(DISCONTINUED) Defying death - A villainesses redemption

Chapter 18 - Say yes to heaven

The kiss was soft, hesitant, almost afraid.

My eyes were wide, staring at her closed ones.

She pulled away, much earlier than I wanted her to.

Her hands held onto my face still, as if she was scared I'd run.

"I'm sorry." Her eyes were still clenched shut.

My hands grasped at her face, pulling her lips toward mine once more, desperately pushing them together.

"Don't-don't you dare be sorry." I breathlessly whispered the words between kisses, her dark red eyes finally opening to meet my teal ones.

Our grasp on each other grew crushing, our hands tangling into hair, pulling us closer, and tighter together, as if we were scared the other would let go.

My mind grew clouded, fuzzy, as our kiss turned deeper, and hungrier, as if this was something we'd been starved of our entire lives.

I gasped as her kiss trailed from my lips to my neck, nibbling at the skin, my fingers clawing at her back in a desperate attempt to somehow ground myself.

Quiet curses kept escaping me, as her blunt teeth pressed into my neck, again and again, before she finally pulled away, looking at me.

"Oh my god." I gasped out the words. No doubt, I was probably the color of a tomato. Not to mention that my hair probably resembled a bird's nest.

Though she looked disheveled as well, it looked effortlessly attractive on her.

"You love me." She smiled, her eyes sparkling.

I felt my heart race in my chest, as I stared at her.

"I do."

Her smile widened as she pulled me into a tight hug.

She loved me. And I loved her.

It felt right. I stared down at where she had buried her face into my chest, blushing.

A quiet sadness slowly took hold of my heart as I regarded her.

We had spent two lifetimes apart. And now we were finally together, only to soon be ripped apart by Luca.

She looked up at me, brows furrowing.
"You're making that face again."

"I'm not 'making a face'." I glanced away, trying to escape her gaze.

"You are. What's wrong?" She took my face in her hands, forcing me to turn toward her once more.

I tried to suppress the blush that her bold actions caused.

"I-", I sigh. "We've had so little time. We will have even less time in the future. I don't know if Luca will ever let us be, even if everything goes smoothly."

Madeleine frowns. "He probably won't." She leaves it at that, an uneasy silence stretching between us.

"Do you-" I hesitate. "Do you think the people will want to help us?"

"I don't know. But, if everything else fails- we'll run away together, to some faraway place where no one knows us." She hesitantly smiles up at me.

I smiled. "Oh really?"

"Yes! We'll open a store where we sell vegetables from our garden, and we'll live together in a cottage, and we'll have a cat. And... we'll be happy." Madeleine chuckled at the thought, her thumb stroking my cheek absentmindedly.

I closed my eyes, as I envision that future she speaks of, and tears prickle in my eyes as I imagine it. A future that peaceful, where we could just exist together sounded like heaven right now.

I swallow with difficulty, my gaze meeting hers once more.

Her red eyes practically gaze into my soul, and suddenly, my mind is made up.

"We won't fail." My voice is steadier.
"We'll have a future together, right here, in Dominizia. One that's even more beautiful than we could ever imagine. No matter what."

A careful smile graces her expression. "I'm sure we will."

-----------------

A week later, we were walking through the capital together.

"I don't think I can do this after all." She groaned. "My stomach hurts just thinking about it."

And yet, Madeleine's feet kept walking toward the plaza, where a small wooden stage had already been erected, courtesy of a few strings Quinn pulled.

"We have to do this. The only way to get the people on our side is to listen to them. No one else will." My stomach also hurt just at the thought of having to stand up there.

I wouldn't blame them if they started throwing rotten food at us- after all, we were spoiled rich girls, just a rank below princess. Our hardships would never be as bad as someone's from the lower class.

"You're lucky that I know a thing or two about speeches." She points an accusatory finger at me.

"I am, aren't I?" I smile awkwardly at her, as we carefully make our way through the sparse crowd, toward Quinn, who is boredly leaning on the stage.

"I told them that you're here to discuss how to improve the infrastructure and economy." He mutters into my ear. "It was the only thing they were interested in showing up for."

I exhale. It was too early to make ourselves the faces of the rebellion. This would have to do.

"Madeleine, you're up first. Speak to them." Quinn points at her, at which she pulls up her cloak even higher.
"What?! But- you said we'd go together!!!", she hissed out the words, turning to me.

"I know, but it's too risky for Antony to show herself yet! Reminder that these people call her a witch, and a baby eater, or whatever other horrible stuff they could say!" Quinn pokes Madeleine in the forehead, at which she swats his hand away.

"We said, we'd do it together! I'm not going out there unless-"

"Quinn's right." I exhale shakily. "They'll never accept if they immediately know that I'm part of everything."

Madeleine wrings her hands, frustrated.
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!?! Just go out there, and what- wing it?! You told me you'd be there!"

I inhale. "I- I'll join you midway in. Okay? But you need to establish the whole thing first. Please."

Quinn frowns, clearly displeased with the idea, but he remains quiet.

Madeleine chews at her thumbnail, her fingers tapping against her thigh in a nervous rhythm.
"Fine. But if I mess up-", She points an accusatory finger at Quinn and me. ", you better come rescue me! I don't know anything about self-defense!"

"They're not gonna lynch you." Quinn rolls his eyes.

"They might!" Madeleine hisses, as she walks up the stairs to the rickety stage, nervously removing her cloak, her snow-white hair falling on her shoulders.

The chatter from the audience quickly seized, as they took in the girl in front of them.

She cleared her throat, her fingers nervously twiddling.

She shot me one last glance, her expression relaxing, before she raised her chin, her voice coming out at a steady volume.

"Citizens of Dominizia. My name is Madeleine Campbell.

And I am here to discuss the injustices of the upper class."