A/N: this for the Cruel and Unusual Pairing challenge for the pairing Bellatrix/Antonin. It's also for the Fanfic resolutions #62 Write a collection based around Death Eaters. Death Eater for this one is Bellatrix Lestrange. It's 321 words.
Bellatrix walked through the gardens to the spot where they would always meet hoping he would follow her.
How could she explain that everything was over when she didn't want it to be?
"Why didn't you tell me?" a voice asked from behind.
When Bella turned around her childhood sweetheart walked out of the shadows.
"I didn't know until this morning. If I had then I would have tried to stop it."
"Your father told you nothing?" Antonin said with disbelief.
"I knew he wanted to make a betrothal, but I didn't know he was already in talks otherwise I would have asked for you," Bella said.
"Would he have even listened though?" Antonin asked.
"I doubt it, but I could have always tried."
"You don't have to marry him, Bella," he said, stepping closer to her.
"He's signed a contract. I have to," she told him.
Bella closed her eyes willing the tears she was about to shed away.
"There has to be a way."
"The only way out is for one of us to die," she said, shaking her head.
"Then there is a way out. I will kill him before you ever walk down the aisle, Bella," Antonin promised her.
"Don't get caught, Ant. I couldn't bear it if they took you away from me after doing that for us."
"They won't. I will be careful, and we will marry in a way they can't separate us after," he said reassuringly.
"I have to get back. They will start to wonder where I've gone," Bella said leaning up and kissing his lips gently.
"Once you hear of his death, meet me at the bridge," Antonin instructed.
"I will," she said before walking back the way she came.
Bellatrix hoped that Antonin would be able to follow through on his promise. Rodolphus was a brute, and there was no way she wanted to spend her life shackled to him.