Dance of the Damned

Easy

"What is your plan, Briar?" Rodger asked, looking at the boy. "Is it to reveal them to the public?"

"We do not have enough proof for that," Briar said, frowning. "But, from what I know, they are not going to be able to do anything until after his birthday. Otherwise, they will be accused immediately."

"As they should be." Another servant said.

"Yes, but we will lose Micah in that process. I ... I don't want to lose him." He said, frowning as his hands trembled remembering Micah covered in blood not that long ago.

"Neither do we," Karla said softly, taking his hands in hers. "I was a coward, Briar. I want to be of help even if it is small."

"So do I," Rodger said brightly. "I have never liked the lord and lady so I do not care about them. I just hope the young master will be able to live a comfortable life, without them."

One by one, the other servants began to agree one by one.

"So, tell us what your plan is," Rodger said, kindly. "Everyone here is on your side."

"I-"

Suddenly the doors opened and Micah walked into the room with Elise behind him.

"Just a simple one then, nan-. Hmm? Why do I feel like everyone is staring at me?" Micah said, looking around the room. "Is everything ok?"

"What is going on here?" Elise asked as everyone turned to their work again.

"Elise, how are you?" Rodger asked as Briar walked to Micah.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" He asked, looking him over. "No injuries? Nothing?"

"Nothing. I was too busy getting scolded to get injured." Micah said pleasantly. "What are you doing here, Briar? I was looking everywhere for you."

"Micah, listen. You cannot trust your aunt and uncle." Briar said as a chill filled the room.

"Well, yes. They are not the best at managing the house but that is why you all are so capable right?" He beamed at everyone in the rooms s they smiled back at him, though they knew he could not see.

"Briar-" Elise began but he stopped her.

"I have to tell you something. I heard-"

"What is going on here?" The Lady stepped into the room with a fan to cover her face.

Briar could make out the faint bruises on her face that she tried to conceal with powder but it did not work too well so she must have used the fan for extra coverage.

"Hello, aunt." Micah greeted her brightly as she looked at him with disgust but her tone of voice completely contradicted her words.

"Hello, my dear boy." She said pleasantly, hand twitching like she wanted to strangle him that very minute if she could. "I see you are well enough to be walking on your own."

Though Micah did not notice, everyone else in the room did and were very aware of her every movement.

"I am! Aunt must have been worried. I apologise for worrying you."

"You certainly like worrying me." She said, sneering at him. "What will I do if I get sick because you could not take care of yourself? Do you never think of your poor aunt?"

"I am sorry, aunt. I didn't think it would affect you this much." Micah said, smiling up at her. "But that means you were scared to lose me, right aunt?"

She looked at him like she wanted to bash his skull in but managed to force a smile on her face and said, "Of course, boy. I am terrified to lose you."

"I am blessed that aunt cares so much for me," Micah said with a giggle.

"Of course you are." She said, wiping her hand on the wall after touching Micah as though he was something dirty as everyone stared at the aunt like they wanted to throw her in the mud.

Rodger had to hold Briar back by grabbing onto his shoulder otherwise the boy was ready to hit her if he needed to.

"Now, what is happening here?" She asked, turning her attention to everyone in the kitchen. "It seems everyone is busy."

"We are discussing about my birthday party," Micah said quickly. "I apologise, was I taking your time?"

"You certainly were." She complained. "I have yet to have breakfast. Do you want me to die, boy?"

"I apologise again, aunt," Micah said, turning to everyone in the room. "Perhaps I will come back later. Oh and you do not need to serve me, I already ate."

"The prime example of a selfish child." The woman shook her head at him. "Eating while you aunt starves. Must you cause me so many problems?"

"I will be out of your way then, aunt," Micah said, grabbing Briar's hand as he pulled him out of the room as quickly as he could.

Elise tried to follow after them but the Lady stopped her.

"You may be his governess but teach the boy some manners." She scolded. "He cannot just do whatever he pleases whenever he wants to."

"But it is for the boy's birthday, my lady." Elise tried to reason with her. "This is the first time since ... that incident that he wants a party."

"I know what that boy is planning." She said, pointing her fan at Elise. "He knows what the will states when he turns fifteen and he thinks he is an adult now.

"Never having tried to talk to the servants before and now he thinks that he can waltz into the kitchen and expect them to listen to him? Nonsense. He has to make a relation with them first.”

But … he already does. Elise thought. He always greets them every morning and knows every servant by their name. I think that is a lot as compared to you.

“I see.” Looking at Rodger from the corner of her eyes as he tried not to sigh from annoyance at the woman in front of her. “I will try harder, my lady.”

“Good.” She said, “Now, please serve my breakfast. I am starving.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

______________________

Micah stopped in front of the oak tree he always sat under. After his parents' deaths, he has been sitting there more often.

“Where are we?” He asked, turning to Briar.

“In front of the oak,” Briar said, looking at his hand on him, brows furrowing. “Don’t worry about that woman and what she said.”

“She is right,” Micah said, letting go of his friend’s hand as he walked to the tree touching the trunk gently. “There is not a minute when she is not right. I am a selfish person.”

Clenching his teeth, Briar grabbed Micah by the shoulders and turned him to face his direction. “You are not selfish. Not one bit. If there was a word that meant the opposite of selfishness then that would be you. If anything I wish you were a little more selfish.”

“Bradi-“

“Don’t ever take what she said as the truth. Nothing but lies come out of her mouth.” Briar continued passionately, still holding Micah to face him. “Why do you listen to her in the first place anyway?”

“Because she is still family,” Micah said, looking at him like he could not understand what he was so upset about.

“That doesn’t mean you should take everything she gives you!”

Micah smiled softly, reaching out to touch Briar’s cheeks as he felt wetness around them, “Are you … crying? Why are you crying??”

“I am not!” Briar released his friend, wiping his face vigorously. “Something just entered my eyes.”

“Oh, is that so?” Micah asked, chuckling.

“You don’t believe me?”

“I do.” He said turning back to the tree. “Did I ever tell you about this tree before, Bradie?”

“I don’t believe I know.” Briar cleared his throat and stared at it with the boy.

“I planted this with my father back at our old house. He asked me, ‘if there was one thing in the entire house that you could take with you, what would it be?’

“ ‘The tree.’ I said without hesitation. It was barely a tree when I pointed at it that time but look at it now.” He placed his head on the trunk, resting his head on it. “This is all I have of my father. All I will ever have.”

Micah turned to Briar a sad smile on his face, “I know aunt is a little … difficult. But she is still family. Not the family I got to choose but the family I was given.

“And, just like you, Philip and Elise are my family that I would do whatever it takes to protect. Aunt and uncle are in the same category.”

“What if they do not feel the same way?” Briar asked, looking at the ground. “What if … they do not have good intentions towards you?”

“That is up to them then. They will get what is coming to them in the end.” Micah said, staring up at the rays of sunlight breaking through the trees. “But, Bradie. No matter what, don’t turn to something like them. Ok? I can’t lose you too.”

Briar looked at Micah’s desperate expression and sighed, scratching his hair, “I don’t know what you are talking about. But you are never going to lose me, Micah. That, you don’t have to worry about.”

“I can rest easy then.”