"Isn't your loyalty enough payment to him? I appreciate that big brother, but how can you not see that something is wrong?"
"I don't go around digging where I don't belong."
Kenji tsked, "and that is the thing with you. You lack adventure spirit."
"Your adventure spirit almost got you killed."
Kenji laughed like that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
"Who can kill me you when I have you?
"Me." He answered too quickly, way too quickly.
"Haha." Kenji rolled his eyes, letting out a small chuckle as he did so. "Your jokes are not funny." Then he paused, looking back at Nadia and Seb that were by the window. Deb was bowing slightly, most likely to his brother but Nadia was looking away, her body visibly still.
He looked away, then back at Anok.
"I heard you volunteered to accompany Nadia to see her grandma."
Anok frowned.
Yes, he did, but not because he wanted to.
He wasn't a part of his brother's friend circle, and he didn't know her on her personal level, so why would he willing volunteer for such a thing?
When Nadia had told Lady Bell that she wanted to see her grandma, the Lady had been very worried, considering the fact that Nadia still hadn't overcome her fainting yet.
She was always passing out.
The moment Lady Bell had turned to him, he volunteered to go with her.
It was a relief to hear her stop worrying. Now he actually had to go and he wasn't excited about it, but duty was duty.
He felt Kenji slid a small red umbrella under his arm and he stiffened.
"Nadia is waiting. Use the umbrella to protect both of you from the sun, or just give it to her, anyone." Then he moved closer and whispered. "You know she likes you."
Anok's frown deepened.
He was saying nonsense again. His brother was always saying nonsense.
Did he never get tired?!
"Ehmm, guys over here!" Seb's shout interrupted them. "Nadia just fainted!"
Not again.
____
Eli said he had a surprise for her tonight and as Belladonna stared back at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder what the surprise would be.
He said they would be going out of the castle. He also told her they had been to where he was going to take her before, but something special was going to happen.
She kept thinking and thinking but she couldn't figure out the place he was referring to. It was like she had forgotten or something.
"Ouch." Slight pain crossed through her from how hard Nadia pulled the comb through her curly hair.
"Sorry. I'm so sorry, my Lady." She apologized, a little jittery.
Lady Kestra would have been the one to help her with her hair as she mostly did, but Lady Kestra had been very scarce these days. Belladonna could not deny the feeling of ease that came with it though, it was as though her absence felt right, which was strange.
She had no problems with Lady Kestra.
Maybe she would drop by her room after tonight and ask about her well-being. She should have done that since but her work had been keeping her busy and when her work wasn't keeping her busy, then it was Eli.
There just wasn't any free time.
"Are you hurt, My Lady? Are you fine? Are you---"
Belladonna stopped her there.
In trying to ensure she was alright, she was moving her head around, and Belladonna was starting to get dizzy from that.
"Yes," she laughed. "I'm alright."
Nadia breathed out in relief and continued to style her hair as they both fell into silence.
Nadia had been so happy when she came back from visiting her grandma. She had also volunteered to help Belladonna with her hair, saying she had a mind-blowing style in mind.
Right now, things weren't looking so mind-blowing. It was easy to tell that she was distracted.
"If someone gives you an umbrella, does that mean that the person likes you?" The question had came out of the blue and it took Belladonna a moment to realize that question had come from Nadia and it was hers to answer.
Nadia held her breath and waited for an answer, then it finally came.
"Maybe he is just being nice."
No.
Wrong answer.
When she told her grandmother, she had clapped and giggled, and confirmed that it was indeed an act of utmost affection.
She just needed one more validation, she had decided to get it from Lady Belladonna and here she was, not giving it to her.
Why did the world have to be so cruel?
"But it was his only umbrella." She pushed, "and the sun was really hot. It was really hot."
Belladonna sighed.
She was no expert at this.
"Maybe you should just ask him if he likes you."
"I can't do that." Nadia blurted out, then she added quickly. "Besides it is not me. I was asking for a friend."
Belladonna nodded along, her mind preoccupied with something else, not concerned about if that was the truth or a lie.
"Then tell your friend to ask him. I guess it is better that way."
Nadia nodded reluctantly, then her face brightened up.
"Granny was very happy when I told her that I'm friends with the Bride."
Friends?
Belladonna liked that.
"She asked me to give you this necklace."
It was beautiful, decorated with silver gems.
"She couldn't come out when the King brought you to the Market Square, she had packed the gift for you since then."
"Thank you so much." Belladonna expressed her gratitude, sincerely touched.
When Nadia wanted to put it around her neck, she stopped her.
She already had a necklace on, the pendant of which wasn't very attractive, and the use, one that was slowly starting to seem insignificant to her.
Soon, the Red Moon would come and she would be able to get rid of it.
Nadia did end up making her a mind-blowing style. It almost looked like something Lady Kestra was incapable of even if she tried.
After that, they said goodnight and parted ways.
Belladonna left her former room and went up to Eli's room. She picked up the book they had been reading together and continued it.
She waited and waited for Eli to come, waited into the dead of the night, but Eli still wasn't back yet.
Even when she fell asleep, Eli was still nowhere to be found.