killed by the messengers // d2 poison gang
Aug 4, 2019 20:51:57 GMT -5
Post by Stare on Aug 4, 2019 20:51:57 GMT -5
[googlefont="Poppins:400"]
The guards in front of Rodrigo’s office were new but not unexpected. A kiss for each had Bella through the door, reapplying her lipstick to fix the smudges.
Her brother made her wait a moment before looking up from his paperwork. “Belladonna. What an unexpected pleasure.”
“I’ve collected the rest of my things.”
Rodrigo raised his eyebrows, then glanced back down and scribbled out another line. “And where are you going, hm? I imagine you’ve run out of beds to warm at this point.”
“I told Daddy about what happened with the DeRicasho bitch.”
The pen faltered.
Bella folded her arms over her chest. “He isn’t angry. But he agreed that maybe it would be best if I led a… quieter life. He’s bought me an apothecary at the edge of the district.”
It was a battered, abandoned, rotting thing, but then again, so was she. If she could fix the apothecary, maybe that meant she could fix herself, too. It gave her hope, even if it made Luna’s nose wrinkle with uncertainty at the sight of it.
“So that’s it, then? You’re just going to run off turn your back on your own family?” Rodrigo’s lip curled. “Like a coward. Like Cesare.”
Bella calmly pulled a knife, gifted to her by Luna, out of her purse and inspected the glint on the blade thoughtfully. She’d just barely begun venturing into the Two’s Career training center, but she was proving to be a fast learner. The blade wasn’t deadly in her hand quite yet, not in the same practiced way it had been in Cesare’s, but it was only a matter of time. And killing someone wasn’t an art. Not unless you wanted to bring them back. “I’d advise against insulting the dead, brother, dear. It’s so rude.”
Rodrigo spat out a laugh. “Or what? You’ll kill me?” When she didn’t respond his smile faded a degree. “Those guards will be in here the moment you try.”
“You mean the ones that just let me waltz in here?”
Rodrigo scoffed. “They let you in because I told them to. Not because of your charm.”
“Is that so?” Bella hummed, glancing up from the knife. She watched him for a moment, then shook her head slightly. “I’m not going to kill you, Rodrigo. I’m not going to pay anyone to do it, either. Daddy wouldn’t approve of fratricide.”
“You aren’t a killer anyway, Bella.” Rodrigo waved his hand dismissively.
But she was done taking his orders. Her feet remained rooted to the spot and she lifted her chin slightly, biting out, “No, I’m just the Crocetti whore, aren’t I?”
Dead silence hung between them for a moment.
“I’m not going to kill you,” Bella repeated slowly, carefully. Images flashed through her mind briefly - silk sheets, shuddering muscles, blood choking out from her mouth onto a snow white comforter. “But when you die - and you will die soon - I promise that you will think of me.”
Her brother’s jaw worked. Bella took a breath, replacing the knife into her bag, and turned. As she opened the door she glanced over her shoulder.
“I’d consider retraining your guards, Rodrigo.” In her heels she stepped gingerly over the pair of bodies convulsing on the floor, rubbing her lips together briefly and almost savoring the slightly bitter taste. “These days I like to make sure no one kisses and tells, if you know what I mean.”
-
They’d put out the word to meet in the apothecary. It was practically buckling under the strain of years, some of the many bare shelves crooked or missing, dust lingering between the floorboards. She and Luna had gone through and righted overturned chairs, but they’d had to leave one with a missing leg on its side.
Bella started exactly on time, uninterested in anyone who showed up late. Clearing her throat, she stood at the front of the room. Luna sat cross-legged just behind her atop what had once been the front counter, toying around with her knife.
“I’d like to skip the formalities. You all know who I am, and you know why you’re here.” Bella kept her tone clipped. They’d sent whispers carefully through the district. As it turned out, Luna had a special skill for making sure the message was only received by those they’d wanted to hear it. Not that Bella would ever tell her that. “My brother - “ the word came out bitter, heated “ - thinks he’s the only one in this district who can deliver any kind of justice. I’d like to hope that you all know better. The families in Two are corrupt and the Keepers are only worse. I think it’s time we take matters into our own hands.”
“To an extent.” Luna piped up from her place on the counter. Bella nodded, letting her take the floor. “We’re not stupid, and we’re not expecting you all to be in this as revolutionaries. We know that any of you could find your place working for some big family here in Two. But those kinds of positions rarely last long, and mistakes are lethal.” Her tone didn’t falter, but Bella recognized the way her jaw tightened slightly. “We’d rather profit off of the rivalries than get killed by them.”
Bella smiled slightly. “Let’s let the big boys kill each other. No need for us to throw ourselves into the line of fire. We just provide the ammunition.” She gestured to the walls around them, empty shelves boasting potential. “Poison.”
Luna had thought the idea was insane at first. Maybe she still did. But poison was what Bella was most familiar with, a flame that she could play with and never be burned by. It had been enough to take out a Hammerfell. Why not others, too?
“We’ll pay you.” Luna set down her knife and shifted off the counter, crossing her arms over her chest and eyeing the small crowd warily. “We’ll give you a room, maybe a bit of food. And we won’t murder you in your sleep.”
Bella shrugged in agreement. “It’s more than my dear brother can offer. Take it or leave it.” Her eyebrows raised. “Any questions?”
beware the patient woman
'cause this much i know
no one calls you honey
when you're sitting on a throne
'cause this much i know
no one calls you honey
when you're sitting on a throne
(lyrics: a little wicked, valerie broussard)
