Eli turned swiftly to the door of the hall, someone had slipped in at that moment but that person wasn't the one he was waiting for.
It was a redhead.
Forget this! He was done waiting, he would go and get her now.
If Kestra hadn't gone on and on about how seeing her before the ritual wasn't going to destroy things, he would have gone to get her way before now. He did send guards to her though, and Sebastian had said she was fine, but just a little nervous.
He was starting to feel that something was wrong other than just nerves, but he had been having that feeling for a while that he couldn't really trust it now.
Being paranoid had been his major trait ever since those nightmares started troubling him. He had even ensured the castle was well-guarded for tonight. It was as if he was prepared to fight against an invasion while also attacking an enemy.
What enemy? He couldn't know.
Before coming down here for the Wedding Ritual, he had checked the dragon to confirm that it was still frozen in stone. Yet, this feeling was something he couldn't shake off.
Maybe he was slowly going crazy.
Maybe it was the Moon.
"You can't go Your Majesty." That was Kestra.
It was always Kestra.
He couldn't wait for this to be over so they could part ways for good and forever.
How did they even get along all these years? He didn't know. He couldn't tell, even right now, he couldn't understand how he had done it.
It felt unnatural.
"Get out of my way."
"Your Majesty." Her silver eyes stared at him blankly, her brows furrowed in worry about the consequences of his disruptive action. "It will go against the ritua--"
"I do not care." He shoved her aside with a hand, his staff clicking against the floor, while the guards parted for him, as he headed hurriedly to the door.
Why was the door so far?!
This was so annoying!
What was keeping her?
She was supposed to be here. Maybe it was nerves.
He had to see her.
Argh, why had he waited this long?!
By Ignas, this was so stupid!
Granny watched from the crowd of warriors, she knew what was going to happen, but she would prefer the chaos to happen as fast as possible.
She needed the distracted focus and hurried unorganized movements to get to the Soul Witch. The dagger she had used on the Nahiri was pressed firmly against her thigh. The presence of the weapon assured her that if the magic wouldn't work, then the blade would do the trick.
Just as it had done for the Nahiri.
The door was thrown open before the King would even get there, and Granny smiled, her focus on Kestra who was just some steps behind the King.
It was happening!
A screaming maid burst right through the gigantic doors, panting. Her eyes were filled with fear that even her tears couldn't wash away.
She looked like she had seen a ghost.
Pale.
"Your Majesty!" She screamed. "The--the----your Maje---the."
Eli's gaze hardened beneath his mask, something burning in his veins. His heart already feeling heavy from the unknown.
Using the distraction, Granny moved through the crowd undetected. Her hand slipped into her gown to grip the dagger, her gaze focused on the unsuspecting Kestra, who was just as engrossed with the unfolding chaos as everyone else.
"Blo---od. Blo--od every--whe--re. Blood, so much blood." The trembling words of the maid filled the hall.
Some warriors passed by Granny, bursting out of the door of the hall to curtail whatever attack it was that had come upon them. She paused in her tracks for only a moment after they were gone, before she resumed her stalking of the Soul witch, like a prey.
Closer.
Closer still.
Things seemed a little slow to her but she knew it was all happening in seconds.
"Speak!" The voice of the King thundered, as she slipped past him, almost stilling her to a stop. But she had a mission and she was focused, so she continued.
There!
She was close enough now, and when she would walk past Kestra soon, everything would be over.
"THE BRIDE IS DEAD!
Chaos. Mumblings. Distractions.
Perfect.
Granny's hand tightened around the dagger, as she charged, ready to strike.
Eli's world fell silent, heaviness washed over him like a bucket of cold water.
There was no way he would believe that.
His Donna couldn't be dead.
He had to see it for himself. The blood on the trembling hands of the maid in front of him wasn't convincing, and neither was the scent of his Donna that clung to her, enough proof.
He had to see it for himself.
His heart was racing, his breath harsh, as he bolted through the door. He cursed how far off the exit was, cursing his own weakness even more.
Everything was happening so fast, yet so slowly.
"What did you say?" He could hear Kestra questioning the maid some distance behind him.
"She's is dead. The Bride is dead!"
"Dead?"
Eli went still, his gaze fixed on the direction where the voice came from.
Granny froze, her attention moved to the entrance of the hall, just like everybody else.
No. That,---- that was---
---that was impossible!
No way!
"I am not dead."
That was true.
His Donna looked very alive, her black gown glimmering under the red glow of the moon that made its way into the hall through the cut-out ceiling. Her blue eyes brimming with life.
"My love," he was standing in front of her, cupping her face inbetween his palms, as he studied every part of it through intense gaze. "Are you alright?"
She smiled, gentle and content.
"Eli." Her hand moved over his, and he took comfort in the fact that after the ritual was over, he would be able to feel the warmth of her hand against his, and his days of wearing this glove would be over.
It felt reassuring that she still had the ring he had given to her.
It didn't have a crack on it.
"I have never been better."
Then she looked away from him, at the podium where the moon's crimson color was glowing upon.
Without saying a word, she stepped away from Eli and started walking towards the podium.
Eli didn't take his eyes off her. He studied the way she walked, as her gown swept the floor behind her. She was walking quite alright, in fact, there seemed to be nothing wrong with her.
Except she was supposed to be wearing a white gown. But his Donna had always been one to favour black. Just as she had done on the day he has crowned her his bride.
So, why had the maid raised a false alarm?
Maybe the Alterer was already affecting their minds negatively, making them see things.
Or maybe it was just the Moon.
He couldn't wait for this to be over. For everyone to be free. He owned them that much.
"Gho--st, ghos--" the maid who had raised the alarm earlier, started to say, before Sebastian knocked her to sleep and took her away.
Belladoma turned, tilting her head towards the podium.
He nodded and went along with her, holding her hand till they got to the podium.
Then, it began.