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

29

Higgs turned the corner of the kitchen and peeked around it, trying to keep out as much as possible but still be able to see them properly. He wondered what his maid had up her sleeve... He saw her dip a ladle into the large pot on the stove and then pour broth in two separate bowls. She set one to the side and then brought the other over to the servant's table where Kans was sitting. He looked down at it and frowned.
"Um... I can't eat this... It will turn into a block of gold and hit me in the face."
"I have a question for ye, Laird Northumberly."
"You... you can just call me Kans like everyone else. I'd um... kind of feel more comfortable if you did?"
"I'll call ye Laird Kans, is that a bit better?"
"I have a feeling you will only come to this conclusion..."
"Before I ask the initial question, I have another one I'd like to ask."
"Alright..."
"When ye talk to people... why do ye hesitate, drift off at the end, or end yer sentences with questions?"
"What do you mean?"
"When ye talk to people ye tend to trail off at the ends of yer sentences, as if ye want to say more but ye cannae or ye end yer sentences in a question, almost as if ye are leaving it open for interpretation. Is that something ye just do?"
"Well, I guess when you put it in that perspective, then I'm not sure. I just always have."
"I can answer that question myself, Laird Kans, but the problem is that ye cannae answer that question."
"I... don't follow you..."
"Ye are a verra large man, and I'm not saying that to make fun of ye. Yer tall and broad, a good strapping lad that could take out a cow an ye had to... but yer as timid as a rabbit. The way ye talk lets people know that ye arenae actually that strong. Mentally, ye are verra vulnerable and that's why people hurt ye. When ye talk to people, ye say what ye have to say and dinnae ye dare doubt it. When ye answer a question, whether ye ken it could be wrong or right, ye answer it confidently. Ye talk the way ye do because I'm sure that ever since ye were a wee lad, ye've been dismissed, humiliated, and told to shut ye mouth. No one's ever let ye talk or say what ye needed to. Ye've been cut off and pushed aside and so when ye say something, ye dinnae ken how people will react but ye ken it will most likely be negative and so ye just try to keep yerself from getting hurt."
Kans rubbed the back of his neck nervously at the table.
"You might be on to something..."
"I'm not berating ye, Laird Kans, I'm just telling ye what I ken I see."
"Um... then... can I ask a question?"
"Sure!"
"What is ken?"
"Ken? Ye've never heard of it before?"
"I've heard people mention it in passing but you use it a lot and I don't get out much."
"Ken means to understand or think as ye Englishmen say."
"Oh... right."
"No, ye answer me with confidence. That wasnae stupid question. Answer me correctly."
"Alright..." Kans cleared his throat a little and sat up slightly straighter. "Yes, thank you. That was what I wanted to know."
"Excellent!" Merida said, grinning big. "That was beautiful!" Kans blushed a little as he looked away. "Anyhow, the second question I needed to ask ye is when ye touch something in this form, it's only if yer skin touches it that it turns to gold, yah?"
"From what I've gathered."
"Have ye ever tried to eat during this time?"
"Yes and it's very difficult. Most of the time the food turns to gold and becomes a choking hazard."
"But ye have eaten in this form before?"
"Yes, if I'm lucky."
"Good! Today is ye lucky day then. Touch this for me." She said, holding out a rolled up piece of paper.
Higgs made a face in the doorway as Kans did the same.
"Um... alright..." He reached out to touch it.
"Not with ye glove on, divvy, with yer hand. I want ye to turn it into gold."
"You... want that?"
Higgs narrowed his eyes at his maid as his extra pairs did the same. What is she planning? he thought.
"Aye, I want it. Now go on, make it gold."
Kans took his glove off slowly and then reached out to grab the rolled up paper. Immediately when his fingers brushed the edge of it, it began to slowly turn into gold. Merida set it down and watched in fascination as the whole roll changed before her eyes. It finally stopped and she picked it up, the paper now having weight to it.
"That is amazing."
"I've never heard it called that before."
"I'm sure ye've never gotten praise for any of ye transformations have ye?" Kans shook his head. "Mr. Higgs tells me ye have sixteen?"
"Yes, it's a bit overwhelming. I can't imagine how you handle Higgs' ten."
"I wasnae there for all of them but the ones I have been through havenae been that bad... except for the Dullahan."
"A little too close to home?"
Merida smiled. "Ye're perceptive." Kans just shrugged. "Yes and no. True, the Dullahan is quite close to Scottish culture and an I kenned I'd meet one in real life, I would have prepared myself accordingly. But the real reason I had a bit of trouble was because of all the ones I've encountered, that one actually gave me what I give to other people. It threatened me to a degree that I kenned it'd go about to finish. I've always told Mr. Higgs that when I threaten someone, I dinnae do it empty handed, so to speak. My threats are true and I'll carry them out the best way that I can. The Dullahan did the same thing. I knew what it said was true. I knew it wouldnae said it an it didnae mean it."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that... oh, buggar, I'm sorry."
"It wasnae that bad-"
"No, your table. I forgot to put my glove back on."
Merida looked at the now golden wooden table and shrugged.
"We'll look like we're worth something for a bit, eh?" she said with a wink.
Kans looked away as he put his glove back on as Merida went back to the bowl. She stuck the golden paper into it and put it in front of Kans, who looked confused.
"What is this?"
"That is broth from the soup. I'm trying to figure out how to get ye solid food but for now I figure some broth will at least keep ye warm and full for the moment."
"What do you mean?"
"Sip it out of that rolled up paper ye turned to gold. It's stiff and since the paper is already gold, ye cannae change it again and the broth willnae hit yer mouth at all, just go straight into it. Try it out. It's only a test run of an idea."
Kans moved the rolled up paper around as Higgs turned his head in wonder. Kans put his mouth around it and sipped, the broth coming up the paper. It was still a bit hot but it didn't turn to gold and tasted great.
"Weel?"
"It worked."
"I'm glad! Ye drink that while I go and feed a certain wee laddie as well. He's been wanting something to eat for a bit."
Merida turned with the tray in her hand, Higgs moving before he was seen, and headed out of the kitchen.
"Ms. Dunbrough?" She turned back to Kans. "Thank you... for... for trying to help me."
"Ye ken I'm done with ye there? I've got a lot of things I'm going to try out on ye, Laird Kans. I'll be soft with ye, but I willnae stop here. Ye've become my personal project and a damn good specimen at that."
Kans wasn't sure if he should be afraid or thankful as the feisty woman left but he sipped his soup, enjoying it.