cygnus, but he was concerned about Narcissa. Druella was Narcissa's mother. He glanced briefly at Lucius and noted that Lucius too had seen the exchange between the two lovers.

"Druella practically lives on the continent," Lucius said as he steered him toward the refreshment table. "She and Cygnus have lived apart since Narcissa was in her early teens. The woman wasn't going to make our wedding, but Lord Black threatened to cut off her funds if she didn't make an appearance with Cygnus and pretend to be doting parents."

Severus didn't miss the sneer in Lucius's voice as he spoke of Narcissa's parents. "This is typical behavior for the woman then?" he asked.

Lucius nodded. "Yes, but she's far more discreet than her niece," he added.

Severus hummed in thought. "It is amazing that Narcissa and Andromeda turned out to be such honorable women with a mother like theirs."

Lucius nodded his agreement as he took up a plate and placed a pastry upon it. "I should congratulate you," he said, his tone turning playful.

Severus looked at him in confusion as he too put a pastry upon his plate. "What for?"

"You became a father today," Lucius said simply.

Severus groaned at that. "Narcissa is going to be impossible when she learns of this."

Lucius just laughed.

Aut vincere, aut mori - Either conquer, or die... at least that is what Google told me this Latin phrase meant. ;)

I hope everyone enjoys reading this chapter. I am sure some might be disappointed by the Duel, but I never intended for Marcus Spungen to stand a real chance against Lucius. I think that Lucius has had much better training than the Late Lord Spungen did.