✧DEALING WITH A DILEMMA✧

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For the rest of the day, Alphard had to get the offer of recreating all the fantasies in the little erotic novel into a reality out of his head for the time being.
After realizing that Rhea had taken an expired potion, he hadn't touched her in any sexual way from then on.

Not until a new shipment of potions had arrived at the manor, and seeing him recite the German with glasses resting on the tip of his nose caused her to fawn over him.

While it wasn't as potent as Britain's monthly tonic, a weekly one was better than daily one. And after consulting a healer, there was little doubt that Rhea could become pregnant so quickly—And it would be nulled with this new tonic.

Granted, the side-effect of being tired for an hour after taking it was unexpected.

And adorable to see her fight to stay awake.

Currently, they were resting.

Completely bare underneath the covers with Alphard resting into her neck. Ever so often he would hum and kiss her skin—All in his sleep.

Rhea was simply enjoying the aftermath of yet another love session. The idea of feeling and exploring her husband's body hadn't tired her out just yet.
Nor have they managed to dive into her suggestion of following the book just yet, especially when she realized the first chapter was much too advanced for her inexperienced self.

Alphard had caught her nervous and decided to hold on that, but Rhea knew that she would enjoy most if not all.

Even now, she still felt blissful.

"Little goddess, you should be asleep." He urged and it caused her to laugh.

"No, it's nearly dinner time. We've ruined our sleep schedule as is." Her argument was sound, but she had realized that the man beside her was rather stubborn when he wanted to be. Course her tactic was to pout her lip for him to think twice.

However, in thinking about dinner, Rhea's stomach had started to growl just underneath Alphard's arm as he wrapped a hold just around her waist.
His deepened chuckles had masked his worry and he leaned closer to her stomach.

"You didn't eat enough." He scolded and Rhea had laughed at his comment. She had eaten twice her usual amount of lunch, she blamed it on the potion but Alphard knew better.

"I did. You've just managed to use up all my energy."
"All of it?" She huffed at his temptation but she truly did want a bite to eat.
"Alphard Black, we can cuddle later."

"We can eat here...Becker!" He called out, and she instantly pulled up the covers to cover her decency. "Alphard, we only take drinks in bed—That was the rule." She said with a pointed finger as he joined.

"Fine. We'll take our dinner in the sunroom, Becker. Thank you." Rhea smiled in victory as she kissed Alphard's cheek.
"If you're tired we'll need to go to bed early tonight." She cheekily replied, heading off to the closet to get another dress for tonight. However, she hadn't managed all that far when he surpassed her, though it wasn't his nude figure that caused her to still.

It was the tap to her bum that he managed, it hadn't hurt but it caused her to squeal.

"Alphard! That was uncalled for!" She cheered after him and his laughter filled the bathroom as he handed her a set of panties and a dress before going to his own. Though she still had gone to soothe her arse.

"I'm sorry love, I couldn't help myself."

"Clearly." She said with a pointed look, heading towards the mirror and making sure it fitted her kindly. Among that, she had pulled her hair into a bun at the top of her head, something that Alphard had voiced that he favored than anything fancy of the sort.

"I'm sorry love. I won't do it again." Rhea blinked as she turned to see his head curving to form against her neck. "How am I going to out in public with you love, if you cannot handle—"
"If you recall, there's a chapter in that novel of yours that suggests the two had found an empty room at a party—" Rhea gasped.

"You read the novel?! You weren't supposed to—That's a witch's—"

"Curiosity had kept me up, and I'm thankful for the markups in your copy...Or the way the spine bends to a certain chapter?" Rhea's blush had never been so red in her life as she wiggled her way out of his grasp and made her way off.

Leaving him to get dressed on his own.

After the past few days, their intimacy and love had grown without the disturbance of their other responsibilities. She assumed that was the point of the honeymoon, to connect better to their new spouse. And she had learned a great deal about her husband.

He isn't a morning person in the least bit, nor is he set on proper times to eat dinner. Course, that stemmed from his lack of company, and with Rhea's growing appetite, she had been the reason for setting the times now.

Alphard had joined her soon after with another smile, in seeing him relax into his seat—Rhea sat in wonder as to why he looked so relaxed. They had taken an hour nap after the last ravishing so what could he possibly be thinking of now.

"Alphard?" He turned to look off towards her with his utmost attention. "Can I ask a personal question?" This caused him to to interlock his hands at the edge of the temple and nod. "It's er...I suppose it's more than personal if—"
"Nonsense, we're husband and wife now. Ask me." Rhea was awaiting the day that he would regret that statement and so she nodded.

"When was the last time you've—You've been with a witch?" She questioned, and Alphard had chuckled along to himself. Shaking his head to the point of hiding away in his hands. "Good Lord, where did this come from?"
"Well, it popped into my head with all the expired potions. But you look at bliss, I've never seen you like this before."

Perhaps his young wife was too humble for her own good, that he caught his happiness but not that she herself was the cause.

"I'm simply at ease, happy as could be...As for your other question, are you sure you want to know the answer to it?" It was a general warning, and so she bit her lip at the temptation.

She did want to know, and Alphard had told her to always be honest.

"It sounds much too private, I'm sorry I—"

"Nonsense, I want us to be open with one another and that extends to previous relationships. And there are none, no one important at that. Most of my relationships were for events and that's the extent of it. If we're talking about mistresses, as you've mentioned before. I've had only a few, but I've dismissed them years ago." Rhea had remained silent for a few passing moments, taking in what she had learned.

"So yes...I haven't needed those potions for anyone in quite some time. But by now our wedding has been announced to the public and that settles the contact I have with them."
"I thought you were plotting again..." She mumbled and he didn't miss a beat with the chuckle.

"Oh I am, but those are my own thoughts. But as for my mood, what was the phrase you said on our first night? Sedated."
"You're by far the easiest man to please, aren't you?"
"I could say the same thing, we value a few things in life and that's strange, don't you think? With the riches we grew up in."
"Though you still find the need to buy me a broom?"
"I have your father's money to spend freely now, why not?... I'm kidding love, that is your funds. I've decided that you'll be getting a fair bit of an allowance."
"An allowance? For what?" It drew in her interests.

"Your study, attire, interest, hobbies. If I cannot spoil you at the end of the day I expect you to spoil yourself." She shook her head as she smiled down at the freshly prepared creamy potato soup.

It turns out Rhea adores anything with potatoes, as he learned in the last few dinners.

"I don't want you worrying about those other women, alright? They're in the past." She looked up from her bite and nodded, playing with the spoon to find her next bite.

"I didn't mean to sound so invasive...I just remember something Andy said."
"And what was that?"
"That men always have mistresses." Alphard chuckled, his shoulders moving right along with him.

"That's not always true, I don't recall Orion having any—Before or after his marriage to my sister. But in Hogwarts, that's a different story."
"Oh, is it? I thought Hogwarts is for studies and education, love."
"It is, as well as Quidditch and a social environment."
"So was the broom closet your go to or—"
"Depends, what floor and otherwise." He said with a smirk and Rhea rolled her eyes.

"...Now then, this Jasper fellow. He's your friend's brother?" Rhea nodded with a smile. "Yes, he was a Ravenclaw as well. Though he was two years old, very kind."
"My apologies love, I find it hard to believe that not one of your peers asked you to Hogsmead or otherwise."
"Oh—Of course they did. I just didn't bother or care. And after a while, most knew not to bother me with those things. That and Sirius always had a hand in pranking them in the next few days." Now he hadn't heard that bit of it all, what possessed Sirius to act so friendly to Rhea?

"My nephews always have good things to say about you...It's rather adorable."

"I rather they don't call me Auntie though, it's odd enough as is." She said with a light chuckle to herself, but it was rather endearing to know that she was related to them by marriage.

"Don't take it as offensive love. And I hope you don't mind that they stay with us a for a few days during the summer? They despise that manor as much as I do." Rhea's eyes lightened up instantly as she nodded.

"Oh, that would be wonderful! Can we go to a Quidditch game then? I know Sirius would be just as excited!" Her squeal had paired with her clapping, and he couldn't stop from grinning down to himself.

Following dinner, Rhea had a warmth in her stomach still from dinner. While it could be passed from the delicious cuisine that she was being introduced to, but she couldn't deny that the idea of this summer was starting to become a count down in her head.

Currently, the two were relaxing in the library, sure they had started sitting up—But now Rhea's legs rested over his lap and he had to look ever so often that she hadn't fallen asleep.

"What are you smiling at?" He had felt her lips curl, instantly abiding his curiosity and she giggled. "Muggles have a funny way of depicting magic." Now that certainly took in his interest as he turned to look at the cover.

"Ah, I see. Fancy yourself the muggle stories?"
"From time to time, the library at Hogwarts tended to have a very nice selection. And I have a few from my purchases from Hogsmead." Alphard had simply taken the opportunity to gaze down at his wife, who was still curled up in her side and reading along—Though managing to still speak to him.

"Er—Do you read muggle literature?"
"Not lately, but I'm open to it if you think it's worth the read." She instantly nodded and went to get up, darting for the door.

"Rhea!"
"I'm going to look in my trunk! You'll love the novel I swear!" She yelled in response, and Alphard took in her retreating form. Usually he would simply call an elf to go and fetch something that far away, but he noticed that his wife favored doing things herself.

In that, he needed to remind her once again to start keeping her wand on her person, as it sat idly by on the coffee table in front of him. He'd inspected it before, it was beautifully crafted—Unicorn hair and finally craved from a Willow tree. He hadn't heard of many wands having that sort of combination.

It was light and steady, though it had a few delicate designs etched into the wood. He kept forgetting to ask what these had meant, or if she purchased it as is.

On the opposite end of the manor, Rhea had gone to her trunk in their bedroom. Excitement had coursed through her now that he expressed a slight interest to try something for her made it just as endearing. Espeaclly if she could finally speak to her about it.

With going through the few books that she had snuck past Narcissa's watchful eyes, and with the three in hand, she returned back to the stairs with a hand firmly on the railings.

Taking them slowly and one at a time, thankfully they were tightly covered from the glossy wood as Rhea could already picture herself stumbling.

"Ich habe dir schon gesagt Greta, du bist in meinem Haus nicht mehr willkommen!"
[I already told you Gretta, you are no longer welcome in my house!]

Alphard's voice had carried throughout the manor in an echo, and Rhea's head peeked around the corner in wonder.

The little German she did know didn't allow for it to be fully translated, but it didn't take much to understand that he was angry. Nor did she expect to hear another person's voice so early in their Honeymoon considering they were set to leave for Spain soon.

"Unsinn, ich war in der Gegend und mir wurde langweilig."
[Nonsense, I was in the area and I was getting bored by myself.]

Rhea bit her lip once she had taken a full gaze upon the woman in question, it wasn't that she wasn't beautiful—She was, more than that even. She looked more put together at this moment than Rhea had ever felt at her wedding!

The insecurities in her soared as she ran a hand through her hair, as it was suffering from bedhead, courtesy of this afternoon. Yet seeing the way the stranger had taken to touching her husband caused Rhea's stomach to sink further.

Hadn't he said he dismissed his mistresses?

"Oh wunderbar! Ein Assistentin! Komm her, meine Liebe, wir kümmern uns heute Abend um alle unsere Sorgen!"
[Oh, wonderful! An assistant! Come here my love, we'll take care of all our worries tonight!]

The stranger had taken off her cloak and placed it in Rhea's arms before continuing into the manor as though she herself had owned it.

"Alphard?... What's going on?" Rhea's sweet voice had pulled him out of his anger.

"Hmmp—Zo Hinformal, zis von't do Albhard." The accent was heavy, but Rhea huffed impatiently to her husband. He had spoken strongly on not keeping secrets, but seeing him so taken back and out of pace with what's happened left the worst scenarios to fester in Rhea's mind.

"I—I don't think I've had the pleasure...Miss?"
"Neumann...Greta Neumann. Und vu?" Rhea couldn't help herself from controlling how her lips twitched into a smirk.
"Rhea Black. It's a pleasure, and you can keep it a pleasure by leaving now." She said, all with a cutting smile. Yet the stranger's happiness had curled into a frown.

Leaving Rhea to feel elated as could be.

"Black. Albhard, Was—Du hast mir gesagt, dass du nie heiraten wolltest!"
[Black. Alphard, What—You told me you never wanted to get married!]

Rhea blinked and turned to her husband.

"That's correct, I didn't want to get married at the time. But as you can see, I've changed. And you're currently ruining me and my wife's evening by arriving unannounced." He claimed, getting in between either his wife and former mistresses.

The jealousy in Rhea had soared, she didn't realize what it meant to have shared someone so intimately until she was intimate with them herself. Her feelings for Alphard had skyrocketed since the wedding, and perhaps that has a small inkling from their wedding rites—As their souls were now intertwined to one another.

"Vu vore! He vas mine to haffe!" The thickness of her accent didn't mask Greta's intention and Rhea scoffed behind Alphard's shoulder.
"Yes, I'm the whore." She grumbled and her husband chimed in that he would handle this.

"Greta, this is not the time to discuss this. You've been out of my life for years and it will remain that way. Leave."
"Call on me, when you get bored with her." Rhea always considered herself passive, and her aggressions wouldn't be normally handled this way.

But the rise and fall of her chest as she clutched the better part of her dress had all but stopped her from acting impulsively towards the stranger.

She was just that, a stranger.
And she would remain a stranger.

"Vu alvays did like zem young." Her words seemingly mirrored Walburga's warning. That Rhea would need to keep Alphard's attention from wondering, but did it still pertain when he was doing everything to obtain her attention?

"Leave." Alphard's voice had sounded so vicious that it caused Rhea to back up from him as well. Even if it wasn't towards her, her heart couldn't make the distinction in the midst of her panic.

Even after Greta had taken the strides towards the door, the German hadn't even managed to reach Rhea's ears properly. Not when the young wife's eyes were growing tearful towards the back of Alphard's head.

Seeing how stiff his body had turned, and all traces of his relaxed self had vanished. When he turned around to bring Rhea into an embrace and sooth her worries, he realized that she was much farther back from him.

She was still taking the necessary steps back.

"I'm sorry love, I haven't seen her in years—But her attempts are still there. I meant what I said when I haven't had contact with them, but they still send owls and—"
"You didn't tell me that. That they were still seeking your attention." She ushered, and he nodded.

"It's junk, Rhea. I see that she sends me an owl and I toss it. Any gifts I receive, I throw them in the bin. I promise that I haven't seen any of those women intentionally in—"
"Intentionally?" She stilled, and he could see the misunderstanding in her eyes and he sighed.

"I misspoke, Greta is in same circle of friends here."
"S-so you do still her? Just not intim—" She had caught herself at a stand still, the fowl taste in her mouth had caused an eruption in her heart.

Having her head hang low she turned around, placing the boom in her hand at a nearby table and hurrying up the stairs.

"Rhea..."

"I'm tired Alphard, I'm going to go to bed." She mumbled, taking the careful steps back to where she had just come from. Walburga's words had been coursing through her and causing an uproar in her ears, it felt like it was burning in the center of her heart.

Alphard being the powerful and wealthy man that he is, he would be sought out regardless of his age. Greta looked much closer to his generation now that she thought about it.

"No." Rhea instated, and the lingering thought had ceased. But only for a few moments from it's interruption.

It then became apparent that she would need to distract herself from what's happened and thus she made her way into the closet. Though it was clear that it would not be as therapeutic as she hoped, not when his clothes were here as well. 

And the washing powder the elves used was calming her.

Perhaps she didn't need to make up a distraction, and instead, she took one of his many dress shirts and threw it over her head. His embrace had started as a safe haven and would control to be one even if she felt unsure.

Coming back towards the bed, Rhea had heard the soft knock at the door—And she sighed, realizing that this was not just her room anymore. So she came forward to take a peek, though it should've come as obvious as to see Alphard standing there with his head down.

"Love I'm sorry, I've told the elves not to let anyone else in unless I warn them prior or it's a family member." Rhea had nodded, but upon taking in her form he smiled.

She had put on his clothes, and when she realized she'd been caught her cheeks grew red as could be. "You look much better than I ever would in that."

"...Alfie, really I just need a moment or two to—"
"And I will give you all that and more if that's what you need. But I just need to clarify that I never loved any of them. They were nothing more than a release and it's not something a spouse wants to hear, I understand. But please know that in my earlier years—Your age or a bit older, I wanted to piss off my parents."
"O-oh...So it was you acting out?" She questioned and he nodded, taking the cautious steps forward.

"Yes. I was the eldest among my siblings and cousins, and it was considered a disappointment when they realized I was shaping out to be a Ravenclaw. It wasn't that much of a shock, but when they said I needed to go look for a wife, I didn't. I would try and give those they told me to give attention to before dismissing them off. The mistresses would always piss off my sister."
"But she sounded so sure of it!"
"Gretta was one of the few that my parents wanted us together since the beginning. And it's heartless I know, that I didn't take into consideration of the witch's lives either. But they weren't cut from the same cloth, not like you and I are." A small smile began to trickle her frown away, and thus he offered out a hand to reach her.

And with no sense of denial, he had allowed himself the opportunity to come closer, pulling her into the embrace she needed and craved.

But he felt the same in wanting that intimate touch.

His heart began to break as Rhea had started to shake in his hold, he hadn't been prepared which left her even more distraught. Greta not knowing of his wedding had meant that those that were invited had simply left it out of the gossip circle.

Which was a grand idea, but now there would no doubt be a bit of animosity to those that were invited to those that weren't.

"How about we go back to reading—I'll read the book you left downstairs while you enjoy a bit of tea." He said, his voice so kindly pairing with the way he ran his hand up and down her back.

"Please love, it hurts to see you cry."

"She was right!" She mumbled into his chest, but he had no doubt caught what she proclaimed. However, she hadn't realized she spoke out loud until Alphard had questioned her.

"N-nothing...It's nothing."
"Who is 'she'?" Rhea shook her head and turned to move away, but his firmness remained as he leaned down. "Rhea?"
"...No." She said with a rather grumpy look, though the conflicting nature of her inner turmoil was gaining by the minute. "Rhea, did your mother say something?" It earned him a shake of her head, but the frantic thing she had done caused him to reconsider his question.

"You asked about mistresses...But surely that didn't come from your own wondering without being prompted. It was my sister, wasn't it?" Rhea's eyes widened had how he managed to piece together absolutely nothing into the correct answer.

"What did my wonderful sister have to say?" His question caused Rhea to plant her forehead back into his chest and he hummed once more, only to pull away and push his own forehead into hers. "Rhea, must I get on my hands and knees for you to tell me?"

"No, I don't want to talk about it. Please Alphard, it's awful!" She claimed, the vile words coming in as though they were being repeated. But in order to expel it from her mind, he needed to relay anything false from Walburga's taunts.

"For starters, my sister is a snake. And I mean that in the record of her being a Slytherin and the way she handles society. I won't lie, she was very against our marriage love. But in the hierarchy, you've outranked her. Nobody has managed to do that throughout her life and she's taken back. Now tell me what she's said or I'll have to eat the new shipment of chocolate frogs." Rhea gasped.

"You don't even like them!"

"Besides the point, I'll suffer through it. My sister is vicious and I'll be damned if she scares you." "She didn't scare me...Can I tell you tomorrow, I feel like I have a head rush after all that." He blinked, realizing that Greta did leave his wife shaken up and he nodded.

Pulling her back into his side he escorted her back to where their evening had taken an abrupt turn, and after ordering an elf to make them a bit of tea and the chocolate frogs, it wasn't long until Rhea had fallen asleep to her husband's voice reading through The Great Gatsby.

She hadn't read the book since it was the one she had read the night of her unexpected courtship.

She couldn't pick up the book if she tried, but now Alphard had expelled her worries for the moment and would do the same tomorrow as he kissed her temple in a sense of a promise.

Alphard's little wife was easily moveable, and held onto his body tightly as he moved across the house and placed her delicately into the bed. He whispered that he was going to take a quick shower, and much like the previous nights she mumbled in response.

Yet within the five minutes away, Rhea had shifted onto his side and encased his pillow in her arms and snuggled as close as she could. He smiled down and stood in wonder on how he would join her.

In taking the opposite side, the way Rhea had sought him out so easily escalated his beating heart. Rhea asleep was much more confident than when awake, as she managed her way onto his chest entirely. "Love you." He hadn't lied when he told her about her speaking in her sleep.

"I wish you'd tell me about what Walburga said."

"Walburga doesn't like me." Her airy breath confirmed that she was indeed away, yet when asked once more there had been a long pause.

Perhaps he wouldn't get an answer tonight.

"Told me to get pregnant...And quick to keep you." And that had kept Alphard Pollux Black awake for the entire night in sheer frustration. If it wasn't for her body pinning him from leaving, he would be owling Walburga the moment he had been told.

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Date Posted: 10/28/2021

Time: 1:01 AM

Words:  4565

I need to find myself my own Alphard Black🥺🥰