Author's Note: This is one of my first writing projects, and the first on Royal Road. I appreciate reviews and critique!

Dinner and the evening bath were complete, and young Jordan found herself lounging about as usual. Her father was off talking to the servants like he always did. She thought she might sleep, but it was loud outside. "It's going to be one of those nights, I suppose." she sighed.

She laid across the sofa, daring to imagine what else there could be to entertain herself. In her heart, she knew that there wouldn't be much. That was okay, it was just another long night. It wasn't as fun as the puppets in the mornings, but perhaps she should complain just to watch the servants hurry about, trying in vain to fix her imaginary problem.

The street sounds from outside died down, but Jordan didn't feel like sleeping anymore. The curtains were drawn, but the last of the day's glow had disappeared from their borders. Standing up and drawing a powerful breath, she screamed "A BUG, A BUG IN MY HAIR!" Would the servants know it was fake? This was the third time this month it had been about bugs.

Silence.

Well, what were they waiting for? Perhaps they were getting a brush?

More silence.

They must know. She had to up the stakes. "OWW, IT BIT ME!"

Only echoes - then silence.

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She left the room into the thin hallway. It was dark. She turned wheel on the hallway gas lamp, and light spread to the end. Butler was there, sitting on his chair. It's no wonder she hadn't seen the jagged Obsidikan blurred into the shadow. He lifted a single finger to his lips, but his deathly glare told Jordan to be quiet even before.

She gulped. Was she in trouble? Why hadn't he come to get the bug?

Butler stood, lightly scraping against his own skin. With a grunt, he seemed to steady himself. "I'll be back. Be ready to go." He said with a raspy, deep voice.

He turned at the end of the hallway, heading down a flight of stairs. Jordan was confused, but if she was going somewhere then she needed her nice shoes. A few minutes passed, and the street noises began again. It was from downstairs. What were street noises doing inside?

Butler returned. Jordan followed. Going downstairs for herself this time, she saw for herself what Butler had been doing. Scattered throughout the dark room, the servants weren't put together properly anymore. Jordan remembered the time she had dropped her favorite doll. She scrunched up her nose. "Take a bath!" she muttered. Someone would have to help them though. Father should bring new servants.

She was worried too. Butler was taking her to the servant's door - Jordan was never supposed to go to the streets. That was something her father himself had told her. She hesitated. Butler didn't. He tried the door, and then brought his fist down against the doorknob, flinging it into the floor. Startled, Jordan began to yell, but was caught by the familiar, intense glare in Butler's eyes.

The streets were different. Dirty. A real bug flung mud from the street as it took off into the air, large enough to create audible clicks and pauses between the beats of its wings. Jordan was too busy looking around to care. Butler hurried, and so did she. Here on the streets there was so much space - so much potential! It was glorious for a moment, but darker thoughts began to race through her head, and finally a sense of danger. They both stopped, scanning around.

It was a feeling uncommon for her - she only felt something like it in Butler's death stare. But as she looked toward him, she didn't see that in his eyes. She saw fear.