Anything for our Lord

~ Chapter 1 ~

In a few minutes a whole life can be changed. Mine was about to be.

It was a rather calm day when my life turned upsides down. The morning of that fateful day began with Robert finally letting me out of the cage our lord, Lord Sterling, put in the night before. A quick 'morning' came from Robert in his monotone and deep voice. I quickly replied, "Morning Robert. Is the lord still mad at me or has he calmed down by now? I'm sorry if my actions had any consequences for you or the others. I will try to be better." He just shook his head and answered, "No, the lord is still sleeping, but he ordered me to wake you up around this time. We have a long day before us since it is still bright outside." I looked at him confused and asked, "Is the lord expecting someone?" Robert just nodded. Quickly I grabbed some clothes and started to do my chores around the house. Around the afternoon we started to prepare for the visitors. I heard that Lady Nightingale and Lord Morello will be there. They are good friends of the lord but there will be another lord with them tonight. The kitchen servants started to prepare the food, even though either one of the guests or the lord needed any to survive. The servants for the lord himself, which would include myself, started to wash some of his clothes and I, on the other hand, filled the bathtub before heading to his room. Gently I knocked against his door. No response. I slowly opened the door and took a look around the room. There in his bed was he still sleeping. i moved quickly but quietly towards his bed and shook him gently. From him I just heard a little groan. "My lord," I spoke, "You have to wake up. Your guests will soon arrive." Suddenly a hand was around my neck and pulled me closer, where he asked me, "Who let you out of the cage, whore?" I answered sheepish, "Robert, my lord." He threw me to the ground before he got up. While he stood up, the door opened. It was Robert. He spoke, "Good evening, my lord. Everything is prepared for Lord Ambrose and the others." Lord Sterling replied, "Good. Now leave again. It's the slut's turn to cloth me." Robert just nodded and left again. I took some of his clothes to the bathroom and helped Lord Sterling get clean. Then I clothed him. Just after I finished with that, Lord Sterling pushed me to the ground and ordered, "You are going to serve the tea, and if you make just one mistake, I will make sure that you will regret ever being born." I responded, "Yes, my lord." Then he left me. I had to quickly change into the clothes that I was supposed to wear around guests. When I finished with that, Thomas came in and said, "The guests are here. Lord Sterling wants you downstairs now." I almost ran and fell down the stairs and went into the drawing room or also known as the living room. There was Lord Sterling sitting with his three guests. The servants of the guests were standing right behind them. Lord Sterling asked, " Before we start. May I offer some beverages to you?" They all agreed and Lord Sterling continued, "What may I serve you?" Lady Nightingale answered, "Oh dear. I would like to drink my usual. A cup of Earl Grey. No sugar, but add a little bit of milk." Then Lord Morello answered, "I would like something more sweet like berries. Hm. I guess a cup of raspberry tea would satisfy me." The only man that I didn't know, who I guess was Lord Ambrose, laughed, "I adore that we all choose different kinds of teas. My choice has to be a cup of Darjeeling tea. Please add a drop of honey and some sugar. Thank you very much, sweetie." When he started with 'please' his gaze came onto me and at the 'thank you' he smiled at me. Lord Sterling spoke up, "Alright, Sebastian. Be so kind and do as you are ordered. Oh. And I take a cup of Darjeeling tea myself but none of the sweet stuff." I bowed and replied, "Right away, my lord." Then I left for the kitchen and prepared the tea. When the tea of everyone was done, I returned with them. I made sure to place the right tea cup in front of the according person. Then I took my place again. When Lord Sterling took a sip of his cup, he waved for me to come towards before he spit it into my face. Then he slapped me and yelled, " You have one more chance!" I walked as fast as I could to take the cup and went back into the kitchen, where I made another cup for him. After that I brought him the cup. He took a sip and threw it at me before he asked, "Was it so hard to get it right the first time?" I picked up the cup and wanted to leave, but he stopped me, "As punishment you have to just stand there like that! Robert. Be so kind and take the cup into the kitchen." Robert did as he was told. Lady Nightingale asked, "What kind of behaviour is this? Why would you give him another chance if you still punished him?" Lord Sterling answered, "He has caused nothing but trouble. If he can't get one simple thing right, why would I treat him with kindness? He should be happy that he is not suffering outside with no food or warmth." Their conversation changed back into what they were talking about before he threw the cup. When the topic of documents fell, Lord Sterling left to 'get' them. Most likely he just ordered another servant to get them while he was being satisfied by another one.

Lady Nightingale asked, "Are you alright, Sebastian? Does anything hurt?" I just quickly nodded and shook my head since if not spoken to by the lord I was forbidden to talk. Lord Morello asked, "Robert. Is he forbidden to talk to us?" Robert answered, "Yes, my lord. The lord has ordered for him to stay quiet when not spoken to by him. I'm sorry, Lady Nightingale for the inconvenience. I will report this to Lord Sterling." Lady Nightingale asked, "As what exactly?" Robert answered, "Even though Sebastian is forbidden to talk to you, my lady, it is still seen as a disrespectful act in front of guest." Lord Ambrose asked, "So he can't win either way, right?" Robert nodded, "Yes, my lord." Lord Ambrose spoke, "I have already decided. Since Lord Sterling has showed these kinds of colours, I do not think that your highness should be allowed to move into Great Britain." Lady Nightingale responded shocked, "Oh Lord Ambrose. Lord Sterling is just the bad apple in a patch but that is no reason to reject her highness. We will inform our highness of these events and she will take action immediately." Lord Ambrose shook his head and replied, "It doesn't matter. Lord Sterling is a bad person but still high praised by your highness. She promised me that if anyone represented her the best, it would be Lord Sterling. So. There is the reason." Lord Morello interjected, "Our highness has no idea of these behaviours of him. If she would have known about this, she would have not chosen him as the one that represented her the best. we can in sure you that Lord Sterling will no longer be in service to our highness after these events." Lord Ambrose shook his head and explained, "If your highness  kicks Lord Sterling out, that servant there will lose his life and will prove once again that your highness doesn't check up on her people. My answer is final." Lord Sterling returned with the documents a little out of breath and said, "Here they are. I'm sorry it took so long. Some of my servants misplaced them." Lord Ambrose angrily asked, "And what was their punishment? Did they get a book or documents thrown at them?" Lady Nightingale interjected quickly, "I'm sure that Lord Sterling knows better than to do that, isn't that right?" Lord Sterling answered, "Pfff. And let those pesty servants do anything? As if." Lady Nightingale and Lord Morello just sighed while Lord Ambrose rolled his eyes. When Lord Sterling sat down, Lady Nightingale explained, "Lord Sterling. That is no way of treating your servants. Our highness will be disappointed to hear this!" Lord Sterling laughed, "Our highness will never know about this. Also why should it concern anyone? They are my servants and they should know better than that." The gazes of Lady Nightingale and Lord Morello were fixed on Lord Sterling. Lord Ambrose just sighed, "Alright. This seems like a hopeless meeting. My answer is a no. Your highness may not and that is final." Quickly Lord Sterling interjected, "Our highness needs to be able to go to Great Britain. I not only lay my hand for her in fire but offer everything I have for you to change your mind, my lord." Lord Ambrose responded, "I want you to not only resign your position and never to set foot in Great Britain, but also the boy right there. The one that served the tea." Lord Sterling looked in between Lord Ambrose and me before replying, "Anything but him. He is not worth anything. I will give you Robert or Thomas. Both of them are more capable than him." Quickly Lord Ambrose said, "Then my answer is still a no. I want him. Just him. Not Robert nor Thomas. I want him." Lady Nightingale responded, "Lord Sterling will gladly give you him. My dearest Lord Sterling, Lord Ambrose wants Sebastian and no one else. You already said that he doesn't listen to you and that the others are better than him. So, be happy that Lord Ambrose wants your worst servant. Now shut the fuck up and agree with Lord Ambrose or we will have no deal with him because of the way you have been treating your servants. Our highness holds you in too high regards since you have no manners towards your servants. They are only human. Let them make mistakes and treat them nicely. I do not wish to know what kind of awful punishments your servants had to in dure because of your hot-headedness." Lord Sterling replied, "Sebastian is good at one thing. Being a whore! He is only slightly used in that way since I am not interested into men. But sure. Lord Ambrose. He is all yours." Their conversation continued but only till Lord Ambrose decided to go. When Lord Ambrose asked for me to be changed, Lord Sterling interjected, "He has no other clothes than those anymore. You have to take him with you like a wet dog." Lord Ambrose just sighed and took his other servant and me into his carriage. There he asked, "Would you mind giving him your jacket, Nathaniel?" Nathaniel responded, "No, my lord." Then he gave me his jacket. The jacket had a faint floral scent. I could not point to which kind of flowers. After a while we took the hot air balloon. We stayed in a cabin together. Nathaniel and I took care of the lord. The only clothes that we had for me were the ones that Nathaniel had with him. When we arrived in Great Britain, we took another carriage. This is when I noticed that we were in London.