Lucy had always had it out for any pretty maid who she thought would be able to attract a man in the castle.
She had always wanted it all to herself. When Lyla came to the castle-at first-Lucy saw her as a threat. But when she saw didn't have time and didn't respond to the men she let be thinking she the type who didn't know anything. But now that Lyla was being to close the orphan boy she hated it. All the other maids in the castle adored her except this one. She was okay with that at first now she felt threatened that because of the boy Prince Alexander would also give Lucy attention. So she took out all the frustration on Lucy.
But she didn't except the prince's right hand to see her vent her anger towards a maid. Especially now that her reputation in the eyes of the prince was low. Well she had been warned not to do anything to the boy but not the maid. She quickly tried to mask her emotions and greeted with a smile
"Sir Lucas. What brings you here?"
"What is happening here?"
Lucas asked coldly. He saw through what she was trying to do.
Lucy froze-irritation flashed to her eyes on how he ignored her greeting. She didn't know why she needed to please him, especially since he was to call the guards on her that day-even though it was under the prince's orders. Lucy gritted her teeth dropping all act
"Passing punishment down to a deserving maid."
Lucas raised an eyebrow
"And by deserving you mean something she hadn't done yet."
Lucy clenched her fists-figuring out that he had heard everything. Before she could speak again Lucas turn to the girl who was still kneeling calmly
"Stand up and come with me." With that he turned and left. He had given her the baton and now it was up to her to take it or not. He had the feeling she was wise.
"Stop! I'm not done with you yet."
Lucas walked in the castle and into the main hall. When he heard footsteps behind him, the corner of his lips lifted. She spoke
"Where are we going?" She asked
Lucas's steps almost faltered, nobody really asked him questions. He thought he would speak first as usual. They either tried to maintain composure because he was someone close to the prince or they wanted to get close to him to climb to the crown prince-or they just didn't bother because he was a servant.
A lady of noble status passed by them and they both stopped to bow. The lady didn't look happy but Lyla was more concerned about why the prince's butler would come for her.
"Kyle got sick again. He's having a fever in the prince's study and he's unable to stand. Get some medicine from the infirmary to him."
Lyla's eyes widened when he said Kyle was sick again but then it gave way to confusion. He was perfectly fine this morning. Something must have happened.
"What happened that made him suddenly sick?"
"I don't know. He was alone with the crown prince."
Lyla wondered what could have happened to make a perfectly healthy person sick at once.
"They probably did something too hard for Kyle." She thought aloud.
"Too hard indeed." Lucas snorted and muttered under his breath. At some point she had come to walk beside him.
"Emphasis on hard."
"What? He just recovered. The crown prince should have been too hard on him."
"I doubt the crown prince could control his hardness."
"What?"
They stared at each other.
Lucas looked at her. Like he really allowed himself to look. Her purple hair was slick and it shone under the sunlight that filtered into the hallway from the windows. Her purple eyes wide and watery. He hadn't looked at a woman since he became a butler in the castle. And after that he figured women came around him just for the crown prince. This one was probably the same as the rest. He shouldn't think too much about it and send her away.
"Kyle's waiting for you."
"Right."
She bowed her head and went in the direction of the infirmary.
Lucas stood for a while watching her back. He turned abruptly and went in the direction of the council room. His duty was to serve the future king.
Lucas got to the council room door same time as the prince.
"Your Highness. You look—"
Lucas paused. Alex didn't look like himself. Anybody else wouldn't have noticed the subtle change but Lucas.
"I passed Lady Addison on the way. She was quite pissed."
"Of course she was. I couldn't even look at her well."