The Demon’s Bride

Large red ribbon tied across Beelzebub's white collar. He looked at his mother who entered the room. Seeing how his eyes still looked away from her, she raised her to cue the rest of the servant to leave before quickly walking toward her dearest son.

"Honey, are you still angry?" His mother asked.

Beelzebub didn't looked at his mother and pulled his white socks in silence. It was not only anger that he felt for being slapped across the cheeks but also disappointment to his mother who had only watched from afar without helping him or stopping his father. 

As always, his father was the King, the person who ruled the house on his decisions. It was difficult to go against his choice as he would have to face consequences. His mother, being the queen of the house should be able to provide him some protection but she didn't. 

Beelzebub looked at her and looked away again. 

"I'm sorry. I promised to your father that I wouldn't get in his method of teaching. I tried to convince him with my own way but he didn't want. However, this will be the last time. Nothing like yesterday should ever happen again," his mother bent on the fluffy carpet, placing her hands over his shoulders as she spoke.

Beelzebub who had been looking away not to meet her eyes to further express his anger turned and finally met gazes. 

"I don't trust that," he honestly replied. "And magic is not my forte. He would punish me again if I should never meet his expectation, isn't that right?"

"Darling, who said you will not meet his expectation?" Beelizabeth questioned and her pink lips smiled, "You are my son and I know what quality you have in you more than anyone else."

"Father's expectation is a perfect son and I could never become one," Beelzebub replied. "It would be more exact to say that as long as he wished for a perfect son like other's child, I would never become such a person. His expectation in me is something I would never be able to fulfill."

"It won't happen," his mother raised her hand and took both of his hand together, "You are my proudest son, no matter what happened, what choice you take, you are perfect to my eyes and so is to your father. He is simply an awkward person. To thaw his stubborn mind is hard but not impossible and while his mind is stubborn, his heart for you are always soft. He regretted raising his hand on you."

"He did?" Beelzebub looked at his mother, trying to sense her lies but he realized her mother wasn't lying and was at once rendered speechless. 

"Now," his mother pushed herself from the ground, "Today the party will be held for all types of demons and most of them are high demons. You simply need to be at your best attitude. Making an acquaintance with people around you is never anything bad."

"Okay." Beelzebub replied, still shock at his mother's words and confession. 

The sky remain unchanging as the party began. Beelzebub saw his mother left but remain in his room and peeked over the curtain of the window to see the hell horses parked before the gates, the red carriages and purple horses was organized in a single line. 

Then came out the guests from the carriage, appearing posh with their unique clothing, accessories, and their natural appearance with horns and wings. 

Beelzebub then saw amongst the crowds the guests suddenly stopping at a spot, everyone who once continuously whispering toward each other then became silent. 

Curious, he tried to find out what happened on the ground, seeing his uncle's carriage about to stop that put him on immediate guard.

"You're here," his father walked out of the house. Stopping himself on his way to greet the rest of the people as he looked at the guests, finding his brother. 

Beelzebub considered his father the scariest but in front of his uncle, his father appeared even smaller. His uncle was a man with a terribly large build. His arms and legs were all made up of chunky muscles that protrude even as he wore a coat. His red eyes looked at his father was sharp and there was the mocking grin that Beelzebub always dislike from seeing as it feel condescending.

"You are holding such large party. To cover your slip ups?" His uncle spoke but Beelzebub couldn't hear it as he was on the second floor of the house, watching his father talking from afar. 

"Slip ups? It's the death angels who made the mistake. To be blame are for them and not me. And as for what celebration it is, do you not know it brother?" 

His father glared at his uncle who glared back in response. "I don't see what kind of important day today is."

"It's father's birthday. I doubt you remember it next year even if I tell you now," a certain anger raise on Beelzebub's uncle when their father was mentioned. 

"Is not that I don't remember but I don't see the importance of celebrating the birthday of a person who has died. They won't taste the cake that we have in the feast, anyway."

"Celebrating a dead person's birthday is not for the dead's happiness but for the living to constantly remember their presence even after they passed. Most of all, this was father's last wish. You don't remember it do you?" His father appeared to look at his uncle with disdain from afar. 

"I never remember everything but not for you, father's beloved and only son," the words were far from praise, smeared with only nothing but jealousy. 

Beelzebub could see his father's eyes filled with complex emotion as he watched his brother leaving. Beelzebub went to the party hall not long after. He thought this would be the perfect chance for the woman to leave but if she was smart, she would know it herself that escaping now is her worse choice.

Beelzebub felt his head hit a hard wall and looked up to flinch when he saw it was his uncle standing before him. He had been looking away without minding the path he took, which why he didn't notice his uncle's presence. The man noticed he would crash into a person soon and chose to become that person. 

"Is there a fun thing in the garden, my nephew?" His uncle asked him, immediately putting him on edge. 

It was his family blood line to be able to differentiate what was lie and truth. In some cases, they could even manipulate people into following the orders that they gave.

If he lies here, his uncle will know. "My pet."

"The dog you mean?" His uncle asked to him, looking disappointed to find out that it was only a mere pet. 

"It was a cat, uncle. Did you forgot?" Beelzebub questioned and he could see his words somewhat prick the sore wound of his uncle that caused him to look down with his eyes narrowing.

"Perhaps I did. Your father had just commented that I have a history of bad memories. You are similar like your father really and it is…" 

"Annoying?" Beelzebub maintained his smile. He was small but he was also a demon, a being with guts and someone who doesn't fear anything.

His uncle raised his hand, the way it moved as if it was reaching to his neck. 

"Yeah. You are small yet you seem to know everything. Is this a child's intuition."

"Uncle, you are not one who like to hide your emotion. Mother called you an open book," Beelzebub only showed one smile before walking away. He always felt uncomfortable with his uncle and would rather be far away than being with him.

His uncle huffed while looking at him walking away. "Fucking brat. Just like his father. Both of them think they are the smartest, the best. How very very annoying."

The man stood around, watching Beelzebub when he quickly turned into the way of the garden which he noticed his nephew had been staring at. Slowly, he inched toward the hallway to retreat from the party hall and disappeared toward the garden. 

The human woman sat on the bench, continuing to sew her torn clothes. A cold air brushed her neck, warning her of the new guest that had appeared in the greenhouse. She pushed herself from the ground, and raised her hand. 

"Who's there!" She demanded. She knew it wasn't Beelzebub as the child won't bother hiding himself like the current person who had sneaked into the green house. 

"I was thinking that the boy was a bad liar. To think he is good but also a bad one," A man's voice echoed all over the greenhouse. "I am Gertrude, and a human like you. I see now. I have never found a flaw from that perfect younger brother of mine but finally, I seem to have found one now."

The human woman backed down as Gertrude made his way to the middle of the garden for her to look at the frightening creature who had appeared uninvited to the greenhouse.