~O~
Just A Pretty Face
"Donna? Donna, wake up."
Donna's eyes opened and she was horrified to find herself looking up at a mass of black feathers looming over her. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. It had yellow eyes, sharp teeth smiling at her through the mess. It smelled terrible, its teeth rotted.
"I have a gift, Donna. It might help you sleep." the feathered mass hissed, voice whistling like a tea kettle, "Trust me."
Donna whimpered, shaking her head. She couldn't move. She could only lay there as it loomed over her, ready to deliver its "gift". The creature continued to float above her for a few moments, watching her with a little tilt of its head before reaching out with two long hands, nails golden claws.
"Wake up..." Donna's voice cracked, small sobs escaping her lips. "Wake up."
She was telling herself to wake up, noticing that the voices had manifested as versions of herself once more, watching her. They were oddly silent, observing what was to come with smiles of sadness on their faces.
"Wake up." Donna breathed, trembling as she felt fresh blood on her face.
She didn't know where it was coming from. But the voices were louder.
"Donna, wake up!"
Donna's eye snapped open with a strangled gasp, awoken by a doll sitting on her lap; a small thing dressed in black cloth. It tilted its head, small voice filled with worry. Even without the means to express itself, Donna could hear the concern there.
"Bad dreams." it confirmed.
Donna was shaking as she sat up, raising a hand to her face. A few gasps, a wince as she touched the mass of Cadou on her face; just an unpleasant reminder of it, really.
(Aww, but we thought it made you happy.)
(It didn't. She doesn't like how it makes her look.)
Donna stood up, found Angie laying nearby and she picked the doll up, welcomed by the little hiss and giggle from her.
"Good morning! Sounds like it was a bad night." she said.
Donna sighed heavily. The whispers were still there, softly hissing in her ears. She just wanted to eat breakfast and block them out.
Well, she was used to those sorts of nights by now.
O
A Plăcintă aromână, one of her mother's recipes that she kept in a little box in her bedroom. Donna remembered how often her mother liked to make certain dishes. She always told her how nice it would be to teach her when she was old enough.
Donna wasn't fond of leeks, but the spinach was nice to add with the eggs, cheese and sour cream that went with it. It always tasted delicious; she'd made an effort to mimic her mother's work, after all. It was a nice reminder.
The dolls had been helpful preparing it with her in the kitchen; she rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands and once the food had finished baking in the oven, she sat down to have it with tea.
They sat around her and she smiled at each one. "This turned out nicely. Thank you." she said.
"Yogurt?" One of the dolls asked.
"No. Well, perhaps a little."
A knock at the door and Donna's brow wrinkled somewhat. She didn't expect many visitors, though her mind wandered to Bela. The other woman seemed persistent, though she didn't comprehend why. Maybe she could question Alcina.
She fitted her veil over her face, took Angie in both of her hands and approached the door. She opened it, but found no one there.
Donna sighed. How annoying.
She turned to enter her home, but the sounds of flies buzzing halted her, putting her on guard again. Angie let out a few annoyed sounds, swinging her hands around at the insects. They vanished above and for a moment, it was silent again.
Donna glanced up the moment Bela's face appeared over the canopy. She was smiling that same, playful smile that made her spine prickle.
(What is she doing here?)
(She's going to do something stupid, isn't she?)
Donna shook her head and Bela laughed, shifting between fly and human form. She was uncertain about something and Donna found this curious; maybe she wasn't too sure how to interact with her after their little interaction yesterday. Truth be told, Donna wasn't quite sure either. She felt nervous, all of a sudden.
"You're not still mad at me about yesterday, are you?" Bela said, in a teasing voice.
Donna sighed quietly. Really, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she wasn't quite as angry at her as she should have been. Perhaps she was just so used to these things that it rarely did much to bother her.
(She's lying to herself.)
(It bothered you. Stop trying to lie.)
"Because if you are, I - "
"Would you like to meet my friends?" Donna suddenly interrupted her in her real voice. She wanted the conversation to change. Quickly.
Bela blinked, stared at her in confusion for a moment. Then, she smiled, shrugged her shoulders. The invitation seemed to make her happy.
"Okay." she said.
(What are you doing?)
(Are you stupid, or something?)
Donna ignored the voices as she entered the house. Bela lingered in the doorway and let out a small start when she saw several dolls walking passed her. She looked at each one, then to Donna who watched her behind that veil.
"Um, you're friends are...cute?" Bela tried.
Donna felt herself smiling. "That's nice of you to say."
"She says a nice thing!" one of the dolls said, in a squeaky voice.
Another doll held Bela's ankle and she stared down at it; made up of porcelain and poor materials. But she suspected that Donna didn't have a way to get much of the good stuff. Maybe she only
"Hey, so, uh..." Bela began. "Do these things have names?"
Donna certainly felt eager to share. When it came to her creations, she was always proud of them and happy with anyone who wanted to know.
(Don't be too eager, idiot.)
"Yes! I do." she said, her voice dropping softer now, careful. "That one clinging to your leg is Adam. He's known to be very affectionate. But watch for Abel. He will shun you."
Bela made a face, trying to understand. "And who's Abel?"
"Pouting in the kitchen, I'm sure."
"Of course."
Bela watched as Donna departed toward the door leading to her kitchen. She glided behind her without movement; half-flies, half human. She seemed interested in studying her surroundings, to which Donna found she didn't mind much. So long as she didn't disturb her workplace -
"Oh, don't move that, please." Donna suddenly said, when Bela picked up a jar with intricate designs. "Those are my father's ashes."
Bela raised an eyebrow. "Oh."
She set the jar down and watched Donna prepare some tea. It seemed custom of her to do such and Bela, despite not really liking the stuff much, found she liked to study Donna at work. She was learning quite a bit about her, even in such a little act. She was careful, yet caring in how she worked.
"A lavender tea might do nicely," Donna said. "I have it prepared for my morning routine."
"Lavender?"
"It's good for anxiety."
Bela raised her eyebrows before taking a seat at the table. She stared at the cup of tea as Donna placed it in front of her.
"Oh, does it cure it or something?" she asked.
"No. If it did, I think that would make things easier for me." Donna answered, quietly. She gave the lightest of chuckles.
Bela watched as she took a seat across from her with her own cup of tea. Angie sat in her lap and the two women were silent. Bela took a sip of her tea, shuddered where she sat and forced as much of a polite smile as she was capable of doing.
"You don't have to drink it if you don't want to." Donna told her, with another small laugh. She was still nervous.
Bela sighed with relief and set it down. "I like my tea with blood in it anyway."
"I assumed as much."
"Or a small finger on the side." Bela wiggled her pinky for emphasis with a giggle.
Donna wanted to laugh, but she couldn't help but feel tense as she watched those hands capable of crushing bone move. Or those wide teeth that could pierce flesh.
"Hey, you can take that off, you know," Bela suddenly offered, snapping Donna from her thoughts. "I mean, what are you worried about?"
Donna was tense; she spoke of the veil on her face.
It seemed like an innocent enough question, or Bela's attempt at one. But the woman frowned now, and Donna knew she was confused by her lack of reaction again.
"I don't like talking to someone without looking at them," she said, "Come on. Let's see."
Donna shifted a little, waiting for a threat; but Bela genuinely seemed as if she wanted to know.
A sigh.
Her hand reached up and removed the veil. The voices around her were shouting, spitting curses for her actions. Bela leaned forward with interest and watched her set the veil down on the table. Angie was moving closer to her.
Donna eventually looked up and Bela's eyes widened in awe. "Oh! It's on your face!" she said, delighted by the sight. "I've never seen it outside the body before. Does it hurt?"
The other woman looked down, suddenly tense. Her fingers shook, gripped the edge of the table with the wood cracking somewhat as Bela continued to talk.
"It looks really nice," Bela continued now, "So you're not just a pretty face after all."
She let out a light giggle, which made Donna frown and lift her head. Well, that was certainly unexpected. The death grip on her table relaxed somewhat.
"Liar." Angie growled, annoyed.
Bela laughed and shook her head, leering at the doll. "Do I really look like someone who needs to lie, you porcelain demon?" She looked up at Donna immediately afterwards. "No offense."
Donna swallowed thickly, making a face before nodding. "Right..." she said.
Well, that went better than expected.
O
Donna found that sitting outside with Angie in her lap was calming. Bela sat beside her and they watched the waterfall overhead.
"...I wasn't angry with you." Donna replied, evenly.
Bela tilted her head. "I thought you were."
A shake of her head. Donna was trying to smile, but the voices manifesting as forms of herself were hovering around her, talking all at once; they were warning her and every instinct told her to go back inside and hide away.
(Run! Run away!)
(She's dangerous! She'll hurt you! Run!)
(Idiot! Why is she just sitting there?!)
"You look like you're going to pass a kidney stone." Bela quipped.
Donna wasn't aware of the long-suffering, forced grin on her face until Bela had mentioned something; she was used to hiding her face, keeping every detail hidden. Perhaps a lot of her reactions were inappropriate and she didn't realize it.
"I get it. Social interactions don't work for you." Bela said, with a wide smile. "Mother told me you have too much going on up there."
She indicated her own head with one finger. Donna wrinkled her brow somewhat. She didn't know how she felt about that.
But really, much went on up there.
She was shivering as she sat there across from Mother Miranda. Her head was throbbing, her voices manifesting in forms all around her. Red pulsed behind her closed eye and the woman was watching her from behind that bird-shaped mask.
Miranda tilted her head. "Lady Beneviento. Your mind is rotted with thoughts and voices, but your skills would manifest into something more. Still, I offer you a seat regardless."
Donna had stopped singing long enough to stare at her with a wide eye, snapped free of her somewhat darker thoughts. Her Cadou wriggled in her face, her smile bright and proud.
Yes, a lot did, indeed go on in her head. Mother Miranda knew of it. Donna wasn't stupid; she knew she displeased her by coming out as she was. Still, it had been nice to be welcomed by her anyway. Donna had been excited to tell her gardener before he changed.
She didn't know when they'd walked out to her garden; her mind was filled with distractions and voices warning her to run away from Bela. But the other woman had done nothing to try and harm her. She had been talking about plans for their new test subjects. She'd seemed pleased with a few new playthings.
She was clearly delighted to share with her, to which Donna found she didn't mind, either. It was nice talking and Bela certainly looked happy. It made her smile.
"So, these flowers..." Bela knelt down to the yellow plants. "These really make humans go insane?"
Donna chuckled. She liked that Bela took interest in her work. "Something like that."
"Well!" Bela grinned. "You have quite a mean side to you, huh? I like it. Put the fear of a Lord in those little pigs."
Donna hesitantly smiled and gave a quick nod in response. She was still tense, talking without her veil. But discussing the work she did and feeling pride in what Bela was saying had surprisingly been of help to her. She was never this comfortable.
"It's nice to be appreciated." Donna said.
Her voices had begun manifesting around them and she made an effort to ignore them; focus only on Bela alone.
"Stop it. You're being mean to her." teenage Donna scolded, annoyed.
"Here comes a candle to light you to bed," child Donna sang as she danced around them, "And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"
The others had begun singing and dancing along with her. "Chip, chop, chip, chop, the last one is dead!"
Angie looked up at Donna. "They're so stupid, huh?"
"Yes..." Donna looked up at Bela and made a small smile.
"Who are you talking to?" Bela asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The Others."
"Oh."
Bela didn't pry. She just started a conversation about the proper ways to disembowl someone. Donna only listened to her. Not the voices.
Even Angie seemed less opposed than normal.
Good.
