New Beginnings {Ambroise & Roxanne}

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A gold wedding band glinted in the summer sun as a woman of twenty-four sat on the patio, her hand rubbing her six-month pregnant belly, her eyes closed to the rays of warmth that were beating down from the sky, casting a glow onto the redheaded female who looked as if she had just been cast down from the heavens themselves.

"Are you already that eager to meet the world, Asher?" The question had left her lips pretty much unconsciously as she felt the soft kicks of her unborn son against her palm and saw the soft imprints of her child's foot and fist. It was fascinating for the redheaded female to watch the movement of her son, it meant that he was healthy and growing up how he was supposed to be.

Many women, both muggle and witches, would've probably been weirded out that she was just staring at her pregnant tummy and watching the way that her skin stretched around the developing baby. It had been weird at first, for Roxy to see the way that her stomach just went all unnatural when her baby moved but over time she got used to seeing it and now she was just eager to watch the slight movements.

"...I wonder when your father is coming home." She sighed softly as she closed her eyes again, relaxing back into the soft cushions on the swing-set that she had the house-elves install on their patio. Sitting at home all day would've gotten boring and walking around, six months pregnant with her first child would've been quite dangerous so instead of going crazy with boredom she could at least enjoy the fresh air at home while waiting for her husband to come home.

Husband.

Wasn't that a surprise.

At first, Roxy had been adamant that she wouldn't be getting married, at least not until she was twenty-six, however, fate had certainly thrown a wrench in that plan when she had met her husband. Ambroise Durand had been an... annoyance during her school years. He was the typical pureblood male that made Roxy's skin crawl; she hadn't gotten along with him, at least at first, but over time the Durand heir had managed to, somehow, woo Roxy and the woman had ended up in a relationship with the man by the middle of her fifth year, his seventh.

By the time Roxy had graduated at eighteen she had been engaged to the Durand heir and by the time she turned twenty-two they had been married in the biggest marriage ceremony she had ever witnessed. She hadn't liked it, she had literally thrown tantrums every time it had been mentioned but she had eventually relented when Ambroise had promised her a three-month honeymoon across the world.

And now at the age of twenty-four Roxy was already ripe with their first child, a boy from what the Medi-Witch at the hospital had told her; Ambroise was yet unaware of this as she had wanted to keep it a secret for a little longer, the fact that her husband had been away from home for the past three weeks had nothing to do with the fact that she hadn't informed him of it.

She was quite aware that being the Durand Lord, Ambroise had to visit his family in Canada but that didn't mean that she was pleased with her husband leaving her all alone for such a long time. She hated it and at night, when her hormones got to her, she would just start crying and bawling, throwing everything and anything within her reach at the walls.

She really couldn't wait for Ambroise to come home, maybe then she would be able to calm down a little bit.

Guest

"Ambroise dear, I still do not understand why you cannot relocate yourself and your wife to Canada. It makes no sense for the head of the Durand legacy to live halfway across the world," Marianne was speaking to him in a genuine manner, but Ambroise was trained enough in the field of persuasion to know that it was her way of questioning his loyalties. She was telling him that living in Germany reflected badly on the family, as it made it harder for civilians to follow his lead if he was not physically present. But he drowned out her doubts, telling her not to be ridiculous. A good leader could influence a people from galaxies away.

He and Roxanne had spoken about this in great detail before their engagement was announced, as it would have been foolish of the pair to expect their families to have no questions regarding where two heirs would reside. Being the heir of the Durand legacy was an honour, of course, but even Ambroise was aware that Canada was less than one of the most influential Pureblood communities. They were a proud people, but they did their best to keep to themselves.

Roxanne was the heir of Pureblood Germany; an area with a drastically different atmosphere than that in which he had been accustomed to. They needed someone who would keep their people at arm's length, being sure to not let a single person go out of line. Roxanne was this leader and as such, the two had agreed to reside in Germany. Ambroise would tend to issues in Canada whenever possible, but he would always make time for his wife.

His wife. What an odd feeling it was to be eternally connected to a single person. Of course, he had always known that he would eventually have to get married; it looked bad for someone of his status to remain single as he approached his adult years. But marriage had always seemed so far into the future. Now here he was, married to someone he respected and loved.

He'd never expected to fall in love with Roxanne, and he was sure that she had felt the same way in regards to him. Their first meeting had all but gone up in flames. Him musing over the actions of those outside of the astronomy tower and her making no effort to hide the fact that she was judging him. They were incompatible, at best. But they both also had so much in common, whether or not they'd wanted to admit it.

In their early 20's the two were engaged to be married. Roxanne had been reluctant to have a large wedding, but the Durands would not settle for any gathering with less than 400 of their closest family and friends. Ambroise had stood his ground, knowing that his mother would never forgive him if he'd given in on the topic. Plus, it was also how he'd been raised. The Durand family was extravagant and he had always been, above all else, a Durand man. Eventually, Roxanne caved once the man promised her a trip. (He'd always intended this honeymoon, but so long as she assumed it was a bribe everyone was a victor).

Currently, Ambroise was on a business trip to visit family in Canada. There had been a few issues that needed attending to, requiring the man to spend three weeks in his childhood home. He had assured Roxanne that it would be no more than three weeks, so when his mother asked if there was any way he could stay for one week more to discuss the wedding of a distant cousin, he politely denied the invitation.

"I must return home, mother," He'd told her. The woman looked at him with saddened eyes. Since the death of his father, Ambroise knew that his mother was lonely. But there was nothing that he could do. He would have invited her to live in Germany, but someone had to look over Canada whilst he was away.

"Canada is thriving," he said. "Roxanne needs me."

***

As the man set foot on his and his wife's property, a contempt smile grew on his face. Roxanne was sitting on the patio; his beautiful wife sitting as though she hadn't a care in the world. It was nice to see her relaxing, as they both had so many pressures on their shoulders.

"You look well, darling," He said to her, placing a kiss on her lips. It was not until this movement that he noticed her stomach. It had grown immensily, but not in the way that a stomach grew when it obtained fat. It looked grown in the way that a stomach grew when it obtained a lifeform. It was almost as if Roxanne was... pregnant. But how had he not known? Surely she had told him, or had she assumed that this would be a ncie surprise for him to come home to? If the case, Ambroise was neither pleased or displeased with the surprise. He did not like to be caught off guard, but he could not truthfully say that the thought of a child did not excite him.

"I assume that there is something you would like to tell me," he teased, placing a hand on her stomach. He wanted to ask if it would be a boy or a girl, but decided to refrain in the assumption that Roxanne would want to tell him of her own merit.

If it made any difference, Ambroise hoped for a boy. Of course he did; every Pureblood man dreamed of having a son to take over once he died. But he also wondered what exactly their son would inherit. Would he inherit Canadian responsibilities or German? Or would he inherit both? Could he handle such a feat. Of course he could, he would be a Durand. But the question was truly, would he want to? Of course, there was a conversation to be had.

Guest

Despite her pregnancy, Roxy still ruled Pureblood Germany with an iron fist. Just like any mother, she was scared of losing her child to miscarriage but as a ruler of such a volatile community, she had to be a leader who was tough and wasn't scared of a few consequences. Of course, she didn't do it all on her own, she still had her father give her some help and pointers but mainly it was her job now keeping the German Pureblood population in line.

Nothing got past her and no matter how much people tried getting past her, they never did. This had been especially proven when a gang of smugglers tried to bring over a lot of underage Veela's into Germany and have them sold to the highest bidder.

She had been furious when she found that out from her French contacts at the French Ministry of Magic and no-one had been spared her wrath; every smuggling ring got turned upside down and closed down with such force that even her father had been slightly frightened of her though he understood.

Veela's, especially young ones, held a certain allure for many men, and some women, and it would've been a political downfall for German had she allowed it to happen on her soil. Not that she even thought of the political ramifications of it, all she thought about was getting those young girls out and sending them back to their parents or the closest living relative.

The ones that were responsible for it had met a swift end at Roxy's wand, though she didn't kill them ~~even though she wished that she had~~, they had begged her to kill them only to have been met with her blank face and a swift port-key back to France where she let the French Ministry deal with them.

Thankfully she had managed to save all the girls and none of them were harmed beyond being a little malnourished and slightly frightened; nothing that a hot cup of cocoa cured. They had been bundled up into some clothes before being sent back to their parents or the Ministry, if they couldn't find the parent.

After that clusterfuck though, Roxy had literally been keeping a closer eye on any human and creature smuggling that happened on her soil.

***

The moment she felt the wards around their house announce her husband to her, Roxanne felt a smile bloom on her face. Having set the wards herself, they were more in-tune with her than any other member of the family. Sure Ambroise had access to them but they would, first and foremost, listen to her orders when she wanted something done to them.

The feel of her husband's magic seemed to calm both her and their son down a little bit as she felt the little tyke finally calm down his kicks; at least now she knew why little Asher was always so uncomfortable when Ambroise was nowhere in the house. It was because his magic could not be felt by the little baby growing inside her.

Tilting her head back when Ambroise was within reach, Roxy smiled into the kiss that he pressed on to her lips before chuckling softly at the stumped look on the Durand Lord's face. Well, that's a sight you don't see every day, Ambroise Durand speechless for a change. Flicking her eyes down to her pregnant belly, she rubbed it soothingly when she felt a kick against her palm, alerting her that Asher had clearly felt the amusement from his mother.

"In three months time, we will welcome a son into our family." She said casually, watching Ambroise carefully for whatever reaction he was going to have; they hadn't really talked about children and even if Roxy wanted one she wasn't entirely sure if Ambroise would like one too. As a Lord, Roxy knew, Ambroise needed an heir however as a man she did not know if he did want a son or just someone to mould. If it was the former then she would be happy if the latter then she would be furious.

After all, she wasn't giving birth to a blank slate that caught be moulded into whatever someone wanted, she was giving birth to their own flesh and blood.

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