Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter Three

Luke was escorted to Everglade manor. He'd never been inside the giant building before. He'd missed his opportunity when his class went because he'd been stuck in quarantine. He couldn't help wishing he could turn his head like an owl as he tried to see it all. There were tall columns, and arches in the great hall, in the arches there were stained glass windows. Standing in front of one of the stained glass windows, was the Earl's daughter. She turned around as they walked past. She wrinkled her nose as the smell of the rotten tomato on Luke's face and shirt reached her. Luke felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He was taken into the Earls' study. The Earl was already there due to the Griffin he'd received when he was 15. It was sitting next to him right now.

"Sit down, Luke." The Earl said. As Luke took the seat across from the Earl, the black Griffin sitting next to the Earl watched him. Luke shivered. Those yellow eyes gave him an uneasy feeling.

"Do you understand what has happened here?" the Earl asked, he didn't sound stern or mad, but he didn't sound kind either.

"I was partnered with an egg, which wasn't supposed to happen because I'm too young." Luke answered.

"That's correct. Now, normally, we would have you live at home until you're trained, but seeing as how you're an orphan, you have no home to live in. Therefore, you will stay here at the manor until you've finished your training. Breakfast is at 8:00 sharp, I will send someone to guide you to the dining hall, be late, and it will be a long morning for you until the midday meal. Now you will go get bathed, and change your clothes to ones we have provided for you. Someone will show you the way."

"Yes mi'lord." Luke exited the study and followed a servant to his quarters. As he walked, he looked around. He wasn't sure how he felt. He knew he wasn't supposed to have gotten an egg today. The earl's kindness was very unexpected. Luke hadn't had much to do with the earl of Everglade, he'd had no reason to have anything to do with him. Luke didn't pay taxes and he'd never broken the law. He'd missed the chance to meet him when he'd been in quarantine while his parents were sick. He frowned as he remembered what had happened to them. The events of the past few minutes had made him momentarily forget. He missed them already. They hadn't even been buried yet. They wouldn't be. Their bodies had to be burned. So the sickness that killed them wouldn't spread. Luke wouldn't even get to say goodbye. The last time he had seen them was when they had first gotten sick. Now he wouldn't see them ever again. They were gone. He pulled himself out of his melancholy state when they arrived at his quarters.