Auriel was lying on his large, comfortable bed, sleeping quietly. On his side was a large bird, perched on a chair, intently looking at Auriel.
Suddenly the overgrown bird hopped onto Auriel's body and slowly neared his face. Then without any hesitation, it stabbed its beak directly between Auriel's brows, piercing it slightly and drawing blood.
Still sleeping, Auriel swatted the bird away and mumbled with anger. "Fuck off, Loki!"
Loki was thrown away because of Auriel's slap and crashed into the couch, waking up a certain golden-haired girl who was sleeping in there.
She lifted her hands and placed them under her blindfold, slowly rubbing her eyes and wincing in the process. Then she took Loki in her arms and murmured. "When will you stop pecking at Auriel, Loki?"
The intelligent bird didn't answer but instead snuggled up to Elise like a spoiled pet.
Elise slowly pushed the blanket on herself and stood up, revealing her ankle-length black nightgown that covered her body.
After that, she sat down on the couch and placed Loki on her lap, and began to gently caress his smooth feathers.
"You shouldn't mess with Auriel. He considers you his pet but if you try his patience, you will die. He isn't that much of a bad man but not a good one either, he leans to the bad side more than good. So, be a good boy, or else I won't be able to save you." Elise kindly explained as she turned towards Auriel.
Then her eyes briefly shone with golden light and blood trickled from her nose, but there was no pain in her expression, just pity towards Auriel.
"Can you bring my clothes, Loki?" Elise requested as she wiped the blood, Loki immediately brought the clothes with his beak.
"Thank you," Elise whispered as she removed her nightgown and showed her body that was previously filled with cuts and bruises but was now a bit better than before. Most of the wounds were gone and there was some additional meat in her still-skinny body.
She felt a chill as the room was slightly cold. Hence without waiting, she wore the clothes Loki brought, which consisted of long black pants and a white shirt. With a belt, she held the pants on her waist and tucked the shirt under it. Then she tied her hair with a tie into a ponytail and summoned her black staff.
These clothes were Auriel's old clothes while he was a bit shorter and thinner than now. Hence they were barely fitting Elise, but she still wore them to hide her body features as she didn't like the gazes of people towards her body.
As for why Elise wasn't embarrassed and removing her clothes like this without caring while Auriel was sleeping right at her side.
Well, it couldn't be said that she wasn't embarrassed, on the contrary, she was burning with shame. If it was someone else other than Auriel, Elise wouldn't even sleep in the same room with them, let alone change her clothes while the said person was sleeping or not.
As for why she was okay with it, that was currently unknown to Auriel but he had some guesses.
It wasn't something ridiculous like love at first sight. Elise couldn't even see in front of her how she could fall for him at first sight.
Auriel assumed that Elise knew something about him with her ability that had an affinity for revelation. Maybe she saw the future or felt something. Auriel didn't know.
Elise went to Auriel's side with the dark staff in her hand and leaned to his face, slowly and carefully wiping the blood on his face with her shirt. Then she took a few steps back and nudged Auriel from her shoulder.
"Wake up, Auriel. You need to prepare." Elise said softly and waited. But Auriel didn't wake up and Elise didn't try it again.
She knew that Auriel wouldn't harm her for no reason but she was still scared to disturb him as the trauma she experienced was a bit deep for a teenage girl. Hence, she took a few more steps back and poked Auriel's side with her staff, with a bit more force than before.
This time Elise managed to wake Auriel up as his eyes twitched open and he mumbled in a sleepy voice. "What is it, Elise?"
Elise gulped down and whispered. "You need to prepare to meet the bishop, Auriel."
A yawn escaped from Auriel as he rubbed his eyes and sat down. "Didn't I say that you don't need to be scared of me as long as you don't betray me and do your best?" he said and pulled Loki to himself via the strings, and began to caress his head. "And didn't I say that you should be a good boy or else I will break your beak and pluck your feathers?" Auriel threatened coldly as he grabbed Loki's beak and wings. Then he pulled one of the glossy black feathers from his wing, but Loki didn't utter any voice.
"Should I use this as my pen?" Auriel thought it out and turned to Elise for an answer.
However, Elise just flinched and lowered her head without saying a word.
Auriel sighed and took a proper look at Elise. "What a unique and nostalgic style you have made, Elise," Auriel whispered to himself.
Then he got up and changed into his stylish black clothes while Elise lowered her face more with heat on her cheeks. Auriel noticed this but didn't pay any attention, and when he wore his clothes, he pulled Loki on his shoulder.
"Why the fuck is that damn Bishop coming in the damn morning?" Auriel complained himself as he opened the door, then before going out, he turned to Elise.
"Follow me, Elise. You need to get used to human interactions."
Elise couldn't help but tremble because of the unexpected order. She was literally living in this room for the past few days and getting out and interacting with someone was a bit scary for her. But as a servant of Auriel, she didn't have any choice in this matter. It was her master's order after all.
With shaking steps, Elise followed Auriel while hiding to Auriel's behind.