Miriam's Demon

Romy - The Everlasting Groom

Back at the chapel's little fore-garden, Nanna disappeared into the sea of mourning family members. Wine glass in one hand, she hand-shooked and mock-sympathized her way to an unnaturally tall stranger. His broad back turned towards Miriam. Miriam stayed at the entrance of the chapel, playfully tracing her toe along an imaginary smiley face on the chapel's steps. Smiling was not what Miriam was in the mood for today. She glanced at the bobbing of familiar and unfamiliar heads, the sight of which is not uncommon. She could hear through the respectful murmurs as the common topic discussed among them was who would be the next bride.

Miriam caught the eye of Philomena, her 17-year-old cousin from the Troyan Family. They exchanged a sad nod of acknowledgement - it would be Philo next. Blonde and tall for her age, waifish Philo had made it known that she wanted to be a model. Now clad in a designer LBD with a chiffon shawl for decency, Philo could be a stunning page-turner. Their shared moment was interrupted by an unsual hush sweeping through the crowd. People parted and bowed to the tall stranger and Nanna as they made their way to Philo. The Tall Stranger was dressed as fashionably as the elite crowd; a branded black suit with an unbuttoned white shirt and form-fitting dress pants. But no socks. Miriam would have clutched her pearls if she had any on her neck. "I know who you are!" Miriam said to herself. Romy, Felicia's groom who had worn the exact same outfit for their wedding. Miriam had not bothered to look at his face but memorised his back imagining a bullseye on it as he stood next to Felicia on the altar. She had not been this close to the demon groom before, usually straying away from the chapel the moment the ceremony begins.

Romy towered over 1.8m high Philo. Jet Black wavy hair combed away from his pale white forehead, black brows frowning above a pair of impenetrable pair of sunglasses. His aqualine nose inhaled deeply as he listened to Nanna introduce Philo to him, his lips pursed as if forcing himself not to say anything disagreeable. His demeanor was stiff, as if he too did not wish to be there. Philo on her part, appeared shaken; hands grasping nervously at the back of her dress, her eyes cast down, unable to look at Romy. Miriam could not tell if this was out of fear or shyness - she was flushed red from her cheeks to her knees. It is strange to see Romy as anything but human. While he may certainly be intimidating and regal in his form, he did not scare Miriam. Demon or not, Miriam hated him as much as a 12 year old possibly can. She wished for an enchanted sword to drive through him. Miriam promised herself to research for such a sword when she gets back to the boarding school.

Romy appeared to be someone adults would consider "handsome". This much Miriam can gather from the self-satiating smiles the older women of the family had as they observed him. Nanna and Stranger now turned their focus onto Miriam. Philo hurriedly escaped into the chapel, crying as she passed Miriam. Nanna animatedly spoke to Romy but he appeared to be agitated by this turn of topic, his nose flared as if appalled by whatever Nanna was telling him. Miriam could have sworn she saw 2 red sparks where his eyes should be. Romy replied Nanna before he too turned and hurriedly left the party. Nanna raised her glass to the now bewildered crowd "à votre santé! Romy has his bride! Congratulations Philo on her wedding - the day of her 18th birthday!" The crowd cheered as if forgetting that this was a funeral. "Santé!Santé!Santé!" Inside the chapel, Miriam joined the remaining teenagers of the Families. Twins Cassidy and Carmen Hugan sobbed as brothers Tyler and Finn Golmer hugged Philo as she wailed. Her death sentence has been passed. The curse was thining the families out; with many descendants being wiped out by plagues and wars or dying from their own personal tragedies. The six of them are the remaining generation left to break the curse or continue it. Finn and Tyler will be forced to marry heiresses to continue the bloodlines while Cassidy, Carmen and Miriam will be the virginal sacrifices. The remaining other 9 branches were already on the verge of extinction with the advance ages of their members or marriages that have no more females to sacrifice.

 " Oh, i hate that b***h! She can go suck his demon d**k if she loves him so much!" Miriam couldn't tell if she wanted to cry or laugh. "Who knows You could be the one to break his spell!" Carmen exclaimed. "Break the spell?" Miriam asked. Clearly she was not privy to all the conditions of this curse. " You don't know? If you're the Demon's Delbar, the one who steals the demon's heart. Not his human heart." replied Cassidy.       " His human heart is the one that breaks every time his bride dies. It's his demon heart that needs to be conquered. And that, my children is how you slay the demon." Nanna added as she entered the chapel. "My darlings," she continued," let's not kid ourselves and say we've not enjoyed Romy's blessings. This marriage is just a small payment but the reward is boundless. Philo, just think. You could be his Delbar, you could be our saviour. Saint Philomena Troyan, the maiden to whom the 12 families owe their souls to. And once you have won his heart, Philo, your youth is immortalised. Yes that's right you become as immortal as him! Think of what that would do to your modelling career!" The crying ceased and the teenagers appeared to have bought into her speech. Miriam, sitting in one of the pews observing Nanna, was unmoved. She wondered if the Queen Rat could be trusted. Of all the families, Nanna was the one who benefitted the most from this arrangement. In fact this woman who claimed to be 80 years old, appeared no more than 40 years old. She was richer that King Midas. Her charm and elegance also felt otherworldly. Miriam wondered if anyone else felt this or perhaps they respected her too much to ever show distrust in her. Nanna turned to Miriam as if reading her thoughts. Miriam gasped at this sudden eye contact. Nanna smiled an unholy smile that sent a shiver down Miriam's spine.

In the jet plane back to her school in Switzerland, Miriam decided. She will not be a sacrificial lamb to Nanna's evil altar. She will live her life as she wants to a ripe old age without the help of any cursed wealth. She will fight her fate or die trying.