Deadly Nightshade

PROLOGUE

A sinister laugh rang across the eerily silent ballroom of the castle, what was filled with the smell of wine and harmonious music has now become a massive graveyard for all the nobles that was slaughtered during the celebration of the Founding Anniversary of the Kingdom of Lobelia. The place was filled with the fresh scent of blood and at the center of it all, a  young lady in a blood-soaked gown picked up the fallen crown as she walked towards the throne. "It took just one night?" she scoffed as she finds the sight in front of her amusing. She placed the crown on top of her head as she sat on the throne, her raven hair falling perfectly into place, she looked down at the deceased King and Queen just beneath her feet, the confidence in her face faded into what seemed like longing. "If only you had shown me at least half the affection you gave my brother, although not much would have changed..." she muttered under her breath. She lifted her head as a young man spoke and walked towards her "You have succeeded sister, who would've guessed you were planning a rebellion, is that why you disappeared for 5 years?"

"Does that really matter? Not long after I returned you reached out to me and even offered to provide assistance, dear brother." Her crimson eyes flashed as she stood up and slowly walked towards the crown prince.

The siblings do resemble one another, except he had inherited the royal family's golden hair and amber eyes, one would think that compared to his sister's appearance he is of good character. A cruel laugh escaped his lips "Bella, dear, who was helping who? The crown your wearing is mine, now be a good sister and hand it over."

"No." Bella simply said as she locked eyes with her brother. "I changed my mind, Eustace, the crown fits me perfectly, how can I hand it to you when I look fit to be the Queen."

"Bella, ruling a kingdom is not just wearing crowns and looking the part, be a good girl and let your brother take it from here." Eustace said hiding his irritation. "Just listen to me like you always do."

"Oh, rest assured brother I can handle Lobelia's matters on my own." She answered as she turned and headed back to the throne.

"She used to be such an obedient girl always cowering like a fool, I simply fueled her hatred and made her execute the rebellion and now she dares to act in front of me? She simply has to die here but I can't dirty my hands, the people will kill her once we paint her as a traitor to the kingdom."

"After all I was the one who made this rebellion possible," she continued "I didn't really need your assistance, you needed mine." She said as she sat on throne looking down at the prince.

"What do you mean?" he asked struggling to hide the confusion in his voice.

"Eustace, when you offered help, I could see that what you truly wanted was the power of the crown," her voice cold and sharp "you didn't want to avenge me, you wanted me to become your stepping stone, isn't that right brother?".

"What is she blabbering about, did she know we were going to betray her? No that wouldn't be possible--" The prince stood frozen as his thoughts were interrupted.

"Eustace, I know how you wanted to stage my death, branding me as a traitor and garnering the anger of the people?" she said "You plan on executing me for treason, isn't that right?"

Eustace let out a menacing laugh slowly walking towards her sister "Dear sister since when did you become so smart?" he said mockingly "Or were you intentionally acting like a fool? Either way you prove to be a hindrance, it looks like I have to change the plan." With that he drew his sword, covering it with aura, after all he is one of the greatest swordsmen in the Kingdom.

"Did you really think I'd let you kill me twice?" cold sweat dripped from the prince's face as her sister who was supposed to be seated on the throne with his sword piercing her heart, was nowhere to be seen in the entire room.

"Dear brother, you are aware that I wield magic and I am one of the most powerful mages in the kingdom, right?" her voice softly echoing in the room "However, I seem to have forgotten to mention that I am also adept to that kind of magic" She chuckled as she emerged from the shadows at the center of the ball room.

From the throne, the prince stood rooted to the spot, "You can use that magic? Impossible, that would mean that you are a descendant." Eustace said unable to hide his fear.

Bella raised her hands and with a flick of her finger, shadow like smoke swiftly lifted her brother into the air. "I suppose this shall suffice as answer?" She asked coldly.

Eustace wasn't able to scream, he was in pure terror as his feet left the ground, his sister below laughing maniacally. "Bella please calm down for a moment, let's talk this out I beg of you" he pleaded his sister.

"Calm down? Talk this out?" She repeated mockingly "Eustace when I practically begged you to help me from that accident 7 years ago what did you do?" She asked with a sinister smile plastered on her face. "I must say that you are quite naïve brother, and I must be a good actress, after all until the very end you were under the impression that I had lost my memories due to that accident." Eustace turned pale he knew that he was next. "LET ME DOWN BELLADONNA, RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT!". He screamed and thrashed around mid-air.

"Well, if you say so, my neck is starting to ache anyway." The shadow that was holding Eustace immediately vanished, fortunately for him he was able to land alive but not without casualties, his knees shattered from the fall.

As he tried to get up, his sister was suddenly in front of him, taken aback he fell on his back. "Did it hurt?" Bella asked acting concerned so as to mock the fallen prince in front of her. "Compared to what our family did to me, that's nothing." She snickered.

"Our parents loved you, Bella—" he was cut of as Bella let out a horrifying laugh. "Love? Was that love? If that was love then why was I hurting?" She screamed. "Would you like to know? How our parents "love" felt to me brother?" Eustace face were drained of all color as he saw the shadows slithering towards him again. "Let me show you." At her command the shadows went straight for her brother covering his entire face and head.

And as her brother started to scream and cry, she made her way up to the throne and sat comfortably, enjoying the sight in front of her as she hummed a lullaby.

--END OF PROLOGUE--