When the dinner is over...
"Claude, take Csarie to her room and play with her." Lord Rife demanded us to leave them like they wanted to be away of their sight. 'Hmm, I can sense that they're up to something.
I moved out of the chair and walked with him upstairs.
On the hall way, he's still silent and very cold towards me. 'He's really weird like me.'
"Claude, aren't you curious about their discussion?" I stare at him but he seems like he doesn't want to say anything.
I left him and peeped at our parents downstairs. I don't want to eavesdrop but I feel something wrong about their visit.
"I have an offer to make mister and misis Lux." I heard the powerful but calm voice of Lord Rife.
I looked beside me and saw Claude's already sitting with me behind the door.
"I'll give you a higher authority in our City, give more lands and farms to till, farmers to work and a million money, in exchange-" he clears his throat before he continues.
"In exchange?" Dad waits him to continue.
"In exchange, your daughter has to marry my son and give an heir on this land."
"What? Mister Rife, our children are still both young." Dad hesitated and worried about me. My hands started to tremble while holding the door.
"Mister Lux, let me continue. At the age of twenty, she should be skilled, well-educated and cultured lady. That will be the final marriage for the both of them. If you accept my offer. They will be engaged and no one's going to interfere between the two of them." His formal tone made me shiver, I feel my bones weaken and my fingers run cold.
"Mister Rife, I don't want to argue with you but let's forget about the money. The position and lands are all enough with me. My daughter will be unhappy if she hears this." Dad accepted his offer that made my blood drain from the face. My stomach twisted in pain.
"Then, we won't be having any problem. Let's celebrate." They continued their conversation with different topics and I stood up and run to my room.
Claude followed me as I sit on my bed.
"Claude, I can't believe what I heard." I looked at him with my eyes filled with tears. "Please say something."
"I grew up obeying my father. Anything he says should be respected. I am not a lap dog but he's doing what's best for me. Whatever his reason is, we have to follow." His cold voice made the room chiller and he turned to look at me.
Claude seems like a prince, an angel but he has a cold and demon heart. He looks like a young version of his father, a fallen angel because of the devil inside.
*knock knock knock*
"Sir Claude, your father is calling you." We heard the maid on the other side of the door and left.
"We won't be seeing each other again until we reach the right age. Farewell, Csarie." He raised my hand and kissed the back of my cold palm.
He begins to walk but he stops and faced me again.
"Claude?"
"I know this is against the rules but I just want to try it." He leans on me and kissed my lips.
It feels so good I didn't resisted. His palms travelled on my arms rubbing it gently. And he pulled himself out and licked his lips and kissed my cheek.
He left me astounded with an evil smile on his face.
...
Mom started to work on me hard after that night. He gave me lots and lots of books and confiscated my cellphone for me to focus.
She still brought me to any party but I never saw Claude again. I only saw his father and mother watching me in a distance. They talk to my parents like close friends and I see their eyes staring at me. 'Why do I feel like I'm so alone?'
His mother always brings me gifts and tells me some fairy tales. She said she wanted a daughter after Claude was born. She waited and waited but the doctor said they are hopeless to bear a child ever again.
Claude is outside of the country to study to become an excellent successor of his father's position.
His mother's frequent visit made me treated her like a second mother. She's sweet and teaches me a lot while I'm growing up.
Until I reached fifteen.
One day, I heard a tragic news from my father.
Lady Rife has gone ill yesterday. She never woke up this morning.
We visited her in her bed, her skin turned dark and cold. I was aware, she's already dead.
Everyone mourned at Lady Rife's death. Everyone loved her because of her pure heart. Including me, I felt like I lost a mother that loved me very much.
Claude was able to come but I never had the chance to go near him or even talk to him. But I was happy to see him again. He has grown more and more attractive but he's thesame cold hearted kid.
"Claude?" I knocked on his door that night after his mother's burial.
The door opened and revealed a more taller Claude.
His cold eyes looked down on me and I resisted myself from running. I noticed his messed hair and unbuttoned shirt.
"He- hello. I- I just want to see and ta- talk to you before you go back to Spian again. How's yo- your life in there?" I pushed him so I can go inside his room.
I saw his bed scattered with clothes and a naked woman lying on top. Her clothes are everywhere.
My jaw and lips quivered at the site. I turned to him and slapped his face.
"Is this how you mourn on your mother's burial?" I growled at him and left the door open.
"Csarie, have you seen Claude?" I met his father approaching.
"Go to his room, see what he does on his mother's burial." I passed over him and he saw Claude and the woman from where he's standing.
I went home that night and tried to sleep. I have to be tough and forget what I saw. 'Is that the man they pushed me to marry? For Christ's sake. I will never want him!'
YOU ARE READING
In To The Demon's Arms
Short Story"I own you, heart, body and soul. You can never escape from me. You have debts and you have to pay me, or else, your family will vanish." His words made me tremble. The way he stands and looked down on me, half of his face is hidden by the shadow, a...
