Won't You Stay This Time?

Divulging Butler (Part 1)

~~Third Person POV~~

Claire and Hogo sat at a small table in the master bedroom, Sebastian and Mey-Rin standing off to the side. "Start from the beginning," Claire pushed. Hogo sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"A few months ago, I received an anonymous letter," he began. "It had been dropped off at the front steps rather than delivered in the post, so there was no return address. Just my name scribbled on the front and a generic wax seal."

"Did the handwriting look familiar?"

"No," Hogo shook his head in denial. "It was different than any handwriting I had seen."

"What did it say?"

"I don't recall it's exact wording," Hogo admitted. "The gist of it, though... it was like a warning and a threat. It pretty much said they were coming for us and we would never expect what they could do or what they had up their sleeve."

"Did it mention the children specifically?", Claire asked quietly. Her maternal instincts were on high alert and she wanted to know just how much danger her family was in. Hogo sighed.

"Yes...," he admitted. "There was some cheeky line about not leaving the children alone or we may never see them again, as well as many references to our own deaths. Admittedly, I didn't take it as seriously as I should've. I looked into it, of course, but I didn't find anything significant after a few days and dismissed it as a prank of some sort."

"What made you rethink it? Clearly you've been taking it more seriously for a while now."

"You're right," he nodded. "A few weeks ago, Lenora took Tom to go see her mother while I stayed behind to finish some work for the company. I finished a little bit earlier than expected, so I was able to greet them when they returned and that's when I saw them. Lenora didn't seem to notice as I ushered her inside with Tom suggesting we sit by the fire together. I lingered outside for a few minutes, watching the faint faces I could see hidden in the brush. Realizing we were being watched, I tried to think of who would be behind it and why. The only thing that came to mind was that letter."

"They've been watching you for weeks?," Claire asked in shock. "Hogo, how long could they have been watching me and the others?!"

"I don't know," Hogo frowned. His brows furrowed at the thought of people watching his family and their loved ones for an unknown period of time. They had every opportunity to strike while their guards were down, but they didn't. "I told the others shortly after, or the ones around them that were capable to keep them safe. For you, I informed Furenzu, but then I told Sebastian once he arrived again."

"We'll discuss that later. Lenora told me earlier that the two of you were attacked the other night on your way home."

"We were," he confirmed. "We were ambushed by a large group, most of which were wearing masks, but they all seemed to be male. There was one of them though... One of them in particular didn't seem right."

"What do you mean?"

"He didn't wear a mask...," Hogo began as he looked down at the table in thought, one hand on his chin. "His skin was a different color it seemed like, but that could have been due to the dark and the moon. He seemed... inhuman. Stronger, faster... He wasn't normal."

"How much of a threat do you think he is?"

"I'm not sure. I can't say for certain until I know more about him. Just because he seemed stronger and faster doesn't mean he was, but he does seem to be the largest threat out of all of them."

"I see," Claire sighed. "It's late. You should take Lenora and Tom home. I have the answers I want for now."

"You're right," Hogo said as he stood from his seat. "I'll take them home now."