The Demon’s Bride

Lady Sentencia clenched her fist tight, replying obediently, "She is dead now milord, from the punishment for running away of the mansion the dogs have bitten her to death." Elise drew her brows hearing Lady Sentencia's words of the slave, she had words she want to say but now wasn't her place to do so. They were humans and yet they have treated the slaves who were also humans with a gruesome death. She questioned if all people had no hearts that they stopped feeling for other people?

She felt her heart ache and Ian never failed to notice the thought she had in her head. Slave was what Elise was before she was bought by Ian. Most slaves were branded by an iron that had been burnt to fire to their skin, however, Elise had none of it because Ian stopped before it happened. Ian could tell how much the death of the slave they were talking about had affected her. She was an innocent girl with pure heart. His puppy must have thought that the slave and her was in the same position in the story and couldn't help but feel sorry.

Ian didn't feel anything to be sorry about from the news, and he couldn't comprehend the feeling she have but he wasn't pleased that the people words had brought his Elise pain.

"It's not often for slaves to be killed in the procession especially when they have done nothing wrong." A man said as if he was rebuking the thought Elise had with a wide smile on his face. "For one to buy a slave they would often vent their frustration to the slave which is nothing new. This could be said as an unfortunate accident and the fault lies on the slave. They should t have fun away and know that running away could lead to their deaths They were being suicidal."

"Hmm," Ian hummed. "A death by using the dogs, that are some fun hobby your family have Lady Sentencia." commented Ian with a smile for people to exhale the breaths they had been holding after his sudden change of attitude.

"It was the hunting dogs my father received from Runalia, they said the dogs are the best breeds which are carnivorous. The dogs are the best to guard the house from trespassers." Lady Sentencia replied nervously, not knowing if the Lord's temper had been reduced. Elise shook her head subtly, her heart felt sorry for the slaves who know was confirmed to be death by being eaten to death.

"That sounds like a good idea." Responded Lady Monica unlike Elise who felt sorry, the lady felt it was a great idea worth to praise. Lady Monica then turn her head to Ian, "Milord, do you have your own dog? It's a good idea to have one to heightened the security of your castle."

"I do have one." which he brought from hell because his little puppy wish to have a friend nine years ago. Elise also know it was Curly, Ian was speaking about. But Curly will never eat people, thought Elise. "I don't see the need to leave the trespassers to my dog. His job is to stay on his kennels not to eat someone alive. Take my word as an advice Lady Sentencia, you should be careful in your house from now on. If you had said the dog are carnivorous, they are also proud you wouldn't want them to jump and have a feast on you." The way he had spoken about feasting had a chill that made Lady Sentencia to recall of the dog's sight and gulped out of fear.

"Don't worry, Lady Sentencia, even if the dog you have are carnivorous, a dog should know not to bite the hands who had fed them." replied the same man who had spoke to save Lady Sentencia before. His eyes were in the color of pitch black which was the same to his hair he parted in the middle. Elise found this man to be uncomfortable to her. Not only did he support slaves for being mistreated but he also encourage others to inflict the same punishment to other guests who had slaves.

Elise who stood right on Ian's right side heard Ian chuckling in mirth after hearing the man's words. "You seem to know much of a dog feeling, Jackson. It is up to you to believe me or not, Lady Sentencia but remember once the dog you had chained by the neck was released from their kennels, the next victim of the dog would be none other than you. They must be very furious to be locked in a small bars where they don't belong to." He grinned humorlessly and except for Lady Sentencia who had her face turn pale at the Lord's grotesque image sent to her mind by his words, everyone awkwardly laughed to stop the air from being too tense.

Elise wondered if the dogs were furious at Lady Sentencia like how Ian had said. But she was the worse mistress a leave could ever have and she doubted she would be kind either to the dogs she kept as pets. It could be they also suffered under Lady Sentencia which was why her face was soaked with worried right now.

Ian then spoke, "Excuse me now, I waste too many of my time in this manor, I will be taking my leave."

Once they had left the room where the soiree was held at, Elise walked a few steps behind of Ian. She noticed from the window that was placed on her left side as she walked down the corridor had turned pitch black. She was supposed to come back at the latest before the Sky turn black according to Mr. Maroon but with Ian she thought she shouldn't worry about receiving punishment.

Elise felt less nervous with the silence in the room and her ears were focused to the sound of the footsteps where her eyes were looking down at her muddy shoes. She looked to his back and thought that she should say something as they were now alone but as expected she couldn't find any words.

She then recalled the talk regarding the slave Lady Sentencia had who now had died after being bitten to death. They were far too cruel, thought Elise, the slave must have tried to escape from the house because she felt uncomfortable and frightened; and perhaps she also wanted to go back home to where she belong.

When they appeared at the foyer of the manor, Elise descended of the stairs and saw Frank, the coachman opening the door for the Lord and her. Ian stopped his feet when he had reached the carriage, letting Elise to walk inside first before him.

"Thank you." she whispered both to Ian and Frank who had opened the door. Ian inclined his head to his right shoulders slightly to show his acceptance to her words.

Then once again Elise went inside the carriage and took the seat opposite toward Ian. As it was already dark enough to Ian's preference, the curtain was folded neatly to the side of the carriage windows. Along the road, Elise noticed the lantern hung on a tall curved metal along the road of Lady Monica's manor. Her eyes curiously looking outside as she had never seen the view of the land in the dark. There weren't many things she could see but the silence felt comfortable to her.

"I haven't heard the rest of your story earlier." spoke Ian. Elise broke her contact to the dark forest and looked toward him, she didn't had to think what he was asking of. It was about her first meeting with Lady Monica.

"I met Lady Monica and the Countess when I was in a thread shop." Ian lips sang a hum, signaling that he had taken a note of her words. "There was a thread roll that I had wanted to buy but Lady Monica had took it before me."

"And?" he hurried her who was tying to form her words to sound less harmless. Being the one to tell the story she felt as if she was trying to tittle tattle Lady Monica even though she had done nothing wrong. She knew she wasn't wrong but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had.

"She thought I will ask her to return the thread and was slightly angry. Then she made a remark-"

"Then she mocked you in front of everyone in the store?" He saw her blue eyes looked at him with brimming surprise, confirming that his guess was correct. Lady Monica was a woman who hated people below her just like her mother. The quotation of apple doesn't fall far from the tree was a perfect idiom for the family.