The Demon’s Bride

Recommend song (use Spotify for better use): Nocturne Op. 9 — Chopin

Elise's blue eyes were reflected on the glass that covered the old painting as if to protect the last painting that was treasuredly kept on a golden frame. She traced the woman who was drawn and no doubt was she a very beautiful woman. Her hair was light golden in color, her face was moulded delicately and although some of her features do resemble Ian, not everything was similar. Her droopy black eyes looked at the painting as if she was looking at the painter and her, who was standing watching it.

"She is a very beautiful lady," whispered Elise, very beautiful that she could understand why anyone would fall for her in the first sight. A shame that she had her beauty taken advantage by a man who doesn't love her, thought Elise. She had seen the written words on her diary and the lady appeared to be very thrilled about her relationship with the man who only betrayed her in result.

"I agree and millions other would agree with me after seeing her. Can you ever imagine that my father would instead choose a simple woman who could hardly shine half of my mother's beauty?" Ian spoke with a doting tone though this smile fell less with mirth.

Elise stared at the painting, noticing the signing on the corner which she noticed, "You painted the portrait," she said with amazement.

"In fact this is one of my first successful painting," Ian softened his lips into a smile and seeing him smiling sincerely, she felt her heart fluttered like a butterfly's wings. "I didn't have the chance to reserve her body successfully from the fire she was burnt in, but I secured her ashes," Ian reached out his hand toward the box in front of him.

Elise greeted the woman with a smile, though she wasn't here and neither could Elise see her soul and ghost, she remain polite to the woman who had given life to Ian, hoping for the gentle place to find solace up above in Heaven.

"Tell me what you are thinking after you've met my mother?" Ian questioned with a light whistle. His eyes that settled on his mother painting looked at her with a sense of unbridled joy. 

"I was wondering a little how your father would look and... her last time," Elise whispered because she knew how it must be difficult to him but unexpectedly, Ian appeared calm while faced with the question. He knew that one of the day Elise would be curious and he also thought of telling her soon.

"Her last time," Elise turn to see Ian close his bright red eyes, "It might be the first time in my life where I felt I had lost everything. You know how I never lost anything. I am not bragging but truth is, the reason why I had never been afraid to lose anything was because I didn't have much that I cared even if it was lost. I didn't care about wealth now and then. There had only been one person who meant everything to me and losing isn't easy, but now you are here with me."

"I can understand," Elise said, losing was not easy and she agree because if she was to lose Ian, she didn't know what would happen to her.

"You know my mother's last words wasn't me," Ian said, "I recalled it. Although I cannot hear her voice, I can read a little of her words, 'Don't save me.' It was what she said." and those lone word was the breaking point for Ian who then decide to dip his hand on the darkness with no return but he didn't care. At that time, he only thought of how he lost everything and losing himself seemed to be a far easier price for revenge. "I never could understand why the pain of losing others is more painful than being stab or dying yourself."

"I watched it all happen to her— until it burn to my head like what my step mother wished it on me. The fire was merciless and when I knew it everything had turned red. My mother was there on the stake, but she didn't cry. I never get to understand what she was thinking on her last moment," Ian said, it felt as if he was cutting a stitches that he placed in his memories with scissor as he kept going. He thought he had made peace on the memory and he did but he only now understood he never felt pained again by the loss because his mind buried the memories deeply in the back of his mind. 

Ian was still speaking when he felt warm slender hands embracing his waist. His red eyes widened for a second before he stared at her and his eyes glimmered. "I am not sad, darling."

"I know," and exactly because Elise saw he wasn't sad that she felt his sadness deeper in her heart. "I'm sorry for opening you wounds by asking you about it."

"Don't be," Ian wrapped his hands around her waist, then suddenly picking her from the ground to take a sit on the chair that was placed near the painting to let her rest on his laps. "Instead, I am thankful that you asked me about it. I might have been running away from the memories of that night by looking away. Thanks to you I remember my mother again. Here I thought all hope was lost when I forgot her face or the time I spent with her. Now that I remember, one time my mother spoke about gift."

Elise traced her fingertips on the side of his chiseled jaw, can't help her hands to stay away from him, "What kind of gifts?"

"A gift that God would give to their children. My mother told me I was her gift and soon I would have my own gift. Finally here is my gift," he said, referring to her, "A shame that I didn't get to meet you sooner."

Elise chuckled upon his words that overwhelmed her with happiness, "You are also my gift then," a gift which she didn't ask for but very much appreciate to have.

"Now that we met my mother, shall we go back home?" Ian asked, offering her a smile. When Elise nodded as the night had flooded their day and sleepiness begin to drift over her, he stood up briefly to take a flower that had dried up on the vase. Using a little snap of his magic, the flower danced with colors surging back to the flower. 

"I will come again mother," whispered Ian in front of his mother and he closed his eyes to imagine his mother's smile toward him whenever he came back home— the emotions was similar to now that he is with Elise rather than the time he came back alone, sitting while staring at the portrait feeling empty.

Elise kept a one last look over Lady Lucy, bowing to the woman whose smile was the gentlest she had seen. "Let's go home," Ian then held her hands, his eyes settled on the flower that had regain its life and his smile curled deeper with a hint of cruelty, "Oh to remind you, we will be sleeping together now."

Elise was slightly surprised and a faint eagerness came on her face, "I thought we weren't going to sleep together until the wedding night?" questioned Elise who had turned crafty with her words.

"By sleep that I mean is to have sex with you, let's keep the wedding night fresh while you stay with me and keep me warm through the night," Ian winked at Elise whose cheeks turn pink.

"You shouldn't say that here," in the presence of his mother. What was he doing?!

"My mother won't mind," Ian chuckled as he knew what crossed Elise's mind and they apparate away from the house.

At the same time they left, the white crow appeared on the room they had just left. The crow floated on the sky as it begin to take form and shifted into a human body draped in black clothes. 

Lucifer's golden eyes was fixed on the painting settled on the wall and for a good three minutes he didn't say anything other than staring and admiring the portrait. 

"I am back, sister," whispered Lucifer whose smile appeared on his thick lips.