The Demon’s Bride

Elise who had cleaned the garden, went to take care of the stable. There she met Johannes who was covered in thick coats. They talked a little before Elise noticed that her pocket was empty. Did Hallow went somewhere?

While searching for Hallow, Elise met Carmen along the way. The half vampire turned around as if looking for something when she noticed her and quickly turn her head. 

"Are you searching for something, Carmen?" questioned Elise because that was how she seemed to look like with her head turning left and right constantly.

"Y-yes," Carmen walked nearer to Elise, and her voice dropped low, "Did you see Vella?"

"I didn't," was Carmen searching for Vella? questioned Elise in her mind. 

"She hadn't been going good for the past few days," replied Carmen with a sigh passing from her lips, "Vella's family is having a problem. You know, after what happened, Vella didn't talk to her family much because they avoided her. But now, they asked for her help. I know I shouldn't say this, but I don't think they are her family."

Elise's focus were elsewhere on Carmen's words, "After that happened?"

Carmen stared at her face with a solemn look as if she was weighing things. Holding her hand, she then bring her to a place with less people. Elise saw Carmen looking around before saying,  "I had never said this to anyone because Vella's past is not something she would like others to hear, but I know I can tell this to you," there was a smile Elise noticed to be sad from Carmen, and she went on, "Vella was a criminal who almost got executed for poisoning a person."

Elise's eyes widened. She had seen and heard of many felony acts before, and when she heard Nancy calling Vella a criminal, she thought that it would be but a small fault, like thieving, or robbery. Seeing Vella's face, Elise doubted the woman would be the kind of person who would those kind of things, and to kill someone was even much of a surprise for her that Elise had a hard time believing it.

"No way," whispered Elise.

"Yes," Carmen agreed, "Vella did not do it, but she was suspected to be the person because she is a half snake family. She was working at Lord Garfon's daughter, Lady Lilith at the time when that happened. Because Lady Lilith was close to her, she managed to narrowly be exempted from the execution. But Vella's life was already ruined at the time. No one managed to find the killer and she had been labeled to be the one."

Elise could feel the frustration Carmen felt, and Elise thought the same. Vella is not the person to do that. The killer must have been someone in the house who managed to scoot free from anyone knowing.

"Vella's family didn't take it too kindly, they believe in the authorities more than her," Carmen continued, "It was just now that they contacted her through letter."

Elise didn't know what to say. Was Vella hurt by her family's dead ear on her confession? It would not be easy for anyone to have the family the believe and love to turn their back in moment they needed the most. It must have been heartbreaking, thought Elise.

But Vella seemed worried the moment she got the letter from her family, showing how she loved her family regardless of the rift that happened between them. In the end of the day, they were her family. Since the first time Elise had seen Vella, she could tell the woman was a kind one. For Vella to turn her back at her family, would have been hard.

"I will help you search for Vella," said Elise, offering her help and Carmen stood up from her seat, agreeing to go. "Where the last did you see Vella?" asked Elise because she knows Carmen shared the same room with Vella.

"I don't know. She left early in the morning," saying this Carmen pulled her brows, an expression that seemed to be remembering something to say, "I haven't been seeing Vella for the past three days. She left early in the morning, and when she came back to the room, she immediately sleep. I rarely see her longer than five minutes."

Less then five minutes? Elise asked why Vella was in a hurry to leave the room early in the morning as if she was getting something ready in early morning. But why did it have to be in early morning?

While Elise was pondering, they walked by the passage, and Elise saw from afar Mila standing after stepping out from her room. Seeing Elise, the woman got closer, "Do you two might know whose knitting sticks these are? Last night a maid told me they found this. I had asked most maids, but they say they don't know who it was."

Elise looked at the knitting sticks. Taking it to her hand, she recollect that was Vella's knitting sticks, "I think this is Vella's. I will give it back to her."

"Please," said Mila, placing the knitting sticks on Elise's hand.

"Did the maid told you where they found this, Miss Mila?" asked Carmen when Elise was about to leave. 

"Yes they did," confirmed Mila, "They said they found it on the third floor. Remember to warn Vella not to saunter around the third floor when she had no chores there. The Lord is easily irritate when others come near his resting place," the woman dropped an advise, "Which reminds me, there is a guest that came, the person is resting on the East side."

A new guest? Elise didn't heard of it even though she was present the time Maroon rehearse the maid's job from the day. She noticed in early morning of how there was maids moving things from the East side. Who could it be? Was it Lady Ellen and Duke Garry? The thought had Elise to feel her heart sting and she shook her head, thinking of something else. She believe that Ian would not let the lady stay, because of how the woman was.

Then was it someone else? Elise's thoughts break when she heard Mila continue to say, "Carmen, if you have done cleaning the third room... Have you?"

Carmen hesitate before saying, "I haven't yet." She had been busy searching for Vella and Elise could tell she had not finished most of her chores. "I will take care of it now," Carmen quickly said.

Mila did not reprimand the girl as she seemed to know her mistake, and she turn her head at Elise. A certain softness appeared on Mila's eyes when seeing Elise and noticing it, Elise had a faint smile on her lips. Elise was fond of Mila as much as the woman was fond of her. 

"Then Elise, please replace the the candlesticks in the East side. After that you can rest." Mila stated before leaving the place for Elise to be alone with Carmen.

"I think I will go, we can meet Vella later when dinner," said Carmen but her feet stopped before she went far, "I will bring that to Vella. If it is hard for us to meet her, I can place this on her desk."

"You're right," agreed Elise after giving some though, "The winter it's getting out of hand, she could be searching for this." Elise then passed the knitting sticks to Carmen and she watched the girl left.

Leaving away, Elise passed by the passage when she saw Maroon standing before a tree, holding a shovel on his hand.