Burn Me

03: Men of Might

Sunset brimmed the sky in the two small windows behind Adrian's head. Lily sat in the quiet, waiting for him to speak. Servers respond by number when called and do what they're told. They don't second guess, they don't talk back, they never ask questions, and they never say their real name.

At least not in the castle. In the castle they were nothing but legs carrying food and drink.

"Do you take pride in humiliating your superiors?" Adrian asked after a good amount of silence.

She hesitated before speaking, not knowing if the next words out of her mouth would get her in more trouble then she was already in.

"I didn't mean to offend any-"

"Offend? Oh no, no. You didn't offend me. I'm just curious as to what makes you speak so freely under the king's roof..." he uttered in bitterness.

"I was merely answering your questions-"

"But speaking out of tone. And raising your hand like it was high school math class." He cut her off again.

She clenched her fists in anger— how she hated being cut off.

"And why aren't you in high school math class Adrian?" She blurted.

Curse my tongue.

"Excuse me?" He took his feet off the desk and sat up in the moving chair, his deep green eyes widened at her snark use of his first name.

"My apologies, I have a tendency to blurt things out-" she quickly began to stumbled with her English words as he stood up and leaned his bum on the edge of the desk right in front of her.

"That you do." He interrupted again.

This time she was grateful for his rudeness that caused him to interrupt, it stopped her from carrying on with whatever nonsense excuse she had ready to go to defend herself.

"I'm not going to fire you, Lily." He said after a long inhale of air.

Oh he can say my name but I can't say his?

"I don't have the power to do that sadly. However I do have the power to tell you what to do." He playfully poked at her position of powerlessness.

He was right— she didn't have any power over him. Even in school when they finger painted together— he had more privilege in this world then she did. In here she was just a servant, and in here, he had all the power. Out there it probably wouldn't be any different.

"I am very very sorry for speaking out of term- it won't happen again- I-I just thought if everyone knew the details they could help you better. You know, figure out how he died." She stuttered in apology.

"You're intentions were harmless, however your disrespect for authority is not. So, with that, I give you two options." He stated.

"Options for wh- what sir?" She looked up at him, her almond shaped eyes flickering with worry all over again.

The blue wave washed up on the shore, damping the sand and throwing trash on to it. The wave stayed— whatever options he was about to name weren't going to be good. He was being mocking and joking with her emotions and her weak position.

"I'm young Lily— not even out of high school given my age. Making my mark in the political world is important. Tonight is the annuel, Men of Might billards party, we're required to bring a date if we wish— most do— some don't— but the majority of the men do." He explained.

Lily shuddered in his black leather seat, she knew where he was going with this. She also knew he was young— he didn't have to point it out. Anyone could tell you he was the same fragile age of 17– just like the rest of seniors that year. He looked younger then her really— if it wasn't for their height difference.