The Bridal Act

A Mansion for Understanding

I had no idea how long we'd been inside the greenhouse, but all I knew was now Valice was awake and Elias had been talking about far too many flower types for my brain to handle and keep knowledge of. Valice was listening intently on the other hand; squawking each time she learnt something from Elias she didn't know about beforehand. Somehow, kind of glad she didn't make me her bird translator throughout it all. That would've been more irritating.

A gentle touch on my shoulder snapped me out of my dazed thoughts, Elias' sweet smile aimed towards me as he looked closer at my eyes.

"My dearest, I present to you a loving gift that only someone as beautiful as you could cherish so thoughtfully," Elias graciously handed me a fully bloomed, red rose. My eyes scanned the stem that he held with his gloved-covered spectral hands, noticing that there weren't any thorns scattered around it.

"Did you remove the thorns?" His eyes widened a little at the question asked from me, but calmed down with his smile still staying nonetheless.

"Of course I carefully de-thorned it," Elias answered truthfully, watching as I delicately took the rose from his gloved hand. Caressing the stem with my thumb as I stared into the blood red petals it adorned. "I would hate to see blood spill past your fragile skin. Especially from a rose's thorn."

Keeping the rose close to my chest, I smiled down at the natural gift. Tucking the rose behind my ear I looked back over at Valice, who was using her head to keep a flower from drooping. All while Elias grabbed a small watering can and began to give some of the flowers something to drink. How none of these flowers decayed already kind of surprised me in a way; sure they had Elias at hand to help water them. But what about when his spiritual form hadn't formed into existence then? How did they survive then?

Why the hell am I suddenly giving a shit about flowers and them surviving, when I've never given a care in the world beforehand? Oh right, Elias-

"Valice is such a great listener on the language of flowers," Said ghost announced, clapping his gloved hands together as he did a little twirl. "If I could only understand your raven companion; it would make us communicating to one another far more easier than with this annoying language barrier at hand."

"True..." I mumbled out, still sitting on the chair. Even though my legs were no longer exhausted, I was not letting the option 'to rest' go away so easily. And definitely not when I have no idea when the police will be back for my self defending ass. Especially that. "She does have a way of communicating to humans, outside of me, more easily. It's just that... she hates doing it, and the last time it happened she got severely harassed by a bunch of people- men to be exact."

"Oh my... I am deeply sorry you have had to experience such an annoyance just from doing something that makes life easier for others," Elias apologised to Valice, even though he has done nothing wrong at all to the little raven. It made me smile, the fact he would apologise for something that was so clearly not even his fault. It only made me wonder what the fuck he went through to be thinking in a way like that.

Being a nice human exists... but it's a gut feeling. And I've learnt in the past to follow those feelings.

"Elias is kind, he wouldn't dare try... right?" Valice's voice spoke up, hopping over to another flower to keep it from drooping while it got watered.

"I doubt he'd harass you over something so natural, Valice," I shook my head, chuckling a little as Elias looked over at me with a worried expression.

"Does your companion... are they worried I may perhaps try to harass or hurt them?" He asked, covering his mouth slightly as he paused his watering session. I barely nodded my head, glancing over to a slightly embarrassed raven.

"Trust issues, we both got 'em. You saw what happened, and were told-"

"Ah yes yes, please do not remind yourselves of such... awful mortals please," He floated over to me, placing down the watering can to caress my face. His thumbs gently rubbing my cheeks. "Think of the present and perhaps the good parts of the future for now, it will help your mental state well!"

"Okay okay, we'll do that. And thank you Elias."

"You are welcome my lovely bride~"

"Eh fuck it, I'm bored being small now. I'm gonna break my neck if I have to keep craning it up even more!" Valice suddenly shouted, clearly pissed. I didn't blame her, she had been trapped like that for ages now due to our situation.

"Quickly, Elias, move outta the way. She's gonna transform."

"You do not need to, I do not want to force you-" Elias' panicked words were quickly cut short as a tall, elegant lady in all black appeared. Grabbing him by the shirt's collar and forcing him close to her face.

"I swear to God if you somehow hurt my friend I will make sure you spectral ghost form won't be able to return to Earth's realm again!!"

"Maybe be kinder when you introduce yourself as a human next time?" I said, watching the ghostly man frequently nod his head with a terrified expression. Valice's, now human, expression being protectively pissed off. "Anyway yeahhh... get ready Elias. Meet Valice as a human, where you can understand every word she says."

"Should I... be concerned?"

"Yes. Very much."