Private Tales Twist of Fate

[Cynric]

Alven - Azren Estate

Cynric rubbed gently at his face, fingers tightening over his features as the whispers continued in his ears. A grimace flickered over his features, teeth gnashing together.

He took a slow breath. It burned his lungs, an acrid smell that shouldn't have been there lingering within his nose. A pulse ran through the base of his spine and up his back. The whispers continued, a quiet chant, rhythmic. They told him truths. They told him his path, the way that he had to go. His muscles seemed to tense for a second, drawing together.

It was so familiar already, that whisper.

To his ears it was like an old friend, a quiet voice that told him what he would have to do, that offered more than advice. The grimace on his face disappeared as he relaxed within his chair, breath releasing as his fingers flexed on the arm of the chair. Eyes drew towards the fire snapping in front of him, watching as the face within it looked back at him.

It's smile mirrored his own.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A knock rang out through the Estate, thundering through the foyer and drawing through the manor. His head turned away, the face within the fire disappearing. The whisper in his head suddenly snapped out of existence, and his smile was replaced with a scowl.

It was a humiliation having to answer his own doors.

Slowly he pushed himself up and out of the cushioned chair. Dust and cobwebs covered the halls he wandered through, ancient tomes and old furniture having fallen into a drab state without the caring touch of proper servants. Cyn stepped through the rooms of his manor until eventually he stood before the front door. With a smooth yank he tugged open the doors, revealing the figure standing there.

 

[Ennui]

Standing outside the nearly abandoned estate entrance, was a young tiefling woman with pale lavender-colored skin. Her curved horns were hidden beneath her hood, but her bright blue eyes sparkled in the twilight. There was a nervous smile at the corner of her lips.

Anxiously, she lowered her hood while chewing her bottom lip.

The tiefling gave a quick, polite bow. Her long braids falling forward as she did so.

"Evening uhm... Master Azren. My name is Ennui, the uh..." Her words faltered for a moment and she glanced down at her feet.

Given her name, she'd always known that her parents weren't fond of her. They'd always considered her with disdain and as a burden. Nevertheless, it stung when they'd taken the course that they had.

She took a deep breath and kept her gaze turned down from Cynric's.

"Your new servant. I was told that you erm... made a deal with my parents."

 

[Cynric]

Crynric slowly looked the young Tiefling up and down.

The whispers had stopped, but they had spoken of this moment. His gaze was fleeting, quick, assessing. It seemed to linger for a few moments more before he finally pulled the door fully open and took a single step backwards. "Excellent."

He said simply.

A smile drew across his lips, a flash of something drawing over his eyes as he waved and motioned for her to step inside.

"Come in." There was no question to his tone, just command. There was something to the tone of his voice, as if not following the command was somehow and impossibility that could not even be considered.

 

[Ennui]

Ennui briefly hesitated, barely even a breath's length, before she followed the man inside. There was something off about his presence, as though there was something sinister lurking beneath the surface. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she decided it would be best not to anger her new master.

As she stepped through the threshold, the first thing she noticed was the sad state of the mansion. Dust and cobwebs covered the furnishings, clinging to the corners of the walls. It was clear that she was going to have her work cut out for her... but at least it meant that she'd be busy.

She didn't want the free time to dwell on her new situation.

Her vibrant blue gaze swept over the surroundings and then returned to the tall noble that stood before her.

"Should I... make you some tea? Something to eat?" She offered, unsure of what to do with herself.

 

[Cynric]

Almost as soon as she was through the door Cynric let it fall shut. There was a muted click as the lock almost automatically fell into place, pale shadows quickly falling into the Foyer as the light of the sun outside was cut off.

Her question was met with a quiet stare.

Slowly Cynric stepped forward, and with a gentle hand he reached out to grab ahold of her chin. He drew his thumb along her skin, as if inspecting the hue of her flesh before softly tilting her head so that their eyes met.

She would see the odd tinge of yellow within his irises, his gaze flickering over her form for a brief moment before he mused out loud. ”Well, your family is certainly taking a loss by sending you here.”

Cynric said with a smile.

”If your skills match your beauty then I might as well have stolen from them.” His head shook, and he slowly drew his palm away from her chin. ”Let’s get you settled first.”

He told her, picking up his cane and motioning towards the steps at the end of the foyer.

 

[Ennui]

She sucked in a quick breath and tensed as Cynric grabbed hold of her chin. Her eyes widened ever so slightly, but she did her best to keep still and not to tremble.

In that moment, the reality of her situation came crashing down on her. She was utterly at this man's mercy. She didn't know anything about him, other than the fact he was a noble.

Clearing her throat, she gathered her courage to speak.

"Either way the would have been happy to be rid of me." She answered in a small voice, doing her best not to drop her gaze this time.

Her fingers nervously fiddled with ends of one of her braids as she followed him up the stairs to what she assumed would be her new quarters.

 

[Cynric]

"Their loss, my gain." He mused. "I suppose."

The man moved with a confidence that denoted his station. He carried himself with the attitude of a King, walking with the confidence of a man who had conquered a thousand cities. They moved up the stairs into a long hallway.

"Many people don't know what they have until they lose it." He told her, glancing with just a single smile. Despite that strange emptiness, there was a warmth to the way he looked at her, though it quickly passed as they moved to the end of the hall.

"Here we are." He told her. "The Servants quarters."

The door was pulled open to reveal a room that most commoners would have seemed a luxury. There were four beds, an en suite restroom, and several large windows. It was spacious, though somehow confinding in it's own way. "Since you will likely be the...only servant for some time, you may do as you please with it."

 

[Ennui]

The room was far larger than the living space she'd had back with her parents, not to mention the lavish furnishings. There was not only one, but four actual mattresses in place of a pile of straw with a blanket tossed over it.

A bright smile lit up her face for the first time as she stepped into the room.

At first, she was hesitant to even touch anything. It all felt so much above her, as though she wasn't worthy of such things.

"Oh... Wow. Thank you, Lord Azren." She replied graciously, giving a quick curtsy.

Ennui moved to the bed closest to the window and set her small bag down on top of it. She didn't have much with her, a single change of clothes, a few trinkets she'd collected in the forest behind her old home, and a small stuffed bear.

The bear was her most treasured possession. Her older brother had given it to her when she was little. It was all she had left of him since he'd gone off on his own.

He'd always promised to come back and take her to a new life, away from their miserable parents, but he never returned.

"I understand. I'll do my best." She told her new master with a faint smile.

Perhaps she'd been wrong about Cynric. He'd been kind to her so far.

 

[Cynric]

He tipped his head in a nod.

The Servants quarters had always been generous in this estate. Some of the others his family had owned not so much, but this was the summer home and thing often got quite hot during the warmer months of the year. His grandfather had always said people deserved to be treated well.

As long as they earned that treatment. "There are sheets and blankets in that closet over there, though perhaps you'll have to launder them."

It had been some time.

The estate had fallen into disrepair over the last few years, the last of his servants having left during the...incident. A frown flickered over his features, though it was quickly wiped away.

"Do you know how to cook?" She would have to learn regardless if she didn't.

 

[Ennui]

"Yes, I can cook. Are there supplies in the kitchen? I can make you something to eat, if you're hungry." She offered, clasping her hands together behind her back to keep from fidgeting.

Ennui wasn't sure if her cooking would be up to the standards of a Nobleman, but she had to do her best. If Cynric grew tired of her, or was displeased, she had nowhere else to go.

With no money to her name whatsoever, she didn't have any other options.

It was clear the list of tasks that needed to be done was growing. Dread knotted in her stomach. How was she supposed to do all of this on her own?

She would have to prioritize if she wanted to get anything accomplished.

The laundry for her bedding could wait.

 

[Cynric]

"Good, good." He said, leaning against the doorway of the Servants quarters. He seemed to loom over her, watching as she tried not to fidget and move about within the small space.

A flicker of something moved over his eye, the barest wisp of a dark tendril that seemed to appear for just a breath of a second.

Then it was gone.

"No." He told her with a wave. "Not now. Get settled first, I insist."

There was almost a woven command to the way he spoke, as if a chain slipped from his tongue and slowly bound itself around her wrists. A compulsion sitting to his words. "When you've sorted yourself away come to the study."

He told her softly.

"But don't hurry." Cynric said as he slowly turned away and headed back down stairs.

The fun would begin soon.

 

[Ennui]

Her brow furrowed slightly as the Lord left her alone. The strange shadow in his eye had been off-putting, but she was in a position to question it.

There were rumors that circulated the estate. Tales of demon worshipping, cultists, murder, all sorts of wild stories. Ennui didn't believe any of them, but she knew there was something... off about this place and its master.

She set about quickly readying the room for herself. The linens were not in too terrible condition, at least, not by her standards. It didn't take her long to make the bed and unpack her sparse belongings.

There was an apron hanging in the closet, which she grabbed and tied around her waist to help hide her tattered skirts. Eventually, she would need to make herself some new clothes. It wasn't as though a Lord could have his servants looking so... well, impoverished.

Once she was settled, Ennui paused in the corridor outside her room.

She had no idea where the study was, and she knew it would take her some time to find it. While Cynric had told her not to hurry, she didn't want to keep her new Lord waiting.

Her tail swished anxiously behind her as she trotted through the empty halls as quietly as she could.

Eventually, she found a room with a stream of light filtering through the cracked door.

She knocked softly, not wanting to let herself in if the Lord was busy. "My Lord?"

 

[Cynric]

Over the centuries his family had collected hundreds upon hundreds of books. Patriarchs and matriarchs alike had made it their mission to purchase and create as many novels as possible. The subjects ranged in a wide variety.

Some were historic, some spoke of philosophy, and others told of magics and things that most could never have imagined.

One such novel lay spread out in his lap. It's language was ancient, forgotten to most. His eyes flickered over the texts upon the pages, face resting within the prong of his fingers as he slowly flipped a page when he heard Ennui's voice.

His head turned up for a moment. "Come in."

He bade quietly, his eyes returning to the pages in his lap for a moment until the girl presented herself before him.

 

[Ennui]

Quietly, Ennui slipped into the room and shut the door behind her. It occurred to her a little too late how silly it was to shut the door, when they were the only two in the entire estate.

The sight of so many books and tomes in one place stole her breath away. For her, they were precious things filled with wonder and magic.

Her parents had never taught her to read.

But her brother used to read from a small book by candlelight after their parents had gone to bed. He'd left before he had a chance to teach her to read from the book.

Remembering herself, Ennui shook her head and gave a low curtsy to Cynric as she came to a stop before him.

"My Lord."

 

[Cynric]

Cynric looked up from his book once more as the girl stepped out in front of him. A smile pulled at his lips for a brief moment, his finger sliding along the pages before he noted the page and slowly slipped the novel closed in his lap.

A chuckle pulled from his throat as he noticed the apron. "Ah, that old thing."

His head shook.

"We'll have to get you a proper uniform, I suppose." Cynric leaned back in his chair for a moment, letting his hand draw over the leather binding of his book. "Something a bit more flattering, perhaps.'

He mused out loud before shaking his head again and continued. "Can you read?"

Cynric asked as he watched her carefully, never telling her to move an inch.

 

[Ennui]

Ennui blushed at the question of her literacy and shook her head. "No... I uh... I never learned, my Lord."

She answered him truthfully, despite the shame of it.

Once again, she found it difficult to stay still under Cynric's intense gaze. It felt as though he was peering straight through her.

"As for a new uniform, I can sew something together, with some proper supplies that is."

 

[Cynric]

A 'tsk' clicked from his tongue, head shaking in disappointment. "I suppose you'll have to learn."

He wrapped his fingers around the spine of his book and plucked it from his lap, placing it onto the end table besides his chair. For a few seconds he considered her, glancing up and down for a moment before shaking his head again.

"I'll see you get them." Cynric told him. "I suppose they sell the like at the markets. Though you might as well get a whole set of clothes at that point."

A chuckle escaped him, he had his own gaps of knowledge. "How is your memory, then?"

He asked.

 

[Ennui]

The tiefling's head canted slightly to the side at the unexpected question. She'd expected to be asked about her ability to cook, and sew, and generally run a household... But her memory?

"I am not prone to forgetfulness, my Lord, if that is what you're asking. But... To answer the question outright, I would say my memory is rather keen."

Still blushing, she knew that she was rambling in her response. Lord Cynric did not have time to listen to a servant babble on, he needed short and concise responses.

She would have to do better.

 

[Cynric]

Cynric considered for a few seconds. "Come closer."

Her inability to read was...annoying, but not the end of the world. In better times one of the other servants might have been able to teach her, hell, he might even have hired her a tutor. Unfortunately, he could afford to do neither.

Not yet.

Things would turn back soon, but for now he would have to make due. Just as she would have to. He mused for a moment, then slowly leaned back in his chair as he waited for her to do as she was told.

 

[Ennui]

Ennui took a few steps closer to Cynric until she was standing right in front of him. She was close enough now to feel the comforting warmth of the fire against her skin.

There was no reason for her to disobey the Lord.

She looked uncertain as she stood before him, not out of fear but unsure of what to say.

Ennui had no real knowledge of what the expectations were for servants who dwelled in noble households. She'd never met anyone who did such work, and she'd certainly never encountered another Nobleman.

"Yes, my Lord?"

 

[Cynric]

There was so much to do now.

A few days ago things had looked hopeless. He had been falling off the cliff his family had built for him. His estate crumbling, his wealth depleted, his friends gone. Everything had appeared to be utterly lost. Now? Now there had been a turn.

Cynric, still leaning back in his chair, gently reached out. His fingers grazed softly against her outer thigh for a brief moment, flickering up her form and softly grasping hold of the end of her braid. He tugged her down towards him, ever so softly forcing her to bend just slightly at the hip.

"You'll have noticed the Estate is not in the best state of repair." He told her, softly playing with the end of her braid between his fingertips.

"So I'm going to give you a list." Cynric said. "And we'll see how well your keen little memory keeps it."

He smiled. "Don't rush through it. I prefer a job done well, over one done quickly. Understand?"

Cynric gently turned the end of her braid, tickling her nose with it.

 

[Ennui]

Whatever she'd been expecting, it certainly hadn't been that. She didn't know if she was frightened, mortified, or just startled.

Cynric was so casual in the way that he touched her, toying with her hair. As if he was well aware that he was in complete control of her and the situation.

Still, she forced herself to stay still and not to flinch away from him.

"Y-yes, my Lord. A list of your priorities for the estate will allow me to work more efficiently. I'll do my best."

 

[Cynric]

"Excellent." He told her, never letting go of her braid.

There really was quite a bit to do.

Cynric himself had thought about attending to some of it, but in his own stupor of alcohol and other things had never quite gotten around to it. His research had been more important, and ultimately, he had been right to prioritize it.

"First are the windows." He told her. "Uncover them, wash them. See that a bit more...light graces our home, eh?"

The Nobleman tickled her hair along her jaw. "Then see if you can't attend to some of this dust."

His list continued. No task was complex or beyond her means, though some would require more time than others. Yet each item was fair, ten things in all, and none of them impossible.

 

[Ennui]

In the midst of him listing off the items, Ennui realized what was happening. Cynric was trying to distract her from the tasks he was laying out for her.

Once it became clear this was some sort of challenge or test, she found it far easier to focus, despite the teasing of her hair along her face.

Or perhaps he wasn't. Maybe he was just an eccentric noble who'd lived alone for far too long.

Either way, she thought it best to treat the situation as the former. She didn't want to disappoint him.

Once he'd finished listing off the tasks, Ennui calmly repeated each one back to him, making sure that she had everything in order.

A blush still colored her pale lavender face. Now that she was so close to him, he'd see the subtle freckles that dotted along the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

"I uhm... I should get started, my Lord."

 

[Cynric]

He smiled. "Yes."

Cynric agreed, tilting his head in a nod before he finally let go of the end of her braid. His knuckles brushed gently down her jaw.

"You best." There wasn't really any urgency to any of it, not anymore. He knew things would improve now, that had been part of the bargain. He smiled, then reached out to once again pluck the book off of the side table.

Had she been able to read she might have been able to glimpse something, but to Ennui it would appear to be simple runes.

There was no telling for her what the novel actually was.

Perhaps it might have served as a warning.