The Demon’s Bride

Hallow swallowed his saliva hard. He felt as if the day that had awaited him had come... the day which he would die...

He could feel Caroline gaze on him that made his body shiver and his green eyed that candle handle to hold the woman's gaze darted all over the room when he noticed on the corner of the room there was the crow that had hanged itself in the corner as if to not be noticed.

Needlessly to ask, Hallow yelled a mouthful of curses in his mind, cursing Beelzebub to death for leaving him here to fend for himself.

Lady Caroline watched how the chick remained silent in stance and lips. Only his eyes had moved all around the room, "You won't speak again, chick?"

Hallow didn't pay a well heed to Caroline's words as his eyes were on Beelzebub who was moving his beak as if to talk to him voicelessly. It would have worked, thought Hallow if not for the fact Beelzebub didn't hav a mouth now and instead had a beak! Give him a break!

Caroline who then slowly noticed how Hallow's eyes fell into a place and didn't moved curiously turned her eyes behind where Beelzebub was hiding. Alarmed, the chick wrecked its brain and yelled, "I am simply a talking chick!"

Caroline's eyes moved back at Hallow and then she hummed, "So tell me, talking chick why are you in my underground? I think you don't even belong here in Hell. You don't seem like you are a demon or a sinner... but you—" 

But what? Hallow asked in his mind.

"Anyway," Caroline continue. "What are you? Does this seem like an enchantment, Georgia?"

The maid who was much smaller than Lady Caroline who was the only woman in the room except for Lady Caroline as Hallow noticed that in the room the servants were mostly males. The one named Georgia laid her equally red eyes at Hallow and shook her head, "It does not seem to be an enchantment creature made by other demons, your highness."

"Which then could also mean either you have been talking since you hatch from the egg or..." the woman lipsed a hum. "You changed your appearance."

Beelzebub who was behind Lady Caroline had his eyes widened in alarm as well. Hallow was important in their plan to bring back Ian and that crucial moment wasn't now! He couldn't allow Caroline to kill the chick.

Hallow himself was shocked. Slowly he inched backward until his back hit the ceramic surface of the teapot which was placed behind him. "Oh? Why are you running?" Caroline questioned with a smile.

"Your highness, I assume that your guess is correct," answered the demon maid named Georgia.

"I think so too," Caroline's hand slowly reached out toward the chick, "Now let's see what you can do."

The shadow of Lady Caroline's hand was four time the size of Hallow. His eyes remained wide while gazing at the hand before sitting it tightly out of fear.

On above the underground, Elise saw how the demons were silent as they carried themselves out of the room. Satan held a small talk with some of the demons, appearing serious. Curious Elise wanted to go and come. She wondered if there was a trouble in Hell as some of the demon appeared to hold worry lines on their faces.

"Lady Elise," the melodic voice came from behind her. Elise was surprised for a moment as she couldn't feel the presence of the demoness who had talked behind her. 

She turned her face to see the woman, assessing she was the same woman whom had stared at her earlier. The woman's smile was beautiful and Elise could see how her red hair complement her complexion that made her stood out even more compared to other demons who wore clothes in monotonous colors.

"I hope I got your name right?" The woman questioned while smiling.

"Yes, you are correct," the woman was polite and it was Elise's motto to be kind to people who are kind to her as well though now she was less trusting with what had occurred around her.

"Boring isn't it?" The woman then asked her, coming closer swiftly in a natural step, "Being here I mean, all demons appeared to be ruthless and wild to humans but in fact if I were to see it we and the angels aren't that much different."

Elise was entertained by the woman's point of view. She could tell by blood how angels and demons cannot mingle. It was a true fact that the hatred they had for one another rooted from their blood. But the demoness had seen them together in the same light which was new.

"How so?" Elise questioned.

The Demoness smiled, "We all live by the same rules that had been set in stone. In Heaven there are some angels who were punished due to the rules they have broken. Isn't it the same to the demons who break the rules? Oddly enough we are called demons. It's in our nature to violate the rules, going freely to do what we like."

"And do you think rules isn't necessary to the demons?" Elise inquired the woman who then took the drink from the servant whom she had asked beforehand.

"What do you think, your highness?" 

Elise didn't mind that her question was reflected back by the demoness, "Rules are necessary. Without one we would only be living in disorder which can lead to the kingdom's end." The demoness hummed and she asked, "Do you not favor the rules Lady..."

"You can simply call me Baroness, that's my title," answered the woman and before Elise asked she said, "I was born without name and had never adopted one. I can't if I have to say it for the better."

That was strange but then Elise also knew how in Hell each demons has their own curses which perhaps be the same case to the demoness.

Baroness then said, "I don't really have much grudge against the rules. I believe as you said, rules are necessary. What I dislike is the punishments."

Being observant, Elise could differentiate the woman's low tone that prove her hatred and how the grip her hand had while holding the glass had tightened. At the same time, Elise noticed the gazes thrown at her again. When her eyes turned to note who was staring at her, Baroness spoke, "You hate the stares?"

"I tend to shy away from it before but now I don't feel anything," she replied without noticing her eyes losing it brightness as she spoke. Baroness noticed it as she lifted her eyes while downing the drink.

But then Elise noted that it wasn't her who was being stared at and rather it was the Baroness. When she became aware of it, she became more aware of how there was as much stares on the Baroness compared to her. 

"I understand you. Once I also felt the same but perhaps it was because of my past," Baroness took the last sip before meeting Elise toned questioning gaze. "It was nice to meet you, Lady Elise, I hope we can speak again. I enjoy having more women who is open minded in the court. Excuse me."

With Baroness leaving, Elise walked back from her place while thinking that Baroness was a very open minded woman who fit to be in court for there was some changes needed in Hell which Elise could see. Such as the punishment that her father had to endure or Lucifer's.

"It was the Baroness," whispered the demons who gathered in a group, standing not too far from her. "Is it true that she was the person who had out of jealousy killed the woman who was said to have stolen her fiancé?"

"Oh, you mean Caleb, right?"

Elise who had been keeping her eyes away and only hearing the words felt herself turning to look at the men when Caleb's name was mentioned. 

The Baroness was once Caleb's fiancé? And also the same person who had killed Caleb's beloved?