LITTLE ONE ~ NARRY

Divi

"...and this is Maura and her son Niall." Mary said in a sweet voice as she introduced the workers to the Styles family.

"We are delighted to meet you all." Amelia said in a opulent voice. "I think that Mary has instructed you with all the rules, but I will repeat them. First of all, you must always address us as Mr. and Mrs. Styles. Second of all, you shouldn't speak to us if it isn't urgent. Third of all, after 8 pm you should always stay in your chambers, except for the guards. Did I make myself clear?"

Harry rolled his eyes at his wife. He really disliked this swanky attitude of Amelia. It was something that she inherited from her snobby parents. Harry on the other hand didn't inherit anything from his parents. They were way to up their noses and their butt's. The only good thing he got from his father was his catch for business. So in his 29 years he managed to earn his own money by breeding and selling horses.

"Dear, is there anything that you would like to add?" Amelia smiled at Harry as she linked her arm around Harry's forearm.

"Oh, yes. I actually had a question for Mary. But it's of a private matter. So everybody is welcomed to start their work. Have a great day." Harry smiled at the line of workers and stoped in his tracks when his eyes landed on the small boy at the end of the line.

"Amelia, darling. Could you please go and find Alexander and ask him to get our horses ready? I would like to have a ride around the forests." Harry pecked Amelias cheek as she waved her hand goodby to Harry and Mary and skipped to the direction of the stables.

"Mr. Styles, how may I help you?" Mary asked with a curtesy in front of her master.

"Stop with that. You know that I don't like gestures that dull. It's my wife that prefers them." Harry smiled sweetly at Mary and looked past her to see the small boy standing with one of the housemaids. "I don't want to be rude, but I have to ask. Why did you bring a child so small to work for me?"

"A child? Oh, you mean the little boy over there." Mary chuckled. "He might look like a boy that has nearly stepped over the age of 12, but he actually is 16 and ready to work which ever job you would be ready to give to him."

"16? He sure doesn't look the age." Harry bit the inside of his cheek as he couldn't stop his eyes from travelling to the delicate boy. "And who is the housemaid that he is talking to?"

"That's Maura, sir. She is one of your housemaids. She is charger for the ballroom wing. She is Niall's mother." Mary said in a sweet voice as she looked at the loving family.

"Niall? That's an interesting name." Harry said while still nibbling the skin inside of his mouth. "Send the boy to my study. I will think of a job that suits his abilities."

~

"Good day, Mr. Styles." Harry was startled by a quite voice with a thick Irish accent. He looked up from his book and eyes the boy that was standing in his doorway.

"Come in. Don't be shy." Harry motioned for Niall to come in. He watched as the small boy closed the door behind him and come to stand in front of Harry's massive mahogany desk. "Please, sit down."

"I rather not, Mr. Styles." Harry felt something weird happening with his body every time that Niall called him Mr. Styles. He usually didn't like to be called like that, but the way the words rolled down Niall's tongue, made it sound so endearing. So very exciting.

"Little one, please take the seat, when you are asked to do so." Niall blushed deep read when Mr. Styles called him little one, his dad used to call him like that before he left them. He didn't like to be called like that. But, nevertheless, he sat down to please Mr. Styles.

"Would you care for a glass of water?" Harry asked in a polite voice as his eyes never left Niall's face. He really wanted to see his eyes, but the boy didn't dare to look up from his lap.
Niall shook his head no.

"Words." Harry said in a bit harsher voice, before returning to his polite voice. "Please, little one, use your words when one is speaking to you."

"I am sorry. Thank you for asking, but I am not thirsty." Niall felt his body tingle in embarrassment. His mom asked him to be polite and here he was, being anything but that. He was even to ashamed to look up and face his master.

"See, wasn't that hard." Harry smiled more to himself that Niall. He got up from his chair and walked around his table. He pressed his bum against it as he stood in front of a seated Niall. "Is there anything that you could do for me, little one?"

"A-nything that you need, Mr. Styles!" Niall stuttered as he fidgeted with his fingers. He started to pull at the dead skin around his nails. "I can do any work that is needed."

Harry saw as the little Irish boy pulled at his skin. He couldn't take it so he kneeled in front of Niall and placed his significantly larger palms on top of Niall's. Both of them felt their skin heat up with immense strength.

"Don't do that to your little hands. You need to take care of them." Harry said in a whisper as he felt his heart starting to beat faster and stronger in his chest. Niall finally managed to look up and in that moment something stopped. The whole world stopped. Blue was met with green already staring back. There were sparks flying between the two sets of eyes.

"Harry, dear?" Suddenly Harry's palms left Niall's shaking hands and he stood up from his position to notice the doors slowly opening and his wife prancing inside. "Did I intrude on something?"

"No, my dear. I was just talking about what, Niall right here could do for us." Harry said in a calm voice, like nothing that happened before, had actually happened. "And I think that I figured it out. He will be a stable boy. He will take care of Spirit."

"Of Spirit, Harry? But that's your horse?" Amelia said with disbelieve lacing her voice. "He needs a very careful attendance and he is just a boy. Will he manage?"

"Let's ask him, shall we?" Harry smiled and looked at Niall. His head was facing his lap again. "Boy, look at me."

Niall's shaking head looked up to see two pairs of eyes watching his every move. Amelia's eyes were filled with coldness and annoyance, whilst Harry's eyes held something that Niall couldn't read.

"Would you do me the honours and take care of my horse Spirit?" Harry smiled at Niall and his body grew weak. He felt a fire raging through his body. He nodded his head while his eyes were glued to Harry's. "Words."

"Yes, it would be a pleasure."

~

"But why, Harold?" Amelia asked her husband while she sat at her vanity and combed her hair with a heavy metal comb that had her initials AS carved into it. "Why would you entitle a boy so young and inexperienced, to take care of Spirit? Isn't that the horse that was gifted to you by your late grandfather? The only person of importance from your family."

"Amelia, dearest. Spirit is of great importance to me and frankly I don't appreciate the way he is left out, because Alexander has to take care of all the horses alone." Harry tried to think of a plausible reason to why he entitled a boy so young to take care of his beloved horse. He might have thought of a reason or two, but it was to sinful to revel it to anyone, more ever his own wife. "I just want somebody to give him all the attention that he deserves. And that boy, will do. He just has to take care of one horse."

"However you please, dear husband. I hope that you have thought over your decision." Amelia got up form her chair and walked over to bed, where Harry was reading a novel by an unknown writer. He had found the book in his study. It was all dusty and worn out. Must have belonged to Louis dad.

Altho, this book was written in a hurried and untidy handwriting. It felt as sort of a diary. It was from a perspective of a midlife man. And how he had fallen for one of his subordinates. Harry was so engulfed with the book that nearly missed his wife's seductive moves at the end of the bed.

With a slow motion she let her see through silk morning gown robe to slip over her shoulders and fall down to the ground. With her long and thin fingers she pulled the strap of her gown away from her body and slipped it over her shoulder. Harry gulped as he watched his wife undress and felt uneasy. Because for a second, Amelia's brown eyes were shined in the moonlight through their small roof window. And for that second they were no longer brown. They were mesmerisingly blue.