Shades of a Woman
Bela Talbot is a thief. An occupation, yes, but also a lifestyle. A lifestyle that requires her to change personalities, appearances, habits, hobbies, pastimes, likes and dislikes, and more as often as she needs to in order to adjust to a new heist. Bela has worn many faces and many identities over the years, but she has never wavered in knowing who she really is.
Charming. Quirky. Tenacious.
She is a socialite, one from whose wrists drip glittering diamonds passed down for generations, and her lips glossed a striking scarlet as she brushes cheeks and air kisses the very same people she pretends to be like. Glossy curls brush the tops of her creamy shoulders and drop pearl earrings gleam dully in the candle-lit balls she attends. Mink furs drape her slender shoulders and she sips champagne like a lady, understated makeup blending in with the crowd at fancy dinners and galas. A glance at the party photos and she is exactly like the rest with their classic black gowns and expensive shoes, yet she stands out as clearly as if a glowing spotlight is drenching her in golden light, far outshining the identical party-goers at her sides.
Sarcastic. Strong-willed. Egotistical.
She is a thief, one who dangles above Manhattan at midnight from seventy stories up by a rope chained to the roof of a wealthy couple's apartment on Park Avenue as she lowers herself until she is by the window and disables the alarms to let herself in. She picks pockets as easily as breathing and just as naturally. Her hands are skilled, long fingers are trained after a decade in the field. Her slim frame is clad in skintight black as she silently stalks along guarded hallways in aggressively armed buildings housing millions of dollars worth of jewels. Huge emerald eyes blink behind clear goggles as she drills through locks guarding stacks of gold bars, paintings, and ancient sculptures. Full lips curve in excitement and delight as she holds the glitter and flash of cursed talismans, as she hears the heavy clink of the last tumbler of a lock falling perfectly into place.
Hard-working. Energetic. Witty.
She is an average woman, one who roams Tokyo and Cairo and Lima with her hair tied back into a fairly normal ponytail and a bare, makeup-free face. Her jewelry is minimal; perhaps a pair of simple diamond studs that nobody looks twice at and an elegant watch that is ignored by the world. Rather like a celebrity wears large, dark sunglasses and floppy hats to go incognito when attempting to escape paparazzi, Bela wears her version of casual dress when avoiding attention; cashmere sweaters and scarves and slim jeans with leather boots. As crowds rush by, she is unnoticed and by and large, it is the way she prefers it when not at parties and such. Of course, she garners a few whistles and catcalls but she manages not to stick in anyone's long-term memory when she likes.
Sensual. Aggressive. Strong.
She is an adrenaline junkie, one who craves the pounding of her heart as she escapes the hurtling knives directed towards her swanlike throat, aches for hearing footsteps chasing her down empty, moonlit streets in Rio de Janeiro as she clutches treasured gems in her fists. She lives for the excitement of dodging bullets as she takes the objects she was enlisted to steal, the pulse-pounding sheer thrill of telling flawless lies to deceive those she needs things from. She is the woman, after all, who has the phrase anything that gets your blood racing is worth doing written in her graceful cursive across the covers of the journals she takes notes on heists in.
Adventurous. Courageous. Pleasure-seeking.
There are many shades to the woman Bela Talbot is, and one would be a fool to assume they could ever completely understand her. Bela is beautiful, but she is so much more. To call her merely beautiful, The simple nine letter word cannot hope to convey the attributes of a woman like Bela Talbot. At her core, she is many things.
Focused. Daring. Cunning.
Sophisticated.She is the woman who has a taste for refined wine, who loves art exhibits, and spends hours wandering the Met, gazing at the ancient art and history upheld in its walls. The woman who paints her nails a glossy beige so as not to attract attention while scouting areas for heists, and the woman who wears her grandmother's pearls.
Athletic. Fierce. Determined.
Elegant.She is the woman who would have become a professional ballet dancer in Manhattan if it had not been for the fickle luck that turned her into a world-class thief. The woman who moves as though weightless, one who has the careless grace of a woman utterly secure in her femininity and who knows every possible way to exploit it.
Loving. Caring. Graceful.
Tough.The girl who grew up fearing abuse at every corner blossomed into the woman who would never accept it again. She is the woman who refuses to cry when memories barrage her, and instead buries her fears and worries under blueprints for ancient museums and plans for excavating an Egyptian artifact that might sell for millions. The woman who wouldn't let anybody stop her on her way to the top and worked harder than anyone to become the most notorious thief of the supernatural underground.
Playful. Stubborn. Stylish.
Cynical.She is the woman who sees the worst in everyone and doesn't trust people nearly as far as she could throw them. She judges the worst actions of someone's past and holds them liable to do it again. Second chances are a ridiculous concept and she never forgets, usually doesn't even forgive. The cynic in her screams at her not to trust, not to hope, not to dare to hope for the best because she knows now exactly how little that really comes true.
Independent. Sexy. Confident.
Flirtatious.She is the woman who enjoys wearing short skirts and red lipstick, not because she's insecure enough to only feel confident when dressed sexily, but because she feels empowered when she is. Batting lashes, twirling hair, breathy, suggestive whispers – there are many ways to get what she wants, but Bela most enjoys making men squirm.
Tasteful. Tactful. Capable.
Intelligent.She is the woman who graduated as valedictorian in her university in England, majoring in psychology. A useless degree, but it wasn't as though she was ever going to need it. The one who might have been an engineer or psychiatrist if thieving hadn't stolen the spotlight. The one who drops four-syllable words into daily conversations and regularly uses innocent passerby as a rock to polish her knife-edged wit.
Funny. Protective. Aristocratic.
Charismatic.She is the woman who exudes a charisma so powerful, one can feel her enter and exit a room, as though the world has abruptly been shoved directly under the sun. She smells of power and tastes like control, and the glint in her eyes is unapologetically ruthless.
Ambitious. Empowered. Impatient.
To the vendors of Venice, the name Bela Talbot is meaningless. She is merely another woman with great legs and a killer smile as she buys her gelato and loses herself in the architecture of the city.
Alluring. Mysterious. Potent.
To the delivery boy ringing her doorbell in Queens, she is just a generous tipper, nothing more.
Powerful. Unapologetic. Direct.
To the people who pass her on streets in Belize, she is a well-dressed young woman with a secret in her eyes and a smirk on her lips.
Ruthless. Dangerous. Intimidating.
To Dean Winchester, she is the challenge, the question and the answer, the mystery and the detective. To Dean Winchester, Bela Talbot is a soul mate.
A/N: Can we just take a moment to appreciate Bela Talbot, ladies and gentlemen? Seriously, I realized how many people see some of my favorite female characters as simply beautiful women and I have to say, they are so much more. Hopefully, this character study brought that out in Bela.
Please review, I love feedback. If I haven't gotten to your prompt (M, my wonderful anon, I'm working on it) or dedication (Charmita, I am trying very hard to get it up soon! Don't give up on me, please), then please keep reviewing and giving me feedback and know that I am working on your stories.
Au revoir, readers, I love each and every one of you. Stay safe and happy.