Phantom of House Beneviento (Donna X Fem Reader)

Chapter 17: Missing

Eventually Alcina allowed you and Bela to go to the village, with one exception: Mother Miranda had to accompany you. Bela secretly stashed a knife in her boot underneath her dress, she offered you one and you gladly accepted. Your knife was stashed on your belt underneath the cloak you borrowed from the girls since you left yours with Donna. Mother Miranda, Bela, and you walked from Castle Dimitrescu to the village. People were more approachable to Mother Miranda than they were to you or Bela. Despite that, you couldn't help but be acutely aware of the side-eyes and whispers directed toward you. Bela noticed your discomfort and took your hand in her own, this helped a little but the villagers still avoided you as if you were radioactive. Of course Mother Miranda knew you were desperate to go back to Donna, she purposely avoided that side of the village to not give you any temptation. That's how it felt at least.

Mother Miranda had also given you the cold shoulder, anytime you tried to start a conversation she responded with one-worded answers. After your third attempt you got the hint and stopped talking all together, instead you opted to keep holding Bela's hand and lean your head against her shoulder. The villagers hadn't seen Tatiana at all, if they had it was briefly in the Dimitrescu carriage. Your final destination was Salvatore and Karl's homes but you stood your ground and refused to go to either of them; even with Bela and Mother Miranda there with you. The sun had started to set when a villager ran up to Mother Miranda to inform them they found a body matching the description of Tatiana.

You tasted iron in your mouth, your lungs screamed for oxygen but your pride hurt the most as Mother Miranda was neck and neck with you while running. To add insult to injury, her breathing hardly quickened at all. You followed the villager to the river nearby Donna's manor, the same river you followed when you snuck out last night. The villager jumped down from the dock onto the bank and stood next to the body of Tatiana. Bela gasped and covered her mouth with the hand that had been holding yours, Mother Miranda mirrored her movement and all you could do was stand there with your mouth open.

Next to you Mother Miranda began to whisper a quiet prayer with her head bowed, when she finished she lifted her head and sighed heavily. A few other villagers came and carried Tatiana back to the castle at the request of Bela. You followed behind the villagers and couldn't help but stare at the deceased girl; you didn't know much about dead bodies but you watched and listened to your share of murder shows and could make a very uneducated assessment: She couldn't have been dead long, she definitely wasn't dead this morning or you would have seen her. She drowned recently and you had an inkling of who was responsible because everyone but two people were accounted for.

To say Alcina was distraught was an understatement; she wept as though one of her own daughters had perished. According to Daniela, Alcina loved all the maids equally and welcomed them as family considering many of them didn't have any actual family. Mother Miranda and Alcina went into a room together with the body, leaving you outside with Bela, Daniela, and Cassandra. The four of you tried to listen in, but the door was so thick you only caught bits and pieces of the conversation.

"She drowned recently. She's pale but there's no signs of bloating, her back is bruised, and her eyes are glassy." Mother Miranda stated.

"Who would do such a thing?" Alcina asked.

"I'm not sure, but you have to consider that–"

You couldn't make out the rest of what she said, and after that their conversation faded as they left the room. You sighed softly and looked over to the girls who looked back at you with worry in their eyes, but you had nothing but determination.

"You think they're gone?" Daniela whispered.

You didn't wait for an answer and pushed the door open, Tatiana was in the middle of the room on a table covered with a sheet. The girls followed you and circled around the woman, none of you said a word but you couldn't help but sigh loudly. You shook your head and crossed your arms, Cassandra tilted her head up at you curiously.