Fireflies And Butterflies (ON HIATUS)

28║First Makeout

"Well doesn't this look beautiful," she said with a small smile that made her bright red lips glisten under the moonlight.

A sick shiver ran through Czarina at the sound of Maimouna's voice. Czarina felt an icy sweat roll down the side of her face as Maimouna stepped into the pavilion, her heels making a gentle clip-clop against the wooden floor.

Maimouna shifted her gaze from Lulana to Czarina. A small amused smirk graced her lips. "I see that the both of you have decided to act on your feelings for one another?" She hummed, keeping her gaze on Lulana. "But it seems like you are still in a rough dillema."

Czarina felt chilly within when Lulana suddenly took her hands away from her. She stared at Lulana when she moved away from her and stood. Czarina also stood when Lulana hung her head and clasped her hand in front of herself, looking like the submissive person that she was not.

"Please... just leave," Lulana said softly and Maimouna cocked her head.

"Leave? Why should I leave?"

"You're... interrupting us." Her quiet tone made Czarina frown in worry.

"Oh really?" She hummed. "If so, then I'll leave." And then she raised her hand. It was then that Czarina saw the small dagger she was holding. Her face paled in fear. "But before I leave, I would love to talk to you."

Lulana flinched as Maimouna stepped closer to her, her steps slow and predatory.

"What are you doing?" Czarina asked in a scared voice.

"Talking." Maimouna towered over Lulana and she stiffened. "You know that the other day I had given you an offer. You'd said that I should give you time to think about it and I did. But now I just want to give you a little... push.

"I'm going to be some sort of... fairy godmother to you, if you want to put it that way." She reached for Lulana's hand and took it. Czarina's eyes slowly grew wide in shock as Maimouna held up the hand and transfered the tiny dagger into Lulana's hand. She leaned her face closer so she could whisper, "use it wisely. All in all, it's your choice." She pressed a soft, motherly kiss against Lulana's temple before she nodded at Czarina and left.

Czarina was shaking badly when Maimouna left. She was staring at Lulana in fear as the Yumboe observed the small dagger with wide, frightened eyes. Without being told, she knew the meaning behind the dagger. Her teeth were chattering as she asked, "a-are you g-going to u-use it?"

Lulana stared at her. All Czarina saw in her eyes was a battle, a dangerous one. Her breath loudly hitched up. She urged her legs to move, walking around her, eying her like she was a ticking time bomb.

"You're g-going to use i-it." Czarina nearly stumbled as she stepped out of the pavilion, still facing Lulana. Lulana kept on staring at the dagger, get hands shaking badly. "Y-You're going to kill—" Czarina swallowed the sour words. She whipped around, nearly falling as she rushed out of the garden.

The wind picked up as she rushed back into the building. Czarina was breathing widely as she tried to run back to the hall where the event was being held. When her shoe began to be a nuisance, she growled and stumbled out of them, leaving them destroyed behind her as she continued on. By the time Czarina reached the floor in which the hall was on, the guests were already leaving.

Czarina pushed through them as she rushed into the hall. It was only the aristocrats that remained, chatting amongst themselves. Czarina rushed to her table but skidded to a stop when she realized that her parents were absent.

"Where's Mum and Dad?" she hissed, out of breath. Her brothers didn't answer her and she slammed her hand on the table; this made Vladimir glare at her.

"Can't you like not disturb our—?"

"Where's Mum amd Dad?"

"And what do I look like? You're messenger?" He scoffed, stood, and walked out of the hall.

She turned to the twins but they were already standing up to leave. "Have you seen Mum and Dad?" They didn't answer her, walking towards the exit. "Hey! I asked you a question! Stupid children!"

"What is it?" Fatoumata asked as she stepped closer to her.

Czarina whirled around and maniacally asked, "have you seen my parents?!"

Fatoumata raised a brow. "No. They left a while ago to attend to some meeting in the next town."

Czarina gripped her head. "Shit," she hissed under her breath.

"Is something wrong?"

Czarina stared at Fatoumata's concerned face. Should I tell her? She swallowed and fisted her hands. She was about to talk but started when a hand rested on her shoulder. Without even looking back, she knew who it was. That certain lightness that held ferocity behind it.

"Are you okay? You sound worried?" Maimouna said as she stood behind her.

Czarina jerked out of Maimouna's hold and shuffled away, creating distance between them. "N-No," she said with a shake of her head. "I-It's just that I wanted t-to tell them... tell them something."

"Why are you stuttering? I hope it isn't something serious?" Fatoumata asked, raising her hands in worry.

"No. No." She shook her head. "It's just... school work... that's all." She released a shaky laugh.

Fatoumata heaved a sigh. "Well... you'll have to wait for them to return. I hope it's not too bad though."

Czarina forced out a cracked smile. In the second, she was speeding out of the hall again.

I need to stay away from her! What if she also decides to kill me because I know?!

Czarina found herself running round and round until she ended up in the indoor swimming pool room on the third floor of the house. Czarina dropped onto the floor beside the pool. She dragged her legs up and hugged them to her chest when she began to sob. Light gasps shook her as she cried, her chest clogged up with worry and confusion. Czarina wasn't paying attention to her surrounding so she didn't notice when Lulana entered the room and shuffled closer.

She kept on crying and crying, stopping abruptly when Lulana said, "Czarina."

Author's Note: I won't be able to update next week. I'll be really busy. I was planning to finish this novel by the end of August but wishful thinking. :') Until the next update, bye-bye.