The Closing Fate

The butler carried Killian in the palace in his arms. The child asked to leave him on the ground, but there was no way Jeeves would do that. He was holding the last hope of the duchy, their future, their master.

He was surprised to see Elara standing near the door. The surprise soon faded leaving a bright smile on his relieved face,

"Master, she is Miss Brentwood. She is your new nanny. She will take good care of you." Elara did not move. She stared at the child mortified. 

Running so far, she was sure no one would recognize her. She would hide here for long and disappear when the chance would come but to think that… the child she had saved in the dark alley would be her new master, Elara was aghast. 

There was no way he did not recognize her. She had dyed her hair but her face, her eyes, her frame.. What if the child was confused? After all, he was kidnapped. She reasoned but even she knew how lame it was! How could he not know!

"I am exhausted. I would like to rest first." Killian did not raise his head to meet the eyes of his new staff. They all were the same. They behaved as if they were hurt like him but he only saw mockery in their eyes and actions.

He was left alone in the cellar after the death of his parents. Only to hear an apology letter that they were so busy tending to guests that they forgot about him. He was locked there for hours, if not for a guest accidentally entering there, he would have died in the dark room.

He had assumed, hoped that it was an accident. But… he was asked to play in the garden for distraction and within an hour, someone placed a cloth on his face and kidnapped him from there. How was it possible that a kidnapper entered their estate?

More than that, how was it possible that no one noticed the kidnapper. He moved easily with him as if they were walking in the public. Was there no serenity? No knights, no servants at the exit points!

Killian knew it was all his uncle was doing. He had killed his parents and now he was aiming for Killian's life so that the duchy and the power of duke would land in his hands! 

Killian did not care if he would be a duke or not. But if that was the reason for the death of his parents, he was not giving the power to Cedric, even if he had to wage a war with someone much stronger than him.

But what he feared was.. Servants, knights and other staff. They have worked with his parents for many years.. He could not trust any of them. If not for the servants, Cedric's plans would have failed.

"But.. young master!" Jeeves called, worried that his master would suffer alone. The child had not spoken since the last accident.

He knew that these could not be incidents but if the child closed his heart because of these incidents it would be hard to open it again.

"Are you also challenging my authority, Jeeves?" Jeeves flinched when Killian called him in such a cold voice.

"Fine! But I will escort you to your room." he announced. Killian opened his mouth to retort but closed it again and took a deep breath.

"Very well, I will need some food after that." Jeeves nodded, when Killian added, "it would be better if the chef's assistant would come to taste it before I eat it."

"....." Jeeves stiffened. There had never been an accident of poisoning in the past. The staff had never tasted food. But to think that a child knew such things existed and even proposed it.. How afraid he might be.. Or how cynical at such a tender age.

But there was not a single retort he could give. Even he was trying to decipher how it happened. These days, so many guests had visited the palace in the name of showing grievances or meeting the new lord, that he had been busy.

And after the last accident when the housekeeper quit. He was struggling to maintain such a large palace. But he would soon find the traitor and throw him out of the house then he would be able to meet Killian's eyes and force the child out of his shell. Jeeves took a deep breath when they reached his chambers.

There were a few maids cleaning the room. They were surprised to see Killian back. Though the information never leaked and it was told that Killian had gone out to take some breath, the servants had heard gossip that the child was kidnapped and killed and soon the house would fall in the hands of Cedric.

"Young master.." the maids bowed their heads when they felt the chilly gaze of the butler, "welcome back."

"You all can leave.'' Though the butler was cold, the maids were more than relieved to leave the room. They were not actually cleaning the room but checking the precious things in the room. They had already distributed the gems amongst themselves and were waiting for a chance to steal them tonight but who would have thought..

"You are going to stay here and take care of him." Elara nodded, relieved that she could have some alone time with the child. Maybe she could convince him to let her stay. If she could prove her worth..

The butler placed Killian on the bed and sighed when the child did not react. There was no way he had not noticed that maids were opening his personal chest of drawers in the name of cleaning.

"I.. I will bring your meal personally!" Killian nodded slightly as if nothing was out of order when Jeeves opened his mouth again before taking a deep sigh and leaving the room.

Elara swallowed her saliva when the door closed…

"Hey child, do you remember me?"