The Demon’s Bride

A word hadn't been shared between them when his father had raised his hand and slapped Beelzebub across the cheeks. Their height difference was overwhelming and so was the presence that he bears. 

Beelzebub's smaller body staggered over and he almost fell on the floor but he refused to do so. His body was small but that didn't mean his pride was as small as his body. He wouldn't allow himself to cower or show fear to his father whom he both respect, fear, and also smeared by a little hatred. 

"Do you know what mistake you have done?"

The question his father asked could only come with two outcomes. First, if he told him he doesn't, he will be faced with another slap across his cheeks once again. Beelzebub wanted to do so but then he didn't know what wronging he did. His eyes instinctively went to look at the greenhouse but stopped as he remembered how perceptive his father was.

If he knew where he was looking, his father would find out the human woman in the greenhouse. Worse, he will kill her.

"I apologize father," Beelzebub answered, bending his body forward.

"I heard that from your mother you have stopped behaving terribly but do you know what you did wrong? While I have been outside, I saw many children who are able to manipulate their magic on their will. Was the teachers I gave you not enough?" His father's tone was demanding and authortive.

Beelzebub once again remembered how his father loved to have the perfect son. Well, he could never become one as his father's perfect figure of a son was someone else and could never be him.

"No father," Beelzebub learned to accept his father's words rather than objecting or disagreeing. It was difficult for him to do so seeing the threatening power his father had on his hand. 

"Then can I expect that you would be able to give me the same results as those children did?" Beelzebub wasn't able to answer and his father's red eyes burned on him. "Should I punish the teachers who had taught you nothing?"

Beelzebub clenched his hand and looked at his father but wasn't able to look back at his gaze out of fear. "No, father."

"Then can I expect you on this party you would be able to conduct yourself well and be able to show me improvement on your magic? I do not tolerate any failure."

"Yes father," Beelzebub appeared tame with his words but his eyes were trying all its best not to show the deep anger he had for his father. He then looked behind his father, finding his mother who had been standing there, watching them in silent. 

When his mother came, Beelzebub removed her hand that approach his cheek, "I am alright. Are you going to let father slaps me every time he comes home? I am not a daily object for him to hit."

"Honey," his mother sighed relentlessly and saw him walking away with a defeated sigh. 

Beelzebub was miffed at what occurred but during dinner, he had to restrain his anger as he didn't want to worsen his father's mood. When the dinner ended and he left, he stood before the door overhearing his father who had talked in turn to his mother. 

"The human who stole the key, have you find them yet?" His mother questioned and his father shook his head. 

"This is my work, Belizabeth, you do not have to know about anything," his father cut off his mother from her question, preventing her from questioning more.

"I am worried, you know that the death angels are relentless not to mention your brother. If he knew what occurred, he would blame it to be your slip up and will use this as an advantage to push you away from being the head of our family," his mother expressed. "I can see how his greedy eyes looking at us every time we meet him."

"I will not fail what my father had inherited to me," his father said.

Beelzebub recalled his uncle and agreed to what his mother said. Even with the eyes of a child, his uncle always looked like an opportunist who would love to take every chances to sweep his advantage.

Beelzebub left the place when his mother sighed and placed one hand over her husband's hands, "He is still young. I know that you are trying to be tough to him and teach him how the life outside our house is extremely difficult and hellish, but to slap him that way, I don't agree with what you do. A child will get scars from the action of their parents or siblings, you know that too."

Belizabeth moved to see the wound across her husband's cheeks which was caused by his own brother who had attacked him out of jealousy. 

The wound might have healed but the scar in her husband's heart didn't.

"And you fear to have another child simply because you don't want what occurred to you to happen to him too but trust me, we can do this together."

"I know, Belly, but I cannot help it. Soon, he would have to take my position, he is my son and that would happen definitely. But what if I am not beside him when that occurred or what if they don't have both of us to be with him? His uncle is an extremely disgusting person who would harm him simply for this position that I have, I do not want him to lose to his uncle."

"Everyday, you always live in fear," Belizabeth said, "I know that because, whenever you speak about your brother, you would be scared, but in you there will be strength he cannot posses. It is why despite you being younger, your father had chosen you. It will be hard to mend what occurred between you and our dearest son, but I am certain he would understand soon. Be kind to him, love him. He is your son, you don't have to fear to get close to him."

"I… will try."

Beelzebub spend his time in the greenhouse again. One side of his cheeks was marred with a red mark after his father had slapped his cheek which the human woman then noticed. 

"That looks painful."

Beelzebub huffed, "Do you ever hit your children?"

"Me?" The woman looked taken aback. "I did."

Beelzebub was more interested in knowing why than his own wound that stings when air brushes his cheeks. "When did it happen?"

The woman was stitching her torn dress with whatever item she had and a thread she asked from Beelzebub. Her eyes felt as if it had turn bleak, "Before he died. I regretted it if only I knew how that would be our last meeting."

"What did he do?" They say sometimes a child's curiosity are cruel which was true as Beelzebub didn't know how his question had stung the woman's heart, rendering her to remember her past, both the good and the terrible loss she still nurse in her heart.

"He said a hurtful words which I wasn't able to accept as a mother. Perhaps because I was shocked but I still do not condone the action I took on by hurting him," said the woman.

"And what word is that?"

The woman's brown eyes looked straight on his eyes, "I wish you weren't my mother; that was what he said. No parents could accept in this world to be said those words."

"And children wouldn't want to hear that either," Beelzebub was about to leave when he noticed shadows moving behind me from the woman who had sneaked up behind him.

Beelzebub didn't move nor dodge but his hand was preparing on the side for the woman to attack. She raised her hand and cold sting touched Beelzebub's cheeks, making him flinch.

He looked at the woman with his eyebrows furrowed. "It's cold."

"Ice suppose to be cold," replied the woman. "Was it your father or mother? I guessed it is your father?"

"He is temperamental."

"I can see you inherited that," when Beelzebub opened his mouth, the woman pulled his hand and pressed it over the ice that she placed on his cheeks. "Calm yourself down for once. It won't hurt you."

"I can't do that. Unlike your son, I was not taught to stand behind my parents but to stand forward even on the face of danger," Beelzebub then clutched to the ice, "What did you do? How did you receive the ice?"

The outside place of the garden was filled with greenery and inside the greenhouse was locked for the woman to not escape the greenhouse. 

It was surprising to see how the woman managed to use ice without stepping out of the building.

"I know some magic. Else how will I ever escape the abyss? I am what the humans will call as a sorceress." 

"Hm, you do have magic but not impressive. However, it isn't bad either. In two days there will be a party held in the main building. I would recommend you to stay low here unless you wish to die on the hand of herd of humans."

The woman answered with a smile, "I will keep that in my mind." She watched Beelzebub disappearing and then looked down on her hand that was now holding to one thread of Beelzebub's blonde hair before she pulled out the key she had with her this entire time and stared at it.

"Four days. Only four more days."

***

Oh god, sorry everyone for releasing the wrong chapter!