Belladonna Davenport

* Season 3
* Season 2
* Season 1
* Circus Royale
* Younger

**Belladonna Davenport** is a highly-talented assassin and fire dancer, working for the Phantom Scythe and the Circus Royale, respectively. She is known for assassinating her victims using the *Golden Viper Venom*, a golden snake-guard blade coated with a lethal poison that slowly spreads throughout the body from a single scratch earning her the name, *Golden Viper*.

## Appearance

Davenport is a woman that is “approx the same age as Kieran, maybe a bit older”  with medium-length light pink, wavy voluminous hair and orange eyes. She typically wears red eyeshadow around the outer corners of her eyes, and matching red glossy lipstick. For clothing, she often wears a black-and-red corset underneath a long, dark overcoat with green lapels and black pants. Her accessories consist of a pair of closed-toe black high heels, shiny dangle earrings and a black choker.

## Personality

Davenport is a highly-perceptive intellectual with sharp reconnaissance skills, capable of quickly gathering information without leaving a trace. Kieran White deemed her as a "know-it-all" and a tacky snake. Though the Leader of the Phantom Scythe favors the *Purple Hyacinth*, Davenport believes her skills to be on par with his.
Belladona does not particularly care about the Leader's objective of equality for the citizens of Ardhalis and is only working with the Phantom Scythe for money. She is not loyal to any particular party and will work for whoever is the most profitable for her.

## Background

Belladonna was born in Greychapel. Her father was an abusive alcoholic and her mother was a prostitute. It is revealed by Viscount Redcliff in Unfair Ultimatum that her father would force her to sell matches that he stole from the factory he worked at, and used the money to feed his alcoholism. One day, when Belladonna was fourteen, she was selling matches when Viscount Redcliff found her. He took her in and trained her to become an assassin, and she became a fire dancer and a member of Circus Royale’s elite team, the Pantheon, as the fire dancer, Hestia.  .

Davenport and Kieran have been acquainted and were part of the Phantom Scythe for many years prior to the current timeline. In Episode 89, Venturesome Visit, it is revealed that Bella has a past with Neyra Elena Darcy, who refers to her as "an old friend". According to Neyra, Bella had left 2 years ago without any explanation and completely lost contact with her. As the series progresses, it is revealed that Neyra and Belladonna were lovers, until Viscount Redcliff forced her to break up with and leave Neyra.

## Timeline

Davenport met with Ryan Flemmings at the Grim Goblin to discuss the illegal weapons operation and *Lune's* favorable actions towards the Ardhalis Police Department. Davenport instructed Flemmings to reconvene at The Carmine Camelia to receive new orders. As Flemmings got up to leave, Davenport handed him a report file and warned him to be extra cautious. After he left, Davenport spotted Kieran leaving his table and addressed him by both his name and alias. She stated that though four pawns have been eliminated from the weapons operation, the main leaders are still in place. During their conversation, Davenport mentioned her shared past with Kieran. She then disclosed that the Leader placed her as a mole under the seventh Apostle's direction. Due to her track record of successful assassinations, she was never placed under suspicion. Davenport explained that she did not care whether or not Kieran knew of her intentions, since she simply wished to collect as much money as possible before the pawns of the weapons operation were dead. Before Kieran left, Davenport admitted to being the Golden Viper who assassinated the mole planted by the Leader inside of the APD 11th Precinct, Harvey Wood.

On the day the Circus Royale appears in Ardhalis, Davenport reported to the messenger for Apostle VII that Sake may become problematic. She described him as incompetent and described his encounter with Lauren on the day of his arrival; she then disclosed the name *Sinclair* to the messenger.

Before meeting with the members of the weapons operation at the Carmine Camelia, Davenport and Sake discussed his recent encounter and relationship with Lauren. Sake revealed that on the morning of the Allendale Train Station Tragedy, the only Phantom Scythe members inside of the Sinclair car were Sandman, Robin Delaney, and himself. Since Delaney was eliminated, Sandman was the only person who leaked the story to Lauren. Davenport suggested that Sake should quickly find a way to eliminate Sandman before once again getting entangled with the APD. Inside a reserved private room, Davenport, Sake, Flemmings, and the black-haired woman met with the Apostle VII Messenger, who reported that the seventh Apostle was very disappointed with the recent loss of the members of the weapons operation. They discussed the seventh Apostle's plans to start his coup d'etat, before heading their separate ways.

While investigating during a Circus Royale show, Lauren and Kieran realize that Davenport is one of the performers, under the stage name Hestia. Similar to the Greek goddess counterpart, Hestia is a fire dancer. Although Lauren is shocked by this reveal, Kieran is not. The two notice Sake watching the performance as well, and leave the circus tent to follow him. Outside, Sake discusses the nitroglycerin imports and his plan to murder Lauren with Bella. However, Bella swiftly slices a cut on his face using the Golden Viper Venom, and smiles as Sake collapses, dead. Kieran confronts Bella, and while the two engage in a duel, they tease the other, Bella cutting at Kieran's reflexes and Kieran making a dig at her past in Greychapel and with the circus. In a short flashback, Bella is seen as a child in Greychapel holding only a match and a blanket, hence the nickname, 'Little Match Girl.' A person approaches young Bella, and extends a hand, where the flashback promptly ends. Through their conversation it is revealed that Kieran was aware of Hestia, that Bella has worked in the circus for 15 years, and that the two used to go on Phantom Scythe missions together. Kieran brings up Laurens significance to him as a Phantom Scythe Spy, which Bella takes interest to, questioning his plans. Bella tells Kieran if Lauren is useful, she won't kill her yet. Before the two assassins part ways, Kieran makes a comment about how she might dethrone the Purple Hyacinth, which she does not acknowledge.

## Relationships

### Neyra Elena Darcy

Neyra and Belladonna have a long history together. They first met when Belladonna saved Neyra from a group of thugs, and taught her some basic self defense moves. It is hinted at and later confirmed that the two were once lovers, until Belladonna broke things off on orders from Viscount Redcliff, which led to her to resent him deeply. Belladonna is constantly seen pushing Neyra away for the latter’s safety, warning her to stay away from Redcliff. Despite being cold and distant towards Neyra, it is evident that Belladonna still harbors feelings for Neyra. When Kieran asked what Belladonna would do if Redcliff ordered her to kill Neyra, Belladonna responded that she would happily slit open his throat. As a result of Belladonna’s love for Neyra, Redcliff uses her to keep Belladonna in line.

### Viscount Redcliff

Viscount Redcliff found Belladonna when she was fourteen, starving and trying to sell matches. He took her in and trained her to become an assassin, giving her her dagger laced with golden viper venom. She also became one of the first members of his Circus Royale, the fire dancer Hestia. In Episode 138, Belladonna reveals that she learned to enjoy killing because of Redcliff. She reveals that she feels indebted to him for giving her the life she has now, and that she adored him. It was when he forced her to leave Neyra that Belladonna began to greatly resent Redcliff, with that hatred growing stronger as time goes by.

### Kieran White

Belladonna and Kieran have known each other for many years. Kieran refers to her as “an old friend”.

## Episodes

* Episode 29: A dark shadow appears behind Harvey Wood while he is working in the APD office.
* Episode 30: The Golden Viper kills Harvey Wood and drags him out of the room.
* Episode 33: Davenport enters The Grim Goblin and meets up with Flemmings to discuss the details of the weapons operation.
* Episode 34: Davenport chats with Kieran and admits to being the Golden Viper.
* Episode 35: Davenport reveals to have used the Golden Viper Venom to assassinate Harvey Wood.
* Episode 37: Kieran explains to Lauren that many have tried to arrest Davenport, but none of them have ever lived to tell the tale.
* Episode 44: Davenport appears with Flemmings to meet with Sake.
* Episode 48: Davenport witnesses Lauren restraining Sake and attempts to kill her using the *Golden Viper Venom* blade.
* Episode 52: Davenport meets with the messenger for Apostle VII to report that Sake may soon become problematic.
* Episode 55: Davenport and Sake enter the Carmine Camelia to meet with Flemmings and the Apostle VII Messenger.
* Episode 56: Davenport suggests to Sake to eliminate Sandman as fast as possible in case he begins running his mouth.
* Episode 57: Davenport meets with the other members of the weapons operation and discuss the seventh Apostle's coup d'etat.
* Episode 58: Davenport and the other members of the weapons operation review the details of their plan and separate their ways after the meeting is adjourned.
* Episode 70: Davenport is introduced as 'Hestia', the mighty fire dancer.
* Episode 71: Davenport finishes her circus act. She speaks to Tim Sake behind backstage, and ends up stabbing him.
* Episode 72: Davenport spars with Kieran. It's revealed that is a founding member of the circus. A younger Belladonna appears in a flashback lighting a match to keep herself warm.
* Episode 73: Her conversation with Kieran continues and a bit of their history is revealed.

## Trivia

* Belladonna is bisexual.
* The name Belladonna is a reference to the poisonous flower, however when translated from Italian, also means 'beautiful woman.'

## References

1. ↑ Bleak Bluff
2. ↑ Age: The Purple Garden: questions-to-the-authors - Ephemerys
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mad Maid
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Baneful Belladona
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Inevitable Issue
6. ↑ Fierce Flame
7. ↑ Free Fall
8. ↑ Poor Peacock
9. ↑ Inconvenient Interference
10. ↑ Foredoomed Future
11. ↑ Singular Spectacle
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Fierce Flame
13. ↑ Bleak Bluff
14. ↑ Grim Ghosts
15. ↑ Sexuality: The Purple Garden: questions-to-the-authors - Ephemerys
16. ↑  Name Symbolism: The Purple Garden: questions-to-the-authors - Ephemerys