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

12

A/N: this is a looong ass chapter with a lot of stuff happening. i couldn't split it up cuz it would lose its effect. anyhow, enjoy!

"It's a ball... We're going to a ball... Dancing... Eating... Ball... Ball... Ball..."
"Mr. Higgs! If ye dinnae stop with that jumping about like a rabbit I'm gonna clock ye right in the nose." Merida growled, as she glared at him from the stairwell.
Higgs had been flitting from room to room with excitement and as the hours got closer to night time, Merida had come up the stairs and found Higgs jumping around like a ballerina from room to room. It was a cute but Merida needed to get to her own room.
"I'm just so excited to go to a ball without having to worry about anything. The sky is clear, not a cloud, my transformation has been at bay for almost the whole month of May, and I can be a man for once without worrying about triggers or the moon or sunrise. It's going to be a glorious evening!" he said, leaning on one of the doorjambs and lifting his leg.
Merida couldn't keep a straight face but tried.
"Not to bust yer bubble, but ye best not keep ye hopes too high. If something happens ye'll be doubly upset about the situation."
"You're a glob of mud, you know that?"
"I'm not trying to put ye down, but in my experience, putting yer hopes so high ye cannae e'er reach them hurts more when they come crashing down and ye cannae even pick up the pieces and try again."
"I thought that only applied to goals. You know, setting a goal too high will make it harder when you fail or some rot like that."
"Same principle applies. Hope is a goal, it's faith in something will happen. The goal is that said thing will happen and instead of planning towards it, hope is that pathway. I just dinnae want ye to get hurt, Mr. Higgs."
"You're over thinking things. It'll be fine. Now, let's get dressed."
"Alright-"
"Stop." Merida looked at his hand in her face. "You, my sweet maid, will be getting dressed at Fuscia's."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to skimp out on me and try wearing one of your ugly dresses. I already picked out the one I wanted you to wear tonight and Fuscia has it. Go let her get you dressed... that and your hair."
"What about my bird's nest?" Merida said with a frown.
"Fuscia is going to turn that bird's nest into a woven basket... or whatever... it'll look nice. I can't do a thing for you."
Merida sighed. "Alright then..."

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

Merida knocked on Fuscia's door and the maid opened it up. She walked in as Margaret rushed by, sticking a sapphire earring in her ear.
"Oh, Ms. Dunbrough. I supposed Higgs told you about Fuscia helping you."
"He kens I dinnae how to dress all proper."
"No offense, dear, but do you?"
"...No."
"That's what I thought. Well, don't be embarrassed about it. This will be practice for next time. Fuscia is just going to help you out since this will be your first time at a ball of any kind. Next time you can try on your own."
"Aye, I ken ye. Will ye husband be there?"
"Jami? I'm not sure, in all honesty. He usually surprises me. His schedule is different from Higgs' but I know that from July to September he doesn't change into anything, so it's more of a gamble than anything."
"I see..."
"Merida, there you are. Come on up, I have your dress and I'm ready to tackle that hair of yours."
"Do ye have a strong enough comb? Those wee ones willnae do ye any good... and it will poof out like a powder puff when ye brush it... Some say they will never brush hair again after they get through."
Fuscia laughed. "I have some products that might make it easier to tame that beast. Come on..."
Merida sighed and went up the stairs, doubtful they could do anything to her hair.

Hours seemed to pass and Higgs made his way down to his mother's house. He knocked on the door and waited for it to open. It finally did and he walked in, finding his mother in the drawing room, drinking tea.
"Why are you drinking tea before the party? If you do that you'll end up having to use the bathroom."
"Tosh... You very handsome, my son. You look happy."
"I haven't been to a ball in such a long time and especially one at night. I haven't been able to do much of anything like this."
Margaret smiled. She was happy to see her son in good spirits.
Fuschia came down the stairs and smiled, clearing her throat.
"I now present a cleaned up and dolled up, Ms. Dunbrough."
"I'm not coming."
"Oh, you look fine, Merida." Fuscia said over her shoulder.
"I look like I decided to get into my mistress' things and got caught in it."
"Come on, Merida." Fuschia growled, grabbing Merida from the hallway.
Merida came out and Higgs was completely speechless. He had never seen the woman look more beautiful than she was at that moment. The dress he had picked, a lavender with beige trimmings, looked absolutely stunning as it fit in all the right places. Her hair was tamed and was less curly than usual.
"Your hair." He said, so surprised he couldn't catch his mouth from talking.
Merida frowned. "Aye... it's in a bun-thing..."
"I-I- I meant that it's so tame. There's almost not a hair out of place."
"Almost?"
"There are a couple of little... curly... things..." he said, looking away.
"You're not helping, Higgs." Fuscia growled, looking at Merida. "Forget him, Merida. You look lovely and beautiful. No one would ever suspect you as a maid... unless you tell them."
"Which, knowing your big mouth, you will..." Higgs grumbled.
Merida made a face at him. "Are ye that ashamed of me?"
"Well it's already sad that I can't attend these parties on an every invitational basis, but everyone knows my family is odd and that my situation is odd. Knowing that I've brought my maid with me will just add icing to the cake."
"Then make the cake look so delicious everyone wants a piece. If ye make a big deal out of it, so will the others. Act like it doesnae bother ye and they willnae care. It's that easy. Have confidence in yerself, Mr. Higgs."
"Right."
"Anyway, if we don't hurry we will miss it." Margaret said, standing up.
"Come, we'll share the carriage."
Everyone got up and headed to the carriage.