Beastly Desires

Chapter Fifty-Two

"No use staring at the girl Lord Sébastien. Your father would never approve."

Niel watched the young lord smirk as he stared out the window of his fathers study. The sun lit his already bright blond hair, basking it in white light. He had his gaze set on the pretty little thing that showed up yesterday morning. Meris granddaughter. The old maid took her in after her daughter's passing. She was lovely beyond most girls her age, even women ten years her fifteen. It's was unsettling. She had honey colored hair, vibrant green eyes and coffee colored skin. It was not dark due to the sun but of her heritage. She traveled far to be here and if it wasn't her accent that gave her ethnicity away it was her appearance.

Since her arrival and introduction to Lord Arsenault, Lady Arsenault, his children and of course Sébastien, the servants had not stopped gossiping about her unnatural beauty. It seemed to catch everyone's attention, especially young Sébastien's. He hadn't kept his eyes off her and found every window to peek through in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rare beaut.

"I only wish to become acquainted with her. A... friendship you could say."

If his grin didn't say more. Niel shook his head, chuckling softly to himself.

He knew the boy all six and ten years of his life. Practically raised him since his father and mother traveled often through their overseas merchant ties. He could tell when the Lord was infatuated with something. His eagerness was written all over his face.

That was something the young lord struggled with. His desires. He was headstrong and passionate. When he set his eyes on something it took much to deter him from obtaining the pursuit.

"You mustn't mess around with the help. She works in the garden. Look at how they dress her. You will never have her. Atleast, not in marriage."

He was still young but blooming into a man. At his age he had to deal with preparing his ascension after his father and... other things. Like the itch between his legs. Most young men found their relief through meritless fornication with lower class woman. It was appropriate and usually received a blind eye towards it. Sometimes their urges couldn't be relieved by themselves. He wasn't sure if Sébastien was aware of this or not. The young lord hadn't spoken such things but it did not mean he didn't take keen interest in the opposite sex. He's plucked a few flowers for visiting maidens in the past.

"Why does it matter? If you love one another, status and nobility should cancel out, no?"

Neil raised his eyebrows in quiet surprise. It always startled him how smart and precocious he was. Although, he did have himself to thank for that he thought amusingly.

"You are of nobility. She of someplace different. I advise you to remember that and not act on your urges."

Lord Sebastian grimaced and turned back towards the window to watch his Juliet pluck weeds.

"Niel! Niel! It's the young Lord Sébastien. The groundsmen saw him with that little black dove in the stables. You better ring his hide before he rings hers." Madeline, one of the maids whispered insistently to him on her way to the kitchen.

Niel frowned and hurried towards the tables around the side of the castle. He knew the Lord had been making himself acquainted with the young girl, Celeste now for the past week but he thought he'd leave it at that. Only conversation.

He shook his head. He knew in his heart the young lord wanted to marry the girl. He spoke of her like she was the sun and he unknowingly was Icarus.
As Niel banked around the corner of the castle a wave of air bolted through him and he was knocked off his feet. The gust of wind smacked against the castle and everything inside of the walls whipped back at the force. Everyone meandering in the gardens flung to the ground and their startled and concerned screams splintered across the area.
Nile brought his arm above his head as a bright shining light arched above him across the sky and he saw a black shadow at its center. It came up from the stables and soared over the walls just beyond the gates.