She could hear Eli's voice but that was too far and distance. It didn't sound he was laying on the floor right next to her at all, nor did it sound like it was his hands that were was admiring right now, or rather the enticement on his hands.
She couldn't even make out what he was saying, neither did it sound important enough for her to try and figure it out what it was.
Her priorities switched and right now, this beautiful art in front of her held her undivided attention.
A consuming urge to delve into this temptation took over her, it wrestled against her sense of control and gave it a lasting beating.
To her, all that seemed to matter was exploring this new art.
Exploration was holding his hand, touching him, tracing those webs with her fingers and finding out how exactly connected each of them was, finding out the beginning and the end of the longest of them.
Her crave was allowing herself to fall into this spell, one that was quickly pulling her under.
At last.
A surrender.
Complete and total surrender.
Holding her breath, she stretched a finger to it, waiting for the alluring sensation that, although not promised, she was somehow sure it would bring to her.
Her finger had not come in contact with his hand though, the hand was moving away, at least that was what it seemed to her slow captivated mind.
The movement was too slow though, not fast enough to deter her at all, so she stretched her finger further and pressed it against his skin, finally touching the web that fascinated her the most.
The sensation never came but the consequences was immediate. It felt like a needle had poked her skin, and venom had seeped right through it.
Belladonna gritted her teeth, all the allurement vanishing, like a veil that was suddenly lifted up off face, wiped away too quickly for her to adjust to reality, as her breathing came out laboured.
Her struggles to keep breathing just beginning.
"Do not touch it." The faint whisper of Eli's voice felt so foreign.
So that was what he had been saying.
It felt hard to move her neck and her tongue tasted bitter, like some tiny ropes had formed in it and was now dissolving into a pungent taste.
So foul.
Her neck hurt.
Everywhere hurt.
It felt like she had only seconds to live.
Whatever that thing had done to her, it was travelling through her body fast.
Was that it?
She would die?
Right here?
Would her presence be absolutely useless?
So she would not be able to safe herself not safe him?
She fought against it, a fight she knew without a doubt that she was massively losing.
She tore some part of her gown's lining fabric, and wrapped it around his hand as carefully as she could.
With the aid of the light from the fallen torch some distance away, she could see the webs forming on her own hands, fading away and reappearing again, it was light too, like an imprint on her skin instead of it's entire being, like Eli's.
She ignored it, fighting against the angony she was passing through.
Not now.
She didn't have time for that right now.
She starting dragging Eli out of den as much as she could, right after she had finished up with wrapping his hands.
As little as that had seemed, it had required quite a lot of strength.
Right now, she wasn't making much progress, the fact that Eli was bigger than her slowed down her progress but her own weak was a major play in her failing attempt. As she walked, she fell. It felt like she had no control of her legs anymore and that they were not strong enough to hold her up.
She screamed, shouted as loud as she could in frustration, when she fell again.
Eli's breathing was faint.
She nedded to save him!
If only Lady Kestra was here, maybe there was something she would have done
Maybe she should have gone to meet Lady Kestra first before coming here.
Stupid!
She should have gone to her. She would have helped.
Belladonna tried to stand again but this time around, her body didn't make it up at all, she remained on the flour, Eli's light breathing slowly seeming to fade into nothing.
"Please, by everything in Ignas, stay with me." She whispered.
The sound of sword being drawn some distance from the den's entrance and a stumbling pair of boots as some people made it into the den, echoed lightly to her.
Someone was sobbing.
Immediately, another sword was drawn.
"Please, help him." She had said too quickly, before the thought of these people being the ones that were after her life paid her thinking a visit.
She bit her lips.
Still.
Maybe if she begged enough they would take only her life and help their King. She was the one they didn't like after all. It was nothing of doubt that the people in the Capital loved their King.
"Help the King."
"Lady Bell." The person finally made it into the light and his shoulders slumped slightly in relief as he got into action, tucking his sword away to help her. Behind him was Seb, he still didn't have a shirt on and he was the one who had been sobbing.
Anok's anger at the Bride's stupidy that shined through her actions was obvious, but he knew his place, yet his eyes spoke all about what his mouth couldn't say.
Seb's eyes was also filled with relief but not at seeing them, it was at seeing what was behind them.
The fallen dragon.
His lips broke into a wide smile, a contrast against with his wet ways.
"Get down here, Seb! We need to get the Bride out of here before the dragon comes back," Anok said, as he moved this hands around her to help her escape the den, but she was refusing, saying something about him saving the King instead.
"The beast has fallen." Seb declared.
Anok looked back and his relief seemed to have increased. He stared at her in puzzlement but he would ask questions later.
"We need to take you out of here."
"No. The King."
His eyes was hard with a sense of duty but sad with defeat.
"I cannot help the dead."
"Yes, I know." She fought the pain of the web and with a smile, she added, "but he breathes."