The Demon’s Bride

Elise can't help but widen her smile upon meeting Austin again after a long time where he had been busy with things for the past few months, the man then pulled a heavy sigh, "Milord! How could you do this to me? Cynthia is Elise's chaperone when she is young, but you can't forget me! How can you not let me see Elise in her wedding dress today?"

Elise looked back at Austin with a little surprise, "How do you know today I wore the wedding dress?"

"Cynthia told me," Austin said with a sulking expression, "That woman, I told her what was happening in the castle while I am out when she bragged about going to see you in the wedding dress. Even though I-"

"I didn't call here to hear your chatter, Austin," Ian cut in between the werecat's whines, causing Austin to purse his lips. "What have you find after tailing her for the past few days?"

Austin came back with a more serious expression, "The girl is named Esther, she is around seventeen year old. Last year she decided to move into this village, the reason for her to move remain unknown but apparently from the rumors amongst the villager claim that she move after her father's death."

"She is only a year younger than me," Elise said, she didn't remember when her sister had been born as most of her memories about her father had been wiped clean and the memories she have started in when her mother and her was alone.

Ian took a hold of her hand, showing her a smile, "So you are the older sister, just like me," and Elise replied his word with another nod, "Anything else you found, Austin?"

Austin didn't know how long he had been staring at the two. To his surprise, Elise and Ian appear like any other normal couple, instead, they appear very in love with each other to the point where others could not fit to their line of sight which came as a surprise to Austin as he knew how Ian was in the past. 

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Ian was no different then the ever so emotionless butler, Maroon when it comes to emotion. The Lord always displayed the picture of a mischievous Lord who wouldn't mind taking lives but if one look closer to Ian, they would know the emptiness he have but now, he appeared like any other normal people and somewhere that made Austin to be happy. 

"Yes," Austin answered, "I found that Esther always leave the house everyday. I have never caught her sneaking out at night but I did followed her to the forest somewhere although she didn't stay there."

Ian rose his brows, "Have you looked around the forest?" And Austin nodded.

"But I found nothing there, Milord. It was completely clean and Esther's reputation amongst the villager is above average. Everyone love her and is fond of her, there had never been an ugly rumor about her."

Elise can't help but to think of how similar Esther's life with her during the time when she live with the Scott's. She heard Ian chimed, "And there had never been anything more suspicious than a goody two shoes in this world. One that appear the cleanest often be darkest one. Let's go."

When they arrived on the gate of the house, Elise's eyes ventured around the house, she noted how the house appeared so far normal. There were Landry hung on the backyard while flower pots were placed outside the entrance of the house. The house was a small one, considering Esther live alone which was perfect for her.

Walking toward the door, Elise was the one who knocked on the door, waiting for it to open. Beelzebub, on the other hand, leaned on the wall of the fence, bending down to the soil to press his hand there.

When the door was opened, came out a girl almost close to Elise's age but instead of looking younger, she appeared older by her at least by two years. Her hair was black and the eyes that met Elise's were colored in the same bright blue hue, similar to her eye color. 

"Yes? What can I help you with, Miss and misters?" Esther asked, pulling a confused look and her body inclined to the left so she could see who was behind them, noticing the other two people behind the girl with the red hair who she knew was the sweet bride and a man with black hair and handsome face. It was the Lord! Finally, thought Esther, the day that she had been waiting for had came.

Beelzebub raise his eyebrows when seeing the beautiful lady, who showed a bright smile toward her guests, including him and when their eyes met, he returned her smile sweetly to notice how the lady's eyes quickly dart away from him which piqued his interest. He could tell Esther didn't remove her gaze quickly from him because she felt shy like any other women who meet his eyes. It was something else.

"Are you Miss Esther?" Ian was the one who questioned the woman as Elise found it hard to find the right word to speak. 

"I am Esther, Esther Lemmington," answered Esther and she continue to stare at Elise who looked at her. 

Although Elise had never seen Esther before, somewhere she felt as if she had seen this woman before. There was a sense of nostalgia and bond that she felt which she couldn't put her finger on what it was, "Good morning, Esther," Elise called the girl's name while holding to her hands, "My name is Elise Scott. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Unlike the time where Esther had sweated Jerome's hand, this time, she squeeze back Elise's hand. While staring at Elise, the girl chuckled, "I'm sorry miss. But I don't understand why I feel like I know you. Can you tell me what you come for?"

"It may sound out of the blue for you, Esther," Elise begin, not wanting to suddenly spring the news, "I once lived in the village called Saltige with my parents until my father left the house, and from the people whom I questioned about my father told me that you," Elise's eyes looked up at the girl, "are my sister."

Esther's blue eyes widened, while Elise wondered if the girl won't believe her. Within the next second, Esther pulled her for a hug, "So you are Elise! My sister!" Elise who was hugged widened her eyes, feeling a sense of warmth spreading in her heart. Before she told Ian she didn't know whether she could bring herself to take Esther as her sister but now, she could feel that there was bond on their blood, that tells her they are indeed a relative.

Elise turned her face to show her smile toward Ian who showed her back a smile but when Elise turn to place her hands on Esther's shoulders, Ian's smile fell and his eyes narrowed oh gaze at the woman who had pulled Elise to a hug.

"I have been waiting for a very long time for you," whispered Esther with a hidden intention beneath her smile and her words weren't a lie. "Oh I'm sorry, I am getting ahead of myself," Esther said when she pulled away. "Please get inside. What would you like to drink-"

"Tea," Beelzebub suddenly answered, while holding to Esther's hand that had her eyes wide and she quickly swatted her hand from the man's hand. "I see that you don't like to be touch."

"I am a lady, sir. Being touch suddenly surprise me," Esther answered with a smile, hiding her frown.

Elise was taken aback by Beelzebub's sudden appearance beside Esther and the way he held her hand. She crane her neck to exchange gaze with Ian, questioning with her eyes and Ian only smiled while raising her hand. But Beelzebub's next action continue to surprise Elise, 

"Oh? Then can I touch you again? This time without surprise," Beelzebub showed the girl a smile which Esther answered with the same one, masking her annoyed expression.

"I feel uncomfortable being touch on our first meeting and I don't think it's right for you to casually hold a woman's hand," Esther answered, mildly answering with a passive aggressive response.

"Oh, touché," Beelzebub shrugged his shoulders.

Not wanting to entertain this blonde-haired Demon, Esther reached out her hand to the house, "Please enter, Elise. I will take a little time to prepare the drinks."

"Thank you, Esther," Elise answered until the girl left, she then turn her head to find Beelzebub eagerly entering the room with a wide smile and then shifted her gaze to look at Ian, who was ordering Austin to stay outside as they needed people from both inside and outside in case of danger. 

When he had finished, Elise then asked, "What was that?"

"I don't know? Maybe spring finally come for him?" Ian answered with a smile, he then placed his hand on Elise's back, bringing her inside while she was still confused. While looking at the house, Ian hid his smile. He could tell that something was off from Esther but he cannot deny the faint smell of the woman that was borderline similar to Elise's scent.

One could argue that entering the house on Esther's offer was  dangerous but Ian had always come prepared, always ten steps ahead from the people around him. Before Esther who played the cat would be able to trap them, he had put reverse their position. It wasn't Esther who had locked Ian and Elise inside her house but she was the one who locked inside but the woman didn't notice what the Demon had in mind yet.