"Lalisa," Marco called as soon as he stepped inside the spacious room where Lisa was wasting her time, waiting for the ceremony to start.
Lisa lifted her face and looked at her father through the big mirror in front of her. Her father threw her a sad smile but Lisa didn't bother returning it. She just looked down again and stared at the first thing that her eyes laid off, completely ignoring her father's presence.
"Lalisa, we talked about this-"
"I know, Father. You no longer need to say it again." Lisa interrupted without looking back at his father.
Marco didn't say anything or made a move for several long seconds. He just stood a few steps behind his daughter, staring at Lisa's reflection in the mirror. He knew that he was the one who should be blamed for everything that is happening but he never wants any of this to happen.
If only he didn't meet that beast 18 years ago, there's no way he will force his daughter to marry someone that she doesn't like especially at a very young age. He just did this- He just forced his daughter to do this because he believed that this is the best way to stop Lisa from being taken away.
He doesn't care if his conscience will eat him until his last breath, what's important for him is to see his daughter safe.
"Then, can you at least pretend that you want this to happen?"
What Marco said caught his daughter's attention as she looked up and stared at her father for the second time, still through the mirror.
Lisa didn't say anything and just stared at her father. She didn't dare look away from him or attempted to say anything, after all, she has nothing to say to him. Knowing that his daughter won't say anything, Lisa stepped out of the room again after throwing another sad smile.
When Lisa is finally alone again, she looked down and stared at her clammy hands on her lap.
It was weird.
Lisa is not feeling anything. She wasn't mad but more importantly, she wasn't happy. She's not nervous and being excited is also out of the question. She's just...She's not feeling anything.
Lisa flinched when she heard three light knocks behind the door, "Excuse me, Milady but the ceremony is about to start. I should escort you to the venue." A woman, dressed in a servant's uniform said, head hanging low.
Lisa checked her reflection in the mirror for the last time and then smiled to encourage herself. She lowered the veil to cover her face as she stands from the chair.
The servant hurried to her side to assist her as she walks outside the room, towards the venue.
The wedding will happen in an open space so the people of the whole Kingdom can witness the said event. Her father is waiting for her at the opposite end where Prince Jeon is standing.
He looks worried, unlike Prince Jeon who's having a hard time containing his happiness and excitement.
Lisa looked down at his father's arm that he offered to Lisa. Undoubtedly, she linked her arm to her father's and followed his father's lead in narrowing the distance between her and the Prince.
Every step of her is heavy. The closer she gets to the prince, the clearer her mind is getting.
She now knows what she is feeling. She now understands what she wants to do: She doesn't want to do this.
Lisa bit her lower lip when they finally reach her groom, the Prince. It was already too late for her to run away. It's not like she even has the guts to run away if an opportunity for her to do that, arrives.
The Prince's smile widens as his eyes twinkled in excitement. The Prince laid out his hand with the expectation that Lisa would patently reach out for it.
Lisa stared at his hand while slowly lifting her hand to accept the invitation when a violent wind swept towards them.
The wind was too strong that Lisa had to hold her dress down so it won't lift up but because of that, the veil flew out of her head. Lisa tried to reach out for it but she had a hard time opening her eyes because of the wind. She heard the people around her, lightly panicking and asking each other what was happening.
After several long seconds, the wind calmed down and the next thing that they heard are the smooth sound of wings.
Lisa snapped her head in the direction where the sound came from and slowly opened her eyes to see the culprit. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. She heard the people around her asking each other who is the uninvited guest. She can hear the fear and confusion in their voices and Lisa can't blame them. The culprit is a beast or at least a person wearing a beast mask.
The beast has feather wings similar to angels but their wings are black.
"How come I'm not invited?" The beast uttered with its eerie voice.
Everyone was confused as to what was happening except for one person.
Lisa saw from the corner of her eyes that her father fell to the floor. She ran towards him in worry and knelt beside him to hold her father but she stopped when she saw how much is her father, trembling. His whole body is trembling in fear like the angel of death is now in front of him to take his life. He slowly lifted his trembling arm and pointed it in the direction of the beast.
"H-He's t-the one I-I'm referring t-to that will t-take L-Lalisa a-away." Marco blurted out in his panicky voice.
Lisa slowly looked back in the direction of the beast to take a close look at him again but the Prince is quick to assume a defensive position, obscuring her view.
"My sword." The Prince commanded, burning holes in Jennie with his stares.
His right hand Jimin handed it to him and went to a defensive position too. The guards surrounded the royal family and Lisa.
They pulled out their swords from their sheaths and pointed them in Jennie's direction, sending threats with their stares that if Jennie dared to come closer, they won't hesitate in swinging their swords.
"Protect Lisa and the King with all your might!" The Prince shouted with all his might.
The people around them panicked and immediately exited the scene to save themselves from getting caught in a fight. The Prince held his sword tighter and never take his eyes off the beast.
Jennie stared at them for several long seconds, amused at the courage that the Prince is displaying then laughed wickedly which sent shivers to the people that heard the laugh.
To their surprise, Jennie charged forward, catching them off guard. Before the Prince and his people can process what was happening and what will soon happen, Jennie had already taken Lisa and flew several meters above them.
Jennie again laughed wickedly, while horror registered in the Prince's expression. He gritted his teeth in fury and disappointment towards himself.
One of the knights raised his arm that was holding an arrow and a bow, aiming them at the beast. The Prince was quick to stop him and snap at him, "Are you crazy? What will you do if you hit Lisa instead with that arrow of yours?!"
The knight knelt in front of him, gripping his bow tightly, and lowered his head. "F-Forgive me, Your Highness. I-I panicked."
The Prince no longer said anything and just cursed mentally. He wanted to let out his frustrations onto him but he also knew that doing that will not solve his problem. He just snapped his head back in the direction of the beast and even though he can't see the beast's eyes, he was sure that the beast is looking down on him.
His grip on his sword tighten, feeling helpless and useless because he couldn't do something to take back Lisa. They can't act against the beast because they are worried that she would hurt Lisa, and that's the last thing that he wants to happen.
"Don't take this personally, Your Highness." The beast sarcastically said while smiling widely behind her mask, enjoying the despair she's witnessing among the Prince.
"I just came here to take what's mine." The beast continued and stole a glance at Lisa's father that is still on the ground and trembling in fear.
Marco became even more distressed at the sight that his daughter whom he's been taking care of and even reached this point, arranging a marriage for Lisa, was now taken away.
Marco wanted to do something. He wants to save his daughter but he can't even push himself to stand up. He can't open his mouth to say something. He felt utterly defeated.
They didn't get to do something aside from watching the beast, flying away from them with Lisa in her arms.
On the other hand, Lisa was too overwhelmed by everything. She had barely understood anything. She wasn't sure why are these things happening. She stared at the beast's face. It was weird, but she's not feeling any resentment or fear toward the beast.
Sensing that someone was staring at her, Jennie looked down at the young woman in her hands. She lightly lifted the lower part of her beast mask with her hand that was carrying Lisa's thighs, until her lips were finally being kissed by the fresh air again.
"It is better for you to sleep, for now, princess."
Lisa's eyelids started getting heavy when she felt hot air on her face and in no time, she lose consciousness and completely fell asleep in the beast's arms.
When Lisa opened her eyes again, the beast was the first one she saw.
The beast was no longer flying in the sky but walking inside a place that was stranger to Lisa. There were big blinding lights on the high ceiling, and Lisa no longer needed to look around just to see that she was inside a place where commoners like her doesn't belong.
Lisa's eyes widened when she remembered what happened and who is the one carrying her. She shuddered in fear which made the beast look down on her. Her fear doubled when the beast looked at her directly in the eyes behind that mask. Even though she can't see the beast's real eyes behind that mask, the feeling sent shivers all over her body.
The beast didn't say anything and just averted her eyes again from Lisa after a couple of seconds.
"W-Who are you? P-Please p-put me down." Lisa uttered after trying to gulp down the big lump in her throat.
The beast ignored what she said and just continued walking.
"I-I said put me down." Lisa again said with a louder and harder tone which she soon regretted.
Lisa lowly cursed while rubbing her butt to ease the pain. She looked up and glared at the beast, her fear earlier suddenly flew out of her chest.
"Why did you put me down?" Lisa yelled at the beast, pointing her index finger at her bravely.
Looking down at Lisa and shrugging her shoulders, the beast answered, "Aren't you the one who asked me to put you down? I just did what you asked me to do."
Even though Lisa hasn't seen the beast's face behind that mask yet, she can imagine a wicked smile playing on the beast's lips. Heck, Lisa isn't even sure of the beast's gender.
The voice of the beast is not giving her any clue. As for the beast's physique, she also isn't sure because of the cloak that the beast was wearing. It's covering her head up to her feet.
Lisa glared at the beast and was about to speak again when a womanly voice was heard behind her.
"Your Highness, the room you asked for has already been cleaned and tidied."
"Thank you, Jisoo. Get this girl out of my sight now. You can do anything you want but don't kill her, yet."