Misha the Beast Tamer

Chapter 31

I woke at the crack of dawn, I couldn't go back to sleep. So I spent a couple of hours staring at the ceiling. Stefan wouldn't arrive for at least another four hours. I wondered if he was as excited as I was, and if he was also staring at the ceiling in a cosy inn somewhere. I hoped his experience staying at inns was a lot different to mine, but he had taste, plus he had a lot more money than Bourdon or I did to spend on accommodation.

As dawn bled into morning, I readied myself. I was too excited and anxious to eat breakfast, so I sat around in my room until about thirty minutes before Stefan was due to arrive. I hauled my belongings to the front of the academy and waited. I was surprised to find a lot of other students were still awaiting their ride home. I watched every carriage that rattled and shook along the road and into the academy grounds. I hoped that Stefan was not going to be late like the last time I saw him.

Surprisingly, Stefan was only five minutes late. The carriage had not even fully stopped before the door flew open and Stefan jumped out and ran towards me with his arms outstretched. I met him and we held each other tightly. A few tears escaped my eyes, I honestly did not realise how much I missed my family until today. Stefan sniffled.

"Oh!!! my beautiful daughter. I've missed you so very much. I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited about seeing you today."

He went in for another tight hug, and I held him close. As usual, he smelt of my Father's favourite perfume, oranges, earth and wood.

"Let's get a move on shall we. We'll have a whole fourteen days to catch up." He said as he helped me carry my belongings to the carriage which was then secured by the driver.

I was so relieved to be staying in decent inns and not the dodgy inns that Bourdon chose for us. It would be nice change to arrive home without being: dirty, smelly and itchy.

On the way home Stefan caught me up on all the gossip that I had missed while studying at the academy. I learnt that once my brother David came of age he'd be a part of an arranged marriage. This arranged marriage had been finalised three months earlier. I wondered if I hadn't gone to the academy that it would've been me in an arranged marriage instead of my brother. I was even more grateful that Bourdon had given my father the ultimatum that pushed him to let me study at the academy.

He told me that Lord Elbi was still very much alive and that he was still married to my mother, which had surprised my Father. He suspected their marriage would not last. Maybe my mother finally found her soul mate.

Stefan mentioned that a new man-servant had grabbed my Father's attention. He told me that he suspected my Father and the servant were having an affair. I felt sad for Stefan, held his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"He will never love the man-servant like he loves you. You're supposed to be together." I said, trying to reassure him.

Stefan nodded,

"It's not just that I suspect that your father and the man-servant are fucking each other. The man-servant makes me suspicious, he seems untrustworthy.

I'm scared that he is planted by someone who doesn't like your father and is using the man-servant for information and strategic purposes. I also think the man-servant is being used to trap your father. I worry that whoever planted him is going to organise himself and another witness to bust in on them in them while they're having sex. When that happens the man-servant is going to say that he was being raped. I've told your father my concerns, but he ignores them."

" Maybe, he'll come to his senses and stop any relations with this man-servant. I'll also study them together and if I feel the same way. I will also express my concerns to him. Maybe, he'll listen to his daughter?" I said.