It was a long black leather whip splited into eight pieces.
It swept through the air and landed on her back. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as she tumbled to the floor, her long black curly hair scattered to the sides of her face.
She immediately curled up on the floor, her folded arms protecting her face.
She knew how this went. This wasn't the first time, nor the second or third. She couldn't even count how many times her mother had done this to her and she knew this wouldn't be the last.
Isa swung the whip, striking it countlessly against her, on her back, her hands, anywhere it landed on.
She was breathing heavily and although her hands were arching her from how long she had been flogging her daughter, she was blinded by so much anger that she just couldn't stop.
"H-how-- dare you?!"
The beating continued, then Belladonna heard her dress ripping from how much the beating was, the whip cutting into her flesh and blood seeping out of the long cuts.
She bit her lips till she tasted blood and the metallic smell filled her nostrils. She refused to beg because she knew that mercy wouldn't be granted.
So she took it all, till all she could see were black dots as different memories of all the times that her mother had ever whipped her in her life flowed through her brain.
Right from the earliest moment she could remember, her sixth birthday when Isa had almost flogged her to death because she had broken a dish.
She could feel life seep out of her slowly but Belladonna didn't fight it.
Wouldn't it be absolutely great if it all just ended right here?
By the time Isa was done, it wasn't only Belladonna's heart that felt numb but her body too.
And since fate was so cruel, her breath hadn't ceased.
Her mother crouched behind her, rolling the whip around her fist. When she spoke, she sounded really out of breath.
"How dare you make my baby feel bad?! She has done nothing wrong, she just took what she deserved. Why should you be the saved one? She should be!"
Then she stood up and stomped her low, slightly pointed heel, down on Belladonna's right thigh, the tent gown she wore doing nothing to minimize the damage. "You even hit her! How dare you?! You useless child! You poison! You piece of garbage!"
With her heel still digging into one side of Belladonna's thigh, she yelled towards the door.
"Bring it in!"
Jasper ran into the room, a box in his hands. He stretched it towards Isa who hissed in annoyance. So, he quickly opened the box and brought out a dress from it.
She signalled to the bed. He ran over and laid the gown there. Isa signalled to him once again and he left the room.
She crouched behind her once again, speaking in harsh breathy whispers.
"Aniya really wants you at that wedding and you will be sure to make it. When she sees you, she will know that you have forgiven her and she will stop feeling bad. Be happy that she values you, if not..." Her voice trailed off as she issued out the silent threat.
Belladonna didn't move, she stayed curled up. She was used to this.
"You will wear the gown on your bed and be at the wedding on time, except you want me to strangle you with my bare hands before sending you off to your death."
With that she stood up and walked to the door, tucking the whip away underneath her cotton grey knee-length gown.
With her hand on the doorknob, she turned back to Belladonna who still laid curled up on the floor. "If Aniya should shed one more tear on your matter, by Ignas, Bell, if the Dragon King isn't the one to kill you, then I will kill you myself!"
She left, slamming the door loudly behind her.
Belladonna listened to each of the hurried and angry step her mother took till she could hear it no more. Then she waited for a few more seconds, listening to make sure her mother wasn't coming back.
Once she had it all confirmed, she uncurled herself slowly. With her body swollen, marked with different whip cuts and aching terribly, every move she made was painful and laborious.
Right now, her gown was greatly stained red with blood.
She stood up finally, then walked to her bed.
Although she felt numb, her body was still reacting to the pain and the beating.
With shaky hands, she picked up the gown and inspected it.
It was a green chiffon, long, A-line gown with really long sleeves.
It had originally been made for Aniya as the bride's sister but now it was hers.
Which meant that Aniya now had her dress.
***
The wedding day was finally here.
Harps, trumpets, flutes, drums and all.
The temple was filled with many people, Lytio being the Village Head's son.
Everyone that had expected the bride to be Belladonna, had been surprised to see her sister coming down to the alter in the bride's sleek white voluminous dress.
They mumbled to one other but no one questioned any of the Village Heads or Belladonna's family about this change. It wasn't there place to. Although, the villagers knew that something had obviously gone very wrong.
Belladonna was in front seat of the crowd, along with her parents.
Aniya, who was now on the alter, turned and saw her. She smiled broadly but Belladonna did not smile back. She watched how the gown she had put so much effort in coming up with, had been fixed to be Aniya's perfect size.
Aniya was so much smaller and less curvier than her, Belladonna couldn't even fit properly into the gown she was given. She couldn't even zip it all the way up but she wore it like that. If it wasn't long with really long sleeves, the cuts she had received from yesterday's beating would have been out for all to see.
Good thing it was though, Belladonna didn't want to have to go out of her way to cover it up in fear of her mother.
When it was time for the couples to exchange their vows while they held hands, Lytio glanced quickly at her every now and then, but Belladonna did not return his gaze.
Soon, the wedding was over and it was time for everyone to go home.
Aniya rushed over to Belladonna and hugged her, thanking her for showing up at the wedding and telling her how sad she had been that she had been mad at her yesterday.
"But you forgive me now because if you hadn't, you wouldn't be here. I am so happy."
Belladonna didn't say a word, she only nodded and stepped away.
Aniya twirled in front of her. "How do you like my gown?"
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Isa stepped in.
"Of course." She replied flatly.
"Thank you for your understanding." Lytio also joined in and held her hand in appreciation.
She quickly pulled away and looked up at him. His parents were behind him, in fact, her father was also here too.
"Of course, I am very understanding."
"And thank you for not making a scene." The Village Head, a tall lean man with a golden band on his head, said.
"We've worked so hard for our reputation. You are a good person for not soiling it." The Village Head's wife, an equally lean woman with a golden band around her head added.
Lytio and his parents were so alike.
They had the same fair complexion, were almost the same height, equally slim, same chestnut eyes.
The little differences were that his and his father's hair were golden, while his mother's was brown.
Unlike his father, Lytio had no beards.
Belladonna had always wondered how someone that hairy had no beards.
Also, Lytio always smelt like fish because of his work. She had gotten used to it overtime but right now, she could smell it again, it was just a whiff but it was there.
Before she used to think it was heavenly but not anymore. Right now, Lytio just smelt like a fish and a betrayer. She couldn't tell what a betrayer smelt like but she was certain that it would definitely be Lytio's smell.
She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
They all smelt like betrayers.
"Of course, I am. I am a really good person. If you will excuse me."
Just like like, she excused herself.
While she walked out of the temple, she realized that Lytio had tucked a piece of paper into her hand while he held her earlier.
She pulled it opened to see that he had written in it a message.