Belladonna took in a deep breath as she toyed with the ring on her finger. Her gaze was fixed on the Blood Moon that stood rigid in the night sky.
She could feel an odd sense of responsibility on her shoulders, as she slipped the twig - the prepared weapon, into her long, white chiffon dress. The gown that was planned for the grand wedding was more elaborate than this. Far more, she couldn't wait to wear it.
That would be taking place in a week though. Tonight, however, was for the wedding ritual.
Tonight was to break curses and find out hidden secrets.
Tonight was for killing.
She turned away from the window and went to the mirror, her face had been moderately dolled up. Something about that reminded her of how her mother had dressed her for the Choosing Ritual. She was probably dead now.
Good.
Belladonna traced a finger across a line of the henna Eli had taken his time to tattoo on her head again.
He was certainly already down there, waiting for her. She should get going too. There were guards at the door, ready to guide her down to the hall.
In fact, she should already be there already, but she could feel knots tightening in her stomach, and her breathing picked up the pace as nervousness ran through her veins.
There was a knock, and she went rigid with tension.
It was time.
She had to leave now.
Right now!
Her heart was hammering in her chest, her hands trembling by her sides as she tried to steady her breathing. Her legs felt heavy as she headed towards the door, but it swung open just before she could reach it.
A woman slipped in, her red curly hair catching Belladonna's attention first, as she turned around to click the door shut behind her.
Belladonna took a step back, puzzled at who this was, and ready to attack and call for help if need be. It was a shame she wasn't good at combat though.
"Who are---"
"Lady Belladonna!" The woman declared, her eyes glimmering with happiness as she ran to her and pulled her into an embrace.
Belladonna's brows furrowed in confusion, her lips inching upwards in an instinctive smile.
"Nadia?"
"By Ignas," Nadia declared excitedly, pulling away. "I have been dying to see you, Milady. You look so beautiful and that henna? Gorgeous!" She ended in a sing-song tone.
A chuckle slipped past Belladonna's lips as she felt a bit of ease wash over her from a sense of familiarity.
It felt nice to have someone to talk to besides Eli but this wasn't the right time. Also, why was Nadia just showing up now?
"Collin said you went to your Grandma because of what you did to Lady Kestra? Is that true?"
Nadia giggled shyly, her gaze passing over Belladonna's fingers and stopping slightly when she observed her ring. Then she looked up at her, with a gentle smile and a nonchalant shrug.
"I have no regrets. Come here Lady Belladonna, we have no time, the King is waiting for you." She was leading her back to the chair, enthusiastically. "My grandmother sent me to give you a gift."
Nadia was talking too fast.
Too happy.
Too strange.
Belladonna felt cold run down her spine.
Something was wrong.
There were a lot of things surrounding Nadia's sudden disappearance, and Belladonna felt that Nadia just wasn't being truthful with her right now.
She was hiding something.
Nadia had been gone for a while and now she was suddenly back, on the day of her Wedding ritual? With a gift from her Grandmother? The same grandmother who had helped her with the ingredients.
"What?" Nadia brushed her hands over her red hair, the silver roots only noticeable to someone paying a lot of attention. "Is everything alright, Lady Belladonna?"
"What did your grandmother tell you to give---" Belladonna paused, a realization hitting her out of nowhere.
Did she just call her Lady Belladonna?
Wait.
Belladonna suddenly felt observant about everything, about the gentle swaying of the candlelight, the unstable shadows caused by the dancing of the small golden fire, the warmth of the room and the slight chill, the red glow that seeped in through the window, and back at Nadia and every movement she made.
Wait....
...wait...
...wait...
There!
Belladonna's slanted eyes focused on Nadia's own.
If there was anything she had learnt from Alaris, it was that the eyes were always important to tell who was who.
This wasn't Nadia.
This was a stranger!
It was definitely not Alaris, those weren't his eyes. Besides, Alaris was frozen away in Thanatou's Realm. No difference to being dead.
Also, Alrais always called her Nightshade.
This was definitely a witch, whose intention, Belladonna greatly questioned.
This person had definitely done something to Nadia, and was now using her image.
Belladonna took a firm step back, her eyes doing a quick scan of the room in search of any weapon, and deciding that the only wise thing was for her to bolt out through the door while screaming for help.
"You are right. The King is waiting for me," she said in haste and with a deceitful smile, trying her best to sound excited as she dashed to the door. "I'm so happy to see you, we'll talk once I'm back. You'll tell me everything! Also, keep that gift safe for me!"
The woman frowned, pulling her away before she could reach the door.
Belladonna staggered backwards, her suspicion confirmed. She slammed her comb against the dressing mirror, taking a broken piece that fell to the table to defend herself, as a scream for help ripped through her throat.
"They won't come, they have been properly distracted." The woman moved towards her, her eyes zeroing on the ring on Belladonna's finger, which was now stained with blood from how tight she was holding the broken piece of glass.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Belladonna couldn't help but blame herself, she should have noticed something was wrong right from the start. After everything she had gone through, she should have been wiser, and more observant.
Stupid!
She yelled at herself in her head, while she struggled to find a way to escape.
By Ignas, where was Eli? Why hasn't he come for her yet?
"Who are you? What do you want?!" The words tumbled over one another.
By Ignas, this had better not be the Nahiri, here to get rid of her before the Soul Witch's ritual. That was something Belladonna had been really avoiding. She was the last sacrifice after all.
The woman took a step forward, halting abruptly when Belladonna asked her if she was the Nahiri.
"I knew coming here was the right choice. You don't even know who you are." She was changing, turning into someone else, someone Belladonna had never seen before. "Well, you can call me Granny."
It happened fast, the woman raced past her and Belladonna struck the wind.
Then she went still, blood gushing from her slitted throat, running down her white gown and staining it. The glass in her grip, slipped right out of her hand and smashed against the ground. Her hands shot to her throat instead, her attempt to stop the blood and remain alive, futile.
She slipped to the floor, sucking in her final strangle breath.
Granny went on her knelt, observing her till the light of life disappeared from her eyes and she was fully convinced that the Bride was dead.
After that, she stepped over her body, and went out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Things wouldn't have gotten so messy, if that ring wasn't on her finger and repulsing her magic.
Anyway, now that the last sacrifice was down, it was time for her to go after the witch.
There would be chaos soon after they discover the Bride was dead, that would be the right time to strike.
When everyone was distracted.