There was a knock on the front door.
"Bondevik, get that will you!" One of the servants called out from the kitchen.
The fourteen year old butler obediently followed. On the other side of the front door revealed Prince Mathias... and his friend? Lukas eyed the stranger carefully. No, he has never met him before. The boy that stood beside the prince had smooth silver hair and a pale face, and other features that eastern Europeans shared. He wore a long military-style coat, large leather boots, and a pink silk scarf wrapped around his neck. He was also far taller than the prince, which made Lukas question his true age. Nevertheless, Lukas bowed at the prince and his guest. "Welcome, sir."
"Hey, Bondevik!" Mathias greeted. He turned to his companion. "Braginski-"
"Please, sir, call me 'Ivan'."
Mathias' face lit up and he grinned. "Sure! But you have to call me 'Mathias' next time."
"Of course. Also, forgive my late arrival. I have a cousin who bothers me constantly."
"Not a problem!" Mathias gestured to Lukas. "By the way, this is my butler: Bondevik." Then he gestured to his guest. "And, Bondevik, this is Ivan Braginski. He is a friend from school."
Lukas bowed again. "Greetings, Mr. Braginski."
Ivan gave a slight nod.
"Ivan, I must first retrieve an item. Bondevik, can you show him to my room?" Mathias asked his butler before running off.
Lukas watched with unfocused eyes as the prince entered the gardens. He wondered why the prince brought in one of his friends from school. Not that he never did. It was just that the last time the prince invited friends over was on his seventh birthday. And if he did, the prince would always notify him before hand.
However, his thoughts were interrupted when Ivan cleared his throat.
Lukas shook his head and bowed for the third time. "Sorry. This way, sir." He led the way, walking up the elegant stairways. He slapped himself mentally. Was he daydreaming back then? Out of all the times and he did it in front of a guest! How rude of him.
Finally, after passing numerous rooms and walking down endless hallways, they reached the prince's room. Ivan entered the large chamber, already impressed at the standard of the room.
"The prince will return shortly. Please wait patiently." Lukas was about to leave, when a large hand blocked his way, shutting the door in front of him as well as locking it.
Out of the blue, Ivan asked in a thick Russian accent, "What is your name?"
Surprised as to why Ivan would ask such a question, Lukas was caught off guard, unsure of how to react. Did he not hear the prince introduce him just a few minutes ago? He was not to be blamed, though, as he was just a butler. He swallowed, and then replied as to not be rude. "Bondevik, sir."
"I know that. But what I mean is, what is your FIRST NAME?"
First name? The two heavily emphasized words echoed around his body and caused his bones to stiffen. No-one has ever asked for his first name - not even the prince.
"Mr. Butler, can you hear me?"
Purple eyes penetrated Lukas from above. Ivan's gaze intimidated him, let alone his unbelievable height and built; it was collossal compared to him.
Ivan chuckled bitter-sweetly. "Boy, if you do not speak up, I will make sure you will be rendered mute... for a while."
Fear kicked him in the stomach. How did this happen? He was just a butler, damnit! What did he do to deserve this?!
"L-L-Lukas, sir."
"Do not tell me your speech is impared. Speak up!"
"Lukas, sir," he repeated with more volume.
Ivan looked thoughtfully at the butler. Despite the boy being the prince's butler, he was nothing special; he shared the same characteristics as other butlers: polite and obedient. What a bore. But when Lukas' heavy breathing became more apparent and his lithe body started to tremble lightly, a sly smrik crept up Ivan's face. Then again, it would be a waste to come to the prince's palace without a little entertainment. He placed a hand on Lukas' shoulder.
"You do not talk much. Why is that?" Ivan smiled and he applied more force of Lukas' shoulder. When the butler refused to respond, his countenance fell and he ordered with much potence: "Answer."
Beads of sweat formed on Lukas' forehead and he winced at the large muscle crushing his shoulder. The weird kicking feeling erupted in his stomach again. Unconciously, Lukas wrapped an arm around his stomach and clasped onto his waist coat. Lukas didn't understand. He was used to intimidation. He had trained for years under a strict instructor. Yet however much he thought about his training, the pain in his stomach only got worse. He could only stand with his head low and pray for the prince's arrival.
"Are you still not answering-"
"-so I wasn't able to get the VO Falcon rifle but I got this." Mathias said as he bursted into the bedroom, holding up one of his Remington rifles. The lock broke loose and flung from the door. "What do you think, Ivan?"
Ivan furrowed his eyebrows at the lock on the floor, but at the prince's question, his eyebrows rose and the corners of his mouth curved up into a wide smile. "It is perfect!"
"Although it is a shame I could not show you the most expensive rifle in the world..." Oblivious to the broken lock, Mathias instead noticed Ivan's hand sitting on his butler's shoulders and the trail of sweat on the sides of his face. "Are you okay, Bondevik?"
"He is fine. Right, Mr. Bondevik?"
Lukas' kept his eyes glued to the floor; he refused to look at the eyes of his intimidator. "Yes, I... I was just shocked... that you were unable to find the gun. I will go and find it."
"It's fine. These will do Bondevik. Anyway, I need you to assist me today. Ivan and I are going hunting."
A wave of relief brushed past the butler. Hunting was not the type of sport Lukas would engage in, but because of the frequent hunting expeditions he attended with the prince, Lukas knew his fair share on the basic information of the sport. Lukas sneaked a peek at Ivan. Hopefully the hunting would keep him much occupied and free from burden.
Without delay, Ivan and Mathias entered their carriage, whilst Lukas rode on a seperate vehicle alongside the rest of the sevants that usually came to assist.
The king was very fond of roe deer stalking, and so his interest naturally passed down to the prince. They mainly hunted in their favourite spot, which rests on the island of Samsø. Since it was on a seperate island, Lukas would have to endure a two to three hour journey on a ferry and then take a far trek to the actual hunting area. It was a tedious job, and all for the satisfaction of the king and the prince.
When they reached the area, Lukas would wait for long and painful hours in close watch. Most of the time he would lose concentration and his eyes would bat multiple times - until the deafening boom of the rifle would alarm the boy and his eyes would shoot open, as well as shake the eardrums of those within a close radius. The roe deer would then be fetched by the servants from its point of death and brought to the king to see. Lukas often gagged at the poignant smell of wild animal and early decay.
Today, though, was a lucky day. A few minutes into walking through the towering, grassy field, a young deer was spotted in the far distance. The prince prepared his rifle; and with focused eyes and serious countenance, aimed for the calf's brain.
Behind the prince stood Ivan. Honestly, he didn't care about shooting deer. He was more drawn to the trunk of the carriage, where boxes filled with a range of cartridges laid. Ivan's eyes were set on the box labelled '.308 Winchester'. They were good cartridges which provided low recoil; however, he wasn't particularly interested in the use, his mission was to sneak in as much ammunition in his coat, take them home, and sell them in the market.
The Russian approached the carriage and, after looking around him suspiciously, reached in for a box.
"What are you doing?"
Startled, Ivan retracted his arm, spun around and placed both hands in his pockets. But seeing that it was the prince's butler, his eyes narrowed. "It is not your business. Go back to your job."
Lukas wasn't dumb, nor did he not need to be clever to understand Ivan's motives, as he could clearly see the boxes of ammunition behind Ivan's back. It was obvious: Ivan was only here to steal ammunition.
"I will not let you continue with your actions." Lukas said plainly.
There was a short pause. When the words sunk into Ivan, he couldn't help but snigger at the sudden outburst of courage from the butler. "Oh, you continue to amuse me, boy... Do you know what will happen to you if you do not cooperate?" Ivan dug into his inner coat pocket and showed the other a steel pipe. "Let's just say it is not only your speech that will be rendered immobile." Then, he placed the object back in the pocket.
"Do it if you must. But I will not let you steal the prince's possessions."
"Wow, you sure are a very loyal butler, but you are only words and no actions. Would you really risk your own life... for him?" Ivan motioned to the prince with his eyes. "When you die, who will care? Would the prince care? Maybe a second. But that is it. A life time spent dedicating yourself to the prince, and all for what? A little acknoledgement? Is that what you want? To be forgotten as quickly as you were briefly remembered?"
BOOM! A shot was fired. The prince called out: "Ivan, look!"
Walking past the butler, Ivan added, "You are lucky today, but just watch. I will make you will pay in the future - I will make your life a misery."
Throughout the journey home, Lukas remained quiet and unresponsive. When they arrived at the palace, Lukas still remained quiet and unresponsive. He just watched as his master and Ivan walked around the palace and engaged in a hearty conversation.
"Thank you, Mathias for inviting me to your abode, but I must depart. It has been a wonderful experience-"
"Mathias!" called out the king and he hurriedly approached Mathias in a state of horror. "My boy, you must see this immediately! One of our family portraits has been vandalised."
Absolute shock covered the prince's face. He swallowed and turned to his Russian friend. "Ivan, I also thank you for coming here. May you have a safe journey home." He turned to his butler. "Bondevik, will you see Ivan out?"
Lukas nodded hesitantly.
Turning back to his father, Mathias and the king ran up the flight of stairs to the third floor where the ruined potrait hung.
With his master and the king out of sight, Lukas shot a hostile glare at Ivan. "You did that, did you not?"
One... Two... Three... Ivan pressed his hands together and produced strong and lethargic claps. "Well done." He showed Lukas his steel pipe once again. "I may have not gotten the chance to use this on you, but it proved to have other uses."
Lukas looked at the other with raised eyebrows.
Ivan shook his head and laughed a sarcastic laugh. "So what if I did it, Лукас? What will you do about it?" The Russian snorted. He first waited for a response, but as expected there was none, and so he continued. "Just like I said, 'only words and no actions'." Placing a hand on his chest, he then added. "The prince trusts me, as a friend, so he would never suspect that it was me. I know he trusts you too, but as what? A mere servant?"
"..."
Ivan glared down at the butler. "Hmph, are you not going to do your pathetic job? I have no more time to waste."
Wordlessly, Lukas opened the front door.
"Just remember your place, boy."
Before Lukas could even reply, Ivan was long gone and the door was already closed. He kept his grip on the door handle, the ice cold sensation lingering in his touch. He thought he was used to it. He wasn't. Ivan was right. Everything Ivan said was right. How was he going to be the prince's butler when he could not stand up to Ivan?
Even with Ivan presence out of the room, the cold words of the Russian never left his mind. He wished the coldness would just coil its cadaverous arms around him, constrict him, and consume him. He wouldn't mind. The air was already thick as it is; he would suffocate either way.
Word after word flooded in his mind. The same tormenting feeling exploaded in his stomach and he groaned in agony. His grip grew tighter and tighter until his hand turned red from the pressure and blue from numbness. Oh, how the colours would eventually mix and it would turn purple! Purple! Herregud, how those purple eyes haunted him!
'Just remember your place, boy.'
Yes.
Lukas would never forget his place.
Never.
~To the kings, purple is the symbol of royalty~
~To the butler, purple is the symbol of tragedy~