The Demon’s Bride

By the time Elise was prepared to leave the castle, she met Maroon near the foyer. The butler bowed and she returns his polite greeting. She noted how Maroon seemed to be smiling through his straight expression.

Ian stood in front of the doors with his black coat covering his broad shoulders. Seeing his shadow, Elise could feel everything she felt last night came rushing to her mind as her blood did.

As if noticing her presence, Ian turned his body, his gaze turning to a smile when they met, "Finally you are here." 

Unlike her, Ian didn't seem to be flustered like her with how last night went on. A-all the things they did where he touched her private places to bring an euphoric emotions she doubt she would ever feel from anyone in her life. Is it because she was the one who was pleased? Or the past Ian had with him? 

Elise was well aware that Ian had a nine hundred years worth of past with him. It's close to impossible that he didn't meet a woman in his past whom he shared his night with. She didn't feel jealous as it was in the past, although her heart did feel uncomfortable. But knowing Ian, she could tell that wasn't the reason. Somewhere Elise felt she would never see him flustered.

"Did I came late?" she asked when she was by his side. 

"You were not. But I was running patient of missing you since last night," Ian watched Elise's cheeks reddening. Leaning forward he saw her quickly close her eyes while standing on tip-toes. With a chuckle he kissed her. It would be crazy for him to refuse her wanting a kiss. 

Elise hold down her smile after the kiss. She heard Ian say, "Did you dream of me last night too?" 

The question had her in a second of silence, "I think I do."

"You did?" Ian wondered why Elise hadn't turn shy as when he teased her, a reaction of flustered which he couldn't get bored of would usually take place unlike this time. "What did I do?"

"Brushing my hair..." whispered Elise. She frowned when she tried to remember her dream. Something felt amiss to her. What was it?

"Like this?" Ian placed his hand on the back of her head smoothening the part of her hair that was blown by the wind. "Are you ready to meet your aunt?"

Elise paused, "I don't know. I am not sure if I am angry either, is it weird?"

"Why would you?" He raised his brow, his lips twisting the grin, "It's just show that she is very insignificant to your life. People tend to care less about people who pass by their life without leaving mark. In your aunt's case, she did leave a mark by sending you to the slave market. You can be angry or even use your power to kill her," Ian encouraged which Elise took as a way for him to lift her spirit. "I will help you discard the body. The river or fire, which do you prefer?"

Elise shook her head, unless it was Ian, she wondered if people could openly ask her how she would like to hide a body of a person who she killed. "Do you always hide the body in that manner?" she asked, pure out of curiosity. 

Ian brushed his hand on her cheeks, his eyes didn't leave her gaze, "I like how you don't mull on the killing part, it's to me that you accept me wholly." Elise taking slow of her surrounding but her had accustomed to him pretty well despite how it wasn't easy for her. "I don't usually hide bodies, unless necessary Maroon would be the one to take care of it. Which why I gave him a shovel when he first became my servant."

Elise left the castle, entering the carriage as Ian explained her. "I see. I think that's why Maroon like his shovel." But shovel, thought Elise. Does that mean Maroon use the shovel to dig one place to bury the body? Then where would it be?

The time took to travel to Saltige was not too short or long. By the time they arrive, Elise saw how the villager's eyes stared at the carriage when she peeked by the curtain that covered the window's carriage. She saw the place, and memory rushed in her, all which wasn't great to recount.

"Whose carriage is that?" spoke a woman from outside, it was Mrs. Welly who was close with Angelica as they were neighbors.

"I don't know," replied the other, whose eyes glued on the carriage that sparkles, "Why would a noble's carriage be here? Is someone's daughter getting married to a wealthy man?"

"I don't think there is..." whispered the other woman who was the wealthiest in the village. "Look they are about to go down from the carriage!"

The villagers waited for the person to come out, all with eagerness to see who it was when their eyes widened at the moment they caught sight of the long red hair cascading down to a lady's hips. Her dress were without dust, and was made with a good fabric without tears or dusts. Elise looked different than how she was nine years ago, when she was dirty and small, but the villagers who remembered the red hair, could not mistake who she was as the lady bear the exact similarity with the young girl who reside in the village year's ago. 

Elise looked around the village, she first saw how the houses were similar to how she remembered with new houses built here and there. When she looked at the villagers who gathered near the carriage, she was met with the eyes that were not welcoming.

The gazes took Elise back to her past. She had gotten bigger and taller than before yet, somewhere she still feel drowning on the sharp stare the people gave her. When she felt Ian's hand on her back, the stifling feeling was suddenly gone. 

"How welcoming the stares are, don't you think?" Ian smiled, taking in the view of the villager who showed their discord when seeing Elise.