The righteous side of hell

outfit @kristina

This time her married life seemed to be going better than before, though admittedly she didn't get to see her husband very often. Nights at her home and occasionally his were the only times that she really got to spend any time with him. Not that she minded it at all, any attention from him had her preening like a peacock. She was a happy lady and he had spoiled her thus far. The stupid Mudblood had agreed in his affection for her to test potions out for her. She had taken notes over a few days and then given him small doses of the poison which had, unfortunately not done anything other than make him look weaker. So she upped things and played around with the process before giving him the final batch. It had been a sheer delight to watch as he foamed at the mouth and began to seize, though seeing the lights fading from his eyes had brought her much glee.

Now she just needed to duplicate it from the recipe that she had written out and get it approved for selling. Which, knowing her ties, would be no problem at all. If nothing else it would sell back home and she would be perfectly fine with that. She walked with her head held high and smirked as she walked into the plant shop. She needed a few things from there and she was more than happy to stop in. She had the day off from the Ministry (or at least a large part of it) and wanted to get this done. Grabbing a small basket she walked through and grabbed bunches of the things that she needed. She couldn't find the Belladonna though so she stepped to the shop girl. "Scusami" She said with a small smile. "Is there any more Belladonna?" She asked in her thick Italian accent.

i spoke to god today

and she says that she's ashamed
outfit @nella

Thunder crashed in the recesses of Kristina's mind, thoughts flashing through like wicked lightning strikes. Was she really going to do this? There was little else in the world that Kristina loved as much as her career, was she willing to risk it all? Everything about it was a risk, she could lose everything. But for some reason there were butterflies where the heaping, tangled knot should have been in her stomach. The prospect of talking to Eli about her plans excited her and, although she didn't know what his answer would be, she knew that with or without him she would do it. She would begin her life as a criminal.

Lies had always been Kristina's bread and butter, she strung them out like they were nothing more than clothes on the line. No fear of being caught, no remorse for being untrue, and no intentions of stopping. The small brunette, though sweet in appearance, was more so creeping black widow. She trapped people in her web of lies, tangling them further and they, none the wiser. Lies were what she knew, but this. This was a step up from those lies.

Over a few weeks she had tested the waters, having a few illegal herbs buried in the soil, shipping and receiving different little things that were...not so welcome by the ministry. Kristina found that smuggling things in the soil of her plants was easy, and she planned on telling Eli that tonight. 

As the storm raged on behind her brown doe eyes she heard a foreign voice and turned to see the woman with the sweet Italian voice. "Aye, well that's be dependin' on what yet needin." Kristina smiled back. "Stems, leaves, er berries? "

Poisons were her specialty. Honestly it was more because of her upbringing and the lessons of her family. She was expected to be so many things and Potions had been one of them. Fencing, bladework, horseback riding, it had all come as something else, something different. Something that she had not needed to be taught, there was a passion and a natural affinity for it, but her mother claimed that came from some of her Kvothe relations. She found a release in doing so as well, it calmed her and she could focus on the potion, ignoring any pain or discomfort. She once brewed for thirty six hours and not stopping for sleep or food until she noticed her hand were shaking.

”I need all of them, it’s for a patent am getting for a potion. “ She did this for a living it was her bread and butter and the only reason she had even considered staying in the Ministry was that she was good at her job. She was good at finding those that didn’t belong. Had she not been betrothed she would have become a snatcher. She wanted that though the torture, the pain, the rush. Closing her eyes she cracked her neck and then smiled at the girl before her, it was slightly predatorial, but that was her nature after all.

”I do hope that isn’t a problem. I can sign something or give my name… I am a Potioneer, afterall.”

I SPOKE TO GOD TODAY

YOUR AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE'S ASHAMED

Kristina had seen the woman before a time or two, but she knew her well. Well, she knew OF her. Working in a potions shop she saw new potions coming and going all the time and she knew who had created them. Ornella's name had come on many MANY informational packets, nicely printed on parchment and shoved in between the vials of every crate of potions that were shipped in. The ability to follow a potion was easy, like following a recipe while cooking, but to create one from nothing, from scratch, it was awe inspiring. Kristina had found that she was envious of the Italian woman. She wished she could be so creative.

"I ken* who y'are, hen*." Kristina chuckled a smile warming her slightly blushing cheeks. "We carry many of yer potions here. " The small brunette gestured to a wall of viles and containers with vibrant colors and black curly scripts written on the labels. Small square price tags hung from their necks, held by twine. So many of those tags had been hand written by Kristina. The shop wasn't very busy when School was in session, and she often had a lot of free time until growing season began.

"But, I dinnae* think we any of the stems today...back ordered, I'm afraid. " That had actually been her fault, she had been so caught up in...er, other endeavors, she had forgotten to place the order in time. She had tried to send an owl but due to the danger the plant possessed the company from which they purchased the plant wasn't willing to allow her to request it without excessive documentation. Kristina hoped that she might be able to smuggle in a few seeds and grow her own, once she got better connections. "I do have stems of monkshood, it's got the same properties...a bit weaker though. Like it give it a go? "

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* ken- Scottish word for "know".
* hen- Scottish term of endearment for a woman (ie. dear, lovely, hun).
* dinnae- Scottish conjunction for do not.

Ornella had been raised with Italian pride, she was a pureblood, she was pretty and she was wealthy. This usually afforded her everything that she wanted and based on who she was talking to her potioneer status got her other things. Shops like this was one of those things. Mrs. Watson usually gave her a discount since she bought only from them, unless it was something they did not carry. Which was rare truthfully and if there was, usually Raymond helped her procure it. The young woman seemed to know who she was, but did not greet hr in the proper fashion. Nella didn’t honestly give a fuck. She was a pureblood from Italy it wasn’t like she was the Minister or the Queen.

”I am aware, that is why I shop here, senora. “ She said before giving the girl a quick laugh and a wink. She was informed that the plants that she needed were on back order and Nella pulled a face for a moment and then sighed. ”Might I request that three bunches of each be set aside for me? My stocks are low and I am developing a new potion for the patent board. “ It was a lie. She was making it for Raymond to test on people.

”Monkshood won’t work. It’s the same as Wolfsbane. I need the more potent, it’s for a poison.” She camly informed the girl. I call it the strangler.”

I SPOKE TO GOD TODAY

AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE'S ASHAMED

It had been three years since Kristina had begun work at Watson's, and at first it had been quite a challenge. She had left the open freedom of her travels and settled for a steady and mundane job, but that hadn't been her only trouble at first. It had been quite difficult, at first, to learn the ropes of such a position. Finding the time in between taking care of plants, ordering inventory, running register all the while brewing and sorting potions had proven much more difficult than she had imagined. Difficult, perhaps was not the right word...tedious maybe? Kristina had been traveling and researching for so long, taking her own sweet time making her discoveries and notes, that the organization required for the job had become somewhat...unlearned. Never the less she persisted, aiming to achieve greatness in her new roll.

She had done so, though it had taken months getting used to her new career. Now it was merely a dance she did everyday, a steady samba that kept time with a simple beat. Come to work, water the plants, count in register, stock potions, trim and feed plants, help customers, and one and two, step, step. It was a lovely dance, one that had become too easy over time. There was no challenge anymore. There was no drive to do better. She was stuck on that dance floor, moving to the samba every. Single. Day. It was heartbreakingly mundane and she began her smuggling business to turn the samba into... well, something a lot more like break dancing it turned out!

The addition of her new business venture reminded her of those first few months at Watson's, crazy and confusing, but also wildly amazing. In the confusion of it she had forgotten to order quite a few things for this week, including the Belladonna the woman requested. The woman requested that she have some set aside for her and Kristina nodded, sifting through her apron for a pad of parchment. "Aye, three bunches offffff eaachh." She spoke as she scribbled it on the pad. Kristina was determined not to let a slip up of this kind happen again, especially when a distinguished Potioneer such as Ornella needed it so. 

As much as she admired the woman she couldn't help but want to roll her eyes as she explained that Munkshood was the same as Wolfsbane. Kristina held herself back, of course, had it been another customer she would have likely not bitten her tongue. She knew the difference, of course! It was her job! "Aye, but enough Monkshood'll put ye on yer ass," Kristina asserted a laugh. "I might have a wee bit of Belladonna root, that should make up fer lack of stems. It's the most poisonous part, after all. Great for yer....strangler."