The Demon’s Bride

When they arrived to the castle, Elise walked down from the carriage, her hand holding the cloak that Ian gave her while her shoes were barren. When she was about to take a single step, Ian caught a hold of her wrist. A smile twisting his lips and Ian knew how when his thumb swipe on her wrist, Elise heart was unable to keep up with beat.

"Are you thinking of going back without shoes? It will affect your work." said Ian and in a second Elise closed her eyes to blink, she found herself in her room. Her feet moved steps behind and her eyes kept blinking as if to make sure whether she had came back to her room.

All this time Elise thought the magic only work if Ian was with her. Today she learned that the teleportation magic work with touching the subject. Elise made her way to the bed. When her bottom reached the cushion a slight sound of wood creaked on her weigh. Placing a hand over her face, she covered her red cheeks.

She could still feel the adrenaline in her when falling down. Seeing Ian's black wings awed her but at the same time made her happy. Elise could tell that it was not everyone who could see the wings which mean Ian had shown the wings specially for her. The word special made her lips pulled again and her eyes shut.

The cliff made a deep memory to Elise. There was also the mystery and the revelation that kept her mind in wonders. Elise stood up from her bed, pushing herself by her palm and she walked to the canvas that was now covered by a white fabric which Elise did so no one would be able to see the adult painting. Thinking of it made her ears tinted pink again. 

Elise's fingers were about to reach the canvas to take a better look at it as in the night she might have missed a few details when a knock came to her room. Wondering who, Elise made her way to open the door to see Mila.

The older human maid smiled at her and a breathe of relief came along, "I was searching for you, Elise. I thought I checked your room earlier but didn't find you."

"I was getting ready a few things." replied Elise, not wanting to worry the older woman who raised her hand to place it over her shoulders.

"I heard of it," started Mila and Elise gazed back at her black eyes in quizzical expression, "What happened in the courtroom. I can't blame you for taking a rest after seeing that, are you alright, my dear?" The woman had the motherly tone which reminded Elise of Mrs. Scott who was her only mother figure.

Bringing her hand, Elise took Mila's hand form her shoulder and she smiled to assure the woman, "I am fine Mila, thank you for worrying about me. I just need to take care of something." Thankfully Elise had took off her coat and she wasn't sure if she was to tell Mila that she went out with the Lord. Knowing Mila, the human maid who feared the Lord would sure go against the idea but Elise didn't want it to happen.

"Okay," Mila said after taking an account that Elise's face seemed to be red in color not pale from fear which the older maid found to be worried of, "The Lord told me that you will not have to attend the tea party in the garden and help around the castle. It is fortunate with how the noble ladies, they don't take well of us." Mila's eyes traveled down to see Elise was without shoes.

It wasn't odd for Elise not to wear shoes at her own room but her focus was somewhere in the detail, where the younger girl's socks that were pure white was with dirts. As someone who lived in the village, Mila could tell that dirt didn't come from tending the garden but from forest.

"Should I go now?" Elise tilted her head and asked, having Mila's black eyes to move from her shocks briefly and smile at her.

"You can go on about five minutes. I will take my leave now." Mila once again rubbed Elise's shoulder when the girl nodded her head before pulling her hands to her waist and left the room. Mila decided not to ask. The older maid was wise with her age. A simple speculation was easy to make from Elise whose socks were stained and Ian who had just arrived back from the carriage with the wide smile on his lips. But Mila knows well not to speak. It was the rule in the castle.

Closing the door Elise sighed as her blue eyes looked down on her socks, finding it dirty. "Mila must have seen it." she mumbled. Elise wasn't slow to notice other's eyes on her. Even though Mila noticed the older maid didn't say anything which was good to Elise.

As she had no clock in her room or a pocket watch, Elise who only had five minute to rest went to take a change of her socks to a new one and pulled the shoes she had that was a spare Mila gave to her. Once she had dressed properly and combed her hair that had gone unruly, Elise stepped out of the room to go at the other side of the castle when she was called to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, in the garden, the ladies have gathered. Those whose husband or father were in the courtroom didn't forget to tale the story of late Vervor who died in a single stroke Ian did and the gory scene they saw where blood spluttered out like fountain from the severed neck.

Lady Ellen who was with her father walking on the garden pulled her parasol over her face to cover the expression she made, "Did you say the Lord threaten you, papa?" asked Lady Ellen with her brows furrowed. "Maybe the Lord is jesting with the people in the court to ease the situation." The lady spoke with her eyes looking at her father.

To hear that her father, Duke Gary had been threatened subtly didn't make sense to the pampered lady. She had often heard Ian's dark humor which was hard to find laughter but he didn't meant so. She was sure of it, after all Duke Gary is her father and the Duke of Warine.

"From his eyes I know he isn't lying or joking." Duke Gary replied in a hushed tone so people with ears wouldn't eavesdrop on their conversation and the father and daughter pair walked inside the garden where lesser people were. "He was serious, meaning every words."

"Is it because we ruined his appetite?" Lady Ellen asked. It was well known how Ian dislike others running his good mood. "This is all because of that maid." the lady biter her lower lips that were colored in deep red with anger. The parasol covered more of her face and she stomped her feet on the grass, "Did you see her again, papa? If you do I will make sure to teach her a lesson today-"

"What a good day to be together as father and daughter, am I right?" On the voice, Lady Ellen's eyes snapped wide and so was Duke Gary. They both whipped their heads behind on Ian's voice that appeared unannounced. 

A/N: Please continue to vote. Our goal of 1000 power stones is very near! ^^