An Owl House Fanfiction (Emperor Belos x Oc)

Part 22: Distrust

Dawn rushes to her room and shuts the door and pants heavily with a pale face. Oh, god, she thought to herself and covers her mouth. Has Belos been killing those little creatures? For their power? Dawn shakes her head while reality finally reaches her.

Silbi sits on her bed and stares at Dawn blankly.

"Mama?" asked Silbi while holding her memory album. "Where's granny?"

Dawn gasps and looks up at Silbi terrified. She goes to the little witchling and sighs before sitting next to her. "Oh, Silbi. Granny's . . . Granny's still imprisoned. You know that."

Silbi stares at Dawn with those big purple eyes and then asks, "What does petrifried mean?"

"What? Oh, petrify," said Dawn, who was hesitant to answer.

Silbi asks with her tiny hands clenching her album. "Does it mean stone? Did granny turn to stone? Did papa turn her to stone?"

Dawn squeezes her hands into fists before replying, "Granny . . . hasn't been petrified yet, Silbi, but we can't see her. Not now."

"When?" asked Silbi.

Again, Dawn shows hesitance.

Silbi asks sadly, "When I'm a good girl?"

"Oh, Silbi. You are a good girl. A very good girl," said Dawn and reassures the little witchling. "You know how Belos is. He doesn't like wild witches, so granny will be away for a while."

Dawn couldn't bear telling Silbi that she'll most likely never see her grandmother again. So for now she can only tell these white lies. Silbi coos sadly and lowers her little head until Dawn asks, "Silbi, do you like Emperor Belos?"

Silbi stares at the ground before giving her answer: "No."

"Wait, what?"

"Me no like emperor. He scary. Me like papa. Papa gives me hugs!"

Dawn's bewildered face shows no understanding of this child's answer. Silbi tilts her head like a curious animal and asks, "Does mama like papa?"

Dawn stares back at Silbi as her fists loosen a bit. While she did feel a sort of hatred for the heartless tyrant Dawn loves the man deep inside. She could only feel sorrow for him.

"I do, sweetpea," said Dawn. "But he can be hard to handle sometimes."

"And mean!" added Silbi and puffs her cheeks angrily. "He's mean to big teacher!"

"You mentioned this before, but who exactly is that?" asked Dawn. "And how do you know that?"

"Big teacher is big teacher," answered Silbi. "Papa tells lies about big teacher! Me no likey! I must punish papa every day!"

Dawn couldn't help but giggle at Silbi's cute stubbornness and felt slightly better. Only slightly. She hugs Silbi and nuzzles her cheek with her own. "You're too adorable, Silbi."

"Goo! Silbi will defend big teacher!" declared Silbi cutely.

"You do that," said Dawn and smiled softly.

During the next few days, Dawn spends more time with Silbi while avoiding the emperor. He notices this and one night caught Dawn off guard. When Silbi was playing with Hunter Dawn was in their room trying to figure out plans for escaping. A glowing circle forms around her and suddenly Dawn falls into the hole with her chair.

The chair falls and breaks from the impact while Dawn is caught by Belos's red magic. Outside in their garden, the emperor brings Dawn to him as they stand face-to-face alone. His blue eyes narrow down at Dawn through his mask and demand in a low voice. "Why are you avoiding me, my dear?"