The Dead Groom's Bride

The Sacrificial Bride

Junjie soon walked inside, while a slew of guardsmen barred Ling Ling from following and it was her every intention to follow Junjie. Junjie apologized by dipping his head to a bow. He mouthed, I'll check on you later.

The way he is when he's not being arrogant or flirty was different, he was mature, a lot more likeable. No, adorable. Ling Ling thought.

When Junjie disappeared, Ling Ling drew her attention to Mei, but the child-like spirit snarled at her threateningly which caused her to step back for a cushion of safety. For someone so tiny, Mei packs a lot of fury.

She was like one of those angry chihuahuas. Damn, what the heck is wrong with her?

Mei was unfriendly before but it was nothing compared to how she is now.

Mei left and walked off somewhere else while a pair of servants came over and fetch Ling Ling with them. One has a pair of cat ears and a tail, the other one has elongated ears and sharp cheek bones. She could either be a fae or an elf. Ling Ling doesn't know. She'd never seen such women before but they were both unearthly beautiful.

One of them picked up Ling Ling's torn wedding gown, observing the fabric, and the modern design that's too abstract for her to comprehend. She crunched her nose. "What kind of dress is this? It's hideous!"

I would like to get out of it. Was the only thought Ling Ling have.

"Yes, we outta get her washed and changed. She came with prince Junjie, you know."

Both girls stared at each other, there was an obvious understanding between them. They giggled in cohesion and Ling Ling can only imagine what the two spirits are giggling about.

One girl took her left side and the other her right.

"So tell me, are you one of those human sacrificial brides?" The spirit with cat ears giggled. "Humans like to kill pretty girls like you for our lord."

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Asked Ling Ling.

"Well, you're dressed like one, and we can kinda judge you're a ghost. So, did they kill you for our lord?"

Ling Ling's mouth gaped. She has no clue what the girl was talking about. "I'm not a sacrificial bride!" The thought gave Ling Ling goose bumps. She can't believe people did these things back then, and to think the Lao's would do the same to her.

"So why are you with the prince?"

"I don't know." Said Ling Ling. "One of his men almost ran me over."

"Oh, how lucky. Prince Junjie gets a lot of bride offering from the human world. He takes and guides them to the other side for re-incarnation. That's the best he can do for them. He feels bad, but he said he cannot take those women especially when blood was spilled offering those girls to him."

"Nope, I'm not a bride offering." Ling Ling sucked her breath. "Not for him, at least."

"So, you were to marry someone else?"

"Yes." Answered Ling Ling and suddenly the thought of Bolin made her melancholy.

She had never been more determined to get back home. To her time, and to the human world and hopefully, the time before Bolin was killed in the car accident, so she can change their fates. If she was to marry Bolin, it would be the right way. Without their parents interfering.

"That's such a shame." Murmured the fox spirit, she picked up Ling Ling's wrist and stared at the beads of bracelet. "This bracelet is made with dragon bones, they're exclusive to dragons like lord Junjie. They said it protects those who wore them. You're lucky, these jewels are rare. You must mean a lot to him to give it to you."

Ling Ling let out an awkward laugh. "Nah, it's more like, he didn't have any other choice."