Unwillingly Arranged(Liam Payne/One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter Six(Liam's POV)

"And this, young man, is the dining hall. You are to report here every morning after you wake up for family breakfast, before you are to get your daily list of chores," Jay explained, glancing back at me as we continued down the rows and rows of assorted rooms. "After finishing your chores, you are free to do whatever you please, as long as it is on castle grounds. To leave the grounds, you must first tell the king, myself, and find a guard to take with you."

"So many rules and places to memorize," I murmured under my breath, nodding polietly at Jay, who smiled brightly at me. 

"You get used to it quick. I've only been here for two years, you know," Jay said, stopping in the middle of the hallway and turning to face me. "I came when the princess was sixteen, and I was eighteen. The youngest of all the butlers.." 

"You seem a lot older. You're only twenty?" I asked, leaning against the wall and crossing my arms out of habit.

Jay's eye brows creased together. "Stand up straight, please. And yes, I am only twenty. You mature fast, in this place. Sage..er, Princess Sage has yet to be objected to that quiet yet. I'm hoping she never will be. Now, shall we continue with your tour? I have yet to show you your room, or the stables yet. Those are two of the best places you know." He winked, before turning on his heel, and stalking farther down the hallway, talking loudly, although I had now tuned him out as I got lost in my thoughts.

You mature quick. Did that mean I would be talking all proper and become one of those always serious boys from school? I mean, I was always known as the serious one out of the boys. Daddy Direction. But I wasn't a boring stick in the mud that made everything prim and proper. I didn't use all the proper manners all the time, and I sure as hell wasn't used to being watched.

Now the having to take a guard out into public, and telling everyone were I was going wasn't much different. That was similar to whenever we were somewhere for a concert or tour. I had to take a security guard out, and tell others were I was going for my own personal safety. Simple protical. Common sense.

But here it made it feel like they were watching my every move. Like I was being judged and watched in anything and everything I did. It didn't feel natural, and it didn't feel right. It didn't make me feel like I was human, instead it made me feel like I was an object of some sort.

 "Mr. Payne?" Jay had cleared his throat, amused as he glanced at me with a smirk. "Did you hear anything I just said? Or did you completely tune out on that little speech that I just gave. Because I don't plan on giving the whole thing again."

"I'm sorry, Jay," I sighed, stepping closer to him and keeping my hands straight down to my side. "I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. As I said earlier, it's a lot to take it right now."

"Well, I have duties to do," Jay said, raising his eyebrows. "So, I'm going to have to leave you here. Your room is right there-" He pointed to a wooden with a black ring on the front of it, much like the other doors around the 'castle'. "If you have anymore questions, you can probably ask Princess Sage. You can find her in her room, as she has the day off from her duties due to the trip yesterday. I'll leave you too it." Narrowing his eyes on final time, he turned on his heel, and disappeared down the semi dark hallway.

I watched after where he had once been for a few moments, before shaking my head, and turning back to the door. I absently pushed open the door, stepping inside the brightly lit room, letting the door swing shut behind me with a loud clump. What was in the contents of the room actually surprised me.

It was much different than what I thought it would be like. First of all, the room was a creamy, light brown color, much like one of some certain chocolates. Two windows were placed on the far wall, with little benches boaring into the wall that I suppose you could sit on. Cream colored curtains made out of lace covered the windows, still letting soft lighting flow into the comfortable room. The furniture was simple, yet antique looking, with white wrought iron frames, on a few of the chairs, and on the bed.