The Cloud's Anchor

The Nightmare, The Ball and the Letter

A/N: Hello my lovelies! I am back with another chapter. The Cloud's Anchor is in its last stage and I am currently writing the very last chapter. Maybe I'll do an epilogue or omake, I don't know. Anyways thank you for reading as always, and please review and vote for this story. We ranked pretty good and I am eternally grateful to my readers for putting up with this sloppy, procrastinating author. Aaaand I'm rambling. Chapter ahoy!

(The dress  above is the one Stella is wearing in this chapter)

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me especially KHr!

Chaos.

That's the only word Stella could come up with, it was an absolute hell. The well-kept walls of the Vongola Mansion were stained with blood; the beautiful wallpaper was marred with holes and just hung off the wall in tatters. Rivulets of crimson liquid flowed down the grand staircase pooling at the ground under it. Bodies littered the floor, disfigured beyond recognition. At the top of the staircase stood Demelza, her golden tresses streaked with red, her spear was pointed towards Stella.

"Sorella!" the blond wailed, "Why are you doing this?"

The sound of a gunshot and Demelza slumped down. Stella looked down at her hand, the gun was still smoking. She felt bile rising in her throat. She had fired the shot, she had killed her sister. A sound came from behind her and Stella turned to a gun pointed at her forehead by hands of the person she adored. His light blue eyes were cold and hard as he pulled the trigger.

"Die, traitor."

And everything went dark.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Stella woke up covered in sweat, her heart racing as she calmed her breathing. A few moments later she was still breathing hard and a knot had formed in her throat. The raven head wiped the sweat off her face and found that her hand was trembling. Despite her warm comforter, she felt ice cold. Soon, her whole body was shivering and the knot in her throat melted to give way to tears. Dry, heavy sobs mixed with her anguished cries as she wrapped her arms around herself to provide some comfort. It didn't work. So Stella clutched at the cloth pendant around her neck. It was damp with her sweat but still provided the sense of protection she desperately needed in that moment.

Stella got up and went out of her room. She let muscle memory take her to the room Alaude had shown her on her first day. Soon the emerald doors of the observatory came into her view and she threw them open. The stars were beautiful and she calmed a little at seeing them. She let her Flames take her over to an isolated bed and plopped on it. Her Flames purred contentedly as she took in his scent. It soothed her and lulled her errant heart as she succumbed to sleep not a minute later.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Stella made to fiddle with her hair again, prompting Elena to slap her hand away. "Control yourself." The blond snapped while the raven head pouted. They – Elena, Stella and Guilia- were in her quarters getting ready for the Garcini Ball; Guilia had been added last minute to the list of attendees as part of her training. The brunette was now clad in a light sea-foam green dress with golden embellishments to tie her look with Elena who was dressed in a similar light pink gown. Since Guilia was not known among the Mafia-and they wanted to keep it that way- the orphan was posing as Elena's cousin. She had used her Mist Flames to alter her appearance a bit and now sported a head of light golden hair. It was a test of both the aspects of the young Princess' training.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine." Stella soothed her sister's unvoiced concerns.

"Just remember what we've taught you," Elena chimed in. "We do not with weapons and fists-"