The Demon’s Bride

"A high demon!" Cried Esther, fear spreading on her face as she seemed to fear a demon even though she was one and perhaps the reason rooted because whoever had came to the castle ground they were a high standing Demon. 

When Esther tried to move, Elise break her gaze that darted over the closest window and raised her hand, "Don't move," she warned, "I do not plan on letting you leave nor move."

"Are you expecting me to wait here and die?" Esther snapped, "You might have a lineage of a power Demon but I am only a lesser Demon with a very faint trace of Demon blood and more of a human's lineage."

"I don't believe you came for good reason to me, and perhaps you even hold a very ill intention against me. So tell me, why do I have to care about your safety?" Elise retorted the woman's words, and she saw how Esther was suddenly at lost of words. "As long as you do not move an inch from the seat, you would not die. Shadow," she called and from the pool of shadow came out the leader of the group which had taken a form of Hallow— a chick.

"Yes, milady. Tell me what to do and I should fulfill your wish." Questioned the shadow, his words polite and his voice was low and layered by many other whispers that followed his words as if he wasn't speaking alone. 

"Watch her in my stead and if she move from her seat—" Elise looked at the woman who had just claimed to be her aunt, her eyes were both bright and fierce. "—you can kill her."

The shadow nodded promptly, obliging, "As my lady's wishes." And seeing that Ether was secured now by the shadows she could trust, Elise left the gallery in a hurry, leaving the shadow and Esther together.

When the door closes, the shadow that stared at the door then looked keenly at Esther, "The lady should have killed you. She is too kind."

"Hmph, her shadow and her father's shadow is not different at all. You must be someone Levi leave you to her," a distasteful look came on Esther's face which caused the sharp tip of the blade to draw blood from her neck.

"Speak carefully of the princess and the Lord. You know not of your place but ought to learn that words often lead other's to their death. Choose your words wisely." Esther pursed her lips, feeling humiliated that she had to be threatened by a mere shadow but then the shadow Elise had was far different than any shadow controller in this world could do. The shadows he controlled was similar to ghouls, except they are far more loyal to those who are related to Leviathan and had a will of their own. Henceforth the shadow's ability to threaten her and speak to her but then they were still servants, thought Esther.

Elise walked down the corridor in haste. Catching the dress in front of her to run faster and she took some instances in between her hurried steps to look at the ground outside of the castle, seeing the white blanket of snow that covered the ground was unmoving even though earlier, she felt as if the ground had shake and the land quivered. Odd where is the Demon? She searched for the gate from where she stood but found no one there. Perhaps whoever that had come did not use the front gate?

When she reached the end of the staircase, Elise caught up with Maroon, the butler's eyes had turned sharply red. At her figure, he bowed, speaking without the need to be ask, "Milady, the intruder is on the backyard."

As she expected, thought Elise, "Where is Ian?"

"I am here," Ian answered from behind her, on his hand was coat which he was quick to drape it over her shoulders, "That intruder must have heard Maroon's speciality in replanting flowers and cultivating trees. But those idiots must have forgotten that winter isn't the right time to visit their neighbor and admire their plants."

High Demons have arrived on the foot of their house and yet Elise perused that while Ian appeared to be irked, he didn't seem to be too surprised, "Do you know who came here?" She asked, catching the smile that always adorned his face appearing lopsidedly. 

Ian's eyes moved far behind her before it stayed back at her, "My guess it is him. My dearest uncle," and those sardonic words alone took back Elise to the talk they had this early morning after she had witness him being 'stabbed' on his heart.

From behind also came Beelzebub and on his hand was Hallow who immediately jumped down from the demon's hand and hopped over Elise's hands. 

"He came faster than we thought," Beelzebub said and he raised his hand, "It's my loss, you win. What do I owe you now?"

"I will think about it later," Ian answered, leisurely stretching his neck as if to prepare to do something. "We should now greet the old man first and see whether he has any excuses to be said," and at the end of his words, Elise could see how Ian clenched his teeth. It was obvious that the excuse Ian demanded to know wasn't about him being tricked to stab himself twice but his mother.

Elise held his hand, surprising Ian at first but his face quickly turn a smile, "I am here," she whispered, letting him know.

"I know," he said, taking to kiss her knuckles, and he turned to Maroon, "Show the church members their way out, I will be having some urgent family issue to sort out. An issue that had been delayed for nine hundred years."

Outside the castle, stood both Lucifer and Malphas. The servant struggled to get inside the castle and it was not because of the barrier as his master had just broken it in ease but due to the large sack which often use to bring potatoes or carrots by farmer that he brought. Malphas heaved for breaths as he pulled the sack. 

Lucifer gave his servant an askew look, "Weak," he remarked. Malphas's head lowered at his master's mean comment, and saw how Lucifer was tapping on his feet, not moving from his spot even though they have arrived in the castle that they have came in a hurry, causing Malphas to tilt his head to the side.

"Milord? Shouldn't we enter now?" The servant questioned curiously. Why standing when the are here now?

"I am waiting for him to come. It is not amusing if I am the one who enter the castle forcefully, don't you think? And that would also pose me as an intruder when I am not," Lucifer answered with a bland tone.

Malphas blinked, but they are indeed the intruder here, aren't they? As always, his master's reasoning was difficult for him to ever guess.