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

10

Merida wasn't really sure what was happening but she was pretty sure that Higgs kissing her was not what was supposed to happen. She pulled her arm back and punched him in the face, falling back from him. Instead of looking insulted, though, Higgs had somehow caught her from falling and was still looking at her with a sultry look.
"Mr. Higgs, I dinnae what they gave ye at ye mum's home but ye need to be keepin that to yerself."
"Did you not enjoy my kiss?"
"It was lovely, but not like ye at all! Wheesht, what do ye take me for?"
"A beautiful woman who understands what a man wants and needs." He touched her under her chin. "I need a woman like you. Someone who is a little bit older than me and someone who will tell me straight what I should and shouldn't hear."
"Or, I'll punch ye again if ye dinnae stop fondling my breast at the side flank, ye pervert!" she growled, glaring at her employer.
He grinned and let her go, where she hugged herself away from him. He just smiled as she pointed at him.
"What are ye now? An incubus? I've heard of them too, ye ken? I willnae have sex with ye to feed your energies or whatever ye use that stuff for."
Higgs laughed a little. "I'm not an incubus, I assure you. No sex required... but highly recommended." He said with a wink to her.
Merida frowned. "Well what are ye then? Ye're pissing me off with yer willy-nilly sex drive."
"That would be a secret and you wouldn't believe me until you saw it."
"Mr. Higgs, I've seen yer arse turn into a horse and a snake and ye change into a wee lad in the flames. I doubt anything else will be any stranger."
"That's not what I meant. I meant that my actions don't seem to reflect this particular transformation. You'd never believe what I am based off of my behavior."
Merida frowned. "Well will I be havin to deal with this all the time?"
"Not necessarily... It's not that bad though. There are worse transformations I've been in. I mean, at least with this I won't be in your bed every night."
"Isnae that wonderful?" she said with a frown.
"Why, did you miss my visits?" he said with a smirk.
Merida reared back her fist as Higgs laughed.
"I'm just messing with you, Ms. Dunbrough..." He suddenly became serious. "About last month... I wanted to apologize for the way I acted. I said a lot of things that were not appropriate nor true. Out of all of the maids that I've had, you are the best and definitely the kindest. Saying what I said was not in my place to say or do."
"I accept yer apology... I do want to reiterate what I said though, in regard to staying."
"I know, Merida." He said with a small smile. "I know..." He looked around the house. "Wow, the house is clean."
"With ye gone I was able to make it look halfway decent."
"It looks great! I could actually have a party here if I wanted to."
"Why dinnae ye?"
He turned to her with a 'really?' look and she nodded to herself.
"Ah, right... I'm so used to it I wasnae thinking. That reminds me, isnae there a party ye were invited to that will be coming up soon?"
Higgs thought for a moment. "Actually, that's right." He brightened. "For once I don't have to ask Boston to reschedule!"
"Ye ne'er did tell me what ye are."
"Oh, I'm a merman."
"I see... Well, I guess when I see it, I see it."
"It would be nice if you didn't. It would be the first time in years that I've gone through a month without actually transforming into something... other than in December and January. Ah, those two months are complete bliss for both me and society... too bad they don't do anything with the ton during that time."
"Do ye still want me to go with ye?"
"Do you want to?"
"I didnae ken if ye still wanted me to after what happened."
"As a centaur it's a catch 22 with the moods I will have. Usually I'm very stubborn but for some reason this time the more sensitive side of the horse came out in me. Father said that that sometimes happens. But for what it's worth, you're still here and you didn't leave, so yes, I would still love for you to come with me... That reminds me, why were you in your shift last month?"
"What do ye mean?"
"You had come home from going to the market or something and you were in nothing but your shift."
"Oh, that... I had gone to speak with Ms. Weebles."
Higgs frowned. "Gretchen?"
"Aye. I wanted to ask her something to confirm a suspicion I had about yer accusation and we got into a kerfuffle."
"That involved you being in a shift?"
"She literally tore off my dress."
Higgs looked at her in confusion. "She tore off your dress?"
"Aye."
"Just... grabbed a hold of it and ripped it off?"
"Aye."
Higgs suddenly started laughing and leaned against the wall to try and control himself. Merida crossed her arms.
"It's not that funny."
"But it truly is!" he guffawed.
Merida moved her mouth to the side. "Anyway, I got my answer but I had to get back home and so that's what happened."
"I told you I could get you some new dresses. That was one of the reasons."
"If she doesnae like other women wearing them then why doesnae she just come and get them?"
Just then there was a rap at the door and the two looked at each other in confusion. Merida went to the door and opened it just enough to stick her head out. A young man jumped at her sudden appearance and then blinked at her.
"You must be Merida." He said with a bright smile.
"Ye ken my name, now what's yours?" she growled.
"I'm Boston Graves, Higgs' friend?"
Merida opened the door and let the young man come in. Higgs looked around the corner and smiled.
"Boston, old chap, it's good to see you!" he said, walking over and clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"It's good to see you too... You're more chipper than usual."
"Today is a good day. Would you like some tea or anything?"
"Tea will be perfect."
"What kind would ye like?" Merida asked.
The two of them looked at her and she looked at them as well.
"What?"
"What kind? Isn't there only one kind?" Higgs said.
"No... I have some of that exotic tea from the market. An Oriental man sells it in one of the booths out there by the sea. It's actually verra good."
"Witchcraft." Boston said, spitting on the floor (to Merida's chagrin). "Those Orientals sell their mystic teas and herbs, trying to trick us into thinking they have all the answers."
Merida blinked. "It's just tea..."
"The regular English tea will be fine, thank you."
"Actually, I'd like to try some of the Oriental tea you have, if you don't mind?"
"I do, but I'll waste two pots to serve ye both." Merida grumbled, walking away.
Higgs smiled after her as Boston looked at him.
"She's different." He said.
"Yes, she's quite interesting. Probably one of the best maids I've had."
"Does she know about your weird issues?" he asked with a laugh that wasn't quite humorous.
Higgs chuckled, loving the way his friend still tried to deny the existence of his fantastical selves.
"Yes, she knows about them."
"And... she's alright with that?"
"Ironically, yes. Truly. It's like a dream sometimes and I can't believe she's really here. But... we haven't gotten into some of the other creatures yet so I hope that things won't change. I don't know what I'd do if that happened." He said with a downcast look.
Boston nodded. "I hope not. She's quite lively and seems to be able to handle you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said with a laugh.
The two ended up in the drawing room and Higgs looked around as well as Boston.
"Wow, it's clean. I don't think I've ever seen it like this before."
"Me neither..."
"Either way, I came to ask you about the party this month. You'll be there, right?"
"I believe I can actually make it this time."
"No strange excuses (that for some reason I believe)?" he said, mumbling the last part.
Higgs ignored it. "Unless it rains, I don't think we'll have a problem."
The door opened and Merida came in with the cart for the tea, two teapots sitting side by side on the cart. Merida dispersed the cups and cream and sugar and then lifted one of the teapots up to pour.
"This is non-magical-non-mystical-non-curse laden tea..." she said, pouring Boston's tea.
He made a face at her and she set the teapot in front of him. She got the other one and poured some into Higgs' cup.
"And this is the dangerous-poisonous-cursed tea. Woooo." She said as she poured it.
"You're being ridiculous." Boston said.
"Am I?"
Higgs smiled at her as he looked at the strange green colored tea in his cup.
"It's green."
"That would be why the man called it 'green tea'. He said it's green because the leaves are processed differently than from the tea Mr. Graves is drinking. All in all, it's the same tea, just done differently."
"I see. Well, we'll see what happens and for the record, Merida, he is a lord so you should refer to him as Lord Graves." Higgs said, carefully tasting the tea. He made a face. "Ugh, it's bitter."
"I find putting a hint of cream and lots of sugar helps with the bitterness..." Merida said.
Higgs did as she suggested and then tried it again. He smiled.
"That's much better. You sure you don't want to try a cup, Boston?"
"I'm fine, thank you... As we were saying, so I don't need to sent out emergency plan changes this time for the party?"
"Again, as long as it doesn't rain, the date is fine. No werewolves or ogres this month."
Merida turned at the mention of 'ogre' but Higgs only wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Boston laughed nervously. "Werewolves and ogres, hehe... you're still on about all that nonsense?"
"You still act like you never saw it?"
Merida made a face at that but Boston seemed extremely uncomfortable with the situation.
"May I ask, Laird Graves, why ye're getting so uncomfortable? Ye afeart?"
"Me? No, no, it's not that really. It's just so preposterous to happen. I mean, a man turning into fantastical creatures..."
"And yet ye ask as if ye do believe."
"Higgs feels so strongly about it and his sister seems to have the same fervor, so I figured that it's important to some degree."
"Merida, don't worry. He's not like the others. Boston's father actually is our doctor and knows all about us. Boston just refuses to believe it." Higgs said with a smile to his friend.
"His father is yer doctor?"
"Well we had to have someone be able to care for us in case we get sick to some degree. I mean, yes, we turn into things but we are still human underneath so we can get sick. My father revealed everything to Boston's grandfather after my grandfather died of complications and asked to please be our family doctor."
"I won't be a doctor though. I'm studying to be an accountant." Boston said with a slightly snooty lift of his nose.
"Well arenae ye just a numptie."
"Merida." Higgs said with a laugh.
Boston frowned at her. "Who are you, lass, to dictate my life? You look down on me for my decisions and my personal feelings and yet you have no authority nor place for it."
"Careful, Boston, she's pretty feisty."
"She's no different than others who've been here. Thinking they can tell me what to do."
Merida slammed her hands on the table, making Boston jump, and leaned into him, their noses inches from each other. Higgs just smiled from the other side of the table.
"I'll have ye know, Laird Graves, that I am not like the others that came here and I dinnae appreciate ye telling me who or what I'm like. Ye mock me, laddie, but I would do anything for Mr. Higgs if it will keep him safe from other people. Ye glaikit Sassenach ken that yer so unco guid with yer fancy clothes and lavish parties and people of the upper class strutting around like wee snoddy cocks when all ye really are are scunner skitters that are no more valuable than the back half of a cuddy. Ye get so afeart over the smallest of no canny things and then try to make yerselves look better by dismissing it, running away from it, or harping on it. None of ye would e'er ken to try and understand the issue and help out or try to deal with it. Mr. Higgs doesnae have a choice in the matter, it's real to him, but ye can just blether on about not believing or running away... ye should be ashamed of yerself as a friend and a person."
"How can I be ashamed of something I've never seen or believe?"
"Because it's real and ye have seen it, ye're just trying to forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind. Yer father hasnae forgotten or he wouldnae be the Northumberly's doctor. I'm sure he wanted ye to understand and take his place if ever something happened to him, but ye willnae let yerself believe. 'I'm not going to be a doctor, I'm going to be an accountant'," she mocked, crossing her arms and standing up. "Ye're running away. That's all there is to it. Ye willnae try to understand, so ye run away. That's all ye people do and I'm tired of having to make this family ken that I'm not like all the rest of ye. It happens so often that not even Mr. Higgs believes me when I say I'm not going to go anywhere...and that's sad. So, laddie, I feel like I have a right to set yer wee mind straight because so far, no one has given me reason not to tear into them about the transformation issue. If ye're a friend, which ye seem to be, then accept it and move on. Be a doctor and stop running away." She turned to Higgs. "Would ye like some more tea, Mr. Higgs?"
"Mm, yes, thank you." He said, holding out his cup.
She poured the tea into the cup and cleared her throat.
"If ye'll excuse me, I need to start on lunch."
She walked out and Boston looked quite small in his chair.
"Told you." Higgs said.
"That was... quite a tongue lashing. I didn't understand half of what she said but I think I got the point."
"Don't take it too much to heart. She's harmless but she's pretty fierce when it comes to my curse. She's unique that way." He said with an endearing smile.
Boston smiled too. "She seems to care a lot about you... about this curse ordeal..."
"If you don't want to believe it, then don't. Like I said, she's just overprotective (for some reason)."
Boston looked up at him shyly. "But she's right though... I've seen the transformations before and I got scared. I didn't think I'd be able to handle them."
Higgs set his cup down and looked at his friend.
"Boston." He looked at him expectantly. "Do what you want to do with your life. If you want to be an accountant, then do so. It's a fine job. If you want to follow in your father's footsteps and be a doctor, that's fine too. Just because I'm the one with the curse doesn't mean you have to endure it with me. I have family for that and you're not obligated to accept me to be my friend. The only thing I ask is that you do what you've pretty much been doing: dismiss it but be slightly leery of it."
"I don't understand..."
"You said you've seen the transformations before but you just didn't want to believe them. Yet, you came here today to ask if you should change the date of the party on my behalf. Despite what Ms. Dunbrough said, you are a true friend. I find that encouraging. All I ask is that you don't sell me out to that damned circus man or try to use my transformations against me."
"Right, of course..."
"Now, enough of that. Come, tell me what's been happening with the upper crust of England in my absence."

******************

Higgs waved Boston off as he went back home and closed the door behind him. After the outburst from Merida, he hadn't seen her all the rest of the day, even to come pour tea. He could hear her banging around in the kitchen but nothing else. He decided to see if she was alright. He walked into the kitchen and found her stirring a big pot but she looked down even from behind. Higgs smiled and went up behind her, putting his arms around her torso.
Merida jumped and turned, finding herself in her employer's arms. She frowned.
"Mr. Higgs..."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and kiss you again. This was supposed to be a hug of some sorts."
"Why?"
"You looked upset."
"Ye can see through me now? Is that a power of the merman?"
"That's the observance of a friend... What's the matter?"
"Ye're holding me too tightly, for starters." He let go and she looked away. "I'm sorry... I didnae mean to go off on yer friend. He's the only one ye've got, yah?"
"Yes."
"I could have cost ye the lad... I shouldnae have said what I said. I just... I'm so tired of hearing people ask me why I care about ye, why I want to be here... I ken everyone else has had an ulterior motive but I promise that I just want to see ye happy and not have to worry about silly things like people being afraid of ye. I just want ye to understand that I'm not going anywhere. I willnae leave ye to face this alone now. That's what I'm going to do: be there for ye when ye ken ye cannae take the world any longer."
Higgs took Merida's hands in his own and kissed her knuckles gently.
"I know that. Believe me. I know that... it's just that you haven't seen everything yet. You've lasted longer than others but you haven't seen it all." He looked her in the eyes. "I will truly and utterly believe you, 100%, when you have seen everything that I am and what I can be. I will make that promise to you now: if you endure everything, I will never question your loyalty and I will never question your motives. I will know for sure that you are here to stay."
Merida smiled and touched his face softly.
"I cannae wait for that day."