The Demon’s Bride

When the next morning came, Elise woke up early, to be exact she couldn't sleep after what had happened last night. She woke up on her bed and she touched the place which was wounded.

She felt her memory was blurry before she arrived at the third floor, she didn't know what had happened to her, what she knew was that she had been wounded. How was her leg wounded? She wondered if like Master Ian she had gone out to the woods and acquire the wounds at the time? Because that was more possible but at the same time it didn't. The hem of her dress was free from grim and mud that should be present if she had went out.

Once she was dressed in her maid uniform, Elise went out of the room to work. Her wound was painful but fortunately she could stand and walk. Like what Master Ian had said, the next day all maids and servants were busy to prepare for the meeting which would be held in the Castle. It was rare for White Mansion to have people coming in and almost felt as if a decade had passed since the last time.

Passing by the corridor, Elise saw the curtain was being pulled and tied by a male servant. The light of the early sunlight passed into the corridors which made the house sparkles. Elise found there were many that she had missed due to the darkness. She found paintings, some that seemed to be painting by Ian then she remembered about the adult painting Ian gave. A question surface in her mind. Who was the person Master Ian painted?

"Can I help around here?" asked Elise when she saw maids grouping to wipe the paintings in one corridor.

The maids looked at her with a surprise before fear began to cloud in their eyes. They reply her answer quickly by shaking their heads, "We c-can handle this by ourselves." and the maids moved to clean as if to busy themselves from talking about Elise. After the accident, she realized that not only people fear her, they also avoided her. She was now seen as a ticking bomb, they were afraid that if they had done something offending to Elise, Ian would punish them next. If Ian's punishment was only being whipped, the maids wouldn't worry but it was death.

Elise felt sad when she saw the maids avoiding her like an explosive they seen her as. But she didn't dwell long on it. She walked from her place, and Carmen who was bringing a mop to her hand saw her to make a quick walk toward her, "Elly." smiled the girl.

Seeing Carmen, Elise returned the smile happily, out of all maids only Vella and Carmen was still beside her as friends. "I heard this is the first in ages the castle had been opened. With the lights, don't you feel the castle seemed different?" she asked with her eyes looking up to the high ceiling.

Elise lifted her chin and nodded her head, "It's beautiful with more lights." She had thought that despite how beautiful the castle was, she found it was a pity when the place was dimmed.

"Who do you think would come?" Carmen continued to speak as they left the place. "I heard most nobles and the ladies would also come."

"The ladies would also come?" Elise asked with her blue eyes questioning. It would be an open discussion for a court but she didn't know that the ladies would also come.

"Yes, like the wives and daughters of the guests. At evening, the tea party would be opened for the ladies and the ball would be open next. I wonder if the Lord didn't only mean to open the castle for discussion? It sounds very much like a party to me." Carmen asserted and she left to wiped the floor with the help of the mop.

Elise also wondered if that was so. It was weird for a discussion to turn into party or was it so in the castle? Was it because the castle rarely open for people? As she cleaned the room, Elise was alone with Carmen and she asked, "Carmen, have you ever went to the third floor?"

Carmen brought her hands to her chin as if to think, "I've never I think even the oldest maids in the castle have never went there either. I heard the Lord spends most of his time there which is why less people could come there."

But she was tasked to go there when she wasn't an older maid? How did it happen then? Elise was still wondering as she cleaned the place. The castle would be formally opened afternoon when most guests would arrive which was why the maids were up very early before the sun raises to clean the place and she watched some maids walking up to the second floor of the question which was rare.

"Which room are they cleaning in upstairs?" Asked Elise with her eyes seeing the clouded window clear as she wiped the glasses with a wet towel.

"The guests room I think, it's only in case if something happen, no one could be too sure it was what Mr. Maroon said, Vella asked before." Carmen filled her in and continued her works.

What was the case that could have happen? Elise asked herself and continued to clean the room. "Carmen." came Vella's voice, Elise and Carmen both turned their heads. Seeing Elise, Vella smiled and she returned her smile, "You're here too Elly, great." then she spoke at both of them, "We need help to move the tables, come with me."

Elise followed Vella to see that they were not going to the first floor but the second one which Elise had been curious about. While Master Ian's bedroom which was on the left side corner, the one they were going to cleaned was the right side. Unlike the place which she would go, the left corridor was left dark and silent as if to warn people not to come which work because the place looked eerie and spooky. But Elise who had went there last night know that it wasn't as spooky as it seemed.

A/N: Please continue to vote to reach 1000 power stones at the end of this week for the mass release.  We can do this <3