He never liked children I thought. I used to make a game out of creeping up on him and asking him questions. Where did you come from? Who are you? Is there a princess where you live? Are you a beggar? Why do you have a sword? What happened to your eye? Why is your hair so long? What is your name?
He answered with a simple silence.
That's how he always answered. He never looked at me, or acknowledged I was there. All he did was sit upon the same window sill, looking out at the view. Once I thought to myself "what is he looking out at?" and proceeded to crawl up upon his lap to see. He did not like to be touched, he leapt up suddenly his eyes wide and his hand at his hilt although there was no sword. Upon this sudden action I was hurled to the floor, hitting my tailbone rather roughly. I burst into a loud wail, shouting I hated him and that I wished he had never come. I wanted everyone to hear me, and to hurl him out of my home.
Remembering now It was a rather cruel thing for me to do, he was obviously panicked, distressed and confused. He looked around, not sure how to stop me from crying, and spotted the doll my father had bought me from India that I had been playing with before I spotted him.
Upon picking it up, he leant down to my small form, and held it up to my face.
"Missus Emily begs you to stop crying, my Lady. Missus Emily knows a funny story to tell you and it is not a story for crying children. Only the brave may hear such a tale!" He said with the funniest voice I had ever heard from behind the stuffed toy.
I stopped crying instantly.
"What kind of story?" I squeaked rubbing my eyes with the backside of my palm. "Does it have princesses and a prince?"
"Whyyyyy Yesssss madam! Such a story you have never heard! It has dragons, and trolls, and a prince, and the most beautifullllll Princess with golden hair and rose coloured eyes!" Emily Quipped.
"Wowwww that sounds like me!" My eyes wide with amazement.
"Oh Goodness Fair Lady! So it does! You may be related to such a fair damsel!" Emily spoke back.
"You mean….I could be a Princess too?" I gasped, small hands flying up to my mouth in shock.
"Why that may be so! How about you listen to such an exciting tale, and you tell me if any of your fair relatives remind you of the damsel in the story at hand?" He stood up at this point, bending like a gentleman, and extending his hand.
I took it eagerly.
" What is you name good sir~?" I said mimicking my Grandmama, and playing the regal game.
He looked down thoughtfully, then raised the funny looking doll again.
"Emily" he said instantly.
"Noooo your real name" I said impatiently, stamping my foot.
He looked down at me with that thoughtful expression I know so well.
"Xerxes Break" he spoke softly, declining his head, those white wisps of hair covered his face.
"Then Good Gentleman, Xerks-nii shall be the name that I call you throughout your stay with us. Your role will be to tell me all the tales you have in your wisdom. If I am satisfied then you will continue with your service. If I am not pleased thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn….." I thought carefully of a horrible punishment.
"Then I shall deny the maids to serve you any after dinner sweets"
This was the worst Punishment I could determine for myself. Life without treats was unthinkable.
He smiled the first smile I had seen him do. His eyes crinkled slightly seeming him very much young. I wondered how old he really was at this point. Surely he could not be as old as I first imagined him, the age of father.
"Hurry then. Let me hear my tale!" I ordered. Very much the little Madam that I was at such an age. And he obeyed, as he always did.
Never since that day was I seen separated from him. His tales were wonderful. They were childish stories, thought to please me. Thinking now he must have had experience with children. It was much too easy with him to converse childishly with me, to obey my fancies. I have to admit, somehow he replaced my mother in my affections, I shared my meals with him, shared my playtime with him, and in the stormiest of nights it was his room I crawled into to seek comfort.
He was MY Xerks-nii. The brother that I had always wished for.