To Love A Myth - Book 1: Mr. Higgs and the Maid🎩✔️

6

As the month went on, Merida had to get used to waking up in the middle of the night or at her usual time and finding Higgs in the bed with her, his tail wrapped around her legs for warmth. Sometimes she could slip out and other times it was a hassle. That and they were running out of eggs.

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"Dinnae ye even ken yerself about that, Higgs Northumberly!"
Higgs froze as Merida tromped over to him and yanked his hand off the handle.
"Whatever is the matter?"
"Dinnae ye act all sweet and innocent. I ken what ye've been up to out here in the wee hours of the night... Been wondering why the hens arenae laying any eggs and it's because ye are stealing them as they lay!"
"I find that highly offensive and I am appalled at your accusation."
"Oh yeah? Then what are ye doing here with the chickens?"
"I heard there was a wolf about and was coming to make sure they were safe."
"I ken ye got yer predators wrong, ye literal lying snake. Get back in the house."
Higgs pouted and slithered away but not before Merida started walking towards the hen house and she accidentally stepped on Higgs' tail. He let out a yelp and grabbed his tail up, looking at Merida with a murderous expression. She was glad that his blindfold was on or she knew she'd be a pillar of stone.
"Watch where you're walking, Ms. Dunbrough." He snarled.
"Sorry..."
He continued to the house and Merida sighed, opening the door to the hen house.
"Ms. Dunbrough!" she heard Higgs from the house.
"What?" she yelled.
"Could you come here for a moment? I'm making sure that my nose does not deceive me."
Merida sighed again and walked towards the house. This better not be one of your tricks... she said to herself.
Higgs was looking down the pathway that led down the hill towards his mother's home.
"What is it?"
"I think my nose is deceiving me but I seem to smell a dust in the air. Is someone coming up the path in a carriage?"
Merida looked over and sure enough, there was a dust cloud slowly getting bigger as a carriage made its way up the hill.
"Yes, there is..."
Higgs slithered into the house and Merida after him as they both went up the stairs to go to one of the balconies. They waited for the person's carriage to stop and Higgs peeked over the railing, lifting his blindfold just a little. The door to the carriage opened and a man walked out with a black top hat and a shiny cane.
"Oh no..." Higgs said, keeping behind the railing.
"What is it?"
"It's Steven Castel. He's a ring leader in a side show. He's been after my family ever since he heard about us. My father warned me about him."
"Then what do we do?"
"Nothing. That's the good thing about you being my only servant around: if you don't answer the door then I'm not home."
Merida made a face but watched with Higgs as this Steven fellow knocked on the door and waited for bit. He knocked on the door again and began to look around. Higgs pulled Merida down just in time before Steven looked up at the balcony. Since there was a nice tree in front of the balcony, he didn't see them, but they could see him.
"Mr. Higgs..." Merida growled.
"You don't understand." He whispered, putting the blindfold back on. "Castel met my great-great grandfather when he was little and found out somehow about our curse. He's been trying to get us to join his sideshow ever since then and won't let up. He wants to exploit our curse for profit and I've been to one of his sideshows before; he treats his employees as well as 'attractions' like shit."
Merida looked back at the man as he sighed and put a note in the door. Higgs turned back too, lifting his blindfold again and watched as he got back into his carriage and drove off. When the dust cleared and he was gone, Higgs sat up and slithered towards the front door, Merida behind him. He opened the door and pulled off his blindfold, looking out for the letter. He found and it picked it up. He opened the envelope and read over it and then made a face as he closed his eyes.
"See what I mean? Read this..." he growled, shoving it to her and then tying the blindfold back on.
Merida took the note.

Dear Mr. Northumberly,

Greetings and salutations!
My name is Steven Castel of the Castel's Freakish and Oddities Side Show Circus, Inc. It has come to my attention through my own eyes as well as rumors of the town that you have an odd ordeal that allows you to change into different creatures. I find this sort of thing very interesting and the world finds it entertaining. If you're tired of living in the shadows, how about you come to my side show and sign a contract to work for me? You will be treated with high regard and you won't have to hide yourself anymore. I know your family has been doing just that for many years. Don't you think you, Mr. Northumberly, should be the one to stop that cycle? Shouldn't you be the one to tell the world that your curse is just something else added to your charm and not something that defines you? I don't take you for a stupid man, Mr. Northumberly, so I hope that you will be the one to take your family out of the shadows and into the light.