“Hurry now, the banquet is about to start.” The voice of the butler pressed the servants to do their duties. The castle had a luxurious appearance, with dozens of servants busy with their given tasks. Under the exquisite cover, Reid can capture the whole picture of life in the castle, yet in these couple of days, they are seemingly preparing for something big. Right at dawn, the butler, dressed in a formal uniform, was already barging into the sleeping quarters. With a tone full of frustration, he speaks: “Wake up, you lazy scums. There is no time to lose.” At split time, all the workers leave their respective beds before moving to the bathrooms. Reid, now the only one in the room, was left in awe of how disciplined the servants here were. Perhaps there is a devastating punishment hanging on their head waiting for even the smallest mistake. The servants with the life and hopefully soon have drifted off, carrying their devasted bodies as orders. Though that’s not what Reid cares about, he is here for one mission only.
3 days have passed since Reid stepped foot in this place, searching for the answer under this new mask. Entering the kitchen as required, what’s welcoming in his sight is the housekeeper pointing her chubby finger at people, commanding. The poor chair can’t handle the heavy figure, trembling under the overload of weight. The sweat rolling down the cheap dress with the sordid sleeves stinks. A disgusting smell of fat. Loud and old, there is barely any difference between her and a pig. “You foolish rats, hurry up!" she screams. In heavy steps, she checks every pot and pan. Is it because she is actually concerned about the food quality or trying to satisfy her bottomless stomach?
Then a certain servant catches her attention. Not able to handle the pressure, he stirred the sauce pot while his eyes rolled around in fear. Her face grimaces uglily the moment the tasting spoon disappears in her mouth. Not even wasting a moment of hesitation, she slaps the servant with all her might, causing him to fall to the ground. “You ruined the dish, you useless bastard," she yelled while kicking the servant, who curled up in tears. The servant was wailing in pain, the weak body coughing intensely against each kick, among the screaming waves. Fears are clearly written on the others’ faces, yet they don’t dare to do anything but continue with their tasks, ignoring their friend, who is agonizing like a defeated animal on the ground. Taking the food tray, Reid follows the lines to the main dining room, leaving behind the chaotic scene.
Crossing the long, exquisite hall decorated with flowers and golden mirrors, Reid takes a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. A young, weak, ordinary boy. Even the usual distancing feeling surrounding him has been nowhere to be seen, but now it is a vulnerable one. Having such a normal appearance won’t last more than a second in others' minds. The figure in the mirror has not a single trace of the person named Reid as if they are two completely different identities. Withdrawing the gaze, the coldness flashed in a split second.
Everything is going as planned.
Open a large pair of doors, and behold the sight of a stunning dining room. The room seems to be filled with pure luxuriousness, filled with masterpieces in art and unique plants from other regions. The room seems to be covered in pure luxuriousness. Rare birds in the golden cages, sing the song to welcome the guests. The diamond chandeliers shine brightly like the sun, bathing the room in sparkling lights. Decorated with countless candles and golden plates, the dining table soon becomes the center of attention, with lines of servants in formal uniforms waiting honorifically. Violinists and pianists welcome the faraway guest's arrival with harmonious melodies. The King stepped in, wearing an arrogant look, bragging about his infinite fortune. Then a man walks in with a polite smile with his guard. Wearing the signature black fur coat embroidered with the heraldry of a dragon, contrary to the King, a sense of danger is penetrative in each of his moves. His eyes were hidden behind the silver glasses, bearing sharpness. Yet due to the strict rules of the castle, which prohibit looking into the lords’ eyes, all Reid can do is focus on other senses to determine which guest has arrived.
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The bell in the butler’s hand rings, a sign that the banquet has begun. The servants synchronously put down the golden plates in front of the guests. As the scent of the elegant plates lingers in the room, so does the wine. The red liquid, thick as blood, shines in silver goblets. “My honorable guests from Hyram, I’m pleased to welcome you today.” The King raises his cups, “Drinks and enjoy, I’m looking forward to the agreement.”. Taking a sip, the man smiled at the King, “Quality wine, but too weak, too fragile.” Leaving the King annoyingly doesn’t know how to act. To break the humiliation, the dancers have been called. In elegant yet alluring moves, they amuse the guests. Wearing a revealing dress decorated with golden chains and jewels, they skillfully caught all the attention.
A dancer approaches the man at the honored seat. In dedicated movements, her hands enchant the beloved audience and then slowly reach for the body. She got behind him, caressing the broad shoulder with blooming touches. Yet, the man appears unmoved, seemingly enjoying the performance. As the band continues to carry out their melodious tune, along with the pleasant sound coming from those golden chains, together, they are unconsciously creating a magnificent trap to lure every single man desiring intimacy while falling into the embrace of lustful dreams. The dancer then moves on, one by one, the hands getting lower. His chest is now fully enveloped by the thin, yet elegant pair, teasing with trivial passion. Her dance then resumes, leaving the man in all of a sudden. Masculinity instincts heightened, craving for more interactions. He certainly knows what he wants and desires. Exchanging a simple gaze with the dancer, the girl flashes a returning seductive look, then retrieves.
Placing the desert, Reid can feel a gaze resting upon him. A sharp, cold gaze. After all, he was assigned to serve the lord sitting opposite the King’s honor guest. “An interesting toy you have there," says, the man, amusingly observing Reid’s action. The King, soon drunk on wine and females, drifts his attention on the servant boy. “You, speak your name.” Reid remains silent, bowing to the King. He knows this is not just a typical introduction, more like a test of whether he would become a toy to please their blood thirst. This place, under the fancy covers, is chained by deadly rules. One wrong step and they will no longer see tomorrow. In this case, it's best to stay silent and let them play their game. “Rest assured, you may speak.” The King was pleased to see Reid’s behavior. Keeping his head low, Reid speaks with caution, “I am Collin, a servant of Your Highness.” The King laughed out loud, clearly satisfied with the answer. From the corner of his eyes, Reid knows the elegant golden knife in the King’s hand is ready to strike down at any time. To make the play even more realistic, Reid pretends to tremble in fear. His dark, teary eyes make him feel like a fragile crystal. “Since you have been behaving well," the man smiled, “you will be able to ask me a question.” Reid flinches for a second. He doesn’t know this situation could ever happen, yet this could be the only good chance to know the identity of this mysterious guest. One simple question can answer it all.
“May I ask for your name, my lord?” A grin carved on the man's face said, “Alright if you are able to bear its power." "Raise your head," the cold voice commanded.
“I’m Arioch Lewin Sylvester, here on behalf of Hyram.” Reid’s eyes are wide open in astonishment. Wearing a kind yet dangerous smile, enough to frighten Reid, the person has tasted Death, scared for the first time. He knows that name. The emerald eyes pierced through his soul under the silver glasses.
Of all people…Why?