The Demon’s Bride

As Ian left to greet the Church member who had come to the White Mansion, Elise made her way to the garden, where a grim reaper was tied to. During her walk, she saw how most of the maids do not meet her eyes and bowed to her. The sudden different treatment took Elise off guard, and seeing thus it only taught her more how being Ian's future wife would change how people look and treated her overnight.

Elise wondered about Mila, the only person amongst the maid who knew and had treated her well even before she becomes Ian's bride. Last time, Mila had accepted them but she could tell Mila wasn't happy with their relationship. Elise knew Mila had only best wishes for her, wanting Elise to live happily which why Mila wasn't sure about Ian, the Lord who was known for the evil things he did. 

To Elise, Mila was kind of a mother figure, the woman who had put her to bed and sleep before Mrs. Scott and had showered her with affection like any mother would. Even if Mila was not her real mother, Elise wish Mila would accept Ian as her husband with an open hand.

Reaching the garden, Elise went to the tree that had no more leaves in it as the tree had shed its leaf before the snow. Padding her shoes though the snows, she stopped and see a yellow bundle tied in a rope which was hung to one of the tallest branches of the tree.

For the first time, Ian had guessed it wrong, Hallow wasn't screwing or cursing. Instead, his head was hung low and his green eyes stared at the snow until he realized the heavy sound of footsteps to look at Elise for a moment before his eyelids lowered.

Elise couldn't explain the emotions in her when seeing Hallow. He reminded her much of William, her younger brother when he was scolded. She stepped closer to the tree, "This is the tree where you were tied in the first time."

Hallow lifted his round head with a hassle, "You should not speak with me," said the chick with his guilty conscious. "Did the Demon forget to tell you the reason why I was tied here?"

"I heard," Elise said, moving to sit on the snow that felt cold to her bottom but her dress and coat was thick enough to protect her from getting too cold. "And I think it's the more reason why I should talk with you."

Hallow inclined his head to the side, he can't understand what Elise meant. In this situation most people would blame him or get anger. Hallow didn't know what 'guilt' was. He was a grim reaper that had barely emotions. He only knew guilt from the souls he brought back from the living world who walked heavily with guilt in them.

Now that he knew he was guilty and felt bad for what he did, his head hung low in embarrassment as he had disappointed Elise who had helped him. Taking his breaths he said, "Beelzebub told me he could helped me to clear the misunderstanding which happen in Hell, so I could be a grim reaper again. I choose myself over you, shouldn't you get angry?"

"I would," Elise said to see Hallow's head dropped lower that made her felt bad for him, "But you haven't done anything that caused me trouble and thank you," this had Hallow's head to turn at her last word, "You tried to save me when my aunt was about to kill me, didn't you? And when the relics came. I appreciate it, even though you know you could die, you saved me and that is all that matters."

Standing from where she sat, Elise undo the rope that tied Hallow's body. Placing him to her palm, Elise can't help but smile at his large green eyes that widened. "But I won't be lenient if you do that again."

"I won't!" The chuck quickly stood up on his feet, raising his right wing to the sky, "I promised I won't do that again. That Demon, Beelzebub, he was strange himself. He seemed like he had something to do but he won't tell me what it is, and it doesn't seem like he was doing anything harmful. I'm not defending him, but it felt like that."

Elise gave a nod at Hallow's words which she agreed to. It was strange how Beelzebub had came to the White Mansion and if he was assigned to harm her by Lucifer's instruction, he would have took the chance which she knew he might have a lot time for it, such as during the time she fainted in the basement of her aunt's house. If he wanted to take her life that was his best chance. 

"He also questioned where Heaven is to Sullivan," chimed Hallow that brought back Elise's mind.

"Heaven?" she asked again to see Hallow nodding. "Isn't Heaven over the sky?"

"Not the sky but I heard it was somewhere up there," replied Hallow who was a grim reaper, being one he knew where Heaven and Hell os but never knew the specific location.

Elise pulled her brows at this, "Why would Mr. Beel search for Heaven?" He was a Demon, and demons prefer Hell where most rules are broken unlike Heaven.

"I don't know," Hallow shrugged his shoulders, "But he should know where Heaven is better than us because he is a High Demon."

Elise continued to wonder why when Hallow tugged the necklace on her neck lightly, "I saw this on Beelzebub's hand before."

"Mr. Beel took it from my house," explained Elise, there was still the question in her mind why Lucifer would want her necklace? It doesn't make sense for a High Demon to steal something that belong to a human and Elise knows that the pendants won't worth much to the Demon. 

Realizing how much time she waste, Elise said to the grim reaper on her hand. "Hallow would you promise me not to talk, there is a guest in the castle that I need to meet." with a prompt nod, Hallow then slide to her pocket as Elise left to meet the Church members that have came to the castle. Not knowing the presence of a crow with golden eyes who soared not to far away from the tree, mixing himself with the wild crows before leaving the castle after confirming Elise's safety.