The Dark Noble

V

The young lord sat by the counter, his face alight with satisfaction. From the way his eyes were closed in bliss, Mora knew that she had gotten on his good side. 

'Did you enjoy it, my lord?' She asked.
 
'It is perfect,' he sighed, 'I never knew commoners had this perfect delicacy.'

Mora grinned widely. 'If you want my lord, I can make it for you whenever you want.'

'Really?' He exclaimed, opening his eyes. 'You cannot go back on your word.'

She nodded, still smiling. Studying the young lord, she took a deep breath, then asked the question that had been pushing at her heart.

'My lord, what were you doing here tonight? Were you hungry? You know you can call on any of us to prepare something for you. Why did you have to sneak in here in the dark?'

'I am an elite Fae, so I can see far better than most of you.' He said proudly, then a sad look came over his face. 'I do not sleep very well at night.' He confessed.

Mora frowned. 'Since when did that begin, my lord? Does your father know?'

'It's been happening for a very long time,' he sighed. 'And even if my father knows, I doubt he cares too much to bother.'

Mora had not yet met the Lord of the manor, but she already detest him. His poor son was desperate for the love of a parent, but for some reason he kept pushing his son away.

'What about you?' The young fae asked, his wide eyes open in curiosity. 'What are you doing here?'

'I had a nightmare,' Mora answered truthfully. 'I came out to get a bit of fresh air.'

They both remained silent, enjoying each other's presence. For the short while that Mora had stayed with the young lord, she had felt a strong pull towards him. There was something endearing about the child that made her want to love him as one would a child. Perhaps it's because he grew up so fast, and hasn't experienced the joy of childhood.

'I have to return to my room,' the young fae lord said suddenly, his domineering attitude back. 

She frowned. 'My lord, let me escort you back.'

'I came here all by myself. I can find my way back all alone.'

'Apologies my lord, but I will not feel comfortable leaving you all to yourself.' She smiled gently. 'I know you are a strong, capable lord, but please do me this favor of calming my heart. I want to make sure you arrive safely, even though you are capable of doing so yourself.'

The young lord blushed, and Mora's heart turned to mush.

'Okay then,' he said finally, trying to put up an indifferent facade. 'But only because you begged to do so.' He came down from where he sat and walked out of the kitchen hurriedly, with a smiling Mora going after him.

She had taken the candle that she placed atop the shelf and used it to light their path. The young lord's room was at the upper part of the manor, a place Mora wasn't familiar with yet as all her work required her to be on the ground hallway, and the kitchen.

They reached the stairs, and they both began to climb it. Though the light was not enough to showcase the full image of the place, Mora tried to study it with the little light she got from the candle.

'Have you never been to this place before?' The young lord asked suddenly.

'No, my lord,' she answered truthfully. 'I just recently began working here, and I have not had the time to explore the manor. All these while I have been working in the kitchen and the grand hallway.'