Days passed without a hitch of the wind that would always tell me what to do—brush the backs of the horses in the stables while the stable-master snored in a corner in his chair. The warm breeze contradicted with the winds that glided above the ocean waves towards the mansion. I have to say, what an afternoon that was! The excitement could be compared to none. The weather was perfect to enlighten the mood with a mug of braised coffee. I was satisfied with my life for the first time. I, as the head butler of the household once again, would do my chores on time before dawn, close up before dusk and mess around with the horses in the husky woody stables. I felt compelled to fulfil my duty, as if I was connected to this place, to the people, to her. It felt warming in a good way.

‘Enjoying the evenings?’ there was a soft sound from a familiar someone behind my back. I turned around diligently towards the speaker. It was Miss Michelle, wearing an evening gown, with a woolen over-wear in the cold. Her face wore that same risqué smile from the other day, accompanied by two glinting jewel-eyes; aside rather round pearls on her earlobes. The mistress stood beside the half lit stable door, shadowed upon by its pillars, making her face partly visible. The sun almost grazed the horizon, turning the sky more moody. The quiet moors stood aside the dahlias and the breeze marked the tree line, sending up a flock of birds scattering among the clouds.

‘Yes milady. It sure is a pleasant weather today, too.’ I put my right hand on my chest and bowed slightly. ‘Well then I’ll be taking my leave for the night. You must be tired from your day’s hustles too, I reckon?’ I lifted my head up as she smiled at me, saying nothing. I left her side to be on patrol duties again before I retreated to my dorm.

‘Good night…’ she said something that was caught on the whiff of the wind, deafening me to hear those words-after. ‘…’ she ended and started patting on the horse’s neck, calming him down. I turned away and started towards the mansion, without a second thought.

Moments passed by and rough winds began their dash towards the coast with a cold breeze. Night fell; candles lit up the corridors and bounced back their light from the window sills. While marching the halls, I came across a grumpy figure lazing about with a smoke in its hand and a cup-candle on the other. He was wearing a sleeveless rugged gown with stains on it and a stale shirt underneath which pulled up his soft leather pants. He wore sandals.

‘Had I not told you to stop smoking after sundown? Am I going to have to repeat it again for you?’ I sighed.

‘Oh! I didn’t see you there!’ he jumped about his own feet, staring at me with watery eyes in the dark. Bringing the candle closer, he said, ‘My, haven’t you had a long day, eh Master?’ he retracted his shirt up his sleeve and smoked for one last time before throwing it away into his deep musky pockets.

‘I’m just about to wrap up for today.’

‘Aye, as you see fit,’ he gave a lousy bow and wobbled past me, singing some old sailor’s melodies I couldn’t understand; and disappeared at the end of the hallway.

That old cook never cares about his well being, eh? Be more selfish you workhorse…

I never looked back and finished my own business before exiting to the study. Others had left their posts too; the stable-master was fast asleep in his rock-chair by himself outside. The chilly salty breeze didn’t seem to bother him. The lamps outside near the iron gates shined the bars dimly as they stood tall and sturdy. There wasn’t any living creature that lurked around the property.

Setting aside the minor concerns, I stepped up the flights of oak stairs by the glass-wall which showcased the ocean waves beating by the shore—sometimes violently, sometimes softly, causing the wind to rush against the brick of the mansion’s feet by the shore. I continued down the rather-small hall decorated with many-a-painting of old duchess’ and emperors. The wooden floorboards felt smooth under by feet even with my boots on. At the end of the hallway was mistress’s room, guarded by two unyielding birch doors and two grimlar statues alongside. I glanced at my pocket watch; it said half-past nine.

‘Do you need anything?’ that similar soft voice came from inside.

‘No,’ I firmly answered. ‘I was just finishing up my duties and checking on you. Please join us for dinner tomorrow…’ I trailed off as I had nothing more to say to her. She didn’t answer back. All I could hear was the sound of the crashing waves outside, dimly. ‘Have a good night, miss.’

I left her company without even seeing her, without opening the doors, back-tracking downstairs; through the dark hallways until I reached my dorm. I stepped in and shut the door behind me. And once again, the darkness of the seemingly-eternal night took over as I closed my eyes in my rest.

I had to run grocery errands the very next morning for restocking the supplies. Few of the other house servants readied up the wagon, tagged to some horses. The sound of their hooves stomping on the marble pavement echoed through the outer pass. It was a rather dull morning. The sun wasn’t up in the sky, instead covered by gray clouds that left me in a moody state. My horse was at the front. I walked towards her and gave her a brush on her mane. She neighed in appreciation as I mounted her.

The porter shouted and we slowly rode out of the property. Crossing by lakes, mountains, valleys, stumps, sheets of plain grass—they reminded me of my old self and the place where I lived. I brushed passed the thought. There was a warm breeze that grazed me just as the town was nearing.

We went past a little girl wearing a dirty old uniform, handing out leaflets of something. The others ignored her. Everyone did. No one even bothered to talk to her as she humbly requested every passerby’s to take just one leaflet. Her health wasn’t in any good condition; her skin roughed up by the weather, hair in frails, ankles bare and muddy, a faded scar across her face—a birthmark.

I wanted to call out. Instead, I rode past her, looking down anywhere besides her face. I didn’t look back as she continued to ask out the pedestrians, helplessly.

It felt bitter. Bitter yet. Not saying something… was the part that hurt the most, without any reason. What was wrong with it? Wasn’t I like any other person living in the Underworld?  As inexperienced and unaccustomed as I may have been, I was still a member of that society in the company of demy-humans, demons, and beasts. That was seemingly unsightly in the eyes of a normal human being; however, I was different—as I was called from the upper world, by my mistress whom I swore to stand aside by for the rest of my life. What was I doing? I wondered. I kept asking myself—was I doing right? Was ignorance a common thing among monsters? It definitely wasn’t a society of selfish creatures alike to humans. Maybe so, but even I didn’t have the right to judge them as if by the right hand of god. I was just following on with the world to match its pace with my own… so that I wouldn’t fall apart.

‘Mister Scrubbs, please take over the trail for a bit. The center market shouldn’t be far,’ I turned back while reigning in my horse. Her hooves stopped stomping and came to a halt.

‘I wouldn’t mind, but where are you suddenly off to, Sir…?’ he lifted his head from his usual dunk manner to look at me.

‘I am merely taking a detour. You do not need to concern yourself with this.’ I reassured him as he replied with a nod. I whipped and rode backwards, not thinking about my duties even if it was just for a short while. The wagon trial soon faded around the corner as I reached the rift pass again.

What am I going to do? Help her? Comfort her? I don’t have the luxury…

‘Can you show me those?’ I approached her anyways and asked her gently as her woeful face was replaced with a warm smile. It made my heart light somehow.

‘Here…’ she replied shyly, in a voice so low that only I could barely hear. ‘Please visit our shop… sometime. We… serve various drinks, and…’ she trailed off.

‘Thank you,’ I smiled softly. She curved a little grin from the very corner of her lips to my answer. Her expression was warm, bright while still in woe. That made me realize how much of a coward I had been. ‘Where might be your shop, little miss?’

She said nothing; hesitating for a moment, then pointed at a distant brick-walled café, decorated with urns climbing all the way to the roof. Below the windows lay tubs of strange sorts of fragrant flowers I did not recall seeing in the upper world. Harmony was seemingly nice about the building. Although, I had no idea what fate had in store for me next…

‘I will remember that, kind miss,’ I smiled, ‘where are your parents?’

‘Father died in fighting…’ her voice became timid.

‘Alright I understand!’ I calmed her down before she let go of her composure; then clung to my clothes, gripping me wilfully strongly. ‘You don’t have any guardians?’

She shook her head, ‘Mother recently disappeared… without saying anything to me.’ She held herself strong while saying those words. I was once again reminded of how much of a coward I was when I was of her age back then. I began to look for an alternative for the current flow of chatter.

‘Shall we head to your café right now, miss? I’m sure I will not be disappointed.’ I stated. Her face lightened up a bit.

We walked the rest of the way, leaving my horse tied to a floral shop’s post.

‘Here we are…’ she ushered me inside the dark ominous room filled with an unnatural pressure that tingled my skin.

‘Oh? We have new customers today. Hah, looks like you weren’t useless after all, for a kid from the slums!’ A person said, coming out from the back the counter, laughing a little; the room at the back shadowed by its curtains while a faint light simmered through.

‘How do you do, I assume you are this wonderful shop’s owner?’ I formally began our conversation.

‘Well yes, for the most part!’ he chuckled in an annoying way.

‘Then may I ask,’ I interrogated firmly, ‘what is this child to you? Are you using her for your shop’s propagandas?’

‘Yes! I see you are a sharp man, to be able to guess on point. I commend you!’ he laughed with arms crossed around his chest. He then beat the table near the stools, ‘Come on, have a seat.’

I instinctively sat down as he poured a glass of red wine before me.

‘Oy! Go outside and give out some more flyers, you good-for-nothing mongrel!’ he yelled over my shoulder to the little girl in rough clothing, standing by the doorstep. ‘You will taint my carpet, you fool! Get to work before I kick you out!’

‘Yes, sir...’ She turned back with the rest of the papers and ran outside on to the busy streets again. I could hear her hard slippers tapping on the hard rock pavement as she ran.

‘Now what would you like to have? Is something on your mind worth of your appetite?’

‘No, actually I would like to talk about the current situation we’re in. Is it alright with you?’ I glared at him.

‘Oh, please, do sit down! Nothing better than a relaxing conversation, eh?’ he smiled at me. I still felt uneasy despite myself. ‘So?’ he continued, ‘what did you want to talk about?’

‘Why might be a young miss working in the shopping district?’ I learned my manners—yes, manners in the Underworld. Pretty strange if you asked me myself. They—in fact were the one of the few things I learnt while residing in the demon-queen residence. I had to grow accustomed to the world not only with by manners, but also, without disclosing my real identity as a dweller from the world above them...

‘You want to learn more about this “Young miss”, eh? Kids sure are fancy with their selections!’ he rambled on the table and started laughing in a horrid way.

‘Do I have to repeat myself?’ I tuned myself serious.

‘No, you don’t. And you seem the type who wouldn’t listen to me even if I tried to explain it to you.’ He stopped laughing. There was a moment of silence between us. It was as if we both struggled for words to argue. Then he began, ‘Look here lad, it isn’t always what it seems. I found that poor lass lying on the streets—clothes torn. Darn what a sight that was! Ruined my whole day! And would you listen to this—she followed me to my shop that day, begging for money and shelter. What was I supposed to do then? Pay her? No. This doesn’t happen in a city like this. And its better if don’t pay heed to whatsoever happens.’ He waved me off, ‘Now if you’ll excuse me!’ and went through the door to the back.

Something rambled in the kitchen. The shopkeeper struggled and grunted over something. Then, he walked out with some glasses with a sloshing liquid in them.

‘Clear your mind, lad. Have a glass and be merry about your business. You seem the type to enjoy good company anyways, right?’ he pointed at my wearing, added blatantly: ‘Working for a rich family, are you?’

‘I rather not say anything in this case, for the subject of matter is a little over my highest authority,’ I apologized.

‘Bah! You are a devious one, aren’t you?’ he chuckled and poured me a shot.

I said nothing that would betray my uneasy feelings of being somehow found out by a completely unknown stranger. I knew there was no way that he could know, but it still threw me off.

‘Say, young fella, why not strike a deal between the little old two of us?’ he raised an eyebrow.

A deal! He has definitely something up his mind!

I nodded.