There was no place to hide. She watched in horror as the door swung open and Eli bolted in, heading straight for her.
"Donna, I---" he paused instantly, his gaze moving from her sleeping figure on the chair and the one kneeling by her side.
He didn't need to take his mask off, but she knew that look that flashed in his brown eyes. He had never looked at her like that before.
"E---" she started to say, rambling for words to explain the situation, but he drew his sword and the blade felt like a threatening presence at the base of her neck.
"Step away from her."
What?!
Did he not recognize her?
"Step away this instant or I shall slit your throat!"
The threat in his voice was as clear as day.
He would do it.
Just a little tilt forward and her head would be gone.
It would be clean too. Severed.
He stared at her like she was a complete stranger, like he had never seen in his entire life, like she was putting his entire being at risk and he would do anything to save it from her.
Like she was dangerous.
He didn't recognize her. At all.
The Bride Thief hadn't warned her of this when he laid down the rules.
Was he just being wicked or did he not actually know that the people that would meet her like this would not/recognize her?
She wasn't sure yet, she couldn't outrightly blame him.
He didn't even know he was invisible until some time ago.
Maybe he didn't know this one too.
Well, maybe this was a good thing.
Maybe Eli not recognizing her was a good thing, but something told her her luck would not last for long if she didn't get out of here as soon as possible. If he woke her up, which she believed he would do very soon, and she didn't respond, there would certainly be trouble.
Once again, what was keeping Alaris so long?! Why wasn't he taking her back already?!
Her legs moved on their own volition, slowly out of Eli's way as her hands raised up in a surrender.
He had gotten to her sleeping figure in a flash and just as quickly, he had carried her sleeping self up in his arms.
The look in his eyes changed anytime he looked down at her, even if his glances were only for a second.
She could see how gentle it went as he whispered her name, for her to wake up. Then she sensed the hastiness that slowly seeped into it when he called her the third time and there was no response.
Belladonna's heart skipped a beat.
She should run away, but that would be too suspicious. Besides, if she did that, he could send his sword right through her. She had seen Eli fight before, and she was nothing close to being capable of holding her ground against him in that line.
"Who are you?"
His sword was still aimed at her.
Belladonna gulped, looking from her sleeping self, then up at Eli. He hid his suspicion well, but she knew him too well.
Wake up, Belladonna!
For everything good and right in Ignas, wake up, you annoying, sleeping woman!
Never had she been so mad at herself as she was right now. So mad for something she knew was out of her control.
"A maid." She blurted out. "I was doing something the Bride asked for, for me, for her." She took in a shaky breath. That wasn't smooth, but there was only so much thinking she could do at the moment. "I was following the Bride's orders regarding something."
He squinted his gaze at her, moving her sleeping figure in his hands carefully.
He handled her with so much care, as if he was scared if he moved too much, she would break.
Her emotions were thrown into a conflicting mess again. This Eli looked nothing like someone with bad intentions, looked nothing like someone who hoarded coffins, looked nothing like someone who needed her for selfish and ulterior motives.
Instead, he looked like he loved her.
They were the only ones in this room, and with her asleep, he didn't have any need to pretend.
It soothed a part of her heart that the small building of doubt in her was killed at that moment.
Eli did love her, it wasn't just an act.
"Guards!"
What?!
"It didn't take too long for the guards to come rushing in.
"Seize her."
Hands grabbed her, tight and holding her hostage.
"I'm a maid in Castle!" Her voice trembled. Right now, he was treating her like a threat and she was quickly starting to feel the pressure of being on this other side of him. She always wondered why people feared him, consistently forgetting that the extent of sweetness he showed her was something he didn't show others.
Now, she would never forget.
Her pleas fell on deaf ears and she screamed even louder to be heard.
"I swear by Ignas I didn't do anything to the Bride! I would never! I love her! We all love her!"
It was very strange to be in this position but if she didn't try hard enough, it was looking like she would be losing her life soon.
"You did something to her. How could I let this happen? How could I--- Donna. Oh, Donna, please."
He sucked in a shaky breath.
"Call the Physician!"
Some guards rushed out.
"Now!"
More went out in a frantic search.
"She is not waking up." He gritted, pulling her sleeping self further to him. "She is cold. She is so cold. Where is the Physician?!"
His hands were starting to tremble now, it was a slight but Belladonna could observe it, just as she had observed the unmistakable fear in his voice.
Her heart felt torn to shreds seeing him like this.
The Physician rushed in shortly after and she wished with everything in her that he would find a way around this.
It was best for everyone at this point if she just woke up already.
A guard stepped in shortly after, with Collin and another woman.
The man looked like a shadow of himself. He gave her an intense glance, just like the woman by his side. They both shook their heads.
"She is not a maid. She doesn't work in the Castle, Your Majesty." The woman said.
"I have never seen her before, Your Majesty," Collin added.
Then, they were excused.
Belladonna blinked, watching as a deadly intent flashed through Eli's ever-affectionate eyes.
Oh, no.
Her excuse of being a maid was gone.
This was getting more complicated.
ALARIS!