Vermillion's Cub

Chapter 20: Take Me to The Ball

Chapter 20: Take Me To The Ball

(An extra long one for you guys, hope you have fun.)

Natsu's POV:

"Are you ready young miss?" Rella asked me as she finished tying a black headband with a white frilled edge. Slowly I nodded, 'Couldn't we push this back to later?' I mentally cry out. The events that played out just days ago were still fresh in my mind.

Right after dad left me with uncle, I was brought to dad's room I didn't say much if anything. Uncle Leo stayed with me the entire time, he tried to get me to eat something but I had lost my appetite long before. When he realized I wouldn't eat he tried to make conversation. He asked simple questions at first, was I okay? No, but I nodded; How are you feeling? Scared, I didn't say anything. It didn't take him long to see that I wouldn't talk so he changed his objective to try and get me to go to bed. For his sake and mine, I pretended to sleep, even though I was scared that if I fell asleep then I would wake up to find his corpse. My mother's words really got to me, I couldn't get them out of my head. Whenever I look at my uncle I don't see him.

I spend a while pretending to sleep with my back facing the door and my uncle sitting in the bedside chair quietly reading a book. Then finally dad quietly came in, I heard him shuffle over to Leo when he asked about my well-being. My uncle was blunt and hid nothing, Leo told dad that I never muttered a word, how I didn't eat anything, and how I refused to look at him. As much as I love Uncle Leo, at that moment I wished he would shut up and leave out some details. It wasn't much longer before dad dismissed him and it was just the two of us.

He sat where my uncle had sat and I heard him give a heavy sigh before he spoke, "I know you're awake." with my back still turned to him I tensed up but I also didn't respond.

"I just want to know why you lied." He said it so calmingly, he wasn't angry in fact he sound more worried than anything. I opened my mouth to respond but quickly closed it, biting my bottom lip to keep myself from talking while I curled into a tighter ball.

"Natsu...You know she's a bad woman." He started. I knew he was right, my mother was a horrible person and at that moment I knew I was too. "If you tell the truth I can make sure she never hurts you again." He stated as if that would fix it.

While he was right about my mother; he was wrong about my worries, I could care less about what happened to me, it's him that I'm scared for. Sure he can promise to protect me but I knew he would break that promise when Marzia killed him.

"I didn't lie." was the last thing I said that night. I remembered how cold my tone was and I remember how disappointed he sounded when he said goodnight, which only added to my guilt and self-loathing.

After that night things went back to normal or as close as they could be. I haven't seen mother since that night and I was watched constantly by servants, Darius, Rella, my uncle, and even dad; I was never alone for a second.

It was the day of the ceremony, the thing that I have been preparing for, and of course, I was nervous. I was more nervous about what was to come from the tension that lingered in the air than I was for the ceremony.

Rella was trying to act normal but I could tell she was jittery as she tied a ribbon around my collar, she hummed in confusion as her fingers brushed against my cheek, "You're a bit warm..." she commented before lifting her hand, brushing my bangs out of the way, and resting it on my forehead, she gasped, "Sweety you're burning up." she stated, before standing up and rushing to the door. She peeked out and whispered to the person guarding the door. I couldn't make out the words but I knew she was telling them about my fever. I knew I was sick, it's been getting worst the past few days and everything felt hot, but I kept quiet in fear of starting something again.