Disclaimer: I don't own it. Blah Blah Blah.
The Unfinished Painting
Act I: The Masque
"Have you seen our Lord's new guest?" A young maid whispered to the boy standing across the sink from her. The boy looked up, wiping his golden hair from his eyes. Those amber eyes, larger than other boys his age, locked on the girls. She squirmed under his gaze.
"No. My Lord has me running errands all day. Who is it?" His voice was raspy and harsh from illness.
"The Lord's godson, orphaned recently. He has come to live here."
"An orphan?" The boy rubbed his shoulder, underneath a scar from a rough childhood.
"Yes, he is a beautiful young lord. His hair is as dark as a raven's feather. Tall and quiet. Us maids fight over which one will take him his meals," the girl giggled, a light blush blossoming on her cheeks.
"I must go. My Lord does not like me gone for long these days," he replied curtly. He wanted to stay and talk to her, but what he said was true. He bowed his head to her and turned to leave.
"Fare the well, K-" A loud crash sounded, and the girl turned shocked, cutting her call short.
- - - - -
The wind blew softly. The pages of the book the young lord was reading ruffled in the breeze. He placed the book on the table next to him and went to the doors of the balcony. He stepped out leaning against the rail. He looked out over the land.
The stone courtyard below was filled with servants and peasants bustling around with their business. The dark-haired lord sighed angrily. Even if he had been born of noble birth, he had never liked the facts of the day. Slavery bothered him greatly.
He spied one servant from his perch above the courtyard. The servant stopped running, suddenly he bent over and shook violently. Nobody around him reacted as if it was normal. The boy stood, and looking around, started to run again.
There was a knock at the door then it creaked open carefully.
"My Lord?" A young girl called nervously.
"Come in," he called, walking back into his room. He shut the door, shutting out the wind.
"Out Lord has invited you t' join him and d' rest of d' court t' a masque."
"As he wishes," the boy mumbled. He sat on a couch and started reading again. A little while later he noticed the burn of someone's gaze. He looked up to see the girl staring at him. "You can go, and next time you don't have to ask."
The girl curtseyed then ran out the door, bowing as she shut it, nearly shutting her hair in the door. Giggles sifted through the air as a gang of maids rushed down the hall away from the chamber.
- - - - -
"I'm sorry!" The light-haired boy cried, before flinching.
"It's okay," a gentle hand pet the boys head. The boy looked up in shock. He was expecting anger, or at least some peevish manner.
"My Lord?"
"Marie told me that you had another fit. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Sire."
"How have you been? It seems that you have been having more fits these days."
The boy looked to the ground, he had, even more than the lord knew, it was partly because he had been suppressing his powers, and it was taking a toll on his body. "I have, but it is no concern of yours," he replied politely.
"Very well," the Lord replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. He nodded and started further into his suites. The boy followed behind him.
"Have you met my godson yet?"
"No M' Lord."
"You would like him," he said sitting at the desk.
"I'm sure I would," the boy commented idly as he picked up the papers scattered on the floor around the desk. He placed a pile up on the desk before pulling the remaining papers to him. He climbed to his feet.
When he looked up a pair of brown eyes were glaring at him. 'Out now!' the lord's thoughts range out in his head. He bowed quickly then left the room, shutting the door.
He wandered through the rooms he had grown up in. Picking up the room had become second nature to him, he fluffed the pillows on the bed, closed the doors to the closets, straightened the rug in front of the doors, and the sat at the door of the office, listening.
He listened closely as the lord shouted silently about land deals and taxes. It sounded if he was going to take a long time so he got up and knocked on the door.
"You can leave, come back in a few hours," the lord called through the door.
"Yes, Sire," the boy replied. He left the suites and rushed down the hall. He turned the corner and nearly ran into someone, but he avoided them deftly. He continued on bursting through the door to his room.
He threw himself on his bed. "Finally some sleep," he sighed, drifting off.
- - - - -
After his run in with a whirlwind of blond hair he continued on to his godfather's room. He knocked on the door and awaited the call from inside.
"I said a few hours," a voice called.
The raven haired lord opened the door and stepped inside. "Excuse me?"
"Ah, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."
"A Masque?"
"Yes, the day after tomorrow. It should be an interesting time."
"Is that what everybody is running around for?" The young lord asked, his eyes drifting to the windows lining the wall.
"It is. You'll have to excuse me, it is not that I don't want to talk to you, but I must be going. I have a few people to talk to before dinner. Will you be joining us?"
"No," he said, walking back out the door. He ignored the huff that came from behind him as he left without saying good bye.
The days passed as they had before. On the morning of the masque, a box was sitting next to his bed.
He pulled out the mask lying just under the lid. A crow's mask. Red gems spread out decoratively on the black mask. He pulled out the shirt, with two red feathers hanging off the end of the sleeves, and the matching pants. A complete outfit. He sighed, one less thing to do for the masque, he didn't want to go to.
- - - - -
"Really?!"
"Yes, you can come."
The boy hugged the lord, who in return pet his head softly. "No go get ready. Your mask should be in your room." He pushed the boy playfully toward the door. The boy bowed before running off happily.
He opened the box sitting on his bed and a huge smile spread across his face. He pulled the mask to him hugging it tightly. He held it out in front of him and admired the blue crystals decorating the cat mask. He pulled on the jacket that lay silent in the box. He carefully buttoned it, not wanting to tear the fabric. The pants that went along were tighter than he had been expecting, but they fit him perfectly. He pulled on his boots, the only shoes he had and started to the lord's room. The mask rested in his crossed arms. The door to the lord's room was open, so the boy stepped in cautiously.
"My Lord?"
"This is a nice look for you," the lord whispered from behind the boy.
"Thanks to you," he replied, bowing to hide the heat in his face.
"You can't do that tonight," he said, pulling the boy's face up by his chin. The boy nodded quickly. "Now help me with this coat. It needs your touch." The lord pulled on the coat and stepped onto a step stool.
The boy took in the coat, along with the rest of him. The boy tugged at the fabric and started altering it to fit him as it should.
"Have the tailors seen this yet?"
"Yes, but they don't know me like you do."
The boy worked silently, cutting and sewing parts that needed to fit closer. His mind wandered as he worked, and the first time he'd seen the lord came to him. He was four or five, and the lord had tripped on his coat. He'd come into the tailor's, which had taken in the boy, shop, and the boy had kept him company while the coat was being shortened. A year later both of the lord's parents died, and he took over the manor. Even though he was only fifteen he still ran the manor better than his father had.
The boy took the lord's sleeve in his hand, adding a light trim to the edges. His fingers brushed the lord's hand, and a woman's face passed across the boy's eyes. The next thing he knew the lord was leaning over him with a concerned look about his face.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine," the boy said, climbing to his feet. He went to finish the coat, but the lord pulled back hesitantly. After a reassurance it wouldn't happen again the lord let him finish. The boy held back the tears as he finished the trim. It hurt him to know how much the lord missed the late mistress.
They tied on their masks and left for the Masque.
The lord entered quite inconspicuously. He sat at his chair without anyone noticing. A flash went off and all eyes flicked to the dias. Gasps spread through the crowd when the fog cleared, revealing the lord. His flashy entrance loved by all. He smiled and waved people on. The music resumed, and people started dancing.
The boy stood next to the lord's chair swaying with the music. The lord turned in his chair, facing the boy. He stopped moving and dropped his gaze to the ground.
"I wish I could join you out there, but I can't. Now go have fun," he said with a sad smile.
The boy paused wanting to bow. Instead, he nodded slowly then walked off the dias, with one last look back the crowd swallowed him up.
- - - - -
The raven lord danced around the room, numerous ladies had pulled him into the Masque's festivities reluctantly.
The lady he was circling the room with at the moment was rather plump, and looked like she was going to pass out any minute. He slowed his step, not wanting to have to carry her to a chair if she did. The lady pulled closer, thinking he was slowing for intimacy. The song ended and the pair separated.
Before another lady could attack him, he made his way toward the exit. A strange feeling rushed over his skin. He stopped and glanced around casually. His eyes caught a woman ditching her date and starting toward him. He groaned and started to go. Something hard hit his leg. He looked down and grabbed the person's arm before they ruined their mask on the floor.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm sorry," the victim said, straightening up. The amber eyes behind the cat mask looked up at him with fleeting fear, until defiance filled them. He stepped forward, but grimaced as he shifted his weight. He tried to continue on, but his leg gave way. The young lord wrapped his arm around his waist and walked him over to the chairs lining the room.
"Thank you," the cat boy murmured softly.
"No, thank you," the lord replied as he noticed the looks from the women returning to the people around them. "You've saved me."
"How so?"
"I'll finally get to rest. The women have been attacking me all night."
- - - - -
The boy looked up at the crow man cautiously. The eyes of the crow were searching the room. Finally they landed on him.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine."
"Were you enjoying yourself?" The lord asked, seeming to want to keep himself looking occupied.
"Yes, this was my first masque." The boy looked over the young noble sitting next to him. The black outfit suited him perfecting, the mask resting perfectly on his face only leaving his chin and lips uncovered.
The boy stared and the lord, unsure what to do. He was told to act noble, but if he did, and he was caught; what would happen to him?
"Your first? I was told this court has tons of masques."
"It does, I've just never gone," he paused then said what he wanted to say for quite some time. "It doesn't seem right that no servants are allowed to join. They are the ones that worked their hardest to make this." He chose his words carefully. The eyes behind the mask seemed to light up.
"True. I am sorry for ruing your first."
"No, M' Lord, it was my fault."
"If you say so." An eyebrow rose under the mask. The eyes stared at the other mask, a smirk spreading across his face. "Why did you call me 'M' Lord'?"
The boy paled. He smiled brightly, and shrugged. Hoping he would let it go.
- - - - -
The pair sat for the rest of the night on the side. When the lord told the cat boy about the plump woman, the boy laughed until it turned into one of his fits. The crow pet the boys back, but instead of helping it only made things worse. The boy froze. He turned quickly to the young lord. He got up and rushed away, as quickly as he could on his twisted ankle.
Underneath his mask were tears, not of joy, but of fear and sorrow. The young raven haired lord looked after him in confusion. He pulled off his mask and started to the door, revealing to all his shock.
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A/n: Yay! I've finally gotten around to typing this up!
I started writing this a little while back after watching Ever After, fell in love with the Noble/Servant pairing.
Now that I am COMPLETELY DONE!!! I can start typing it up and uploading. Yay! Prepare for one a week.
That is, if I get reviews, if not, I'll update when I get around to it. (In other words REVIEWS PLEASE! I really want to know what you guys think!!! ''' )
-MJ