Chapter 8: What Maid You This Way?

Being a butler means I have to wake up before the royals and get everything ready for the day. God forbid anything to be inconvenient for the royal pains in the ass.

I'm not one for luxury or anything fancy, but that bed completely destroyed my back. It isn't like it's a poor quality either, I just think my ass just has a preferred bedding. I sit up and feel the aching shoot down my back and settle at my lower back. It reminds me of where that curly asshole's hand had been just a handful of hours before.

The memory makes me crush my teeth together to prevent myself from doing something drastic. I've already destroyed a pair of gloves and tore up my knuckles. With that in mind, I feel the spot where the knight has to give me my daily dose in my inner elbow throb. It makes me unclench my jaw, but I'm still very frustrated.

By now I would have found a way out of this and I wouldn't be answering to a king that reminds me of a summery Santa.

If only I had my ring, I could save myself.

King Fat Lard's son's words keep playing over and over in my head like a mosquito that can't get enough. Buzzing around my head no matter how much I swat it away.

I am here for a reason and if I don't uphold my deal, I could end up at the bottom of Shredder Lake. As much as I hate to admit it, my life relies on me getting this job done.

With one last sigh of self-pity, I force myself up and I change into one of the many uniforms that have been supplied for me by King Markos.

As far as I can tell, the king himself isn't too terrible.

It's the children I have to worry about.

I fix my hair by running my fingers through it before sliding the glove over my fingers which appear more slender than I remember.

I don't pay it a second thought as I step out into the hallway where more servants are bustling about, trying to make sure the castle is in prime condition for when the family awakens. There are women dusting every spot you can think of, and gentleman rolling out another fresh carpet down the long corridor.

Seeing the stupid amount of work that goes into cleaning a castle, my position could have been a lot worse.

As far as I know about my duties, I should be waiting outside the king's door just in case he needs me first thing in the morning. It isn't a bad idea considering I am supposed to be picking up information about the king, so starting by his sanctuary should be a good start.

I brush my hands over my waistcoat in an attempt to brush out any non-existent wrinkles as I make my way down the hall as if I knew exactly where I was going. I feel the eyes of the servants on me as I pass by, though that isn't what bothers me. It's the weight in which I feel my feet hitting the ground as if they were made of lead. It makes me wonder if I'm walking strangely, or if I'm becoming more and more paranoid about my existence here.

Could they suspect why I am here?

Are any others here for the same purpose? Or a different motive for that matter.

I can't trust anyone in this damn place.

I find the most regal looking double doors and I have to assume that only a king would sleep behind such extravagance. Seeing the lavishness makes me want to vomit and my eyebrow even forms a tick.

"How can someone stand to live like this?" I grumble to myself underneath my breath as I lean against the wall with my foot up against it, and my arms crossed in front of my chest. I look nothing like a proper butler, but it is not as if I am one anyway.

I stand there waiting, not sure how long until the Royals are supposed to awaken anyway.

What's the point of me waking up so early just so stand here?

"Move." A harsh voice sounds and I glance over to see one of the prince's from the dinner table. This is one of the twins though I have no idea which one, nor do I even really care.

I feel my temper start to chip away at being spoken to in such a way, but I bite my tongue and hold back any smart remark that could escape past my lips.

I'm out of my element here. I am in no position to be giving orders.

My eyes narrow into slits, but I do as I'm asked and stand aside from the door. The prince eyeballs me and maintains a neutral expression the whole time as he goes past me through the grand doors.

"Just so you know, dad's room is down there." He says and I don't acknowledge that he even said anything, instead I just start walking further down the hall. I don't know if I actually feel eyes on my back or if it's just my imagination.

The longer I walk down the hall, the more unsure I become that the prince was even telling the truth. With the number of cobwebs, worn in carpets, and locked doors, it becomes evident that I've been led astray.

My eyebrow tick makes a resurface, but I keep going, not giving a shit at this point.

But I probably should give a shit. My arm throbs in reminder of this.

I sigh and decide to turn back and see if I can just guess another door closer to the grand double doors I was originally waiting at.

"So far from the others." A voice sounds further down, and I don't recognize it. I frown and glance around, trying to locate where it had just sounded from.

A frown etches onto my face as I grow more and more unsure of the entire situation.

"Lost little lamb?" The voice mocks me and I start to feel my face heat in frustration. Things never bothered me this badly when I had my ring. I've been stripped of so many layers.

"Show yourself," I demand, not moving an inch from the spot I still stood in. Keeping my eyes sharp and trained, looking for any sign of movement. It sounds close, but I can't pick up on any close presence.

A chuckle echoes through the hall, bouncing off the walls and reverberating back into my ears. Making my skull feel as if I am listening to a loud bass.

I stand my ground, seemingly unaffected to the situation and I even casually shove my hands into my pocket. Giving off a vulnerable appearance.

"Come here, Edward." Hearing my name is like digging into an already festering wound, but I remain sharp. This person knows what gets me and that isn't something I am about to share.

"How about you stop acting like a jackass and show yourself, bitch." I snap, losing the coolness in my voice, but still keeping my feet rooted in place.

The chuckle circles around my head again. "As you wish." Out steps a man from behind a door, I hadn't noticed before. He looks as if he belongs in this abandoned part of the castle. His hair is bright white, though he doesn't look much older than the oldest son. He may have a couple years on him. His skin is pale white, though not ghostly, which can be said for me as well, especially with my black hair. His features are angular and eyes that look as if filled with ink. He smiles, showing sharp teeth that don't look all that human, but not very monsterous either.

My temper fades with his appearance, and a look of boredom overcomes my features. "The hell are you?" I ask, though I don't truly look interested in an answer.

The person looks almost offended but recovers quickly and a devious smile fills in the gaps. "You don't recognize me?" I shake my head, "Should I?"

They approach closer to me, and normally I would stand my ground, but I take a couple steps back. I'm not taking any chances if I don't have to.

This makes the person sigh and looks exasperated with my actions. "What are you doing here, short stack?"

The nickname sends shivers down my spine and I get the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I can't help the look of surprise that overcomes my face as I glance up until our eyes meet.

"Vincent Cambridge?!"

_______________________

(King Markos POV)

"Where is he? Shouldn't he have been almost twenty minutes ago?" I say as I glance down to my pocket watch and my brows knit together. I should stop because I am already starting to show my age.

"He'll be here. He's new after all and probably doesn't know where anything is." My eldest son Rook reassures me.

"As inquisical as ever my son. Maybe you should go looking for him?" My son nods and takes off down the halls that probably confused the poor boy. Why Bardolf would gift me a butler, I'm not too sure with all the staff I already have. I only accepted because from common knowledge, being dead is better than serving King Bardolf. I felt bad for the boy, he reminds me of my sons, so I'm not truly looking for the perfect employee as much as I am allowing housing.

I do hope Rook finds him before he gets himself into trouble.

_____________________

(Rook's POV)

I wasn't all that eager to find the new butler if I'm being completely honest, but I saw the look in my father's eyes. He's very passionate about charity cases, so that's what I'm considering the new welp.

He didn't seem that intimated at dinner last night, so he might actually have some experience and not be totally useless. I also noticed the action Jameson took against him, so that's something entertaining to look out for. He didn't spill my drink on me when any normal person who trips would have.

Being the brain of this family becomes too exhausting.

I peek into rooms, assuming he could just be hiding or playing hooky. I grow more and more annoyed when I don't find him, and I'm about to give up and just tell father he ran away when I hear a grunt and a thud from a nearby door that's cracked open.

I frown and take a couple of steps towards it and slowly swing it open. The door creaks loudly with the lack of oiling over the years. The room is very dark and if it hadn't of had daylight slipping in through the curtains, I may have missed the black haired male.

"What are you doing here? The king has been looking fo-" I stop in my words as I get a closer look at the male.

His hands are covered in blood and he's panting heavily. His pupils are massive and he gives the impression of a deranged animal.

At his feet is a limp figure, but even from here I can see the uniform of one of our maids. I frown and look at the male who looks from me, back down to the figure below him.

"It was- I wasn't- I didn'-" I cut him off by holding up my hand, ignoring the sick feeling in my stomach.

"What have you done?"