The Demon’s Bride

A slightly long chapter incoming...

Elise wasn't sure if it was normal for her who was a new maid to be doing important works but since she entered White Mansion, she had taken most works which assigned to elder maids. Following Mila, she decided to keep her eyes low. It wouldn't be good if she offended anyone, last time she made mistake with Lady Ellen and it didn't end up pretty.

The men of the nobles were famous for their gentlemanly way on the surface but she wasn't sure of it. She had seen many who looked gentle upfront but evil inside. There were rumors about noblemen and there was a saying when there are smokes there is fire, meaning there would be a source of rumors. Which had her remember of Master Ian. He had a handsome face that looks nothing less than a picture of a perfect man but there was the evilness in his face which was clear as Ian didn't bother to hide it.

The evilness was also one of the charms which attracted many women to him. It was ironic; because to Elise, Ian was the kindest and most gentle person to her life.

She was asked to hold drinks, pouring a jar of water to glass when people requested her to and when she arrived on the corner of the room with other maids, out of all people who was busy, standing in front of her eyes, her gaze steered clear toward the man sitting in the front of the room.

Ian had a charm, everywhere he goes, it was hard for anyone to not notice his presence even when he was doing nothing. He was there, sitting on his red cushioned chair where the rest of the people was standing in front of him. With his one hand leaned to the chair, the rest of his body tilted, his red eyes stared far but only fell to his girl, the maid who was standing on the corner of the room.

Elise who saw Master Ian sitting on the chair, remembered one of his portrait that was painted decades ago. The picture was drawn where Ian was sitting on a red cushioned chair which was tall and wide, almost similar to the one he used to seat now which had her thought if the painter had taken the painting from the view.

An air of superiority surrounded him who was sitting alone on the chair almost like a King painted in storybooks. He had everything around him, people who served for him, his subordinates who worked under him but then Elise felt herself recalling all the words Ian told her in the gallery. The eyes she looked at Ian alone now, held a different light.

The seat of the Lord that people carve was blinding with the lights and Master Ian should have everything he wanted yet Elise saw him figure sitting alone on the chair, separated from people to be lonely.

If the immortal being they talked about was Master Ian, Elise felt sorry for him.

There was a far distance between them but Ian knows he could arrive at her by only one step. At that second she stared at him, Elise felt her eyes met Ian's red ones. When she smiled, unexpectedly he pulled one corner of his lips, notifying her how he could also see her. The small action surprised Elise and a smile pulled her cheeks.

"Milord, Mr. Vervor has arrived at the entrance." The one who spoke was Maroon, standing right beside the Lord as he sat down. Cynthia and Austin were not in the room, they seemed to have left for a moment and it was until later did Cynthia came back alone.

Ian brought his hand and moved it back and forward, "Our main guest has finally arrived, show him the way." the tone he spoke was delightful but Elise notice how in an instance like a flick of a finger, all voice diffused from the court. There was no one who dared to make a comment as they know they shouldn't. What cost for them to speak was clear to say.

In one minute, the door was opened, "Mr. Vervor has come." announced the male servant who closed the door for the large framed man to enter. Elise's eyes moved to the man, he was posh wearing clothes in a fancy style, his hair was pulled back and the rings filling his fingers were large and sparkling. She saw how the man walked with a wide smile despite everyone losing their smile with eyes looking at him yet, at the same time, avoiding to look too long at him.

Elise continued to look at the man called Mr. Vervor walking in front of the Lord and immediately bowed, one leg was kneeled, "Thank you very much, milord. For being invited to the castle and spend time to meet this humble man." The way he spoke was sweet and polite. Almost too polite as if he was speaking to a King but then the Lord was the one closest to the throne which wasn't built yet.

"I am glad to see that you come alive, Vervor. Tell me how long had it been since we last met?" asked Ian, tipping his chin on his hand and crossed his legs. One of his hands was holding an empty-looking glass and he tilted the glass around, playing with it lazily.

The man didn't know why he had been called but the letter that invited him had said he was called to be present in a party as the special guest and the word had gotten the man excited to the moon. "It had been about five years, milord." Mr. Vervor asserted.

Elise saw the greeting was normal and it seemed to her that the heavy air in the room earlier had dismissed with people began to smile now. Then a man who was standing in the room called to her by waving his hand. In a quick motion, Elise moved to filled the glass of water with the jar she was holding and when found another person with an empty glass, she walked to refill the water.

At the same time, Ian began to speak, "Which means this had been the forty-ninth year you have worked for me, under my orders. I've heard so much about you and one of it was praises." Mr. Vervor's smile widened in glee when he continued to praise him.

The man bowed, "Your praise is the joy of my life, I should take the praise to my grave." if Elise hadn't heard from the conversation Ian and Valhoun held on the soiree last time, she would have seen Mr. Vervor as a good man, but she knows that wasn't true, the man had stolen the land which belongs to Ian and she thought Master Ian came to scold him. Seeing the praises Ian spoke, she wondered if the punishment he mentioned still stands?

Elise who didn't want to make mistake walk to the corner again. She knows that every time the situation was important for her, she would do the worse mistake and she can't do that now in front of Master Ian's presence. When she was about to walk back, Ian who had stared at his little puppy walk and go refilling other's glasses, placed down his empty cup to the table beside him. The sound was loud and enough for everyone to look at him. Elise also shifted her attention to him.

With their eyes meeting, he smiled to say, "My glass is empty, a refill please, Elise."

In a second, the attentions Elise tried to avoid fell on her. Her fingers on the jar almost loosened in surprise. It was clear that she wasn't used with the attention gathering to her be it on the soiree or now in the courtroom. All eyes were on her.

"What is the maid doing?" whispered a man who looked at Elise with a frown on his forehead.

"I believe she is surprised, it's not often for a maid to receive the attention of the Lord. Look at her startled expression." commented the other man who was standing near the place Mr. Vervor stood at. When they found relief Ian was in a good mood, the can't help but have their mouth speaks and chatters.

"You are right, she must be in surprise. This is why maids are different from the ladies of our class. They are foolish and slower, a little dimwit who couldn't act in time comes." said another and they laughed.

The comments were quick to make Elise moves. She who had garnered the attention now felt like a lion placed in a circus with all eyes on her that didn't stop looking at her. She felt nervous raising to her fingertips. When she reached by the place where Ian was sitting, she opened the lid of the jar, when her eyes looked up to see Ian had held her hand. "Easy now, you're getting too nervous, puppy." and on his words, Elise did feel calmer but the tension was still on her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize you're doing nothing wrong, continue." The men who heard the conversation and saw the touch Ian did on her hand found the scene surprising. Not only because Ian had kindly coaxed the maid to calm herself but the way he spoke was also gentle. Was the maid someone he knows?

When Elise poured the water, she heard the man who was standing in front of Master Ian, the same man who had stolen Ian's lands, Mr. Vervor spoke, "The part of the land which I have been assigned to is holding a festival, milord. Please if you have time do grace us by visiting the land."

"When my schedule is free, I'll try to come." Elise heard Master Ian spoke and when she was about to go, she receive a look from Ian who told her not to walk away by tipping his chin. "Keep your eyes open, sweetheart." whispered Ian to her, and a storm of malice swirled upon Ian's red eyes.

Elise wondered what he meant by that, she had been keeping her eyes open which mean he was telling her to wait for something. But for what?

Cynthia who was not too far from Elise and the scene frown, she had watched how Ian had took Elise to his side and she wondered what he was going to do until she heard the words Ian uttered which was laced with evil intention. She walked toward Ian trying to tell him to stop but the Lord stopped the woman from doing so by raising his hand. No matter who it was this was Ian White, the Lord, no one in the land could stop his authority.

Ian uncrossed his legs and with a hand tapping on the armrest, he spoke to the man standing in front of him, "Speaking of land, do you know what had been happening to my land, Vervor?"

On the words, Mr. Vervor knitted his brows and shook his head, "I apologize for my lack of knowledge but I do not know, milord." His eyes looked up at Ian, "Is there anything wrong? Please do tell this humble person so I could help your troubles."

Ian spoke, "A few weeks ago a certain stupid person thought they are my sibling which is odd because if I do, they wouldn't be alive at the moment." Elise's attention fell at the word and she watched Master Ian bringing the glass to his lips- barely parting his mouth to drink the water Elise had poured for him.

Mr. Vervor scoffed at this, "Milord, that person in question must have lost their mind. I'm sure everyone in this room agrees."

Ian pulled his face toward the human man and his smirk widened, "Right? They stole my land, placing their names there, telling my people the place had belong to them. This bastard mongrel, what do you think I should do to him?"

Mr. Vervor's face went pale as sheet at the Lord's words. He had supported Ian's words, trying to use sugary words to please the Lord without knowing the bastard mongrel was him.

The silence was deadly in the room. Even a breath felt hard to take as most people were too afraid to breath and take the Lord's attention now. They have always wish for the Lord's attention for their well-being, yet ironically no one want god have his attention now.

"Would you mind and explain what are you doing, Vervor?" asked Ian, the smile he had was still there on his lips, a saint-like smile which only frightened more people to their core.

Vervor was quick to fall to his knees and pressed his head to the sparkly floor twice to beg, "M-Milord! There must b-be something wrong! I can explain t-this!" Vervor's voice squeaked like and old broke door as his face was soaked with fear.

Ian spread his hand and with all generosity he said, "I'm all ear."

Vervor was surprised that Ian let him speak but at the same time he had nothing to speak as he had stole the piece of the land while knowing who it belonged to. His greediness has gotten over him that he and some men present in the room forgot what kind of person Ian White was.

The Demon today chose a specific date to have fun torturing the small man with his words and everyone knows it, "Maroon." called Ian and without having told to do what Maroon came with a sword which was placed on the wall, seeing it passed to Ian's hand everyone became queasy. Cynthia exhaled her breaths in impatient, her eyes on Elise could only hope that the girl wouldn't faint.

Vervor raised his eyes slightly and saw the sword when he heard the swift sound when the sword was pulled from the scabbard, the man pressed his head again, "Please s-spare my life milord! I promise n-never to do it again!"

"Have you ever heard of me giving anyone a second chance? You thought I've been quiet didn't you? Speak now, I've given you the chance to do so now." Elise saw Master Ian standing up, the sword he held was gleaming and as he spoke, and her eyes then fell to the man begging for his life.

She realized how the view from above was different than bellow and this was the view Ian had seen the entire time.

Ian twirled the sword in his hand and the man quickly spoke, "T-the piece of land was told to b-be empty and infertile, I-I thought-" Ian's patience was running thin with how the man thought he was smart by trying to hoodwink his way to make himself look clean.

The sword Ian twirled stopped and with one swish of his hand, his sharp sword slashed Vervor's neck. His head rolled. Blood splattered like a rushing fountain and a shrill scream echoed from one of the maids. Everyone was quiet holding to their breaths in fear, face paled, no one dared to gasp out of fear.

Elise's blue eyes froze at what she had to see. Her fingers turned cold to watch how the man who had been talking earlier now had died. When her eyed looked up, she saw the same men who had spoken about her earlier had fallen on the ground in shock while holding their breaths in fear it would be heard by the Lord.

The white floor, the same floor she had cleaned this morning was now with blood. Mr. Vervor's body laid on the ground, lifelessly, his head that was above his neck was nowhere to be seen.

Ian turned his face at Elise, her blue eyes witnessing the way his red eyes darkening and the corner of his lips was pulled high. This was his world, thought Ian as he smiled at her.

He was a Demon and his sweet girl didn't know anything about it yet.

Next chapter have been updated~