The Ice dragon's Mistake

Chapter 8-Butler

Riley wished the ground could just swallow her whole, she hated that she had to show her weak side to her abductor but she had no choice when her whole body started craving for something to eat. The hunger pangs were not only painful but also seems to be draining her energy which really sucks for her. She wished she didn’t believe what the Terran guy said but she couldn’t help it, there was no viable explanation for everything she saw though she still internally prayed that all of it was just a terribly elaborated prank.

Riley was gonna just check if the door was opened or locked when she fell with a thud. How could hunger make her crumble when it’s just lunch that she missed? This really sucks, she thought before Winter came rushing into her room in concern and despite the shame and embarrassment she felt, she spilt the truth to Winter immediately since she felt like she might die and as a result, she found herself at the dining table with a feast laid out in front of her.

It only took the guy a minute after she told him she was hungry. She commanded the man who instantly appeared next to him to get her food. Winter introduced the man to him as Butler Wesley and he was in charge of the mansion. The man had led her downstairs to the dining table where he had her food laid out. She sat at the other end of the dining table, directly opposite to Winter.

“How am I supposed to finish all of these on my own?” Riley mumbled to herself as she stared at different delicacies on the lengthy dining table that separated her and Winter.

“It’s alright if you can’t finish it all, just have the ones you can” Riley flinched after Winter’s response. She had mumbled it to herself, she didn’t think Winter would hear her from that distance but he did.

“Dragons have really good hearing-

“Can you read minds too?” Riley wondered hugging her body as she gazed at him in suspicion.

“No…I could just guess what you’re thinking” Winter replied before he stood from his seat while two girls in maid uniforms walked up to him, one of them wearing glasses. They held a black cloth in their hand. She didn’t know what it meant until Winter stood and the other with her hand empty helped remove the shirt he was wearing. Riley gulped in reaction to seeing his shirtless body again but she quickly turned this time, focusing on the pie on her plate, to her dismay she had finished the whole plate of pie.

“You’ll eat more than you usually do…you’re carrying a dragon after all, and you have to keep eating or that child will suck you dry” Winter forwarn as the girl slipped another button-up shirt on him, the same colour, the same design. Just what are these people? Riley’s brow creased in question as she watched the girl button up Winter’s shirt before he returned to his seat.

Then Winter raised his wine chalice up and the girl who had just finished helping him with his shirt quickly poured him some wine.

Riley flinched again when her empty plates suddenly floats off from front of her to the tray carried by another maid that had appeared with the butler. The butler then shifted more food in front of her while wearing a warm smile.

The butler was a tall man with his grey hair mixed with brown slicked back, the grey was dominant though. His crooked nose stood out under that monocle he had on but what surprises her was this old man’s decent and competent look. While the old man appeared to be in his late early 60s, Riley couldn’t exactly say since his appearance contradicts his movement.

“We don’t know what you’ll like so we made as many varieties as we could, I hope it suits your palate” The butler smiled, his British accent took Riley by surprise but his diligence and composure were no joke…she start to wonder, if they were all dragons too? I mean the maid right next to the butler just used something similar to magic.

“You’re distracting her from her food Wes” Winter cautioned while he was busy cutting his steak, so they eat too? Riley contemplated watching Winter raised a piece of steak to his mouth.

“I apologise, master…lady,” The butler said before placing a tray that had a small bell in it on the table.

“Call me when you need anything, you just need to ring the bell” Wesley informed before giving Winter a slight bow before eventually leaving with the rest of the maids that stood close to their table.

“Are they…all dragons as well?” Riley asked the moment she was left alone with Winter in his dining halls.

“No…they’re humans whose family is contracted and bound to me” Riley flinched. Is this some kind of occult group she wasn’t sure of? She was curious.

“By contracted you mean-

“They stay loyal to me and in return, they’re able to use my magic” Winter answered while still focused on his food, constantly sipping wine in the middle.

“Why are you telling me all of this though-

“Well…Terran told me it’s the only way to keep you calm as long as I answer your question you won’t get mad or sad” Riley has no idea how to take that. Whether he was just being naively honest or just plain indifferent.

“Will you really let me go after you…you know remove the baby?” Riley asked and the clacking sounds of Winter’s cutlery against the plate halted for a minute.

“Yes…that I promise you” Winter replied.

“It doesn’t bother you that I know…what if I tell someone?” Riley pushed. She probably shouldn’t do anything to agitate him but there was just so much she was curious about.

“Oh don’t worry…you probably won’t remember anything the moment you step out of Dragonhive, any human leaving this place without protection from a dragon would have the memories of their stay wiped from them the moment they stepped out of the boundary” Winter answered and Riley’s shoulders sagged. She expected something like that but it was still too much to handle.

“What’s-

“You should eat more, I’ll answer your questions tomorrow” Winter cut in. ‘He must be tired of answering questions’ Riley concluded before she returned to eating her food. She finished the cuisine dishes in front of her before she knows it but despite that, she wanted more, but the rest of the food was out of her reach. Winter must have noticed since the plates were suddenly floating again and small snow droplets could be noticed around the floating plates. Riley couldn’t hide her bewilderment, she thought she would no longer be shocked after seeing it a couple of times but it still left her mouth hanging in utter shock. Then the other dishes shifted to her front while the double door that led to the dining hall opened up. Wesley walked in after that, and those plates were quickly manoeuvred to his side only then did Riley notice the tray he’d come in with and somehow, the plates mounted themselves on it.

“You can continue eating now” Winter urged while rising to his feet.

“Did you…do that?” Riley's eyes twinkled with curiosity and it felt like every ounce of fear she felt had suddenly dissipated after feeling astonished by what looked like a magic show to her.

“Yes…well, until Wes came. Anyway…I’m going to bed. You can call Wes if you need anything” And like that Winter turned and headed for the stairs.

“How can he be so rude and cold, addressing the man so casually…he looks old enough to be his father” Riley complained before finally taking her time with her food. She’s never tasted something so savoury and delicious but had to act indifferent to the food since she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hide her expression.

“This is so good” She declared while she continue eating everything her hand could reach and in a few minutes, half of the table was gone since she switched seats a couple of times so she can reach the food farther away.

As if waiting for her, the doors opened up to reveal the maid and the butler the moment she declared that she was full. Hiding her embarrassment, she followed the butler who slowly led her back to her room.

“Lady-

“My name’s Riley” Riley corrected Wesley immediately since he knew he was about to address her as lady again.

“Okay…lady Riley…this is Layla, she would be assigned as your personal maid during your temporary stay in the castle” Why on earth are they treating her like some princess of some weird-ass fairytale? Riley frowned, she knew all that’s happened to her was something straight out of a comic book but is she really gonna sit around and let this happen? Riley pondered while watching the young petite girl that was meant to attend to her, she look a little nervous though.

“Um…okay, hey Layla…I’m Riley, nice to meet you” Riley gestured her a handshake after flashing her a warm smile but Layla just cluelessly glanced down at it, unsure of what to do.

“I’m afraid Layla isn’t used to human customs yet, pardon her…Layla, why don’t you go draw the lady a bath?”W hat? A bath? She’s gonna bathe her!? Riley panicked.

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