Daniel followed the disfigured servant all the way to the machine room far below the castle. It was dead silent, for none of the machinery was currently in operating stages. A few dimly lit lanterns guided them down the spiraling stairs. The disgruntled servant then began to hurry away, far from Daniel, muttering and growling unintelligibly to itself.
"All right, let's get to work!" he said to himself. He lifted a large cogwheel, holding it up to his face and studying it.
"Hmmm…" he hummed. "Maybe I should've paid more attention to Herbert's stories." he thought. What was wrong with Alexander this morning? I cannot believe that merely inquiring how he knew of my injury would upset or offend him. After all, the only way he would be able to see an injury on my hip is if - A loud bang jolted him out of this thoughts, and his skin. He waited for a moment, hiding in a tangle of pipes. It was silent for an eternity, but Daniel strained to hear anything else. A small shudder danced over his skin as his heart thudded in anticipation. I must be hearing things. He thought, rising to his feet. Stepping back over the pipes he went to install the cogwheel onto the spoke. The hair on the back of his neck suddenly rose.
"Daniel." a deep voice had the young man shrieking as he whipped around to face a rather apathetic Alexander.
"Fooling around will not be tolerated." he said. Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a slip of stained and battered parchment. "I found this in an advanced mechanics manual. I believe it would be quite beneficial to you. I also came down here to assist you. Perhaps it would expedite this task. I have another for you anyhow." he said. His voice was calming to Daniel as he bent forward and picked up the cogwheel that had lurched out of his hands when Alexander frightened him.
"R-right, thank you." he said, positioning it just right. Alexander took a seat on a box and unraveled the paper.
"I'll instruct you." he spoke. Looking to a lever, he ordered, "turn that down, or else the entire machine will backfire upon turning it on." Daniel frowned slightly, but did as he was told. He felt Alexander's piercing gaze on his body. "Have you filled the burner with coal?"
"Yes, I have." he responded coolly.
"Is it on?"
"Well, yes…"
"Turn it off you fool!" Alexander snapped.
"Right, right!" Daniel scampered over and pulled the giant lever down. Alexander's eyes rarely left Daniel, not even to read from the instructions.
After an hour of serving Alexander's every beck and whim, Daniel fell to the floor, sweating and exhausted. Alexander hadn't moved since he sat down, until now. He rose.
"Well done, Daniel…" he smiled eerily. His hands slipped beneath Daniel's arms and lifted him up with impressive strength for an old man. Putting his right arm tightly around Daniel's shoulders, he led him upstairs.