Once And Always

Chapter 7

How are you guys?

Hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

Get ready for some back story.

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Prama took Tee for a carriage ride to the neighboring village the next day, and although the outing filled him with nostalgic homesickness for his former home, he enjoyed herself immensely. Flowers bloomed everywhere—in flower boxes and gardens where loving care was lavished upon them, and wild on the hills and in the meadows, tended only by mother nature. The village with its neat cottages and cobbled streets was utterly charming and Tee fell in love with it.

Each time they emerged from one of the little shops along the street, the villagers who saw them stopped and stared and doffed their hats. They called Prama "your grace," and although Tee could tell that he was usually at a loss for their names, he treated them with unaffected pleasantness, regardless of their station in life.

By the time they returned to the Kreepolrerk's mansion that afternoon, Tee felt much more optimistic about his new life and was hoping for the opportunity to know the villagers better.

To avoid causing any more trouble for himself, he limited the rest of his day's activities to reading in his own room and two more forays to the compost pile, where he tried unsuccessfully to coax Willie to come closer to him for his food.

He lay down before supper and fell asleep, lulled by the notion that further dissension between himself and Khun Luang Tae could be avoided if he simply stayed out of the Khun Luang's way, as he had thus far today.

He was wrong. When he awakened, Shone was placing an armful of pastel shirts and coats in the wardrobe. "Those aren't mine, Shone," treating the younger boy as his brother, Tee said sleepily, frowning in the candlelight as he climbed out of bed.

"Yes, Khun, they are!" Shone said enthusiastically. "His lordship sent to Bangkok for them."

"Please inform him that I won't wear them," Tee said with firm politeness.

Shone brows furrowed deep. "Oh, no, Khun, I couldn't do that. Really I couldn't!"

"Well, I can!" Tee said, already heading to the other wardrobe in search of his own clothes.

"They're gone," Shone said miserably. "I—I carried them out. His lordship's orders—"

"I understand," Tee said gently, but within him he felt a temper he didn't know he possessed come to a simmering boil.

The little servant wrung his hands, his pale eyes hopeful. "Khun Thanapon, his lordship said I may have the position of your personal servant, if I'm able to do it properly."

"I don't need a servant, Shone."

The guy's shoulders sagged. "It would be so much nicer than what I do now. . .."

Tee wasn't proof against that pleading expression on the lad's face. "Very well, then," he sighed, trying to force a smile to his lips. "What does a 'personal servant do?"

"Well, I help you dress and make certain-sure your clothes are always clean and pressed. And I fix your hair, too. May I? Fix your hair, I mean? You have such beautiful hair, and my mae always said I have a way with hair and clothes—makin' it look nice, I mean."

Tee agreed, not because he cared for having his hair styled, but because he needed time to calm himself before he confronted "his lordship". An hour later, dressed in an embroidered long sleeves peach shirt and white long tight pants, Tee silently surveyed himself in the mirror. His hair shiny than usual, his high cheekbones were tinted with rich, angry color, and his eyes were sparkling with resentment and shame.