Eli wasn't supposed to be asking her. Her words were corrupted, her mind had already been swayed by the Bride Thief's manipulation for too long a time, yet he couldn't help but ask.
She didn't say a word,
Why speak anyways? It wasn't like he would believe her.
Besides, the memory of what had happened earlier when she had tried to explain herself, was still fresh in her memory. If she were to speak, what would he do next?
Kill her?
By Ignas, the horror!
She told herself it was because of Kestra's manipulation that had gotten to him, and when she would finally kill Kestra, this would finally all be over. Belladonna's focus was on how she would be able to get Thanatou's Sunflower tonight.
The Blood Moon was still a problem but she would worry about that later.
When Belladonna felt his finger slide underneath her chin, she froze, till she was looking right at him. The dim light of the room giving an illusion of his scales glowing, the sadness swindling in his brown eyes, along with the tears that welled up in them.
It consumed her with hurt.
This wasn't how this was supposed to happen.
She was supposed to expose Kestra's wicked deeds, get rid of the witch and have Eli be proud of her, not whatever this was.
This wasn't supposed to happen!
Anger boiled in her veins, it hurt even more that she had no one to unleash it upon.
"Did you ever truly love me?"
She nodded, the fact that he had to even ask that made her heart sink.
Eli smiled sadly, moving his hand from her chin to her play with her curls instead.
Eli was sure that the Bride Thief had been the one to manipulate her to wear a scarf, to begin with.
A protective style? That had been so abrupt and depriving!
His brows furrowed and his fingers slipped out from her hair, his mind contemplating different reasons why the Bride Thief had told her to do that.
Or had he... No, that wouldn't make sense.
He shrugged off the thought, picked up the spoon instead, and continued feeding her.
"Kestra will be here tomorrow night, if she encounters no delay during her journey." He said in a bid to offer some reassurance and comfort for both of them, but his words brought none of that for Belladonna. "She will help cleanse you of the evil magic the Bride Thief has upon you."
No.
Belladonna knew the witch would be doing something else. Eli didn't know that though. She really had to think of a way to get out of this situation, a way that didn't involve talking, at all.
If only he could just listen to her.
But he wouldn't.
He had made that clear.
"For now, this room will help you, I will be right here by your side. You will not do this alone, I promise."
Belladonna didn't know to feel about that.
The room was definitely the "Special room" and she certainly couldn't have her last dream in here, if the magic this room had wasn't going to jeopardize that, Eli's presence definitely would.
"I am so sorry," Eli pushed the tray aside, now that she was done with the food. "I will have to secure you again,"
Secure?
Chain her down?
Again?!
This was insane!
"...so that the Bride Thief will not order you to do something dangerous to yourself or manipulate you any further."
When she looked away from him in anger, he cupped her face in his palms and pressed his temple against hers.
"I do this for you."
Belladonna couldn't believe her ears nor her luck when Eli's "curse" struck again.
Curled on the floor, fighting through the pain, and bleeding, Belladonna had without thinking, struck the ceramic plate against his head.
Eli went limp.
Unmoving.
What had she done?
"E--li?" she called out in a breathy voice, she could barely even hear herself.
Belladonna's heart hammered with fear, her body sizzling with shock. Everything was suddenly too loud and too quiet at the same time. She quickly stepped forward confirming if he was alive.
Tears ran down her cheeks, hot and without restraint.
What was she doing? How could she have done that to him?
If he was dead, she would just lay beside himself and follow suit.
What would her life be without him in it?
He wasn't.
Thank Ignas, he wasn't.
He was however unconscious.
With her mind in disarray, Belladonna raced out of the room. There had been no guards at the door or anyone in the hallway. She didn't even know where she was going, but soon enough though, she didn't even need to know, because she appeared right where she needed to be.
Sleep slammed into her in the hallway, with urgency in the way it pulled her under.
In a flash, she was at the beach.
The sound of the waves welcomed her, the familiar cold, the sand, and Alaris' scolding voice.
"What happened? I've been trying to get to you---"
This Bride Thief and his rough timing, all the time!
The hallway! Seriously?!
"Alaris, I have to go back," the words slipped past her lips before she could even process them. "Eli. I hurt him. He is unconscious."
"I'm sure whatever you did to him in your couple's fight can't kill him--"
"He knows that I dream about you." She cut him off quickly, staring into space. "I slammed a ceramic plate on his head."
"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" He asked, his voice laced with anger mixed with worry, and unstable like he was moving around to check if she was alright.
Her fleeting feeling managed to rise to the surface again before she successfully suppressed it with the reminder that Alaris was only concerned about his freedom and she was in love with Eli.
Belladonna gulped, remembering the state Eli was in.
"He's hurt."
Alaris was quiet for only a moment.
"Sounds like we have till he wakes up to get that Sunflower then. Are you ready?"
"I---I--," she blinked, hesitating.
"He will be alright, Nightshade." He sounded close, comforting. "A little headache, yes, but he'll be fine."
She could feel his hold around her wrist, over her hand.
Gentle, like the wind.
She stiffened, before relaxing.
Feeling him wasn't something she was used to yet.
"Your precious King isn't a weak human like you," Alaris added with a teasing tone.
"Thanks, o powerful one that is in need of a weak human to be free. Your words are very comforting." She rolled her eyes, gesticulating, while surprisingly finding ease in his words.
"Anytime." Alaris chuckled softly. "So, ready?"
"Yes. Let's make this quick. I'm still laying down on the cold floor of a hallway."
Although, people hardly ever go to the floor above the King's, what if the guards that Eli had appointed to watch her comes back? Although, she hadn't seen them on her way, racing out of the Special room. Eli had said something about intending to spend the night with her, so maybe he had dismissed them.
She just really hoped everything would play in her favour.
"Relax, you worry too much."
He was holding her other wrist, she could feel it.
Him.
Well, that meant it was time to leave.
"Ah, yes! I almost forgot. People never usually return from Thanatou's realm"
Never usually return?! Belladonna's head rang bells.
What?!
"but don't worry, you are lucky, Nightshade, beca---"
"Because I have you?"
"Precisely."
He chuckled, and she imagined that he had said that with a wink. It made her smile a little, made her feel a little at ease.
Also, the sound of his laughter was really nice.