Alexander

Conversation In the Hallway

The next morning, Alexander felt extremely stiff. His shirt stuck to his back with pus and blood, and his head throbbed in sync with his heartbeat. Nevertheless, he forced himself to roll out of bed (how he got there, he didn't know) and switch out one loose shirt for another, grimacing as he pulled the stuck one away from his wounds.

He snuck up the stairs to the kitchen, famished from not having eaten the other day. No one was there yet except for one breakfast chef and her little son, Rodney.

The chef paid him little mind, he was her master after all, but the boy stared at him for some time before Alexander glanced up from the apple he was cutting and granted him a little wave. "Hello, what're you up to?"

The little boy squeaked and ran to hide his face in the fold's of his mother's skirts.

Alexander smiled at the chef. "Shy, is he?"

The chef blushed and turned her face away, appearing as if she, too, would like a skirt to hide in. "Not typically, no, Sir, I'm sorry."

Alexander turned back to the apple and shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry for, Miss." The chef's coloration reddened a little more.

"You don't have to address me as 'Miss', Sir," she gasped. "I'm just the morning chef."

"And I'm just a person," Alexander said. "From where I'm standing, you're far more important than me. The Lord Troup has two other sons beside me to carry on his name, but by the looks of the crowd here, you're the only early morning chef." Alexander smiled at her.

The woman's chest inflated just the slightest bit, and her cheeks faded to their typical rose glow. Her eyes glimmered and a hint of a smile quirked her lips. The posture took Alexander aback. He'd seen pride directed his way only on scarce occasions. "It's a shame you're the youngest," she said, no longer shying away from eye contact. "You'd make a great lord."

"Alexander!" Nicholas's voice thundered in the near empty kitchen. The boy whimpered, and the chef turned quickly away. Alexander wished he could do the same, but he faced his brother as boldly as he could, feeding on the look of the chef a moment ago. "A word?"

Alexander slipped the prepared part of his apple in the pocket on the back of his pants and started towards him. "Of course."

Once the pair were out of the kitchen and alone, Nicholas slammed Alexander into the wall without warning. Alex felt his breakfast crush likely beyond being edible.

"Ow!" he protested. "What was that for?" If he hadn't been so surprised, he might not have said such heated words to the man with the power to do anything he liked to him anytime he pleased.

"You're trying to thwart my lordship? You wish that you were the heir instead of me?"

"I never said any of that!"

"Well, you sure didn't deny it!"

"You never gave me a chance!"

Nicholas slammed him against the wall again, and then a second time. "You're such a demon, Alexander! Stay away from my title!"

"Nicholas!" cried Lily. She must have snuck up on them without warning.. Nicholas let Alex go and he fell again. He was getting really sick of this. Besides the humiliation, most of the lash wounds had opened up again, ruining another shirt.

"I'm fine," Alexander grunted once he got his air back. The poor maid stood in shock, her face a pasty white except for the two pink hands clutching it. Even though it hurt, he stood up as naturally as he could and went to her, taking her hands and putting them back at her sides. He couldn't allow her to be a part of this. "I'm alright."