Bella Rosa
Chapter 25
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
"You are very persuasive," Bella replied. She shifted her eyes back toward the group. "I thought I was already part of your inner circle. I've recruited a number of men for you."
"Yes, you have shown your talents again and again. Do not, however, make me wait too long for an answer."
Bella didn't like the silence that followed. She wasn't easily frightened, but she felt that somehow Tom was manipulating her and she didn't care for that feeling. She changed the subject.
"Will you be at The Wedding?" Her sarcastic emphasis of the last two words brought a smirk to his face.
"I wouldn't dream of missing it."
She curled her lip. "I'll be glad when it's done! I'm sick to death of Cissy's infernal blathering about seating arrangements, the knickers I have to wear to match my dress, whether giving the Elves lacy towels is like giving them clothes, blah, blah, blah! I really don't care anymore. And, white is not my color."
Tom allowed a quick smile to ghost over his handsome face. "I do hope you will be able to endure. You will rival the bride no matter what color you wear." He kissed the back of her hand.
Feeling dismissed, Bella nodded. With a dramatic crack that left gray haze in her wake, she Disapparated. Tom chuckled softly and looked thoughtfully back at the crowd.
The day of Cissy's wedding was beautiful, almost as if it had no choice but to be sunny and bright. Although she knew she shouldn't, Bella drank one bottle of wedding Champagne while she dressed. It was just enough to let her coast through the boring ceremony but not enough to make her obnoxious. She did love her younger sister and didn't want to ruin her day. She didn't want to bore herself to death either. She wanted to simply be able to censor herself during the celebration and keep her eye rolling to a minimum.
One little thing she did for herself was to wear blood red, lacy undergarments under her white bridesmaid dress along with her favorite red stilettos. She wished Slytherin green was her color, but she did love her reds. I'll leave the greens for the bride. She can show her house loyalty.
The Lestrange brothers spent half of the evening trying to trick Bella into drinking more, but she refused to be their entertainment for the night. It was almost as if she were teasing them. She graciously and slowly sipped Champagne, did not join the men in the garden to smoke a cigar, and kept her usually loud giggling to a musical, appropriate laugh.
She danced frequently with the brothers, especially Rodolphus. She flirted outrageously but managed to keep the wand light on her sister and her new husband. Tom took a few faultless turns with her around the ballroom, while many watched enviously, trying to absorb some of the power the couple almost visibly exuded. For once, Bella was the perfect guest earning grateful smiles from Cissy and even Lucius.
The bridal couple cut the stunning cake close to the end of their reception. Lucius humored Cissy by feeding her cake while she fed him cake. He managed to get through the silly ritual with a pleasant look on his face, although he wasn't quite sure where that idea had come from. Bella knew. She had seen Cissy glimpsing through a couple of Muggle brides' magazines but she didn't give her sister away. Call it a small wedding present or at least a courtesy to the bride.
By midnight, the guests threw white rice at the couple as they went to their waiting carriage. Lucius smirked. He didn't think they needed those extra wishes of fertility that the rice symbolized. And Merlin forbid. It could get in his hair. The newlyweds would leave the next day for their extended honeymoon in France.
Briefly caught up in the moment, Bella let Rodolphus kiss her good night. She felt nothing until she closed her eyes and pretended Gabe held her in his arms. The flare of longing and need angered her so much she nipped Rodolpus' lower lip hard, drawing blood, and pushed him away. She left him gawking at her like a lovesick fool. At least the day was over and Bella could get away from the house again, more easily because Cissy would be caught up in her own life for a change.
Bella began participating in more raids as time went on. She became even more experienced at dueling and painful spells, many of which she invented. She practiced on her fellow Death Eaters, much to their displeasure. She became very proficient with different fire spells. Over time, her addictive personality came into play. She started to enjoy the beauty of the flames as they shot up into the night sky. Knowing she couldn't resist a dare, Tom coaxed her into raising the stakes.
As a result, she started setting fire to structures that had people living in them. She loved watching Muggles run out in their night clothes and knickers in a panic. It was like when she flouted the rules for underage magic. Sneaking her mother's wand, she would trip people walking down the streets just to watch them fall and then look around to see what they had tripped over. Of course, nothing was there. Bella would giggle and giggle at the looks on their faces until Mother discovered that her wand was missing and took it back. Bella was never punished since she only pranked Muggles. It did set a bad precedent for later behavior though. One thing was clear. Mrs. Black did not subscribe to the periodical, Proper Etiquette for the Magical Child, and Bella's behavior showed it.
One night Bella joined Tom, Lucius, and a couple of newer recruits in the Irish countryside. Their target was a small church secluded in a forest that served as a place of sanctuary to passers-by who needed help. Through no fault of the caretaker and his family, many of the people seeking help were Muggle-borns who were running to escape Death Eaters. The caretaker was just trying to spread the fellowship of the church. Tom was just trying to get rid of a few Mudbloods.
Bella started the church on fire. Then she drew a flaming circle around the church so no one could approach to put the fire out and no one could escape from within the circle unless they wanted to get burned. She adored showing off her skills to the other Death Eaters and stepped back to admire her work. The caretaker soon ran out with a bucket of water to douse the flames, although by that time tongues of fire reached high into the night sky. He seemingly ignored the five dark-cloaked figures standing outside of the flames taking down the other people frantically running from the church and through the burning circle.
A small girl had followed her father out of the church with a little plastic pail full of water. The man quickly dumped his bucket over his head and did the same to the little girl, making them both sopping wet. He picked up his daughter and sheltered her against his body as he ran through the flames. It took Bella a split-second to point her wand and shout, "Avada Kadavra" as green light spiraled toward the two. With a look of surprise, he went down, face forward on the grassy lane, gently dropping his daughter by his side.
Bella sauntered over and moved the little girl over with the toe of her boot. She was pretty, with rosy cheeks, long black lashes, and black curly hair that hung past her shoulders. What a shame. She reminds me of myself. Oh well. She shrugged her shoulders.
Then she put her entire boot under the caretaker and half kicked him over. She gasped. The man was tall with dark skin and long black hair tied back with a leather strap. His resemblance to Gabe was uncanny. Putting one hand over her mouth and the other over her stomach, Bella slowly backed away from the bodies, to the sound of Tom chuckling.
"What's wrong wittle girl?" Tom mimicked a lisping child. "Is your wittle tummy hurt?" He huffed, "You've done and seen a lot worse than this merely for your own entertainment."
Bella shook her head at him. She ran off, stopped suddenly and whirled, disappearing into the dark.
Tom and Lucius stared after her for a few seconds.
"Was she crying? I didn't know she could cry."
"I've never seen her shed a tear for anyone. I've seen her laugh outright when she sees someone bloodied. Of course, usually the blood's her doing. Remember, her motto is, Revenge, not Regrets."
"Something's wrong. Go after her and see what has affected her."
Lucius knew better than to argue with Tom. He had no idea where she went and didn't really care and didn't really feel like looking. He did, however, have to put on a convincing show. He went back to his wife, planning to visit the Blacks in the next few days and follow his sister-in-law if only to have something to report.
Tom remembered that Bella had never answered his question—would she join him. A troubled frown creased his face. He was certain she was loyal. Look at what she'd just done. But, at the same time, he was too cynical to assume anyone's loyalty, even that of Bellatrix Black. Women were flighty creatures, and that was why he didn't often have them join the Death Eaters. In the end, he only relied on himself and his own magical power. He did enjoy Bella, though, and wanted to break her to the point that she dedicated herself to his cause. Time would answer his questions.
A/N: "Champagne from the Champagne region is a proper noun and protected designation from the European Union. Champagne with a little 'c' is like Korbel's California champagne is the imitation stuff that is not from the Champagne region." (Talk: Champagne from Wikipedia in answer to the question "Is champagne capitalized when it refers to the drink?") I figured if the Malfoys were paying for the wedding Champagne it would be the best and genuine. Of course, it would be from the Champagne region of France. Many thanks to you again, Kerichi, for being the best beta ever. If it weren't for you this story would still be sitting in my head and I'd still be whining that, "I wish I could write a story."