The Demon’s Bride

"If all the thieves in this Land confess there will be no use of prison!" the man beside Timothy exclaimed to Elise and then spoke, "Milord I saw with my own two eyes that woman bumped and soon after Timothy loses his wallet there could be no one either than her who had stolen the wallet!"

"You said you have seen her bumped to you but have you seen she took his wallet?" Ian replied staley the man had nothing to say as he didn't actually saw Elise bump his friend nor that she took his wallet. Narrowing his eyes he called, "Austin, bring them to the scaffold. As for the other one pluck his eyes out. It should teach them a lesson not to lie ever again or accuse people."

Timothy and his friend had their blood drained from their faces as they heard the Lord's order. "Let us go, shouldn't we?" asked Austin with a grin as he pulled the two men lightly as though they were a sack bag of potatoes.

"No! Milord please!" the two men pleaded for help which fell deaf to Ian's ears. He didn't see the need to save souls.

"Master Ian," called Elise, seeing the two men had left the place pleading for their live with fearful faces. Hearing the punishment she didn't know what she should feel. A part of her was happy that the Lord had come and saved her also had punished the two men, however, she also thought a dead punishment was something that was too heavy.

Ian turned his face, his smile was kept short as he said, "Were you about to ask me not to kill them and give them a different punishment?"

Elise could feel his taunt as he questioned her. His eyes which was gentle now had turned firm. Was it wrong for her to ask Master Ian gave the man a lighter punishment? She did felt it was unfair but not to the point where the man had to be killed.

"But they hadn't done anything worth to be killed, milord." she subconsciously had called Ian as the lord, feeling distant with the bridge which was suddenly built between them.

Ian reached out his hand and stopped when it had reached to Elise's smooth jaw, his eyes were cold when he said, "They did do something that angered me which equivalent to a dead punishment. If you do not know yet puppy, I will tell you. I dislike anyone who ever dare to touch anything of my possession. So much that my rage wouldn't calm down unless the grim reapers are their souls."

Ian was not too far from her but he also wasn't close to her face but she could feel his breaths brushing down from her neck to her collarbone, her body felt the chill and shivering where his eyes were set ablaze with fire.

"But I am-"

"Shh, talk less puppy." interjected Ian, he then gave a look toward the carriage which he came from and say, "Have you done with your shopping yet?"

while wondering why he had asked the question she replied, "Yes, I have."

"Come with me to the carriage." His red eyes waited for her response, almost with a smoldering gaze as he reached out his hand toward her palms which rested in the middle of her waist.

Elise didn't expected the offer and wished she could say yes, however, she didn't come here alone. "I-I came with Vella and Carmen, they are still in the market-"

"Don't worry, they will be notified. Unless you feel uncomfortable to be with me alone, puppy?"

"No." her lips had a hint of quiver as she breathed the words where the color of pink and red had reached up almost to her ears. Her eyes met with him where she wanted to look away due to the leaping sound of her heart but something about him just wasn't able to make her look away from him and this had happened many times to her.

"Good." he whispered where his words didn't completely reached up to her ears. Having the coachman who Elise knew as she often met him in the White Mansion, she gave a very faint bow to thank but the coachman didn't dare to say anything.

She took a seat first on the right side of the door which was near to the position of the coachman and Ian took a light sit on the chair across her. Elise didn't know where she should keep her eyes and looked at her hand she rested above her laps when she felt the light that shone over her disappeared. Ian had pulled lightly the tie to let the thin curtain fall and cover the windows of the carriage.

With barely lights to make out each other's expression, Elise waited for Ian to speak with her beating aloud next to her ears like drum which was often used in the carnivals. But as the carriage wheels moved in an amount of times, Ian hadn't say anything which made her feels even more on edge.

Elise turned her face to find whether she could initiate a conversation but the story she had mostly was about her life as a maid which she doubted would be fun and exciting to hear. Other than that, she only have her memories of her families and Ian which didn't feel right for her to speak in the carriage too.

She looked toward the window, seeing the curtain which was made up of a fabric which was very thin in substance that light could enter but it suffice to create shadow so people outside wouldn't be able to see what was happening inside the carriage.

Looking that they have exited the market, Elise noticed how the carriage then took a different turn toward the opposite path of the White Mansion.

"Master Ian, where are we going?" she inquired finding the road to be new to her.

"I was on my way to attend an invitation with the count." Ian said, keeping his words short. "What did you do for the whole day, puppy?"