It nearly brought a tear to old Belfort’s eye as he marveled at how well this young man Niklas had hired had taken to his work. Truly, this lad Hemsley reminded him of his own self in his youth! Not only because of his similar stature and size, but in his enthusiasm for serving the Masters, and even his various former troubles with the law as well…
“Finally I may pass away without regrets, knowing there is such a talent as you to take my place when I go!” The old man declared aloud.
Hemsley grinned at that. “Don’t go dying on me now, sir! There’s still plenty ‘o work to be done yet!”
The two servants laughed merrily together as they made their way down the hall and onto their next project. It was then however that a terrible crash met their ears and caused both men to freeze where they stood! While Hemsley looked about frantically for the source of the commotion, Belfort quickly locked in upon the only possible culprit, for he could see that the door to the Countess’ room had been left uncharacteristically ajar. Suddenly, the great and lumbering form of the Countess herself shot rushed out into the hallway, not unlike a troll springing upon some weary travelers from the bowels of its cave. There, caught in her grasp, was Niklas, who was writhing and fighting against her hold like a feral feline!
Never before had old Belfort laid eyes on a scene of such barbarism in these hallowed halls. He was, in fact, so shocked at the sight of it that the old man nearly collapsed to his knees on the floor! Meanwhile, Hemsley was less surprised, as he had witnessed many such scenes within the cold walls of Otkorn’s prison. However, he was rather disappointed, for he had thought that Nobles were above such things.
“Give…it…here..!” Uldred growled and huffed with some effort, the small and seemingly-feeble man’s stubborn flailings leaving her equal parts infuriated and begrudgingly impressed.
It was all that Niklas could do to hold that parchment out as far as one of his arms could stretch, whilst he used the other to rake his nails flutily against the hard and calloused skin of Uldred’s hands, which was the same place where he had just sank his teeth as well!
When Belfort took in the sight of that scroll and the broken Lengarian seal upon it, he sharply sucked in his breath. “My Lord! What are you doing with that?” He demanded, immediately rushing towards the scene then to aid the Countess in recovering the contract. Noticing the arrival of reinforcements, the young Count quickly gave up on his failed mauling attempt and raised his head.
“Hemsley!” Niklas called out in breathless desperation. “Stop the Butler–I command you!”
No sooner had the words left his lips than did the young servant throw himself bodily into Belfort’s bent and aged back, tackling him to the floor without hesitation or remorse! For even if he did not rightly know what was even going on at the moment, it was by the order of his Lord,.
Somewhere far away, Baron van der Leigh felt a mysterious headache begin to pulse behind his brow. He felt greatly irritated, but he could not discern the cause. At the same time, elsewhere, the rotted carcass of the former Count of Petrice might have begun to toss and turn in the midst of his eternal rest at such dishonorable and disorderly conduct. It was undoubtedly an unfortunate moment within the history of the County, and one which none of the participants would ever speak of again.
…Well, perhaps besides Hemsley, after he had a few pints in him.
After a long and unseemly scrap, Niklas finally managed to slither out of the iron grip of the Countess with the parchment clutched safely to his chest. He pressed himself back against a cold stone wall as all three of the others now surrounded him to bar his escape!
“Now now, my good Lord, let’s not do anything rash…” Said the Butler in a calm, placating tone despite his huffing breaths and dripping sweat. “Just hand over the contract.”
“This!” Niklas accused, tightening his grip on the horrid thing. “This is a disgrace! A hundred silvers for the aid of a Countess?! Don’t make me laugh. If you finalize this contract, all of my plans and effort these past months will be for naught!”
“Damned be your plans!” Growled the Countess, while at her side Belfort yammered desperately. “You have to understand, sir, that this is our livelihood!”
Niklas gritted his teeth in anger. “You’re just like the villagers! Don’t you Petricians see that your stubbornness is the reason you live in such a way in the first place? Your fear has held you rooted in place for far too long! Fear of change, and of the unknown! I can help you reach a better life, but only if you trust me and let me do so!”
After Niklas’ impassioned speech, Uldred and Belfort hesitated and looked to each other in a clear display of uncertainty. The young count then took a deep breath to settle himself, drew himself up to his full height, such as he had, and held out the parchment before him.
“I shall take the first step. “ He said. “I will give you this and trust you not to sign it. For I know that in order to gain your trust I must first give you my own.”
In a blink Uldred had snatched the document from his outstretched hand, but she made no immediate move to sign it. For a few long moments she simply held the scroll and glanced between it and Niklas a few times, with an air of deep contemplation.
“Please.” Niklas pleaded softly.
Looking down at him again, Uldred then extended her free hand toward the Butler, who hurriedly produced a quill pen and ink from his inside pocket. The old man shot him an apologetic glance as he did so.
“I’m sorry, m’Lord. We just cannot take that chance.”
Niklas could only look on in horror as Uldred promptly unfurled the scroll and scrawled upon the line at the bottom of the page.
Acting without thought, his body moving only out of sheer, panicked instinct, Niklas threw himself forward directly at the Countess. Despite her years of training and bloody experience, she was just a step too slow in reacting as the small man slammed into her. Her body did not budge at his pitiful assault, like a pebble that had been thrown against a heavy bolder, and it took only the smallest flick of her hands to send him flying away across the floor of the hall!
“How tiresome.” Uldred sighed at his futile effort as she watched him pant in exertion where he lay sprawled pitifully upon the stones.
But when she glanced back at Belfort, she was surprised to see his face was agape in a look of horror! As she held up the parchment before her, she was shocked to see that it had been torn asunder and ruined. For as Niklas had thrown himself upon her, he had reached out with his hands and clasped them over both of Uldred’s to ensure that they were firmly grasped upon the parchment, so that as she moved one arm to push him away, she unthinkingly ripped the tough vellum apart with her immense strength!
“You!” Uldred roared, lunging forward to grab Niklas from the floor and lift him into the air by his throat! “You’ve killed us!”
Hemsley and Belfort rushed to either side of her to pull her off her husband, but even their strength combined could not hold a candle to hers, and it was to no avail. She pressed the small man quite forcefully against the cold stone wall, and it took every ounce of restraint she had not to snap him like a twig right there and then! Meanwhile Niklas, whose face was already a deep red that now bordered on purple, clasped his thin hands desperately upon the woman’s wrist and helplessly kicked at her with his legs!
“My Lady, please!” Belfort wailed as he tugged ineffectually against her massive arm. But despite his efforts at swaying her, she seemed not to notice him at all as she vented her fury at Niklas.
“Change things? Please! We have nothing. We can’t change anything, and now we cannot even feed ourselves because of you!”
Perhaps it was the lack of oxygen to his brain, but as Uldred shouted Niklas thought that her voice held a twinge of… sadness? Indeed, as his gaze met hers through that silver mask, he could almost swear that her violet eyes had begun to well up with tears! But these observations only ran through his mind for the brief moment before his head became fuzzy, his vision went white, and his limbs fell limp at his sides.
Uldred gasped aloud then and hastily pulled herself back, almost as if she had just been burned, causing the body of the young Nobleman to collapse in a heap to the floor. The two servants quickly ran to his side and began to fuss over him as the Countess quietly stared down in shock at her own shaking hands. And when Niklas regained consciousness and sat up, dizzy and confused, she startled as if afraid to see how he would act after what had just transpired. She promptly turned around and fled back into her room, the thick stone walls rattling in a familiar sound as her heavy wooden door slammed against its frame.
Meanwhile, Niklas’ eyes lolled aimlessly and he moaned unintelligibly for a few moments. He could not presently recall what had happened before he threw himself upon the Countess. He looked down at the ground and gaped in surprise at the sight of the torn halves of the contract where they lay abandoned on the floor nearby..
“You’ve really done it now, my Lord.” Belfort chided him, though his voice was gentle and clearly relieved at his Count’s survival. “I hope you can take responsibility for your actions, now, for all of our sakes.”
Stolen novel; please report.
The lad did not reply aloud, but simply nodded his head weakly as he rubbed at the tender skin of his bruised neck, his body still shaky in his shock and disorientation. Despite his quaking legs, the two servants soon helped him up to his feet, and they each slung one of his arms over their shoulders as they guided him away.
“Let’s get you to a hot bath, m’Lord. There’s nothing better for setting yourself right..”
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Ahhh~
The three male inhabitants of Castle Petrice were all reclined naked against the brim of a massive tub filled with steaming water. Rather than bringing his usual modest washtub to his room, the two men had dragged their poor, stumbling Count to an unfamiliar chamber which contained what he surmised to be a basin custom-made for the Petrician Nobility, who were so great in stature that Niklas’ usual accommodations could only serve them as a foot-bath. But as all three of the current bathers were so small of stature, they all fit very comfortably within the walls of that massive bath.
All together the men sank themselves almost fully beneath the steamy surface, with only the flushed tips of their noses peeking out into the air. As they soaked therein these three were so comfortable and relaxed that all the sweat, aches and pains they had acquired that day seemed to evaporate off of them to be carried away by the steam.
After a long, warm silence, Niklas hesitantly pulled himself to a proper sitting position and spoke . “Belfort I am… sorry to have done such a selfish, and potentially damaging, thing. I hope you know that I do not wish any ill upon Petrice or any of its people.”
Belfort sighed with an air of resignation before he replied. “It is alright, my Lord, at least speaking for myself. There is no use regretting what cannot be undone.”
Niklas then set his jaw and wore a serious expression. “I promise you now, and on my honor, that I will bring this place back to its former glory, and even well beyond it.”
Belfort’s true expression was inscrutable beneath the wet curtain of his thick beard and eyebrows, and he simply hummed a soft, skeptical “Hmm.” For a moment, the three men continued to soak in contemplative silence.
“Well, I believe you, your Lordship!” Hemsley declared, looking very motivated now. “Seen your work, I has, and I din’t understand a lick of it! An’ that usually means you’re doin’ somethin’ all smart-like. That’s what I think!”
“Th-thank you, Hemsley.” Niklas forced out awkwardly, not sounding particularly reassured.
“But sir,” Belfort asked then. “How do you plan to begin making these… ’changes’ to the County? We have no wealth in reserve to draw upon, nor any income without the Countess’ usual contract. And as I have been made to understand, you cannot expect to receive cooperation from the villages and townsfolk.”
Niklas then shot a wolfish smile back at the Butler. “Not to worry, my good man. We shall be able to begin preparations quite soon indeed! As soon as the dowry arrives from my Family I shall have the funds that I require.”
Belfort’s brows raised in pleasant surprise, and he now looked over at Hemsley with a growing excitement. “...The dowry! That’s right, I confess I had quite forgotten about the matter. Oh, we are truly saved!”
As each man felt the anticipation growing inside of them, another silence fell over them, but not one clouded with a sickly awkwardness, rather the kind that naturally unfurls when each individual is deep in thought.
“But sir… wasn’t the dowry set to arrive not a few nights following yourself?” Belfort suddenly asked, causing that quietly hopeful moment the trio shared to pop like a soap bubble, vanishing without a trace between one second and the next.
Niklas’ face fell and he shivered then, despite the warmth that still permeated the water of the bath, as an icy trickle of anxious worry crept its way down his spine.
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Anyone observing the van der Leigh estate at this time was met with the sight of a shocking scene playing out before their eyes. The many chests that were previously packed and ready for transport were now being emptied of their silver coins and gold bullions and unloaded from their carriages, while the draft animals that had been primed to pull them were freed from their tack and led back to their usual homes. Numerous hands were hard at work deconstructing the caravan, even while their owners occasionally peered towards the estate proper with nervous side-glances. The reason for their apprehension was clear, as even from a good distance a terrible commotion could be heard spilling out from within its walls.
“What are you saying?!” Demanded the voice of a young woman, harsh and ringing with the force of her anger. “Do you even comprehend what this means?”
Lady Frith hurled these barbed words at the back of her Noble father–for he did not dare to face her–as her brothers looked on from the back of the room, both carefully wearing stoic, neutral expressions on their faces.
“Do not raise your voice in such an undignified manner.” The patriarch commanded back over his shoulder, still resolutely refusing to meet his daughter’s eyes. “I am your father, and you are meant to be an honorable Lady of the van der Leigh House!”
“Well, I suppose, then, that when it comes to fulfilling the duties we are bound to by our noble lineage, neither of us are properly acting our parts!” She spat back at him with such ire that his brow throbbed with his growing irritation, and also caused him to flinch, ever so slightly, with guilt.
“And you always wonder why she has yet to be wed…” Brudwyn mumbled to his brother with a small chuckle he attempted to disguise with a cough. The other man maintained his stoicism so as not to attract his sister’s ire, but Brudwyn was not so lucky as the Lady shot him such a harsh glare then that even his mighty self gulped audibly in apprehension.
But all too quickly the full heat of her burning gaze was turned back upon their father. “You mean to postpone Niklas’ dowry shipment? Indefinitely!?” She asked, clearly as appalled by the news as she was enraged.
“That is none of your concern. Any of you.” Kaiser van der Leigh defiantly declared to the three of his children who stood gathered there.
Brudwyn clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Normally I would agree with you, father, for I would rather not sacrifice a single copper to that welp… but the King himself ordered this. It will reflect poorly on all of us if he hears you reneged on a Royal command, not to mention that you’re doing it to cover your own ass.”
At that the Baron shot a fierce and deeply annoyed look at his heir, but did not otherwise reply.
Vicentie then scratched his chin and wondered aloud, mostly to himself. but loudly enough for the others to hear his contemplations. “Who among us could have foreseen that your investment would fail so soon? This has never happened before…”
Frith scoffed at that, and her next words were infused with scathing sarcasm. “It is almost as if the person with the best head for management amongst us recently left... Perhaps it is time for us to admit that our youngest did more for the family than we care to admit?”
Brudwyn and Vicentie looked both disbelieving and somewhat amused by that idea, while Kaiser’s face only darkened as his anger appeared to grow until he could not contain it any further.
“It matters not what any of you have to say, not even that naïve young King.” He snapped out. “This is my will, and my decision is final! Now, all of you… Get. Out.”
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The two brothers sighed in resignation as they watched their sister pace back and forth in front of those large office doors which their father had just slammed shut in their faces.
“...Do you truly suppose the King will be upset with us?” Vicentie asked, his attempt to keep his voice light betrayed by the way it cracked in his anxiety.
Brudwyn shrugged his shoulders with a lackadaisical air. “Doesn’t matter to me. All’s I have to do is let him know that I told father off, but he didn’t listen to me. Now he can bear the consequences of incurring the King’s resentment all on his lonesome.”
The brawny man then peered back over at his sister, who was biting at one of her now not-so-perfectly-manicured nails as an outlet for her rage and anxiety now that she no longer had a direct target in front of her. Despite having had a generous amount of family disagreements prior, seeing Frith lose her usual steely composure to this extent was a rare sight.
“I suppose the biggest question is, now… what are you going to do?” He asked her, wearing a crooked, sardonic grin. “After all, it’s your beloved baby brother who’s been hung out to dry. I’m certainly not sticking my neck out any further for that runt.”
At that, Frith stopped in her tracks and stood for a moment in a pensive silence.
Vicentie, in his usual anxious manner, glanced sidelong at his brother as the other man taunted her, shaking his head at his words. He was not fearful out of care for his sister, but rather because he was desperate to avoid becoming a target of her wrath by association.
Unexpected to the both of them though, she simply took a deep breath and exhaled to settle her pounding heart. Then she turned, and with a determined look and gait she made her way past her brothers and down the hall and out of view.
The two men watched her leave, exchanging a confused glance after she was out of sight. “...Where do you think she’s off to?” Vicentie asked as he fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve.
Meanwhile, in Frith’s mind, she was preparing herself for a conversation that, while it was vitally necessary for her new plans, she dearly did not want to have. The unpleasant sight of the young King sneering down at her from his throne was not one she had wanted to ever see again… But if it was for the sake of her little Niklas, she would begrudgingly tolerate the man and his lascivious, unwelcome advances. Deep in thought as she was, it seemed that in no time at all she had already reached the front door, where the head servant of the van der Leigh house bowed before her.
“Have a carriage prepared for me at once.” She commanded him.
He bowed again in acknowledgement of her orders. “Yes, My Lady. And where shall I say is the destination?”
She bit back a sigh as she forced herself to answer:. “The Royal Palace.”
The servant looked up at her then in clear surprise. “Without any notice, my Lady?”
She grimaced back at him in a poor attempt of a reassuring smile. “Well, His Highness did tell me to ‘feel free to stop by whenever I wanted to.” As she recited those hateful words a spot just behind her forehead began to throb rhythmically with the beginnings of a painful headache.
This is going to be a long and tiring day…