The Demon’s Bride

Elise saw the guests whom stood on both sides on her presence inside the chapel. She had agreed that the Church was perfect for her wedding day. The stained glass in the church gave a clear shadow to the room which was romantic. She could see a few people whom she knew including Esther and Hallow who had taken a seat in the front chair. She also saw in between the guests a single man who stood out the most with his golden hair tied high and beside him, she saw the angel Heaven who smiled when their eyes met.

She was happy to know that there was much more people whom she had gotten to know of during the time she spent with Ian. And then in one swift second, all her attention was stolen with the man who stood in front of the priest. His black hair had been combed neatly to the back of his head to showcase his handsome face. She saw his red eyes, the same red eyes that never failed to steal her attention and heart.

She recalled the first time after the nine years passed since she saw him again. Ian had been a very handsome person but the most decisive time that she knew she had fallen for him was when he had the same smile he had now, the smile filled with warmth, a warmth which she hadn't known at first was ever stored in him until he had shown it to her. 

The minutes were precious. When Ian turned to look at her and their gazes locked, she felt that everyone had vanished in second, leaving her in an empty space where there was only him and her. The steps she took then stopped as there was no more. She turned to look at Lucifer whose smile was wide, not knowing the man whom her hand was holding was her dear father. 

"Go on," Leviathan said, pulling his hand to let her loosened her hold. 

Elise noticed the subtle hesitation shown by Lucifer and she took it as he was reluctant to give her as she reminded him of Lady Lucy. She showed the man another smile before she begin to move into the small steps and saw the hand Ian gave her. Slowly she slipped her small fingers to his large hand, and it fitted snugly. She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, feeling her breathings hitch and her heart thundering quicker.

Finally it is time, and thinking that the reality sink to Elise as if she was bathing in a warm pink bath that only filled her with happiness. No one know what the future lies ahead her and when thinking about the future, she felt nervous because she could feel that the worse hadn't come yet but today she had pushed away all those thoughts. There was too many beautiful things that she felt piling inside her heart now that she couldn't care about anything else. She decided to let the obscure future brought itself later and focus on this very moment.

She stared at Ian whose eyes reflected the same happiness that she had but that wasn't all there was proudness when he looked at her. 

When he took his steps closer his deep voice whispered, "Are you nervous?"

Elise saw him tightened her hand that she didn't know had been trembling softly. "Very but I am also very happy. Very very happy. Thank you, Ian I had never been this happy before."

"It is too quick to thank me yet when we have all other future ahead of us," Ian pulled her hand kissed her hand gently, "All happiness should be beneath your feet, my love. Everything and I promise no sadness should come for you."

Elise could feel how tears bubbles on her eyes but it was such an important moment that she didn't want to shed tears even if those were happy tears

"Are you ready?" came Redrick's voice. The man had stood with his white priest clothing with a book and one hand was brought forward when they nodded.

"In this blissful day, dear guests, we are here assembled in the presence of God to become a witness in this holy moment of the union between these two people. Their decision to marry has not been set foot heedlessly and today they publicly 

declare their private devotion to each other," started Redrick as he started the ceremony where everyone had stood up, watching the two couple who stood at the altar. "Ian White and Elise Scott, today marks the day of your beginning in the journey of love. The story of your love is yours to write but we should not forget that for this holy matrimony, patience, love, kindness..."

Elise could hear Redrick's words right against her ears but she couldn't help and zoom out of his words as her focus was stolen by Ian and she could also feel him undergoing the same episode as her. 

Her heart fluttered inside her and she couldn't help but to feel how her hands that trembled turning less nervous as Ian's hold tightened just enough to help her out from her errant nerves. 

But it wasn't only her who had fallen into a trance as Ian could feel himself sinking in her as his eyes stared at his beautiful bride. Elise was as beautiful as he remembered and with her dressed in white gown, covered in the wedding veil just for him, she looked incredibly stunning to his eyes, so much that she could blinded her. But even if Elise was a light that could destroy his sight, Ian wouldn't mind it. He would still choose to stare at her as he did now as today, from now on and forever, Elise was his like how he is hers. 

The very thought of marriage was foreign to him in the past. Everything including love was also out of his grasp. He couldn't understand the term of love and the only love he knew was those that he had seen from people who had fallen in love with wealth and rankings that instead turn them greedy and ugly in heart. The people who approached him was all the same with that intention, no one sees him as the person he was and only now he knew that perhaps all this time he had been searching for someone who could love him, his entire being that they wouldn't care who he was, the love similar to the glimpses his mother had shown him. 

This selfless love that Elise directed to him had touched his cold heart. He had melted her, and while he thought that remaining cold for the rest of his life was perfect as it would strengthened him, he knew now that was a foolish thoughts of him. This love he received made him strong and he aspire to gave her the same selfless love. 

To protect Elise, the very unbridled smile she had now in her lip, caring her, and giving her attention, this was all he vowed to do for her.

He was very happy today that he had turned a blind eye over the fact someone else had taken the position of Lucifer because he could tell by the scent that person was not his uncle and rather was his father-in-law. When Elise chuckled as their gazes met again, he smiled, thinking that one he who thought love was foolish was actually the foolish one for if he had still adopt that same belief he wouldn't be here now, feeling this happiness that could almost rip his heart.

Redrick's voice finally returned in the last few minutes, "Do you promise to honor and tenderly care for one another and cherish each other through sorrows and joys, hardships and victories for all the days of your lives until death do you apart?"

Elise stared at Ian, saying the word with him in unison, "We do."

"May these rings be blessed as a symbol of your union. In each day you see this ring, may you be reminded of this very day of your journey to know that to be here had taken you through hardship to strengthen your commitment upon each other, Lord Ian please repeat after me," Redrick said the words for Ian to repeat the vow after him, doing it without tearing his gaze as he had sworn the oath to her. The rings then slipped to her ring fingers and everything felt as if it finally sink to her. 

Redrick turned to her, "Lady Elise."

Elise followed the words Redrick said, doing the same as Ian, she stared at his beautiful red eyes, "I, Elise, promise to love and support you and live each day with kindness, understanding, truth, and love. With this ring I thee wed."

"I pray for the stability of your marriage and may your days in the world be long. With the witness's blessing and in the promise shown in the witness of God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," declared Redrick and Elise felt her heart stuttered at the announcement.

Ian take two steps forward, not a slightest hesitation was on his face as he lifted the veil, pulling it over her head to finally see her beautiful place without hidden under the veil. He stared at her, a smile was so wide on his lips before he descended down, taking both of her hands together to placed it against his chest.

Elise felt nervous and the kiss on her lips dispel the nervousness. It wasn't their first kiss as those had passed a long time ago but his taste, the softness of the kiss and the emotion it brought didn't change since the beginning of their kiss in the terrace. Her eyes closed and she kissed him with the same fervor until he pulled away. Ian watched how pink Elise's cheeks were and that had him to smile wider again. 

Ian then turned to the guests who was still standing as if earlier Redrick's words were not enough he announced aloud, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to announce you, this is my wife, Elise White."

Rain of applause filled the room and the person who had been sitting on the edge of the ceiling, against the stained glass clapped his hand. Beside him was his servant, Malphas, "Milord. I think you can attend the wedding now!" There was the eagerness in the servant's words which he tried to suppress but couldn't as he was excited with the idea of wedding.

"I am thinking to let Levi enjoy the wedding a little more. As standoffish as he is, I still feel pity to him. Did he cry?" Lucifer then asked, his lips quirking.

"I don't know, I didn't see as I am with you, milord. But I think he must have cried. Fathers are said to be the easiest being to cry in their daughter's wedding," assumed the demon servant. "But milord if we proceed like this, wouldn't we follow the future Asmodeus had predicted?"

"Future?" Lucifer smiled, "Do you know that there are people who managed to break away from the future Asmodeus predicted. There are somethings that no one can't predicted not even God because fate is a thing that no being can control. Fate flows alone forming their own stream and shapes. The ending of a person is decided by themselves. We can only leave their future on their hands. And if Ian was to suffer from death, I am sure I can prevent that to happen. The problem is..." Lucifer drawled his words and Malphas stared with curiosity.

"Is?" The servant urged.

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders, "It is such a beautiful day. We should think something better than a dark gloomy future. Bring me wine. The best wine and prepare the wedding gift now. We should join the happy newlyweds now. But I think it isn't too early to give them the wooden cradles, I trust that my nephew would be quick to give me grandchildren."