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

24

Merida made opened the door and closed it and yelped, finding Higgs standing stock still on the stairwell.
"Mr. Higgs!"
He shrugged at her and she made a face.
"Ye did it on purpose and ye ken it."
He gave her a thumbs up and then descended the rest of the stairs. Once down, he went to the side table and wrote on the paper.
THAT'S FOR THAT HORRID JOKE EARLIER.
Merida smiled. "Oh, tosh, ye ken it was funny."
Even without a head, she could still see her employer giving her a sarcastic look. She just smiled and then sighed.
"Well, Edgar is going to be gone for the whole month and I doubt ye can eat in that form, yah?" Higgs gave a thumbs up that she was correct. "So... can I take the month off?"
Higgs put his hands on his hips.
"What? With Edgar out of the house, the house will stay clean most of the time, save a few, and if ye cannae eat then I ken I can keep my messes to a minimum. Ye plan on tracking in mud when he announce someone dies?"
IT COULD HAPPEN. I'M NOT USUALLY CONCERNED WITH DIRT ON MY BOOTS AT THE TIME.
"Then I guess that will be the time to clean the floors... Come on, Mr. Higgs. I'm sure your next transformations arenae that grand... if he turn into that spider thing yer father is then I will definitely have my work cut out for me."
SORRY, BUT THAT IS ONE OF MY CHANGES.
"Then dinnae he ken that it makes up for the month off?"
DO I BORE YOU?
"Of course not, Mr. Higgs; yer the most interesting employer I've ever had. I just thought we could make the month relaxing. Like I said, Edgar's out of the house..."
Higgs didn't do anything for a moment and Merida just waited.
YOU'RE AFRAID I'LL SAY YOUR NAME, AREN'T YOU?
"That's not it."
A strange laughter echoed in the house from upstairs as Higgs walked closer to her, putting his had under her chin, cupping it. Even though Merida really wasn't afraid of him, she realized that this form was a lot more confident in itself and if she pissed it off, she'd end up killed. Higgs moved a paper in front of her.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU HID OR WHERE YOU RAN, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DIE I WILL FIND YOU
He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger as the laughter echoed in the halls again. She shuddered.
"Wheest, an I wasnae afraid of the Dullahan before, I sure as hell am now." She shuddered again and went to the kitchen.
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She had still not gotten a direct answer from Higgs about taking the month off. It really was just the fact that Edgar was gone and that she didn't really have to do too much with Higgs' current form. She knew she'd get bored with the house and not doing anything in the house as well. She had some shopping to do regarding food as well as clothing. She needed some clothes for Edgar, some clothes for Higgs, other supplies for the house... Dealing with getting kidnapped and whipped and out of commission stuff, she was running low and behind on everything. Plus, she was in the mood for a pie but she wasn't sure what kind. She wanted it all to herself and this was the month to do that.
She didn't realize she had drafted such a long list of things and that it had lasted into the setting of the sun. She stretched her arms, popping her shoulders, and saw the last light of the sun go down behind the trees. She suddenly heard the sound of a horse and froze. She didn't want to believe it, but she had to know... Merida got up and went to the window that was beside the door and overlooked the roundabout drive. Just as she passed the door and got in the curtains, she heard loud footsteps from upstairs. She gulped and turned her attention to the carriage outside of the house. Two ugly mangy black Clydesdales stood practically stock still in front of the carriage. Every once in a while they would tap a hoof on the ground and snuff, but other than that, they were obedient and still. The carriage looked just like what she had read in the legends: large and made of some sort of skin, the spokes made of femurs, and black handles lit all about. Skulls were hanging from the back of it as well as incorporated in the framework of the carriage. It was a truly terrifying thing.
"I dinnae ken I'll be sleeping well tonight..." she said, crossing her arms and rubbing them.
It felt cool even though it was August. She turned to go back up the stairs when she saw a figured dressed in all black descending the stairs with loud stomps, practically shaking the whole house. Merida thought it best to stay near the curtain and watched the figure pass by. It was Higgs, she was sure, but it was so different. He had his head in one hand and a whip that looked like it was a spine in the other. Before he walked out the door, he stopped and lifted his head up. Merida was actually scared herself and hid behind the curtain. After a moment the door closed and she watched Higgs get up on the seat. The whip cracked, the horses neighed like they were from another world, and off the carriage went.
Merida sank to the ground and looked at her hands. She was shaking in fear and pulled her legs to her chest.
"I'll not ever make fun of Edgar for his fear... I dinnae ken I've ever been this afeart in my life..."
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