These people standing in front of her were people she had known for many years of her life, in fact, there was even an addition.A little boy of about a couple of months in her mother's arm. "When we got the invitation we were surprised." Aniya said, barely able to contain the excitement, that glimmered in those big brown eyes of hers that screamed childlike innocence. Nothing much had really changed about her except that now, she was a mother."I am surprised to see you, mother and father. I didn't know you would come." Also, she wondered where Lytio's patents were. Were they not of more importance when the invitation was concerned? Or was Lytio the Village head now?"Well we wanted to see how things were for you." The words pushed through her mother's teeth, the contempt in her eyes plained for all to see as she accessed her daughter. She was doing well, better than she had thought. Was even pronounced as Future Queen. That waste of a child must be feeling pompous in her skin. She
As Belladonna had suggested, Eli had tried to to talk to a handful of people but he could not really say if the conversation had the desired results. Most of the village Heads he had spoken to were too afraid to give a clear reply once he lingered past the normal pleasantries of asking how their villages were. It was obvious that they were petrified of him. As he had said earlier, nothing would really change until the Red Moon.Tired of working on something that was bound to fail because of its weak foundation, Eli sought Belladonna in the crowd. It was easy to find her, whenever he turned, his gaze always somehow landed on her, as if some part of him always knew where she was. She had been talking to her family. He wondered why she would still even calmly exchange pleasantries with people like that. If he had a choice, he would have let his dragon set them ablaze a long time ago. He was only a couple of steps from then when he heard the stupid words that slip out of golden boy's
Lady Kestra's grin dwindled, slightly, not observable to one that wasn't intently watching. When Belladonna took a couple of steps towards the dinning hall and noticed that Lady Kestra was still not coming along with her, she asked, "Are you not coming for dinner, Kestra?""I just have to excuse myself briefly. I will be there with you shortly.""Alright, I will be expecting you at the table. Do not let me miss you too much, please."Kestra let out a short laugh. The spell must be messing with her brain. Using forgetting spells always had an effect on her, it was strange. It always left her slightly different than she was. She would have to be careful though, the King would not be pleased at all if he were to find out, she had done something to her yet again. "I will try."They giggled. Belladonna had expected the King to have gone into the dinning hall, so it was a bit of a surprise to find him by the door, waiting for her. But best not to assume."What are you doing there?""I
The dinning hall had thrown into choas, not a physical one though, as everyone was too petrified to move but their minds had bursted into real chaos, even Aniya, whose husband had just fallen down in a fit of agony was so shaken by the sight that she couldn't move.People rushed in immediately, taking Lytio away to be taken care of.Gazes flying around, silent words being exchanged without their lips making the slightest movement, before their attention all landed on one person. "I did---" Kuftan's words were cut off by Mayti's sharp voice, and the scratching of the chair against the floor as she fell down on her knees, tears in her eyes and her hands pressed flatly on her laps. "It is true. My husband wanted me to poison the Dragon King's bride.""Mayti, what is the me---" he attempted to speak for himself but he was cut short off too soon. "Yes, you did! Because you--you wanted to use it against the Village Head of Inaymi becau---" her hands clenched on the gown, her body shaky,
"I'm sorry." She finally said but she didn't sound one bit remorseful. Instead, there was a certain eagerness in those seemly ocean eyes as her gaze zeroed on his lips before moving back to his gaze.When he freed a hand from the support system he was relaying on, permitting him for his next act of slipping his finger underneath her chin instead, her eyes rolled shut for a brief moment and he frowned. "I miss you could get rid of that glove." She muttered, before she opening her eyes, a sly and suggestive smile making it up to her face. He wasn't in the mood for her little tease game tonight, one that she seemed to very much be in the mood for. He knew how it would end, in yet again another painful rejection, leaving him hot and bothered, while she allowed the promise she had made to herself to remain and an unbreakable wall between them.Besides, he still had that maid to question.When his frown didn't vanish, she grumbled. "I already said I'm sorry. Fine. If it happens next tim
"Let me take care of this, Your Majesty." Kestra's voice snapped him right out of his train of thoughts."I will try and find out the aura she had last been in contact with and we can trace it. Hopefully, it will give us answers."Eli sighed."If you had reported this to me immediately, this would not have happened."He just couldn't figure out why she hadn't come to him with the report. This had nothing to do with just a simple dress, this was his his castle, his Kingdom even, if something was going wrong, he had the right to know and fix it immediately. "I am sorry, your Majesty.""Your apology would do nothing to make proper amends to what your lack of proper calculatuon and dispense of duty has cost us." He finally turned to her now and the rage in his eyes made her fix her gaze to the dungeon floor. The putrid smell around them made it to her nostrils, the smell of the blood in the nearest cell finding it's way into her lungs. This wasn't the kind of death she liked. "Look a
When Kestra got into the room that had been set aside for her work, along with the dungeon workers that had helped bring the body into her room, her smile dwindled, completely vanishing after she had snapped her fingers for them to leave and shut the door firmly right after.The gems that hung around different spots in the room provided her dim lights of different shades, the only thing she believed they were used for. The sharp smell of different herbs as they clashed against each other filled the air and the bubbling sound of something boiling without fire some distance across the room in a big, black clay pot added a nice ring to it. Kestra took in a deep breath. By Ignas, this place was the only one that now gave her ease and peace......and responsiblities.Reminded of the task at hand, she look at the lifeless body that was at one side of the room, on the floor. The blood on her dress and face now turning into a shade of red that seemed stale. The King had asked her to give he
It was still a surprise to Mayti, everything that had happened tonight. How she had gone from being in the dinning hall with Kuftan by her side, to the dungeon and now free in the carriage to go back home. By Ignas, it was a wonder, but still she couldn't stop the slight shakiness of her body, as it remained tensed to any possible danger that might be lurking around. She wasn't out of the woods yet.She knew. Someone knocked on her carriage window and she jumped in her skin, startled beyond doubt, before she reached for it, hesitating even as she did that, till she couldn't stop herself anymore and just finally lifted the carriage's window. It was the face she had been expecting. Basti. The Village Head of Inaymi's most trusted warrior. He was at his master beck and call, serving him like a loyal dog. That had been what Mayti used to be to Kuftan until tonight. The built, bald man, smiled at her, revealing his gap teeth under the dim moonlight. He looked young enough to be t
A pregnant woman's unwanted friends were swollen feet. Eli would usually help her massage them just as he was doing now. She was reading a book to him and he listened with rapt attention. His paintings adored the room, a piano at one corner, her sewing equipment at another corner with two studies joined to the room.He chuckled at something she read and she rolled her eyes. She had become quite irritable lately, little things would get on her nerves. It was just an interesting change to watch, especially because food was usually the cure, all kinds of food in their weirdest combinations. He had tried one once, it was terrible. She snapped the book shut. “By Ignas, do go on. I take back my laughter.”She seemed to have something else on her mind though. “Do you think I’m fat?”He smiled, “Like I always say, you are not fat, you are just pregnant.”“So you would want me like this?”He chuckled, the sound throaty as he buried his face into the crook of her neck. He moved quickly, she c
Eli and Belladonna had come a long way. After death pays a visit, who would expect a joining ceremony?The trail was only hours ago and everything still felt shocking to Belladonna. She was the Kore and Eli was the right-hand man to the UnderLord. She was no longer a ghost but a High Realm that could move from one realm to another, and grant to only those who deserved it a second chance at life. She was a Kore with no realm of her own but one she must build from scratch. The Fate had dissolved the Kore’s realm after they based their judgment on the previous one. Luna and Ama had promised to help her in all ways they could and Belladonna was grateful for the offer. She was more excited about her ability to move from one realm to another though. She couldn’t wait to see her sister, Arlo, and Alaris even though they might not be able to see her. As Eli had told her, the UnderLord didn’t have a right-hand man for a very long time. Many Thanatos had been trying to acquire the position.
“She passed two tests!” Ama sprung up from her seat., “There must be something—““You are not one of this council,” the Ghost High Being turned to her sharply, “so keep your voice out of the decisions.” Belladonna's eyes widened. Two tests! So Eli—- Ah by Ignas, she had been right. Where was Eli? Why hadn’t they let him come in yet?Ama smirked, “Still holding a grudge, Phosi? I see.”“Passed the two tests? It is obvious that she has failed. The rules are the rules,” The Sea High Being spoke, “she has failed. Pass the judgment, I have places to be.”Failed? Belladonna felt that painful jolt in her heart. What were they even talking about?!The hall seemed to share the same confusion as Belladonna, they whispered amongst one another. “Failed?!” Luna snapped. “How did she fail? It is not her fault that her soul didn’t align——““The rules are the rules! And you are not a part of this Council, stay out of it!” The High Being of the Sea snapped. “End this already,” he said to the Fates,
The days that followed were fast and the training was tedious, Luna helped as much as she could, probably more than any mentor ever would. Life in the Moonrealm was wonderful, but for the things that shattered her peace. After training in the Moonrealm for two moons, Luna had not-so-pleasant news for her. Eli was to undergo a test too, a single test.“He has to fight the UnderLord and defeat him.”“Who will train him?”“The UnderLord.”There was no way the UnderLord would train Eli enough to be able to defeat him. “He chose him to be his master.”Belladonna paused. Eli was definitely plotting something.“Also, the failure of one is the failure of both of you.”Belladonna blinked, the times and the trails were against them but Eli was no fool. He definitely had something planned. ——-——-[TRIAL DAY]The first thing Belladonna saw when she stepped into the hall was a woman on her knees screaming in agony, while three faceless people with the staff in their hands stood around her, the
Preparation“It is believed that holding the title of the Kore is a curse and there is a reason for that. Everyone that becomes the Kore always has a terrible end.” Luna paused as if considering her next words before she finally spoke. “Reincarnation should be beautiful, not filled with so many problems. Reincarnation and second chances, do you not think so, Belladonna?”Belladonna nodded, wanting to know about the Kore already, but instead of continuing with what she had to say, Luna drew a line in thin air, and a floating lightly illuminated map unraveled between them. There were different floating objects on the map, probably to signify places. “For your third test, you must be chosen as an apprenticeship for one of the Realm Lords.”“Chosen?”“It is quite tricky as it is your soul that chooses for you and if the Realm Lord of the one your soul along with thinks you are fit, then you will have passed the third test.”“I don’t understand. Something seems to be missing. What about t
“What?!” Belladonna yelled, grabbing Ama’s wrists tightly with rage. “How could not tell me?!”“How dare you disrespect me?!” Ama snapped her hands away from Belladonna’s grip, fury blazing in her eyes as she started getting bigger, losing the frame she had fitted herself into. Belladonna stayed firm, her anger refusing her to feel fear. How dare they drag Aniya into this? How dare they? If she had known, she wouldn't— By Ignas, she wouldn't have done this!To ruin another’s life for the sake of her happiness? Never!No.Then Ama stopped, looked at the castle, and was back to normal in a flash as if a thought had flashed into her mind to make her reconsider. “I will spare you the wrath of my mate only this once. You will not disrespect me again,” She said firmly but those were words Belladonna couldn't hear.They sounded like echoes in the background. Anger changed into fear, not for her but for Aniya.She fell to her knees and wept. “You must reverse it. Please, I am begging. Ask f
“Eli.” Tears were streaming down her face now.Finally, they could touch but this moment wouldn’t last forever, and they intended to exploit it for as long as they could.“Do you love me, Donna?” His hand cupped the side of her face.“You know I love you.” She slipped her fingers through his hair which had grown longer than she remembered. She had certainly not seen all of the real him when he possessed Jyris’ body. Now, he looked so different. “By Ignas, I do. I love you, Eli.”“And I love you too. No amount of this torture, nor of passage of time will take that away. I grant you the permission to forget me. You need not feel any guilt, it will be the best way of loving me.”Belladonna wiped her tears away. “It is ironic, you begged me to choose you in Gaya’s garden and I did not, and now that I want to choose you, you are begging not to.” The words spilled quickly out of mouth, as they tried to make the best use of their borrowed time.A glimmer of a smile snaked into his eyes. “It
The journey to Eli’s dungeon felt like a repeat of past events, it was like a flash of what had happened after the Red Moon Ritual, a reminder of the time Alaris had led her to his dungeon. She had followed Alaris with worry and love for him in her heart, then she found him in chains and finally, she left his presence betrayed, sad, and a grounded hatred for him.It felt sickening to be in this type of situation again though under different circumstances. She wished it was over, she wished she had seen him and saved him. She heard his voice before she saw him. A shout filled with agony. Her heart clenched with pain as she prepared herself to see the worst. Ama stopped walking and Belladonna who was following her did the same. Why had they stopped? She couldn’t see Eli anywhere, in fact, she could barely see her surroundings; she could still hear his voice though, and that in itself was too painful to bear. What type of torture were they putting him through? Suddenly, the growls of
The next thing Belladonna knew, her blindfold was ripped away from her and she was tossed roughly to the floor, her hands and knees bearing the brunt of the action. She expected pain but that never came. Oh, of course.The room was lit with red dim lights, however for Belladonna who had stayed in the dark for too long, the light felt blinding. The structure of the hall seemed like a throne room but it was of such an intricate design that she had no time to access it, the only thing that caught her eye was the strange, massive, dangling bed-like structure with curtains, connected with a chain to the roof of the hall; she could only assume that, it was too dark to see into the distance above. She rose to her feet and froze when she heard growls and gnashing behind her and she turned to look back, frightened. This beast, she had seen it before. Four-legged with three heads of mighty wild dogs, rough rocky skin with visible maps of the lava contained within. Vicious and ready to kill.