The Demon’s Bride

As Ian had told her, the hunting game that was held was more grandiose than other hunting game held between families. Many people dressed poshly and horses were lined on the open ground. Elise entered the ground with her hands wrapped around Ian as per his request which Elise gladly obeyed. 

All attention fell on her when they saw her hand circled around Ian's and people came over to greet her, the people who Elise remember to have seen before during the time Ian had invited people to the White Mansion. Before they treated her like air and now it changed to her being the diamond.

The sudden change was uncanny but Elise had learned to adapt toward the people's smile that didn't reach their eyes. 

Not far, Lady Monica tightened her grip that was holding the parasol that helped to cover her from the snowflakes. Anger came toward the young lady as she saw Elise coming to the hunt with Ian, the man who she admired beside her. The news about his upcoming marriage with the maid had angered her and to see them together only pour more oil to the fire.

"Is that the Lord's future wife? The lady with the red hair?" asked the lady who was dressed in a bright lime dress. "She is so gorgeous just like a doll."

"People will look like a doll when they have enough money to dress themselves. Usually it's the person who make the dress, but I say this is the opposite," answered another woman who was a close friend of Lady Monica. Lady Sentencia who held grudge against Elise because for her, Ian had shamed her in front of the guests in the soirée held a month ago.

"But she is indeed beautiful, I can tell why the Lord is enamored by her," the other woman said which cause more frown to appear in Lady Monica's forehead. Her hand clenched tightly in anger. 

As if knowing what Monica felt, Lady Sentencia said, "Beauty can fade, ladies. To woman who use their looks and body on the bed to charm others, I doubt that it will end well. I have seen people like that. Servants who took it over their head by thinking they would love forever if they marry the master of the house only to find themselves cast away as their beauty fades and other younger women taking her place. We ought to find a perfect match, one who doesn't look at your beauty but heart." The words the woman said sounded wise and romantic when it was actually malicious with intent to mock Elise.

"The lady was a servant before?" questioned the lady in lime dress in surprise, "I could never guess, I mean she is very beautiful."

"She is not only a servant," Lady Monica said suddenly, taking attention of the women around her. After the last visit to the White Mansion, she and her brother had found out about one secret which she had found out after conversing with the maid who worked there. "She is worse than a servant, in the past there was a time when she was a-"

"Sister, here you are," Elijah suddenly came behind Monica. His hand held his sister's upper arm, tightening his grip just enough to warn Monica and looked down with a warning gaze. "I didn't know you were here with the ladies. I'm sorry if I will be disturbing you all. Lady Sentencia, how is it going with finding the suitor?"

Lady Sentencia found Elijah to be handsome and good-looking. With Elijah's question, the blush she paint her cheek became brighter, "It has been going very terrible. There isn't any man who piqued my interest." And she blinked her eyes delightfully toward Elijah, wondering if he also has interest in her.

"Then I hope you'll be able to find your match soon, no women wish to become a spinster. With your beauty I am sure a man who will satisfy you will come knocking on your door. Well, I will have to excuse myself and Monica. We have been called," Elijah said before departing.

"What are you doing? Let go of my arm!" Monica demanded and Elijah only released his hand once they were far enough. He removed his gaze from her and puff a loud sigh. 

"Are you crazy? The Lord is here and if the rumors circulate you will be the first one yo be killed by him. Not only you but our family," Elijah warned. Being more clever than his sister, he knows how sharp the Lord was and how frightening he is if one test his patience.

"Then why do we have to be quiet about it? I am saying only the truth," Monica said. She had been up in arms for the past few days after hearing the marriage news and cannot accept the truth where Elise was better than her. She was a slave and a maid, while she was the daughter of the Count! It was only right that she was chosen instead of a mere slave.

"And have the Lord go ballistic on us?" Elijah snapped.

"Then what should I do? Watch the Lord marry a lowly slave?" Monica demanded for answer. Being a spoiled girl, Monica had always have it in her mind that world revolve around her.

"Have someone else instead of us to know this," Elijah answered and his smile widening. He tipped his chin to a lady who was dressed in a olive green dress. She held the same expression of jealousy as Monica had. The lady was none other than Lady Ellen. "We can give her a little tip off that Elise is a slave. She is not a very bright lady but greedy. I am sure she would be able to do the dirty work instead of us."

Monica's eyes widened at her brother's idea and her smile widened after she thought about what he proposed, "That's a good idea, but how will we do that?"

"Her maid," Elijah gave the clue that Monica needed to know and immediately, the two went to practice the idea they have in mind.

Elise occasionally smiled in the talk other directed to her. Most of the talk the ladies had with her was trivial and discussion about the latest fashion. But unlike them, Elise didn't focus much on fashion, causing her to know little when the women spoke about the latest style amongst the seamstress.

Ian left the place with her once he thought Elise didn't need to entertain the women. Knowing what other thinks by reading between the line helped Ian to know the goal the people had when talking with them. 

"Is it true that the Lipton's manor was burnt to crisp?" asked someone who had tried to form conversation with the Lord.

"From what I heard it was said so, they said it the cause was an accident created by the servants but I also heard that the Church members came to investigate the case. Unless there was something off about the accident, I find it fishy why they would be there," said the other man.

Ian chuckled at the words exchanged between the two men, "You seem to know much about what cases the church member took."

The second man who spoke didn't know why but he felt a sudden pressure by the way Ian had spoken and replied carefully, "I was only restating the rumors that I heard, Milord."

Ian simply hummed, while looking at the man's eyes he then said, "It feels unsafe to know that the matters the Church had taken is known to public. The trust that we have to the Church will diminish if the cases the Church has in their circle leaked to others. I hope you know what to say and not. Because only people who doesn't deserve their tongue speak without knowing the weigh of their words."

"O-Of course, Milord. I don't dare to speak about this to others," the man bowed, knowing what Ian had found in him.

When the men dispersed, Elise's blue eyes fell on Ian, "What was that about?" She questioned because she couldn't understand why the man suddenly become scared.

"Him?" Ian questioned as if he had forgotten of the man's existence when they had just spoke less than a minute ago, "His son work in the Church and he must have heard of the case from his son. Foolish men like him often use his connection to form stories to tell to others. It would be acceptable if he keep his story to his families but it would be our disadvantage if our enemies like the dark sorcerer are the ones who heard about it."

"That would be dangerous," agreed Elise, she then looked across the open ground as more people came by. Elise had never liked to have attention to her but took place with crowded people without any problem. She had never liked to look people in a black colored glasses, often seeing them in their good light as doubting others would only stress herself. But after what taken place inn the loop forest there days ago where Barner had taken Alfred place; being in presence of a lot of people, she couldn't help but have suspicious in her eyes while meeting others who spoke with her.

It feels like something keep crawling under her skin and it was hard to make herself at ease. Thankfully, she didn't feel overly uncomfortable due to Ian's presence because she knew she could trust him, and felt thankful that he was here with her to make her feel calmer. Her gaze then fell on Lord Garfon who spoke not too far from then with Lady Rachel and another man whose eyes were bright green in color.

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