The Demon’s Bride

Ian walked to his office where Austin and Cynthia had been waiting for her. Walking from the door, he made his way to sit on the door, having his eyes on the fireplace where sparks came.

Not long after he sat down, the door was knocked and Maroon entered before closing the door. He walked to the desk, placing a doll which was made hideously using straws. Taking it to his hands, Ian ran his finger to the doll, noticing the cut made on the leg of the straw doll and on the back, the same places as where Elise have been wounded.

Voodoo magic are known to be vile. They were use as underhanded method by cursing a person to the straw doll. If they cut a part in the straw doll, the person who was cursed would receive wound at the same part where the straw doll was cut.

"Traces of black magic is here," Ian stated coolly but his eyes had turned intimidating. "A dark sorcerer is snooping around my castle, trying to harm Elise."

"I don't think it is a coincidence they choose to attack Elise," said Cynthia, she went to take a closer look at the straw doll. "The maid was not a dark sorcerer but she helped them."

Austin, who leaned his left shoulder to the wall then spoke, "My guess the maid could have hatred against Elise. Instead of helping the dark sorcerer, we could say she used their help."

Ian smiled to place down the straw doll for his aides to see better, "Elise said she had talk to the maid less than a few seconds, they never fight, and she wasn't one to start a fight. Maroon," Ian called and the dull color of the butler's eyes moved to him, "Tell me where and how did you find the straw doll."

"Tracey's room, the name of the late maid. Her place is settled with another two maids but on the time when Tracey inflict pain to the straw doll, they didn't witness it happened as they were fast asleep," Maroon explained, "I have talked with the two and they spout no lies."

Austin pushed his shoulder from the wall, walking to frown, "The maids working here should have a clear study of their situation. None of them should be associated with dark sorcerers."

"Austin, I will leave you to find out about the maid's pasts visit, every time she took leave from White Mansion, find out what she is doing and who she met, also note the village and town," Ian instructed, his red eyes moving to the crow resting on his desk stayed still before turning to the only woman in the room, "Cynthia, I want you to find more of Elise's past, find the village where her aunt live and if there were odd and bizarre events in the town where the Scott live."

"The previous town? But no one was left alive." Cynthia wondered if something happened in Elise's previous town for Ian to instruct them this?

"Ask the village near the town, there should be one, if they are well connected, the rumors should come there," replied Ian for one he didn't use his sarcasm nor his grin to have fun but a clear conversation. "You can go."

Austin looked at Ian once again before he exit with Cynthia, leaving Ian with Maroon. "I have buried the body in the backyard, milord."

"And the chick?" asked Ian and Maroon lifted his hand, picking Hallow whose mouth was bound by a fabric, making him unable to make a single sound.

Hallow was confused. What the hell was going on! He was sleeping peacefully to be kidnapped or maybe chicknapped by the butler. His green eyes glared at Maroon before turning to meet Ian's red eyes which had turned intimidating.

"Maybe it was a fool of me to let you inside this castle. How could you not notice Elise had left the room?" Ian raised one of his eyebrow at Hallow. The grim reaper may not be the one in the wrong but he should have noticed it.

When the bound was lifted, Hallow spoke, "It ain't my fault! In my defense I was awake the entire time but I saw Elise sleeping in her room! In a snap, like a blink, I found her disappear from the castle. I also didn't know what happened." There was desperation in Hallow's voice. He wasn't in the fault yet he was looked as if he was the source of trouble in the castle.

"A blink," Ian exhaled after repeating the chick's words then lean on the back of his chair, "Elise wounds is undoubtedly created by the curse from the voodoo magic but as for her sleepwalking, it is different."

"Is she perhaps not a sweet child? Her power defy what anyone know as a sweet child," said Maroon who had went to pick up the empty teacup from Ian's desk to refill the tea.

"No, she is one. The faeries would never mistake a sweet child. Elise is just unique. It could be from her ancestor's blood as power goes down from generation to another." Ian said, picking the straw doll.

Elise was different from the rest. She was told in the future to be his bride and the word bride could be many thing. To Demon bride sometimes are human who were sacrificed to suffice the Demon's need or at times, human bride are said to be harmful for Demon as they would turn to weapon to kill the Demon.

Ian when knowing God had given him a bride thought it was strange for him in particular to receive a bride. Knowing the many meaning of bride, Ian wondered if Elise could be his bride in literal sense or the bride who could kill him. But Elise, his sweet girl, thought Ian to himself, was someone who couldn't hurt another much less kill him.

He wondered how Elise and his future would turn out and if God was making fun of him or giving their blessing to him.

Hallow turned his head carefully moving his legs to leave unnoticed when he felt his tail pulled from behind, "I will remind you the last time to stick with her and report to me if you find anything odd. You can go," Ian pushed him and the next second Hallow found himself on the floor of Elise's room.

Arrived in the floor, Hallow turn his body upside down, still in surprise that his wide green eyes look at the large table legs with his eyes unmoving. After some times he finally stood up stomping on his feet that make very little sound. That Demon! It wasn't his fault and he knew but her had called him only to threaten him. "I should stick myself closer to Elly so she would cry if I'm gone!" If that happened even the Demon wouldn't resist her tears!

In Ian's room, the butler was left finally alone. "Maroon keep an eye on Elise and the rumors," Ian twirled his hand and fire appeared on the top of the straw doll to burn the rest to ashes. Before the ash could touch the desk it had returned to nothing. "Also keep an eye on all the maids in the house, note me if you find anyone who are acting out of bounds."

"Master, should we take care of the gardener?" asked Maroon.

"Gardener, oh, I remember the one named John who was said to be sick. What's the problem?" Seeing that Maroon asked him, Ian doubted it was a normal illness that had plagued the gardener.

"In afternoon, he found the body buried under the ground. It seem he have been snooping around the garden to find whether there are things that was buried there," replied Maroon, the dull red headed butler recalled his he watched silently without his presence being known by the gardener who was digging through the ground and when he found bodies, the man was beyond overjoyed.

"Oh?" Ian sang amused, his grin widened in amusement and mischief. "What did you do with him then?"

"I let him go to see whether he was working under anyone's order. After he took his day off, the man went from Warine to Runalia and a day ago, I followed to find him about to visit the Liptons' House," explained the butler. Even though the maids had never seen him out of the castle, it was a question how he could tail the gardener John without known by anyone. "Currently he is on my hand, tied on the garden unconscious. What should I do with him, milord?"

"Bring him to the dungeon and prepare a scaffold notice," Ian thought of the Lipton Family who was living in Runalia and his lips twisted wide, "This should be fun."

"Yes, milord," obliged Maroon before he left, he saw Ian standing up to stare at the night sky which was empty from stars, only reflecting his own face and his bright red eyes where his smile was wide.

A/N: next chapter is coming soon